The Samsung galaxy note 5 is a steal right now, I’m seeing it priced for less than $200 on Amazon and eBay alike but how does it hold up to its successor the Galaxy Note 9 in today’s age in your in need for a pocket sketchbook?

Software

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is almost 4 years old now but it stills packs a punch as a former top tier phone. It’s currently running Android 7.0 very well. That being said, the note 5 fluidity still falls short the One UI update of the Galaxy Note 9. Long are the often sluggish loading times on Samsung’s TouchWiz at least on the Galaxy Note 9. 

If you really can’t stand TouchWiz on the galaxy note 5, there’s always the possible option to root your phone or flash a custom ROM. If you have no idea what I’m talking about then it’s best not to go forward with it. it’s essentially like jailbreaking your android phone but it’s a lot less painful than it’s IOS counterparts and you can revert back. Again make sure you do your research based on the specific model of your phone.

With that being said, if that’s too much of a hassle then an upgrade is definitely worth it. Personally, for me, TouchWiz is pretty decent, not the biggest reason to upgrade. The winner in this section is the Galaxy Note 9 as it’s still getting the newest software updates from Samsung.

Why defend the Galaxy Note 5?

I’m a realist, no matter how much I love the features of the galaxy note 9, I don’t want to put it on a pedestal. Yesterday’s hardware still works pretty great today. As an owner of both phones, I can honestly say, I’m pretty happy with the experiences of both as an artist and college student. I’m here to help YOU make a better decision for your needs. Even as the target audience for this post and video is mostly artists/creative folks, I understand that certain features or lack of may hurt your experience, not everyone is the same. It’s up to you to decide how much your willing to spend on to get those features. 

With that bit of forewarning, that why I urge so much to buy yesterday’s hardware especially if you cannot afford it. That’s why I’m not outwardly saying go with the galaxy note 9. On paper, it may check all the boxes but maybe not make all the differences for you, especially with that heavy price tag.

S-pen

  • The tip of the S-pen is a lot finer on the Galaxy Note 9
    • comes in handy when you’re doing detailed drawings
  • It has more pressure sensitivity on the  Galaxy Note 9
    • results in a nicer more realistic pen & paper drawing experience
    • 2,048 pressure levels on the note 5
    • 4,096 on the note 9
  • S-pen on the note 5 breaks easier

The final verdict

The Samsung galaxy note 5 is still a great device for artist despite some of its drawbacks and I’d still recommend it in 2019 especially to beginners or anyone new in the digital art space. As a phone in day to day use it’s decent, as a little pocket sketchbook, the galaxy note 5 is still a great option. The galaxy note 9, on the other hand, is a total power meant for more than just drawing, the one thousand dollar flagship delivers quite well with its arsenal of features that other phone at its price point simply don’t offer at that price point. All in all, you will not be disappointed as the S-pen is given a lot of major upgrades since the galaxy note 5 and with DeX mode built in, you have basically a mini PC in your pocket. I hope this was helpful if you guys have any questions, comments or concerns leave them down below.