Those of you who replaced their Note 9: Are you glad you did?

dasherHampton

Platinum Member
Jan 19, 2018
2,543
488
96
Just looking for personal opinions.

Mine has been paid off for a few months but I just can't see any reason to replace it as of now. It's still a magnificent machine.
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
856
126
Just looking for personal opinions.

Mine has been paid off for a few months but I just can't see any reason to replace it as of now. It's still a magnificent machine.
My brother just upgraded me to an iPhone 12 Pro Max a couple days ago and I've still carrying around my Note9, tethered to the iPhone so that I can do stuff on the Note9. ;)

When I get a day off I hope to finish the transition but the Note9 has been good to me and still feels nicer and more solid in-hand. I did several things with the S-Pen today that I would not be able to do on my iPhone at all. Then again, the poorly-implemented S-Pen has been my biggest criticism of the Note9. It's a no-compromises phone... plenty of RAM, plenty of storage, expandable storage, headphone jack, high-resolution screen, no display notch or hole punch, and retains biometrics like fingerprint. About the only thing missing is the ability to carry a second battery and distribute wear.
 

Ravynmagi

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2007
3,102
24
81
The Note 9 is one of my favorite phones of all time. Mean while the Note 20 Ultra I have now I'm not that crazy about.

What I loved about the Note 9...
* No camera notch or bump.
* It has a top and bottom bezel, but they were as slim as possible with a camera and symmetrical.
* Screen size is perfect for me. And the 18.5:9 aspect ratio much more favorable than the really tall aspect ratios newer phones keep adopting.
* Camera model centered on the back and nearly flat, no wobbling phone.
* Rear fingerprint scanner much faster than in-display fingerprint scanners.

Only bad thing was the Bixby button. And sadly it won't get Android 11, but that isn't a big deal in reality.

Specs have gotten better on newer Samsung phones, but design seems to be going down here. Every phone has an off centered camera bump with the latest 20 Ultra have one so massive most cases can't even hide it. They want to keep making phones bigger, but can't really making them any wider so they are getting ridiculously tall. Weird how my 6 inch 16:9 Nexus 6 feels like it has more screen space than a 6.7 inch 20:9 S20 Plus. Hole punches are finally getting small enough that I'm not too mad at them anymore, but I'd still take a slim Note 9 style bezel over a hole in my display.

Work buys my phones, but if I had to pay for my own, I'd probably still be using the Note 9. Specs are still more than enough and Android 11 doesn't really have any must have features. So I could see myself holding out a bit longer.
 

DeathReborn

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 2005
2,743
734
136
I am in with the OP, still using a Note 9, but I did upgrade from the 128GB version to the 512GB version, another 2 years of blissful Note 9 usage to come. Only phone to come close to making me switch was the Sony Xperia 5 II, close but no cigar.
 

trungma

Senior member
Jul 1, 2001
466
36
91
Just looking for personal opinions.

Mine has been paid off for a few months but I just can't see any reason to replace it as of now. It's still a magnificent machine.

I replaced mine with a S20+. Even though the screen is technically larger on the S20+, it's not as wide so still felt smaller. I didn't notice much speed difference either. Given what I know now, I would have probably waited another year.
 

dasherHampton

Platinum Member
Jan 19, 2018
2,543
488
96
Thanks for the replies.

I'm going to keep it for at least this gen, maybe next as well. There is nothing I need that it can't do every well.
 

SKORPI0

Lifer
Jan 18, 2000
18,396
2,306
136
My Note 9 (512GB, Cloud Silver) and Note 20 Ultra 5G (128GB, Mystic Bronze). Still using/keeping the former, and learning the new features of the later.
Copied all apps using Smart Switch app. Did those upgrades/installs and optimized 450 apps. Virtual twins now but for the obvious features and differences between the two phones.
Looked at the just released S21 series and no microSD support included which is a major NO for me.


WP_20210115_21_26_45_Rich.jpg
 
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AMD64Blondie

Golden Member
Apr 20, 2013
1,659
139
106
Good god..I'm upgrading from my current Galaxy S9 64 GB to a Note 9 128GB.

New Note 9 is plugged in and charging...

(think that will take most of the night,as they shipped it nearly discharged-4% charge when I unboxed it).

I'll swap the SIM cards tomorrow morning.
 
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Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
21,899
819
126
I miss my Note 9 and moreso my Note 10 Ultra. I traded the 10U for a Note 20 Ultra and its is lacking some camera settings that the Note 9 had. I miss the TOF chip it had. :-(

I did keep and still have my S10+ because it was the last phone to have a headphone jack and the last one to work with the Oculus VR headset that sammy doesn't do anymore. And now that my 3 month old samsung 75" TV died and they are making me wait a month for a replacement I think I am done with samsung as a whole.
 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
17,914
838
126
I miss my Note 9 and moreso my Note 10 Ultra. I traded the 10U for a Note 20 Ultra and its is lacking some camera settings that the Note 9 had. I miss the TOF chip it had. :-(

I did keep and still have my S10+ because it was the last phone to have a headphone jack and the last one to work with the Oculus VR headset that sammy doesn't do anymore. And now that my 3 month old samsung 75" TV died and they are making me wait a month for a replacement I think I am done with samsung as a whole.
I went from a Note 8 to my current iPhone 11 pro, and every now & then miss Android. What happen to your tv? I have a 2018 75" Samsung tv which thankfully has been flawless.
 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
21,899
819
126
I went from a Note 8 to my current iPhone 11 pro, and every now & then miss Android. What happen to your tv? I have a 2018 75" Samsung tv which thankfully has been flawless.
Was watching jeopardy a couple of weeks ago and it just shut off and never came back on. Did the reset thing and I see it trying to turn on but shuts off instantly. Samsung sent a tech who tried replacing the PSU and the HDMI/optical/sound board but its dead. Then they said they will come back in a few days to replace the screen, that was yesterday, they never showed so I called Costco, where I bought it from, and they said samsung will send a replacement TV. I told them it better be BNIB and to set it up and take the old TV away and the box as well as the box is massive and I don't want to deal with recycling the box again. Good thing I got the 4 year allstate warranty with it as well. I just don't trust them. My 55" TCL that the samsung replaced is over 3years old and still works fine. Never had an issue with it. But, I gave it to my son who gave his 47" LG to his friend so I have to resort to using a 15yr old 32" insignia 720p TV until I get the TV in probably 2 more weeks.
 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
17,914
838
126
Was watching jeopardy a couple of weeks ago and it just shut off and never came back on. Did the reset thing and I see it trying to turn on but shuts off instantly. Samsung sent a tech who tried replacing the PSU and the HDMI/optical/sound board but its dead. Then they said they will come back in a few days to replace the screen, that was yesterday, they never showed so I called Costco, where I bought it from, and they said samsung will send a replacement TV. I told them it better be BNIB and to set it up and take the old TV away and the box as well as the box is massive and I don't want to deal with recycling the box again. Good thing I got the 4 year allstate warranty with it as well. I just don't trust them. My 55" TCL that the samsung replaced is over 3years old and still works fine. Never had an issue with it. But, I gave it to my son who gave his 47" LG to his friend so I have to resort to using a 15yr old 32" insignia 720p TV until I get the TV in probably 2 more weeks.
I'm sorry to hear that your Samsung broke, but you must realize that there are bad apples in every tv model. Customer service is where it's at, and it sounds like Samsung is taking care of you.
 

Rhyalus

Junior Member
Jun 27, 2012
24
1
71
I had the Note 9 from when it was released. Traded it in for the S21 Ultra.

Very happy.

R
 

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
21,004
19,444
136
I'm sorry to hear that your Samsung broke, but you must realize that there are bad apples in every tv model. Customer service is where it's at, and it sounds like Samsung is taking care of you.

Pretty much. Go to the AVS forums which are the most active for TV's and in all the big threads you will find plenty of complaints for failing models. I think Sony probably has the best rep for reliability though.