Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Review

While it's fair to say that bigger isn't always better, we'd argue that the Galaxy Note 9 definitely bucks this trend. This rule doesn't only apply to the beautiful, 6.4-inch display either, as the entire Note 9 spec is choc-full of large, capacious and incredibly impressive features. Take the whooping 4,000mAh battery, for example, which Samsung have managed to squeeze in despite the sleek and slim design of the Note 9. Then there's the massive 1TB of storage available with some models, which provides incredible functionality across the board!

While the Apple brand may remain synonymous with the smartphone and tablet industries, they've argaubly been playing catch-up to their Korean rivals Samsung for years now. No single device embodies this better than a refurbished Galaxy Note 9, which for our money has set a new standard phablet design and is the culmination of the design improvements that we've seen from Samsung since their first phablet release in the autumn of 2011.

Get creative with the new and improved S Pen

They say that the pen is mightier than the sword, and the recent battle between Samsung's S Pen and the Apple Pencil seems to have borne this out. Interestingly, the popular S Pen received a significant upgrade with the Galaxy Note 9, transforming it from a quirky gimmick into a genuinely useful phablet accessory. To this end, the S Pen was remodelled to include a small supercapacitor and a miniscule Bluetooth Low-Energy antenna, enabling it to work as both a simple stylus and a remote control that can complete custom shortcuts. This means that you can customise shortcuts to suit your own unique use, which definitely gives the S Pen a distinct edge over the Apple Pencil.

Use the S Pen to unlock and use the camera

On the topic of the S Pen, this functional stylus can also be used to launch the phablet's camera app remotely with a long press of the main button. This works up to 30 feet away from the phablet, while we should also note that a single short press of the S Pen button will allow you to switch seamlessly into selfie mode. As for the handset's camera itself, you'll notice a dual, 12MP rear camera that use variable aperture technology to optimise the quality of imagery in different light conditions.

The industry's first 1TB-ready phablet

We had always yearned for a smartphone and phablet that would never run out of physical storage space, and the Galaxy Note 9 was the first handheld device to achieve this objective. To this end, you can purchase Note 9 handsets with up to 512GB on internal storage, along with up to 8GB of additional RAM. This equates to the type of laptop-sized storage that serious smartphone users crave, while it also provides a viable option for people who remain inherently suspicious of the Cloud. As if all of this wasn't enough, the Note 9 can also be purchased with a 512GB microSD card that elevates your total available storage to a whopping 1TB.

Make the most of a batter that really packs a punch

You'll also note that the Note 9 boasts a significantly largely battery unit at 4,000mAh, which certainly compares favourably to the S9's 3,000mAh power pack. During testing, this battery was able to sustain more than a day's use on a single charge, while creating some much-needed buffer room between nightly charges. This was without switching to low power mode too, so there's no doubt that the Note 9 represents a considerable improvement in this respect. The Note 9 also allows for fast charging and even quicker wireless charging, enabling you to boost your handset's battery at any place or point in time.

Enjoy a bigger, bezel-less display

The eagle-eyed amongst you will also notice that the Note 9 display has grown by a tenth of an inch when compared to the Note 8, creating a little more real estate to play with when gaming or streaming content. The design of the phablet's screen has also been improved markedly, with the almost bezel-less Infinity Display noticeably vivid, punch and around 27% brighter overall. It also provides a whopping 32% more contrast ratio than the Note 8, creating an enhanced user experience across a huge range of tasks. Whether you're looking to multitask, procrastinate or relax, a refurbished Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is the perfect choice.

5 real-life highlights

1. If you're a fan of Samsung's classic stylus, you'll love the magic S Pen
2. You can also unlock the camera app with a long press of the S Pen, while seamlessly switching to selfie mode
3. The dual 12MP rear camera also benefits from variable aperture technology
4. There's up to 1TB of memory available in some instances, creating laptop-sized storage for professional users
5. The Note 9's huge 4,000mAh power pack provides more than 24 hours of use from a single charge.