Galaxy Note 9 and Mate 20 Pro release dates aren’t that far off. The two brands are opposed in many areas, but it must be admitted that both flagships have disturbing similarities. But what are the differences that might make you lean towards one device or the other?
Datasheets and performance: Exynos 9810 vs Kirin 980
The Mate 20 Pro takes advantage of Kirin 980, it is the first SoC in an Android smartphone carved at 7 nm. This advantage allows it to develop more power than its rival Exynos 9810, carved at 10 nm. Concretely, we had the opportunity to beat the Mate 20 Pro on our test bench, and of course we were able to try some comparisons. Of course if that doesn’t represent user experience, the verdict is clear, the Mate 20 Pro is a champion in all categories. In Geekbench we get 3310 in single-core and 9799 in multi-core. According to our Galaxy Note 9 test, we scored 3081 in single-core and 7922 in multi-core in the same benchmark. Mate 20 Pro is a true champion for gamers. Although the Note 9 doesn’t look all that bad.
Undoubtedly, most users will not even notice this difference in power in everyday use of one or the other smartphone. But over time, the Mate 20 Pro will be more durable than its rival. On the autonomy side, Huawei’s flagship has a 4200 mAh battery versus 4000 mAh for the Note 9. Finally, the Mate 20 Pro and Note 9 are compatible. With Qi wireless charging, but only the Mate 20 Pro can charge other devices. Not to mention the ultra-fast 40W charging. Certainly the technical page of Huawei’s flagship is more than attractive.
| Galaxy Note 9 spec sheet | Huawei Mate 20 Pro spec sheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 160.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm | 157.8 x 72.3 x 8.6mm |
| Weight | 201g | 189g |
| Screen | 6.4″ Super AMOLED Quad HD 18.5:9 | 6.39 inch 19.5:9 OLED |
| Definition | 2960 x 1440 pixels 514 dpi | 3120 x 1440 pixels |
| Photograph | Rear: dual 12 MP (f/1.5 and f/2.4) and 12 MP (f/2.4) photo sensors. Front: 8 MP sensor | Rear: 40 MP f/1.8 + 20 MP f/2.2 + 8 MP f/2.4 Front: 24MP f/2.0 |
| BONE | Android 8.1 Oreo | Android Pie 9.0 EMUI 9.0 |
| internal memory | 128/ 512GB | 128GB |
| Micro SD | Yes, up to 1TB | Yes up to 256GB |
| connection | Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual band, WiFi Direct, hotspot | Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11ac WiFi |
| NFC | Yup | Yup |
| SoCs | Exynos 9810 Octal | Kirin 980 |
| data store | 6/8GB | 6GB |
| Fingerprint / iris reader / face recognition |
Yes Yes Yes | Yes, at the bottom of the screen/Yes |
| water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| battery | 4000mAh | 4200mAh |
| charging port | USB 3.1 Type-C | USB-C |
| Fast charging | Yup | Yup |
| Wireless Qi charging | Yup | Yup |
| Colors | black, purple, blue | Black, Midnight Blue, Twilight |
| Price | from 1009 euros | 999 € |
Design: OLED displays with or without a notch
We have two gorgeous 6.4-inch OLED displays on both our flagships. But two different schools, indeed one has a notchless display on the Note 9, while the Mate 20 Pro has a large notch to hide its front sensors.
The Mate 20 Pro has some family resemblance to the Galaxy S9. In fact, you can almost mix them up when they’re closed. Rounded edges play an obvious role in this observation. However, it is in France at Huawei’s design studio where the plastic of this smartphone was designed. The Galaxy Note 9 is made of glass on the side and both sides like its rival. The edges are also rounded, which gives a good grip. Unlike its rival, which has a fingerprint sensor under the screen, the Note 9 is located on the back.
The Galaxy Note 9 benefits from an S-Pen pen, everyone will have their own perspective on its usefulness. It must be admitted that in 2018 Samsung evolved it. For example, thanks to this accessory, it is possible to take photos from afar. For the rest, it’s still a pen and not everyone will need it. But the Mate 20 Pro doesn’t have it.
Photo: triple sensor vs dual sensor
The triple photo sensor (40 MP f/1.8 + 20 MP f/2.2 + 8 MP f/2.4) arranged in a square shape attracts our curiosity. Huawei once again proves to us that the manufacturer is a true master in photography. The Huawei P20 Pro, the first device with a triple photo sensor, took the first place in the famous DxOMark ranking. In any case, the manufacturer’s new flagship won us over during testing. The partnership with Leica proves to be an excellent partnership. Shots captured are excellent whatever the conditions. Night mode lets you take beautiful pictures even in the dark.
The Samsung champion has dual sensors (12 MP (f / 1.5 and f / 2.4) and 12 MP (f / 2.4)), including variable aperture. The photos are also very high quality and frankly, it is difficult for us to decide between two smartphones in this area. Some will prefer photos taken with the Mate 20 Pro, others with the Galaxy Note 9. Either way, it’s going to be a story of intimacy above all else. Both flagships are very good photophones.
Availability and prices
There comes a time when you have to go to the cashier. The Galaxy Note 9 is available in France in a 128GB storage version at the best dairy on the web for a price of 719 euros. The Mate 20 Pro is a bit more spicy as it was announced at 999 Euros, but it will be available on November 3, 2018. Some stores offer a discount of 100 Euros under certain conditions. Which of these two Android champions do you have your eye on? And why specifically? Share your views in the comments.
Also read: Huawei Mate 20 vs Mate 20 Pro: which one to choose?
