Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W) vs Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)

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Side by side comparison between Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) vs Samsung Galaxy Note 9 phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?

8/9/2018 6:28 PM, updated: 2/24/2023 4:13 PM

Compare Samsung Galaxy Note 9 X Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W) 04Points

Specifications Compare Models Pictures

5.6"
AMOLED

1080x2220

16
MP

16mp

4GB
RAM

Octa-core

3000
mAh

(Non removable)

26Points Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB) Compare Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) X

Specifications Compare Models Pictures

6.4"
AMOLED

1440x2960

12.2
MP

8mp

6GB
RAM

Octa-core

4000
mAh

(Non removable)

What's the better phone? Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 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!

4 Advantages Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	vs	26 Advantages Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
+172 grams (6.02 ounces)17% Lighter	vs	201 grams (7.04 ounces)
+8.4 millimeters (0.33 inches)5% Thinner	vs	8.8 millimeters (0.35 inches)
+(dual front camera) 16MP + 8MP199% Higher resolution secondary camera to take pictures and selfies	vs	(front) 8MP
+18W20% More power (watts) to charge the battery faster. Sometimes, the charger that comes with the device doesn't have the same power supported by the device. Check before you buy it.	vs	15W
2.2GHz 64bit Octa-core	vs	+2.7GHz 64bit Octa-core (10nm)31% More powerful processor, you can open your applications faster
4GB LPDDR4	vs	+6GB LPDDR4X50% More RAM memory. Typically more responsive and better for multitasking.
32GB (22GB available)	vs	+128GB (111GB available)4 times More internal storage for applications and files
eMMC 5.1	vs	+UFS 2.1Advantage Fastest write and read storage.
Not supported	vs	+HDR10Advantage The HDR10 display provides vibrant colors and more details
1080x2220 pixels	vs	+1440x2960 pixels78% Higher resolution screen
441 PPI	vs	+514 PPI17% Crisper display of text, images and videos because it has more pixels per inch (ppi)
5.6"	vs	+6.4"14% Larger screen
(back) 16MP	vs	+(dual camera) 12.2MP + 12MP52% Higher resolution main camera
LED flash	vs	+Dual-LED flashAdvantage The Dual-LED flash helps in dark places or in low light
Only digital zoom	vs	+Digital and optical zoomAdvantage The zoom allows for better focus and approach to take pictures
EIS: Digital stabilization	vs	+OIS: Optical stabilizationAdvantage Image stabilization prevents blurry photos and helps in recording motion video
Not supported	vs	+BSI sensorAdvantage The BSI sensor allows the entry of more light generating photos with more detail and brightness
1/2.8" inches	vs	+1/2.55" inches10% The larger sensor camera lets you take photos with better depth.
f/1.7 (aperture)	vs	+f/1.5 (aperture)13% Diaphragm opening (Aperture) of the camera which has the smallest F number takes photos with better light exposure.
Full HD (1920x1080)	vs	+4K UHD (3840x2160)3 times More image quality for recording videos with the primary camera
(front) Full HD (1920x1080)	vs	+(front) 2K UHD (2560x1440)78% More image quality for recording videos with the secondary camera
Android 9.0 Pie	vs	+Android 10Advantage Android 10 is newer and safer
(4G LTE-A) 600 Mbps	vs	+(4G LTE-A) 1200 Mbps100% Faster for surfing the internet and download files
Not supported	vs	+Heart rateAdvantage Sensors help you use the device
Not supported	vs	+Iris scannerAdvantage Sensors help you use the device
Not supported	vs	+SpO2Advantage Sensors help you use the device
3000 mAh	vs	+4000 mAh33% Battery - higher amperage (mAh) allows more device usage time, but it also depends on the hardware and use
Not supported	vs	+Qi wireless charging (Qi/PMA)Advantage Wireless charging is another way to charge the battery.
1 slot (Single-SIM) (dedicated slot)	vs	+2 slots (Dual-SIM) (hybrid slot/shares the same microSD slot)Advantage You can have more mobile carriers/operators on the same device.
USB 2.0 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go	vs	+USB 3.1 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-GoAdvantage Newer and faster USB version for transferring photos, mp3 or data.

33 Common items in both devices

Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC

Aluminum frame, glass front/back

Super AMOLED

60Hz

16 million

PDAF: phase detection autofocus / PDAF on back camera and autofocus front camera

HDR photo on both cameras / HDR photo/video on both cameras

+26 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

📱 Model features
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
Change model		Choose the model
Model	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
Other model names	Galaxy A8 SM-A530W Single-Sim	Galaxy Note9 (Exynos) Dual-sim (6GB RAM), Samsung Crown
Country or region available	Canada	(Europe), (Global, International), United Arab Emirates
Brand	Samsung	Samsung
Release date	1/6/2018	8/24/2018, Announced: 8/9/2018
Depth	8.4 millimeters (0.33 inches)	8.8 millimeters (0.35 inches)
Size (width x height)	70.6 x 149.2 millimeters (2.78 x 5.87 in)	76.4 x 161.9 millimeters (3.01 x 6.37 in)
Weight	172 grams (6.02 ounces)	201 grams (7.04 ounces)
Build, materials	Aluminum frame, glass front/back	Aluminum frame, glass front/back Back: Gorilla Glass 5
Protection against water and others	IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant	IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant
📲 Display
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
Display type	Super AMOLED	Super AMOLED
Screen size	5.6" inches	6.4" inches
Screen-to-body ratio	~75.6% (screen-to-body ratio)	~84% (screen-to-body ratio)
Display resolution	1080x2220 pixels (18.5:9)	1440x2960 pixels (18.5:9)
Touchscreen	Capacitive Multitouch	Capacitive Multitouch 10-points
Pixel density (dot pitch)	441 PPI	514 PPI
Colors	16 million	16 million
Scratch-resistant glass	Gorilla Glass 4	Gorilla Glass 5
Refresh rate	60Hz	60Hz
Display features	Not supported	HDR10 2.5D glass Always-On Display
🤖 Operating System
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
System version	Android 7.1.1 Nougat	Android 8.1 Oreo
Firmware update	Android 9.0 Pie	Android 10
User Interface	feature not registered	One UI 2.0 / 2.5
⚙️ Processor
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
Chipset	64bit: Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 7885 (14nm)	64bit: Samsung Exynos 9810 (10nm)
CPU	Octa-core, 2 processors: 2x 2.2GHz ARM Cortex-A73 (Dual-core) 6x 1.6GHz ARM Cortex-A53 (Hexa-core)	Octa-core, 2 processors: 4x 2.7GHz Mongoose M3 (Quad-core) 4x 1.79GHz ARM Cortex-A55 (Quad-core)
GPU graphical controller	ARM Mali-G71 MP2	ARM Mali-G72 MP18 (572MHz)
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
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
RAM memory	4GB LPDDR4	6GB LPDDR4X
Internal storage	32GB (22GB available) eMMC 5.1	128GB (111GB available) UFS 2.1
External storage	Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (dedicated slot)	Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (hybrid slot/shares the same SIM-2 slot)
📶 Mobile networks
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
Dual-SIM	Not supported	Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card (hybrid slot/shares the same microSD slot)
SIM card	1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF)	2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF)
Maximum Download / Upload	600/75 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	GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Primary 3G network	UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100	UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100
Primary 4G network	LTE Cat11 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 66) TD-LTE (38, 40, 41)	LTE Cat18 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 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+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A	GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A
Secondary 2G network	Not supported	GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Secondary 3G network	Not supported	UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100
Secondary 4G network	Not supported	LTE Cat18 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 29, 30) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41)
Secondary data network	Not supported	GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A
📷 Camera
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
Back camera (main camera)	16 megapixels	(dual camera) 12.2 megapixels 12MP telephoto f/2.41/3.4"52mm1.0µmAFOIS2x-optical-zoom
Main camera resolution	4608x3456 pixels	4032x3024 pixels
Video recording (primary)	Full HD (1920x1080) 30 fps	4K UHD (3840x2160) 60 fps
Flash	LED flash	Dual-LED flash
Focal aperture	f/1.7 (aperture)	f/1.5 (aperture)
Focal length	26mm (lens)	26mm (lens)
Sensor size	1/2.8" inches	1/2.55" inches
Pixel size	1.12µm pixel	1.4µm pixel
Autofocus	PDAF: phase detection autofocus	PDAF on back camera and autofocus front camera
Touch focus	Supported	Supported
Image stabilization	EIS: Digital stabilization	OIS: Optical stabilization
Zoom	Only digital zoom	Digital and optical zoom
Face/smile detection	Face detection, Smile detection	Face detection, Smile detection
BSI sensor	Not supported	Supported
HDR	HDR photo on both cameras	HDR photo/video on both cameras
Camera extras	feature not registered	feature not registered
📸 Front camera
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
Front camera (secondary)	(dual front camera) 16 megapixels 8MP wide f/1.91/4"1.12µm24mm	8 megapixels
Front camera resolution	4608x3456 pixels	3264x2448 pixels
Video recording (secondary)	Full HD (1920x1080)	2K UHD (2560x1440)
Front flash	Not supported	Not supported
Focal aperture	f/1.9 (aperture)	f/1.7 (aperture)
Focal length	27mm (lens)	25mm (lens)
Sensor size	1/3.1" inches	1/3.6" inches
Pixel size	1µm pixel	1.22µm pixel
🔉 Sound and multimedia
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
Loudspeaker	Supported	Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz
Active noise cancellation	2 microphones or more	2 microphones or more
Radio	FM	FM
TV	Not supported	Not supported
Video formats	MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV	MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, DivX, XviD
Audio formats	MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC	MP3, OGG, eAAC+, FLAC
🔌 Connectivity
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
USB	USB 2.0 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go	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	5.0 + A2DP/LE	5.0 + A2DP/LE
WiFi	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot
DLNA	Not supported	Not supported
GPS	A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, BeiDou	A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou
NFC	Supported	Supported
Infrared port	Not supported	Not supported
🧭 Sensors
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
Sensors	Accelerometer Ambient light sensor ANT+ Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted) Gyroscope Hall effect 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
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
Battery type	Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable)	Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable)
Battery capacity	3000 mAh	4000 mAh
Charger, watts	18W Wired fast charging	15W Wired fast charging
Inductive / wireless charging	Not supported	Qi wireless charging (Qi/PMA)
Talk time autonomy	19 hours	feature not registered
Standby	feature not registered	feature not registered
➕ Other features
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 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, Gray, Gold, Blue • Samsung DeX (desktop experience) • Samsung Pay • Always-on display • 24-bit/192kHz audio	• Colors: Black, Copper, Purple, Blue • S Pen Stylus (Bluetooth) • Samsung Pay • Samsung DeX
☢️ Radiation rate
	Galaxy A8 2018 (SM-A530W)	Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N960F/DS 128GB)
SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.)	feature not registered	feature not registered
SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.)	feature not registered	0.381W/kg (head), 1.509W/kg (body)