Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked vs. Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)

Phone Comparison, Reviews and Tests

In depth comparison and review of Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked and Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation). Compare sizes, cameras, batteries, memory, and other important specifications and features to easily choose the right phone for you. Our goal is to help you uncover differences between the products and find the phone that will best fit your needs.

Phone Specifications Comparison

Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked vs. Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Product Type Smartphone Smartphone
Manufacturer Model Number SM-N960U1 A2296
Form Factor Touch Touch
Height 161.9 mm 138.4 mm Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has greater height than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Width 76.4 mm 67.3 mm Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has greater width than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Depth 8.8 mm 7.3 mm Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation) is narrower than Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked.
Weight 201 g 148 g Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation) is lighter than Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked.
Body Colour Ocean blue White | Black | Red
Body Material - Aluminium, glass
Protection Dustproof, splashproof, waterproof Dustproof, water-resistant, splash-resistant
Waterproof (Water-resistant) Yes Yes Both phones are waterproof.
IP rating IP68 IEC 60529 IP67
Repairability Index - 6 (out of 10)
SAR Value 1.59 W/kg (simultaneous), 1.39 W/kg (wireless router), 1.03 W/kg (body), 1.29 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body), 0.98 W/kg (head)
Integrated Components Heart rate sensor -
Connector Type USB Type-C - 24 pin USB-C
Headset jack - mini-phone 3.5mm
Lightning
SIM Card Type (Size) Nano SIM Nano SIM, Electronic SIM card (e-SIM)
SIM Card Qty Single-SIM Dual-SIM
DISPLAY Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Display Type OLED display LCD display
Display Technology Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Retina HD display with IPS technology
Screen Size (Display Size) 6.4" 4.7" Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has larger screen size than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Screen Resolution (Display Resolution) 2960 x 1440 pixels 1334 x 750 pixels Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has better screen resolution than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Display Format QHD+ -
Pixel Density 516 ppi 326 ppi Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has better pixel density than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Max Brightness - 625 cd/m²
Colour Depth 16.7 million colours -
Contrast Ratio - 1400:1
Display Enhancement Technology - Dolby Vision
Display Features Always-on display, Edge Screen, Infinity Display, Edge-to-Edge screen Display Zoom, Reachability (screen shifting), True Tone display, Wide colour display (P3), Dark mode, Haptic touch
Display Protection (Screen Protector) - Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
PROCESSOR Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Processor Type (CPU) Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Apple A13 Bionic
Clock Speed 2.8 GHz -
Processor Core Qty 8-core -
64-bit Architecture Yes Yes Both phones have 64-bit architecture.
Graphics System (GPU) Qualcomm ADRENO 630 -
MEMORY Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
RAM LPDDR4 SDRAM - 8 GB -
Internal Memory Size (Storage Capacity) 512 GB 64 GB Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has more internal memory than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
User Memory 463.4 GB -
Supported Flash Memory Cards (Expandable Memory) microSDHC, microSDXC - up to 512 GB -
CAMERA Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
MAIN CAMERA
Number of Main Cameras 2 1
Sensor Resolution 12 Megapixel 12 Megapixel Both phones have the same camera resolution.
Sensor Size 1/2.55" -
Lens Type Wide-angle lens -
Lens Aperture F/1.5 & f/2.4 F/1.8 Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has better lens aperture than Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked.
Lens Construction - 6-element
Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) Dual OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) Both phones have optical image stabilization.
Focus Adjustment Automatic Automatic
Optical Zoom 2x -
Digital Zoom 10x 5x Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has better digital zoom than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Special Effects HDR, Bokeh effect, Grid Line Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High‑Key Mono
HDR Mode - Smart HDR
Camera Modes Panorama, Pro mode, Timer mode, HYPERLAPSE, Auto mode, Food mode, Super Slow-mo, AR Emoji, Portraits, Flowers, Indoor scenes, Animals, Landscapes, Greenery, Trees, Sky, Mountains, Beaches, Sunrises and sunsets, Watersides, Street scenes, Night scenes, Waterfalls, Snow, Birds, Backlit, Text, Disney AR Emoji Burst mode, Panorama, Live Photos, Timelapse video, Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting, wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos
Face Recognition (Face ID) Face detection - Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has face detection.
Light Source LED flash True Tone LED flash
Video Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 30 fps, 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 60 fps, 1280 x 720 (720p) at 30 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 30 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 60 fps, Super slow motion video 1280 x 720 (720p) at 960 fps, Slo-mo video 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 240 fps, 2560 x 1440 (QHD) at 30 fps 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 30 fps, 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 60 fps, 1280 x 720 (720p) at 30 fps, Slo-mo video 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 120 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 30 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 60 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 24 fps, Slo-mo video 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 240 fps
Camera Features (Functions) Quick Launch, Playback zoom, Motion photo, VDIS (Video Digital Image Stabilisation), Live Focus, Dual Capture, High CRI LED flash, Tracking AF, Video location tags, Stamps, location tags, Continuous autofocus video, Hyperlapse video support 1080p, Live focus with bokeh filters, Super Speed Dual Pixel, background blur, Scene Optimiser, Eye blink, Motion blur, Lens smudge, Backlit, Full view, Flaw detection, 9.1MP still photos recording 4K video Sapphire crystal lens cover, Cinematic video stabilisation, Focus Pixels, Cinematic video stabilisation, Playback zoom, geotagging, Stereo Recording, Continuous autofocus video, 8MP still photos recording 4K video, Time‑lapse video with stabilisation, Slow Sync, Advanced red-eye correction, Optical image stabilization for video, Extended dynamic range for video, HEIF image capture, Digital zoom up to 3x for video, QuickTake video
SECOND CAMERA
Sensor Resolution (2nd Camera) 12 Megapixel -
Sensor Size (2nd Camera) 1/3.4" -
Lens Type (2nd Camera) Telephoto lens -
Lens Aperture (2nd Camera) F/2.4 -
FRONT CAMERA
Number of Front Cameras 1 1
Sensor Resolution (Front) 8 Megapixel 7 Megapixel Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has better front camera resolution than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Sensor Size (Front) 1/3.6" -
Lens Type (Front) Wide-angle lens -
Lens Aperture (Front) F/1.7 F/2.2 Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked has better front lens aperture than Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked.
Focus Adjustment Automatic -
Special Effects (Front) HDR, Grid Line Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High‑Key Mono
HDR Mode (Front) - Auto HDR mode
Camera Modes (Front) Timer mode, wide selfie mode, selfie mode, AR Emoji, selfie focus Burst mode, Live Photos, Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting, wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos
Light Source (Front) - Retina Flash
Video Resolutions (Front) - 1280 x 720 (720p), 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 30 fps
Camera Features (Front) Quick launch, Motion photo, Stamps, location tags, VDIS (Video Digital Image Stabilization), Full view, Flaw detection Auto image stabilisation, Cinematic video stabilisation, QuickTake video
BATTERY AND CHARGING Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Battery Capacity (Battery Size) 4000 mAh -
Wireless Charging Yes Yes Both phones can be charged wirelessly.
Wireless Charging Standards WPC, PMA Qi
Talk Time 2280 minutes -
Run Time Details Talk (CDMA): up to 2280 min
Active online usage (3G): up to 15 hrs
Active online usage (LTE): up to 16 hrs
Active online usage (Wi-Fi): up to 16 hrs
Playback (audio): up to 60 hrs
Playback (audio (Always On Display Off)): up to 95 hrs
Playback (video): up to 21 hrs
Talk (WCDMA): up to 2280 min
Playback (audio): up to 40 hrs
Playback (video): up to 13 hrs
Playback (streamed video): up to 8 hrs
Battery Technology - Lithium Ion
CELLULAR Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Technology CDMA2000 1X / GSM / WCDMA (UMTS) / TD-SCDMA WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM
Mobile Broadband Generation 4G 4G Both phones have the same mobile network generation.
Operating System Android 8.1 Oreo iOS 13
Intelligent Assistant Bixby Siri
Payment Technology Samsung Pay Apple Pay
Navigation GPS, GLONASS GPS, GLONASS
COMMUNICATIONS Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Data Transmission GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, FDD-LTE, TDD-LTE GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE, DC-HSDPA, VoLTE, FDD-LTE, TDD-LTE, VoWiFi, LAA
2G Band 850 GSM, 900 GSM, 1800 GSM, 1900 GSM, 800 CDMA2000 1X, 1900 CDMA2000 1X 850 GSM, 900 GSM, 1800 GSM, 1900 GSM
3G UMTS Band Band 1, Band 2, Band 4, Band 5, Band 8 -
3G UMTS Frequency 2100, 1900, 1700, 850, 900 -
4G LTE Band Band 1, Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 7, Band 8, Band 12, Band 13, Band 14, Band 17, Band 18, Band 19, Band 20, Band 25, Band 26, Band 28, Band 29, Band 30, Band 38, Band 39, Band 40, Band 41, Band 46, Band 66, Band 71 Band 1, Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 7, Band 8, Band 11, Band 12, Band 13, Band 17, Band 18, Band 19, Band 20, Band 21, Band 25, Band 26, Band 28, Band 29, Band 30, Band 32, Band 34, Band 38, Band 39, Band 40, Band 41, Band 42, Band 46, Band 48, Band 66
4G LTE Frequency FDD 2100, FDD 1900 PCS, FDD 1800+, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS, FDD 850, FDD 2600, FDD 900, FDD 700a, FDD 700c, FDD 700 PS, FDD 700b, FDD 800 lower, FDD 800 upper, FDD 800 DD, FDD 1900+, FDD 850+, FDD 700 APT, FDD 700d, FDD 2300 WCS, TDD 2600, TDD 1900, TDD 2300, TDD 2500, TDD 5150, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS-3, FDD 600 FDD 2100, FDD 1900 PCS, FDD 1800+, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS, FDD 850, FDD 2600, FDD 900, FDD 1500, FDD 700a, FDD 700c, FDD 700b, FDD 800 lower, FDD 800 upper, FDD 800 DD, FDD 1500 upper, FDD 1900+, FDD 850+, FDD 700 APT, FDD 700d, FDD 2300 WCS, FDD 1500 L, TDD 2000, TDD 2600, TDD 1900, TDD 2300, TDD 2500, TDD 3500, TDD 5150, TDD 3600, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS-3
Wireless Interface IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, ANT+/ANT IEEE 802.11ax
Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.0 LE Bluetooth 5.0
NFC Yes Yes Both phones have an NFC reader for mobile payments.
Messaging Services SMS, MMS SMS, MMS
MEDIA Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Supported Digital Audio Standards WAV, WMA, AAC, PCM, AMR, MP3, FLAC, XMF, OGG, MIDI, APE (Monkey's Audio), M4A, apt-X, DSF, DSD, MXMF, OGA, 3GA, AWB, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DFF, MID, DSD64, DSD128 Audible, MP3, FLAC, Apple Lossless, AC-3, AAC-LC, LPCM, HE-AAC, Audible AAX, Audible AAX+, protected AAC, EAC3, HE-AAC v2
Supported Digital Video Standards MKV, FLV, AVI, MPEG-4, WMV, ASF, 3GP, M4V, WebM, 3G2 M-JPEG, H.264, HEVC, MPEG-4 Part 2
Sound Enhancements Dolby Digital Plus sound, Dolby Atmos sound technology, Acoustic Overload Point, stereo speakers tuned by AKG, Dolby Digital sound Dolby Digital Plus sound, Dolby Digital sound
Video Enhancements - HDR10, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG)
FEATURES Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Phone Functions Speakerphone, voice control, call timer, conference call, flight mode, voice dialing, vibrating alert Speakerphone, voice control, call timer, conference call, flight mode, voice dialing, vibrating alert
Sensors Accelerometer, proximity sensor, barometer, gyro sensor, hall sensor, RGB sensor, pressure sensor, geomagnetic sensor Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, 3-axis gyro sensor, digital compass, barometer
Security Devices Face recognition, fingerprint reader, eye scan Fingerprint reader
Additional Phone Features S Pen multi-input, Face Unlock, Wi-Fi Miracast, Screen Write, Smart Select, MU-MIMO technology, Fast Charging, Samsung KNOX, Face recognition, High AOP Mic, Smart View, Live message, Screen off memo, Samsung DeX support, Bixby Vision, Smart Performance Adjuster, Dual Audio, water-carbon cooling system, S Pen remote function FaceTime, AirPrint wireless printing, iCloud Photo Sharing, AirDrop function, MIMO technology, Wi-Fi Calling, iBeacon microlocation, CarPlay function, QuickType keyboard, HomeKit, Apple TV support (2nd or later), Fast Charging, AirPlay Mirroring, Third‑generation Neural Engine, Audio Sharing
OTHERS Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unlocked Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Included Accessories Power adapter, tweezer, SIM card removal tool, USB connector, USB-C cable, S Pen, Pen nibs, headset (tuned by AKG) Lightning to USB-C cable
Compliant Standards IP68 IEC 60529 IP67, HAC (Hearing Aid Compatible)
Max Depth of Water Resistance 1.5 m 1 m
Max Operating Temperature - 35 °C
Min Operating Temperature - 0 °C
Humidity Range Operating - 5 - 95% (non-condensing)
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