Big phones can seem like an abomination if not done right. Samsung is one of the few companies which has been, indeed, doing it right for nine years now. However, this year, with its new Galaxy Note 9, I feel Samsung might have just set a new benchmark by manufacturing the most practical large-screen smartphone (I refuse to call them that). Here’s why.
Samsung DeX
The idea of replacing every other computing device in your lifestyle with just a gargantuan phone has been on many minds. Samsung, I believe, has come the closest among them all. With Samsung DeX, a handful of Samsung phones can be morphed into a desktop by simply plugging them to a monitor. However, starting with the Note 9, the company’s bringing a significant change.
You don’t need a $70 proprietary dock anymore.
The Galaxy Note 9 can just be connected to an external monitor through a standard HDMI cable. In addition, the Note 9’s 6.4-inch screen can be employed as a trackpad and keyboard which might not be the perfect solution for everyone but for users who are just looking to view a document or watch a video on a bigger display, it should do.
S-Pen
While Samsung has always bundled a stylus along with its Note lineup, the phone maker has still managed to add a bunch of upgrades to the one that comes with the Note 9. The biggest one is the fact that the S-Pen is now Bluetooth enabled which will essentially allow you to use it as a remote. You can swipe through pictures on your phone, employ it as shutter key for clicking photos, or skip through slides on PowerPoint. The rest of the S-Pen features are present too such as you can doodle on the screen even when it’s off for quick notes, translate text by hovering over them, and more.
A new Cooling System
Samsung has also added a new liquid-cooled cooling system on the Galaxy Note 9. The company says it will ensure smoother and consistent performance. The redesigned thermals will surely come handy during prolonged gaming sessions which will probably happen a lot since the Note 9 is one of the first phones to be able to run widely popular multiplayer game, Fortnite.
Entertainment Powerhouse
The Galaxy Note 9 has all the right ingredients to be an entertainment powerhouse too apart from the stupendously sharp 6.4-inch screen. For starters, there’s a standard headphone jack for people who value high-quality audio more than anything and stereo speakers. In addition, the Galaxy Note 9 has topped YouTube’s list of signature devices which are basically phones which feature the all the necessary hardware for the best YouTube experience. That includes support for high dynamic range, 4K decoding, and more.
Storage
Whether you’d like to offload a plethora of Netflix shows or install tens of games, the Galaxy Note 9 also has more storage than you will ever need. The base variant now comes with 128GB of onboard storage, while the highest one features a whopping 512GB. Plus, a MicroSD card slot is available too if you feel like you’re still running out of space.
Battery
Of course, all of those features won’t matter if the Note 9 doesn’t have a long lasting battery. Fortunately, it does. At least on paper. The Galaxy Note 9 is powered by a massive 4000mAh battery which is compatible with quick wired and wireless charging.
The Galaxy Note 9, on the surface, might seem like merely an iterative upgrade but there’s a lot to be exciting about here. With a much less cumbersome desktop experience and a no-compromise hardware, the Note 9 undoubtedly might be the most practical big phone ever built. It, though, remains to be seen how well these improvements fare in real life tests and whether the phone can justify its $1000 starting price tag. Stay tuned for the review.
