Galaxy Note 9 vs Galaxy S8+: Which One to Buy?

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 release is finally here and that means potential buyers have an important choice to make. There are plenty of great phones available now like the Galaxy S8+, S9, and the new Galaxy Note 9. Plus, those with an S8+ are likely considering an upgrade.

With that in mind, this guide will go over everything that’s new with the Galaxy Note 9. Then, we’ll compare it to the Galaxy S8+ to help you decide which one to buy, or if you should upgrade.

Read: Galaxy Note 9 vs Galaxy S9+: Which to Buy?

Almost every leak and rumor about the Note 9 ended up true. Samsung added a bigger 6.4-inch display, 128GB of storage, and a huge 4,000 mAh battery. There’s a lot to like with the Note 9.

If you’re looking for a new phone you have lots of options here in 2018. You can get a Galaxy S8 or S8+ at big discounts, find deals on the Galaxy S9, or get Samsung’s new phablet. It’s a tough choice. And if you already have the Galaxy S8+ you might be considering the switch. We’re not sure if there’s enough to warrant an upgrade, although the Note 8 does have some noteworthy new additions.

That all said, the Galaxy S8+ is still a great phone. It’s just over a year old and still runs great. You have Android 8.0 Oreo and it takes amazing photos with its single rear camera. But if you want dual cameras, better battery life or a bigger screen, consider the Note 9.

Both of these phones have huge screens, fast performance, tons of features and plenty to love. And while the Galaxy S8+ has a large screen, the Note 9 is bigger coming in at 6.4-inches. That’s not all these phones have to offer though, which is why we broke down every detail in the slideshow below.

For those trying to decide between the Galaxy Note 9 and something else, we’re here to help. We’ve compared every and all aspects of the Note 9 with the S8+ to try and help you make the right choice.

Galaxy Note 9 vs Galaxy S8+: Design & Display

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First off, we want to talk about the design. Mainly because again Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 looks like its other phones from the last few years. Aside from the camera and new fingerprint location, its hard to tell the Galaxy S8, S9, Note 8 and Note 9 apart. They all look similar.  Samsung's sticking to its popular big screen with curved edges. However, this year Samsung added a bigger 6.4-inch screen in the Note 9, which is a little bigger than the Note 8, and even bigger than the 6.2-inch Galaxy S8+. Otherwise, you'll get the same beautiful curved all metal and glass phone. There is, however, two very noticeable differences on the back of the Note 9. Samsung finally moved the fingerprint scanner to the middle of the phone, under the camera. Instead of placing it off to the side, which was out of place and a far stretch. This makes the Note 9 instantly easier to use than the S8 series. We saw something similar with the S9. Additionally, the black bezels around the screen (on the top and bottom) are slightly smaller this year. Sadly we're not getting triple cameras, an in-glass fingerprint scanner, or anything else crazy.  So, both of these phones have huge screens, water-resistance, wireless charging, 3.5mm headphone jacks, expandable storage, and great cameras. Plenty of things to love. Don't forget that the Note 9 finally has a centered fingerprint scanner, which is way easier to find and use than the S8+.

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