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Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is simply WOW! This is a phone that is sure to blow your mind beyond expectations. This device features a camera that will change the way you see photography, bringing you into the light of classic and well take shots.
The camera of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the most remarkable feature of this smartphone. This smartphone sports the best camera on an android phone, thanks to its 5x optical zoom, 50x digital zoom, fun portrait filters and easy-to-use camera app interface.
It’s been fun playing with this bad boy. The camera shoots quality photos but the photo processing still aggressively smooths textures in low-light conditions. This issue is not easily noticed by average users, but people with photography knowledge will be able to spot this. The camera has gotten better at taking clean shots at Night Mode.
An issue faced in the Samsung galaxy S20 ultra has also been rectified in the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The note 20 Ultra added a laser autofocus to reduce photos with out of focus issues.
Samsung Note 20 Ultra is the bomb, with its 6.9-inch display with 120Hz refresh rate, 12GB of RAM, 5G connectivity and all-day battery life. Its S Pen also comes with new features that allow you to synchronize voice recordings with your scribbled-down notes.
Though the phone supports Quad HD resolution, Samsung makes use of 1080p as defaults. With both the Quad HD and 120HZ refresh rate on this device, the phone can only use one of them at a time.
Aside from the absence of a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and lack of 45W fast charging, this device has it all.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra release date and price
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 ultra was released worldwide on the 21st of August 2020 after its announcement on the 5th of August.
The low-end models of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra price starts at $1,299 / £1,179 / AU$1,849. In the US you can get the model with 128GB of internal storage. Whereas in the UK and Australia you can get the 256GB of internal storage model.
The high-end model with 512GB of internal storage of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra price starts at $1,449 / £1,279 / AU$2,199.
Note, all models of the galaxy Note 20 Ultra comes with 12GB of RAM and a microSD card slot for expanding on the built-in storage.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Design Review
The Note 20 Ultra is a massive device when held. It mostly requires the use of two paws to effectively use the smartphone.
The design of this device is totally impressive. Samsung made use of a less reflective glass back that also reduces smudges on the rear.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra sports a 6.9-inch squared frame display with slight curves at the right and left sides. This allows for the easy and comfortable use of the S Pen on this device.
The design has a large camera bump on the back of the phone. However, this is justified by how good the cameras are and the quality of photos they take.
There’s a USB-C port on the bottom, the S Pen has switched sides from its traditional spot and there’s a SIM/expandable slot on the top. An IP68 rating for water resistance remains.
The phone is available in three colours; the Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black and Mystic White.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Display Review
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Utra has one of the best displays on an Android. The device has a 6.9-inch display with 120Hz refresh rate. However, while using this phone you must choose between 120Hz in 1080p or dropping to 60Hz to enjoy the Quad HD resolution. The 120Hz 1080p setting is the best setting for you given its good out of the box look. Not to be a pain in the ass, but the choice lies with you and what your preferences are, we are merely making a suggestion that will be of benefit to you.
Something you will enjoy with this 120Hz display is the game playing experience and movie watching. Actions are much smoother on this display. The refresh rate also adjusts depending on what you are doing to help preserve battery life.
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Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Camera Review
The Note 20 Ultra addresses the problem of taking photo shots from distance with its zoom capabilities. With a 5x optical zoom and maximum 50x digital zoom you are sure to get quality photos of objects far away from you.
Photos taken with up to 10x zoom on this device were quite clear. However, the photo quality depends on the lighting conditions under which the shoots were taken.
You’ll take the majority of your snaps with the 108 MP main sensor which, by default, brings multiple pixels together to give you brighter 12-megapixel images. Or you can shoot at the full 108MP resolution, just don’t expect these to be easily shareable due to their large sizes.
There’s also a 12MP ultra-wide and a 12MP telephoto with some clever periscope glass over it that allows for particularly good 5x optical zoom. Samsung has done a fantastic job at matching the colours between all three camera sensors. This means whichever focal length you choose there’s a sense that they’re all coming from the same place.
Here’s where Samsung wins, even if images from its phones aren’t ‘the best’ when it comes to pixel-peeping: it has the easiest to use and most fun smartphone camera.
What Else?
It’s the little things, the features which enable you to set up a shot quickly, that make us appreciate Samsung’s refined camera app functionality:
- Double tapping the power button to quickly launch the camera app.
- Making an open-hand gesture to trigger selfies so that you can hold your arm out and frame up the shot.
- Seeing a timer ring form around the 10MP selfie camera punch hole, rather than having to badly guess where the camera lens is inside the display.
- Swiping anywhere on the viewfinder portion of the screen to flip between the front and rear cameras.
The Note 20 Ultra record’s videos in 8K resolution in either a 16:9 aspect ratio or the new 21:9 cinema format.
We found Single-take Mode useful for snapping multiple photos and videos at the same time using the phone’s various cameras and modes.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Battery life Review
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra lasted for an entire day on a single charge on average use. It’s not the longest lasting Samsung device out there, but its 4,500mAh battery seems to be doing an excellent job.
The Note 20 Ultra supports 25W charging, 15W wireless fast charging and wireless Power Share. The Power Share allows you to power up you Qi-chargeable devices like your earbuds. The Samsung Note 20 Ultra is also equipped with power-saving options for emergency situations to drastically drop battery consumption.
The 25W fast charging boost charging speed to get you from zero to fully charged in one hour and nine minutes.
Specifications
General
| Brand | Samsung |
| Model | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra |
| Launch Date | 5th August 2020 |
| Form factor | Touchscreen |
| Body type | Glass |
| Dimensions (mm) | 164.80 x 77.20 x 8.10 |
| Weight (g) | 208.00 |
| IP rating | IP68 |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | 4500 |
| Removable battery | No |
| Fast charging | Proprietary |
| Wireless charging | Yes |
| Colours | Mystic Black, Mystic Bronze, Mystic White |
Display
| Screen size (inches) | 6.90 |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Resolution | 1440×3200 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 19.3:9 |
| Pixels per inch (PPI) | 508 |
Hardware
| Processor | 2.4GHz octa-core (4×2.4GHz + 4×1.8GHz) |
| Processor make | Samsung Exynos 990 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Internal storage | 256GB |
| Expandable storage | Yes |
| Expandable storage type | microSD |
| Dedicated microSD slot | No |
Camera
| Rear camera | 108-megapixel (f/1.8, 0.8-micron) + 12-megapixel (f/3.0, 1.0-micron) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 1.4-micron) |
| Rear autofocus | Yes |
| Rear flash | Yes |
| Front camera | 10-megapixel (f/2.2, 1.22-micron) |
| Front autofocus | Yes |
Software
| Operating system | Android 10 |
| Skin | One UI |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Wi-Fi standards supported | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/Yes |
| GPS | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes, v 5.00 |
| NFC | Yes |
| USB Type-C | Yes |
Sensors
| Face unlock | Yes |
| In-Display Fingerprint Sensor | Yes |
| Compass/ Magnetometer | Yes |
| Proximity sensor | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes |
| Barometer | Yes |
Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra?
Buy it if you:
- want the best camera zoom.
- Want a phone with quality display.
- Need a device with an S Pen.
- Like the premium design of the phone.
- Are not looking for the most cutting-edge phone.
- Are ok using both hands to operate the phone.
The Final Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is quite a spectacle to behold. From its stunning finish, to its super fine display and well deserve camera. Everything about the Note 20 Ultra screams genius.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra checks off a lot of bests for new phones in 2020, including the best camera on an Android phone. It also checks off the best-looking display on any phone.
This is the only stylus-included handset we recommend, and while the competition is thin, it’s not undeserved. All you need to do is to pay a heap of money for this powerful ‘everything phone’.
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