Galaxy Note 20 release date, price, features and news
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Samsung's Note series are always among the hotly-anticipated phones for the second half of the year. Packed to the brim with hardware, featuring a new magical gizmo or two from Samsung's R&D labs, and holding one of the best styluses for a smartphone — the S Pen — right in their body.
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Galaxy Note 20 tips and tricks
The Galaxy Note line has always been the cream of the crop. Keeping in line with this, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Note 20 are both powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ in the US. An octa-core beast, built on a 7 nm process — the 865+ is a slightly improved version of the regular Snapdragon 865 that powers the Galaxy S20 series.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G release date
It's official — the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra have been announced and are already out in the world — you can order one online or walk to the nearest store to grab a Note off a shelf. If you missed it, you can re-watch the Note 20 announcement event here.
You can reserve your unit on Samsung's official website, or wait for them to reach your favorite carrier store or tech shop
Buy Galaxy Note 20 here
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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G price
Just like last year, we have two variations of the phone — Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The Note 20 is the... "more affordable" option, while the Note 20 Ultra goes all out.
| Phone | Galaxy Note 20 5G | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Variation | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB Storage | 12 GB RAM, 128 GB Storage | 12 GB RAM, 512 GB Storage |
| Price | $999.99 | $1,299.99 | $1,449.99 |
Best cases for Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
If you've already ordered one of Samsung's latest shiny jewels, you might want to snag a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra case to keep it safe! Head here and make your pick:
Deeper partnership with Microsoft
Samsung and Microsoft have been best buddies for a couple of years now. In 2020, this partnership goes on — Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra customers will get Xbox Game Pass and will able to game on Microsoft's Project xCloud — the cloud gaming service, which will launch in September. Additionally, the Your Phone app in Windows can now sync up with the Galaxy Note 20 not only to view your messages and calls, but also open your Android apps in the Windows environment.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G camera
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has a 108 MP main camera, a 12 MP ultra-wide, and a 12 MP telephoto camera. It offers 5x optical zoom and 50x super resolution (a.k.a. digital) zoom. The Galaxy Note 20 has a 12 MP main camera, 12 MP ultra-wide, and 64 MP telephoto camera — at least that's how it's listed. It actually offers 3x hybrid (crop-in) zoom-in to achieve the telephoto effect. It's super res zoom caps out at 30x.
Nevertheless, both phones share a lot of features and camera app DNA. Both are capable of 8K video recording at 24 FPS and full manual controls when recording — even the directional microphones can be tinkered with.
As for selfies, both the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra have a 10 MP front-facing camera, right in the top center of their screens.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G design and display
The Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra look like two different beasts. While the Ultra has a curved "edge" display on the front, the regular Note 20 goes with a flat screen. Furthermore, the Note 20 Ultra is slightly bigger — it measures at 3.03 x 6.49 x 0.32 in (77.2 x 164.8 x 8.1 mm) where the Note 20 is 2.96 x 6.36 x 0.33 in (75.2 x 161.6 x 8.3 mm). The subtle size difference comes from the screens — the Ultra has a 6.9-inch display with a 1,440 x 3,088 pixel resolution (19.3:9 aspect ratio), the Note 20 has a 6.7-inch screen and a resolution of 1,080 x 2,400 (20:9 aspect ratio).
We've got two beautiful AMOLED panels, of course, but only the Note 20 Ultra gets the super-high refresh rate that you'd expect on a 2020 flagship. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has 120 Hz refresh rate, while the Galaxy Note 20 only has 60 Hz.
6.36 x 2.96 x 0.33 inches
161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm
6.84 oz (194 g)
6.49 x 3.04 x 0.32 inches
164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm
7.34 oz (208 g)
6.36 x 2.96 x 0.33 inches
161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm
6.84 oz (194 g)
6.49 x 3.04 x 0.32 inches
164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm
7.34 oz (208 g)
See the full Samsung Galaxy Note 20 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra size comparison or compare them to other phones using our Size Comparison tool.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 software
We have Samsung's OneUI 2.5 skin running over Android 10. The Note series will get 3 years worth of Android upgrades, which means the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra should hit Android 13, in 2023.
OneUI is well-known for changing the face of Android entirely and adding a huge amount of extra bells, whistles, and features that both enhance the user experience and hold up the Samsung ecosystem by making interactions with other Samsung smart devices easy and pain-free.
The S Pen that comes with the Note phones is not only super sensitive and accurate, it also has a plethora of software features dedicated to it alone.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 hardware
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 specs
- Display: Super AMOLED, 6.7", 1080 x 2400 pixels
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+; Exynos 990 (region-dependent)
- RAM: 8 GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 128 GB
- Cameras: 12 MP main, 64 MP zoom, 12 MP ultra-wide; 10 MP front camera
- Battery: 4,300 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra specs
- Display: Super AMOLED, 6.9", 1440 x 3088 pixels
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+; Exynos 990 (region-dependent)
- RAM: 12 GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 128 GB / 512 GB
- Cameras: 108 MP main, 12 MP zoom, 12 MP ultra-wide; 10 MP front camera
- Battery: 4,500 mAh
Abroad, the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra will have Samsung's own Exynos 990 chip inside — the very same processor that powers the international S20 models.
We have different RAM and storage tiers. The regular Galaxy Note 20 comes with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB or 256 GB of storage. The Note 20 Ultra has variants with 8 GB of RAM and 12 GB of RAM, as well as storage tiers from 128 GB to 512 GB.
All of this is powered by a 4,300 mAh battery in the Note 20 and a 4,500 mAh cell in the Note 20 Ultra.
|
|
| Samsung Galaxy Note 20 | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra |
Design
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 6.36 x 2.96 x 0.33 inches 161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm |
6.49 x 3.04 x 0.32 inches 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm |
| Weight | |
| 6.84 oz (194.0 g) | 7.34 oz (208.0 g) |
| Materials | |
| Back: Plastic | Back: Glass (Corning Gorilla Glass Victus) Frame: Stainless steel |
| Resistance | |
| Water, Dust; IP68 | Water, Dust; IP68 |
| Biometrics | |
| 2D Face unlock, Ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint | 2D Face unlock, Ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint |
| Features | |
| Stylus | Stylus |
| Keys | |
| Right: Volume control, Lock/Unlock key | Right: Volume control, Lock/Unlock key |
| Colors | |
| Mystic gray, Mystic bronze, Mystic green, Mystic red | Mystic black, Mystic bronze, Mystic white |
Display
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.7-inch | 6.9-inch |
| Resolution | |
| 2400x1080px, 20:9 ratio, 393 PPI | 3088x1440px, 19.3:9 ratio, 496 PPI |
| Technology | |
| Super AMOLED Plus | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Refresh rate | |
| 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Screen-to-body | |
| 89.23 % | 91.63 % |
| Features | |
| HDR support, Scratch-resistant glass (Corning Gorilla Glass 5), Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor | HDR support, Scratch-resistant glass (Corning Gorilla Glass Victus), Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor |
Hardware
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ SM8250-AB (7 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ SM8250-AB (7 nm) |
| Processor | |
| Octa-core 1x 3.1GHz Kryo 585 + 3x 2.42GHz Kryo 585 + 4x 1.80GHz Kryo 585 | Octa-core 1x 3.1GHz Kryo 585 + 3x 2.42GHz Kryo 585 + 4x 1.80GHz Kryo 585 |
| GPU | |
| Adreno 650 | Adreno 650 |
| RAM | |
| 8GB (LPDDR5) | 12GB (LPDDR5) |
| Internal storage | |
| 128GB (UFS 3.0), available to use: 102.5 GB | 128GB, available to use: 107 GB |
| Storage expansion | |
| not expandable | microSDXC up to 1000 GB |
| OS | |
| Android (13, 12, 11, 10), Samsung One UI | Android (13, 12, 11, 10), Samsung One UI |
Battery
| Capacity | |
|---|---|
| 4300 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Type | |
| Li - Polymer | Li - Polymer |
| Charging | |
| Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0, Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging, Qi and Powermat wireless charging, Reverse wireless charging | Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0, Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging, Qi and Powermat wireless charging, Reverse wireless charging |
Camera
| Rear | |
|---|---|
| Triple camera | Triple camera |
| Main camera | |
| 12 MP (OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 26 mm Sensor size: 1/1.76" Pixel size: 1.8 μm |
108 MP (OIS, Laser and PDAF) Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 26 mm Sensor size: 1/1.33" Pixel size: 0.8 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 12 MP (Ultra-wide, Autofocus) Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 1.4 μm | 12 MP (Ultra-wide, Autofocus) Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 1.4 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 64 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F2.0 Focal Length: 27 mm Sensor size: 1/1.7" Pixel size: 0.8 μm |
12 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F3.0 Focal Length: 120 mm Pixel size: 1.0 μm |
| Flash | |
| LED | LED |
| Video recording | |
| 7680x4320 (8K UHD) (24 fps), 3840x2160 (4K UHD) (60 fps), 1920x1080 (Full HD) (240 fps), 1280x720 (HD) (960 fps) OIS, HDR, Time-lapse video, Hyperlapse, Object tracking, EIS | 7680x4320 (8K UHD) (24 fps), 3840x2160 (4K UHD) (60 fps), 1920x1080 (Full HD) (240 fps), 1280x720 (HD) (960 fps) OIS, HDR, Time-lapse video, Hyperlapse, Object tracking, EIS |
| Front | |
| 10 MP (PDAF, HDR), Video capture: 3840x2160 (4K UHD) | 10 MP (PDAF, HDR), Video capture: 3840x2160 (4K UHD) |
Connectivity & Features
| Bluetooth | |
|---|---|
| 5.0 | 5.0 |
| WLAN | |
| 802.11 a,b,g,n,ac,ax(Wi-Fi 6),dual-band MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot | 802.11 a,b,g,n,ac,ax(Wi-Fi 6),dual-band MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot |
| USB | |
| Type-C, USB 3.2 | Type-C, USB 3.2 |
| Hearing aid compatible | |
| M3/T3 | M3/T3 |
| Location | |
| GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning | GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning |
| Sensors | |
| Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Hall (for flip covers), Barometer | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Hall (for flip covers), Barometer |
| Other | |
| NFC, ANT+ | NFC, ANT+ |
Multimedia
| Headphones | |
|---|---|
| No 3.5mm jack | No 3.5mm jack |
| Speakers | |
| Earpiece, Multiple speakers | Earpiece, Multiple speakers |
| Features | |
| 32-Bit DAC, Dolby Atmos, aptX, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus | 32-Bit DAC, Dolby Atmos, aptX, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus |
| Screen mirroring | |
| Wireless screen share | Wireless screen share |
| Radio | |
| FM | FM |
| Additional microphone(s) | |
| Noise cancellation | Noise cancellation |
Cellular
| 5G | |
|---|---|
| Bands n2, n5, n12, n25, n41, n66, n71, n260, n261, SA, NSA, Sub-6, mmWave | Bands n2, n5, n41, n66, n71, n260, n261, SA, NSA, Sub-6, mmWave |
| 4G (FDD) | |
| Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(AWS-1), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700 a), 13(700 c), 14(700 PS), 18(800 Lower), 19(800 Upper), 20(800 DD), 25(1900+), 26(850+), 28(700 APT), 29(700 d), 30(2300 WCS), 66(AWS-3) | Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(AWS-1), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700 a), 13(700 c), 14(700 PS), 18(800 Lower), 19(800 Upper), 20(800 DD), 25(1900+), 26(850+), 28(700 APT), 29(700 d), 30(2300 WCS), 66(AWS-3), 71(600) |
| 4G (TDD) | |
| Bands 38(2600), 39(1900+), 40(2300), 41(2600+), 46, 48(3600) | Bands 38(2600), 39(1900+), 40(2300), 41(2600+), 46, 48(3600) |
| 3G | |
| Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 8(900) | Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 8(900) |
| Data Speed | |
| LTE-A Pro Cat 20 (2000/150 Mbit/s), HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s | LTE-A Pro Cat 20 (2000/150 Mbit/s), HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s |
| SIM type | |
| Nano SIM | Nano SIM |
| HD Voice | |
| Yes | Yes |
Regulatory Approval
| FCC approval | |
|---|---|
| Date approved: Jul 22, 2020 FCC ID value: A3LSMN981U | Date approved: Jul 06, 2020 FCC ID value: A3LSMN986U |
| Measured SAR | |
| Head: 0.41 W/kg Body: 0.92 W/kg Simultaneous Transmission: 1.59 W/kg Wireless Router: 1.22 W/kg Phablet: 3.99 W/kg |
Head: 0.78 W/kg Body: 1.04 W/kg Simultaneous Transmission: 1.59 W/kg Wireless Router: 1.18 W/kg Phablet: 3.92 W/kg |
Buyers information
| MSRP | |
|---|---|
| $ 1000 | $ 1300 |
| In The Box | |
| Data Cable, Travel Adapter, Ejection Pin, Quick Start Guide | Data Cable, Travel Adapter, Ejection Pin, Quick Start Guide |
Availability
| Officially announced | |
|---|---|
| Aug 05, 2020 | Aug 05, 2020 |
See the full
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
DeX now wireless
The Samsung DeX is a pretty cool niche feature, that we are happy to see keep evolving. It turns your phone in a mini PC, completely changing the interface into a desktop-like environment — you only need to connect it to an external monitor and keyboard.
In the past, you needed a DeX dock for this. Then, a DeX cable. Well, in 2020 — it's wireless! You can connect your Galaxy Note 20 or Note 20 Ultra to any smart TV (Miracast) and you will get that desktop interface in a pinch.
When you connect via DeX, the Note becomes a touchpad
In the past, you needed a DeX dock for this. Then, a DeX cable. Well, in 2020 — it's wireless! You can connect your Galaxy Note 20 or Note 20 Ultra to any smart TV (Miracast) and you will get that desktop interface in a pinch.
Improved S Pen
Samsung's S Pen has always been the best in-the-box stylus you can get for a phone. Thanks to the Note handsets' Wacom digitizer, the S Pen is accurate, fast, and sensitive. However, the Apple Pencil really gave it a run for its money when it comes to latency. Samsung has upgraded the S Pen in the Note 20 series to now have ultra-fast, 9 ms response time for a "real feel experience", putting it on par with the Apple Pencil.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra tips and tricks
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