Samsung, over the last year, has been one manufacturer which has flooded the market with its devices. With its constant tease ‘what next, next week’, the brand has managed to spoil the consumer with options, which is a good drive. Premium line-up of Samsung devices like ‘S series’ or ‘Note series’ have always had a set market and demand. Now with more choices with M and A series, the mid-segment and budgeted smartphone users can’t complain. What remains the big highlight of Samsung is its premium series. Galaxy Note is one series that even I look out for. Note 10 was a personal favourite so I have high expectations from the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. They are calling it the ‘the best of the best’.
Looks and design
Galaxy Note 20 series is out with 2 models: Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G. I got my hands on the Mystic Bronze Ultra version. My first reaction to the colour was ‘different’ but in a good way. The colours that the Note 20 series have, are not the usual set from Samsung but have an appeal for all.When you get the device in your hand, the first reaction is that it is large. It has a 6.9-inch screen, the borders are narrower and it weighs 208 gm. It is not a device which you can use with a single hand but you can easily reach out to the power button with one hand which sits on the right of the device. The form factor is big but not uncomfortable. Flip the phone and there it is the 3-set camera module. That is a bit awkward the way it bulges out. Samsung says that the device is thinner than before and that is why it is more prominent.
Samsung has used Corning’s new Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and rear, except for the camera module itself which uses Gorilla Glass 6. The glass is very slick but has a frosted matte finish which is contrasted with the shiny metal frame visible on the top, bottom and sides. The Note 20 gets a polycarbonate back.
Camera
One more part where the Note series has been doing well is the camera department. Galaxy Note 20 Ultra gets a 108-megapixel primary camera on the back. There is also a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 12-megapixel periscopic camera that can achieve up to 5x optical zoom and 50x super resolution zoom. The front camera has a 10-megapixel resolution. All about its capabilities and qualities, I will let you know once I test it for longer for a full review.
Key specifications
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra gets a Samsung UI 2.5. The smartphone is equipped with a 2.4GHz octacore Samsung Exynos 990 processor. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra houses a 4500 mAh non-removable battery and runs on Android 10. The smartphone supports wireless charging and proprietary fast charging. The S Pen silo has been shifted from the bottom right to the bottom left. There’s a USB Type-C port on the bottom, but no 3.5mm audio socket. You get a hybrid dual-SIM tray on the top. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in India also works with an eSIM. Samsung is only offering a 5G version of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in India, whereas the Galaxy Note 20 is LTE-only. There are some S Pen gestures for UI navigation and taking screenshots, so you don’t have to put the stylus down when using it. Samsung also says latency is improved for a more lifelike pen-on-paper experience. The experience so far for me with the S-pen is not quite different than before. Once I use the device for longer maybe I would be able comment better.
First impression: Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the most premium device from Samsung. The makers want this to be the ultimate camera delight premium device. Well for that you would have to spend over a lakh of rupees. The first impression of the device has left me impressed. The design of the camera module has been a bit of a disappointment though. Let’s spend some more time with the device to get you a full review and a final verdict.