I have a confession to make. I have a soft spot for phones or tablets with styluses. Therefore it’s no surprise when I bought a (used) Samsung Note 9 as my second phone this month. The Note 9 is just right for my budget. It is a lot less expensive than the newer Note 10 or Note 10 Lite but much more powerful than the older Note 8.
As always, the AMOLED screen on this Samsung is gorgeous. The bleeding edge screen is a pain to find a tempered glass or screen protector but found them I did. The always-on display is another standard feature of a Note phone that I love. Unlocking the phone, I can use either the fingerprint reader at the back or my face or eye using the face and iris unlock feature.
Holding the phone in one hand naturally feels heavy. At least heavier than all my previous droids. Without a case, I fear for the life of those fragile glass sandwich. Despite being two years old, the Exynos 9810 processor still packs a punch. The Note 9 will run most modern apps and games without a glitch. Camera quality front and back is nothing to shout about with this 2018 technology but they are still respectable. Writing with the S-Pen still provides the same pleasure as it did with my first Note phone (the Note 7 FE).
The 6.4” screen provides a good video-watching experience. For a second hand phone, the battery will only last around 10 to 11 hours with moderately heavy use. One UI is still not my most favourite skin on an Android phone. Give me stock Android anytime. But we all know Samsung is too proud to be using stock Android and will stick to its custom UI no matter what.
So why did I still let go of the Note 9 only 3 months later?
The general idea was to use the stylus to scribble notes and from time to time doodle or draw something while on the go. How many times did I write or draw with the Note? From twice a week and then gradually once a fortnight until I totally forgot about it. I don’t know, perhaps writing on the tall but small screen is rather tiring compared to writing say on an iPad. Did I mention the Note 9 is quite heavy? I use my second phone primarily for workout and jogging but the Note 9 is the last thing I want to lug around in my pocket. Just bringing the Note anywhere felt like a chore and eventually I leave it at home more and more. Is it any wonder that I decided to sell it after just 3 months?
After two Galaxy Notes, I’m starting two think perhaps phones with styluses are just not for me. Maybe if Samsung finally wisened up and started to use stock Android, they could change my mind. But even then, I could still come to the same conclusions why I end up not sticking with a phone with styluses.
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