Samsung Note 9 - anyone else using this phone?

Handruin

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I decided to take the plunge and upgrade my LG G6 to the Samsung Note 9 during. I had been growing more disappointed with my LG G6 as time progressed for various reasons which has motivated me to make the change. As part of an extended black Friday deal, BestBuy was offering the Note 9 on sale for $699 with no contract and I could also do the 24 month payment plan to use their (AT&T's) money. I had been watching and reading numerous reviews on all the current top-tier phones and most of them have one or more things that detracted me from buying them (stupid notch, no headphone, no micro sd, shitty camera, etc). After many weeks of weighing the options between the various phones, I concluded that the Note 9 is the overall best phone on the market right with minimal compromise...and especially so at a price of $699 (BestBuy was offering $300 off). The Note 9 has been out for about 3 months now which is enough time to for people to report issues that I haven't found many worth stopping me from moving forward.

I've only had it a few days and so far I'm really enjoying it. I was concerned the size would be an issue but so far it has not bothered me but this phone isn't that much larger than my LG G6. The Note 9 feels quite a bit faster than my G6 in terms of app snappiness with loading times, rendering times, and menu transitions. I've spent a bit of time removing and reducing the Samsung clutter that comes with the phone. I've also remapped the bixby button to Google assistant to make it more functional. I've found guides that can allow me to remove most of the bloat if I desire using a USB cable attached to my PC with the Android ADB utility which is a nice option if I need it. The screen is really nice and the camera is much better than the one in my G6. I like that it has the S pen but I probably won't use it very much. I'm sure there will be a few times where it will be fun to take notes on it or use it as a remote control but otherwise this wasn't a decision factor in the phone. Battery life seems to be very good so far which I guess it should be given the 4000mAh battery. I need more time to get better screen on-time averages.

I picked up an inexpensive wireless fast charger (10w) to keep at work and some dbrand skins to cover the back. The wireless charing works fine and I haven't yet received the dbrand skin for it. Overall I'm really happy with the phone and hope it remains fast over the next couple years with minimal to no issues. Small complaint with the phone so far would be the amount of Samsung bloat and specialized Android changes but I knew Samsung does this so it wasn't a surprise. I also fine the haptic feedback motor feels a little cheap in that when notifications come in, the internal case or component has what sounds like a cheap feel to it. This may just have to do with how they coupled the vibration motor to the phone and it gives the impression of a rattle more than a solid and defined buzz. Another possible gripe is that the bluetooth audio has skipped a couple times while listening to music in my car. I don't know if this is the bluetooth or maybe Spotify so I'll need more time to understand if there is any issues going on there. I had very few to no issues with bluetooth on my G6 which was nice.

Has anyone else purchased a Note 9 and have you had any good/bad experiences so far?
 

ddrueding

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I've got one. Pre-ordered the 512GB (mainly for the extra ram) and have been using it since the day it released. Quite happy with it; even tested the weather sealing by forgetting it in my shorts while sailing a catamaran in southern mexico. I only use the stylus as a camera shutter remote, and would have preferred the volume in the device be used for battery. Other than that the thing is amazing, by far the best phone I've ever used. Honestly, it better be for the money.
 

Santilli

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Bought the s9 Plus. Like the larger screen, but would rather have had the Notes 6.3" Same as the Samsung Mega everyone used to make fun of.

I use Package Disabler Pro, along with using developers mode to speed it up a bit, and disable the Bixby bloatware, etc.

I bought it for the speed, 6 gigs ram, removeable storage, semi-waterproof, and the zero interest financing, along with Verizon on Xfinity unlimited package.

Wish I could get rid of all the Samsung stuff, but, some of it I do use. Like the edge etc.
 

Santilli

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Kind of wonder if anyone has hooked up the Note 9 to a monitor, and used it that way, as a keyboard and mouse....
If I had a choice, I would go with the Note 9, but, when I needed it, the s9 Plus was the best available...
 

LunarMist

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Kind of wonder if anyone has hooked up the Note 9 to a monitor, and used it that way, as a keyboard and mouse....
If I had a choice, I would go with the Note 9, but, when I needed it, the s9 Plus was the best available...

Why would that be desirable compared to a laptop or "Pro" type of tablet?
 

Santilli

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It's pushed as one of the major, unique features of the phone. I was wondering if anyone had actual experience with it.

The reviews I've been over mention it, but I haven't found anyone that actually did it.

I could see using the Bluetooth on the phone to hook up my Logitech keyboard, complete with track pad, to a monitor, and using the setups
internet connection through either wifi or the plan you are on.

The more I think about doing that, the more questions I have for someone that actually tries it.
 

Handruin

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I don't have any desire to connect my Note 9 to a mouse and keyboard. The feature and option is nice to have but I doubt I'll use it.
 

Handruin

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Actually this has me intrigued now. The conference rooms at work all have HD TV's as the means to display our work to the team. This means there are plenty of USBC -> HDMI adapters laying around and I should be able to just plug in my phone and use this if I want to present something in a pinch. I might give it a try and see how it works.
 

Handruin

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I tried with the one adapter I found and it didn't work. I'll have to see if I can find another adapter that might not be specific to Apple products to see if that will work.
 

Santilli

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I'd really like to hear what you think. I have a friend that needs a new phone. Note 9 looks like a better value all the time.

Are you using Samsung Health, and using the heart rate monitor, blood oxygen, work out settings, etc? Just found it from youtube.

Either wasn't installed, or I deleted it.

Didn't know the phone had a heart rate monitor built in, among other things.

Saved me buying a wrist monitor.
 

Stereodude

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I tried with the one adapter I found and it didn't work. I'll have to see if I can find another adapter that might not be specific to Apple products to see if that will work.
Doesn't Samsung use a special Displayport over USB-C to HDMI mode?
 

Handruin

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Maybe but the video from HardwareCanucks made it sounds like any USB C to HDMI would work so I hadn't looked into the specifics yet. Looking at a few USB C to HDMI adapters on Amazon claim support for DisplayPort Alt Mode for USB-C Devices which sounds like what you're describing. The adapter in my conference room may not support that which is why it likely didn't work.
 

Santilli

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Ordered the Dex pad.
Should be here in 5 days.
Have a Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse, and my second monitor has an extra HDMI port. Should be fun. Make it easier to fill out programs I can only now do on the phone.
 

Santilli

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So far, the Dex pad works pretty well.
Hooks up easily to a monitor, using the included HDMI cable.
Operating system is nice. Sort of Chromish..

Can't play video full screen.

It has a mode where you mirror the phone, but, it's tall and narrow on the monitor. In that mode, you can play some videos.
Youtube goes full screen, but has an annoying white add bottom on it.

Xfinity doesn't work well, so watching tv not so good.

Work station seems fine. Can open email easily full monitor, and with a couple clicks, print on the HP Envy 7858..
Don't see why you couldn't work off google drive, and print easily from that, though I didn't try it, yet.

Been using a Bluetooth, combination mouse track pad Logitech keyboard.. Works great.

I"ll use it for work on phone apps that require typing. Overall, a very pleasant addition to the stable.
More later.
 

Santilli

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Two browser choices, Chrome and Samsungs.
Niether is easy to scroll up or down, likewise youtube.

Navigation in apps is not a strong point.
 

Santilli

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Two browser choices, Chrome and Samsungs.
Niether is easy to scroll up or down, likewise youtube.

Navigation in apps is not a strong point.
Since 99% of the apps I use, or wanted to fill out don't work in Dex, I'm wondering if using the phone in mirror mode on the monitor might be the solution.

Then I can use the keyboard to fill out apps and send messages that really are much better done with a keyboard then the phone.
 

Santilli

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using the mirror mode to fill out apps is a nice solution to having to use the phone as a screen, and a bluetooth mouse and keyboard. with glasses, the 27" monitor is nice.
 

Handruin

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I've been having some challenges with bluetooth audio quality and it seems the Note 9 and maybe your S9 plus defaults to using SBC for the audio codec which may be lower quality with higher compatibility. If you enable the developer options you can change this to other options like AAC, aptX, LDAC, Samsung HD, Scalable Codec, and an All codecs option. I need to spend some time playing around with these to see if the All Codecs option will allow it to auto-select based on the device. I notice in my car that there is a lot of audio quality shrilling/garbling in the upper ranges which is very irritating. This was not an issue with my previous phone so I never needed to look into the various codecs.
 

LunarMist

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Is that crappy codec due to the Androids (8?) or is Samsung trying to reduce the bandwidth?
I only played the BT a few times in vehicles, but it sounds fine and very good on the Bozeman headphones form a 2017 phone on v.7.
 

Handruin

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I don't think it has much to do with Android 8. The SBC was probably developed a long time ago and likely is the most compliant for Bluetooth audio communication but it has limitations like anything. I don't quite understand Samsung's strategy with defaulting to SBC so my only guess is many to support most if not all bluetooth devices. If I select LDAC for example, I should get much better audio quality assuming the device I connect to supports it. In the case of my Sony Bluetooth SRS XB3 speaker, the Bluetooth option within Android has a slider bar to enable LDAC for this device to get the higher audio quality.
 

Santilli

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Don't see where to change that setting. I do see a lot of stuff to customize sound.Dolby Atmos
Soundalive Equalizer
UHQ upscaler etc. Even Adapt sound, which tests your hearing, and changes the output to match your hearing.
What kind of speeds do you get on your devices when you use the note as a wifi hotspot?
 

Handruin

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You have to enable the Android developer settings to find what I'm talking about.
 

Handruin

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They are different protocols to transfer Bluetooth audio from your device. Some offer much better audio quality than others but both sender and receiver need to support it. Using LDAC for example may not be supported by many devices except by some Sony audio devices. Their codec can offer improved audio resolution when compared to SBC for example.
 

Santilli

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Trying the all codecs option, with other setting set for high quality.
 

Handruin

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Did you get the new Samsung One UI updates rolled out to you yet? I believe it comes with Android Pie.
 

Santilli

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Pie isn't out yet for the 9s+.
I'm actually kind of glad about that.
My ex-google-fi phone, Moto X4 was updated 4 days before XMAS. Didn't really need the stress at that time.
Thank you Samsung.
 

Santilli

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"³ The One UI Beta Program may only be available to certain devices, OS, and countries. Galaxy S9/S9+ and other devices with Android 9 Pie. "
 

Handruin

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I had read that Samsung has started rolling out the updates this month which is why I was asking. You may see the update before the end of January.
 

Santilli

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The Pie phone is in the car. Problem is, with Ting pricing, it will cost 30-50 bucks in data just playing around with it.
It's fine if I don't use the number, and keep it for emergencies.
Their data pricing starts when you enter. so they have a 100mb to 500mb, 10 bucks, and, it starts with the first kb i think.
speedtest used 126 mb to tell me Tmobile was really slow. Apparently they were working on their cell towers over the Christmas break, in the area I'm in.

I expected Pie to be on the s9+ in the first week of January. We'll see.
 

LunarMist

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T-mobile gives around 50GB now per month before the throttling. An OS update is only about a GB.
 

Santilli

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Pie is supposed to enable Dex on the s9+ without the docking station.
We'll see.
Samsung is taking their time rolling out Pie. Motorola had it out the week before Christmas.
 

Handruin

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It's more likely the US mobile carriers taking their time and not Samsung at this point.
 

cristian555

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Myself Cristian, newly joined, I never use Samsung note 9, but right now I'm using Panasonic 101, which serves me quite well.
 
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