Galaxy Note 9

[Carfax83]

You P3 fans are almost as bad as the iPhone ones.the memory issue is well known. Google it.

I never said it wasn't known. This is just the first time I've heard of Google acknowledging that it is planned to be fixed. This "problem" existed with the Pixel 2 series as well, but nothing was ever done about that.

 

[sze5003]

There's a bug tracker here for it. I don't think it would make it into the November update but if anything should be after.

https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/118347903

 

[you2]

There is supposedly a bug in ram management that causes the pixel to run out of memory and kill background processes. I don't have a link but Google acknowledge the problem. As for the speaker when I tested it in the store it was by a wide margin the best of the phones I am considering. Way better than the note 9. However - i did not test it in many different situations; only the ones that concern myself. Also I don't know if the issue being reported is software or QC. Google QC appears to suck compares to apple. Apple has a huge amount of issues but QC and general hardware support seem to be decent.

The note 9 has a lot of negatives (for myself) but a few positives. There is a nice list of software benefits for the pixel above so I won't repeat the ones I was considering when I made the statement.

I'm willing to discuss my views of the different phones but not when people sprout obvious non-sense that shows a large amount of ignorance.

The only time I ever noticed the speaker distortion was during that YouTube video you posted of that guy playing the camera. Other than that, I haven't noticed it at all anywhere else. Hopefully it can be fixed with a software update, but if it can't be, it's not a big deal for me and I won't RMA or return it.



Can you show me where you read or heard this from? I did not know they had even acknowledged it.

 

[WelshBloke]

Off the top of my head:

1) Night sight

2) Google Duplex

3) Guaranteed OS and security updates for at least 3 years

4) Unlimited cloud storage at full detail

5) Bloat free pure Android experience (may not appeal to everyone)

6) Industry leading computational photography

7) Integrated call screening

8) Google assistant on tap

9) Access to Project Fi network

10) Google Lens on tap

I have 7, 8 and 10 on my S9+. We don't have, and I don't want 9 here whatever phone you have. 6 is pretty much just buzz words (not that the camera isn't good). I have 4. Don't want 5 thats mainly why I buy a Samsung. No idea what 2 is. 1 is pretty cool, I'll have to see more examples of photos of non static targets first.

Number 3 is the one brought up all the time. Samsung is pretty good at updates (my phone is on the October security update). All the apps (including most of the system apps) get updated through the play store at the same cadence as the ones on a pixel. AFAIK the play services get updated the same way.

 

[Carfax83]

There is supposedly a bug in ram management that causes the pixel to run out of memory and kill background processes. I don't have a link but Google acknowledge the problem. As for the speaker when I tested it in the store it was by a wide margin the best of the phones I am considering. Way better than the note 9. However - i did not test it in many different situations; only the ones that concern myself. Also I don't know if the issue being reported is software or QC. Google QC appears to suck compares to apple. Apple has a huge amount of issues but QC and general hardware support seem to be decent.

I don't know if it's a bug, or that the algorithm that is controlling the RAM management is simply too aggressive. Because my Pixel 3 XL will sometimes kill the YouTube app on my phone if it's open but hasn't been used in a long time. However, when I check my RAM usage, I always have at least 1.1GB of free memory. I've never seen either my Pixel 2 XL or 3 XL drop below 1GB of RAM since owning them. That leads me to believe that the Pixel phones aren't running out of memory at all, but that the memory management algorithm needs to be tweaked to be more forgiving.

 

[sze5003]

I don't know if it's a bug, or that the algorithm that is controlling the RAM management is simply too aggressive. Because my Pixel 3 XL will sometimes kill the YouTube app on my phone if it's open but hasn't been used in a long time. However, when I check my RAM usage, I always have at least 1.1GB of free memory. I've never seen either my Pixel 2 XL or 3 XL drop below 1GB of RAM since owning them. That leads me to believe that the Pixel phones aren't running out of memory at all, but that the memory management algorithm needs to be tweaked to be more forgiving.

Yeah they switched to a new kernel, lmkd which is more aggressive on saving battery and automatically closing the apps that consume the most. So if you have Spotify or youtube running in the background and then you also use maps and open the camera, it will close the one that is using the most memory.

These are the bug report changes that I think will mostly need tweaking. Although if people want you could unlock your pixel and rebuild the kernel with something that's more suitable for the 2Xl and run that which will get rid of the issue. It's most likely the system kernel they have to tweak or change. Not sure why they changed it from the one they were using before.

 

[Carfax83]

I have 7, 8 and 10 on my S9+. We don't have, and I don't want 9 here whatever phone you have. 6 is pretty much just buzz words (not that the camera isn't good). I have 4. Don't want 5 thats mainly why I buy a Samsung. No idea what 2 is. 1 is pretty cool, I'll have to see more examples of photos of non static targets first.

Number 3 is the one brought up all the time. Samsung is pretty good at updates (my phone is on the October security update). All the apps (including most of the system apps) get updated through the play store at the same cadence as the ones on a pixel. AFAIK the play services get updated the same way.

Well I posted that list not to convince Samsung owners, but to show that there are many positives to owning a Pixel phone. I used to love Samsung phones myself. The last Samsung phone I had was a Galaxy III, so that was several years ago. When I first got it, I loved it of course, but it definitely started slowing down after a while. That and the long waiting time for updates were what prompted me to look at phones which used stock Android. My first stock Android phone was a Nexus 5, then a Nexus 6p, and then the Pixel 2 XL and I'm currently on the Pixel 3 XL. So far, I haven't had much complaints to be honest, and I love the bloat free and minimalist design of stock Android.

From what I've read and heard though, the newer Samsung phones no longer suffer from the slow down issues that their predecessors had, and they're getting updates faster. Like I said several pages ago, I seriously looked at getting a Note 9, but was turned off by Bixby and the prospect of losing my Google feed.

 

[WelshBloke]

Like I said several pages ago, I seriously looked at getting a Note 9, but was turned off by Bixby and the prospect of losing my Google feed.

You don't lose your Google feed. Mines set up for the Bixby button but I used to have it as swipe right on the home screen. (The Google feed thing that is).
Nothing wrong with getting a Pixel but I just see a lot of misinformation about Samsung phones.

 

[Raduque]

Off the top of my head:

1) Night sight

2) Google Duplex

3) Guaranteed OS and security updates for at least 3 years

4) Unlimited cloud storage at full detail

5) Bloat free pure Android experience (may not appeal to everyone)

6) Industry leading computational photography

7) Integrated call screening

8) Google assistant on tap

9) Access to Project Fi network

10) Google Lens on tap

1) Maybe I don't know much about it and I haven't tested low light modes on my Note 9 yet.

2) Seems like a stupid thing for lazy people. Also only applies if you use Google Assistant.

3) Meh. OS updates are irrelevant. Security updates are good, but still mostly meh - there hasn't been a single recorded case of an unpatched bug being exploited in the wild in the US that I could find. People are mostly using them to figure out how to get root.

4) Sure, great feature if you're 100% covered by networks 100% of the time. I don't need or want to have my pictures be at the mercy of connectivity when there's a local hardware solution to that problem.

5) If it "doesn't appeal to everybody" it clearly doesn't belong on this list. It's absolutely NOT a benefit for a lot of people, me included. In fact, it's actually a negative.

6)If you like the look of Google's post processing, sure. Or are you referring to the way Photos (garbage app, btw) can recognize people, places and things? Because if so, well, my S8 can do this too.

7) Have been able to do this on the unlocked (non-carrier branded) models of the Galaxies since the S7.

8) If you use Assistant. And all the ways of calling up assistant (except squeeze) work on every other Android phone too.

9) Fi is an expensive network for a data-heavy user. Besides, you can use Fi on the Moto G6 and X4 Android One, LG G7 ThinQ and V35 ThinQ as well. Then you can simply put the SIM in any device you want (that supports T-Mobile and Sprint)

10) Again, if you use Assistant. Bixby Vision works on Samsung just as well, IMO.

Except for the low-light mode, almost none of these are innovative, and several of them don't even belong because they aren't even software features.

The note 9 has a lot of negatives

List those then.​

 

[Carfax83]

1) Maybe I don't know much about it and I haven't tested low light modes on my Note 9 yet.

Night sight to me is practically revolutionary for low light photography. It's amazing how they can accomplish that via computation.

Night sight comparison

2) Seems like a stupid thing for lazy people. Also only applies if you use Google Assistant.

Duplex definitely isn't stupid. It may be a novelty though, but it's by far the most impressive and natural sounding voice A.I assistant out there.

3) Meh. OS updates are irrelevant. Security updates are good, but still mostly meh - there hasn't been a single recorded case of an unpatched bug being exploited in the wild in the US that I could find. People are mostly using them to figure out how to get root.

Not sure how you can say it's irrelevant. OS updates can come with some awesome and useful features. For example, TRIM support to Android was added back in the old Jelly Bean (Android 4.3) days via an OS update. That solved most of the chronic lag and slowdown issues that Android phones were having.

4) Sure, great feature if you're 100% covered by networks 100% of the time. I don't need or want to have my pictures be at the mercy of connectivity when there's a local hardware solution to that problem.

Erm, Wi Fi? Wi Fi is so prevalent these days, that I'm practically always in range of a signal somewhere, even driving around town. Then again, I have Comcast Xfinity so there are literally tens of thousands of hotspots I can connect to around the U.S.

5) If it "doesn't appeal to everybody" it clearly doesn't belong on this list. It's absolutely NOT a benefit for a lot of people, me included. In fact, it's actually a negative

Well the reason why I put it there is because that's one of the main draws for why people get Pixel phones, because they want a pure Android experience that is free of bloat and crapware, as well as faster access to OS and security updates.

6)If you like the look of Google's post processing, sure. Or are you referring to the way Photos (garbage app, btw) can recognize people, places and things? Because if so, well, my S8 can do this too.

No I am talking about their computational photography. Google is universally seen as the Industry leader in that area, and it shows on the Pixel phones.

7) Have been able to do this on the unlocked (non-carrier branded) models of the Galaxies since the S7.

This call screening is different. A voice assistant will answer your calls, and you can see what the other person (or spammer) is saying via text on your screen in real time, and decide whether to answer it or not.

8) If you use Assistant. And all the ways of calling up assistant (except squeeze) work on every other Android phone too.

Yeah but the squeeze option is faster and more convenient. I was actually surprised at how much I like that feature, and it was definitely a factor in why I decided to get a Pixel 3 XL and not a Note 9.

9) Fi is an expensive network for a data-heavy user. Besides, you can use Fi on the Moto G6 and X4 Android One, LG G7 ThinQ and V35 ThinQ as well. Then you can simply put the SIM in any device you want (that supports T-Mobile and Sprint)

My phone bills are on average $35 a month. Fi only charges you for the data that you use, so if you are always on Wi Fi like I am, it's very cheap. Plus you get access to three networks and not just one, and seamless Wi Fi calling.

10) Again, if you use Assistant. Bixby Vision works on Samsung just as well, IMO.

Actually I think Google Lens will be coming to Samsung phones, so that should be crossed off the list. And LOL at Bixby Vision. It will be a spectacular failure just like Bixby itself.

BTW, one hardware feature that I think is awesome and under reported on the Pixel 3 phones is the Titan M security chip.https://www.phonedog.com/2018/10/17/google-pixel-3-titan-m-security-chip​

https://www.phonedog.com/2018/10/17/google-pixel-3-titan-m-security-chip

 

[sao123]

So I am right smack in the middle of this delimma myself of having to decide between the Pixel 3XL, the S9+, and the Note 9.

Here are the things I have focused on as the PROs / Cons of Each.

Note9
Pros:
Best Battery Life
512GB Memory available / 8GB RAM
Better screen than Pixel 3XL Amoled vs Poled
MicroSD Slot AND 3.5 MM headphones
Newer Device, Oct 2018 Launch
Samsung Launcher has more options, like App Drawer Reorganization.

Cons:
EXPENSIVE!
only Android 8.1 until March 2019
Less OS Updates, probably not go to Android 10
No google Call Screening (Pixel Exclusive)
Cant disable Bixby button
Samsung Marketplace / Bloatware

Pixel 3XL
Pro:
Closest pure google experience to my Droid Turbo 2 that I am replacing
Google Assistant Call screening looks beneficial
Best Night Camera
More updates to OS than any other brand
Oct 2018 launch, newer device

Cons
Only 4 GB RAM
Only 128GB Memory, No MicroSD Slot (already have 64GB of files I carry with me)
No 3.5mm headphones jack (I charge while I listen at work)
Launcher lacks some features I used from Nova Launcher(App Drawer Reorg + App hiding)


S9+
Pros:
Better screen than Pixel 3XL Amoled vs Poled
MicroSD Slot AND 3.5 MM headphones
6GB RAM
Samsung Launcher has more options, like App Drawer Reorganization.

Cons:
Only 64 GB mem device default
Older Device Feb 2018 launch
only Android 8 until March 2019
Less OS Updates, probably not go to Android 10
No google Call Screening (Pixel Exclusive)
Samsung Marketplace / Bloatware


IPhone X
Pros:
Will burn
Cons:
Its an IPhone


And none of them have the 21MP camera the Turbo 2 had...

 

[Zaap]

So I am right smack in the middle of this delimma myself of having to decide between the Pixel 3XL, the S9+, and the Note 9.

Some of the things on your list:

The Note 9 is still a 'newer' device, but it was released back in August. Relevant to point out, because earlier in the thread someone seemed to have a problem understanding how TIME works, and was comparing a phone that had just come out in October (and rated the best screen on a smartphone NOW) with one that came out in August (and rated the best screen on a smartphone AT THE TIME) with the article itself pointing out that the new iPhone (the phone he was going on about) would likely have a better screen, and then the S10 beyond that would and so on and so forth....

Ya think some things are self explanatory, but the Internet never ceases to amaze!

The Bixby Button on the Note 9 CAN be remapped and disabled. It's just not an official Samsung tick mark, you need a third party tool to do so. Not really a negative considering you can make it do whatever you want a physical button for, or nothing at all. The Bixby button bugged me for all of 2 minutes on the original Note 8, then I figured out how to do something useful with it and I've liked having it ever since.

I don't even have any Samsung Marketplace on my Note 9. Most of the Samsung apps can be uninstalled.



On the Pixel (or any Android phone really) if you like Nova Launcher's features... why not just use Nova Launcher?

I'm going to bet the Pixel (and probably the latest Galaxy phones) take better pictures than a Turbo 2. You don't need a ridculous MP count, you need quality sensor, lens and software.

 

[you2]

Two other advantages of the pixel 3xl (if they matter to you) are better speakers and google fi. google fi is much cheaper than verizon/t-mobile (10$ per 1 gb of data to a max of $50); and international is free if these things matter to yourself. I'm on verizon right now and international is a big plus of switching to either google fi or t-mobile. For myself the only real negatives of the pixel 3xl are lack of sd slot (I can live without the headphone jack since they supply an adapter). There are other tangibles such as the note screen is brighter and i prefer the pixel 3xl form factor (and dislike edge screens). Then again the pixel 3xl has the ugly notch.

 

[Raduque]

Not sure how you can say it's irrelevant. OS updates can come with some awesome and useful features. For example, TRIM support to Android was added back in the old Jelly Bean (Android 4.3) days via an OS update. That solved most of the chronic lag and slowdown issues that Android phones were having.

​

OS Updates used to be relevant. But now, the only things Google is adding to the base OS are things that have been in Samsung's builds for generations.

Erm, Wi Fi? Wi Fi is so prevalent these days, that I'm practically always in range of a signal somewhere, even driving around town. Then again, I have Comcast Xfinity so there are literally tens of thousands of hotspots I can connect to around the U.S.

Yeah, sure, because Wi-Fi is prevalent in the middle of the dead zones along US highways and smaller roads through the middle of nowhere.

Well the reason why I put it there is because that's one of the main draws for why people get Pixel phones, because they want a pure Android experience that is free of bloat and crapware, as well as faster access to OS and security updates.

I get that, but it's not innovative. Also, for what it's worth, I delete and disable pretty much everything Google except Maps, WearOS, Games and Store. Everything else is bloatware.

No I am talking about their computational photography. Google is universally seen as the Industry leader in that area, and it shows on the Pixel phones.

Fancy way of describing Google's HDR algorithm. Which, admittedly, is quite good if you like the looks of their post.

This call screening is different. A voice assistant will answer your calls, and you can see what the other person (or spammer) is saying via text on your screen in real time, and decide whether to answer it or not.

Now that IS innovative. Wouldn't mind having that on my Note 9. But I ain't crippling my entire phone experience for that one thing.

Yeah but the squeeze option is faster and more convenient. I was actually surprised at how much I like that feature, and it was definitely a factor in why I decided to get a Pixel 3 XL and not a Note 9.

Well, I don't use Assistant so squeeze is completely irrelevant.

My phone bills are on average $35 a month. Fi only charges you for the data that you use, so if you are always on Wi Fi like I am, it's very cheap. Plus you get access to three networks and not just one, and seamless Wi Fi calling.

I use 15-18gb a month, on average, on each line, for 3 lines for 45-60gb of usage. So how much would that be on Fi? According to the website, $170. I pay $150, including phone financing.

Actually I think Google Lens will be coming to Samsung phones, so that should be crossed off the list. And LOL at Bixby Vision. It will be a spectacular failure just like Bixby itself.

BTW, one hardware feature that I think is awesome and under reported on the Pixel 3 phones is the Titan M security chip.

​

Bixby Vision works fine. Bixby works better than Assistant for me.

 

[Raduque]

Not sure how you can say it's irrelevant. OS updates can come with some awesome and useful features. For example, TRIM support to Android was added back in the old Jelly Bean (Android 4.3) days via an OS update. That solved most of the chronic lag and slowdown issues that Android phones were having.

​

OS Updates used to be relevant. But now, the only things Google is adding to the base OS are things that have been in Samsung's builds for generations.

Erm, Wi Fi? Wi Fi is so prevalent these days, that I'm practically always in range of a signal somewhere, even driving around town. Then again, I have Comcast Xfinity so there are literally tens of thousands of hotspots I can connect to around the U.S.

Yeah, sure, because Wi-Fi is prevalent in the middle of the dead zones along US highways and smaller roads through the middle of nowhere.

Well the reason why I put it there is because that's one of the main draws for why people get Pixel phones, because they want a pure Android experience that is free of bloat and crapware, as well as faster access to OS and security updates.

I get that, but it's not innovative. Also, for what it's worth, I delete and disable pretty much everything Google except Maps, WearOS, Games and Store. Everything else is bloatware.

No I am talking about their computational photography. Google is universally seen as the Industry leader in that area, and it shows on the Pixel phones.

Fancy way of describing Google's HDR algorithm. Which, admittedly, is quite good if you like the looks of their post.

This call screening is different. A voice assistant will answer your calls, and you can see what the other person (or spammer) is saying via text on your screen in real time, and decide whether to answer it or not.

Now that IS innovative. Wouldn't mind having that on my Note 9. But I ain't crippling my entire phone experience for that one thing.

Yeah but the squeeze option is faster and more convenient. I was actually surprised at how much I like that feature, and it was definitely a factor in why I decided to get a Pixel 3 XL and not a Note 9.

Well, I don't use Assistant so squeeze is completely irrelevant.

My phone bills are on average $35 a month. Fi only charges you for the data that you use, so if you are always on Wi Fi like I am, it's very cheap. Plus you get access to three networks and not just one, and seamless Wi Fi calling.

I use 15-18gb a month, on average, on each line, for 3 lines for 45-60gb of usage. So how much would that be on Fi? According to the website, $170. I pay $150, including phone financing.

Actually I think Google Lens will be coming to Samsung phones, so that should be crossed off the list. And LOL at Bixby Vision. It will be a spectacular failure just like Bixby itself.

BTW, one hardware feature that I think is awesome and under reported on the Pixel 3 phones is the Titan M security chip.

​

Bixby Vision works fine. Bixby works better than Assistant for me.

 

[lopri]

My replacement Note 9 arrived and so far it is better than the first one as far as display is concerned. It is still too warm like most Galaxy phones these days, but the green tint/cast is much less pronounced. The uniformity is truly excellent, which satisfies me.

The SOC Performance seems to be the same. Adequate for now, but its longevity is dubious.

 

[lopri]

Well, I don't use Assistant so squeeze is completely irrelevant.
​

​

Trivia: The S9/S9+ and the Note9 have "Squeeze" sensor built-in on the frame. They are not activated.

 

[sao123]

Some of the things on your list:

The Note 9 is still a 'newer' device, but it was released back in August. Relevant to point out, because earlier in the thread someone seemed to have a problem understanding how TIME works, and was comparing a phone that had just come out in October (and rated the best screen on a smartphone NOW) with one that came out in August (and rated the best screen on a smartphone AT THE TIME) with the article itself pointing out that the new iPhone (the phone he was going on about) would likely have a better screen, and then the S10 beyond that would and so on and so forth....

Ya think some things are self explanatory, but the Internet never ceases to amaze!

The Bixby Button on the Note 9 CAN be remapped and disabled. It's just not an official Samsung tick mark, you need a third party tool to do so. Not really a negative considering you can make it do whatever you want a physical button for, or nothing at all. The Bixby button bugged me for all of 2 minutes on the original Note 8, then I figured out how to do something useful with it and I've liked having it ever since.

I don't even have any Samsung Marketplace on my Note 9. Most of the Samsung apps can be uninstalled.



On the Pixel (or any Android phone really) if you like Nova Launcher's features... why not just use Nova Launcher?

I'm going to bet the Pixel (and probably the latest Galaxy phones) take better pictures than a Turbo 2. You don't need a ridculous MP count, you need quality sensor, lens and software.

The only reason I use Nova Launcher is because Stock Android does not give you the ability to make folders, or additional drawers inside the app drawer, nor hide apps within the app drawer you dont use... because some apps for some reason just cant be uninstalled...

Nova Launcher gives you both abilitys.

i do like the samsung experience launcher because it lets you create folder bubbles in the app drawer, and I believe it finally allows you to hide icons you dont use. That is the one thing I like about it, but samsung is sooo slow at updating to newer android versions that its painful.

 

[lopri]

Performance improves noticeably by switching to "Entertainment Mode" or "High Performance Mode" in Device Management. More so than lowering resolution from 1440p to 1080p. I will see what kind of impact it has on battery.

 

[Raduque]

Trivia: The S9/S9+ and the Note9 have "Squeeze" sensor built-in on the frame. They are not activated.

No teardown shows this. Do you have a link?

 

[lopri]

Dial *#0*# to enter service mode, and you will see "GripSensor." It is why the S9/N9's frames are sturdier than the S8/N9 N8's, and also part of how S9/N9's ergonomics are ruined compared to the S8/N9 N8's.

 

[WelshBloke]

Dial *#0*# to enter service mode, and you will see "GripSensor." It is why the S9/N9's frames are sturdier than the S8/N9's, and also part of how S9/N9's ergonomics are ruined compared to the S8/N9.

Is there a hyperbole detector as well?

 

[you2]

Hum. Nice blackfriday deals on the note 9 and pixel 3xl. $800 and $700. Hum. decision decision.

 

[lopri]

Is there a hyperbole detector as well?

If you use the phone naked as I do, it is in no way a hyperbole. The difference in grip is night and day. And for what? A squeeze gimmick that is literally wasted unless Samsung decides to activate it in future updates. It is a dubious prospect, and by encouraging users to squeeze the thin frame it would cause a whole lot more drops and breakage due to the precarious grip. Samsung was wise to not enable that feature. But that does not excuse the original design failure from an ergonomics point of view.

 

[Raduque]

If you use the phone naked as I do, it is in no way a hyperbole. The difference in grip is night and day. And for what? A squeeze gimmick that is literally wasted unless Samsung decides to activate it in future updates. It is a dubious prospect, and by encouraging users to squeeze the thin frame it would cause a whole lot more drops and breakage due to the precarious grip. Samsung was wise to not enable that feature. But that does not excuse the original design failure from an ergonomics point of view.

Fascinating. I tested it, and it works. I wonder what it's for?

Lopri, how is your battery life doing? I am getting around 18-20hr with 6hr SoT on Optimized mode.