Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review

Added by on 08.06.20 | Last update 08.17.23
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the most powerful smartphone in the South Korean manufacturer's lineup. But is that enough to get you intrigued and buying it now? We highly recommend you read the following lines. There you will find the answers to your questions.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Specifications

  • Release date: 2020, August 05
  • Colors: Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, Mystic White
  • Dimensions: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm.
  • Weight: 208 g.
  • Screen: 6.9" in, 1440 x 3088, Dynamic AMOLED 2X
  • Camera : Triple, 108MP
  • Chipset: Exynos 990 (7 nm+)
  • CPU: Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - Global
    Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 585) - USA
  • Memory: 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM
  • Battery: 4500,  Non-removable Li-Ion
  • Network: GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
  • Operating system: Android 10, One UI 2.5
  • Sensors: Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

If you are curious to find out all the details before reading the full review, visit the page for Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Specs, where you will find even the smallest detail about the phone.

Design

The Note series has always impressed with its design. It is distinguished by its dimensions from the S-series. When the first Note appeared years ago, many users described it as a "shovel" with a stylus. That time has passed, and today the Galaxy Note's dimensions are not a topic of conversation. The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has been given a 6.9-inch diagonal screen and minimally differs in dimensions - height and thickness, from its Galaxy S20 Ultra relative.

On both the front and back, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is covered with tempered Gorilla Glass Victus. According to the manufacturer, it is even stronger and does not scratch easily. Plus, the casing is protected to IP68 standard.

This smartphone is marketed in three colours - bronze, white and black. Undoubtedly, the black variant will become a favorite of thousands of users.

Display

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has received a 6.9-inch display with a resolution of 3088 x 1440 pixels and a pixel density of 496, which is made using Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology. It supports a 120 Hz refresh rate, which doesn't work at maximum resolution but only at 1080 pixels.  It is adaptive, i.e. the smartphone decides on its own when to demand a maximum frequency and when to lower it. There is logic in this. When viewing photos, as the manufacturer claims, the frequency amounts to 10 Hz, and when reading texts - 30 Hz. When actively scrolling and gaming, this indicator reaches the maximum.

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra's display supports HDR10+ in playback mode. The panel demonstrates good viewing angles. The oleophobic coating is good. Users get an Always-On Display mode that can be customized, i.e. one can choose what to see on it and how.

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra responds immediately when you pick it up. The screen turns on, the time and available notifications are displayed.

Performance

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is based on the Samsung Exynos 990, which uses a three-cluster architecture. It has a block of two cores clocked at 2.73 GHz, a block of two Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.6 GHz, and a block of four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz. A Mali-G77 MP11 controller is responsible for graphics processing. The processor includes a dual-core NPU module, which is responsible for accelerating AI operations.

Cameras

In terms of cameras, Samsung has taken a few steps forward and a few steps back with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra model. The main module is 108 MP. The subpixels in it are grouped not by four, but by nine, giving as a result an image with a resolution of 12 MP. A f/1.8 lens with an equivalent focal length of 26 mm works with this sensor. Hybrid autofocus is provided- Dual Pixel system and laser focus. The wide-angle camera has a 12 MP sensor, a f/2.2 lens and no autofocus.

The telephoto module features a 12 MP f/3.0 lens and an equivalent focal length of 120 mm, which provides five times optical zoom.

There is no TOF camera in the Note20 Ultra. However, there will be no issues with the so-called live focus. Three focal lengths are available, and background blur is implemented without issue. With this smartphone, you won't be able to shoot video with an artificially blurred background.  

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra features advanced video recording capabilities. It can record 8K video at a frame rate of 24 frames per second and in 21:9 format.

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra's 10-megapixel front camera features autofocus and an f/2.2 lens. It can shoot at two focal lengths.

Autonomous operation

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has an impressively large screen with an increased refresh rate, which means that the battery capacity - 4500 mAh, may be insufficient for too good an end result. 

Conclusion

In the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, you get ample memory - 256 GB, a camera that shoots even better and clearer, and an up-to-date design solution. Yes, the battery life isn't its forte, but you can't resist the quality screen and the presence of a stylus. With this smartphone, your daily life will be much more exciting to share. Don't be deterred from buying it if you love taking photos, watching videos and have a large enough desktop to work on.  

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra video review

Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is based on our team's personal experience with the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and third-party sources. While every effort has been made to provide accurate and reliable information, readers should keep in mind that this is a subjective assessment. The writing of this article was not paid for or sponsored by Samsung.

Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor

Hello, I am Richard Taylor, a technology expert and journalist from the UK. I have a degree in Computer Science from the University of Birmingham. My passion is the latest technology, especially smartphones. That's why I chose to test, analyze, and write expert reviews about them. My technical expertise, combined with a deep passion for technology and years of experience, has made me a trusted source of information. Over the years, I have written reviews for various sites, but for quite some time now, I have been writing exclusively for PhonesData. You can see more about me here or read all my smartphone reviews here.

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