Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) vs Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB)
Side by side comparison between Microsoft Lumia 950 XL vs Samsung Galaxy Note 9 phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
5.7"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1440x2560
20.1
MP
MP
5mp
3GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
3340
mAh
mAh
(Removable)
vs
6.4"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1440x2960
12.2
MP
MP
8mp
6GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
4000
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better phone? Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB)
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
9 Advantages 
23 Advantages | 20 Common items in both devices |
| 16 million |
| Autofocus / PDAF on back camera and autofocus front camera |
| 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| 4G LTE-A |
| Capacitive |
| Multitouch |
| Accelerometer |
| +13 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| Model | Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) |
| Other model names | Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Dual-sim RM-1116, Microsoft Cityman | Galaxy Note9 (Qualcomm) 6GB RAM, Samsung Crown |
| Country or region available |  (Global, International) |  USA |
| Brand | Microsoft | Samsung |
| Release date | 11/20/2015 | 8/24/2018, Announced: 8/9/2018 |
| Depth | 8.1 millimeters (0.32 inches) | 8.8 millimeters (0.35 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 78.4 x 151.9 millimeters (3.09 x 5.98 in) | 76.4 x 161.9 millimeters (3.01 x 6.37 in) |
| Weight | 165 grams (5.78 ounces) | 201 grams (7.04 ounces) |
| Build, materials | feature not registered | Aluminum frame, glass front/back Back: Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Protection against water and others | Not supported | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant |
📲 Display | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| Display type | AMOLED | Super AMOLED |
| Screen size | 5.7" inches | 6.4" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~75.2% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~84% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 1440x2560 pixels | 1440x2960 pixels (18.5:9) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 515 PPI | 514 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass 4 | Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Refresh rate | feature not registered | 60Hz |
| Display features | feature not registered | HDR10 2.5D glass Always-On Display |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| System version | Windows 10 Mobile | Android 8.1 Oreo |
| Firmware update | feature not registered | Android 10 |
| User Interface | feature not registered | One UI 2.0 / 2.5 |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| Chipset | 64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 MSM8994 (20nm) | 64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (SDM845) (10nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core, 2 processors: 4x 2GHz ARM Cortex-A57 (Quad-core) 4x 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A53 (Quad-core) | Octa-core, 2 processors: 4x 2.8GHz Kryo 385 Gold (Quad-core) 4x 1.7GHz Kryo 385 Silver (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | Qualcomm Adreno 430 | Qualcomm Adreno 630 (710MHz) |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | AnTuTu: 249124 (v7), 316449 (v8) Geekbench: 9026 (v4.4), 2092 (v5.1) GFXBench: 15fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| RAM memory | 3GB LPDDR4 | 6GB LPDDR4X |
| Internal storage | 32GB (27GB available) | 128GB (111GB available) UFS 2.1 |
| External storage | Until 200GB microSD, microSDXC (dedicated slot) | Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| Dual-SIM | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card (dedicated slot) | Not supported |
| SIM card | 2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) | 1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 300/50 Mbps | 1200/150 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G | 2G, 3G, 4G |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO TD-SCDMA 1900/2000 UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat6 700/800/850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600 (Bands 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,12,17,20,28), TD-LTE 2300/2600 (Bands 38,40) | LTE Cat18 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29, 30) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41) |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE, LTE-A | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, TD-SCDMA, UMTS, TD-HSDPA, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A |
| Secondary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | Not supported |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary data network | GPRS, EDGE | Not supported |
📷 Camera | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 20.1 megapixels | (dual camera) 12.2 megapixels 12MP telephoto f/2.41/3.4"52mm1.0µmAFOIS2x-optical-zoom |
| Main camera resolution | 5376x3744 pixels | 4032x3024 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 30 fps | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 60 fps |
| Flash | Triple LED flash | Dual-LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/1.9 (aperture) | f/1.5 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | 26mm lens |
| Sensor size | 1/2.4" inches | 1/2.55" inches |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | 1.4µm pixel |
| Autofocus | Autofocus | PDAF on back camera and autofocus front camera |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | feature not registered | OIS: Optical stabilization |
| Zoom | Only digital zoom | Digital and optical zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Supported | Supported |
| HDR | HDR photo only main camera | HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| Camera extras | feature not registered | feature not registered |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 5 megapixels | 8 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 2592x1944 pixels | 3264x2448 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | Full HD (1920x1080) | 2K UHD (2560x1440) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | f/1.7 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | 25mm lens |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | 1/3.6" inches |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | 1.22µm pixel |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| Loudspeaker | Supported | Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones or more |
| Radio | FM | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, WMV | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, DivX, XviD |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC | MP3, OGG, eAAC+, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| USB | USB 3.1 Type-C reversible connector | USB 3.1 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go |
| Audio output | 3.5mm jack | 3.5mm jack |
| TV output | USB Type-C (reversible) | USB Type-C SlimPort® |
| Bluetooth | 4.1 + A2DP | 5.0 + A2DP/LE |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot |
| DLNA | Supported | Not supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Gyroscope Iris scanner Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor ANT+ Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted) Gyroscope Hall effect Heart rate Iris scanner Proximity sensor SpO2 |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| Battery type | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Removable) | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 3340 mAh | 4000 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | 15W Wired fast charging |
| Inductive / wireless charging | feature not registered | Qi wireless charging (Qi/PMA) |
| Talk time autonomy | 19 hours | feature not registered |
| Standby | 288 hours (12 days) | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| Messaging | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Black, White • ClearBlack display • Carl Zeiss optics camera • Qi Wireless charging • Microsoft Continuum • 15GB OneDrive • WiFi hotspot | • Colors: Black, Copper, Purple, Blue • S Pen Stylus (Bluetooth) • Samsung Pay • Samsung DeX |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (RM-1116) | Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960U 128GB) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |