Why I am done with the Note series (and the Pixels for that matter)

[TechBob]

I have a Note 8 ready to list on Swappa. What has replaced it? An S9 Plus. After using it, I have come to a realization that I don't think will change. I am done with the Note series? And the Pixels for that matter. And the Oneplus series, the (you fill in the rest) series, etc. The S series is the keeper. Why? One word: timing.

Soon the Note 9 will come out. And so will the Pixel 3 series. By the time that the Note 9 comes out, the Snapdragon 845 devices will have been out for 5 months. The Note 9 will have a few new features, but it is based on a platform that has used half of its lifespan. Before long, the S10, with improved performance will be out. Rumors are that the Note 9 will be the last Note. After using the S9 Plus, I agree. Let it go. OR, release it concurrently with the S Series. Why do I want to pay a premium for a device that will be old in a few months. The same with the Pixels and all the other lately released devices. Apple is releasing 3 devices at the same time. Samsung needs to do the same.

 

[sweetypie31]

Just go with Apple. It seems as if that's the direction you want to go in.

 

[Jewels81]

I have a Note 8 ready to list on Swappa. What has replaced it? An S9 Plus. After using it, I have come to a realization that I don't think will change. I am done with the Note series? And the Pixels for that matter. And the Oneplus series, the (you fill in the rest) series, etc. The S series is the keeper. Why? One word: timing.

Soon the Note 9 will come out. And so will the Pixel 3 series. By the time that the Note 9 comes out, the Snapdragon 845 devices will have been out for 5 months. The Note 9 will have a few new features, but it is based on a platform that has used half of its lifespan. Before long, the S10, with improved performance will be out. Rumors are that the Note 9 will be the last Note. After using the S9 Plus, I agree. Let it go. OR, release it concurrently with the S Series. Why do I want to pay a premium for a device that will be old in a few months. The same with the Pixels and all the other lately released devices. Apple is releasing 3 devices at the same time. Samsung needs to do the same.

They do the rumor of getting rid of the note line every year. Lol. Enjoy your s9 plus while we enjoy our note9, note 10 so and so on. Oh by the way let's have Samsung merge with apple since Samsung should do everything apple does lol. And for heaven sakes before anyone jumps on me I'm seriously not trying to sound like an *** but we get the same rumor every year. Peace and have a good day.

 

[sweetypie31]

They do the rumor of getting rid of the note line every year. Lol. Enjoy your s9 plus while we enjoy our note9, note 10 so and so on. Oh by the way let's have Samsung merge with apple since Samsung should do everything apple does lol. And for heaven sakes before anyone jumps on me I'm seriously not trying to sound like an *** but we get the same rumor every year. Peace and have a good day.

your response was rather nice. I typed and erased my response like three times. my original was much worse.

 

[TechBob]

Just go with Apple. It seems as if that's the direction you want to go in.

Huh? Did you read my post? I am using an S9 Plus and I will migrate to the S10 Plus. My friend, I am sorry, but those are not Apple products. And I have owned every Note since the 2, (except the 7). There is nothing about Apple products that I care to use. Actually, if they released the Note sooner, I would buy the 9. I just don't want a product that will be outdated by Samsung itself in a few months after paying a thousand dollars or more. The screen size is no longer a major difference and the S-Pen is nothing I personally use. If someone likes the Note, I have no problem. I just wish it wasn't so delayed in the cycle for what now seems minimal in additional features over what I have now.

By the way. There is also a rumor (Android Central reported it), that it is the S Plus devices that will go away. That it will be the S whatever and the Note. So, after the S10, I may have to go with the Note as I want a large screen. If that happens, I just hope they are concurrent in their release.

 

[Ryano89]

Huh? Did you read my post? I am using an S9 Plus and I will migrate to the S10 Plus. My friend, I am sorry, but those are not Apple products. And I have owned every Note since the 2, (except the 7). There is nothing about Apple products that I care to use. Actually, if they released the Note sooner, I would buy the 9. I just don't want a product that will be outdated by Samsung itself in a few months after paying a thousand dollars or more. The screen size is no longer a major difference and the S-Pen is nothing I personally use. If someone likes the Note, I have no problem. I just wish it wasn't so delayed in the cycle for what now seems minimal in additional features over what I have now.

By the way. There is also a rumor (Android Central reported it), that it is the S Plus devices that will go away. That it will be the S whatever and the Note. So, after the S10, I may have to go with the Note as I want a large screen. If that happens, I just hope they are concurrent in their release.

I understand your point, but I think that you need to think about the processing power contained in today's devices. Just because the Snapdragon chip in the Note9 is 5 months old doesn't make it outdated. Unless you are referring to benchmark performance, the SD845 will be more than capable of holding it's own throughout 2019. I do see what you mean, but the only way to avoid it would be if every flagship phone ALL came out at the beginning of the year. How boring would that be?

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

You know this could be said opposite.

The S 10 series will adopt the new things the note 9 will have added. So when you get the S 10+, it will be half outdated.

In reality, if you don't wait two years before updating any phone, it's not much of an update on average.

 

[cwbcpa]

I'm not following your logic at all, but you do you. As long as you're happy, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Plus, if these rumors play out, we will all be looking at a spring release for the Note. An no, I don't believe for one second that they will get rid of the "Note" name. I think there is still a lot of value in the Note line and the name. I do think they need to consolidate the S+ and Note line though. Just to simplify the line up. We will see what happens.

Bottom line is you are choosing a great device either way so enjoy! S9+ is a great device as I'm sure the Note 9 and S10 will be. I'll ride the Note 8 for a while longer myself and see how pricing plays out. My Note 8 is still killing it on this outdated 835 processor.

 

[Mooncatt]

I understand your point, but I think that you need to think about the processing power contained in today's devices. Just because the Snapdragon chip in the Note9 is 5 months old doesn't make it outdated. Unless you are referring to benchmark performance, the SD845 will be more than capable of holding it's own throughout 2019. I do see what you mean, but the only way to avoid it would be if every flagship phone ALL came out at the beginning of the year. How boring would that be?

This. I'm all for picking out whatever phone best fits you, but you need to seriously reconsider your views on what constitutes "outdated." I'm still using my LG V20, a device that came out nearly 2 years ago and it still performs amazingly well. And if you look at it based on features, I'd argue it's better than current phones that are limiting their devices (which is why I have no plans to upgrade soon, even to a newer V series phone).

If the device is smooth to operate, does it really matter what chips are in it?

 

[TechBob]

I understand your point, but I think that you need to think about the processing power contained in today's devices. Just because the Snapdragon chip in the Note9 is 5 months old doesn't make it outdated. Unless you are referring to benchmark performance, the SD845 will be more than capable of holding it's own throughout 2019. I do see what you mean, but the only way to avoid it would be if every flagship phone ALL came out at the beginning of the year. How boring would that be?

Before I used the S9 Plus, I would have said the same thing. I moved to the S9 Plus from the Note 8 because my T-Mobile Note 8 does not now and will never access all the bands that T-Mobile now offers (my V30, my backup phone, does). While in other parts of the town that I live in I can access upwards of 100 Mbps, my immediate area is dense and oversold. Improvements in network performance will come from improvements to the existing towers and will involve changes that my Note 8 will never take advantage of. My S9 Plus will see more. With the S10, if it uses the 5G modem, then it will see changes that come in 2019 that won't be seen even on my S9 Plus or the Note 9. I am a very heavy user datawise and have limited other options where I live. No cable or fast DSL. It is my phone that accesses the world.

By the way, as to the speed. The speed improvements are surprisingly, very noticeable. When I went back to the Note after using the S9, my observation of the Note was Wow, it really is slower. Someone mentioned their V20. Nice phone. I sold mine some time ago (improved networking on the V30). As to the Note 9, it will be a nice phone. My point is, unless you use the Note specific features (S-Pen), why wait? And why does Samsung have anyone wait? it is not a technology issue. it is marketing only. They want a boost in sales after the S series sales start to decline.

Way back when, you got real spec improvements in waiting. There used to be a mid cycle speed improvement in CPU chips that the Note would offer, but that stopped a few years ago. (S5 Snapdragon 801, Note 4 Snapdragon 805). You got a real improvement for waiting. The two product lines have drawn too close to, again IMHO, to justify a wait. Nothing against the Note. It will be a nice phone.

As to the point of all phones coming out at the beginning of the year, really, how many of the phones that come out later are much more than clones of the earlier releases. If you look at the major releases after the S9, what really stands out as unique? I found most of them really boring. At least the Note has some genuinely unique features. Most of the phones coming out later, in fact, seem to be cloning the iPhone X (notch). Ugh. No thanks. But, except for the bigger battery, most of the innovative features rumored for the Note 9 (in screen finger print scanner, etc) are now supposedly to come in the S10. Which was my point from the beginning.

Again, YMMV, but I will get improved networking, afaster CPU, enhanced features like a new fingerprint sensor (not that I really care) months before the Note 10. That is all I am saying. If you choose something different, great. If the Note is your baby, fine. But what great feature will the Note 9 have (besides a bigger battery) that will justify waiting for it? I haven't seen it.

 

[Mr Segundus]

So you're only going with the S-series just because it is the first major device of the year with the new SD processor? Okay. You do realize that the Pixel 2 XL and Note8 were NOT outdated just because the S9/S9+ came out, right?

 

[naturalguy]

There is constantly going to be a better phone on the horizon

 

[Golfdriver97]

This. I'm all for picking out whatever phone best fits you, but you need to seriously reconsider your views on what constitutes "outdated." I'm still using my LG V20, a device that came out nearly 2 years ago and it still performs amazingly well. And if you look at it based on features, I'd argue it's better than current phones that are limiting their devices (which is why I have no plans to upgrade soon, even to a newer V series phone).

If the device is smooth to operate, does it really matter what chips are in it?

Another good point. Right now, I am tempted to wait and see the Pixel 3 launch, and depending on what's inside, I may buy a Pixel 2 and hopefully save a few hundred dollars.

 

[TechBob]

So you're only going with the S-series just because it is the first major device of the year with the new SD processor? Okay. You do realize that the Pixel 2 XL and Note8 were NOT outdated just because the S9/S9+ came out, right?

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Remember, I am not discussing buying a Note 8 now or a Pixel 2 XL. This is a forum about the Note 9. I certainly would not pay full price for a Note 8 today or a Pixel 2 XL. My point was about the Note 9. I already outlined that my S9 Plus does do things that my Note 8 can't and never will. if those are not important to you, then you will be satisfied with those devices. But the hardware in both of those is a year and a half old. The phones may not be, but the hardware is. Does it work, sure. But in the cellular field, especially now, technology is changing rapidly. My only point was and is that the hardware on the Note 9 is the same, essentially, as the S9 series. Why wait? Yes, you will get a bigger battery, possibly 8 GB of RAM and more storage. But is that worth the 5 month wait and the premium price? $1000 starting point? If it is to you great. You will get no complaint from me.

Again with the Note 8 and the Pixel 2 XL, consider that they are almost a year old. My Note 8 stated with Android 7, got 8 and should eventually see 9. Will it see anything later? Maybe? We know that the Pixel 2 XL will get 9 and 10 and that is it. Google says 2 years and that phone is almost a year old. (Security updates run longer). So would I buy one of those devices? I bought a Note 8. And I am selling my Note 8. Only considered the Pixel 2 for a moment. Even then, I consider them at the end of the hardware cycle when Google should be at the beginning. They should set the pace.

So are they out of date? It depends on your perspective. I still have a Nexus 6 that I use for certain things. And I think I have a Nexus 5 floating around somewhere. They were great in their day. Are they out of date? if the definition is that they work and they are smooth, then I guess not. If you are considering a Note 9, then yes, the Note 8 is outdated. As I have said, my T-Mobile branded Note 8 will not access all of T-Mobile's current network. The Pixel 2 XL will not either. The S9 will and so will the Note 9. With the coming changes to cellular technology in the next 2 years, the Note 8 will only fall further behind. So will the S9, but not as quickly. Again, my point is simply that the Note 9 hardware is now 5 months old in a very rapidly changing field. I will get a longer useful life out of the S9 because of when it was released. With the S10 said to be out in February, the next generation of hardware will be out, the first possibly with official 5G support. But the Note 10 won't see it until August. Will I need it day one? Full 5G won't be available in my area then. But 5G is not a single technology, but an aggregation of many and some of those features are being enabled as we speak. If you have an older device, you won't see them. You won't know you are missing them, but they will be there. I prefer to be ready to take advantage of them when they are offered. But my Nexus 6 won't see them, my iPhone 7 (I support all types for work) won't see them. My Note 8 will be gone, but it won't see them either. My S9 Plus has a better chance. But it will miss the best changes. That will likely be the S10. And yes, 6 months later, the Note 10.

 

[overcookedcoffle]

The S series is the keeper. Why? One word: timing.

I totally agree with this. I never owned a Note. I never liked its features. It's always one step behind other high-end phones. And with the S9 Plus you got now, I don't think you'll ever have to change for quite a while.

 

[chanchan05]

"Out of date" is very different from "Not the latest." You're confusing them.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

By your logic no one should buy an Android phone except for right when the new SOC is released.

 

[naturalguy]

I totally agree with this. I never owned a Note. I never liked its features. It's always one step behind other high-end phones. And with the S9 Plus you got now, I don't think you'll ever have to change for quite a while.

It's all in how you look at it, the Note is always ahead of the S depending on your perspective. The spen is a game changer however and in that respect the Note will always be better than the S.

For me it doesn't matter I have Jump with T mobile and I can always switch to the latest device without ever paying full price

 

[Nakrohtap]

It used to be that the Note had the latest and greatest processor and newer OS and features. Why that changed, I have no idea. I think having the S series debut newer hardware was a huge fail on Samsung's part. They probably killed the Note series on their own.
If you are going to release a Note 5+ months after the S series with mostly the same specs, it should cost no more than the current S+ phone. It's too bad it took them until the Note9 to increase the battery, storage and RAM over the S series.

 

[Mr Segundus]

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Remember, I am not discussing buying a Note 8 now or a Pixel 2 XL. This is a forum about the Note 9. I certainly would not pay full price for a Note 8 today or a Pixel 2 XL. My point was about the Note 9. I already outlined that my S9 Plus does do things that my Note 8 can't and never will. if those are not important to you, then you will be satisfied with those devices. But the hardware in both of those is a year and a half old. The phones may not be, but the hardware is. Does it work, sure. But in the cellular field, especially now, technology is changing rapidly. My only point was and is that the hardware on the Note 9 is the same, essentially, as the S9 series. Why wait? Yes, you will get a bigger battery, possibly 8 GB of RAM and more storage. But is that worth the 5 month wait and the premium price? $1000 starting point? If it is to you great. You will get no complaint from me.

Again with the Note 8 and the Pixel 2 XL, consider that they are almost a year old. My Note 8 stated with Android 7, got 8 and should eventually see 9. Will it see anything later? Maybe? We know that the Pixel 2 XL will get 9 and 10 and that is it. Google says 2 years and that phone is almost a year old. (Security updates run longer). So would I buy one of those devices? I bought a Note 8. And I am selling my Note 8. Only considered the Pixel 2 for a moment. Even then, I consider them at the end of the hardware cycle when Google should be at the beginning. They should set the pace.

So are they out of date? It depends on your perspective. I still have a Nexus 6 that I use for certain things. And I think I have a Nexus 5 floating around somewhere. They were great in their day. Are they out of date? if the definition is that they work and they are smooth, then I guess not. If you are considering a Note 9, then yes, the Note 8 is outdated. As I have said, my T-Mobile branded Note 8 will not access all of T-Mobile's current network. The Pixel 2 XL will not either. The S9 will and so will the Note 9. With the coming changes to cellular technology in the next 2 years, the Note 8 will only fall further behind. So will the S9, but not as quickly. Again, my point is simply that the Note 9 hardware is now 5 months old in a very rapidly changing field. I will get a longer useful life out of the S9 because of when it was released. With the S10 said to be out in February, the next generation of hardware will be out, the first possibly with official 5G support. But the Note 10 won't see it until August. Will I need it day one? Full 5G won't be available in my area then. But 5G is not a single technology, but an aggregation of many and some of those features are being enabled as we speak. If you have an older device, you won't see them. You won't know you are missing them, but they will be there. I prefer to be ready to take advantage of them when they are offered. But my Nexus 6 won't see them, my iPhone 7 (I support all types for work) won't see them. My Note 8 will be gone, but it won't see them either. My S9 Plus has a better chance. But it will miss the best changes. That will likely be the S10. And yes, 6 months later, the Note 10.

Like someone said below, you're confusing "not the latest" with "out of date". By your logic, nobody should purchase anything other than the first major device released during the year. Here's the thing: the Note 9 will be able to do what your S9+ will be unable to do. That's the nature of purchasing a phone. Unless you upgrade multiple times/year, your device will be unable to do what the next latest and greatest thing can do.

And Apple is always behind the latest cellular technologies. The iPhone X still cannot download at gigabit speeds and it lacks 4x4 MIMO. I'm currently working in a remote region of northwoods in northern Minnesota and the iPhone X cannot catch a signal in the middle of the woods while my Pixel 2 XL can pick up signal. My coworker's S9+ can pick up even more bars than my 2 XL. But he doesn't get monthly security updates. He's got the latest technology. But there's some things his S9+ cannot do that my Pixel 2 XL can do.