Galaxy Note 20 Ultra vs. Galaxy S20 Ultra: Comparison

After the launch of the Galaxy S20 Ultra in March, Samsung has just introduced the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, the older brother of the also recently introduced Note 20. Both phones take over from the Note 10 of 2019, which was our favorite Android phone that year. The Note 20 Ultra has the rod set too high, and so far it appears that its specs match what is expected of it. In principle, it outperforms the Galaxy Note 10 (and Note 10 Plus) in almost everything, with a higher resolution screen, a more powerful processor, a more capable camera system and a larger battery. But how does it compare to the Galaxy S20 Ultra?

To help you decide which Samsung “Ultra” phone you need, we compared Note 20 Ultra vs. Galaxy S20 Ultra in six main categories.

Specs

Design, display and durability

Both the Galaxy S20 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra are beautiful smartphones, but in different ways. Both feature a large 6.9-inch edge-to-edge AMOLED display with hardly any bezels. That said, the S20 Ultra has a more curved design, with rounded corners and edges. In contrast, the Note 20 Ultra retains the slightly sharper, more angular body that the Note series has come to define.

Which aesthetic approach is better … it really depends on your own personal taste. It goes without saying that the screens on both phones are impressive, with a resolution of 3,200 x1,440, about 511 pixels per inch. This provides some of the clearest images and video you can see on any smartphone. Furthermore, both are further enhanced with a refresh rate (refresh rate) of 120Hz.

Both phones are also very large, though the S20 Ultra is slightly taller, wider, and thicker. It’s also – about – a half-ounce heavier, which can make holding it uncomfortable. That’s not to say that the Note 20 Ultra can be easily used with one hand, if at all.

Both the S20 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra are IP68 certified, making them resistant to dust and immersion in shallow water for up to 30 minutes. This, added to hardly noticeable differences in design, results in a tie.

Winner: tie

Performance, battery life and charge

Both phones offer very similar performance, but the Note 20 Ultra has the distinction of running a newer processor. Bring a Snapdragon 865 Plus in the United States, and an Exynos 990 in other parts of the world. The S20 Ultra works with the previous 865, which won’t make much of a difference in practice, but it could mean that the Note 20 Ultra handles certain workloads a little easier than the S20 Ultra.

Other than that, both smartphones have 12GB of RAM, although the S20 Ultra line offers a model with 16GB, so any computing difference can be canceled by purchasing the S20 with additional RAM. The Note 20 Ultra provides 256GB of internal storage as standard and can be purchased in a 512GB version, while the S20 Ultra is divided into three models: 128GB, 256GB and 512GB.

When it comes to batteries, it’s the S20 Ultra that takes the cat overboard. It is equipped with a 5,000 mAh brick , while the Note 20 Ultra runs on a “only” 4,500 mAh brick . We haven’t had a chance to test the Note 20 Ultra well yet, so we’re not sure if this 500 mAh difference will translate into a big difference in daily life. But we’re betting that a 4,500 mAh battery will make the Note 20 Ultra work just fine for – at least – one day before needing a recharge. It supports 25W fast charging and the S20 Ultra reaches 45W, so it won’t take long to come back to life. Both phones also offer 15W wireless charging.

Assuming there is a noticeable difference in battery life, we will give the S20 Ultra a narrow victory. The option to buy it with 16GB of RAM can also mean that it works a little faster than the Note 20 Ultra, making it the best smartphone in terms of performance.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

Camera

The Note 20 Ultra certainly beats the Note 20 in camera bets. It comes with a 108-megapixel main camera lens, while the standard Note 20 offers only a 12-megapixel version. The thing is, its main wide-angle lens corresponds to the S20 Ultra, which also boasts the same 108 megapixels.

Both phones feature three rear camera lenses, with the same 108-megapixel wide lens supplemented by a 12-megapixel telephoto lens and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle in the case of the Note 20 Ultra. The S20 Ultra, on the other hand, includes a 48 megapixel telephoto lens and a 12 megapixel ultra wide angle. This larger telephoto lens allows the S20 Ultra to offer 100x zoom, in contrast to the Note 20 Ultra’s 50x zoom.

Actually, we can’t be completely sure that this will result in a huge gap in photo quality. As we noted in our S20 Ultra review, the 100x zoom is more of a trick than anything else, as shots get grainy when shot at full capacity. A 50x zoom should be more than enough, so few, if any, people will truly miss out on taking a picture of a pixelated tree from a mile away.

That said, 100x zoom capability generally means that photos taken with, say, 10x zoom retain more detail than similar shots taken with other phones. This could be something the Note 20 Ultra misses with its smaller telephoto lens, resulting in lower-quality shots when done at moderate zoom levels, at least compared to the S20 Ultra. As for video, they both record at 8K resolution and 24fps speed, so you can trust that they’ll capture some stunning images when needed.

This similarity aside, this round gives the S20 Ultra a small victory, due to its more powerful telephoto lens. However, this may change after we’ve had a chance to thoroughly review the Note 20 Ultra.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

Software and updates

The Galaxy S20 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra run on Samsung’s One UI 2 operating system, layered over Android 10. Given the large dimensions of both devices, operating on OneUI 2 allows for a more intuitive user experience, with applications and large icons that make navigation easier.

The two phones are also likely to receive updates at similar times. As both devices are Samsung, users may have to wait longer than, say, Google Pixel owners for major updates. That said, Samsung rolled out quick updates to improve the S20 Ultra’s camera.

Winner: tie

Special features

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Galaxy S20 Ultra are 5G phones, and the S20 Ultra is compatible with all major 5G bands. The Note 20 Ultra is also 5G compliant, and according to its FCC certification it will also support mmWave 5G, the fastest band.

The Note 20 Ultra comes naturally with a Pen. The Note series has long been marketed as a smartphone for the most professional or creative type of user, with a Pen or stylus providing support for a wider range of applications. If you use your phone for work or for projects, this Pen will make a big difference, providing greater ease and precision than with a finger.

Other than that, the presentation confirmed that the Note 20 Ultra was built to stream Xbox games, the first to do this among smartphones. Combined with its greater suitability for work, we will give this round to the Note 20 Ultra.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra starts at $ 1,400, while the 512GB model costs $ 1,600. It is available at all major carriers and at retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.

Prices for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra start at $ 1,299. While the list of operators and retailers has not been confirmed, it will almost certainly be supported by all the major operators and sold by most of the major online retailers.

Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

There is hardly a big difference between the two smartphones, but the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is the overall winner here. Thanks to its longer battery life, its option to upgrade to 16GB of RAM and its slightly more powerful telephoto camera lens, it almost beats the Note 20 Ultra.

That doesn’t mean the Note 20 Ultra is an inferior phone, not at all. It is designed for work, and its compatibility with video games is sure to attract many customers. Still, so far it seems like the S20 Ultra is still Samsung’s best ultra phone.