Samsung Note 8 Vs Samsung S9

Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy Notation viii: What Should Y'all Purchase?

From the Snapdragon 845 processor and new Super Speed Dual-Pixel camera to new AR features, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ pack all kinds of improvements. But that doesn't mean the already bachelor Galaxy Notation viii shouldn't exist on your shortlist for the next telephone y'all buy.

Based on our easily-on time with the Galaxy S9 and full review of the Note 8, we wanted to help you compare Samsung's flagships so y'all can kickoff thinking about which handset belongs in your pocket in one case the S9 goes up for sale on March 16.

Galaxy S9 vs. Note viii: Specs Compared

Phone	Galaxy S9	Galaxy S9+	Milky way Note 8
Price	$720	$840	$950
Os	Android Oreo eight.0	Android Oreo 8.0	Android 7.1.1
Screen Size (Resolution)	5.eight inches (2960 x 1440)	6.2 inches (2960 ten 1440)	six.3 inches (2960 x 1440)
CPU	Snapdragon 845	Snapdragon 845	Snapdragon 835
RAM	4GB	6GB	6GB
Storage	64GB	64GB	64GB
Rear Photographic camera	12-MP Super Speed Dual Pixel (f/1.5, f/ii.iv)	Dual cameras: 12-MP (f/1.5, f/ii.4) and 12-MP (f/ii.4 telephoto)	Dual cameras: 12-MP (f/ane.7 wide bending), 12-MP (f/2.4 telephoto)
Headphone Jack	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery	3000 mAh	3500 mAh	3300 mAh
Size	5.8 x 2.vii ten 0.33 inches	6.2 10 2.9 x 0.33 inches	six.4 x two.9 x 0.34 inches
Weight	5.eight ounces	6.7 ounces	half-dozen.ix ounces

Design and Displays

Ane affair is almost sure: The Galaxy Annotation eight will even so sport the biggest screen in Samsung's lineup at 6.3 inches. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ nonetheless feature 5.8-inch and 6.two-inch displays, respectively, just like last yr's S8 models. However, the S9 and S9+ are a bit brighter than before, reaching 482 nits in our testing compared to the Notation viii's 408 nits.

In addition. Samsung trimmed back the bezel on the S9 and S9+ even more, so you get a big screen with less wasted space around information technology.

(Prototype credit: The Galaxy S9+ has a brighter display and narrower bezels than the S8+. Credit: Tom's Guide)

Regardless, the Note viii is the heaviest and largest phone in Samsung's lineup. If you prefer to utilize a phone with one hand, the more meaty S9 volition probably be your best bet.

Samsung addressed 1 of the biggest flaws on the Galaxy S8 and Note 8 with the Galaxy S9. Instead of placing the fingerprint sensor to the side of the camera lens, the sensor found a home beneath the S9's photographic camera. This will aid prevent inadvertently smudging of the lens.

The Galaxy Note 8's 6.3-inch panel is still one of the biggest around. Credit: Tom's Guide — (Image credit: The Galaxy Notation 8'south 6.iii-inch panel is still one of the biggest effectually. Credit: Tom's Guide)

Colour options for the Galaxy S9 and S9+ Midnight Black, Lilac Purple and Coral Bluish. The Notation eight comes in just Midnight Black and Orchid Gray in America.

Overall, little has changed in terms of design and displays for Samsung'due south latest flagship, merely nosotros'll requite the edge to the Galaxy S9 and S9+ for their slightly brighter screens and relocated fingerprint sensors.

Winner: Milky way S9

Cameras

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ boast a new Super Speed Dual-Pixel camera is that offers faster autofocus and better racket reduction than what's in the Galaxy Note viii. Plus, with a variable aperture that goes from f/1.5 to f/two.4, the S9 and S9+ lets in 28 pct more low-cal than the Note 8, making the newer phones a better choice for snapping photos in dim conditions.

However, only the S9+ sport dual rear cameras, which enable the aforementioned 2x optical zoom and Live Focus features the Annotation eight currently offers.

The Google Pixel 2 has performed better in low light than any Android telephone up until this indicate. But the S9, and especially the S9+, leapfrogs Samsung's previous efforts cheers to their wider aperture and improved post-processing via the embedded DRAM inside the phones' new image sensor. This helps keeps dissonance downwards, which produces meliorate exposures in less-than-platonic lighting conditions.

MORE: Best Smartphone Camera - Phones With the Best Quality

The other area where the Milky way S9 ups the ante is Super Slow-Mo video recording. Both the S9 and S9+ capture footage at up to 960 fps at 720p Hard disk resolution. The Note eight is limited to 240 fps.

Both the Galaxy S9+ and Note viii accept dual rear cameras, which enable 2x optical zoom and Live Focus for blurring out the background on portraits. However, the S9+ wins for its faster autofocus, aperture tricks and slow move capabilities.

Winner: Galaxy S9

Specs and Performance

If you want the fastest Android phone, you're going to want to get your hands on the Milky way S9 or S9+, equally they're the first phones in the globe with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 845 processor.

Credit: Qualcomm — (Paradigm credit: Qualcomm)

According to Qualcomm, the 845 chip promises a 25 percentage comeback in "performance uplift," which ways you should expect faster app launches and smoother performance in processor-intensive apps similar video editing. In addition, at that place should be a 30 percent boost in graphics performance. Check out the Snapdragon 845 criterion results.

On the other hand, the Snapdragon 835 chip in the Note viii is no slouch, and it's paired with a robust 6GB of RAM. The S9 will pack 4GB of RAM and the pricier S9+ volition come up with 6GB. Regarding storage, the S9 and Notation 8 are neck and cervix with 64GB and MicroSD slots for optional expandability.

In terms of benchmarks, the 845 chip helped the Galaxy S9+ we tested deliver a Geekbench 4 score of viii,295 — roughly two,000 higher than the Notation viii, yet another 2,000 off from the A11 Bionic processor inside the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. If y'all desire the fastest Android telephone out there, the S9+ is your best bet.

Winner: Galaxy S9

More than: Top Snapdragon 845 Features That Will Supercharge'south Phones

Special Features and Software

The Milky way Notation viii stands out with its included S Pen, which lets you depict, accept notes and even translate languages on the wing. Our favorite feature is Screen Off Memo, which allows yous to jot down items without turning the phone completely on.

Credit: Tom's Guide — (Image credit: Tom'due south Guide)

1 smashing feature of Southward Pen is Live Messages, which lets you send your scribbles to friends and family unit equally a short blitheness via a text message.

Another special characteristic on the Notation 8 is App Pair, which allows you to launch 2 apps side by side at the same time. This feature is besides available on the Milky way S9 and S9+.

The most attention-grabbing characteristic of the Galaxy S9 is AR Emoji, which lets you capture a 3D avatar of yourself, which yous tin then personalize and share out via messaging and social apps. It's a neat idea, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. This is not a feature you lot'll desire to buy a Galaxy S9 for, at least non yet.

Other S9 special features include beefed up augmented reality capabilities. For case, Bixby Vision tin can interpret foreign languages on the fly when yous betoken the S9 or S9+'southward camera at a sign, menu etc. You tin also try on makeup nigh with the front camera and and so buy it straight form Sephora.

In terms of security, the Galaxy S9 introduces Intelligent Scan, which combines the iris scanner and face recognition for unlocking your device. Furthermore, both phones are uniform with Samsung'south DeX Station for a PC-like experience when continued to an external monitor.

Regarding the operating system, the S9 and S9+ have Android Oreo, which is the latest version of Android'south software. The Galaxy Annotation viii currently rocks the old Android Nougat, but an upgrade to Oreo is imminent. Ultimately however, the Notation 8 wins out for its S Pen features.

Winner: Galaxy Notation 8

More: When Is Your Phone Getting Android eight.0 Oreo?

Battery Life

If y'all await at the battery life results for the Galaxy S8, S8+ and Note eight, all offer excellent endurance. On the Tom's Guide Bombardment Examination, which involves continuous web surfing over 4G LTE, the Note 8 lasted 11 hours and xi minutes, which is well over the 9:twoscore smartphone boilerplate. The S8 and S8+ turned in runtimes of 10:39 and 11:04, and so they were not far behind.

The S9 and S9+ will have the same battery capacities as their predecessors at 3,000 mAh and iii,500 mAh, respectively. The Notation viii has a 3,300 mAh battery. And although the S9 and S9+ should both outlive the Annotation 8, considering the new Snapdragon 845 chip is reportedly more than efficient than the 835 processor in the Note, the S9+ actually turned in a worse result than its predecessors at 10 hours and 49 minutes. This ways you'll really take to spring for Samsung'south older flagship to go a longer lasting telephone, disallowment any software updates that might improve the situation on the S9 and S9+.

Winner: Galaxy Note 8

Toll and Value

The Galaxy S9 starts at $720, while the Milky way S9+ starts at $840, though pricing varies by carrier. For example, Verizon charges $799 and $929, respectively, for the ii handsets.

MORE: Best Samsung Galaxy S9 Deals

The Galaxy Annotation eight costs nearly $950 through almost carriers, but yous can find it for as trivial equally $899 on sale. Check out our Galaxy Note 8 deals for the latest offers.

Winner: Galaxy S9

Outlook

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ are faster, cheaper and do more with augmented reality. And the rear photographic camera is superior than the Annotation viii's, offering better photo quality in depression low-cal along with super tiresome-mo video. If yous want a 2x optical zoom, you'll want the dual cameras on the S9+, which is the closest competitor to the Note 8.

Given the lower starting prices of the Milky way S9 and S9+, newer internals and slightly improved design, we think the newer phones are a improve buy. Nevertheless, the Galaxy Annotation 8 remains the Samsung handset to become if yous adopt a bigger screen and find the thought of the S Pen useful. And while the Notation eight's main rear photographic camera isn't equally advanced as what'due south promised for the S9, you still get dual lenses for shooting compelling portraits and a 2x optical zoom.

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Marker Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom'south Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the management of Tom'southward Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business organisation and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in main of Laptop Magazine, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.