What you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 20

Even during a global pandemic, Samsung still manages to get by, introducing a line of additional smartphone innovations with the Galaxy Note 20.

For years now, members of the Android team have always looked forward to the month of August – Samsung’s annual Galaxy Unpacked showcase. Every year it featured a new iteration of the Galaxy Note series and this year is no different, even if we are literally going through a global pandemic.

With the need for technology and innovation constantly growing by the day, Samsung is not resting on its laurels. The Galaxy Note 20 brings work and play in a powerful device that doubles as a computer suite. With the help of the new S Pen, it is unknown what the Galaxy Note 20 is capable of. As we try to navigate a new way of life, Samsung does not classify its latest device as a smartphone; in fact, he refers to it as a “power phone.”

Luckily for us, we have in our hands the high-end variant of the latest series: the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G.

The design: sleek lines and curved edges

For the past few years, Samsung has always sought to improve its design for the Galaxy Note series. While the Galaxy Note 10+ offered sleek lines and curved edges, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G takes it a few steps further. However, sometimes that is not good.

There are a lot of hits and a couple of misses; The biggest downside to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G is its large, protruding camera block. While more emphasis has been placed on camera performance in recent years, this shouldn’t discount the camera block design. In fact, the bulge of the camera is significantly higher compared to its predecessor, even the Galaxy S20 Ultra, more lifestyle.

However, all is not lost. Given its business approach to design, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G features a brilliant combination of metal and glass in a sleek body. Its matte-finished glass back is refined and elegant; it also keeps fingerprints out, something its predecessor was known for. But the most important thing about the design is the new color combinations, in particular the Mystic Bronze. It also features curved edges with the Infinity-O display for good measure, pushing its bezels to the limit.

The screen: go big or go home

At 6.9 inches tall, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G is way ahead of the competition when it comes to size. But does that really matter in the grand scheme of things? After you have used the device for two weeks, it plays a very important role in your daily life.

For starters, if you’re a fan of all things ‘Dark Mode’, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s available in settings. Choose from three different screen resolution modes: High Definition (HD +), Full High Definition (FHD +), and Wide Quad High Definition (WQHD +). Sadly, only the FHD + screen resolution is capable of delivering a 120Hz refresh rate. If you opt for WQHD +, go back to the standard 60Hz. However, this is not obvious unless you are an avid mobile gamer.

Other than that, the display is a 2X Dynamic AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, offering bright, vivid colors with a level of vibrancy that cannot be matched by many other devices in the same premium smartphone segment. This makes streaming videos on Netflix a pleasure, given its HDR10 + support. It is capable of displaying the truest black with the brightest white, ensuring that color contrast is apparent right out of the box.

Performance: work and play on one device

Say what you want about Samsung smartphones, it is a true workhorse that can carry more than it should. Sadly, it will never reach its full potential unless you get the US device, which uses the latest Snapdragon 865+ processor. For the rest of the world, we’re stuck with the Exynos 990 chipset and while it’s not necessarily bad, it’s nothing compared to what Snapdragon has to offer.

That being said, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G still manages to bring work and play in one device without any hiccups. There are three storage options to choose from, ranging from 128GB to a whopping 512GB of storage. Fortunately for us, we got stuck with the 256GB middle ground. It’s also worth noting that all three variants feature 12GB of RAM.

It’s incredibly fast, while maintaining a smooth experience at all times. Playing on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G feels amazing too given its much larger screen and refresh rates. The smartphone was created for fast-paced mobile games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Mobile. Even if you only use it for social media, you get more content with every screen scrolling, be it on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok.

The camera: sharp, vibrant and crystal clear

Like all smartphones these days, it’s the camera department that gets the most attention. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G is no different, it sports a triple camera system with a single front camera. It has two 12MP lenses for the ultra-wide and telephoto, as well as a huge 108MP wide-angle lens for good measure. On the front is the 10 MP selfie camera, capable of taking good shots on the go.

And as with all Samsung smartphones, you can expect your camera system to improve when needed. Samsung also makes its camera app simple and easy to use, giving you everything you need at your fingertips. The Single Take feature is back once again, giving you different takes and videos in just a short 10-second snippet. Samsung also included a separate food feature for the camera, as well as night mode, super slow motion, and Live Focus video.

The camera itself is a great personality in more ways than one. The images are sharp, clear and vibrant, while the color reproduction is very accurate to the subject. Whether you’re shooting in Auto or Pro, rest assured that the camera is capable of bringing out the best in your shots. Night mode works exceptionally well whether you are in a dimly lit room or outdoors at night. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G also features up to a 50x hybrid zoom and a 5x optical zoom, giving you sharper images the closer you get. However, it is with video recording that the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G shines the brightest.

Professional-grade 8K video recording is the new norm for Samsung and its latest flagship, giving you the right tools to get your shot done in many different ways. Professional video mode puts you in the seat of a director, giving you control over ISO, shutter speed, manual focus, and more. You can also shoot up to 120 frames per second (fps) without having to worry about choppy shake. This is thanks to advanced AI stabilization, which acts like Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) to keep your videos stable and clear.

The S Pen

Now, we can’t talk about the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G without talking about its S Pen. The premium flagship of the Korean tech giant has introduced the stylus since its inception and it has grown bigger and bigger with each passing year. 2020 is no different and the S Pen comes with new features to talk about.

One of the biggest updates would be the realism of writing with the S Pen. With the help of the 120Hz refresh rate Infinity-O display, it makes writing, drawing, scribbling, screen capture, and just about anything else you can do with the S Pen so much easier. You can also convert your writing to text with just one tap, which makes texting even more convenient. But what makes all of this happen is the 9ms response time, which means that the phone is capable of detecting the S Pen the moment it hovers over the screen.

Our verdict

When it comes to premium flagship devices, you can count on the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G to live up to its reputation. However, 2020 is not the year for that, especially for a smartphone that costs RM5,199. With COVID-19 still very present in all of our lives, I cannot imagine that many would definitely want to shell out a considerable sum for a new smartphone. Since it comes with so many great features, will we ever get a chance to put it to the test properly?

That being said, it is still an exceptional device. It looks good, it feels good, and it definitely works well beyond imagination. It’s also a great everyday driver, especially if you’re constantly on the go. Just be prepared to pay through your teeth to get it.

This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia KL.