Samsung Galaxy Note 20
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (stylized and marketed as Samsung Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy Note20 Ultra) is a line of Android-based phablets designed, developed, produced and marketed by Samsung Electronics for its Samsung Galaxy Note series, succeeding the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series.[2][3][4][5] The phablets were announced on 5 August 2020 alongside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Watch 3, Galaxy Buds Live, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7 Plus during Samsung's Unpacked Event.[6][7][8][9]
Left: Galaxy Note 20 Right: Galaxy Note 20 Ultra | |
Codename | Canvas, c1, c2 |
---|---|
Brand | Samsung Galaxy |
Manufacturer | Samsung Electronics |
Series | Galaxy Note |
Model | SM-N980x (Note 20 LTE) SM-N981x (Note 20 5G) SM-N985x (Note 20+ LTE) SM-N986x (Note 20+ 5G) (last letter varies by carrier and international models) |
Compatible networks | 2G, 3G, 4G, 4G LTE, 5G |
First released | August 21, 2020 |
Predecessor | Samsung Galaxy Note 10 |
Related | Samsung Galaxy S20 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip |
Type | Phablet |
Form factor | Slate |
Dimensions |
|
Mass |
|
Operating system | Android 10 with One UI 2.5 |
System on chip | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (7nm+) (USA, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau) Exynos 990 (7nm+ EUV) (Europe and other countries) |
CPU | Exynos: Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - Global Snapdragon: Octa-core (1x3.09 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 585) - USA |
GPU | Exynos: Mali-G77 MP11 - Global Snapdragon: Adreno 650 - USA |
Memory | 8 or 12 GB LPDDR5 RAM |
Storage | 128, 256 or 512 GB UFS 3.1 |
Removable storage |
|
Battery | Non-removable
|
Charging |
|
Data inputs |
|
Display |
|
External display | Always on Display |
Rear camera |
8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound recording, gyro-EIS & OIS, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
Front camera | 10 MP, ƒ/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.22µm
4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps Dual video call, Auto-HDR |
Sound | 32-bit/384kHz stereo speakers tuned by AKG |
Connectivity | GSM/CDMA/HSPA/EVDO/LTE/5G, WLAN, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, dual band, Wi-Fi Direct & Hotspot, Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE & aptX, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS & GALILEO, NFC, USB 3.2, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector, USB On-The-Go |
Website | www |
References | [1] |
Due to restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic on public and social gatherings, the Note 20 range were unveiled digitally at Samsung's newsroom in South Korea. At the event, Samsung announced that the smartphones include support for 5G connectivity, which allows for higher-bandwidth and lower-latency mobile connections where 5G network coverage is available. The Note 20's S-Pen is now more improved and has up to 4× better latency than that of previous generations. Grey, Green and Mystic Bronze are colour options for the Note 20, whilst Mystic Bronze, Black and White are colour options for the Note 20 Ultra. Unlike its predecessor, the Note 20 range does not to feature a "+" model.[10][11]
The Galaxy Note 20 series also include a number of powerful new software features, which include performance optimization for mobile gaming, wireless sync with desktop and laptop PCs, and improved DeX features for remotely connected to compatible devices.[12]
Design
The Galaxy Note 20 series maintains a similar design with the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S20, with an Infinity-O display (first introduced on the Galaxy S10) containing a circular punch hole in the top center for the frontal selfie camera. The rear camera array is located in the corner with a rectangular protrusion like the Galaxy S20, housing three cameras.
Both are the first Galaxy devices to use a stainless steel frame.[13] The Note 20 uses Gorilla Glass 5 for the screen; the back panel is polycarbonate, not seen on a Note series phone since the 2014 Note 4. The Note 20 Ultra has Gorilla Glass Victus for both the screen and back panel.[14] Global color options are Mystic Bronze, Mystic Grey, Mystic Green, Mystic Black and Mystic White, all with a matte finish. Mystic Bronze is available on both models, while Mystic Grey and Mystic Green are limited to the Note 20, and Mystic Black and Mystic White are limited to the Note 20 Ultra. For the Note 20, Mystic Red is exclusive to SK Telecom with 256 GB of storage, replacing Mystic Green in South Korea; Mystic Blue will be sold in India.
Specifications
Hardware
Chipsets
The Galaxy Note 20 line comprises two models with various hardware specifications; international models of the Note 20 utilize the Exynos 990 system-on-chip, while the U.S. models utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+. Both of the SoC's are based on a 7 nm+ processing technology node. The Exynos chipset comes the Mali-G77 MP11 GPU, whereas the Snapdragon chipset comes with the Adreno 650 GPU.
Display
The Galaxy Note 20 does not feature a curved display like the one found on the Note 20 Ultra. The Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra feature a 6.7-inch 1080p and 6.9-inch 1440p display respectively. Both use an AMOLED with HDR10+ support and "dynamic tone mapping" technology, marketed as Super AMOLED Plus for the Note 20 and Dynamic AMOLED 2X for the Note 20 Ultra. The Note 20 has a fixed 60 Hz refresh rate, however the Note 20 Ultra offers a variable 120 Hz refresh rate. The settings have two options, 60 Hz and Adaptive, the latter of which dynamically adjusts the refresh rate based on the content being displayed. Adaptive mode is limited to an FHD resolution, requiring users to switch to 60 Hz mode to enable QHD resolution. Both models utilize an ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint sensor.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra was the first phone with VRR.[15]
Storage
The base amount of RAM is 8 GB, paired with 128 or 256 GB of internal storage standard. The Note 20 Ultra has additional 12 GB RAM and 512 GB UFS options, and has up to 1 TB of expandable storage via the microSD card slot.
Batteries
The Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra use non-removable Li-Ion batteries, rated at 4300 mAh and 4500 mAh respectively.[16]
Qi inductive charging is supported as well as the ability to charge other Qi-compatible device from the Note 20's own battery power, which is branded as "Samsung PowerShare"; wired charging is supported over USB-C at up to 25 W.
Connectivity
The duo come with 5G standard connectivity, though some regions may have special LTE or sub-6GHz only variants, and both omit the audio jack.
It has NFC, eSIM, and Ultra-Wideband technology.[17]
Cameras
The Note 20 features similar camera specifications to that of the Samsung Galaxy S20, which include a 12 MP wide sensor with f/1.8 aperture , a 64 MP telephoto sensor with f/2.0 aperture, and a 12 MP ultrawide sensor with 12mm equivalent focal length. The telephoto camera supports 3X hybrid optical zoom and 30X hybrid zoom.[16]
The Note 20 Ultra has a more advanced camera setup than its counterpart, which include a 108 MP wide sensor, a 12 MP "periscope" telephoto sensor, and a 12 MP ultrawide sensor. The telephoto camera has a focal length of 120mm (35mm equivalent), which equals 5X optical zoom, and allows for 50X hybrid zoom (assisted by digital zoom). Laser autofocus is used in favor of the S20 Ultra's time-of-flight camera. [16]
The Note 20's telephoto sensor and the Note 20 Ultra's wide sensor use pixel binning to output higher quality images at a standard resolution, with the wide-angle sensor using Nonacell technology which groups 3x3 pixels to capture more light.[18]
The front camera uses a 10 MP sensor, and can record 4K video.
Single Take, introduced on the S20 series, allows users to capture photos or videos simultaneously with different sensors automatically. Both models can record 8K video at 24fps. On the Note 20, this is enabled by the 64 MP telephoto sensor, whereas the Note 20 Ultra's 108 MP wide sensor natively supports 8K video.
S-Pen
The S-Pen has better latency at 26ms on the Note 20 and 9ms on the Note 20 Ultra, reduced from 42ms on the Note 10 and Note 10+. Additionally, it gains five new Air gestures that work across the UI by utilizing the accelerometers and gyroscope, as well as 'AI-based point prediction'. Battery life has also been improved from 10 hours to 24 hours.[19]
Software
The devices will ship with Android 10 and One UI 2.5.[20] A beta test for Android 11 is expected to be released later on in the year.
Xbox Game Pass
Samsung has partnered with Xbox to offer Xbox games on the Note 20. In certain markets the Galaxy Note 20 will be offered with three months of free Xbox game pass along with an Xbox game pad. Xbox games will be playable from the phone to the TV.[21] More than 90 Xbox games are playable on the Note 20.[22]
Reception
Preliminary reviews from various technology review websites, such as TechRadar and The Verge, praised the Note 20 series for its redesigned S-Pen and the camera performance. However, the baseline Note 20 was criticized for its lower quality display and plastic build despite the high starting price point.[23][24] Writing for TechRadar, James Peckham said in his verdict, "the Galaxy Note 20 is Samsung's new entry-level stylus-included smartphone for 2020, but it's one that doesn't seem particularly exciting for the usual Note-loving crowd. It highlights some more affordable features compared to its more exciting Ultra sibling but it may well be just as good for those who don’t want to spend top dollar."[23]
References
- "Samsung Galaxy Note 20 specifications". GSMArena. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
- Bohn, Dieter (2020-08-05). "The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is Samsung's new spec king". The Verge. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- Michael; ronico; August 2020, Philip Michaels 05. "Samsung Galaxy Note 20: Release date, price, specs and preorders". Tom's Guide. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- Swider, Matt; August 2020, James Peckham 05. "Samsung Galaxy Note 20 launch: the Unpacked 2020 event as it happened". TechRadar. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- "Samsung Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra unveiled with upgraded screens, S Pen and cameras". GSMArena.com. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- Grunin, Lori. "Samsung Unpacked: Galaxy Z Fold 2, Note 20, Tab S7 and more announced at the event". CNET. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- Business, Rishi Iyengar, CNN. "Samsung unveils the Galaxy Note 20 and its latest foldable phone". CNN. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- Haselton, Todd (2020-08-05). "Samsung announces Galaxy Note 20 phones, its best shot at the new iPhones coming this fall". CNBC. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- Amadeo, Ron (2020-08-05). "Samsung makes the $1,300 Galaxy Note 20 Ultra official". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- "[Infographic] Spec Comparison: the Galaxy Note20 Ultra vs. the Galaxy Note10+". news.samsung.com. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
- Dolcourt, Jessica. "Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and 20 Ultra come with one genuinely surprising change". CNET. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
- "Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra specs: You give a little, get a little". Android Authority. 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
- "Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra hands-on review". GSMArena.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
- Sohail, Omar (2020-08-04). "Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Is the First Smartphone in the World to Ship With Gorilla Glass Victus". wccftech. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
- Siddiqui, Aamir (12 August 2020). "The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the first phone with Samsung's new VRR OLED display". xda-developers. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- "Compare Samsung Galaxy Note20 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G vs. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra - GSMArena.com". www.gsmarena.com. GSM Arena. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- Mehrotra, Pranob (12 August 2020). "The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra features NFC, eSIM, and UWB tech in a single NXP chip". xda-developers. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- "Samsung's 108Mp ISOCELL Bright HM1 Delivers Brighter Ultra-High-Res Images with Industry-First Nonacell Technology". Samsung Newsroom. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- Hager, Ryne (2020-08-05). "What's new with the Galaxy Note20's S Pen?". Android Police. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
- SamMobile. "Everything about One UI version 2.5". SamMobile. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
- Petrov, Daniel. "Samsung bringing its game to the Galaxy Note 20, the XBOX Pass game". Phone Arena. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- SamMobile. "Galaxy Note 20 Ultra to get Xbox Game Pass via Microsoft Project xCloud". SamMobile. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- August 2020, James Peckham 05. "Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 review". TechRadar. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
- "Samsung Galaxy Note 20: Is it okay to sell a $1,000 plastic phone?". Android Authority. 2020-08-08. Retrieved 2020-08-13.