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Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra review - Smartphone with powerful features and S Pen included

Let there be light! The Note20 Ultra raises the bar, especially with the display, but it also repeats old mistakes found in the Galaxy S20 Ultra. With a larger battery, a new design, an improved camera, and the S Pen, the most powerful Note model wants to win buyers' hearts over. Our review reveals whether there are any obstacles to this.

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is the direct successor of the Galaxy Note10+, and it's only available in the 5G version in Germany. With 256 GB of storage, this version costs 1,266 Euros (~$1,499). Those who need more storage space can choose the 512 GB model, which will set you back 1,364 Euros (~$1,615).

Compared to its predecessor, Samsung has done a lot of fine-tuning, and the camera has been upgraded in particular. The new display also promises even better values. In addition, the S Pen is said to have been further improved and, above all, to have shorter response times than the Note10 models and the smaller Note20. However, there's a downside for Europeans because the Note20 Ultra also comes with the Exynos 990, which means less performance and battery life compared to the Snapdragon 865 that is used in other regions. But Samsung wants to optimize it further.

With the Note10+, the mediocre battery life and the initially somewhat slow WLAN were the focus of our criticism. In the following review, you'll find out whether Samsung has improved upon this with the Note20 Ultra and whether an upgrade is worth it.

Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra (Galaxy Note Series)
Processor
Samsung Exynos 990 8 x 2 - 2.7 GHz, Exynos M5 / Cortex A-76 / Cortex-A55
Graphics adapter
Memory
12 GB 
, LPDDR5
Display
6.90 inch 19.3:9, 3088 x 1440 pixel 494 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, native pen support, dynamic AMOLED, glossy: yes, HDR, 120 Hz
Storage
256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash, 256 GB 
, 221.3 GB free
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: USB Type-C, Card Reader: microSD up to 1 TB (FAT, FAT32, exFAT), 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: position sensor, accelerometer, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, proximity sensor, barometer, MST
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM/GPRS/Edge (850, 900, 1,800, and 1,900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA (B1 (2,100), B2 (1,900), B4 (AWS), B5 (850), B8 (900)), LTE (B1 (2,100), B2 (1,900), B3 (1,800), B4 (AWS), B5 (850), B7 (2,600), B8 (900), B12 (700), B13 (700), B17 (700), B18 (800), B19 (800), B20, Dual SIM, LTE, 5G, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.1 x 164.8 x 77.2 ( = 0.32 x 6.49 x 3.04 in)
Battery
4500 mAh Lithium-Ion
Charging
wireless charging, fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 10
Camera
Primary Camera: 108 MPix (1/1.33", f/1.8, OIS) + 12 MP (ultra-wide angle, 1/2.55", f/2.2) + 12 MP (5x optical zoom, f/3.0, 1/3.0", OIS), 8K video, Camera2 API level: Full
Secondary Camera: 10 MPix (f/2.2, DPAF)
Additional features
Speakers: stereo speakers, Keyboard: onscreen, power adapter, USB cable, SIM tool, headset, documentation, One UI, Microsoft apps, Spotify, 24 Months Warranty, DRM Widevine L1, SAR (head): 0.338 W/kg, SAR (body): 1.470 W/kg, fanless, waterproof
Weight
208 g ( = 7.34 oz / 0.46 pounds), Power Supply: 69 g ( = 2.43 oz / 0.15 pounds)
Price
1 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Comparison devices

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Best Price
89.6 %
02/2021
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11
208 g256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.90"3088x1440
87.5 %
08/2019
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12
196 g256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash6.80"3040x1440
89 %
12/2019
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16
198 g256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash6.53"2400x1176
88.2 %
04/2020
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
SD 865, Adreno 650
208 g256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash6.67"2340x1080
87.1 %
09/2019
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU
226 g64 GB SSD6.50"2688x1242

Case - Note20 Ultra with matte glass

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is available in Mystic White, Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze. Compared to its predecessor, it weighs 12 grams and has increased in both height and length. Visually, the huge camera module immediately catches one's eye; it protrudes 2.45 millimeters to the back. The module is now covered with a matte glass, which is a real highlight both visually and haptically - fingerprints are still visible on it, but it can't be compared to having a reflective glass.

The Galaxy Note20 Ultra is also the first smartphone to use the new Gorilla Glass Victus, which has already proven itself in many tests. Workmanship as such is excellent. The gap dimensions are very narrow, and all edges meet in a clean way. Furthermore, the smartphone doesn't have any problems with exerted pressure or twisting attempts.

The cover of the SIM/SD card tray is the same color as the rest of the metal frame and is flush with it. The tray itself is made of gray plastic and can hold either two nano SIM cards or a microSD card instead of the second SIM card. The Galaxy Note20 Ultra is also protected against dust and water ingress in accordance with the IP68 standard.

Size comparison

164.8 mm / 6.49 inch 77.2 mm / 3.04 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 208 g0.4586 lbs162.6 mm / 6.4 inch 74.8 mm / 2.94 inch 8.96 mm / 0.3528 inch 208 g0.4586 lbs162.3 mm / 6.39 inch 77.2 mm / 3.04 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 196 g0.4321 lbs158.1 mm / 6.22 inch 73.1 mm / 2.88 inch 8.8 mm / 0.3465 inch 198 g0.4365 lbs158 mm / 6.22 inch 77.8 mm / 3.06 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 226 g0.4982 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity - Samsung phone with USB 3.2

If you were looking forward to new features or more speed in regard to the USB port because of the USB 3.2 name, you will be disappointed since Samsung has simply only adjusted the naming. More precisely, this is a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port (formerly called USB 3.1 Gen 1, and before that, USB 3.0) that supports data transfers at up to 5 Gb/s as well as image output to HDMI or DisplayPort inputs. Samsung DeX is still available as a desktop system, but it's still limited to 1080p on an external display. But if you want to transmit the image over a DisplayPort connection and only want to mirror the smartphone, you can also do this at Ultra HD (60 FPS).

The microSD slot can manage storage media of up to 1 TB and supports the exFAT file system. Apps can partially store data in this optional storage space, but they can't be installed there directly.

In terms of the other interfaces, nothing has changed compared to the predecessor. The Note20 Ultra also lacks both a radio receiver and an IR blaster. In the same way, Samsung continues to do without an audio jack and also includes a suitable adapter in the box.

Top: SIM/SD card tray, microphone
Top: SIM/SD card tray, microphone
Left
Left
Right: Volume rocker, power/Bixby button
Right: Volume rocker, power/Bixby button
Bottom: Microphone, USB port, speaker, S Pen
Bottom: Microphone, USB port, speaker, S Pen

Software - Note20 with One UI 2.5 and Android 10

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra comes with the latest Android 10 and the in-house One UI 2.5. It's certainly positive that the Koreans have meanwhile promised three major updates for their flagship smartphones (as we reported), so that buyers can even expect to receive Android 13 on the Note20 Ultra.

Samsung has preinstalled numerous third-party apps again. These include Facebook, Netflix, Spotify, and several apps from Microsoft. The entertainment providers in particular can't be deleted but only deactivated. In addition, the integration of My Smartphone is also practical; it allows you to receive notifications directly on your own Windows computer or to simply mirror your smartphone in a separate window and exchange data via drag-and-drop.

The Note20 Ultra also supports the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service, so that console titles can be streamed directly from the cloud to the smartphone.

Communication and GNSS - Galaxy smartphone with Wi-Fi 6 and 5G

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra features a Wi-Fi 6 WLAN module that ensures high transfer speeds in combination with our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router. The reception of data is very stable, and while the data rates fluctuate slightly when sending data, they still remain at a high level. The WLAN's range is also convincing in the test.

In terms of mobile connections, the Note20 Ultra can access the Internet using all modern and old mobile radio standards. In addition to LTE Cat. 20, 5G is also available with a broad frequency coverage. Unlike the Snapdragon versions, however, mmWave support isn't available here.

The hybrid SIM slot can house two nano SIM cards, one of which can be connected to the 5G network. Users who occupy the second slot with a memory card can also make use of the integrated eSIM.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
Mali-G76 MP16, Kirin 990, 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash
966 (923min - 995max) MBit/s +25%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
Mali-G76 MP16, Kirin 990, 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash
637 (584min - 715max) MBit/s -17%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Adreno 650, SD 865, 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash
816 (403min - 832max) MBit/s +6%
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Mali-G77 MP11, Exynos 990, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
772 (691min - 832max) MBit/s
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
A13 Bionic GPU, A13 Bionic, 64 GB SSD
589 (461min - 625max) MBit/s -24%
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Mali-G76 MP12, Exynos 9825, 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash
558 (496min - 582max) MBit/s -28%
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Mali-G76 MP12, Exynos 9825, 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash
534 (468min - 587max) MBit/s -31%
iperf3 receive AX12
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
Mali-G76 MP16, Kirin 990, 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash
1010 (912min - 1092max) MBit/s +16%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
Mali-G76 MP16, Kirin 990, 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash
533 (468min - 602max) MBit/s -39%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Adreno 650, SD 865, 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash
883 (834min - 919max) MBit/s +1%
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Mali-G77 MP11, Exynos 990, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
870 (841min - 882max) MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Mali-G76 MP12, Exynos 9825, 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash
670 (326min - 802max) MBit/s -23%
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Mali-G76 MP12, Exynos 9825, 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash
349 (310min - 384max) MBit/s -60%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
A13 Bionic GPU, A13 Bionic, 64 GB SSD
580 (550min - 597max) MBit/s -33%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s -57%
04590135180225270315360405450495540585630675720765810855Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø870 (841-882)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø772 (691-832)
GPS Test: Outdoors
GPS Test: Inside buildings
GPS Test: GNSS

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra supports the GPS (GNSS), GLONASS, BeiDou, and Galileo satellite networks, of which the American and European GNSS can also be used in dual-band mode. Determining the current location takes quite a long time indoors, and it's not very accurate either, but outdoors, it works fast and with high precision.

On our mandatory bike ride, the Samsung phablet has to face the comparison with the Garmin Edge 500. Throughout the total distance of almost 12 kilometers, the two are just 80 meters apart from each other. When it comes to the details, the Note20 Ultra is able to convince and even provides a more precise location than the bike computer.

Garmin Edge 500 - Overview
Garmin Edge 500 - Overview
Garmin Edge 500 - Bridge section
Garmin Edge 500 - Bridge section
Garmin Edge 500 - Turning point
Garmin Edge 500 - Turning point
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra - Overview
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra - Overview
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra - Turning point
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra - Turning point
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra - Bridge section
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra - Bridge section

Telephone and call quality

We really like the call quality of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra when the smartphone is held to the ear. The persons on each end can be understood perfectly and even loud ambient noise is filtered out.

However, performance in hands-free mode is less good. The user's voice sounds slightly muffled, and if the smartphone isn't immediately next to you, your voice is only registered very quietly.

Features like VoLTE and WLAN calling are supported by the Galaxy Note20 Ultra.

Cameras - Galaxy Note20 with improved zoom

Selfie taken with the Galaxy Note20 Ultra

The front-facing camera of the Galaxy Note20 Ultra has a resolution of 10 MP and a dual-pixel autofocus. Not only does it produce balanced selfies during the day, but videos can be recorded as well with a maximum resolution of 2160p and 60 FPS.

The triple-camera setup on the back has the same 108 MP sensor as the Galaxy S20 Ultra, but it has been noticeably improved, especially in terms of autofocus. Photos taken in daylight look very good, and even in low light, the quality can convince due to the use of clever software. Samsung has followed Apple's example here and simply activates night mode automatically if there's not enough light. If you don't want this behavior, you can also deactivate it in the settings. In our low-light setting, this means that the Note20 Ultra needs a full three seconds to take a picture. The outcome is correspondingly good and suggests a better result, in comparison, than with the Huawei P40 Pro+, but this impression is deceptive because the Huawei smartphone only needed a moment to take the photo. If we give the Note20 Ultra the same time, the result is much worse. If you want to capture static subjects at night, you won't find this annoying, but camera shake is guaranteed when it comes to pictures of people.

Samsung has taken a big step in the right direction with its zoom lens since it now features a full-fledged 5x optical magnification (digital zoom up to 50x); this has a very noticeable positive impact on the pictures taken and brings the Note20 Ultra very close to the competition from Huawei. The performance of the ultra-wide angle is identical to that of the S20 Ultra.

Videos can be recorded in 8K at 24 frames per second at best. If you want 60 FPS, you have to use Ultra HD or Full HD. In addition, super slow motion and numerous other functions are also available again.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

WeitwinkelWeitwinkelLow-LightZoomUltraweitwinkel

Under adjusted lighting conditions, the Galaxy Note20 Ultra shows a high level of detail when capturing our test chart, which is also due to the high megapixel count under good lighting conditions. Nevertheless, the image shows slight deficits when it comes to fine letters and the area of the edges.

Color reproduction looks comparatively natural and only slightly oversaturated.

ColorChecker
9.9 ∆E
4.9 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
13.6 ∆E
6.3 ∆E
2.9 ∆E
4.2 ∆E
6.3 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
4.2 ∆E
5.1 ∆E
5 ∆E
5.2 ∆E
10.5 ∆E
8.8 ∆E
3.3 ∆E
4.8 ∆E
8.2 ∆E
7.4 ∆E
3.3 ∆E
4.3 ∆E
5.8 ∆E
2.7 ∆E
2.1 ∆E
ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra: 5.98 ∆E min: 2.09 - max: 13.62 ∆E
ColorChecker
20 ∆E
30.3 ∆E
25.3 ∆E
24.7 ∆E
28.7 ∆E
37.1 ∆E
30 ∆E
21.5 ∆E
20.7 ∆E
21.8 ∆E
35.9 ∆E
38.6 ∆E
20.7 ∆E
29.1 ∆E
17.2 ∆E
32.6 ∆E
24.2 ∆E
28.2 ∆E
29.2 ∆E
29.5 ∆E
31.1 ∆E
26.3 ∆E
20.5 ∆E
12.2 ∆E
ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra: 26.47 ∆E min: 12.19 - max: 38.55 ∆E

Accessories and warranty - S Pen without replacement tips

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra comes with a modular power adapter (25 watts), a USB cable, a headset, a SIM tool, and documentation. The tweezers and replacements tips for the S Pen are no longer included, which is very questionable in terms of sustainability, especially since these are not offered in the store and only replacement pens can be found on the web. Moreover, there are numerous optional cases available for the smartphone that start at just under 20 Euros (~$24).

Users who want to insure their smartphone against accidental damage for two years can also get the Care+ package, which requires a one-time payment of 149 Euros (~$176) or paying 7 Euros (~$8) per month. Apart from that, Samsung generally offers a 24-month warranty on its product.

Input devices and handling - S Pen power

The S Pen is the unique selling point of the Galaxy Note series, and at first glance, it's very similar to its predecessor. It recognizes up to 4,096 pressure levels and has a 0.7-millimeter wide tip. The input latency is said to have been improved from 25 to 9 milliseconds. However, according to the information on the Samsung website in the USA, this is, to a much larger extent, due to the 120 Hz panel than to modifications in the pen; subjectively, we couldn't detect any changes in direct comparison with the Galaxy Note10+ at least. In addition, the pens can be exchanged between the different generations without any problems. In any case, the standby times of the S Pen, which also communicates with the Note20 via Bluetooth, were improved. While the predecessor had a standby time of up to 10 hours, it's now been increased to a full 24 hours. The range of functions has neither been expanded nor reduced. In addition to the off-screen notes, other features include the ability to write on screenshots as usual, and text can also be formatted directly into Word using handwriting recognition. The small pen offers numerous possibilities and continues to provide a good writing experience that feels a little firmer than with the Note10.

The capacitive touchscreen recognizes up to ten touchpoints simultaneously and very reliably. The gliding properties of the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus are excellent. Furthermore, a fingerprint scanner was integrated into the display for biometric security; it has a high recognition rate and unlocks the smartphone quickly. Unlocking the phone is easier and faster with the 2D face-recognition feature, but it's also less secure.

Display - Samsung with super-bright AMOLED

Subpixel grid

The Dynamic AMOLED display of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra has a diagonal size of 6.9 inches (17.53 cm), but it has the same technical pitfall as the S20 Ultra in that it gives users the choice of either selecting the QHD+ high resolution and using only 60 Hz, or reducing the resolution to Full HD+ in order to then use an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120 Hz.

With the ambient light sensor activated, the panel achieves an enormously high luminosity of 878 cd/m² on average with a pure white background on the display, and it's very evenly illuminated too. In a measurement with evenly distributed light and dark areas (APL50), the brightness even increases to 1,221 cd/m², and it reaches 1,350 cd/m² in the APL10 test. Excellent! If you deactivate the ambient light sensor, you can get a maximum of 399 cd/m², but the sensor will still intervene when it gets very bright.

The Galaxy Note20 Ultra is not immune to the typical flickering of an OLED panel either, but this happens between 231.5 and 245.1 Hz and thus within a rather narrow range, so that sensitive users should tend to have fewer complaints, if anything.

Otherwise, Samsung offers a highly configurable always-on display and a blue-light filter to protect the eyes in the evening. HDR10 and HDR10+ are also supported.

870
cd/m²
878
cd/m²
889
cd/m²
867
cd/m²
860
cd/m²
889
cd/m²
883
cd/m²
869
cd/m²
898
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 898 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 878.1 cd/m² Minimum: 1.91 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 96 %
Center on Battery: 860 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.5 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
96.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Dynamic AMOLED, 3088x1440, 6.90
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Dynamic AMOLED, 3040x1440, 6.80
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
OLED, 2400x1176, 6.53
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Super AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.67
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
OLED, 2688x1242, 6.50
Screen
9%
4%
30%
23%
Brightness middle
860
683
-21%
592
-31%
753
-12%
790
-8%
Brightness
878
694
-21%
605
-31%
762
-13%
790
-10%
Brightness Distribution
96
96
0%
96
0%
96
0%
97
1%
Black Level *
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.5
2.9
36%
2.5
44%
0.9
80%
1.4
69%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.4
4.8
54%
5.5
47%
1.6
85%
3.4
67%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.4
2.2
8%
2.6
-8%
1.5
37%
1.9
21%
Gamma
2 110%
2.11 104%
2.16 102%
2.24 98%
2.23 99%
CCT
6466 101%
6247 104%
6173 105%
6415 101%
6466 101%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 245.1 Hz ≤ 99 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 245.1 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 99 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 245.1 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Adjusted settings

The CalMAN display analysis also shows that the panel of the Galaxy Note20 Ultra is very good. But even with optimal settings, there are competitors that achieve more accurate color and grayscale reproductions than the Samsung phone; this criticism can very much be described as nitpicking, though.

Grayscales (profile: Vivid; target color space: DCI P3)
Grayscales (profile: Vivid; target color space: DCI P3)
Mixed colors (profile: Vivid; target color space: DCI P3)
Mixed colors (profile: Vivid; target color space: DCI P3)
Color space (profile: Vivid; target color space: DCI P3)
Color space (profile: Vivid; target color space: DCI P3)
Saturation (profile: Vivid; target color space: DCI P3)
Saturation (profile: Vivid; target color space: DCI P3)
Grayscales (profile: Vivid (adjusted); target color space: DCI P3)
Grayscales (profile: Vivid (adjusted); target color space: DCI P3)
Mixed colors (profile: Vivid (adjusted); target color space: DCI P3)
Mixed colors (profile: Vivid (adjusted); target color space: DCI P3)
Color space (profile: Vivid (adjusted); target color space: DCI P3)
Color space (profile: Vivid (adjusted); target color space: DCI P3)
Saturation (profile: Vivid (adjusted); target color space: DCI P3)
Saturation (profile: Vivid (adjusted); target color space: DCI P3)
Grayscales (profile: Natural; target color space: sRGB)
Grayscales (profile: Natural; target color space: sRGB)
Mixed colors (profile: Natural; target color space: sRGB)
Mixed colors (profile: Natural; target color space: sRGB)
Color space (profile: Natural; target color space: sRGB)
Color space (profile: Natural; target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (profile: Natural; target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (profile: Natural; target color space: sRGB)
HDR - Mixed colors (target color space: DCI P3)
HDR - Mixed colors (target color space: DCI P3)
HDR - Grayscale tracking (target color space: BT.2020)
HDR - Grayscale tracking (target color space: BT.2020)
HDR - Saturation (target color space: DCI P3)
HDR - Saturation (target color space: DCI P3)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
3.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 1.2 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 9 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
8.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4.4 ms rise
↘ 4.4 ms fall
The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 17 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Outdoors, the Galaxy Note20 Ultra is absolutely comfortable to use, and it doesn't disappoint in any situation. The combination of super-bright luminosity, high contrast, and low reflection harmonizes perfectly with every sunlight intensity.

The viewing-angle stability is very good due to the OLED technology, and only from very flat viewing angles are a slight loss of brightness and a minimal green tint to be noticed.

Viewing-angle stability

Performance - Exynos 990 with better system performance

The European version of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is equipped with the in-house Exynos 990, which is accompanied by 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM. An ARM Mali-G77 MP11 GPU is available for graphics processing. We already know this SoC from the Galaxy S20 series, and it definitely delivers strong performance, but it falls short of Qualcomm's current top-of-the-line SoCs. This is particularly annoying because the Snapdragon 865 Plus is installed in other regions, so that the performance gap is even wider than with the S20 models.

The SoC itself performs at the expected level in the benchmarks, but it's slightly improved in the system benchmarks. In some GFXBench test runs, however, the Exynos 990's performance drops a little in the off-screen values, which is due to thermal deficits.

Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
940 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
834 Points -11%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
781 Points -17%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
906 Points -4%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
1326 Points +41%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (903 - 944, n=5)
929 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 2138, n=213, last 2 years)
901 Points -4%
Multi-Core (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
2787 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
2331 Points -16%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
3062 Points +10%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
3338 Points +20%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
3476 Points +25%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (2731 - 2899, n=5)
2800 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 6681, n=213, last 2 years)
2945 Points +6%
Vulkan Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
4789 Points
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (4667 - 4789, n=2)
4728 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (79 - 9992, n=90, last 2 years)
4078 Points -15%
OpenCL Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
5532 Points
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (5364 - 5532, n=2)
5448 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (434 - 10711, n=82, last 2 years)
3875 Points -30%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
4965 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
4549 Points -8%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
3898 Points -21%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
4261 Points -14%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (4791 - 4965, n=2)
4878 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +2%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
12561 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
10367 Points -17%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
12280 Points -2%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
13186 Points +5%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (12557 - 12561, n=2)
12559 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +8%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
14551 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
11813 Points -19%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
13947 Points -4%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
13142 Points -10%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (13627 - 14760, n=5)
14391 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +4%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
11784 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
9027 Points -23%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
10322 Points -12%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
10952 Points -7%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (10008 - 11784, n=5)
10612 Points -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points -8%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
67590 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
54233 Points -20%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
64626 Points -4%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
82937 Points +23%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
96826 Points +43%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (41415 - 68943, n=4)
61100 Points -10%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
84533 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
66142 Points -22%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
75073 Points -11%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
150281 Points +78%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
206190 Points +144%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (48476 - 87223, n=4)
74951 Points -11%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
39724 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
33268 Points -16%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
43459 Points +9%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
32384 Points -18%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
33898 Points -15%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (27431 - 42135, n=4)
37265 Points -6%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
7152 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
4502 Points -37%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
6815 Points -5%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
9123 Points +28%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
7893 Points +10%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (5646 - 8097, n=5)
6920 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (712 - 7285, n=53, last 2 years)
3507 Points -51%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
9480 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
5043 Points -47%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
7671 Points -19%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
12394 Points +31%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
11302 Points +19%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (6388 - 11488, n=5)
9004 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (618 - 9451, n=53, last 2 years)
3855 Points -59%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
3846 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
3273 Points -15%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
4900 Points +27%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
4729 Points +23%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
3839 Points 0%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (3846 - 4124, n=5)
3990 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1093 - 4525, n=53, last 2 years)
2997 Points -22%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
7385 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
4618 Points -37%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
7098 Points -4%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
8823 Points +19%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
Points -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (7385 - 8485, n=5)
7798 Points +6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=116, last 2 years)
8973 Points +22%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
9536 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
5083 Points -47%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
7970 Points -16%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
12694 Points +33%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
Points -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (9470 - 11868, n=5)
10329 Points +8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=115, last 2 years)
15631 Points +64%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
4127 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
3498 Points -15%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
5133 Points +24%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
4283 Points +4%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
Points -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (3935 - 4455, n=5)
4240 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=115, last 2 years)
4320 Points +5%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
6658 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
4940 Points -26%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
6048 Points -9%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
7157 Points +7%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
5471 Points -18%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (6544 - 6896, n=5)
6733 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=103, last 2 years)
2668 Points -60%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
8156 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
5712 Points -30%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
6478 Points -21%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
8299 Points +2%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
6088 Points -25%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (8005 - 8469, n=5)
8260 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=103, last 2 years)
2657 Points -67%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
4052 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
3353 Points -17%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
4909 Points +21%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
4895 Points +21%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
4038 Points 0%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (3963 - 4267, n=5)
4091 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=103, last 2 years)
3121 Points -23%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
6830 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
5143 Points -25%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
6382 Points -7%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
7986 Points +17%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
Points -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (6638 - 7459, n=5)
7083 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=175, last 2 years)
6514 Points -5%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
8239 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
6036 Points -27%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
6657 Points -19%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
9356 Points +14%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
Points -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (870 - 9190, n=5)
7112 Points -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=174, last 2 years)
9281 Points +13%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
4273 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
3389 Points -21%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
5576 Points +30%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
5277 Points +23%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
Points -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (4063 - 4495, n=5)
4284 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=174, last 2 years)
4150 Points -3%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
5178 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
4713 Points -9%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
5570 Points +8%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
6578 Points +27%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (5042 - 6355, n=5)
5599 Points +8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (365 - 6439, n=97, last 2 years)
2594 Points -50%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
6378 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
6186 Points -3%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
6369 Points 0%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
8173 Points +28%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (6136 - 8783, n=5)
7254 Points +14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (298 - 8601, n=97, last 2 years)
2755 Points -57%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
3122 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
2571 Points -18%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
3870 Points +24%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
3830 Points +23%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (3104 - 3230, n=5)
3154 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1667 - 3525, n=97, last 2 years)
2668 Points -15%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
110 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
58 fps -47%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
60 fps -45%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
90 fps -18%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
59 fps -46%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (60 - 119, n=5)
81.8 fps -26%
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 165, n=179, last 2 years)
83.2 fps -24%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
145 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
95 fps -34%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
152 fps +5%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
203 fps +40%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
287 fps +98%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (145 - 200, n=5)
186.8 fps +29%
Average of class Smartphone
  (19 - 791, n=179, last 2 years)
243 fps +68%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
90 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
56 fps -38%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
60 fps -33%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
88 fps -2%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
60 fps -33%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (59 - 90, n=5)
65.8 fps -27%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.8 - 165, n=180, last 2 years)
71 fps -21%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
96 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
89 fps -7%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
106 fps +10%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
122 fps +27%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
157 fps +64%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (96 - 126, n=5)
108.8 fps +13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9.2 - 363, n=180, last 2 years)
137.5 fps +43%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
61 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
36 fps -41%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
73 fps +20%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
77 fps +26%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
60 fps -2%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (58 - 61, n=5)
59 fps -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.7 - 158, n=180, last 2 years)
59.9 fps -2%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
65 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
65 fps 0%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
56 fps -14%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
86 fps +32%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
100 fps +54%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (65 - 85, n=5)
77.4 fps +19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.2 - 279, n=180, last 2 years)
96.3 fps +48%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
34 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
18 fps -47%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
34 fps 0%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
45 fps +32%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
48 fps +41%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (34 - 45, n=5)
42 fps +24%
Average of class Smartphone
  (5 - 117, n=180, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +26%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
38 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
28 fps -26%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
41 fps +8%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
50 fps +32%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
63 fps +66%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (38 - 51, n=5)
47.6 fps +25%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.9 - 166, n=180, last 2 years)
58.4 fps +54%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
49 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
27 fps -45%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
40 fps -18%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
47 fps -4%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
58 fps +18%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (49 - 52, n=5)
50.8 fps +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=220, last 2 years)
43.2 fps -12%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
43 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
48 fps +12%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
49 fps +14%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
54 (20min) fps +26%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
75 fps +74%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (43 - 58, n=5)
53.4 fps +24%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=220, last 2 years)
62.8 fps +46%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
34 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
17 fps -50%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
26 fps -24%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
30 fps -12%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
46 fps +35%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (22 - 34, n=5)
29.8 fps -12%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=220, last 2 years)
32.2 fps -5%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
22 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
18 fps -18%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
19 fps -14%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
20 fps -9%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
29 fps +32%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (20 - 23, n=5)
21.8 fps -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=220, last 2 years)
25 fps +14%
AnTuTu v8 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
527820 Points
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
483224 Points -8%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
595466 Points +13%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
510245 Points -3%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (296746 - 527820, n=5)
469996 Points -11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
101336 Points -81%
Basemark GPU 1.1
1920x1080 Vulkan Medium Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
39.13 (10.62min - 99.35max) fps
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
33.9 (9.36min - 74.72max) fps
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (71.4 - 71.6, n=2)
71.5 fps
Vulkan Medium Native (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
27.47 (12.07min - 47.94max) fps
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
31.12 (11.09min - 63.1max) fps
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (42.3 - 63, n=2)
52.7 fps
1920x1080 OpenGL Medium Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
33.38 (8.52min - 83.34max) fps
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
29.22 (4.07min - 95.16max) fps
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (84.1 - 85.6, n=2)
84.9 fps
VRMark - Amber Room (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
4985 Score
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
4997 Score
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
7156 Score
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (4607 - 4957, n=3)
4783 Score
Average of class Smartphone
  (1010 - 10071, n=14, last 2 years)
5281 Score
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
4791 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
4637 Points -3%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
5389 Points +12%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
6072 Points +27%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
5607 Points +17%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (4764 - 4915, n=5)
4815 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +19%
System (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
9024 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
7965 Points -12%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
9309 Points +3%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
10002 Points +11%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
14189 Points +57%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (8843 - 9478, n=5)
9209 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +7%
Memory (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
3811 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
4646 Points +22%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
6130 Points +61%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
7945 Points +108%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
2350 Points -38%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (3775 - 4497, n=5)
4037 Points +6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +63%
Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
10646 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
9092 Points -15%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
10112 Points -5%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
11567 Points +9%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
16996 Points +60%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (10646 - 10803, n=5)
10744 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +31%
Web (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 990, Mali-G77 MP11, 12288
1439 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Exynos 9825, Mali-G76 MP12, 12288
1374 Points -5%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 990, Mali-G76 MP16, 8192
1462 Points +2%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
1514 Points +5%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple A13 Bionic, A13 Bionic GPU, 4096
1745 Points +21%
Average Samsung Exynos 990
  (1270 - 1439, n=5)
1351 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +3%

Surfing the web with the Galaxy Note20 Ultra feels very fast, but it only ends up in the midfield in the benchmarks.

Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 13.1)
129.1 Points +127%
Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=168, last 2 years)
104.5 Points +84%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro (Chrome 78)
65.9 Points +16%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro (Chrome 81)
65 Points +14%
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra (Chrome 84)
56.8 Points
Average Samsung Exynos 990 (50.6 - 56.8, n=5)
53.8 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy Note10+ (Samung Browser 9.2)
42.69 Points -25%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 13.1)
301.9 Points +214%
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 414, n=3, last 2 years)
194.9 Points +103%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro (Chrome 78)
115.5 Points +20%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro (Chrome 81)
115.4 Points +20%
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra (Chrome 84)
96.2 Points
Average Samsung Exynos 990 (89.3 - 96.2, n=5)
92.8 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy Note10+ (Samsung Browser 9.2)
84.5 Points -12%
Speedometer 2.0 - Result
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 13.1)
153 runs/min
Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=152, last 2 years)
105.5 runs/min
Huawei Mate 30 Pro (Chrome 78)
74.1 runs/min
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro (Chrome 81)
68.6 runs/min
Average Samsung Exynos 990 (50.8 - 64.4, n=4)
60.4 runs/min
Samsung Galaxy Note10+ (Samsung Browser 9.2)
runs/min
WebXPRT 3 - Overall
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 13.1)
181 Points +77%
Average of class Smartphone (37 - 304, n=119, last 2 years)
131.8 Points +29%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro (Chrome 78)
119 Points +17%
Samsung Galaxy Note10+ (Samsung Browser 9.2)
118 Points +16%
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra (Chrome 84)
102 Points
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro (Chrome 81)
101 Points -1%
Average Samsung Exynos 990 (86 - 102, n=5)
94.4 Points -7%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 13.1)
49388 Points +151%
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=203, last 2 years)
33516 Points +70%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro (Chrome 78)
23568 Points +20%
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro (Chrome 81)
22834 Points +16%
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra (Chrome 84)
19695 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note10+ (Samsung Browser 9.2)
19135 Points -3%
Average Samsung Exynos 990 (18094 - 20022, n=5)
19019 Points -3%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Samsung Galaxy Note10+ (Samsung Browser 9.2)
2528 ms * -10%
Average Samsung Exynos 990 (2294 - 2511, n=5)
2387 ms * -4%
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra (Chrome 84)
2296 ms *
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro (Chrome 81)
2021 ms * +12%
Huawei Mate 30 Pro (Chrome 78)
1963 ms * +15%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=166, last 2 years)
1651 ms * +28%
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max (Safari Mobile 13.1)
571 ms * +75%

* ... smaller is better

Our test device contains 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Optionally, it's also available with 512 GB. The differences compared to UFS 3.0 are not big because the memory bandwidth has remained the same; only the maximum write speeds have been increased considerably, which hasn't been noticeable yet on any of the smartphones that we've reviewed with this new memory type. This will surely change once there are new SoCs.

The storage speed is very high, but it shows a slightly weaker performance when reading and writing small data blocks. But this shouldn't play a noticeable role in everyday life.

The microSD card slot, which we tested with our Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 reference card, is comparatively slow.

Samsung Galaxy Note20 UltraSamsung Galaxy Note10+Huawei Mate 30 ProXiaomi Mi 10 ProAverage 256 GB UFS 3.1 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-7%
7%
13%
27%
17%
Sequential Read 256KB
1782
1504
-16%
1781
0%
1739
-2%
1768 ?(1004 - 2037, n=86)
-1%
1462 ?(215 - 4512, n=211, last 2 years)
-18%
Sequential Write 256KB
802
588
-27%
401.8
-50%
750
-6%
1136 ?(452 - 1873, n=86)
42%
1074 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=211, last 2 years)
34%
Random Read 4KB
186.7
196.2
5%
226.4
21%
264.9
42%
281 ?(173.5 - 543, n=86)
51%
241 ?(22.2 - 543, n=211, last 2 years)
29%
Random Write 4KB
217.7
183.6
-16%
259.2
19%
258.5
19%
311 ?(197.5 - 499, n=87)
43%
265 ?(13 - 709, n=211, last 2 years)
22%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
65.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
71 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
8%
82.5 ?(Nano Memory Card)
26%
75.9 ?(65.6 - 85.8, n=4)
16%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
55.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
59.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
7%
69.2 ?(Nano Memory Card)
24%
61.9 ?(55.6 - 69.3, n=4)
11%

Games - The Note20 Ultra is optimally equipped

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra offers a good overall package for gamers. Besides a large 120 Hz display and good speakers, it also has a powerful SoC. With our partner GameBench, we took a closer look at a few titles.

With PUBG Mobile, Samsung sets an ironclad 40 FPS limit, no matter which graphics setting we choose. But in return, the game is very stable and can be played without frame drops. With Dead Trigger 2, the adaptive refresh rate can be observed very well, because the smartphone continuously adjusts the FPS even while playing the game. A small catch: The high frame rates are not possible with all titles. In this way, we can only select 60 FPS with Armajet (up to 144 FPS).

PUBG Mobile
Dead Trigger 2
0102030405060708090100110Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra; PUBG Mobile; Smooth; 0.19.0: Ø39.8 (37-41)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra; PUBG Mobile; Balanced; 0.19.0: Ø39.8 (37-41)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra; PUBG Mobile; HD; 0.19.0: Ø39.9 (37-41)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra; Dead Trigger 2; 1.6.9: Ø88 (57-118)

Emissions - Low performance under load

Temperature

GFXBench battery test

The surface temperatures are harmless at all times, and even under load, the Samsung smartphone doesn't even get lukewarm.

Inside, however, the Note20 Ultra faces bigger problems as the Manhattan scenario of the GFXBench battery test shows. The corresponding benchmark is executed thirty times in a row, and both the battery values and the frame rates are logged. After just the seventh run, the Note loses around a third of its original performance, and after the twentieth run, the loss increases to around 50%. Other smartphones like the Asus ROG Phone 3 persistently achieve almost three times the frame rate. So it's no wonder that Samsung directly limits the frame rate in games accordingly.

Max. Load
 32.9 °C
91 F
33.1 °C
92 F
30.8 °C
87 F
 
 33.8 °C
93 F
33.3 °C
92 F
31.3 °C
88 F
 
 32.5 °C
91 F
33 °C
91 F
30.7 °C
87 F
 
Maximum: 33.8 °C = 93 F
Average: 32.4 °C = 90 F
29.1 °C
84 F
30.7 °C
87 F
30 °C
86 F
29.1 °C
84 F
31.1 °C
88 F
30.3 °C
87 F
28.8 °C
84 F
30.7 °C
87 F
30.7 °C
87 F
Maximum: 31.1 °C = 88 F
Average: 30.1 °C = 86 F
Power Supply (max.)  25.8 °C = 78 F | Room Temperature 21.8 °C = 71 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated) & Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.4 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 33.8 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 31.1 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.7 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

Pink Noise measurement

The two speakers in the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra provide a balanced sound. They are sufficiently loud, but as expected, they lack the low-bass range.

Alternatively, headphones can be connected to the USB port or Bluetooth can be used for wireless systems. The latter supports Dual Audio again, so that two Bluetooth devices can be supplied with audio signals at the same time. With SBC, AAC, aptX and LDAC, several audio codecs are supported, but you'll have to do without aptX HD or the newer aptX Adaptive.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.923.3252923.73121.927.44022225029.935.36322288019.330.710016.331.31251440.316016.956.120014.954.625014.158.63151066.74001165.750011.766.763010.969.480011.972.310001176.4125010.276.8160011.477.8200012.879250012.979315012.578.440001378.5500013.175.8630013.475.3800015.776.11000013.573.5125001470.31600013.763.9SPL24.888.8N0.677.4median 13median 73.5Delta1.37.832.239.436.225.529.126.83027.742.342.426.827.220.325.22536.717.244.817.954.317.153.817.95316.253.616.55615.35915.664.415.664.814.867.214.472.314.67314.776.914.176.414.476.914.475.914.973.514.773.814.57214.866.6156316.649.427.185.80.961median 15median 64.81.39.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy Note20 UltraApple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (1.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 1% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 15% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.7% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 8.8% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 20% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 71% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 42% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 51% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life - Larger battery in the Note20 Ultra

Energy consumption

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra's power consumption is at a good level and is only comparatively high under full load. However, the measurements show that the communication modules require a little more power.

In addition to wireless charging at up to 15 watts, the smartphone also supports Wireless PowerShare to charge other devices. When using a cable, fast charging at 25 watts is supported, so nothing has changed compared to the Note10+ here.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.01 / 0.24 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.65 / 1.06 / 1.49 Watt
Load midlight 4.91 / 10.29 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
4500 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
4300 mAh
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
4500 mAh
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
4500 mAh
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
3969 mAh
Average Samsung Exynos 990
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-31%
-13%
9%
-49%
-22%
-15%
Idle Minimum *
0.65
0.7
-8%
0.87
-34%
0.61
6%
0.92
-42%
0.846 ?(0.65 - 1, n=5)
-30%
0.892 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=158, last 2 years)
-37%
Idle Average *
1.06
1.81
-71%
1.75
-65%
1.19
-12%
2.9
-174%
1.534 ?(1.06 - 1.91, n=5)
-45%
1.448 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=158, last 2 years)
-37%
Idle Maximum *
1.49
1.92
-29%
1.83
-23%
1.23
17%
2.94
-97%
1.858 ?(1.49 - 2.3, n=5)
-25%
1.631 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=158, last 2 years)
-9%
Load Average *
4.91
7.57
-54%
3.85
22%
4.18
15%
3.65
26%
5.14 ?(4.72 - 5.8, n=5)
-5%
5.56 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=158, last 2 years)
-13%
Load Maximum *
10.29
9.34
9%
6.64
35%
8.53
17%
6.18
40%
10.7 ?(9.99 - 11.8, n=5)
-4%
8.25 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=158, last 2 years)
20%

* ... smaller is better

Battery life

The battery of the Galaxy Note20 Ultra has a capacity of 4,500 mAh and is thus mainly responsible for the slightly better battery life compared to its predecessor.

Otherwise, the situation is similar to what we had already observed with the S20 models. The battery life is good as long as the communication modules are not involved. Although the results are also still good in our tests with activated WLAN, the runtimes are considerably shorter than with the competitors.

With moderate usage, a day of use is certainly easily possible. But if you communicate a lot, take pictures or even play games online, you will have to recharge in between.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
20h 23min
WiFi Websurfing (Chrome 84)
10h 44min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
16h 33min
Load (maximum brightness)
5h 38min
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
4500 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
4300 mAh
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
4500 mAh
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
4500 mAh
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
3969 mAh
Battery Runtime
-1%
21%
16%
53%
Reader / Idle
1223
1585
30%
2174
78%
2133
74%
2618
114%
H.264
993
934
-6%
1098
11%
973
-2%
1346
36%
WiFi v1.3
644
532
-17%
823
28%
865
34%
909
41%
Load
338
305
-10%
219
-35%
198
-41%
408
21%

Pros

+ super-bright OLED display with HDR10
+ good speakers
+ S Pen
+ strong triple-camera setup
+ expandable storage
+ Wi-Fi 6, 5G, and eSIM
+ IP68 certification

Cons

- slow microSD slot
- 120 Hz only at Full HD
- neither aptX HD nor aptX Adaptive
- SoC policy

Verdict - A tough choice

In review: Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. Review device provided by Samsung Germany.
In review: Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. Review device provided by Samsung Germany.

At the time of testing, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is one of the best smartphones available. The phablet shines in the test with a very bright AMOLED display, high system speed, a good and versatile camera, pleasing speakers, and a fancy design. And then there's the S Pen, a very mature product with many great features.

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra offers a pretty complete package, and the three-year update promise guarantees a long life.

Only a look at the details reveals minor annoyances; these include, above all, the dilemma of the different SoCs, which simply leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Not only is the performance weaker with the Exynos SoC, but the energy efficiency suffers as well, and 5G has to deal with the lack of mmWave support. The calibration of the display could have been a bit more accurate too; although this is hardly noticeable to the naked  eye, it prevents a better rating for the display. In addition, we would have also expected from a high-end product that the panel's 120 Hz mode worked at QHD+ resolution too.

For Note lovers, there's no way around the Galaxy Note20 Ultra anyway, but owners of last year's version in particular will find little incentive to upgrade, since Samsung simply hasn't improved some details at all. Users who don't have an issue with the high price will get a great smartphone.

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Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra - 08/31/2022 v7
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
96%
Keyboard
68 / 75 → 90%
Pointing Device
98%
Connectivity
70 / 70 → 100%
Weight
88%
Battery
89%
Display
90%
Games Performance
57 / 64 → 88%
Application Performance
80 / 86 → 93%
Temperature
94%
Noise
100%
Audio
83 / 90 → 92%
Camera
80%
Average
84%
90%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra review - Smartphone with powerful features and S Pen included
Daniel Schmidt, 2020-09- 6 (Update: 2020-09- 6)