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Specs showdown: Samsung Galaxy Note20 vs Note20 Ultra vs Note10+
Which Samsung Galaxy Note phone should you buy? We compare the features and specifications of each major model.
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On 21 August, Samsung will launch two new Galaxy Note phones in a range of different colours and capacities: the Samsung Galaxy Note20 and the larger, ultra-premium Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. Currently, you can still buy the Samsung Galaxy Note10+, which means you've got three flagship Note models to choose from.
Not sure which one to buy? Here are the chief differences between the Samsung Galaxy Note20, the Note20 Ultra and the Note10+.
Read our full, in-depth reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Specifications
Below is a breakdown of the chief specs for each phone. As you can see in the table below, the Note20 range doesn't make any huge improvements on the Note10+, with the exception of the camera array (more on that below). The Note20 Ultra's memory has also been bumped up from 10GB to 12GB, although the vanilla Note20 only has 8GB RAM.
Price
At the time of launch, the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ had a starting price of $1,699 (for the 256GB model). In the intervening months, the RRP hasn't dropped officially, but the "street" price is another story; we've seen it selling for under $1,200 online.
Needless to say, the Note20 range is going to set you back more. The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra with 512GB of onboard storage will set you back an eye-watering $2,199. The 256GB version is $200 cheaper at $1,999. The standard Samsung Galaxy Note20 starts at $1,499.
That's a pretty significant price difference – especially if you can find the Note10+ at the $1,200 mark. With that said, Samsung is currently offering free Galaxy Buds wireless earphones valued at $319 when you pre-order any Note20 phone.
Camera
As mentioned above, the main difference between these phones is the camera – all three have different primary lenses, with the Note20 Ultra boasting a colossal 108MP sensor. This is the same impressive snapper that came with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. It also comes with a 12MP ultra-wide lens, a 12MP 5x optical zoom telephoto lens, a laser-focusing sensor and a 10MP front camera.
The regular Note20 has a 64MP lens, a dual 12MP ultra-wide lens, a 12MP 3x optical zoom telephoto lens and the same 10MP selfie camera. Both cameras are capable of shooting 8K video. There's also a software-enhanced "Space Zoom" that nets you 50x on the Note20 Ultra and 30x on the Note20.
The Note10+, meanwhile, makes do with a 16MP ultra-wide f/2.2 lens, a 12MP wide-angle variable aperture f1.5/2.4 lens and a 12MP f/2.1 telephoto lens. There's also a depth-sensing time-of-flight lens for more accurately measuring distance and a 10MP front-facing camera.
If you care about photography and use your phone as your primary camera, the Note20 range is almost certainly worth paying a premium for. With that said, the Note10+ remains perfectly fine thanks to its versatile triple-lens array and solid low-light performance.
Display
The Note20 range comes with Samsung's AMOLED "Infinity O" display, which features a bezel-free screen with a small hole-punch for the front camera. The Note20 Ultra has a native resolution of 3200x1440 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate, while the Note20 makes do with a 2400x1080 Super AMOLED+.
Interestingly, the Note10+ display is pretty much identical to the Note20 Ultra – it has a native resolution of 3040x1440 pixels and the same Infinity O design. While we haven't tested the Note20 Ultra yet, we suspect the display performance will be largely unchanged.
S-Pen
The Note range's inbuilt stylus has always been its primary selling point. Samsung is bringing some improvements to the table this year, including a software tweak that purportedly mimics the feel of pen on paper with more accuracy. It also comes with a completely overhauled Samsung Notes app and Microsoft Office integration.
Naturally, it also has all the same tricks as the Note10+, including a remote shutter button for the phone's camera, an "AR Doodle" mode and a highly impressive handwriting-to-text tool. You can read more about the S-Pen in our Samsung Galaxy Note10+ review.
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