update: The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is basically a better version of its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. If you’re trying to decide which to get, you can check out our head-to-head review with both the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra against. Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Its Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (from $1,299) is the best phone to purchase if you’re looking to buy an Android phone with a stylus. This is especially considering that Samsung has stated that a Galaxy Note 21 isn’t happening.
Then, is this phone Note 20 Ultra worth the price? After testing thoroughly this large-screen phone, my first conclusion was that yes. But, the majority of people should wait until an upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, that’s rumored to come with an in-built stylus, and could be a suitable alternative to Galaxy Note. Galaxy Note.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra boasts the world’s largest 6.9-inch display, with a lively 60Hz refresh speed, and a sharp 108MP camera, laser autofocus, and a faster S Pen. The standard Galaxy Note 20 is the best choice for those who are able to be content with a display that is 120Hz and more sophisticated cameras.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the top phone, in general, because it has better cameras and an improved Snapdragon 888 processor. The newer Galaxy S22 Ultra launch is scheduled for February.
But, as you’ll find in my complete Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review, it’s an amazing device.
SAMSUNG GALAXY Note 20 ULTRA SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 20 ULTRA
Price: $1,299
OS: Android 10 with One UI 2.0
Display Size: 6.9-inch MOLED (QHD 120Hz)
CPU Snapdragon 865 Plus
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 128GB, 512GB
Camera in the rear: Wide 108MP (f/1.8) and 12MP telephoto camera with five times optical zoom (f/3.0) as well as 12-MP ultrawide (f/2.2)
The front camera is 10MP (f/2.2)
Batterie: 4,500 mAh
Battery time of life:10 hrs 26 min (7:59 with 120Hz mode)
These are the Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, and Mystic White
Dimensions: 6.48 x 3.04 x 0.32 inches
The weight is 7.33 ounces
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review What I like about it
- Display with Dynamic 120Hz is fantastic scrolling feels like butter when you’ve got the adaptive motion smoothness option turned on. Also, games that have been optimized like Dead Trigger 2 look really smooth.
- It’s the Note Twenty-first century S Pen feels better than pen and paper. You can get a speedy 9ms response and the pen-to-paper feeling. Note-taking on this screen is completely natural, to the point that I forget I’m writing on the screen.
- Space Zoom Camera is awe-inspiring: I got in very close using The Note 20 Ultra’s optical zoom of 5x which put the iPhone’s Pro Max’s 2-x zoom in the shade. The digital zoom was constant up to 20x, but it became shaky when 50x.
- The new S Pen tricks are addictive:The new Air Actions can be useful (like drawing a quick air arc to get home). However, they may not work initially.
- The wireless deX feature as well as Link to Windows work (pretty) well: I managed to connect to get the Note 20 Ultra to connect to my TCL Roku TV wirelessly and make use of the phone as the device to use as a touchpad. Additionally, Link to Windows lets you run Android applications on your PC.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review The things I don’t like about the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
- The cameras bulge can be quite huge: The camera patch on the back of the Note 20 Ultra protrudes a significant amount.
- Curved display could be a hindrance: While it looks cool, the curvature can cause accidental screen taps while you are holding the phone.
- Extremely expensive: $1,300 is a sum to shell out for phones, not even ones with as much power as this top model.
- Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review Price and release date
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra was released on the 21st of August, 2020 and is available on all major carriers. Its 128GB model of Galaxy Note 20 costs $1,299. The 512GB version is priced at $1,449 -the same as the price Samsung offers for its Galaxy Z Flip 5G foldable phone.
Be aware that Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra often sells for sale We’ve seen it for as little as $1,049 at Best Buy with activation.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: Design
Samsung has created its most stylish phone to date through The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The squared-off edges, combined with the elegant Mystic Bronze color gives this phone a classic office look.
I also like the fact that the finish does an excellent job of preventing fingerprints from forming, unlike that of the Aura Glow finish on the Galaxy Note 10 Plus. There is also Note 20 Ultra. Note 20 Ultra is Mystic Black and Mystic White.
There are a few things that I don’t love regarding the style. One of them is The camera on the back is large and bulky. It’s isn’t just reminiscent of brass knuckles, but it also supports the whole phone. It is possible to hear the phone move when you press to at the very top of screen.
While the curvaceous display is attractive however, it could also create accidental taps when you’re not using the phone. In some instances, my screen taps didn’t register because I didn’t know that my hand which was holding the phone was interfering with it.
Dimensions of 6.49 by 3.03 inches by 0.32 millimeters (164.8 by 77.2 x 8.1 millimeters) and weighs 7..3 grams (208 grams) It’s the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is not as large as its predecessor, the Galaxy S20 Ultra (6.6 x 2.7 0.34 0.34 inches 7.7 ounces) However, it’s quite a bit bigger than Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 Plus (6.4 3x 0.31 inches, and 6.9 ounces) that had less compact 6.8-inch display.
There are several concerns by Galaxy Note 20 Ultra owners that the camera’s housing has been accumulating dust and condensation beneath the glass. However, our test unit hasn’t shown any signs of this problem.
Overall, despite a few minor flaws, there are some minor issues with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra really feels and looks as if it’s a phone priced at $1,300.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Compares to. Galaxy Note 10 Plus What’s the difference?
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: Display
The huge 6.9-inch OLED quad HD+ display on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is huge, bold, and vibrant. In addition, it is one of the few Samsung phone to feature the dynamic 120Hz refresh rate.
The Galaxy S20 lineup introduced a more rapid refresh rate for Samsung phones, offering smoother scrolling and more vivid images, particularly in movies and games. It was however something which you needed to manually adjust. In the Note 20 Ultra, the refresh rate automatically adjusts depending the content on the screen, which will help prolong battery life.
While using the display, I found that scrolling was very smooth and speedy in Chrome when Adaptive mode is enabled. You can also select 60Hz on your own if you’d like to preserve every bit of juice.
I also played my hand at the Dead Trigger 2 games, which is among games specifically designed for the 120Hz display. While I was shooting zombies and exploring dark corridors , the game seemed very smooth and was extremely responsive.
The screen of the Note 20 Ultra is extremely bright and quite easy to read under direct sun. The display clocked a impressive 662 nits on our light meters, which is impressive, but not as bright than that of the Apple iPhone 11, Pro’s 752 nits.
The screen of the Note 20 Ultra produced 121.5 percent of the sRGB color spectrum when in Natural Mode and 201.2% in Vivid mode. This is compared to 118.6 percent for the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Note 20 Ultra’s display Note 20 Ultra beats Apple on precision, scoring an average Delta-E score of 0.24 which is in comparison to 0.28 on Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro Max (where zero is the ideal score).
A few Galaxy Note 20 Ultra owners complain that there is a green tint is visible across the display as the screen’s brightness gets reduced. We haven’t encountered this issue on our test device. We have contacted Samsung but they did not have any comments at the present moment.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has three rear cameras, as well as an auto-focus laser which should solve one of the biggest complaints regarding Galaxy S20 Ultra. Galaxy S20 Ultra and its problems with focus.
The phablet’s camera set-up starts with a wide-angle 108MP camera that has an f/1.8 aperture. It’s coupled with a 12MP ultra-wide camera that offers a 120-degree angle of vision and f/2.2. A telephoto 12 MP lens provides five times optical zoom, and the possibility of a super zoom.
I tested the extremely powerful Space Zoom on the Note 20 Ultra using this tree as my topic. In the image below the results are pretty sharp up to 10x zoom, however those 20x, and more specifically the 50x shots appear blurry. But, it’s superior to what you can get with the iPhone at the moment.
The 108MP camera could seem like an overkill however it could help for those who want the flexibility to crop into a picture later. Be sure to have enough light as this setting should be utilized outdoors.
Like you see on this picture of decorations for Halloween I was able to narrow in on only a few of straws, the people, ghosts and a witch, and you still get lots of details. There’s a little background noise.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s night Mode is great, but it’s not as bright or bright as is the iPhone 11 Pro could muster. It’s evident in this picture of a fruit basket , taken in total darkness. It is possible to see more of the lemons as well as Apples and the actual basket.
Note 20 Ultra Note 20 Ultra delivered better results than the iPhone 11 Pro in this close-up of flowers. This is because the Note 20 Ultra’s shot is closer to the real thing because the petals appear more red than violet , and its white balance appears more balanced. The iPhone’s image blurs out the background.
The Note 20 Ultra did a decent job of portraits, however Samsung’s tendency to wash out faces is common and it’s evident that it has a little issue with the sun’s rays in my arms. In contrast, the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s portrait is much more pleasing and it makes me pop more in the background even if the image is too warm.
The area where it is that the Note 20 really beats the iPhone is its zoom. When zoomed 10x, you can see a tree crossing an eddy, you can discern more details in the bark as well as the surrounding leaves. The only issue is that Samsung blows out a few of the most striking parts.
Its Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra camera has turned into a great cooking companion. It was able to record the delicious juice from the the top of this steak, while grilling as well as the flames below, while making sure that everything was at a sharp angle.
If you’re looking to capture the most clear and crisp video you can you’ll be happy to learn that Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra can record video in 8K with a an aspect ratio of 21:9 at as high as 24 frames/second. It also has a brand innovative Pro Video mode that lets you adjust the focus, the exposure and the zoom speed. In addition, you can make use of the microphones that are onboard, or external microphones, like Galaxy Buds Live. Galaxy Buds Live.
The selfie camera with 12MP up in front (f/2.2) features a 120-degree field of view. This will be useful when taking group pictures. In this photo it appears that it appears that the Note 20 Ultra did a fantastic job at capturing the stunning green backdrop of the park nearby and the blue on my shirt really sparkles. My face, however, appears slightly smooth and dirty.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: S Pen
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra features a fast 9ms reaction time for its S Pen, which is specifically designed to provide the most pen-to-paper experience while taking notes or drawing.
Additionally it also has the S Pen now offers five new actions that can be performed anywhere, and are based upon previous Air Actions from the Galaxy Note 10 series. You can go back on the main screen snap screen shots, go back to an app you’ve recently opened and more with a variety of gestures. However, it’ll take some time before you are able to remember every gesture that is based on Anywhere.
Other S Pen updates are available from the software side. The upgraded Samsung Notes app now includes Live Sync so you can save all your notes to the cloud and then access them on any device.
Additionally it, the Note 20 Ultra is smart enough to the notes with voice recordings so that you’ll be able to be able to hear what’s being recorded right as you wrote down the idea.
I recorded notes on my voice using Samsung Notes. Samsung Notes app, and sure enough I was able to see what I had written highlighted when I replayed back the video.
Additionally to that, in addition, the Samsung Notes app now makes it easier to locate your notes using a similar structure to a file folder on a PC. It can also improve your handwriting.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: Performance
It’s the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is among the most powerful Android phones on the market, because it’s among the first handsets to have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 Plus processor. This processor boosts the speed of the CPU by 10%, up to 3.1 milliseconds and graphics are 10 percent faster than the standard Snapdragon 865 chip in Galaxy S20. Galaxy S20.
The processor comes by 12GB RAM, and either 128GB or 128GB or 512GB of storage internal. For $1,299I would prefer that the Ultra had 500GB of storage, however, you’ll be able to increase the capacity of your microSD card slot to up to 1TB.
I passed my Note 20 Ultra to our Fortnite expert in residence, my 12-year-old son. He discovered the game to be smooth enough that I needed to fight hard to get it back.
On Geekbench which is a measure of overall performance it was found that the Note 20 Ultra hit a multi-core score of 3,294. This is more than most Android phones, but is far behind the ROG Phone 3 with the same Snapdragon 865 Plus chip, which scored 3,393. iPhone 11 Pro scored 3,500. iPhone 11 Pro scored an even higher score of 3,500.
Note 20 Ultra Note 20 Ultra also trailed the iPhone in our test for editing videos which took approximately 1 min and 16 sec, compared to the iPhone’s 45-second time.
In the GFXBench tests for graphics Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Galaxy Note 20 Ultra scored 1,455 frames for the Aztec Ruins (High Tier) off-screen benchmark as compared to 1,657 frames on iPhone 11 Pro. iPhone 11 Pro.
Like you’d expect from a flagship of this quality model, it’s the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra supports all 5G variants which means you’ll be able to join sub-6 GHz networks as well as mmWave networks in a matter of minutes wherever they are.
Within New Jersey I saw decent download speeds on the T-Mobile 5G network. The speeds ranged between 40 Mbps to 99 Mbps. But it wasn’t flashing. Upload speeds ranged from 10 to 35 Mbps.
On Geekbench which is a measure of overall performance it was found that the Note 20 Ultra hit a multi-core score of 3,294. This is more than most Android phones, but is far behind the ROG Phone 3 with the same Snapdragon 865 Plus chip, which scored 3,393. iPhone 11 Pro scored 3,500. iPhone 11 Pro scored an even higher score of 3,500.
Note 20 Ultra Note 20 Ultra also trailed the iPhone in our test for editing videos which took approximately 1 min and 16 sec, compared to the iPhone’s 45-second time.
In the GFXBench tests for graphics Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Galaxy Note 20 Ultra scored 1,455 frames for the Aztec Ruins (High Tier) off-screen benchmark as compared to 1,657 frames on iPhone 11 Pro. iPhone 11 Pro.
Like you’d expect from a flagship of this quality model, it’s the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra supports all 5G variants which means you’ll be able to join sub-6 GHz networks as well as mmWave networks in a matter of minutes wherever they are.
Within New Jersey I saw decent download speeds on the T-Mobile 5G network. The speeds ranged between 40 Mbps to 99 Mbps. But it wasn’t flashing. Upload speeds ranged from 10 to 35 Mbps.
A few reviewers have expressed concern of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra can get a bit hot. An note 20 ultra teardown shows that the handset is using the multi-layered graphite thermal pad to help in dissipating heat instead using the copper pipe or vapor chamber systems that is used on Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra. We haven’t had any issues with heat.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: DeX and Link to Windows
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is targeted at those who want to be able to compete to increase their productivity This phone comes with some major improvements in this regard.
Multitaskers will be pleased with the upgraded DeX experience and it’s now wireless, rather than requiring users to connect via dock or cable for connection to your screen. You can now beam what’s displayed on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra screen to a compatible smart television from across the room. the TV has to be able to have support for Miracast however.
Another important update Another important upgrade is Link to Windows integration, which lets you access mobile applications using the Windows 10 PC via the Your Phone app. I could communicate and get messages in, as well as make phone calls and view my notifications on my Galaxy Tab S laptop. I was also able to scroll through my photos gallery.
The fun starts when you begin running Android applications in your computer. I’ve played a few games, such as Asphalt 9, which ran more smoothly here than in DeX mode. Keyboard controls worked fine however, you can utilize the touchscreen on your laptop.
Certain apps were running in full-screen mode, however Skyforce’s Skyforce shooting game played in a smaller window. Samsung claims it will Link to Windows will eventually allow users to run up six mobile apps on your computer simultaneously.
The last thing to mention is that there is a way to replicate the interface of the Galaxy Note 20 directly onto your Windows laptop and run applications from there. I had no issues opening Twitter or scrolling my Twitter feed. It’s not possible to do this on an iPhone.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: Xbox Game Pass
With the power of Microsoft’s xCloud game streamingservice, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra can play over 100 Xbox games through Xbox Game Pass (currently in beta). The games include Gears 5, Forza Horizon 4, Minecraft Dungeons and Halo Master Chief. Master Chief collection.
I played a few rounds of Forza with the gampplay feature, and it was quite fluid with the PS4 controller despite the fact that I was streaming it over the cloud. The only downside was waiting for a long time for each game to load However, this wait time might be reduced when Xbox Game Pass is out of the way.
Xbox Game Pass costs $15 for a month. When you connect with the Note 20 Ultra with a game controller, it will appear like a mini-console. (Those who order Note 20 Ultra in advance Note 20 Ultra can get an initial three-month trial for free.) The fun starts on October 15th as the official launch date for the service kicks off. We’ll be reporting back with the final thoughts.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review The life of the battery and charging
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra packs the most powerful 4,500 mAh battery that did well in everyday usage.
After disconnecting the power at 9 am, I plugged in to use the Note 20 Ultra with a variety of applications. I watched half an hour Umbrella Academy on Netflix, streaming Spotify using the screen for about an hour and a half, and played 40 minutes in Fortnite. I also played Twitter for about an hour, browsed the internet and checked my email.
After all this, I had around 27% juice remaining at 9 midnight. This isn’t bad at all.
The Note 20 Ultra endured for 10 hours and 26 minutes during test of the Tom’s Guide battery test, which is a continuous web browsing with 150 nits of brightness. The screen’s brightness is greater than 5G. We used T-Mobile’s network. It was using a 60Hz screen mode enabled. The device was idle for 7:59 when 60Hz mode on.
In contrast to it’s the Galaxy S20 Plus with its battery of 4,500 mAh was able to last for 11 hours, 31 mins and 8:55 in the 120Hz mode. The OnePlus 8 Pro lasts for 11 hours and 5 minutes with 60Hz as well as 9:02 when in 120Hz. The phones that make up our top phone battery life list last for more than 10 hours.
Note 20 Ultra Note 20 Ultra comes with an X25-watt charger that powered the phone to 56% in just 30 minutes. It’s great, but not quite as fast as the Note 8’s 63% charge in the same time.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: Verdict
Its Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a close second to the top of Android smartphones — and it’s priced at $1,299. It is a top-of-the-line display, with a superior S Pen experience and a variety of features that are perfect for working and playing. The cameras are excellent and fix the focus issue using Galaxy S20 Ultra. Galaxy S20 Ultra, and the powerful zoom feature and Xbox game play provide users the Note 20 Ultra a couple of advantages over the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the top camera phone, based on our tests, since it has a larger main sensor that allows for more light, and a LiDAR sensor which accelerates autofocus, and Dolby Vision video editing and recording. Additionally, the latest iPhone has a stronger Ceramic Shield display. It’s not equipped with it’s ultra-high resolution display of 120Hz, as well as S Pen support.
There are some who prefer the more modern Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with a price of $1,199. It has more power, faster processors, more powerful cameras, and comes with S Pen support. If you would like to have a stylus included, I’d recommend Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, particularly since the Galaxy Note 21reportedly will not be released until the end of the year.
