Samsung Galaxy Note9 scores 4 out of 10 in iFixit repairability score: Not so easy to repair

Samsung Galaxy Note9 is IP68 certified against water and dust resistance

| Published: Tuesday, August 28, 2018, 10:50 [IST]

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is the latest flagship smartphone from the Korean tech company, which comes with an all-new Bluetooth LE powered S-Pen. Just like the previous generation Galaxy Note device, the Note9 also packs in the top of the line specifications and also has the best screen on any smartphone.

According to a report from ifixit, the DIY guide platform, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 has scored 4 out of 10 in repairability score and here is why.

Pros of the Galaxy Note9 design

One significant advantage (that will help DIY procedures) is the fact that the smartphone only uses standard Phillips screws, so, a user needs a single tool to dismantle the smartphone altogether.

Though the smartphone has an all-glass sealed design, the device still uses modular USB type C port and a modular 3.5 mm headphone jack, which makes it easy to replace these parts in the long run.

The battery replacement procedure is pretty straightforward. However, to replace the battery, a user has to open the hard glued glass back panel, which is a bit of a tricky procedure.

Cons of Galaxy Note9 design

To repair or replace any component on the Galaxy Note9, a user/repairer has to open the hard glued glass case and re-glue it once the repair is completed, which is a bit of a time-consuming process.

It is almost impossible (somewhat challenging) to replace the glass without actually replacing the entire display panel with chassis. So, repairing the screen will be a time consuming and a costly process.

Galaxy Note9 specifications

The Samsung Galaxy Note9 has a big 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a QHD+ resolution protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 or the Exynos 9810 Octa-core chipset with 6/8 GB RAM and 128/512 GB internal storage with a micro SD card slot for additional storage expansion.

The smartphone is available in India with the Exynos chipset and is priced at Rs 67,900 and 84,900 for the 6/128 GB, and 8/512 GB, respectively.

On to the cameras, the smartphone has a dual camera setup with a 12 MP primary sensor with a variable aperture (f/1.5 to f/2.3) and a 12 MP telephoto lens, which offers x2 optical zoom and also assists portrait mode. On the front, the device has a single 8 MP front-facing selfie camera with an IR blaster to provide secure face unlock, which even works in low-lighting conditions.

The Galaxy Note9 also has a massive 4000 mAh Li-ion battery, which can last up to a complete working day on a single charge. On top of that, the device also supports fast charging via USB type C port and Qi-based wireless charging.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy Note9 is more comfortable to repair compared to the Galaxy Note8. However, as the phone has an all-glass design, it is still cumbersome to open the hard-glued back-panel, where only a pro-repair guide can only repair this device without damaging any of the internal parts.