Second Opinion #107: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Review

Ryan reviews what might be the last Samsung Note ever!

Ryan reviews what might be the last Samsung Note ever!

Pricing

$999 Note 20 model

A smaller, stripped down version, essentially an S20+ with S Pen

$1299 Note 20 Ultra model

All the things in this review!
You could customize it a bit further with 512gb storage for some amount more

Display

Size

Slightly shorter, slightly wider than S20U
It’s slightly larger than the previous Note 10+
Weight-wise, it’s a similar feeling, but the center of gravity…

Special features

Keeping many of the same features from previous generations hardware/software wise
The biggest differences…

Samsung’s latest panel – these panels are better every time and this is one good too
The screen itself is very curved as opposed to the S20U’s fairly flat edges, it kind of makes you wonder why they decided to go with such high curvature with the device that could even better utilize the flat surface… it also looks like the Note 10+ more than ever
The screen itself is LPZO(sp?)

This allows it to be brighter (up to 1500 nits?)
This allows for a variable refresh rate that software controls but hardware executes

The in-screen fingerprint scanner seems WAY faster it’s crazy

There’s been rumors of having a new scanner but I heard it’s not in this model this year, so… still waiting… but the difference is here in my usage so far

I noticed using the Note 10+ that the lack of the smooth 120hz adaptive framework (HFR)!
I didn’t think I could notice it but it’s really there

Physicals

Look and feel, build quality

Footprint

Stupidly large
It’s ever-so-slightly shorter than S20U and a tiny bit wider

Weight

It feels lighter but it also has a difference center of gravity based on how it’s thinned out from the S20U

Battery

4500 mAh

500 mAh delta from where the S20U was – kind of a shame that the Note 20 Ultra didn’t have it match – but I appreciate the weight difference

It’s been fine, usually end of day (work from home style) around 60% and I could push it down it to 40% if I actually left the house and took pictures somewhere

Charging

Same as usual; allegedly there were rumors of 45w ultra-mega-battery-acid rapid charging, but not this time
The brick was in the box

Ports

Same as usual; no headphone jack
You know, maybe I miss it occasionally?

Speakers

Not radically different than S20U

Buttons

The buttons return from the S20U and my preferred alignment leaves the Note line – previously they were on the other side (left side), now they’re back on the right

Camera

How is it
Special modes
Notable features
Things to verify

Zoom?

Is 50X/30X zoom anything?

Focus?

Is the focusing better than it was on the S20U?

Specs

CPU

865 Plus

They should have gotten, for an extra dollar, an Ultra SKU

RAM

12GB; you can have no less of course, coming from the S20U

Storage

Weird – just like I mentioned with the S20U – it comes with only 128gb option and a 512gb bump
While the Note 10+ had 256gb as its base

Software

OS

Finally, we can just now begin using Android 10 gestures

Updates
Performance

Seems good to me — it looks just as buttery smooth as the S20U does on the HFR mode

Final thoughts

The Note 20 Ultra is obviously the note to buy
If you’re going to waste $1000 on a phone AND you want a stylus to do high precision work, then get the Ultra – pretend it is the only model
Note 20 Ultra or S 20 Ultra?

Almost definitely N20U now, or wait for whatever the next S-line device and see if Samsung comes to its senses

Attributions

Free Music Archive: Beat Doctor – Organic (electric edit)

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