Note 9 Screen Popping/Cracking Sound

[mstrmind5]

Hello All,

I recently bought a brand new Note 9 from John Lewis and have had it for about 2 weeks now. It's been a great phone with one major issue: whenever I clean the screen with a microfibre cloth I can hear a clear and loud popping/cracking sound. This happens when the phone is both powered on or off, the temperature of the phone makes no difference either and it happens around most of the screen surface, it doesn't seem to matter. Also when I fog the screen with my breathe I can see marks/patterns even if the screen is completely clean. I am not using a screen protector or a case. I am storing it in a pouch.

I did a little digging around online and a few others have had a similar issue too, their issues seems to be when they touch the screen. The consensus seems to be that there is an issue with the glue/adhesive with the glue possibly being weak or loose. The thing that worries me is that it could affect the water resistance. I don't want to risk something going wrong with the screen later down the road, manufacturers do anything to not accept responsibility especially when it comes to screens.

I contacted John Lewis for a replacement and the second Note 9 has the exact same issue. At least one person who got a replacement got a new unit where the popping was worse and just refunded it. I don't know what to do now. Apart from this issue the phone is great and I bought it for a really good price with the cashback promotion that was on recently.

So, do I try my luck again with another replacement, but what if that develops this issue later on? Do I just get a refund and look elsewhere at another brand, which will sadly be more expensive?

Has anyone else experienced this issue and what did you do? How common is this problem?

[BandOfBrothers]

I'd certainly support the idea to swap it out again.

This is an expensive phone so it has to be right.

Personally I would acquire a refund and if you've got a Samsung Experience Store local go there and buy one.

Mine has been fine.

[mstrmind5]

So I am going to swap it out.

Would love to get one from a Samsung store (there's 2 not too far from me), but it will cost a lot more than what I paid for it from John Lewis.

[BandOfBrothers]

Did John Lewis have some kind of sale on ?

I bought my Samsung Note 9 which us a 512Gb from a Samsung Experience  Store and had £300 taken off the price as I gave them my Samsung Galaxy s8 phone.

I wish you all the best with the swap.

Unbox it in the store to test as then your not then having to potentially go all the way back to the shop.

[mstrmind5]

John Lewis price matched the phone, and with the Samsung £150 casahback promo added on top I got a better price overall than if I had bought it from Samsung themselves. This if for the 128GB Ocean blue single sim version.

My plan was to go into the Samsung store first and chat to them about the issue, then go into the John Lewis store to do the swap. As you say unbox the replacement phone and test it to make sure all is okay before leaving. Whether it develops this issue over time, I sure as hell hope not.

Quick question: I think I read this elsewhere but can't remember, but have they reduced the thickness of the screens used in the Note 9/S9 phone lineups compared to previous verions of the galaxy phone lineup?

[BandOfBrothers]

That's indeed a good price by John Lewis:)

I buy from Samsung because I want the BTU Csc Code which can make a difference when receiving software and security patch updates.

In regards to the thickness of the Note 9 Glass Screen display you may have seen something similar to > pocketnow.com/two-extra-weeks-for-galaxy-note-9-to-make-it-thinner.

" 0.5mm thinner than originally intended. "

Wether that's the actual case I do not know.

[muzza]

Hi, yh I'm experiencing the same issue with my note 9, just had it replaced due faulty mic, now this one, crashing sound in the screen when screen is on or off, but my phone reboots intermittently also, gona phone Samsung and get them to do a door step swap. You should check the phones screen before you leave the shop.

[mstrmind5]

Sorry to hear that muzza.

Luckily for me, the 3rd Note 9 I received doesn't have that popping/cracking/sticky sound. The AMOLED tech on their screens is the best around (prefer if it had more natural colours, but hey). On the other hand their QC on the physical screen panels and their construction is not good enough.

I have heard of too many units with the issue I had (even found it on a friends S7 the other day). I'm guessing more have it, as it isn't something you would find unless you was looking for it. Also can see two other common themes in their panels. Firstly, very faint diagonal marks running from top left diagonally down to bottom right of the Note 9 panel. This is present in all Note 9 screens I have seen. Probably part of the way they are manufactured, but I'm not sure why that would be present. Secondly, the screen surface isn't completely flat (not the curved edges of course). I can clearly see the uneveness in reflections when the screen is off. Doesn't affect the image produced by the screen. Again poor construction.

Never seen these three things in other screens I have encountered before. I have seen the typical screen issues, like backlight bleed, etc which I haven't seen in the Note 9 or Samsung Galaxy phones that I have seen so far. I can't help but think that the curved edges must have some bearing on these physical issues with screen. Maybe I'm wrong but the number issues is quite high in the small sample I have seen.

[mstrmind5]

All the Note 9s I got from John Lewis have the BTU Csc code, same as the one I got from Samsung. Just waiting on for One UI to drop now.

[Ahmed_muntasser]

I have the same issue .. when I press my screen .. it makes that disappointing popping/cracking sound . 

And Im just using the case that comes with the phone .

But my question .. is this issue important ? And how does it affect the phone ?

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

128GB