Believe it or not, even a $1,000 superphone (or less nowadays, since it’s been out for a while now) can be improved with a few choice accessories. It never hurts to give it some protection with a case and screen protector, and there are all kinds of useful peripherals like wireless chargers and headphones that improve the already stellar experience of using the Galaxy Note 9.
Best overall case
Spigen Rugged Armor Case
There are a million different cases to choose from, but the Rugged Armor is a great option for most people in search of simple protection. It’s light enough to keep the Note 9 manageable while still protecting it from any serious drops (though the grippy backing should keep you from dropping it in the first place). The carbon fiber stylings up top and bottom add a bit of aesthetic flair, and as an added bonus, the camera cutout makes it a bit easier to find the fingerprint sensor.
$12 at Amazon
Best clear case
Spigen Liquid Crystal
The Note 9 comes in some great-looking color options, so why not show them off with a clear case? The Liquid Crystal is an ultra-thin, minimalist case made of a flexible TPU material that keeps your glass back from getting scratched up in your pocket or on a table. You still get easy access to all of the phone’s ports, including the S Pen slot, and the case is thin enough that wireless charging will work without a problem.
$11 at Amazon
Best heavy-duty case
Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro
Supcase makes some of the most durable cases around, including the peculiarly-named Unicorn Beetle Pro. While it isn’t a slim or particularly pocketable case by any means, it’s one of the best ways to protect your phone from absolutely everything that crosses its path. The rubberized outer shell and hard inner plastic can take a beating, and the case comes with a built-in plastic screen protector, kickstand, and even a belt clip if you’re into that.
$20 at Amazon
Cover your glass
Whitestone Dome Glass Screen Protector
Before you even think about taking your phone out of the box, you should have some kind of glass protection ready — for that, it’s hard to argue with Whitestone’s Dome Glass protector. It’s one of the few that wraps around the Note 9’s curved glass panel and won’t affect S Pen functionality. It’s a bit pricey, but let’s be honest, your high-end phone deserves better than a cheap screen protector anyway.
$50 at Amazon
Extra storage
Samsung EVO Plus 128GB MicroSD Card
The Galaxy Note 9 is already available in up to a whopping 512GB, but if you’re a media junkie who stores and captures a ton of 4K content, you might want to up your storage even further with a microSD card. Samsung’s EVO Plus cards are among the best in the market, with fast read and write speeds and affordable pricing. The 128GB model should be plenty for most people, but you can as much as double your storage with an EVO Plus.
$24 at Amazon
Wireless power
Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charging Convertible
Samsung’s convertible stand is still one of the best wireless charging options around. It reaches up to 9 watts on the Note 9, and can be laid flat or adjusted to position your phone vertically when on a desk. The fans on the back keep the charger cool, and the leather-like surface is grippy enough to keep your phone from sliding off, even without a case. As an added bonus, it runs off of USB-C, just like the phone itself. Yay, open standards!
$49 at Amazon
Qi on the road
Lynktec Bolt Wireless Charging Car Mount
You’re going to want a car charger for those long road trips and times when you’re just stuck sitting in traffic. Lynktec’s car mount is incredibly intuitive, with a touch sensor that automatically opens its clamps and a proximity sensor that closes them back when you set your phone down. It’s Qi-enabled for wireless charging, meaning you can leave your charging cable plugged into the Bolt and stop fiddling with cords on your phone.
$50 at Amazon
Extra power on the go
Aukey 10,000mAh Battery Pack
If you tend to travel by plane or train more than by car, a battery bank might be a better way to keep your Note 9 fueled. Aukey’s 10,000mAh pack has almost three times the capacity of the Note 9 itself and recharges via USB-C. There are larger battery packs out there, but the PowerCore 13000 perfectly balances slim design, portability, and high capacity. Best of all, it supports Quick Charge 3.0 and USB Power Delivery 2.0.
$30 at Amazon
Notifications on your wrist
Samsung Galaxy Watch
The Galaxy Watch is perfect for managing notifications and tracking fitness, and its rotating bezel makes navigating through the Tizen interface a joy. It comes in two sizes, so you don’t have to settle for a watch that’s too big or too small. It may seem strange to call a $280+ smartwatch an accessory, but that’s exactly what it is. Depending on where you stand, the lack of WearOS is either the best or worst part of the Galaxy Watch, but either way, it’s hard to argue with its modern design and days-long battery life.
$279 at Amazon
Wireless earbuds
Samsung Galaxy Buds
The Galaxy Buds are Samsung’s answer to Apple’s popular AirPods. They’re truly wireless earbuds the fit snugly into your ears and come with adjustable eartips and wingtips to fit any ear canal. Each earbud can run for up to six hours on a single charge, and the included carrying case carries a full additional charge. The Galaxy Buds are also splash resistant, and the AKG-tuned sound can be tweaked within the software to get just the right EQ.
$129 at Amazon
Silence is bliss
Sony WH-1000XM3
Some airline employees may still be wary of the Galaxy Note name, but rest assured, you can definitely fly with the Note 9. Of course, the best way to fly is with noise-canceling headphones, and the Sony 1000XM3s are some of the most well-received on the market. They offer excellent audio quality, along with active noise-canceling, long battery life, and a compact design that all amount to a great pair of headphones for any noisy situation.
$348 at Amazon
Stand on its own
Scooch Wingback Universal Kickstand
The Scooch Wingback is an adjustable kickstand that adheres to the back of your phone case (or the back of the phone itself, but we wouldn’t recommend that). It doubles as a phone grip, and even works with car mounts. It’s perfect for propping up your phone while watching videos on the Note 9’s huge screen, and the metal spring tape won’t wear out like other grips. The only downside is that the Wingback interrupts wireless charging.
$15 at Amazon
Choosing the right case
There are seemingly endless great cases to choose from, especially with a popular phone like the Galaxy Note 9. Spigen makes some of our favorites; the Rugged Armor perfectly blends style, slim design, and protection for a case that meets most people’s needs, while the Liquid Crystal lets you show off the beautiful glass backing of your Note 9 without leaving it completely exposed.
If you really need the most protective case around, though, the Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro is a great choice. It’s bulky, but that extra thickness makes it impervious to just about any drops and keeps dust out of the phone, too.
Further accessorizing your Note 9
Cases are great, but they’re not all you can add to your Note 9. A screen protector goes a long way to further protecting your screen from scratching or even shattering in the event of a drop, which is exactly why we recommend Whitestone’s Dome Glass. It uses UV light to adhere perfectly to the Note 9’s display, curves and all.
It also never hurts to have more ways of keeping your phone charged, like Samsung’s convertible wireless charger or the Aukey’s 10,000mAh battery bank. If you end up grabbing the Galaxy Watch or some other smartwatch, though, you might be better suited with the Wireless Charger Duo instead.
For audio, Sony’s 1000XM3s and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds are among the best wireless headphones in their respective classes, but they’re also both pricey. If you’re on a tighter budget, the OnePlus Bullets or the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT are also great options.
