Is it just me or is there really not much different 8 vs 9

[PAC757]

I had an open line on my AT&T account so I took advantage of the Best Buy $300 off deal. After 2 days with the Note 9 I really don't see much, if any, difference between the Note 8 vs the Note 9. The battery life is a little better nothing spectacular. Performance wise, they are the same, I understand the specs are different but in real world use I can't tell any difference. One area that the Note 8 does seem better is cell signal. Using LTE discovery in the same locations, the Note 8 actually always had a stronger signal. Even with the discount I don't see this as much of an upgrade. I guess Monday I'm going to see if returning it at Best Buy is as easy as an AT&T store return. I've never purchased a phone from Best Buy before.

 

[note1note9]

Hmm not sure if I can say the same. My very close friend uses a note 8 while I use a note 9 and when we play games right beside each other I can see the performance difference

 

[mhunter6378]

Coming from a Note 8, for me it was double the on board storage (64 to 128), dual speakers, larger battery capacity and for Att band 14. The last one (band 14) was important because I’m on FirstNet through Att and they’re building out band 14 for better coverage. I’m happy with the upgrade.

 

[jhimmel]

I had an open line on my AT&T account so I took advantage of the Best Buy $300 off deal. After 2 days with the Note 9 I really don't see much, if any, difference between the Note 8 vs the Note 9. The battery life is a little better nothing spectacular. Performance wise, they are the same, I understand the specs are different but in real world use I can't tell any difference. One area that the Note 8 does seem better is cell signal. Using LTE discovery in the same locations, the Note 8 actually always had a stronger signal. Even with the discount I don't see this as much of an upgrade. I guess Monday I'm going to see if returning it at Best Buy is as easy as an AT&T store return. I've never purchased a phone from Best Buy before.

Upgraded battery, processor, memory, storage, camera, speakers, and improved FPS location. Battery and speakers were enough for me. If you are not feeling the value, like you said - return it.

 

[Richard Stewart79]

Battery, speakers and storage is what makes all the difference, and I owned a note 8 for just over a year. I'm glad I upgraded

 

[climb]

I had an open line on my AT&T account so I took advantage of the Best Buy $300 off deal. After 2 days with the Note 9 I really don't see much, if any, difference between the Note 8 vs the Note 9. The battery life is a little better nothing spectacular. Performance wise, they are the same, I understand the specs are different but in real world use I can't tell any difference. One area that the Note 8 does seem better is cell signal. Using LTE discovery in the same locations, the Note 8 actually always had a stronger signal. Even with the discount I don't see this as much of an upgrade. I guess Monday I'm going to see if returning it at Best Buy is as easy as an AT&T store return. I've never purchased a phone from Best Buy before.

Wow - in my case the Note 9 is a significant iteration in the note series and from the Note 8 - a very significant iteration forward.

First phone I have ever owned that storage is no longer an issue, at all. And yes, there are those of us who need over 250 GB of storage and more....

My battery life experience has been much much better than my Note 8 - the extra mAh packed into that 4000 mAh beast of a battery makes a huge difference in my charging habits

The slightly chaffered edges add to a much better forum factor for my big manly hands - better grip and less drop potential...... and speaking of form factor, the placement of the fingerprint reader is fabulous for my big manly hands compared to the congested back cover of the Note 8

Not too much into gaming but play a few now and then, and the response times produced by a 8 GB chip set are amazing and noticeable over its 6 GM cousin in the 128 GB version.

Ah...... the ear phone jack and my extensive music collection. While I can't wait for my new wireless Sennheiser Momentum ear buds to be delivered (perhaps the strongest yet reviewed wireless earbuds on the market from an audiophile perspective) I love that I can still use my other wired headphones - hope the Note 10 doesn't drop this feature. And the fact that the note 9, like all the flagships, features aptX audio codec makes my Bluetooth music incredibly delicious, but remember to make that selection in developer options.........

........ and as long as we're on the sound topic, the stereo speakers are really good for desk top listening and speaker calls...... and the antenna on my Note 9 is much stronger than any previous note I've owned

Now, I know that less than 30% of note users even make use of the s-pen, but I'm one of them, taking extensive notes and catalogs for my work (medical). The note 9 s-pen Bluetooth capability not only ups my game when controlling tracks when listening to music, I am able to program it to start the app I need first for patient care when I initially remove it from its chamber, not to mention the ability to take pictures with that beautiful camera with a click of the s-pen button. Samsung has opened the code to programmers so I can't wait to see the functionality of a Bluetooth s-pen expand beyond its current limits once developers start releasing new programs.

The camera is still as good overall as is out there in other flagships, especially when Sammie added the dual aperture, affording magnificent light detection, as well as the scene optimizer and flaw detection - that last one is especially useful for every day shots of my loved ones and their loved ones and their loved ones.

Lastly, so I don't go on forever more, that luscious big beautiful screen - I remain personally committed to saying it is the finest display on the market - period. Not to mention it's a tiny itsy bitsy larger 6.4 " contrasted to my lovely 6.3" beloved Note 8

As smartphone people in need of therapy for our relationships with our smartphones, we were accustomed to giant steps forward in technology in product cycles in the last decade. Well, that is simply no longer reality, as we see from all the hardware producers. All new phones, save for the foldable future, will be refinements from each prior product cycle, and, IMHO the Note 9 provides me with wonderful refinements, additions and changes from my Note 8!!

I absolutely love this beautiful black Note 9!

You rock Sammie!!!!!!

 

[note1note9]

Wow - in my case the Note 9 is a significant iteration in the note series and from the Note 8 - a very significant iteration forward.

First phone I have ever owned that storage is no longer an issue, at all. And yes, there are those of us who need over 250 GB of storage and more....

My battery life experience has been much much better than my Note 8 - the extra mAh packed into that 4000 mAh beast of a battery makes a huge difference in my charging habits

The slightly chaffered edges add to a much better forum factor for my big manly hands - better grip and less drop potential...... and speaking of form factor, the placement of the fingerprint reader is fabulous for my big manly hands compared to the congested back cover of the Note 8

Not too much into gaming but play a few now and then, and the response times produced by a 8 GB chip set are amazing and noticeable over its 6 GM cousin in the 128 GB version.

Ah...... the ear phone jack and my extensive music collection. While I can't wait for my new wireless Sennheiser Momentum ear buds to be delivered (perhaps the strongest yet reviewed wireless earbuds on the market from an audiophile perspective) I love that I can still use my other wired headphones - hope the Note 10 doesn't drop this feature. And the fact that the note 9, like all the flagships, features aptX audio codec makes my Bluetooth music incredibly delicious, but remember to make that selection in developer options.........

........ and as long as we're on the sound topic, the stereo speakers are really good for desk top listening and speaker calls...... and the antenna on my Note 9 is much stronger than any previous note I've owned

Now, I know that less than 30% of note users even make use of the s-pen, but I'm one of them, taking extensive notes and catalogs for my work (medical). The note 9 s-pen Bluetooth capability not only ups my game when controlling tracks when listening to music, I am able to program it to start the app I need first for patient care when I initially remove it from its chamber, not to mention the ability to take pictures with that beautiful camera with a click of the s-pen button. Samsung has opened the code to programmers so I can't wait to see the functionality of a Bluetooth s-pen expand beyond its current limits once developers start releasing new programs.

The camera is still as good overall as is out there in other flagships, especially when Sammie added the dual aperture, affording magnificent light detection, as well as the scene optimizer and flaw detection - that last one is especially useful for every day shots of my loved ones and their loved ones and their loved ones.

Lastly, so I don't go on forever more, that luscious big beautiful screen - I remain personally committed to saying it is the finest display on the market - period. Not to mention it's a tiny itsy bitsy larger 6.4 " to my lovely 6.3" beloved Note 8

As smartphone people in need of therapy for our relationships with our smartphones, we were accustomed to giant steps forward in technology in product cycles in the last decade. Well, that is simpky no longer reality, as we see from all the hardware producers. All new phones, save for the foldable future, will be refinements from each prior product cycle, and, IMHO the Note 9 provides me with wonderful refinements, additions and changes from my Note 8!!

I absolutely love this beautiful black Note 9!

You rock Sammie!!!!!!

This sums up my love for the note 9! Except for the point that I don't work in medical HAHA

 

[methodman89]

I want my note 7 back with the emergency signal flare feature.

 

[Blues Fan]

I want my note 7 back with the emergency signal flare feature.

I miss the form factor of the Note 7!!!! I wish I could of course take all the new features of the Note 9 and pack it into the Chasis of the Note 7.

 

[bassplayrguy]

I had an open line on my AT&T account so I took advantage of the Best Buy $300 off deal. After 2 days with the Note 9 I really don't see much, if any, difference between the Note 8 vs the Note 9. The battery life is a little better nothing spectacular. Performance wise, they are the same, I understand the specs are different but in real world use I can't tell any difference. One area that the Note 8 does seem better is cell signal. Using LTE discovery in the same locations, the Note 8 actually always had a stronger signal. Even with the discount I don't see this as much of an upgrade. I guess Monday I'm going to see if returning it at Best Buy is as easy as an AT&T store return. I've never purchased a phone from Best Buy before.

Well return it.

 

[jeetu4444]

Huge difference for me..shifted from note 8 to S9+ to Note9...
Note 9 is a different beast...I love my Note 9...way way better than Note 8

 

[KupKrazy]

If you upgraded to the Note 9 solely for performance, then I can see why you'd think that it wasn't much. I probably wouldn't have upgraded it just for that. Many people here upgraded to the Note 9 for the additional features plus the performance. The 64GB on the Note 8 was actually impacting my performance, so something had to be done despite me eventually going for the Note 10.

 

[Gayle Lynn]

I had the 8, now have the 9 and was pleasantly happy with it. I hated where fps ou s on 8. And iris recognition is probably better.

Looking forward to it getting Pie in February.

I also picked up 9+ to replace my 8+ and quite pleased. A bit easier to hold. I do like the Note screen, sharp clear and less curved, flatter.

Nothing in the need department or that would justify the price of upgrading.

 

[pool_shark]

The one thing holding me back is the insignificant difference.
I don't care about battery life because charging is easy, I don't care about the speakers because normally when I listen to music I'm in the office and using earbuds.
I guess the main reason I want it is because I haven't bought myself a toy all year and the stock market sucks so I won't be putting more money there anytime soon, aside from my 401K.

 

[jimd1050]

The one thing holding me back is the insignificant difference.
I don't care about battery life because charging is easy, I don't care about the speakers because normally when I listen to music I'm in the office and using earbuds.
I guess the main reason I want it is because I haven't bought myself a toy all year and the stock market sucks so I won't be putting more money there anytime soon, aside from my 401K.

If you can read "Climb's" post and still say "insignificant difference" then you probably shouldn't buy one! I've got one that's about 5 weeks old and I find Climb's post "On the Money"! I've had two Note 4's (Verizon and AT&T), a Note 5, a Note 7 and a Note 8 before the Note 9 (with a Galaxy S7 Active thrown in there) so I have something to compare against.

 

[pizza_pablo]

It's just you.

 

[mustang7757]

I've owned the note 2,3,4 missed 5,7,8 and now my Note 9❤ still have note 2 and note 4...note 9 and note 8 I'm sure are same in lot of ways it's just the note 9 does it better...

 

[mustang7757]

The one thing holding me back is the insignificant difference.
I don't care about battery life because charging is easy, I don't care about the speakers because normally when I listen to music I'm in the office and using earbuds.
I guess the main reason I want it is because I haven't bought myself a toy all year and the stock market sucks so I won't be putting more money there anytime soon, aside from my 401K.

Well you put stock into the note 9 that's a good investment

 

[mustang7757]

I want my note 7 back with the emergency signal flare feature.

And pocket style fire extinguisher just incase ))

 

[Chromium 4]

I traded in my beloved Note 8 for half off of the 9 and I couldn't be any more pleased. The better battery life, Dolby Atmos stereo speakers, AI assisted updated camera, new S-pen features, faster processor and improved signal strength were all features that made the Note 9 a worthy upgrade to me.