Samsung announced its newest flagship, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, in early August. It packs stunning specs along with an all-new S Pen, making it easier than ever to stay productive on the go. But how does the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 compare to Google’s Pixel 2 XL? We put the two phones to the test to find out. Specs Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Pixel 2 XL Size 161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8mm (6.37 x 3 x 0.35 inches) 157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm (6.22 x 3.02 x 0.31 inches) Weight 201 grams (7.09 ounces) 175 grams (6.17oz) Screen size 6.4-inch AMOLED display 6 inch OLED display Screen resolution 2960 x 1440 pixels 2880 x 1440 pixels Operating system Samsung Experience 9 (over Android 8.0 Oreo) Android 9.0 Pie Storage space 128GB, 512GB 64GB, 128GB MicroSD card slot Yes, up to 512GB No Tap-to-pay services Samsung Pay, Google Pay Google Pay Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 RAM 6GB, 8GB 4GB Camera Dual 12MP (with OIS) and 12MP (with OIS) rear, variable aperture, 8MP front 12.2MP rear, 8MP front Video Up to 4K at 60 frames per second, 1080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps 4K at 30 fps, 1,080p at 120fps, 720p at 240fps Bluetooth version Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.0 Ports 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-Type C USB-Type C Fingerprint sensor Yes Yes Water resistance IP68 IP67 Battery 4,000mAh 3,520mAh App marketplace Google Play Store Google Play Store Network support Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Colors Ocean Blue, Lavender Purple Just Black, Black & White Price $1,000+ $849+ Buy from Samsung, Best Buy Google, Amazon, Verizon Review score Hands on 4.5 out of 5 stars Performance, battery life, and charging When it comes to performance, both the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Pixel 2 XL are workhorses. That said, since the Note 9 was released nearly a year after we first got our hands on the Pixel 2 XL, it definitely has improved specs. You’ll find a more powerful Snapdragon 845 processor along with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM in the Note 9, compared to a Snapdragon 835 processor with just 4GB of RAM in the Pixel 2 XL. The Galaxy Note 9 also has the edge when it comes to battery capacity and charging. You’ll find a massive 4,000mAh battery in the Note 9 — enough to get even the most demanding user through a full day. The Pixel 2 XL has a 3,520mAh battery capacity that is plenty for the average person, but may leave power users frantically searching for a charger by the end of the day. And while both phones feature quick charging, only the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has wireless charging capabilities. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is the clear winner for this round. It’s not just the updated specs that make it a clear winner, but the 4,000mAh battery and wireless charging capability as well. Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Design and durability The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 looks incredibly similar to its predecessor: It has a glass sandwich design with a near bezel-less display. The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, looks much more utilitarian with its aluminum back and chunky display bezels. While aesthetics is largely subjective, we’d venture to say most people would prefer the refined design of the Note 9 as opposed to its competitor, but it is taller, thicker, and heavier than the Pixel 2 XL. When it comes to durability, the competition is much closer. While we think the Pixel 2 XL would fare better in the event of a drop and should do fine with an accidental dunk in water, the Note 9 has a higher IP68 rating meaning it can handle slightly deeper water, up to 1.5 meters, for half an hour without damage. Both phones employ Gorilla Glass 5 which should able to handle an accidental tumble (though we definitely recommend a case for your phone). This round is a really close call, but we’re giving the win to the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. In addition to being a more refined design overall, the phone boasts slightly better water resistance. Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Display While great internal specs are crucial, you can’t overlook display quality when comparing phones. Luckily both the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Pixel 2 XL have gorgeous OLED displays that offer excellent color accuracy. On the Note 9, you’ll find a 6.4-inch display with a 2960 x 1440-pixel resolution which translates to 516 pixels per inch (PPI). The Pixel 2 XL has a slightly smaller 6-inch display with a 2880 x 1440-pixel resolution which makes for a slightly sharper 538 PPI. Thanks to the extra screen real estate and Samsung’s more mature Super AMOLED tech, we’re giving this one to the Note 9. Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Camera Since its release in 2017, one of the most talked about features on the Pixel 2 XL is its camera. So how does the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 compare to one of our favorite shooters? Surprisingly well! On the Note 9, you’ll find a dual camera module with 12-megapixel sensors, both with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). The Note 9 also has a variable aperture that can switch from f/2.4 to a much wider f/1.5 for beautiful low-light photos. It boasts support for 2x optical zoom and can record video at a higher frame rate than the Pixel 2 XL. There’s also a new A.I. feature, exclusive to the Note 9, that uses scene detection to adjust color, white balance, and other settings. Samsung even added a flaw detection feature that will alert you if someone has closed their eyes when a photo is taken. The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, packs a single 12.2-megapixel sensor with OIS. The aperture is f/1.8, which should do well in most scenarios, though some detail may be lost in low-light photos. While the Pixel Visual Core processor and Google’s camera software can create stunning photos, it still lacks A.I. scene detection and other advanced features that are becoming more common on high-end smartphones. It’s was a hard choice, but we’re calling this round for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. While the Pixel 2 XL has one of the best smartphone cameras we’ve ever seen, the Note 9 is much more versatile. Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Software and updates Looking for the latest version of Android? Well, if you’re using the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, you’re going to have to wait a while. However, Pixel 2 XL users are already enjoying all the new benefits of Android 9.0 Pie. In addition to getting the first stab at Android Pie, the Pixel 2 XL gets more frequent security and feature updates in general and will get future Android updates as soon as they’re released. If you’re a seasoned Samsung user, you’ll know the smartphone giant can be slow to update at times. In this round, the Pixel 2 XL shines. Not only does it have the latest version of Android, it gets more frequent updates overall. And while the Samsung Experience UI has improved vastly, we definitely still prefer stock Android. Winner: Pixel 2 XL Special features When it comes to special features, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has lots to offer. It features a Bluetooth-powered S Pen that can control the phone remotely and be used to activate different features on the Note 9. There’s also DeX mode built in, meaning you can use your phone as a makeshift desktop by attaching it to a monitor. Special features are a little more sparse on the Pixel 2 XL. When it was first released, Google Lens was an exclusive feature, but it has now made its way to many Android phones. It does, however, have Active Edge, which allows you to squeeze the phone to activate Google Assistant. We’re calling this round for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. The newly improved S Pen and built-in DeX mode make it the clear winner. Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Price Both the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Pixel 2 XL are flagship smartphones and carry a premium price tag.<doc-sep>Sarah Tew/CNET At a New York press event on Thursday, Samsung took the wraps off the Galaxy Note 9, a 6.4-inch phone that features dual 12-megapixel cameras, a whopping 512GB of (optional) internal storage and an embedded S-Pen stylus with Bluetooth connectivity. The phone will go on sale on Aug. 24 with a starting price of $1,000 for the 128GB version. But the Note 9 isn't the only high-end phone that you can get, and competition is stiffer than ever. So much so that during Samsung's quarterly earnings release in July, the company reported that the high-end smartphone market was "stagnant" and characterized the sale of its Galaxy S9 flagship phone as "slow." According to market analyst IHS Markit, Samsung's shipments also fell 11 percent to 70.8 million units, compared to the previous year. Now playing: Watch this: Galaxy Note 9 vs. iPhone X: What $1,000 gets you In addition to rivaling Apple's iPhone X, the Note 9 will also have to compete with two other excellent Android phones, the Google Pixel 2 XL and the LG V35 ThinQ. Both phones offer expansive 6-inch screens, but the former has a top-notch camera while the V35 also has dual rear cameras, wireless charging and a water resistant design. To see how these phones compare spec-by-spec, check out the chart below. And for the lowdown on everything Samsung announced today, check out CNET's full coverage.<doc-sep>Within the next couple of months we're expecting to see new Pixel phones , and in the spirit of trying to figure out what Google will do next, we thought we'd take a look back at the Pixel phone series so far – the four phones that have launched since October 2016. Two years is a long time in smartphone tech of course, and you might not remember what the very first Pixel and Pixel XL brought to the table. We're here to refresh your memory, and to speculate what the current Pixel phone crop might suggest about the next batch. Read more: Google Pixel 3a XL review (early verdict): don't mourn the notch The Pixel and the Pixel XL (2016) Google Pixel Cast your mind back to 2016 and Google caused something of a stir: instead of partnering with other companies to make Nexus phones, it was going to start making Pixel phones of its own (though HTC had a pretty big hand in these first two). The result was the Pixel and the Pixel XL , setting the blueprint for the years that would follow – two phones, each very similar in looks and specs, at two different sizes. Google had caught the attention of the smartphone industry again. Of course this was before the iPhone X and before the minimal bezel trend had really taken hold – the bezels on the Pixel and the Pixel XL were very much in evidence, so the phones looked very similar. The main difference was the 5.0-inch, 1080 x 1920 pixel screen on the smaller Pixel and the 5.5-inch, 1440 x 2560 pixel screen on the bigger one. Inside we had a Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, and either 32GB or 128GB of storage, and those specs were identical across both phones. So was the single-lens, 12.3MP rear camera, which straight away gave Pixel phones a reputation for taking some rather excellent photos. The phones didn't have everything though – waterproofing was missing, as was wireless charging. They also cost significantly more than the Nexus phones that preceded them, a sign Google was ready to start competing at the high-end. The Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL (2017) Google Pixel 2 And so to the 2017 and – for now – current Pixel phones: the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL . Last year the phones diverged further in terms of design, with the Pixel 2 XL slimming down on the bezels and the Pixel 2 sticking with a more old-fashioned look. The smaller phone stuck with a 5.0-inch screen (1080 x 1920 pixels) last year, though the larger model went all the way up to 6.0 inches (1440 x 2880 pixels), something to cater for those who really like their handset screens tall and wide. As for the other specs, the internals got a bump to a Snapdragon 835, though the 4GB of RAM stayed the same as it did in 2016. The lower storage tier became 64GB rather than 32GB (remember there's no microSD card slot on Pixel phones), while the top storage tier remained the same at 128GB. In terms of megapixels, the single-lens cameras on these phones actually took a drop from their predecessors, down to 12.2 megapixels. However, Google really improved its image processing software, providing low-light and stabilised shooting that's still just about as good as anything else out there. This time IP67 waterproofing and dustproofing added a bit of extra protection, though wireless charging is still absent – perhaps something we're going to see in 2018? The Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL (2018) Google Pixel 3 leak (credit: @OnLeaks) So what can we expect this time around ? Once again it's rumoured that Google has two phones in the pipeline to cater for different sizes of hand and different budgets – you're going to be able to choose between the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL. It looks as though the 4th of October will be the date when we see these new phones – a date which matches the launch date from 2016 and 2017 – and Google is being widely tipped to introduce a new smartwatch and a new Pixelbook on the same day. This time around the Pixel XL phone is being tipped to have an iPhone X-style notch , while the standard-sized Pixel makes do with a more conventional look. The two display sizes are apparently 5.4 inches for the Pixel 3 and 6.2 inches for the Pixel 3 XL, so a slight increase on what we saw last year. We're not expecting too many surprises: the new Pixel phones will look similar to their predecessors, and keep the single-lens rear cameras, though the internal specs and the camera quality will get a bump. Android 9 Pie will be on board of course. We're hoping that we get wireless charging and full IP68 waterproofing and dustproofing this time around, though we'll have to wait and see exactly what Google has got planned. There have also been rumours of a mid-range Pixel phone too, but we reckon that two handsets is more likely, based on what Google has done in the past.<doc-sep>
Is the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 now the most powerful phone for professionals? Here's how it stacks up to other flagship models. Samsung Galaxy Note 9: Why it's the biggest phone of 2018 Watch Now Samsung's Galaxy Note series has always been full of high-powered devices for working professionals, and the Galaxy Note 9 is full of even more top-shelf features. But how does it stack up to other flagship models? The latest Note device boasts expandable storage, updated S Pen, and more. However, other devices from Samsung, Google, and Apple also contain core features that set them apart in the world of enterprise smartphone users. SEE: Mobile device computing policy (Tech Pro Research) Here are some of the top specs for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, and how they compare to the Galaxy S9, the Apple iPhone XS, and the Google Pixel 3. Storage According to event presenters, the Note 9 is available in 128 GB and 512 GB storage configurations. A microSD card can pump storage up to 1 TB. The Galaxy S9 series is available with 64 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB, with optional SD storage. Apple's iPhone XS comes with 64 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB, but it is not expandable. Google's Pixel 3 line is available with 64 GB or 128 GB storage, but it also lacks microSD expansion. Battery According to a device fact sheet, the Galaxy Note 9's 4,000mAh battery enables all day (literally 24-hour) battery life. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ has 3,000mAh and 3,500mAh batteries, respectively--and are both rated above 22 hours of battery life for talk time. However, battery life varies widely based on what task the user performs. Apple 's iPhone XS has a 2,658mAh battery, which is smaller than its iPhone X predecessor. However, the company claims that the battery on the iPhone XS will last 30 minutes longer than iPhone X, and the battery on the iPhone XS Max will last 90 minutes longer than iPhone X. The iPhone XS Max has a 3,174mAh battery. The Pixel 3 has a 2,915 mAh battery, and the Pixel 3 XL has a 3,430 mAh battery. Both Pixel 3 models feature 18W fast charging and Qi wireless charging. Camera The Note 9 has a 12MP dual camera with dual OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and intelligent features. The Galaxy S9 also features a 12MP camera with dual aperture as well, as does the iPhone XS and XS Max. The Pixel 3 line, however, features a 12.2MP dual-pixel rear camera and 8MP front camera. All of these phones feature a portrait or professional mode that makes use of a wide aperture and shallow depth of field. SEE: The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is a bargain at $1250. Here's why (ZDNet) Water and dust resistance The Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9/S9+, iPhone XS series, and Pixel 3 series all received an IP68 rating, which Samsung said means they "are deemed fit enough to withstand dust, dirt and sand, and are resistant to submersion up to a maximum depth of 1.5m underwater for up to thirty minutes." Screen The device screens are as follows: Samsung Galaxy Note 9: 6.4-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED, 2960x1440 (516ppi) Samsung Galaxy S9: 5.8-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED, 2960x1440 (570 ppi) Samsung Galaxy S9+: 6.2-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED, 2960x1440 (529 ppi) iPhone XS: 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED Multi-Touch display, 2436x1125 (458ppi) iPhone XS Max: 6.5-inch Super Retina OLED Multi-Touch display; 2688x1242 (458ppi) Google Pixel 3: 5.5-inch flexible OLED, 1080x2160 (443ppi) Google Pixel 3 XL: 6.3-inch flexible OLED, 1440x2960 pOLED (523ppi) RAM The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is available with 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM, depending on which storage option is chosen. The Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, and iPhone XS line all feature 4 GB of RAM. The Galaxy S9 has 4 GB of RAM and the Galaxy S9+ has 6 GB. Security The hallmark of the Samsung series with security is its Knox protection system, which features full biometric capabilities and is available on the Note 9 and the S9/S9+. The Pixel 3 series has an updated on-board Titan M security chip, which Google said improves disk encryption and device data protection. On the Apple side of things, the iPhone XS and XS Max features the firm's Secure Enclave hardware-based key manager and Face ID biometric authentication, which the company claims is faster in these models. Accessories This is where the Samsung devices really stand out.