Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra specs: You give a little, get a little
Today, Samsung formally launched the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series. Each year, the Note family represents the best-of-the-best when it comes to Samsung flagships. To know that, all you need to do is check out the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra specs.
Just like last year, the two devices in the Note 20 line are designed to act as foils to one another. The vanilla Note 20 represents a cheaper way to enter the Note ecosystem while the Note 20 Ultra is the “true” Note device of the year.
However, this year, some of the specs you’ll find on the Note 20 might be ones you wished came with the Note 20 Ultra, and vice versa. Check out the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra specs below to see for yourself!
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra specs
| Samsung Galaxy Note 20 | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
Display | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 6.7-inch AMOLED Infinity-O FHD+ resolution 20:9 aspect ratio 60Hz refresh rate | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 6.9-inch AMOLED Infinity-O WQHD+ resolution 19.3:9 aspect ratio 120Hz refresh rate |
Construction | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Plastic (aka Glasstic) body Flat display Gorilla Glass 5 display cover | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Metal and glass body Curved (Edge) display Gorilla Glass 7 display cover |
CPU | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 NA: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus Global: Samsung Exynos 990 | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra NA: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus Global: Samsung Exynos 990 |
Storage | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 NA: 128GB internal No microSD card support Global: 256GB internal No microSD card support | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra NA: 128GB or 512GB internal microSD card support up to 2TB Global: 256GB or 512GB internal microSD card support up to 2TB |
RAM | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 8GB LPDDR5 | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 12GB LPDDR5 |
Power | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 4,300mAh battery 25W wired charging 15W wireless charging 4.5W reverse wireless charging | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 4,500mAh battery 25W wired charging 15W wireless charging 4.5W reverse wireless charging |
Cameras | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Rear: 12MP 2PD OIS wide-angle (ƒ/1.8, 1.8μm) 64MP telephoto (ƒ/2.0, 0.8μm, hybrid 3x zoom) 12MP ultra-wide (ƒ/2.2, 1.4μm) Front: 10MP 2PD AF (ƒ/2.2, 1.22μm) | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Rear: 108MP PD OIS wide-angle (ƒ/1.8, 0.8μm) 12MP telephoto (ƒ/3.0, 1.0μm, optical 5x zoom) 12MP ultra-wide (ƒ/2.2, 1.4μm) Laser AF Front: 10MP 2PD AF (ƒ/2.2, 1.22μm) |
Video | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 8K at 24fps in 16x9 or 21:9 | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 8K at 24fps in 16x9 or 21:9 |
Security | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 In-display fingerprint sensor Ultrasonic technology | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra In-display fingerprint sensor Ultrasonic technology |
Durability | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 IP68 certified | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra IP68 certified |
Connectivity | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G (separate sub-6GHz and mmWave models) Wi-Fi 6 4G only model available in selected markets | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave) Wi-Fi 6 |
Colors | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Mystic Gray Mystic Green Mystic Bronze | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Mystic Black Mystic White Mystic Bronze |
Dimensions & weight | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 75.2 x 161.6 x 8.3mm 192g (sub-6GHz only) 194g (mmWave supported) | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 77.2 x 164.8 x 8.1mm 208g |
The most notable differences between the two phones are the display, construction, and cameras. There are some other differences, clearly (such as the slightly smaller battery in the Galaxy Note 20), but otherwise the devices are pretty similar.
For the display, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra specs seem to be the superior choice. It’s larger, has a higher resolution, a higher refresh rate, and a stronger glass covering (in fact, the Note 20 Ultra is the very first commercial smartphone with Gorilla Glass 7).
Related: The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series is here: Everything you need to know
However, the differences in overall construction for the two phones are not as clear cut. The Note 20 is made of plastic instead of the metal/glass hybrid of the Note 20 Ultra. For many folks, plastic is a better, more practical material for smartphones, so they might actually prefer the vanilla Note 20 here. Similarly, the Note 20 has a flat display, something which many of our readers clamor for in flagships. The Note 20 Ultra sticks with the usual curved display trend.
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra specs boast some incredible numbers in the camera department. The 108MP main sensor is the same we saw in the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and the 5x optical zoom will be a nice feature for many. However, we’ve seen mixed results from the S20 Ultra camera, so the 64MP shooter on the vanilla Note 20, ironically, might deliver overall better photos. We’ll need to pit the two systems against one another to be sure.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 will start at $999 while the Note 20 Ultra starts at $1,299. Both phones will be available on August 21, but pre-orders open at 12:01 AM tomorrow. For all the latest on the Note 20 series, check out our other content below.
