The Note 20 Ultra, the Note 20 and S20 Ultra.
Richard Peterson/CNET
At its Unpacked presser earlier this month, Samsung finally announced its premium, stylus-wielding phones, the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra. Priced at $999 and $1,299 respectively, the top-tier handsets are available for preorders. (In the UK the Note 20 costs £849 and the Note 20 Ultra starts at £1,179. Australian prices aren't yet available, but that converts to about AU$1,390 and AU$1,800.)
Of the two phones, the Note 20 is the smaller model and features a 6.7-inch, 60Hz display. It also has a slightly different camera setup that includes a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and a digital zoom of up to 30x. The Note 20 Ultra, on the other hand, has a larger display with a higher 120Hz refresh rate, a 108-megapixel wide-angle lens and it can zoom up to 50x. Both phones, however, are equipped with the Snapdragon 865+ processor, 5G and the signature S Pen stylus embedded inside. For another comparison, check out CNET's Galaxy Note 20 vs. Note 20 Ultra vs. S20 vs. S20 Ultra: Samsung flagship specs compared.
Now playing: Watch this: Samsung unveils Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra 4:08
For more like this
Subscribe to the CNET Now newsletter for our editors' picks of the most important stories of the day.
Though the Note 20 Ultra is superior to the Note 20, the Note 20 is still notably better than its 2019 and 2018 predecessors, the Note 10 and Note 9. For example, it has a larger display, a better telephoto camera and a bigger battery. Samsung also added a handful of features to the phone's stylus, including new gestures and improved handwriting recognition.
For the full rundown on how the Note 20 compares to the Note 10 and Note 9, check out the comparison chart below. And for more coverage of what Samsung announced today, including the Galaxy Buds Live and the Galaxy Watch 3, check out CNET's Unpacked coverage here.
Note 20 specs vs. Note 10 and Note 9
| Samsung Galaxy Note 20 | Samsung Galaxy Note 10 | Samsung Galaxy Note 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 6.7-inch AMOLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels | 6.3-inch AMOLED; 2,280×1,080 pixels | 6.4-inch Super AMOLED; 2,960×1,440 pixels |
| Pixel density | 393ppi | 401ppi | 516ppi |
| Dimensions (Inches) | 6.36 x 2.96 x 0.33 in | 5.94 x 2.83 x 0.31 in | 6.37×3.01×0.35 in |
| Dimensions (Millimeters) | 161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm | 151 x 71.8 x 7.9 mm | 161.9×76.4×8.8 mm |
| Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 6.84 oz, 194g | 5.93 oz; 168g | 7.09 oz; 201g |
| Mobile software | Android 10 | Android 9 | Android 8.1 |
| Camera | 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 64-megapixel (telephoto) | 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 16-megapixel (ultra-wide angle), 12-megapixel (telephoto) | 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 12-megapixel (telephoto) |
| Front-facing camera | 10-megapixel | 10-megapixel | 8-megapixel |
| Video capture | 8K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 or Samsung Exynos 9825 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 or Samsung Exynos 9810 |
| Storage | 128GB | 256GB | 128GB, 512GB |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 6GB, 8GB |
| Expandable storage | No | No | Up to 512GB |
| Battery | 4,300 mAh | 3,500 mAh | 4,000 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | In-screen | In-screen | Back of phone |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | No | No | Yes |
| Special features | S Pen stylus; 5G connectivity; Wireless PowerShare; water resistant (IP68) | S Pen stylus; Wireless PowerShare; hole punch screen notch; water resistant (IP68) | S Pen stylus with Bluetooth; iris and facial scanning; wireless charging; water resistant (IP68) |
See also
- Galaxy Z Fold 2, Note 20, Tab S7 and more announced
- Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra first impressions: Siren or cyclops?
- Galaxy Z Fold 2: Samsung fixes the ugliest thing about the foldable phone
- The new Samsung Tab S7 blurs the line between tablet and laptop
- Full coverage of the Samsung event
Comments Samsung Event Phones Mobile 5G Android 10 (Android Q) Notification on Notification off Samsung
