I have compared a $418 noob V8 sub with a $528 Noob v9 904L steel, and would personally go for the V9, simply because of the better engravings and the better datewheel, not because the steel is "better". I have found no difference in steel. The "story that 904 is much more shiny, brighter, etc" is bs (or marketing), as 316 steel can be finished much brighter than the 904 steel's noob/vrf/etc's factory finish somewhere in the swiss alps of Guangzhou, in the end of the day its about the final finish and what methods are used. (I am not going to get into the details of each particle, molecule, and reactions of these metals, as I am sure by the time its called for that, by then the movements will chew itself within time). However, when one places a v8 and v9 (904) next to each other regardless of the sun, neon, or any other lighting there is absolutely no difference and they both look the same. Second, they even said that the v9's bezel is constructed from a GEN sample that also is a hoax as there is no difference between the v8 and v9 bezel. It's the same bezel construction. Just difference in engraving (namely inner end links, and rehaute), and different datewheel. ( compared in August 2018 - every batch they change something slightly). Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk