The iPhone X is an insanely fast smartphone. Its 3GB RAM and A11 Bionic chipset give the device an edge over Android rivals. Fresh benchmark scores for Galaxy Note 9 leaked in China suggest that Samsung’s upcoming flagship could be far more powerful than the anniversary iPhone. The Note 8 successor will be competing with Apple’s 2018 flagship iPhones that would be even more powerful than the iPhone X. So, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Galaxy Note 9 comes with humongous processing power.
Chinese publication Kuaibao has shared a screenshot of the Note 9’s Geekbench scores. Apparently, a phone with model number SM-N960F appeared on Geekbench. The model number suggests that it is the European variant of Samsung’s next-gen phablet. It is powered by a huge 8GB RAM and a new Exynos 9815 processor. It will likely run Samsung’s custom UI on top of Android 8.1 Oreo, with an option to upgrade to Android P.
The biggest highlight of the benchmark test are the scores. The Galaxy Note 9 running Samsung’s in-house processor scored 5,162 points in single-core and a record 10,704 points in multi-core tests. The scores are even higher than the iPhone X’s A11 Bionic chipset. The iPhone X had tallied a score of 4,061 points in single-core and 9,959 points in multi-core tests. If the Note 9’s results are legit, it would be one of the most powerful smartphones coming out later this year.
Unfortunately, the Geekbench listing might be fake. For one, the Snapdragon 845 variant of Galaxy Note 9 was recently spotted on Geekbench. The Snapdragon version will likely be released in the US and China, while the Exynos model would be sold in other markets. The Snapdragon-powered Note 9 had scored 2,190 points in single-core and 8,806 points in multi-core tests.
Consumers expect the Exynos model of Samsung’s flagship phones to be faster than their Snapdragon siblings as Samsung can more tightly integrate its processor with the software. But the difference here (5,162 vs 2,190 points in single-core) is just too huge for two variants of a single smartphone. There are a few other indicators as well that suggest the latest listing might be fake. For instance, RAM on Geekbench listings is traditionally expressed in MB rather than in GB. Also, if the listing were legit, the Exynos processor would have been described as “universal9815” rather than “exynos9815.”
The Galaxy Note 9 is rumored to have a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED Infinity display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Reports coming out of South Korea suggest the Note 9 would be Samsung’s first flagship with an in-display fingerprint reader. According to a recent patent filing by Samsung, the fingerprint reader would be integrated towards the bottom of the display. The AMOLED screen’s light emitting capabilities would help the sensor detect your fingerprint details by changing the brightness around the sensor when you place your finger.
The Note 9 is said to pack at least 6GB RAM, 64GB of internal storage, and a huge 3,850mAh battery. The phone would retain the 3.5mm headphone jack. Samsung is unlikely to adopt the display notch that other Android vendors have copied from the iPhone X. The phone would get an improved dual camera setup on the back. It is expected to borrow the variable apertures and super slo-mo recording from the Galaxy S9 Plus.
Samsung executives have indicated that the Note 9 would launch with an upgraded S Pen stylus. DJ Koh has already told media that Samsung would introduce an upgraded Bixby 2.0 with the upcoming phablet. The company is currently testing Bixby 2.0 with more than 800 partners worldwide. The improved AI assistant might do away with the “Hey, Bixby” trigger to enable a more natural communication between the user and the device.
Meanwhile, Twitter tipster Ice Universe reports that the Galaxy Note 9 might come with a new “Crown UX” skin on top of Android Oreo. The ‘Crown UX’ is expected to be a major redesign of Samsung’s current Experience UX skin. The Note 9 will be competing with the iPhone X2 and iPhone X Plus. The new skin might help the Note 9 compete better with rivals.
The Galaxy Note 9 is rumored to launch in late July or early August because of poor consumer response for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus. The Note 9 with model numbers SM-N9600 and SM-N9608 were recently certified by the China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (CMIIT). The model numbers are for the Snapdragon and Exynos versions of the device. The early launch would also give the Note 9 a few weeks of additional time on the store shelves before the launch of new iPhones.
