Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G

Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G Review

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G, released on August 21, 2020, offers a blend of powerful performance and a feature-rich experience, designed for productivity and media consumption.

Design

The Galaxy Note20 5G features a flat display and a more angular design compared to its predecessors. It measures 161.6 mm in height, 75.2 mm in width, and 8.3 mm in depth, weighing in at 192 grams. The build includes a glass front (Corning Gorilla Glass 6) and a choice of finishes on the back, offered in colors including Mystic Green, Mystic Bronze, Mystic Gray, Mystic Red and Mystic Blue. It has a dual SIM (Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM/eSIM) configuration.

Display

The device boasts a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display with HDR10+ support. The screen features a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 393 ppi. The display has a 20:9 aspect ratio and includes a hole-punch notch for the front-facing camera. Features like Always-On Display, a scratch-resistant surface, and support for the S-Pen stylus enhance the user experience. The display is a capacitive multi-touch frameless design. It does not include a high refresh rate, as it does not include values for this.

Performance

The Galaxy Note20 5G is powered by the Exynos 990 chipset (7 nm+) for global versions. The octa-core CPU configuration includes 2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 cores, 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 cores, and 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 cores. Graphics processing is handled by the Mali-G77 MP11 GPU. It packs 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and comes with either 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. There is no microSD card slot for expandable storage. The device achieved an AnTuTu v8 benchmark score of 515090, indicating solid performance. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0 LE with features like A2DP and aptX, and GPS with support for A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, and Galileo. It is equipped with NFC and supports USB Type-C 3.2 with OTG capabilities.

Camera

The rear camera setup is a versatile quad-camera system. The primary camera is a 12MP Sony IMX555 sensor (1/1.76", f/1.8, 0.9µm pixels) with OIS. There's a 12MP ultrawide camera with a Samsung S5K2LA sensor (1/2.55", f/2.2, 1.4µm pixels). Additionally, there's a 64MP telephoto camera with a Samsung Bright S5KGW2 sensor (1/1.72", f/2.0, 0.8µm pixels) that provides 3x hybrid optical zoom and 30x digital zoom. The fourth rear sensor is a ToF 3D sensor. The front-facing camera is a 10MP Sony IMX374 sensor (1/3.2", f/2.0, 1.22µm pixels). Video recording capabilities include 8K at 24fps, and 4K recording up to 60fps, both with HDR, OIS, EIS, and stereo sound. The camera system also supports features like slow-motion at 720p@960fps, dual OIS, digital zoom, autofocus, touch focus, continuous shooting, panorama, HDR, and Night Mode.

Battery Life

The device is powered by a 4300 mAh Li-Polymer battery with 25W fast charging support. It also includes fast Qi/PMA wireless charging and 9W reverse wireless charging capabilities. The battery is non-removable.

Software

The Galaxy Note20 5G was launched with Android 10 and has been updated to Android 13. It also features Samsung's custom user interface, which offers numerous features and customizations.

Pricing

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G is considered a high-priced phone. Prices for the 8GB/256GB variant vary by retailer and region, ranging from approximately $225 to $911.

Overall Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G offers a solid premium experience with its capable display, powerful processor, and versatile camera system. The inclusion of the S-Pen enhances productivity, while features like fast charging and wireless charging add to its convenience. Although it was a top-tier device at launch, its age might make it a more budget friendly option for users who still desire a premium build.