Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs Huawei P20 Pro: The weigh-in

With its monster screen and S Pen stylus, it’s impossible to ignore Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 9. But how does the latest XXXL smartphone match up against the reigning champ? Huawei’s P20 Pro sits above even the Galaxy S9 as the best phone in the world, with its triple-camera setup in particular making it stand out from the rest. Can it hold out against the threat from Samsung’s super-massive new challenger? Here’s how this battle looks so far based on the initial specs.

Design: Twilight forever

At a glance, the Galaxy Note 9 could be easily confused for last year’s handset. While the colour schemes are new, the design is mostly unchanged aside from the rejigged camera and placement of the fingerprint sensor on the back. That said, it is 0.2mm thicker and 1.6mm wider to accommodate the slightly larger screen and perhaps the beefier battery as well. All told, it’s a nice looking mega-handset – but we still prefer the sleeker build and hand-friendlier size of the P20 Pro, plus the gradient Twilight colour option is absolutely dreamy.

Screen: Samsung’s edge

The Huawei P20 Pro’s screen is very impressive, delivering a bright, 6.1in OLED panel with incredible contrast. At 1080p, though, it’s not quite as crisp as some of the other high-end flagships on the market – not that it’s a massive difference. Even so, the Galaxy Note 9 seems to come just ahead. Samsung has reliably served up the best flagship smartphone screens over the last few years, and given that it’s cut from the same cloth as the Galaxy S9, this 6.4in curved Quad HD Super AMOLED panel is sure to be a stunner.

Camera: Go Pro

Like the S9+, the Note 9’s main rear camera now has an adjustable aperture, swapping between f/1.5 and f/2.4 to ensure that you’re getting the most detail possible in each scenario based on available light. There’s also AI assistance that tweaks the settings based on your surroundings. Huawei’s P20 Pro, however, boasts the best smartphone camera setup currently on the market: a trio of 40MP RGB, 20MP black-and-white, and 8MP telephoto sensors that combine their talents to capture fantastic photos no matter the lighting.

Performance: Raw power prevails

The Huawei P20 Pro’s Kirin 970 chip with 6GB RAM is plenty powerful, but it doesn’t lead the pack when it comes to benchmark testing, where Samsung’s Exynos 9810 chip rules the roost. The Note 9 has the same chip inside, with either 6GB or 8GB RAM depending on model, so we expect that it will come out ahead again. That said, both the P20 Pro and Galaxy S9 are super-speedy phones, so you may not notice any difference in day-to-day usage.

Battery and storage: Space for days

When it comes to battery life, these handsets are seemingly even: they both have huge 4000mAh battery packs within, which is good for a day and a half on the P20 Pro and should provide about the same with the Note 9. Granted, the P20 Pro’s screen is slightly smaller and at a lower resolution, so it might use up less power in the process. In terms of storage, the Note 9 definitely has a lead here. The P20 Pro ships with 128GB of internal storage without microSD expandability, while the Note 9 comes in with 128GB and 512GB models, plus you can add another 512GB via microSD cards.

Special skills: Note-able benefits

Both phones offer a PC-like desktop mode with an external monitor, each just needing a USB-C to HDMI cable – no more pricey DeX Pad accessory for Samsung. Meanwhile, the Note 9 also brings Gear VR headset support, which is unmatched by Huawei. Of course, the Galaxy Note 9’s most unique perk is the S Pen stylus, which this time comes with Bluetooth connectivity. Why? It means you can use it as a remote for snapping photos, playing videos, or controlling presentations, plus it does all of the usual scribbles and notes. Nifty.

Initial verdict: Don’t expect the upset

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 arguably takes more categories in this comparison, but considering its size and price (£899 for the base model) it’s still something of a niche proposition. Unless you’re dead set on the stylus, you can get an otherwise just-as-capable phone for much less. We still think the P20 Pro is the best all-around handset on the market today, packing the absolute top camera setup and a fabulously eye-catching design. We’re looking forward to getting our hands on the Galaxy Note 9, but we expect that it will occupy the same space as the Note 8: feature-rich, but with limited appeal outside its hardcore fans.