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Galaxy Note 9 specs vs. iPhone X, Pixel 2 XL and LG V35 ThinQ

Samsung just announced its ultra-premium Note 9. See how it compares spec-by-spec with other top-tier phones that are out right now.

Lynn La Senior Editor / Reviews - Phones
Lynn La covers mobile reviews and news. She previously wrote for The Sacramento Bee, Macworld and The Global Post.
Lynn La
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The Galaxy Note 9 and its Bluetooth-enabled stylus.

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. 

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.

Galaxy Note 9 comparison chart


Samsung Galaxy Note 9Apple iPhone XGoogle Pixel 2 XLLG V35 ThinQ
Display size, resolution 6.4-inch Super AMOLED; 2,960x1,440 pixels5.8-inch OLED; 2,436x1,125 pixels6-inch OLED; 2,880x1,440 pixels6-inch OLED; 2,880 x 1,440 pixels
Pixel density 516 ppi458 ppi538 ppi538 ppi
Dimensions (Inches) 6.37x3.01x0.35 in5.7x2.79x0.30 in6.2x3.0x0.3 in5.97x2.97x0.29 in
Dimensions (Millimeters) 161.9x76.4x8.8 mm143.6x70.9x7.7 mm157.9x76.7x7.9 mm151.64x75.44x7.37 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams) 7.09 oz.; 201g6.14 oz,; 174g6.17 oz.; 175g5.57 oz, 157.9g
Mobile software Android 8.1 OreoiOS 11Android 8.0 OreoAndroid 8.0 Oreo
Camera Dual 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (telephoto)Dual 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (telephoto)12-megapixel16-megapixel (standard), 16-megapixel (wide)
Front-facing camera 8-megapixel7-megapixel8-megapixel8-megapixel
Video capture 4K4K4K4K
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 845Apple A11 BionicQualcomm Snapdragon 835Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Storage 128GB, 512GB64GB, 256GB64GB, 128GB64GB
RAM 6GB, 8GB3GB4GB6GB
Expandable storage 512GBNoneNone2TB
Battery 4,000 mAh2,716 mAh (unconfirmed by Apple)3,520 mAh3,300 mAh
Fingerprint sensor Back of phoneNoneBack of phoneBack of phone
Connector USB-CLightningUSB-CUSB-C
Headphone jack YesNoNoYes
Special features Water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; S-Pen with Bluetooth connectivity; Iris and facial scanningWater resistant (IP67); wireless charging; TrueDepth front-facing camera adds Face ID and front-facing AR effectsGoogle Assistant; unlimited cloud storage; Daydream VR-readyWater resistant (IP68); wireless charging; DTS:X 3D Surround, Quad DAC
Price off-contract (USD) $1,000 (128GB), $1,250 (512GB)$999 (64GB), $1,149 (256GB)$849 (64GB), $949 (128GB)$900 (AT&T and Project Fi)
Price (GBP) £899 (128GB), £1,099 (512GB)£999 (64GB), £1,149 (256GB)£799 (64GB), £899 (128GB)TBD
Price (AUD) AU$1,499 (128GB), AU$1,799 (512GB)AU$1,579 (64GB), AU$1,829 (256GB)AU$1,399 (64GB), AU$1,549 (128GB)TBD

Galaxy Note 9 looks stunning in these photos

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