Note 9 tipped to have long battery life, record screen brightness and a heavy build

The Exynos 9810 and Snapdragon 845 go without saying with their 2nd-gen 10nm process, but unlike the Note 8, the 6GB RAM/128GB storage version is the starting memory combo, going all the way to 8GB/256GB and 8GB/512GB, making the Note 9 the second phone landing with half a terabyte storage option. Needless to say, not all memory versions will be available in all places, and the most decked-out model will probably be reserved for Asia, as has been customary for Samsung before.

The screen will stay a 6.3" QHD+ SuperAMOLED affair, but the tipsters claim that it has enhanced brightness levels, more display modes to choose from, and the same Always-on Display regimes that are now on the S9/S9+. There will be a drastic AoD overhaul, they add, but it is reserved for the Galaxy S10 that will land at the MWC next year. The maximum brightness is tipped to be 1150 nits, which would catapult the Note 9 at the top of the luminance pile.

Camera

What's new with the camera, compared to the excellent dual S9+ shooter besides the horizontal placement of the lens and sensors? Well, both sources say they noticed a much improved image stabilization, and, despite that the dual 12MP modules are identical to the ones on the S9+, the light sensitivity has improved, they say, there is the variable aperture thingy that debuted with the S9, and brand new algorithms bring enhanced photography chops. Oh, and there are new and improved AR Emoji algorithms, too, if you are into that kind of thing.

Perhaps the biggest single improvement over the Note 9, or any Galaxy S model so far, is the 4000mAh battery which both sources confirm, making the phone feel heavier in the palm. With brightness cranked up, and a video looped, the phone is said to last 23-25 hours on a charge, which is very impressive, and we can't wait to test if Samsung finally made a two-day flagship with average use out of the Note 9.

The two independent sources mention a price tag of EUR 999 in Europe, and EUR 949 in Russia, and that's for the basic 6GB RAM/128GB storage version. It's expensive, but the Note 8 also started at about the same prices - $950 in the US, now fallen to $720 - so we can expect nothing less for the Note 9, sadly. While the announcement date is already official - August 9th - the release is not yet set in stone, but will likely be towards the end of next month, if history is any indication. 

Any takers of the much larger battery, more storage and better camera of the Note 9 at that tag? Oh, let's not forget the new S Pen that can unlock doors and start cars. We kid, but one of the sources does tip there is a new way to unlock the phone with the help of the stylus, sight unseen. We are all in goosebumps now.