Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. Pixel 2 XL: Flagship face-off

Samsung announced its newest flagship, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, in early August. It packs stunning specs along with an all-new S Pen, making it easier than ever to stay productive on the go. But how does the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 compare to Google’s Pixel 2 XL? We put the two phones to the test to find out.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 
Pixel 2 XL 

Size
161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8mm (6.37 x 3 x 0.35 inches)
157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm (6.22 x 3.02 x 0.31 inches)

Weight
201 grams (7.09 ounces)
175 grams (6.17oz)

Screen size
6.4-inch AMOLED display
6 inch OLED display

Screen resolution
2960 x 1440 pixels
2880 x 1440 pixels

Operating system
Samsung Experience 9 (over Android 8.0 Oreo)
Android 9.0 Pie

Storage space
128GB, 512GB
64GB, 128GB

MicroSD card slot
Yes, up to 512GB
No

Tap-to-pay services
Samsung Pay, Google Pay
Google Pay

Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835

RAM
6GB, 8GB
4GB

Camera
Dual 12MP (with OIS) and 12MP (with OIS) rear, variable aperture, 8MP front
12.2MP rear, 8MP front

Video
Up to 4K at 60 frames per second, 1080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps
4K at 30 fps, 1,080p at 120fps, 720p at 240fps

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0

Ports
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-Type C
USB-Type C

Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes

Water resistance
IP68
IP67

Battery
4,000mAh
3,520mAh

App marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Network support
Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T
T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon

Colors
Ocean Blue, Lavender Purple
Just Black, Black & White

Price
$1,000+
$849+

Buy from
Samsung, Best Buy

Google, Amazon, Verizon

Review score
Hands on
4.5 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

When it comes to performance, both the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Pixel 2 XL are workhorses. That said, since the Note 9 was released nearly a year after we first got our hands on the Pixel 2 XL, it definitely has improved specs. You’ll find a more powerful Snapdragon 845 processor along with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM in the Note 9, compared to a Snapdragon 835 processor with just 4GB of RAM in the Pixel 2 XL.

The Galaxy Note 9 also has the edge when it comes to battery capacity and charging. You’ll find a massive 4,000mAh battery in the Note 9 — enough to get even the most demanding user through a full day. The Pixel 2 XL has a 3,520mAh battery capacity that is plenty for the average person, but may leave power users frantically searching for a charger by the end of the day. And while both phones feature quick charging, only the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has wireless charging capabilities.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is the clear winner for this round. It’s not just the updated specs that make it a clear winner, but the 4,000mAh battery and wireless charging capability as well.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 

Design and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 looks incredibly similar to its predecessor: It has a glass sandwich design with a near bezel-less display. The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, looks much more utilitarian with its aluminum back and chunky display bezels. While aesthetics is largely subjective, we’d venture to say most people would prefer the refined design of the Note 9 as opposed to its competitor, but it is taller, thicker, and heavier than the Pixel 2 XL.

When it comes to durability, the competition is much closer. While we think the Pixel 2 XL would fare better in the event of a drop and should do fine with an accidental dunk in water, the Note 9 has a higher IP68 rating meaning it can handle slightly deeper water, up to 1.5 meters, for half an hour without damage. Both phones employ Gorilla Glass 5 which should able to handle an accidental tumble (though we definitely recommend a case for your phone).

This round is a really close call, but we’re giving the win to the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. In addition to being a more refined design overall, the phone boasts slightly better water resistance.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

While great internal specs are crucial, you can’t overlook display quality when comparing phones. Luckily both the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Pixel 2 XL have gorgeous OLED displays that offer excellent color accuracy. On the Note 9, you’ll find a 6.4-inch display with a 2960 x 1440-pixel resolution which translates to 516 pixels per inch (PPI). The Pixel 2 XL has a slightly smaller 6-inch display with a 2880 x 1440-pixel resolution which makes for a slightly sharper 538 PPI.

Thanks to the extra screen real estate and Samsung’s more mature Super AMOLED tech, we’re giving this one to the Note 9.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Since its release in 2017, one of the most talked about features on the Pixel 2 XL is its camera. So how does the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 compare to one of our favorite shooters? Surprisingly well!

On the Note 9, you’ll find a dual camera module with 12-megapixel sensors, both with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). The Note 9 also has a variable aperture that can switch from f/2.4 to a much wider f/1.5 for beautiful low-light photos. It boasts support for 2x optical zoom and can record video at a higher frame rate than the Pixel 2 XL. There’s also a new A.I. feature, exclusive to the Note 9, that uses scene detection to adjust color, white balance, and other settings. Samsung even added a flaw detection feature that will alert you if someone has closed their eyes when a photo is taken.

The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, packs a single 12.2-megapixel sensor with OIS. The aperture is f/1.8, which should do well in most scenarios, though some detail may be lost in low-light photos. While the Pixel Visual Core processor and Google’s camera software can create stunning photos, it still lacks A.I. scene detection and other advanced features that are becoming more common on high-end smartphones.

It’s was a hard choice, but we’re calling this round for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. While the Pixel 2 XL has one of the best smartphone cameras we’ve ever seen, the Note 9 is much more versatile.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Software and updates

Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

Looking for the latest version of Android? Well, if you’re using the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, you’re going to have to wait a while. However, Pixel 2 XL users are already enjoying all the new benefits of Android 9.0 Pie. In addition to getting the first stab at Android Pie, the Pixel 2 XL gets more frequent security and feature updates in general and will get future Android updates as soon as they’re released. If you’re a seasoned Samsung user, you’ll know the smartphone giant can be slow to update at times.

In this round, the Pixel 2 XL shines. Not only does it have the latest version of Android, it gets more frequent updates overall. And while the Samsung Experience UI has improved vastly, we definitely still prefer stock Android.

Winner: Pixel 2 XL 

Special features

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

When it comes to special features, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has lots to offer. It features a Bluetooth-powered S Pen that can control the phone remotely and be used to activate different features on the Note 9. There’s also DeX mode built in, meaning you can use your phone as a makeshift desktop by attaching it to a monitor.

Special features are a little more sparse on the Pixel 2 XL. When it was first released, Google Lens was an exclusive feature, but it has now made its way to many Android phones. It does, however, have Active Edge, which allows you to squeeze the phone to activate Google Assistant.

We’re calling this round for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. The newly improved S Pen and built-in DeX mode make it the clear winner.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 

Price

Both the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Pixel 2 XL are flagship smartphones and carry a premium price tag. Pricing starts at a $1,000 for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and the 512GB variant is even more expensive at $1,250. You can pre-order now and it will hit stores on August 24 with wide availability from major carriers and retailers.

The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, is a little more affordable. The 64GB version sells for $850, while the 128GB model comes in at $950. You can buy it right now direct from Google or with Verizon in the U.S.

Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

While we adore the Pixel 2 XL, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is the clear winner of this competition. For the most part, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 beat out the Pixel 2 XL because it’s a newer phone with better hardware. We expect a better matchup when the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 faces off against the upcoming Pixel 3 XL in the coming months.

Editors’ Recommendations

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• The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 has a tablet-sized screen and a huge battery

How does Samsung’s S Pen work so damn well?

The S Pen is part of the Galaxy Note and integrated through both hardware and software.

The Galaxy Note isn’t just a big phone. It’s Samsung’s cream of the crop and always ships with the best hardware and software Samsung has to offer, and the Galaxy Note 9 looks to be no exception. The Note is the Galaxy phone for people who want it all, or as close to “it all” as they can get. Part of that — a big part for many — is the S Pen.

Forget the idea that “nobody wants to use a stylus” because that’s clearly incorrect. A lot of users want to use some sort of pen on their go-to device, and we’ve seen Microsoft, Apple, and Google all offer a pen input device of some sort on their flagship devices since the Note appeared. It can be convenient for jotting down notes, or used for annotation in a presentation, or even just used for doodling and it works really well.

If you’ve never used the S Pen you’ll be surprised by how well it works.

And that’s the secret of its success; it works really well. if you’ve never used the S Pen you might think its like using an after-market stylus you can buy from Amazon, and you’d be dead wrong. The S Pen is super fluid and while it doesn’t feel exactly like drawing or coloring on paper, it works the same. And that’s because its completely integrated into the Galaxy Note, not just an add-on.

A regular stylus you buy is a capacitive input device. The screen on your phone is made from an insulator (glass in most cases) that also serves as the hard outer surface. This insulator is coated with a clear electrical conductor. Your finger, along with a “normal” stylus, is also an electrical conductor and when you touch the screen its electrostatic field is changed. The processor and OS in your phone take this data and turns it into a tap, long-press, dragging action or whatever else you did with your finger or stylus.

The S Pen is an inductive stylus. The display on the Note has what’s called an active digitizer under the glass. When the S Pen gets close to the screen, the magnetic field of the active digitizer induces a current that powers its internal circuitry. Power is passed here just like a wireless charging mat and phone that supports its work, it’s just not inducing nearly as much power.

The S Pen is an inductive device and needs special hardware built into the Note display.

When the S Pen is energized, the tiny circuitry inside of it does much of the work when writing or drawing. The digitizer layer in your phone has only one job — keep track of where the tip of the S Pen is. The Pen doesn’t need to touch the screen for this to happen, which is important because the touching action is what triggers the software to write or draw on the screen. The screen knows where the Pen is touching and tracks its movements and the Pen itself tells the software that it is drawing a line. The software draws the line on your screen and you see what you’re drawing or writing as it happens.

This is far more accurate than a capacitive stylus could ever be. It’s why the S Pen won’t work as a stylus on any other phone — it’s not an electrical conductor. It’s also why the S Pen, or Apple Pen, or Pixel Pen, or Surface Pen, etc. work so much better than a “regular” stylus.

The Note 9 adds some new functionality through the S Pen by pairing it over Bluetooth. You can use the button to snap a photo or present a slide deck or trigger whatever a developer can dream up. But this doesn’t change or interfere with the way the S Pen works to draw on the screen. It just makes it better.

A capacitive stylus works on every touchscreen. They just don’t work very well.

A capacitive stylus, like this one from Amazon, can be useful. I have a pair of these and use them for rough drawing or scribbling on a phone every now and then, and they can be useful when trying to select text on a phone with a small screen. The good thing about them is that they will work on any device that has a touchscreen — even the Galaxy Note.

But if you want to do any fine drawing or have a lot of writing to do, nothing comes close to a good inductive pen setup like the Galaxy Note series has. you can find capacitive styli that pair through Bluetooth to try and track movement like the S Pen does (those are called an active stylus and Android supports them in full) but they still aren’t as precise or accurate. Not by a long shot.

There are other reasons to want a Galaxy Note, but if you want a good Pen experience it’s really the only phone that has one. And that’s because Samsung has made the Pen part of the phone through both hardware and software.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

AT&T
Verizon
T-Mobile
Samsung

Have you pre-ordered the Galaxy Note 9?

The phone costs $999.99 for 128GB and $1249.99 for 512GB.

Just a few hours after it unveiled the phone at its Unpacked event, Samsung officially opened pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 9 on Friday, August 10 at 12:01 AM ET.

There are a couple different configurations buyers can choose from, including the base variant with 128GB of storage and 6GB RAM that sells for $999.99 and a $1249.99 model that has 512GB of internal space and a whopping 8GB RAM.

That’s a lot of money to spend on a phone, but looking through the AC forums, it would appear that those price tags haven’t held many of you back.

mgbosshogg
08-09-2018 11:32 AM

“

Pre order done. Blue 128GB.
Same price as last year’s black 64GB.
( 512GB variety £200 more here )

Reply

uawildcat
08-09-2018 03:39 PM

“

I just received the pre-order email from Samsung. Ordered the blue 128GB. Really excited for it.

Reply

worldsoutro
08-09-2018 04:32 PM

“

Well I ordered a 128GB. I have four phones currently, Oneplus 5t, Oneplus 6, Pixel 2Xl and a Huawei P20 Pro.

For me to continue with this order I need to sell my O5t, return my O6, sell my P20 Pro and use the Pixel as a trade in.

I am still in my return period for the Oneplus 6, man I really like the O6 though.

Reply

Blues Fan
08-09-2018 04:39 PM

“

I just went on the app and ordered mine! 128gb version. Even with the $400 s8 plus trade in, the 8gb model is just too much for a phone and I wouldn’t even use half of the 512gb anyway.

I also ordered the rugged case too. Something to hold me off until I can get a generic Defender.

Oh and I noticed it didn’t give me the option to pay $14 for overnight shipping, just free 2 day shipping. I…

Reply

What about you? Have you pre-ordered the Galaxy Note 9?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

AT&T
Verizon
T-Mobile
Samsung

Samsung announces Oreo update plans for Galaxy J7, On5, Tab A, and more

A total of 12 devices will be updated by March 2019.

When it comes to Android updates, it goes without saying that Samsung’s one of the worst OEMs at getting new software rolled out to its gadgets in a timely manner. There’s no excuse for it, but it’s something we’ve come to expect at this point.

Samsung recently published an announcement via its Samsung Members app outlining a roadmap for when it expects to release its Oreo update for 12 phones/tablets released between 2018 and 2016, and that list goes as follows:

• Galaxy J7 Neo — December 2018
• Galaxy Tab A 2017 — January 2019
• Galaxy A9 Pro 2016 — January 2019
• Galaxy C7 Pro — January 2019
• Galaxy C9 Pro — January 2019
• Galaxy J2 2018 — January 2019
• Galaxy On5 2016 — January 2019
• Galaxy On7 2016 — January 2019
• Galaxy J7 2018 — January 2019
• Galaxy J7 2017 — January 2019
• Galaxy J7 Max — February 2019
• Galaxy J7 2016 — March 2019

While Samsung deserves credit as some of these devices shipped with Android Marshmallow and are now lined up for their second big OS upgrade, the fact that almost all of them are being pushed out to next year when Oreo is already a year old is ridiculous.

However, that’s just the way the Samsung cookie crumbles.

Is your phone on the above list?

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview: $1000 well spent

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

Five dog gadgets that are actually useful in 2018

Your best friend deserves the best, and these gadgets will help you be the best.

Dogs are wonderful companions, but they also require a lot of work. Besides obvious things like cleaning up messes, dogs also need to be groomed, well fed and above all, loved. Fortunately, there are plenty of tools available to make your pet parenthood easier.

Here are five dog gadgets that are actually useful!

• Dyson V7 Animal
• HandsOn Grooming Gloves
• Whistle 3 GPS tracker
• Comfort Zone Calming Vest
• Lenovo Smart Display

Dyson V7 Animal

A lot of dogs shed to keep cool, which means a house that easily gets covered in fur. If you have multiple dogs, you may need to vacuum a few times a week just to keep things under control. Dyson’s handheld vacuums aren’t the most powerful options out there — especially compared to a corded vacuum. But Dyson vacuums are amazing for how easy they are to maintain and how portable they are. There are more expensive models, but the V7 series is a great middle ground that offers a lower price than higher end models, but still enough battery life and attachments to get the job done. The V7 vacuums offer 30 minutes of run time, so you should be able to vacuum most of your house in one charge. If you need more power, you can kick it in MAX mode for six minutes. The vacuum on all of the V7 models is the same, but the Animal model comes with specific attachments to help you get pet hair out of the carpet.

The Dyson V7 Animal is available for $400, but we’ve seen it marked down as far as $314.

See at Amazon

HandsOn Grooming Gloves

Of course, the easiest way to keep dog hair from getting into your carpet is to brush your dog regularly. Unfortunately, most dogs don’t like the feeling of a prickly brush. But every dog loves when you pet them, and Grooming Gloves make it easy to brush your dog while petting them. The gloves aren’t nearly as unpleasant as a stiff brush, but there are plenty of soft grooves along the fingers of the glove to pick up loose hair. The hair comes right off of the glove too, so you don’t have to deal with some nasty adhesive. There are similar gloves for less money, but the HandsOn gloves are the highest rated right now on Amazon.

The HandsOn Grooming Gloves are available in black and green in various sizes for $25.

See at Amazon

Whistle 3 GPS tracker

As someone who spent too many nights growing up chasing my overeager dog around my town after she ran out an open door, GPS trackers are a miracle. Of course, a tracker doesn’t do any good if you can’t actually follow it, so Whistle 3’s GPS tracker comes with LTE support in addition to the GPS chip. This does mean a recurring payment of $7 per month, but that’s a small price to pay to keep your best friend safe. The tracker has a battery life of seven days, so be sure to charge it every weekend. You can also set safe spaces within the app, which are based on trusted Wi-Fi networks. Finally, you get the ability to track your dogs activities to help keep them in shape.

Whistle 3’s GPS tracker is available for $80.

See at Amazon

Comfort Zone Calming Vest

Some dog breeds — especially those that were bred to be guard dogs — get separation anxiety when they can’t see their owner. Other incidents like thunder and fireworks will make any dog panic, and it’s heartbreaking as an owner to not be able to communicate with and comfort the dog. Fortunately, there’s a tool to help. Calming vests — sometimes known as thunder shirts — do the same things for dogs that weighted blankets do for humans with anxiety. The effect on my dog was nearly instant: she went from barking nonstop when I left (as my neighbors kindly told me) to only barking for a minute or so. She also destroyed much less of my apartment with the comfort vest on. If you have an anxious dog, a comfort vest may be the best gift you can give them.

Comfort Zone’s Calming Vest is available in various sizes between $32 and $42.

See at Amazon

Lenovo Smart Display

There are plenty of cheaper video camera systems for your dog, but the Lenovo Smart Display lets you do other things like watch YouTube videos or follow along with food recipes. Not something that your dog will care about, but it makes a Smart Display a better choice for you. There’s also the fact that you can video chat with your best friend from any iOS or Android device with Google Duo. A home security system will be a better way to watch your dog through your whole house, but the Smart Display is a great, inexpensive option if you keep your dog in a single room during the day.

Lenovo’s Smart Display is available for $250.

See at Best Buy

What are your picks?

What gadgets do you use to keep your best friend safe and entertained? Let us know down below!

Here are all the PlayStation 2 games on PlayStation 4

Get the classics back.

There were loads of amazing games that came out with the PlayStation 2, but after the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation 4 came out, not many of those games were able to be played on those consoles. Sometimes you need some nostalgia in your life, if only to play all of the previous Kingdom Hearts games before the new one is released later this year.

Now, you have access to loads of PlayStation 2 games that you can play on your PS4. With games like Destroy All Humans! and Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, you can grab all of these classics for your console.

• ADK Damashii
• Ape Escape 2
• Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits
• Art of Fighting Anthology
• Bully
• Dark Cloud
• Dark Cloud 2
• Destroy All Humans!
• Destroy All Humans! 2
• Eternal Ring
• FantaVision
• Fatal Fury Battle Archives: Volume 2
• Fu’un Super Combo
• Grand Theft Auto III
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
• Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
• Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition
• Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland
• Hot Shots Tennis
• Indigo Prophecy
• Jak II
• Jak 3
• Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
• Jak X: Combat Racing
• Kinetica
• The King of Fighters ’98: Ultimate March
• The King of Fighters 2000
• The King of Fighters Collection: The Orochi Saga
• Manhunt
• The Mark of Kri
• Max Payne
• Metal Slug Anthology
• Okage: Shadow King
• PaRappa the Rapper 2
• Psychonauts
• Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
• Red Dead Revolver
• Red Faction
• Red Faction II
• Resident Evil -Code: Veronica X
• Rise of the Kasai
• Rogue Galaxy
• Samurai Shodown VI
• Siren
• Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
• Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
• Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
• Star Wars: Racer Revenge
• Twisted Metal: Black
• War of the Monsters
• The Warriors
• Wild Arms 3

ADK Damashii

Head to the arcade with this classic game that came from PlayStation 2, taking it back to the side scrolling days of fighting.

See at the PlayStation Store

Ape Escape 2

Become Hikaru, a primate who has a few gadgets up his sleeve, and take on other monkeys as you make your way throughout the world.

See at the PlayStation Store

Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits

Humans and the Deimos have been at war for years over the Great Spirit Stones, and this game is all about how you unfold the story of this war.

See at the PlayStation Store

Art of Fighting Anthology

Here’s another great fighting game that will take you back to the arcade days once again, with the classic side-scroller style.

See at the PlayStation Store

Bully

Become a schoolboy who takes on his bullies and his entire school, and see if you win the girl or if you end up in the principal’s office.

See at the PlayStation Store

Dark Cloud

Two completely different worlds unknowingly collide in this game, one rampant with technology while the other is centered around nature, as they have to take on this evil force coming for them.

See at the PlayStation Store

Dark Cloud 2

Present and future collide in a new tale that sees our heroes team up to save the world from complete destruction.

See at the Playstation Store

Destroy All Humans!

The title describes the entire game. You’re an alien who wants to destroy the human race and become the master race of all of the earth.

See at the PlayStation Store

Destroy All Humans! 2

This is the sequel to the first Destroy All Humans!, and the premise of the game is exactly the same as you kill all of humanity…again.

See at the PlayStation Store

Eternal Ring

This game is all about the kingdom of Heingaria as it falls into turmoil due to the elders and the king try to take over the whole kingdom.

See at the PlayStation Store

FantaVision

This game is all about pyrotechnics and how to make all the fireworks go off with certain buttons throughout this game.

See at the PlayStation Store

Fatal Fury Battle Archives: Volume 2

This is another game that will take you back to the arcade days of video games with a great side-scroller fighting style.

See at the PlayStation Store

Fu’un Super Combo

Play a couple of classic fighting games that utilize weapons and tag-team mechanics for a whole load of fun.

See at the Playstation Store

Grand Theft Auto III

A game that needs little introduction, but I’ll give it one anyway. Hop onto the streets of Liberty City as you navigate its criminal underworld.

See at the Playstation Store

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Head to the city of San Andreas in this version of the Grand Theft Auto series, which is an open world game where you can do just about anything.

See at the PlayStation Store

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy

This bundle compiles Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

See at the Playstation Store

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Another game in the Grand Theft Auto series that takes place in a different city, an open world as well with many different activities you can do along with the adjectives.

See at the PlayStation Store

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition

Plant crops, raise a child, and raise up animals in this game as you try to teach your kids to take over the family farm.

See at the PlayStation Store

Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland

Save your village and your family farm in this game as you try to prevent a resort from coming in on your land.

See at the PlayStation Store

Hot Shots Tennis

Hot Shots Tennis is the family-friendly game for everyone, letting you live out your dreams as a tennis superstar.

See at the Playstation Store

Indigo Prophecy

Quantic Dream’s paranormal thriller Indigo Prophecy tasks players with uncovering the mystery behind a gruesome string of murders.

See at the Playstation Store

Jak II

Jak and Daxter are back for their next adventure, giving us an arsenal of new weapons and powers to play with.

See at the Playstation Store

Jak 3

Follow Jak and Daxter once more through a desolate wasteland as they struggle to survive and hopefully save the world.

See at the Playstation Store

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

Our lovable heroes embark on a new journey to reverse Daxter’s transformation after becoming an ottsel.

See at the Playstation Store

Jak X: Combat Racing

If their usual adventures weren’t enough for you, take Jak and Daxter out onto the streets in this racer.

See at the Playstation Store

Kinetica

Put on the Kinetic suit and be able to scale walls, do crazy stunts, and go faster than you ever have in Kinetica.

See at the PlayStation Store

The King of Fighters ’98: Ultimate March

Play as 64 different characters throughout this game, whether you play it in the 2D setting or in the 3D setting, in the classic side-scrolling style.

See at the PlayStation Store

The King of Fighters 2000

This is another side-scroller fighting game that’s based off the other King of Fighters games, full of wonderful pixel art.

See at the PlayStation Store

Manhunt

Manhunt is a game where you have just been brought to life, and it’s now your mission to find the people who took that life away from you.

See at the PlayStation Store

The Mark of Kri

Become the hero Rau who tries to uncover his families darkest secret in order to save his people from the evil that has crossed into his home.

See at the PlayStation Store

Max Payne

Watch your back as you try to find the person who framed you as a murderer without being killed by the cops or the mob themselves.

See at the PlayStation Store

Metal Slug Anthology

This military-style game is a wonderful side-scrolling shooter that has you take control of different armored vehicles in order to take down your enemies.

See at the PlayStation Store

Okage: Shadow King

Help Ari and her friends become released from the grips of the Evil King’s spirit in order to let your village no longer be kept captive.

See at the PlayStation Store

PaRappa the Rapper 2

Stick with the beat as the best rapping puppy throws down some rhythms for you to keep up with.

See at the PlayStation Store

Psychonauts

Try to find all of your fellow campers after you realize that a mysterious villain has taken all of them.

See at the PlayStation Store

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords

This is a great puzzle game where you have to match up multiple tiles of the same color in order to solve each puzzle level.

See at the PlayStation Store

Red Dead Revolver

Become a lawless bounty hunter who’s looking to find the people that killed his entire family so that he can seek revenge.

See at the PlayStation Store

Red Faction

Take down the Ultor Corporation and start the revolution in order to get things to the way they’re supposed to be.

See at the PlayStation Store

Red Faction II

After the rebellion, a strict dictator is taking over, but you have to do everything in order to make sure he is no longer in power.

See at the PlayStation Store

Resident Evil -Code: Veronica X

Scrounge around for weapons and ammo in this abandoned building as you try to fight and survive your way through zombies and different kinds of monsters.

See at the PlayStation Store

Rise of the Kasai

Protect the dark magic of Kri with all four of the characters who each have unique weapons that will help you in your journey.

See at the PlayStation Store

Rogue Galaxy

Fulfill your dream of becoming a space pirate and find the hidden glories and treasures that await you in your journey.

See at the PlayStation Store

Samurai Shodown VI

With the Sunpu tournament starting, you’ll have to fight other warriors in order to win the entire tournament.

See at the PlayStation Store

Siren

This survival horror tells the story of a Japanese town plagued by undead corpses after a ritual goes awry.

See at the Playstation Store

Star Ocean: Till the End of Time

Star Ocean is a great RPG fighter that has been optimized for the PlayStation 4 for the best experience.

See at the PlayStation Store

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter

Play as Jango Fett who has to fulfill a bounty that is set on a deranged Dark Jedi while fighting off the rest of the scum attacking himm on the way.

See at the PlayStation Store

Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter

Fly throughout the galaxy as you fight on the side of the rebellion in your ship in order to stop the Empire.

See at the PlayStation Store

Star Wars: Racer Revenge

Become the best podracer you can by beating the other 18 opponents in every race you compete in.

See at the PlayStation Store

Twisted Metal: Black

This is a car combat game where you do everything you can in order to take down the other cars you’re combating.

See at the PlayStation Store

War of the Monsters

Fight the monsters that have started to plague the world so that humankind can live in peace once again.

See at the PlayStation Store

The Warriors

Take the Warriors through New York without losing anyone to other gangs or the police in order to escape the city.

See at the PlayStation Store

Wild Arms 3

See what’s outside of the town’s boundaries to see what roams outside the unknown.

See at the PlayStation Store

What game are you most excited to grab for your PlayStation 4?

Let us know which game from the PlayStation 2 days that you can’t wait to play again.

Updated August 2018: Added nearly a dozen more PS2 games available on PS4.

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

T-Mobile’s latest Un-Carrier Next announcement is happening August 15

Is this where we’ll finally learn more about T-Mobile’s TV streaming service?

T-Mobile’s known for shaking up the wireless industry at least once a year, and on Wednesday, August 15, we’ll learn about the company’s latest plans for doing that once again.

The latest Un-Carrier Next event is currently titled as “Hold the Phone!” and will be livestreamed next Wednesday at 11:00 ET / 8:00 PT on T-Mobile’s website. T-Mobile’s promo video shows CEO John Legere locking up a box with “Decommissioned” labeled on the side as he walks it through a collection of other boxes that are titled as “Pain points”, “Data limits”, “Overages”, etc.

After saying “No one’s gonna miss this”, we see Leger storing the box in his “Relics of the wireless industry” collection.”

T-Mobile’s take on TV is scheduled to launch at some point this year.

So yeah, the typical T-Mobile hype train.

While the video doesn’t offer any hints as to what the Un-Carrier event will be centered around, the first thing that comes to mind is T-Mobile’s internet-based TV streaming service. This was first announced last December when T-Mobile acquired Layer3 TV, and the last we heard of it was in January when Layer3’s employees had officially started working under T-Mobile’s umbrella.

T-Mobile previously mentioned that its service would be ready to launch in 2018, and seeing as how we’re more than halfway through the year, now seems like the perfect time to finally get things rolling.

What are you hoping to see at next week’s Un-Carrier Next?

T-Mobile Essentials is yet another take on affordable unlimited plans

Carriers

• Which unlimited plan should you buy?
• Verizon’s Unlimited plans: Everything you need to know
• Everything you need to know about the T-Mobile ONE unlimited plan
• Everything you need to know about the AT&T Unlimited plan
• Everything you need to know about Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom plan
• Join the Discussion

Galaxy Note 9 pre-orders are now live!

Live in the U.S. or Canada? Here’s what you need to know about buying the Galaxy Note 9!

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 is here, and as you probably know by now, there’s a lot to get excited about. The all-new S Pen is more powerful than ever before, the cameras are shaping up to be the best we’ve seen from Samsung to-date, and the massive 4,000 mAh battery should be perfect for road-warriors.

Galaxy Note phones are usually available just about everywhere, and with the Note 9, that’s no different.

Whether you live in the United States or Canada, here’s everything you need to know about where to buy Sammy’s latest and greatest.

United States

• AT&T
• Sprint
• T-Mobile
• Verizon
• Straight Talk
• U.S. Cellular
• Xfinity Mobile
• Amazon
• Best Buy
• B&H
• Samsung

For customers in the United States, pre-orders for the Note 9 are live now with official sales opening up on August 24. Ocean Blue and Lavender Purple are the two colors being sold in the country and are available no matter where you buy the phone.

AT&T

Starting first with AT&T, the carrier has both the 128GB and 512GB models that are priced at $999.99 and $1249.99, respectively. While you can pay that full price upfront if you’d like, you’ll also be able to finance both storage configurations over 30 months for $33.34/month and $41.67/month.

If you’re looking to get more bang for your buck, AT&T’s giving customers $1,000 in credits when buying two Note 9’s in one transaction. One new line of service is required to get this, but even so, that essentially works out to getting a 128GB Note 9 for free!

On top of that, Note 9 pre-orders also come with a free pair of AKG headphones or 15,000 Fortnite V-Bucks + an exclusive Galaxy skin. Alternatively, you’ve got the option of getting all three of these goodies for $99.

See at AT&T

T-Mobile

Moving over to T-Mobile, everyone’s favorite Un-Carrier is selling the Note 9 in 128GB and 512GB flavors. Full retail pricing is the same, meaning that the 128GB version will set you back $999.99 while the 512GB one is going to cost $1249.99.

Alternatively, you can get the 128GB model for $30/month and $279.99 down on an equipment installment plan or $29/month for 18 months and $279.99/down with Jump! On Demand. The 512GB version is $529.99 down + $30/month for 24 months on an installment plan and $529.99 down + $26/month for 18 months with Jump! On Demand.

Looking to sweeten the deal even more? T-Mobile’s offering 50% off the Note 9 via 24 monthly bill credits when you trade-in an eligible Samsung phone. On top of that, you’ve got your choice between free AKG headphones or 15,000 V-Bucks and a Galaxy skin in Fortnite. If you want both, you can pick up the headphones and Fortnite goodies for just an extra $99.

See at T-Mobile

Verizon

Similar to AT&T and T-Mobile, Verizon is also selling the 128GB and 512GB Note 9.

By default, you’ll pay $999.99 and $1249.99 for each model, respectively. For Verizon’s installment plans, you’ll pay $41.66 for the 128GB unit and $52.08 for 512GB over the course of 24 months.

To make that deal a bit sweeter, Verizon’s also running a buy one, get one free promo when you purchase the 128GB Note 9.

This deal is available for a limited time, and if you don’t want a second Note 9, you can also get the Galaxy S9 or S9+ for free in its place. As if that wasn’t a good enough deal on its own, placing your pre-order by August 23 will secure you with either a free pair of AKG noise-canceling headphones ($299 value), 15,000 V-Bucks and a special Galaxy Skin in Fortnite ($150 value), or you can purchase both of them for $99.

See at Verizon

Sprint

If Sprint’s your carrier of choice in the U.S., your choices are a bit more limited. Specifically, Sprint is not selling the 512GB Note 9.

Instead, you can only pick up the 128GB model. Pricing is the same $999.99, but you’ve also got the option of leasing it for 18 months with the Sprint Flex plan for $41.66/month.

For a limited time, however, Sprint’s letting customers get the Note 9 through Sprint Flex for 50% off —resulting in a final price of just $20.83/month.

Lastly, if you pre-order through August 23, you can get your choice of free AKG headphones, 15,000 Fortnite V-Bucks + an exclusive Galaxy skin, or the headphones, skin, and V-Bucks for just $99.

See at Sprint

Straight Talk

Post-paid carriers are fine and dandy, but if you prefer buying pre-paid, Straight Talk Wireless has your back as it’s also carrying the Note 9.

Similar to Sprint, Straight Talk is selling just the $999.99 128GB model with no 512GB variant anywhere to be found.

Straight Talk customers also have access to the pre-order bonus, allowing them to get the free AKG headphones, 15,000 V-Bucks + Galaxy skin, or all three for $99.

See at Straight Talk

U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular isn’t nearly as popular as the above carriers on our list, but even so, it’s still carrying the Galaxy Note 9. Better yet, you can choose to pick up either the 128GB or 512GB configuration!

Pricing is the same at $999.99 and $1249.99, and you can also finance both models over 30 months for $33.30/month and $41.64/month, respectively.

See at U.S. Cellular

Xfinity Mobile

For the last U.S. carrier on our list, we’ve got Xfinity Mobile.

Like most other carriers, Xfinity Mobile is selling the Note 9 in 128GB and 512GB options for $999.99 and $1249.99. You can buy the phone outright if you’ve got the cash, or finance it over the course of 24 months to lessen the stress a bit on your wallet.

If you purchase a Note 9 on Xfinity Mobile, activate a new line, and port over an existing number, you can get a $300 prepaid card that you can use wherever you’d like.

See at Xfinity Mobile

Amazon

Stepping away from carriers, Amazon is one of the many retailers in the U.S. that’s got the Note 9 up for grabs.

Amazon’s offering the 128GB and 512GB models for $999.99 and $1249.99, respectively.

There’s no way to finance it with 0% APR like you can with the likes of AT&T, T-Mobile, etc., but you can always use an exisitng credit card or apply for Amazon’s own credit card that comes with up to 5% cash back on Amazon purchases if you’re a Prime member.

See at Amazon

Best Buy

Best Buy is the go-to store for all things tech, and as expected, you’ll be able to purchase the Note 9 here, too.

Just like the Note 8, Best Buy allows you to purchase the Note 9 through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, or completely unlocked. Best Buy typically matches any promotions being offered by carriers, in addition to running its own from time to time. As such, if you’re looking for the vest best deal, you’ll want to hit up Best Buy’s site to see what’s being offered.

If you decide to pre-order the Note 9 through Best Buy, the retailer is touting a savings up to $200 with a qualified activation. For customers that prefer buying unlocked, you can save up to $450 with a qualified trade-in of an old device.

See at Best Buy

B&H

B&H is known for offering killer deals on new tech, and with the Galaxy Note 9, that’s no different.

You can pick up the Note 9 at B&H in 128GB and 512GB flavors and pricing is the same at $999.99 and $1294.99. However, B&H gets a nice edge as 0% tax is collected on your order if you live outside of New York or New Jersey.

Pre-ordering the Note 9 gets you your choice of free AKG headphones or 15,000 V-Bucks + the Galaxy skin for Fortnite, or you can buy all of this for just $99.

As if that wasn’t good enough, B&H customers also get a free DeX Pad and a Samsung Qi Wireless Charger Duo in either black or white (an extra value of $218.99).

See at B&H

Samsung

Rounding out our U.S. picks, the Galaxy Note 9 will be sold on Samsung’s official website and through the ShopSamsung app. Shocking, right?

Along with selling the unlocked version of the phone, Samsung also lets you buy the AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile Verizon, and U.S. Cellular variants. And, although it should go without saying at this point, the 128GB option costs $999.99 and the 512GB model is $1249.99.

Samsung does offer financing to help make your purchase more managable, and if you pre-order through August 23, you can get a pair of AKG noise-canceling headphones or an exclusive Fortnite Galaxy skin and 15,000 V-Bucks.

If you want the Fortnite items and the headphones, you can get everything for $99.

Last but certainly not least, trading in a qualifying device will allow you to get up to $450 off your order.

See at Samsung

Canada

• Bell
• Rogers
• TELUS
• Freedom Mobile
• Samsung Canada

Pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 9 in Canada are open right now with official sales beginning August 24.

The 128GB Ocean Blue model is available at all carriers/retailers, but if you want the 512GB Midnight Black option, you’ll need to buy the Note 9 directly through Samsung.

Bell

The first Canadian carrier on our list, Bell, is selling just the 128GB Note 9.

Buying the phone without any service will set you back $1379.99, and depending on the two-year term that you choose, you can decrease the upfront cost to either $749.99 or $549.99.

Pre-orders are live right now, and if you reserve your Note 9 between now and August 23, you’ll get a free pair of Gear IconX earbuds (retail value of $299.99)

See at Bell

Rogers

Rogers is also carrying the Galaxy Note 9 in the 128GB flavor, and just like Bell, placing a pre-order through August 23 will secure you with free Gear IconX earbuds that typically sell for $299.99.

Pricing for the Note 9 on Rogers is as follows:

• No Tab — $1299
• Talk & Text Tab — $1299
• Smart Tab — $899
• Premium Tab — $749
• Premium+ Tab — $549

See at Rogers

TELUS

TELUS has also been confirmed to carry the Note 9, with the 128GB model likely being available for $1299.99.

Similar to other Canadian carriers, pre-ordering the Note 9 through TELUS will allow you to get free Gear IconX earbuds.

See at TELUS

Freedom Mobile

If Freedom Mobile is your carrier of choice, you’re in luck!

The 128GB Galaxy Note 9 is available with all of Freedom’s plans, and as expected, pre-ordering it will allow you to get free $299 Gear IconX earbuds.

Pricing for the Note 9 works out as follows:

• $1300 with no plan
• $820 + $20/month MyTab Boost for 24 months on current $30+ plans
• $600 + $25/month My Tab Boost for 24 months on current $40+ plans
• $200 + $35/month My Tab Boost for 24 months on current $50+ plans
• $0 + $35/month My Tab Boost for 24 months on current $60+ plans

See at Freedom Mobile

Samsung Canada

Last but not least, you can pre-order the Galaxy Note 9 directly through the Samsung Canada website.

You can get the same Ocean Blue model with 128GB that’s available at all the carriers, but this is the exclusive place to go if you want the 512GB Midnight Black configuration.

The 128GB Ocean Blue Note 9 will set you back $1299.99 while the 512GB Midnight Black model costs a whopping $1629.99.

See at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview: $1000 well spent

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

AT&T
Verizon
T-Mobile
Samsung

Why the Galaxy Note 9 is the new king of the enterprise

If you’re a heavy business user, there are plenty of reasons to love the Note 9.

The Note series has always been a bit… different. The original Galaxy Note was a behemoth — for the time — aimed squarely at enthusiasts. Compared to that year’s Galaxy S II, the Note brought a bigger screen, more powerful internals, and the now-classic S Pen. Since that time, the Note series has switched between being an enthusiast’s dream and being just a larger Galaxy S phone. In 2018, it looks like Samsung is priming the Note 9 to go back to being an enthusiast-first device.

But just because it’s aimed at the enthusiast crowd doesn’t mean other sectors won’t appreciate the Note 9. Corporate users are a healthy market for Samsung to target, and — unless you’re craving a physical keyboard — there are a few reasons to consider the Note 9 for your business needs!

• The internal hardware
• The S-Pen
• Samsung DeX
• Samsung Knox
• Other considerations

The internal hardware

The Galaxy S9 is no slouch on the inside, but the Note 9 makes some noticeable improvements. It uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 inside, paired with 6GB of RAM instead of 4GB the smaller S9 comes with. The Note 9 also includes 128GB of internal storage in the base model, while both the S9 and S9+ only include 64GB. All of the phones are expandable with a microSD card, but internal storage is going to be faster and more secure. While Google Docs and PDFs don’t take up a huge amount of space individually, more space for documents is only a good thing. If you need even more space for multitasking prowess, there will also be a 512GB storage/8GB RAM option.

Meanwhile, the Note 9 offers a slightly larger screen than that of the S9+. It’s only a 0.2-inch difference, but more screen real estate is more screen real estate. This does make the Note 9 more unwieldy than smaller phones, but the tradeoff may be worth it for some users. Another thing the larger size allows is a larger battery: 4000mAh on the Note 9 compared to 3500mAh on the S9+.

The Note 9 will also feature the latest and greatest LTE and Wi-Fi radios. This is something most businesses overlook, but being able to connect to a network is one of the most important things mobile workers need their phone to do. If your workers struggle with connectivity when they’re on the go, the Note 9 will be their best chance at staying connected.

The S Pen

The trademark feature of the Note series is the S Pen stylus. When the Note first came out, the S Pen was really only useful for swipe typing, doodling and writing quick notes. But with each new Note phone, the capabilities of the S Pen have grown. This year, Samsung is making a big leap with the inclusion of a Bluetooth radio inside the pen. You’ll be able to use the pen as a presentation clicker, long-press to launch an app of your choice, and set specific actions inside each app. The pen can be used in this “smart” mode for 30 minutes, and 40 seconds inside of its silo will give it a full charge. If the pen does die, it can still be used as a regular capacity S Pen like older models.

Samsung DeX

When DeX debuted with the Galaxy S8, it was a bit… impractical. $150 for a specific dock was a huge barrier to entry, especially if your business is buying a fleet of Galaxy phones. And if you’re already buying a dock, keyboard, mouse, and monitor, it’s not that much more work to just buy a Chromebox for that station as well.

That last part hasn’t really been changed, but DeX has grown in other ways. Apps work a lot better, and they scale to fit monitor screens much better. These are still mobile apps — so you can’t have two Google Docs open at once — but if an employee can do 95% of what they need to from their phone, DeX is a great solution to tackle the other 5%. As for the cost of entry, DeX will now work with any USB-C to HDMI adapter, and Samsung will sell its own adapter. You can use the S-Pen or the phone’s on-screen keyboard for text entry in DeX. Best of all, using DeX won’t lock you out of using the phone’s regular interface. If you’ve already invested in separate keyboards and mice, those will still work just fine.

Samsung Knox

Out of the box, Android phones are perfectly secure enough for consumers. But if you have sensitive business data that employees are carrying with them everywhere, you’ll want a bit of extra protection. Samsung’s Knox system happily offers that protection. In fact, Knox is so secure that recent Galaxy phones were approved for use by the U.S. Department of Defense to handle sensitive military data.

Other considerations

Being a big phone release from the biggest Android manufacturer, the Note 9 will have plenty of third-party accessories like screen protectors, rugged cases and car mounts for your employees to use to keep the phone itself safe. Cases also let your employees personalize their phones, which is a great way to tell everyone’s phone apart.

Of course, not everything about Samsung phones is appealing. The biggest reservation that most businesses will have is the speed of updates. The Note 9 is launching with Android 8.0 Oreo just a few weeks after Android 9 Pie is released. More troubling is the speed of security updates, especially if you buy the phone from a carrier. It’s not uncommon for Galaxy phones to lag a month or two behind Pixel phones when it comes to security updates. While that may not be the end all be all, it’s an important consideration.

What say you?

Would the Note 9 be a good match for your business? Let us know down below!

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

AT&T
Verizon
T-Mobile
Samsung

Netflix HDR playback comes to the Galaxy Note 9, Tab S4, LG G7, and more

Educate yourself on the world’s biggest video streaming service 📺

When it comes to video streaming companies, few are as iconic as Netflix. What started out as a DVD rental service quickly turned into the world’s largest platform for binging old movies, classic TV shows, and a heap of original programming.

No matter if you’re looking to cut your cable cord or simply want some extra content to supplement it, Netflix can be a great addition to any household’s entertainment needs.

To ensure it has exactly what you’re looking for in a video service, here’s everything you need to know!

The latest Netflix news

August 10, 2018 — Galaxy Note 9, LG G7, Honor 10, and more officially support HDR Netflix playback

Netflix regularly updates its list of devices that support HDR playback to ensure everyone has the best streaming experience possible, and today, the company brought HDR video to the following gadgets:

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
• LG G7
• LG V35
• Honor 10

All of the above phones are also supported for HD playback, in addition to the Huawei MediaPad M5 10 Lite, MediaPad T5 10, and Nova 3.

July 25, 2018 — New profile images are coming

It’s been five years since Netflix introduced multiple profiles on a single account. And today they’re getting a little face-lift. That is, the face of your profile is getting a face-lift. Your profile icon is changing. If you want it to.

You’ll soon have the ability to use characters from some of your favorite (or most hated) shows to represent each of up to five profiles in your account. If your kid wants to be, say, Pablo Escobar from Narcos, your kid can be Pablo Escobar. If your 5-year-old daughter has a thing for Luke Cage, well.

Read more at CordCutters.com

All the important details

Plans start at just $7.99/month

Netflix has three main plans to choose from, including Basic, Standard, and Premium.

Basic is the cheapest plan with a subscription fee of just $7.99/month, but since it’s limited to Standard Definition and only allows you to have one stream going at a time, you’ll likely want to upgrade to the Standard tier for $10.99/month. With Standard, you’ll get access to HD streams and can watch Netflix on up to 2 screens at once.

If you’ve got a 4K television and/or have a big family that wants to use one account, Netflix’s Premium plan will likely be the best fit. For $13.99/month, you’ll get access to Ultra HD video content and can watch any shows you’d like on 4 different screens at once.

New members can sign up for a 1-month free trial of whatever plan you’d like, and you can cancel at any time as there’s no commitment required.

T-Mobile customers get the Standard plan for free!

Netflix’s current pricing is more than reasonable, but if you happen to be a T-Mobile customer, you’ll get it for free!

T-Mobile subscribers get Netflix’s Standard plan bundled with their cell service at no extra charge, and if you want to upgrade to the Premium tier, you’ll pay just $3/month extra.

It’s available on pretty much everything

In addition to its excellent library of content, one of Netflix’s strong suits is its wide availability across pretty much any gadget you can think of.

For watching Netflix on the big screen, you can download its official app on Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, cast it from your phone using Chromecast, and access built-in apps across a variety of smart TVs and Blu-Ray players.

You’ll also find the Netflix app on Android, iOS, Windows Phone, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and from your desktop/laptop at netflix.com.

Netflix’s official list of all supported devices

The Android app recently got a big overhaul

Netflix’s Android app is one of the best ways to access the service, and it recently got a big update that makes everything look much more polished.

The old navigation menu on the left-hand side has been replaced for a simple navigation row at the bottom for Home, Search, Downloads, and More. Home is where you’ll be taken upon opening the app and tapping the TV Shows, Movies, and Originals tabs near the top will allow you to quickly filter the content that’s presented to you.

The Search and Downloads sections are pretty self-explanatory, and More is where you’ll be able to switch profiles, customize notifications, and adjust all of your other account/app settings.

Everything works about the same as it did before, but the new layout is still greatly appreciated and considerably easier to understand.

New content’s being added (and removed) all the time

Every month, Netflix changes its content library by adding and removing titles from its lineup. The company’s taken a big bet on original movies and TV shows over the last few years, but you can still find a wide array of third-party content, too.

The Netflix app does a pretty good job at highlighting new/trending content as it’s released, and Joseph Keller at iMore does a regular roundup of the best shows you should be watching at any given time.

Best TV shows and movies on Netflix right now

Some Android phones support HDR playback

The displays on our smartphones are crispier and more colorful than ever before, some of which go as far to support High Dynamic Range (more commonly known as HDR). HDR offers more vivid colors and higher contrast, and Netflix supports this type of content on the following phones:

• Huawei Mate 10 Pro
• Huawei P20 / P20 Pro
• LG V30
• Razer Phone
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
• Samsung Galaxy S9
• Sony Xperia XZ Premium
• Sony Xperia XZ1
• Sony Xperia XZ2

You can still rent physical DVDs

Although renting physical DVDs to customers may not be its primary focus anymore, this is something that Netflix does still offer.

The DVD business has since been moved to DVD.com, but it’s just a full-featured as ever before. Plans start at $4.99/month to rent one disc at a time with a cap of two discs per month, or you can step all the way up to $11.99/month to have two discs out at once and rent as many movies as you want each month (prices are increased to $5.99/month and $14.99/month respectively for HD Blu-Ray).

Netflix finally brought its DVD app to Android in October of 2017, and while the service may not be nearly as popular as the on-demand streaming platform, it’s still alive and kicking for anyone that wants to see that iconic red envelope in their mailbox.

What are you waiting for?

If you somehow still haven’t checked out Netflix, you owe it to yourself to at least sign up for a free trial. My fiance and I use Netflix just about every day, and whether you’re using it to re-watch The Office for the eighth time or catch up on the latest Marvel movies, it’s well worth every penny.

See at Netflix