Remember back to early 2017, when Galaxy Note7’s were known for spontaneously catching fire, costing Samsung billions of dollars? Well, after skipping a generation, Samsung finally unveiled the Galaxy Note9 on August 24, 2018 and pre-orders soared 30 to 50% higher than those of the Galaxy S9, according to SamMobile.

After all, the Galaxy Note line was reputed for being the first android phone in Samsung’s lineup to offer multi window flow for running 2 apps side by side; as well as a big, curved edge screen—before phablets were cool! Plus, you can purchase this smartphone in vibrant hues, like:

• Lavender Purple
• Ocean Blue, which comes with a yellow S Pen and writes in yellow
• Midnight Black
• Cloud Silver, which is for exclusively retail via Best Buy and Samsung.com

But while pre-orders for the Note9 only made up 80% of the highly anticipated Galaxy Note8, the Galaxy Note has been available for purchase in stores since early September, and the Galaxy Note fan base seems eager to put their money on the Galaxy Note 9 for it’s practical upgrades compared to those of the Galaxy S9, which offered very similar styling and rather disappointing incremental updates from the Galaxy S8. Keep in mind early reports suggest the Galaxy Note9 is comparable to Huawei’s impressive P20 Pro, according to the most recent points on the DxOMark Mobile charts.

So far, Galaxy fans are impressed with the Note 9, which offers some impressive upgrades and features compared to it’s slightly smaller (6.3- x 0.34-inches vs. 6.4- x 0.34-inches) and lighter (6.9-ounces vs. 7.1-ounces) more affordable cousin, the Samsung Galaxy S9. Marked improvements in the flagship Samsung Galaxy Note 9 include:

1. AI camera
The impressive dual camera in the Galaxy Note 9 automatically registers more than 20 different types of scenes (i.e., faces, food, plants, etc.) and adjusts the settings to capture the best quality image.

2. Improved camera picture quality
Even though the S9 was already touted as an excellent android smartphone camera, the Galaxy Note 9 improved camera features by introducing dual rear lenses and an all-new AI scene selection mode. In addition, recent improvements made in late September of 2018 introduced even more improvements to the Note 9’s general photographic performance, such as advancements in low light brightness and signal noise ratio (SNR) so that the camera can now capture faces with more brightness and crispness, even in backlit conditions. Also the camera’s day/night HDR control accuracy has been improved.

3. Increased storage and memory
The Galaxy Note 9 offers a baseline of 128GB in storage, which is truely impressive compared to the 32 or 64GB previously offered in the Galaxy Note 8. However, keep in mind the price comparison, a Galaxy Note 9 with 128GB storage rings up at $1249 compared to a $998 priced Note 8. However, if you’re planning to purchase more storage anyway, you likely wouldn’t say no to well over 100GB of free space for things like large games, Netflix downloads, and 4K video shooting offered in the Note 9’s 128GB. You can also get a deal on smartphones by purchasing an unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note 9 with 512GB storage for between $1,200 and $1,500 online.

4. Massive battery
When we say huge battery, we mean HUGE at 4,000mAh battery power, which is a massive step up (from the 3,300 mAh power back Note 8) and the largest in Samsung handset history.

5. Water cooling system
The Note 9 has also employed a water carbon fiber cooling system to offer long-term smartphone performance—without the tendency to overheat.

6. Bluetooth-equipped S-Pen
The Note 9 features a new remote control S-pen with added bluetooth connectivity to the stylus, which means so you can use your phone for playing and skipping music tracks, giving presentations, and taking selfies, etc.

7. Mini PC capability
With the purchase of a $69 accessory, you can turn your Galaxy Note 9 into a Samsung Galaxy mini PC and/or touchpad with an adapter and an HDMI cable thanks to the DeX without the doc.

8. Note 9 phone cases
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 also offers some stylish new phone cases, and you’ll need one if you’re upgrading from a Note 8 considering the 6.3- x 0.34-inch vs. 6.4- x 0.34-inch side difference. Look for a phone case that offers style, utility, and protection (i.e., OtterBox Symmetry Series $55 or Spigen’s $40 Tough Armor case). However, if you’re into finger rings (i.e., Olixar $20 XRing case at $19) or mirror covers (i.e., Samsung’s Clear View Standing Case at $50).

Industry insiders are already speculating on Samsung Black Friday sales for 2018. Thankfully, Samsung retailers are known for keeping to predictable annual patterns and unlike Apple, Samsung.com does release a list of expected Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for the Samsung Galaxy Note9, Galaxy S9 and S9 models, such as:

• Save $300 at Best Buy (activation required)
• Get a free $300 gift card with purchase at Target (activation required)
• Get a $350 gift card at Walmart Gift (activation of new instalment plan required)
• Free shipping on most online purchased products