The battle for smartphone supremacy hots up this month, with the Samsung Note 9 arriving on the scene to take on Apple’s titan, the iPhone X.
It looks to be an evenly matched encounter between the two tech giants, so we’ve done the hard work and broken down what to look out for if you’re in the market for a new phone and which of these fine new handsets should win your hard earned cash.
The Basics
First things first, let’s compare the basics…
| Galaxy Note 9 | iPhone X | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 7.1 ounces | 6.1 ounces |
| Size | 6.3 x 3 x 0.34 inches | 5.7 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches |
| Screen Size | 6.4 inches | 5.8 inches |
| Storage | 128GB/512GB | 64GB/256GB |
| Battery Life | 11 hours 26 mins | 10 hours 49 mins |
The Note is bigger in almost every respect, which is a good thing if you’re looking for extra battery life but a bad thing if you’re looking for something slightly lighter for your pocket.
If you need a phone that’s going to offer you maximum storage whilst giving you the chance to view TV and photos on a bigger screen, it’s the Note. But if you want a slimmer design and a big phone that fits better in your pocket, the iPhone wins hands down.
Verdict: A draw. Looking for slim, iPhone. Looking for size, Note.
Specification
| Galaxy Note 9 | iPhone X | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 845 | A11 Bionic |
Even though it might be smaller in size, the iPhone X continues to take its Android rivals to the cleaners when it comes to specification and pure power.
The Galaxy’s Snapdragon 845 processor may be one of the fastest Android devices around, but its performance simply can’t compete with the incredibly powerful iPhone X. To be fair to Samsung, there are few out there at the moment that can compete with Apple’s A11 Bionic operating system. The Galaxy tries admirably but fails to get even close.
Verdict: Apple powers to victory.
Looks and Design
This is a really even match. Both phones are covered from top to bottom in glass, and finished with ultra-premium designs. In short, they’re both beautiful.
The Note 9 isn’t actually too different from the Note 8. It’s a touch bigger perhaps, but the iPhone X is clearly a huge upgrade from its predecessors and a real shot in the arm for the industry as a whole. Apple’s new TrueDepth camera is also a big change, with a new notch on the front panel providing a real distinctive and new look that hasn’t been seen before in the market. This latest release from Apple is really something new.
If you’re comparing colours, the Note can be yours in lively lavender, purple and ocean blue, whilst the X is delivered in Apple-cool (but boring?) silver and space grey.
Verdict: Apple do something new… and it works well.
Camera
Our phones are our cameras, so in deciding what phone to buy, you’re also deciding on the quality of the photos you can take.
This feature is a big win for Samsung, who’ve rolled a great camera into the Note. They’ve introduced a variable aperture on one of its rear lenses which allows users to shoot in low-light circumstances as well as introducing an artificial intelligence feature, a Scene Optimiser, that adjusts settings automatically as you prepare to shoot so you can take the best possible picture. Cool, huh?
The iPhone X camera is solid – if unremarkable – and you’ve likely have seen the features before on existing handsets. Samsung’s camera delivers new features that take phone photography to the next level.
Verdict: In a word, Samsung. Enough said.
Special Features
Yet again, Samsung are having a go with their S Pen, which allows you to write on-screen, turning your writings into text. One cool new twist for the Note is the ability to wire it up to an external monitor, essentially turning your phone into a desktop PC.
But for truly new innovations, Apple and its iPhone X does what it has been doing for decades with a batch of new releases that truly separate it from the competition. Face ID for unlocking and payment features are a really welcome addition to the security side of the phone, whilst the new Animojis provide some much needed fun.
Verdict: Apple does what Apple does and blows the rest away.
The Verdict
It’s close but, for us, Apple’s iPhone X has it by a fraction. Of course, which you prefer will depend on what you want your phone for.
If you want an amazing camera and a big screen, the Note delivers without a doubt. But the iPhone delivers beautiful design and a host of new features that keep it ahead of the competition…especially if the latest media gossip is true.
Rumours are swirling that Apple will launch a new phone at its annual conference on 12th September. Details are still sketchy, but it seems the company will release 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch models of the new iPhone which will be named iPhone XS.
As well as tweaking designs and adding in some new features, Apple will announce new build materials and colours, quicker processing speeds, higher screen resolution and extended battery life. It always does.
All this sounds great, but CNET is claiming that the new iPhone could be slower than Android phones, since Qualcomm is on record saying it isn’t supplying modems to the new iPhone and and its chips are reported to be faster than Intel chips at downloading data.
So, if you’re in the market for a new phone, it might pay to wait and try the new iPhone, which is slated to hit the shops as soon as October and could blow the Samsung Note and the iPhone X out of the water. That’s if you can wait that long.