How to use your camera’s histogram

Have you ever taken a photo and thought it looked great on your digital camera’s LCD, only to get home and discover an overexposed mess on your computer screen? Yuck.

It can be difficult to discern if an image looks good on a small, bright screen, but fortunately, there’s a tool you can use to determine whether your image is too bright or too dark: your camera’s histogram. This is a feature that used to be reserved only for more advanced cameras, but in recent years has been added to more and more base level units – even many phones.

Photography 101

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Here’s how to get the most out of the histogram, which will let you get the correct exposure on your images — and ultimately let you ace your digital photography.

What is a histogram?

The dictionary definition of a histogram is a graphical representation of data distribution, usually displayed as a bar graph. In digital photography, this related to the pixels that make up your image, and a histogram on your camera displays where each pixel is distributed from pure black to pure white in terms of brightness. In practice, this looks like a chart with a series of peaks and valleys. The higher the peak, the more bright pixels. This is the tonal distribution of your image, and by reading it you can judge the exposure of your image on you camera’s LCD or EVF.

The histogram can usually be found on an image by image basis when you scroll through your photos (depending on your camera’s playback mode, it may or may not be on by default). Many cameras now also allow for a live histogram view, either on the rear LCD or — in the case of mirrorless cameras — on their electronic viewfinders. This is incredibly helpful, because you can watch your histogram change as you frame your image and adjust your exposure.

An example of a DSLR’s histogram. (Image via Nikon)

How do you use a histogram?

Despite being one of the best ways to quickly and accurately judge your exposure, the histogram is often overlooked by amateur and novice photographers. After all, if you don’t know what it is, a histogram just seems like a weird graph, and many people have no idea how to use it to their advantage. Also, the “ideal” histogram is different for every shot and changes depending on the look you desire. So when you’re not comfortable with the histogram, there can be a lot of hesitancy to rely on it.

Luckily, on the most basic level, a histogram isn’t difficult to understand: The horizontal axis shows the tonal distribution (dark to light), while the vertical axis shows the number of pixels in a particular tone – and remember, the higher the peaks, the more pixels there are. The far left of the horizontal axis shows the darkest areas of the image, then moving to medium-gray in the middle and lightest on the far right. An image with a lot of light, for example, will see the graph’s data toward the middle and right of the histogram.

The histogram in this image shows that the majority of pixels are in the far left, indicating that there are a lot of dark tones.

You’ll lose details where your image is too bright or too dark, and you’ll notice if a photo is overexposed or underexposed in the histogram as missing pixel information on the far left or far right. This is when you should adjust your settings to compensate – try a different shutter speed, choose a larger or smaller aperture, increase or decrease the ISO, or adjust the exposure compensation.

Depending on the situation, sometimes an uneven distribution is OK. If you’re shooting snow, a white object, or something against a white background, the histogram will display more data points on the right. The opposite holds true when you’re shooting a dark scene or a black object. The key here is knowing what you want your image to look like and exposing it properly to get that result. On its own the histogram is just data, not right or wrong in any situation; you need the context of your desired image to gauge whether the data on the histogram will give that to you.

There’s obviously a lot of overexposure in this photo, and the histogram shows that.

The histogram is a not a foolproof tool for shooting perfectly exposed photos, because that’s not always possible. You can’t push a button and make a picture better – not even the camera’s auto setting is smart enough to do that. But think of it as a useful tool that tells you quickly what your photo’s exposure levels are, instead of just guessing by looking at the image on the LCD. As your photography improves and you learn to adjust the settings to compensate, you will learn to read the histogram better too.

You can also utilize the histogram in apps like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom to improve image quality during post-processing. It can help you more accurately match the look and exposures of a series of images you may be editing, or even just analyze your images after a shoot to see how you may improve your photography.

Still unsure? Check out this video from Creative Live that demonstrates how the histogram works.

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Your Galaxy phone probably won’t send your images to a random contact

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Samsung might be pumping out some of the best Android phones in the world right now, but that doesn’t mean that they’re without their flaws. Your Galaxy smartphone may be sending images to random contacts — and even worse, there is no evidence that it even happened.

The issue seemingly stems from a problematic update to the Samsung Messages app, and multiple users on Reddit have complained that their entire gallery has been sent to certain contacts. Part of the issue is the fact that there’s no indication on the device that anything of the sort has happened — in fact, the only trace of the activity (outside of the messages on the recipient’s phone) can be found in text logs on your carrier account. The issue has been reported on the Galaxy S9, S9 Plus, and the Note 8. At this time, it’s not sure if the issue affects multiple carriers, but it seems that most complaints are with T-Mobile.

But before you scramble to delete any compromising images, you might not need to. While the widespread of devices indicates that any Galaxy device could be affected, it seems that it’s mostly T-Mobile users that are affected by the bug. What’s more, it seems clear from some sleuths on Reddit and Samsung’s official forums that the messages are only sent to people who are on the same plan. Most messages from affected users (including the original poster) note that the messages have only been sent to girlfriends and wives, indicating that it’s shared plans on T-Mobile that may be causing the issue. So unless you’re in that very specific camp, you’re unlikely to be unaffected. It’s most likely the issue is a part of the larger issues reported on Samsung Messages for T-Mobile users.

But if you want to be on the safe side, then there is a quick way that you can make sure it won’t happen to you. Simply open your Settings app, then hit Apps -> Samsung Messages > Permissions, and then revoke the Storage permission. This method will probably make your Samsung Messages app stop working entirely, but there are a bunch of great messaging apps out there, as well as Google’s Android Messages app that will work until the situation is resolved.

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Get a business phone number the easy way with the OpenPhone app

Vadymvdrobot/123RF

If you’ve ever run your own business, or kept a personal line open for business inquiries, you’ll know how tough it can be to switch off from business matters when your personal phone is so tied into your business. That’s what OpenPhone, Y Combinator participant and startup, wants to eliminate with an app that simulates a business line.

OpenPhone is aimed at small business owners rather than larger companies, and aims to offer users a simple way to differentiate their business calls from personal. Once downloaded, users will be given a business phone number, or can use an existing one, if available. They will then receive texts and calls through the VoIP, running them through your device’s internet connection. This allows for an unlimited amount of texts and calls, without setting up a costly new plan.

Since business calls and texts come through the OpenPhone app, it makes it easy to see when a call is business related. OpenPhone’s aim is to give smaller business owners the ability to shut off from their business life, and OpenPhone’s app comes with various features that can help make that happen. Do Not Disturb, voicemail, and business hours are among the features currently available. OpenPhone plans to add more features, such as the ability to share business numbers with your team.

“Both my co-founder and I grew up in families where all of our income was dependent on the businesses our parents were running. Later, I joined a software company building back-office tools for home improvement contractors,” said co-founder and CEO Mahyar Raissi to TechCrunch.

“There I noticed two important things. First, most of our users were using their personal phone numbers for business and they absolutely hated that. They’d have to put their numbers online or give it out to strangers. This meant getting constant calls when they were spending time with their families or when they were busy doing work. Second, contractors who communicated more professionally and were more responsive had more successful businesses and earned more money.”

The app costs $10 a month for a single business line, and is available for iPhone, iPad, and Android. Even though it’s based on an internet service, at the moment OpenPhone’s functionality is only usable within the U.S. and Canada, though you’ll still be able to use it to call numbers in the U.S. and Canada if you venture abroad. If you’re looking for more great apps that might benefit your business, check out our list of the best iPhone apps, and the best Android apps currently available.

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Microsoft’s foldable ‘Andromeda’ pocket device may never surface

Unnamed sources claim Microsoft’s unannounced two-screen “Andromeda” project may be put on hold indefinitely. Executives made the decision over the last several weeks to not include the software components and services used by Andromeda in the next Windows 10 feature release, aka Redstone 5, slated to arrive in October. The Andromeda components may not arrive in Redstone 6 (or whatever it’s called) either.

Sources claim Microsoft put Andromeda on ice over scheduling and quality. Given the company split up its Windows engineering team to better focus on artificial intelligence and cloud computing, the new Windows team will be building “experiences” based on those platforms. That also means retooling current software and services to take advantage of those platforms.

The problem with Andromeda is that it had no real target audience, and even if it were to hit the market, it would be sold at a price that wouldn’t be attractive to whatever market it does find. It was on a path to become a device “in search of an audience,” thus Microsoft currently sees no compelling reason to launch a dual-screen device.

A recent prototype revealed that Andromeda included telephony components. The two-screen book-style form factor seemingly aimed to transform the smartphone market much like the original Apple phone did in 2007, but apparently, that is not the case at all. Sources said Microsoft never had any intention to enter Andromeda into the smartphone market to compete with Apple and Google.

A recent wave of “leaks” indicated that Andromeda would arrive by the end of the year sporting the Surface brand. In fact, one leaked document said the disruptive “new pocketable Surface device form factor” would provide a personal and versatile computing experience based on “innovative new hardware and software experiences.”

Even more, a leak provided last week revealed Andromeda would have five modes depending on how the screens are oriented via the 360-degree hinge: Closed, flat, convex, concave, and full. In a flat position, the two screens would come together as a tablet while convex would be similar to “tent mode” on 2-in-1s. Concave would serve as your typical laptop mode while full mode would see the two screens’ backs touching each other. To put the device to sleep, simply close it by touching the faces together.

What’s interesting about all this Andromeda talk is the sheer amount in 2018 alone. Based on all the leaked information, an official reveal looked promising at the end of 2018 along with new Surface devices and Redstone 5’s launch (likely called November 2018 Update). But given that Microsoft is putting Andromeda on hold indefinitely, someone or some group is apparently trying to save the project, generating hype. Maybe Microsoft itself is “leaking” the information just to evaluate consumer response.

Talk of Andromeda isn’t exactly new. Rumors of the device appeared in 2015 as Microsoft reportedly dumped an earlier phone project to create a “disruptive” device. It would be an entirely new design built by the Surface team and led by Microsoft hardware lead Panos Panay.

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Microsoft’s foldable ‘Andromeda’ pocket device may never surface

Unnamed sources claim Microsoft’s unannounced two-screen “Andromeda” project may be put on hold indefinitely. Executives made the decision over the last several weeks to not include the software components and services used by Andromeda in the next Windows 10 feature release, aka Redstone 5, slated to arrive in October. The Andromeda components may not arrive in Redstone 6 (or whatever it’s called) either.

Sources claim Microsoft put Andromeda on ice over scheduling and quality. Given the company split up its Windows engineering team to better focus on artificial intelligence and cloud computing, the new Windows team will be building “experiences” based on those platforms. That also means retooling current software and services to take advantage of those platforms.

The problem with Andromeda is that it had no real target audience, and even if it were to hit the market, it would be sold at a price that wouldn’t be attractive to whatever market it does find. It was on a path to become a device “in search of an audience,” thus Microsoft currently sees no compelling reason to launch a dual-screen device.

A recent prototype revealed that Andromeda included telephony components. The two-screen book-style form factor seemingly aimed to transform the smartphone market much like the original Apple phone did in 2007, but apparently, that is not the case at all. Sources said Microsoft never had any intention to enter Andromeda into the smartphone market to compete with Apple and Google.

A recent wave of “leaks” indicated that Andromeda would arrive by the end of the year sporting the Surface brand. In fact, one leaked document said the disruptive “new pocketable Surface device form factor” would provide a personal and versatile computing experience based on “innovative new hardware and software experiences.”

Even more, a leak provided last week revealed Andromeda would have five modes depending on how the screens are oriented via the 360-degree hinge: Closed, flat, convex, concave, and full. In a flat position, the two screens would come together as a tablet while convex would be similar to “tent mode” on 2-in-1s. Concave would serve as your typical laptop mode while full mode would see the two screens’ backs touching each other. To put the device to sleep, simply close it by touching the faces together.

What’s interesting about all this Andromeda talk is the sheer amount in 2018 alone. Based on all the leaked information, an official reveal looked promising at the end of 2018 along with new Surface devices and Redstone 5’s launch (likely called November 2018 Update). But given that Microsoft is putting Andromeda on hold indefinitely, someone or some group is apparently trying to save the project, generating hype. Maybe Microsoft itself is “leaking” the information just to evaluate consumer response.

Talk of Andromeda isn’t exactly new. Rumors of the device appeared in 2015 as Microsoft reportedly dumped an earlier phone project to create a “disruptive” device. It would be an entirely new design built by the Surface team and led by Microsoft hardware lead Panos Panay.

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Intel’s next mainstream compact PCs won’t have discrete Radeon graphics

If you’re looking for a new super-compact Next Unit of Computing (NUC) from Intel, the company is gearing up to launch five new “Bean Canyon” models with eighth-generation processors. Dates and prices are unknown for now, but they will be more “mainstream” than the skull-bearing “Hades Canyon” NUC released at the beginning of the year.

According to a leaked slide, there will be two short models measuring 1.41 inches tall and three larger versions measuring two inches tall that can host a 2.5-inch hard drive or solid-state drive. But unlike the “Hades Canyon” NUC, these five mini PCs don’t rely on Intel’s module packing discrete AMD Radeon graphics, but instead solely rely on an integrated Iris Plus Graphics 655 component.

Here are the processors used in Intel’s “Bean Canyon” NUC:

These three processors were part of Intel’s third wave of eighth-generation chips released in April, following desktop processors in late 2017 and the first batch for ultra-thin laptops in August 2017. All three chips listed above draw 28 watts of power, which is higher than the 15-watt chips used in previous NUC designs. The integrated Iris Plus Graphics 655 component has a base speed of 300MHz across the board while the Core i7 chip has the highest boost speed of the trio.

Now here are the actual “Bean Canyon” NUCs Intel has in the works:

Note that two of the five NUCs don’t support Intel’s Optane memory, which is used to boost the performance of hard drives. The larger models pack an empty drive bay for a 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD while the smaller models only provide a SATA port. All NUCs are barebones anyway, thus you’re required to purchase memory and storage separately in addition to the cost of Intel’s NUC.

The “Hades Canyon” NUC released by Intel earlier this year doesn’t target the mainstream market but sets its eyes on gamers. Packed inside is the Core i7-8809G module: An all-in-one package/chip containing four seventh-generation processor cores and integrated HD Graphics 630, dedicated HBM2 memory for graphics, and 1,536 Radeon RX Vega M GH discrete graphics cores. All three portions are connected by “fast lanes” and housed in one single package.

That said, the “Hades Canyon” NUC starts at $898, but that’s without memory and storage. It provides two slots supporting up to 32GB, two M.2 slots for card-style storage, two SATA ports for your typical hard drive or SSD and a handful of outputs including Thunderbolt 3, Type-C and Type-A ports, and more. If you’re wanting a super-compact gaming PC that hides in the shadows, “Hades Canyon” would be a good option.

But if you want a similar form factor but without the gaming frills, the “Bean Canyon” may be your best pick for good performance without the huge bulk of a desktop PC. Perhaps we’ll hear more about these NUCs later this year as the summer comes to a close and students head back to school.

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PlayStation 4 Slim vs. PlayStation 4 Pro: Which should you buy?

Which PlayStation 4 should I buy?

Anyone looking to buy a PlayStation for family now have a couple of options that look very similar. You’ve got the new slim PlayStation 4, and the new PlayStation 4 Pro. The original PlayStation 4 is all but impossible to find these days, and even if you do come across one refurbished it’s usually more expensive and generally not worth buying. But do they all offer similar experiences? Is there a downside to buying the slim over the pro? There are a lot of unanswered questions here.

It’s confusing by anyone’s standards, so your best bet is to know what you need before you head into the store.

What’s the difference?

Sony has a history of releasing a “slim” version of the PlayStation a couple of years after its initial release. In the past, those consoles have been labeled a little differently at launch to make it easier to tell the new version apart from the old one. These slimmer versions typically offer more a physical difference than a functionality difference, and this year is no different. The significant feature and performance difference comes with the PlayStation 4 Pro, and even then the difference isn’t huge unless you own a 4K television with HDR support.

The biggest functional difference between the original PS4 and the new slimmer PS4 is power consumption. Sony claims the new PS4 has a max power draw of 165 watts, which sounds impressive next to the original 250w max of the first PS4 until you see most benchmarks. The original PlayStation 4 had an average power draw of 150w during its heaviest gameplay sessions, and never pushed anywhere near that 250w max. It is slightly smaller though, so there’s that.

PlayStation VR performance is something altogether different.

As you can see, Sony is using the same CPU and a GPU that’s a little more than twice the performance in the new PlayStation 4 Pro. There’s also an updated version of the HDMI standard in the PS4 Pro, but there’s no immediate difference in performance out of the box for video output. Games that struggled in the past to maintain 30fps or 60fps on a standard PlayStation 4 will be able to offer a more consistent experience with the PlayStation 4 Pro through its “boost mode” feature. This basically means games that appear a to stutter a little on a normal PS4 will look and play smoother on a PS4 Pro.

PlayStation 4 Pro also offers 4K video streaming and enhanced graphics on supported titles. Game developers will have the option to offer higher quality graphics to PlayStation 4 Pro gamers, which will be clearly labeled with PS4 Pro Enhanced on the box. Not only are most new PlayStation games being made to support this Enhanced ability, many of the more popular games from the past year are releasing updates to look better through the more capable console.

Take a look at every PS4 Pro Enhanced game you can buy today!

As for HDR support, while all of these consoles are technically capable of outputting HDR visuals thanks to a software update from Sony, the HDR content offered by almost every app and game doesn’t apply to anything but the Pro. HDR is typically tied to either 4K content or PS4 Enhanced content, neither of which will play on these older consoles.

PlayStation VR performance is something altogether different. PlayStation 4 Pro was built to better support PlayStation VR (You know, Project Morpheus and PlayStation Neo kinda go together and all that) but even here the differences are subtle on many titles.

Most titles that were available before the Pro was released look slightly better on the Pro, and those titles updated to support the enhanced graphics in the Pro are noticeably better looking than on the standard PS4. Because of the high focus on framerate in PlayStation VR, what you’ll see in Pro Enhanced titles is more detail, not smoother transitions like you’d see on the television.

Which should I buy?

Now that you know everything you need to know about the differences between these consoles, lets break it down!

• Slim PlayStation 4 — This is the PS4 you will see the most of on shelves this year, and it’s the nicer looking of the two in my opinion. This is also the most likely to be found in a bundle with free games and extra controllers if you’re looking to get more than just the console.

See on Amazon

• PlayStation 4 Pro — If you own a 4K HDR television, or you’re interested in the best possible gaming experience from your PlayStation, this is the console for you. Also, if you’re looking to go all in on PlayStation VR, you’ll want this version of the console.

See on Amazon

Limited Edition consoles

Totally separate from the standalone PlayStation 4, Sony occasionally releases Limited Edition bundles. These bundles focus on delivering a unique look at feel to the console and its one included controller, and is typically themed after the game included in the box. You’ll usually pay a little more for these versions of the console, but if you or the person you are shopping for has a deep love for a specific game these options might be more what you are looking for.

Every limited edition PlayStation 4 you can buy today!

Update July 2018: This article has been updated with new information on PlayStation 4 updates and new bundles available for the current models.

PlayStation 4

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Gaming headsets, portable SSDs, smart bulbs, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on the Cloud II gaming headset, a SanDisk portable SSD, Philips Hue smart bulbs, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Xfinity Mobile customers to be limited to 480p streaming, 600Kbps hotspot

Subscribers will have to pay for 720p streaming later in the year.

Xfinity Mobile, Comcast’s MVNO that’s powered by Verizon’s network, is about to get some new restrictions. Subscribers of the service are now getting emails from Comcast informing them about the changes, and they have to do with video streaming and mobile hotspot speeds.

As it currently stands, videos you stream using your Xfinity Mobile data are presented in 720p HD. Starting soon, however, the resolution will be lowered to 480p SD.

Customers can reach out to Comcast and request to be upgraded to 720p for free (Comcast is marketing this as a way to help people use less data and save on their monthly bills) but it will eventually transition to a paid upgrade later in the year.

This is something we see with just about every carrier in the U.S., but the changes to mobile hotspot use is a bit more damning. Instead of your regular 4G hotspot speeds, Comcast is throttling these to a measly 600Kbps.

While the video streaming change applies to all Xfinity Mobile subscribers, the slower hotspot speeds are only going into effect for those on the unlimited plan. If you pay by the gig, Comcast is more than happy to let you go through your $12/GB data as fast as possible.

If you’re an Xfinity Mobile customer, what do you think about these changes?

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Galaxy S9+ vs. Galaxy Note 8: Which should you buy?

Samsung fans will be torn between these two.

Samsung’s dual-flagship approach is great for smartphone super-fans, because we get to see a new top-of-the-line phone from the company twice a year. The Galaxy S series refreshes early on in the year, followed by a Note phone about six months later.

But for someone who holds off on a purchase and doesn’t necessarily upgrade every six months (or even each year), it creates a quandary when you go to buy a Samsung phone: do you buy the Galaxy S, or the Note? Right now you can get the Galaxy Note 8, which is still just a handful of months old and very much a modern phone, but if you want the absolute latest tech from Samsung it has actually been supplanted by the Galaxy S9+.

The Galaxy S and Galaxy Note series have converged over the past few years, but it hasn’t ever been this close — here’s what you need to consider when choosing between the two.

What’s the same

The Galaxy S9+ has a few improvements over the Note 8, but as you’d expect considering their proximity much has been carried over. The two phones share a common platform in their hardware when it comes to the quality of the materials and the overall design, with the only real change being the GS9+’s different metal finish. The Galaxy S9+’s display has improved from the GS8+, but is indistinguishable in quality from the Note 8 — so yeah, both look amazing. And of course there’s just a 0.1-inch diagonal difference in size.

This is the same core hardware platform supporting both phones.

The rest of the hardware features like waterproofing, an SD card slot, a headphone jack, wireless charging, Quick Charge 2.0 and the supporting specs are all the same. Yes the processor has been upgraded to a Snapdragon 845 in the Galaxy S9+, but that shouldn’t make you forget about the Note 8’s considerable speed in its own right. Both have the same RAM and storage, too.

Even though the Galaxy S9+ is running Oreo out of the box, I won’t even claim it’s a big difference. The Galaxy Note 8 should have its Oreo update in short order, and it will have as many of the same software features as possible. But even that aside, Samsung’s take on Oreo isn’t all that removed from the Nougat launched on the Note 8 — all else being equal in the phones, don’t choose one over the other just to get it.

What’s different

Physically, it’s simply a bit easier to handle the slightly smaller Galaxy S9+. We’re talking about 4 mm in height, 1 mm in width and 6 grams in weight, but add it all up with the slightly more rounded corners and the GS9+ feels like less of a behemoth than the Note 8. If the Note 8 is outright unmanageable for you the GS9+ won’t feel like an entirely different phone, and you should consider the regular Galaxy S9 instead — but I’ll never complain about a phone being smaller and easier to hold, even if it’s subtle.

A slight drop in size and a better fingerprint sensor placement definitely make a difference.

Perhaps more important than the size is the fingerprint sensor placement on the Galaxy S9+. You can easily reach up and touch the lower, center-mounted fingerprint sensor without shifting the phone around in your hand. It’s something you do dozens (perhaps hundreds) of times per day, and it’s something you don’t really think about until you’ve lived with the far inferior placement on the Note 8.

The Galaxy S9+ also introduces stereo speakers. A phone the size of the Note 8 really should have them as well, but at least you have access to it with the GS9+. The speakers aren’t dramatically louder, but getting stereo separation and not having the audio easily blocked by your finger when holding the phone in portrait mode is another subtle usability improvement. And yes, the battery on the Galaxy S9+ is slightly larger, 3500 versus 3300mAh. That 6% bump in conjunction with the slight efficiency improvement from the Snapdragon 845 helps battery life, but it’s not a massive shift.

Note 8’s camera is no slouch, but the Galaxy S9+ easily bests it with no clear downsides.

One could say the biggest improvement in the 2018 phone is its main camera. This is an all-new setup for Samsung, with a brand new sensor and a variable aperture. The new sensor is capable of taking fantastic photos with less noise and sharper lines in all sorts of scenes, but really shines when it comes to low light photography. It also has 960 fps super slow-motion video capture, which is a neat trick. The Note 8’s camera is no slouch, but the Galaxy S9+ easily bests it with no clear downsides.

The only benefit the Note 8 has going for it in this comparison is the feature that gives it its name: the S Pen stylus. If you like to draw or write notes by hand, there isn’t anything like the S Pen on any other phone. Sure the Galaxy S9+ has some of the same features, but when it comes to getting that super-precise input there’s no replacement for having the S Pen at the ready.

Bottom line: Which should you buy?

This really feels like a toss-up. Not only do these two phones have nearly identical experiences, but they also cost about the same. Though the MSRP of the Note 8 was a bit higher, around $940, a few months on the market and the release of the GS9+ has brought that down in many places to the same price as the newer phone. Given their similarities we know basically no one will be upgrading from a Note 8 to a GS9+, but these two will be cross-shopped for someone coming from an older phone.

Unless you need the S Pen, you should buy the Galaxy S9+.

With so much shared between the phones in hardware, design and capabilities, this really comes down to evaluating the few differences and how they’ll actually matter in daily use. The Galaxy S9+ offers a slightly more compact size, a little better battery life, an improved main camera and stereo speakers — but importantly, it doesn’t make any compromises compared to the Note. The Note 8 offers a tiny bit more room to work on the screen, and obviously the excellent S Pen — but that’s it.

So either you need a stylus and you buy the Note 8, or you’ll be better served overall by the Galaxy S9+.

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Update July 2018: Updated to reflect the Note 8’s position in the market with the latest pricing information.