Is the Note 9 overpriced? Let’s go ahead and take a quick look at price comparison between the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 versus the Galaxy S9+.
The Galaxy Note 9 ships with many of identical hardware found on the Galaxy S9 Plus, which launched 5 months earlier. If you do not need the S-Pen, you can potentially save 50% or more by buying the Galaxy S9 Plus, which lacks the bigger battery life, S-Pen, and has slightly smaller display but almost $336 or 50% cheaper than the Galaxy Note 9 based on current market prices on eBay.
If you actually break down the numbers, it seems like every year Samsung’s profit margin on the Galaxy Note series is much higher than the Galaxy S series since it is launched many months after their main flagship. Considering that many of the biggest costs like CPU, cameras, speakers, and display are the identical on both phones, consumers may be overpaying for the Note series by a mile. While many people are very hyped about the Galaxy Note 9 and indeed it is one of the best smartphones to launch this year, Samsung’s pricing seems to only focus on its higher-margin profits, not on affordability.
In my humble opinion, Samsung would make the Galaxy Note series more popular, sell more phones, and end up with even more profits by lowering its prices to match current market value of Snapdragon 845/Exynos 9810 devices. Of course, I would definitely pony up a few hundred dollars more for any major updates such as upgraded camera and/or CPU. But that’s not the case as every year, Samsung simply copies and pastes the main hardware from their S series to the Note series. In return, we get the same hardware that will be outdated in another 6 months when the next Galaxy S10 comes out next February. I think if Samsung can either delay their launch of launch the Note series along with S series, it would make it a better value proposition for consumers and there will be added value since you get the best CPU and camera from the get-go. Of course, Samsung also has the resources to pull this off better than any other smartphone manufacturer in the world.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy the Galaxy Note 9, I just want you guys to open your eyes to see what you are actually paying for based on market prices and how technology loses value of time. Be a smart consumer who does not just buy hype and in the long run that will mean better/lower prices from Samsung. And if you are listening Samsung, please do something about it, thanks!
| Galaxy S9+ 128GB model | Galaxy Note 9 128GB model | Difference | Percentage Difference | |
| Retail Price | $889.99 | $1,000 | $110 | 12.36% |
| Market Price | $663.99 | $1,000 | $336 | 50.60% |
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Both phones Ship with Same Features
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| Camera | F1.5/F2.4 | F1.5/F2.4 | Same | |
| CPU | Snapdragon 845/Exynos 9810 | Snapdragon 845/Exynos 9810 | Same | |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2960 | 1440 x 2960 | Same | |
| RAM | 6GB | 6GB | Same | |
| Fingerprint Position | Center | Center | Same | |
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo | Same | |
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WHY YOU PAY 50% MORE than Galaxy S9+
|
Estimated Extra Manufacturer Cost | |||
| Battery | 3500mAh | 4000mAh | 500mAh MORE | $5 |
| S-Pen | None | S-Pen w/ bluetooth | Draw/Control | $50 |
| Display Size | 6.2 inches | 6.4 inches | Slightly Bigger Screen | $10 |
| Total Added Cost | $65 | |||
| Total + $100 Profit | $165 | |||
| S9+ Market Price + Total + $100 Profit | $828.99 |
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