Skip to main content

How Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 compares to its predecessors and competitors

How Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 compares to its predecessors and competitors

/

How do the specs stack up?

Share this story

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Samsung just announced the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra, the two latest phones in its stylus-equipped lineup. The specs of Samsung’s Note phones are always top of the line, with big, high-resolution screens, fast processors, and big batteries. So how do they compare to Samsung’s previous flagship phones as well as the best its competitors currently have to offer?

We’ve rounded up the most important specs for both the Galaxy Note 20 and the Note 20 Ultra below and compared them directly against Samsung’s previous flagships (including those from its recent Galaxy S20 series and last year’s Note 10 lineup) as well as competing devices from the likes of Google, OnePlus, and, of course, Apple.

Of course, the specs never tell the full story, and you’ll have to wait for our full reviews of the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra to know how they perform in real-world usage. But if you want to see how the raw numbers stack up, read on for a full spec comparison that includes the phones’ original starting prices, battery capacities, cameras, and screen sizes.

Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge

These tables are best viewed in landscape mode on mobile devices.

Galaxy Note 20 vs. its predecessors and competitors

CategorySamsung Galaxy Note 20Samsung Galaxy S20Samsung Galaxy Note 10Google Pixel 4OnePlus 8iPhone 11 Pro
Starting price$999$999$949$799$699$999
OSAndroid 10 (One UI)Android 10 (One UI)Android 10 (One UI)Android 10Android 10 (OxygenOS) iOS 13.6
Display6.7-inch (2400 x 1080) OLED6.2-inch (3040 x 1440) OLED6.3-inch (2280 x 1080) OLED5.7-inch (2280 x 1080) OLED6.55-inch (2400 x 1080) OLED5.8-inch (2436 x 1125) OLED
Refresh rate60HzUp to 120Hz60HzUp to 90HzUp to 90Hz60Hz
Dimensions (mm)161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3mm69.1 x 151.7 x 7.9mm71.8 x 151 x 7.9mm68.8 x 147.1 x 8.2mm160.2 x 72.9 x 8mm144 x 71.4 x 8.1mm
Weight194g163g168g162g180g188g
Battery capacity4,300mAh4,000mAh3,500mAh2,800mAh4,300mAh3,046mAh
ProcessorUS: Snapdragon 865 PlusUS: Snapdragon 865US: Snapdragon 855Snapdragon 855Snapdragon 865Apple A13 Bionic
RAM8GB8GB8GB6GB8GB or 12GB4GB
Storage128GB128GB (microSD support allows an additional 1TB)256GB 64 or 128GB128 or 256GB64 or 256 or 512GB
PortsUSB-C charging portUSB-C charging portUSB-C charging portUSB-C charging portUSB-C charging portLightning charging poirt
Rear cameras12MP (F/1.8, 79 degree, OIS, 1/1.76") wide, 12MP (F/2.2, 120 degree) ultrawide, 64MP (F/2.0, 76 degree)12MP (F/1.8, OIS, 1/1.76") wide, 64MP (F/2.0, OIS, 1/1.72") telephoto, 12MP (F/2.2) ultrawide12MP (F/2.1, OIS, 1/3.6") telephoto, 16MP (F/2.2, 123 degree, 1/3.1") ultrawide, 12MP ( F/1.5-2.4, OIS, 77 degree, 1/2.55") wide16MP (F/2.4, OIS, 52 degree, 1/3.6") telephoto, 12.2MP (F/1.7, OIS, 77 degree, 1/2.55") wide48MP (F/1.8, OIS, 1/2.0") wide, 16MP (F/2.2, 116 degree) ultrawide, 2MP (F/2.4) macro12MP (F/1.8, OIS, 1/2.55") wide, 12MP (F/2.0, OIS, 1/3.4") telephoto, 12MP (F/2.4) ultrawide
Front cameras10MP (F/2.2)10MP (F/2.2)10MP (F/2.2)8MP (F/2.0)16MP (F/2.0) 12MP (F/2.2)
BiometricsUltrasonic fingerprint sensorUltrasonic fingerprint sensorUltrasonic fingerprint sensorFace unlockIn-display fingerprint sensorFace unlock
WaterproofIP68IP68IP68IP68No (unlocked), IP68(carrier model)IP68
Wireless chargingYesYesYesYesNoYes

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra vs. its predecessors and competitors

CategorySamsung Galaxy Note 20 UltraSamsung Galaxy S20 UltraSamsung Galaxy Note 10 PlusGoogle Pixel 4 XLOnePlus 8 ProiPhone 11 Pro Max
Starting price$1,299$1,399$1,099$899$899$1,099
OSAndroid 10 (One UI)Android 10 (One UI)Android 10 (OneUI)Android 10 Android 10 (OxygenOS) iOS 13.6
Display6.9-inch (3088 x 1440) OLED6.9-inch (3200 x 1440) OLED6.8-inch (3040 x 1440) OLED6.3-inch (3040 x 1440) OLED6.78-inch (3168 x 1440) OLED6.5-inch (2688 x 1242) OLED
Refresh rateUp to 120HzUp to 120Hz 60HzUp to 90HzUp to 120Hz60Hz
Dimensions (mm)164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm166.9 x 76 x 8.8mm162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9mm160.4 x 75.1 x 8.2mm165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5mm158 x 77.8 x 8.1mm
Weight208g222g196g193g199g226g
Battery capacity4,500mAh5,000mAh4,300mAh3,700mAh4,510mAh3969mAh
ProcessorUS: Snapdragon 865 PlusUS: Snapdragon 865US: Snapdragon 855Snapdragon 855Snapdragon 865Apple A13 Bionic
RAM12GB RAM12 or 16GB RAM12GB RAM6GB RAM8 or 12GB RAM4GB RAM
Storage128 or 512GB (microSD support allows an addiitonal 1TB)128 or 256 or 512GB (microSD support allows an additional 1TB)256 or 512GB RAM (microSD support allows an addiitonal 1TB)64GB or 128GB128 or 256GB64 or 256 or 512GB RAM
PortsUSB-C charging portUSB-C charging portUSB-C charging portUSB-C charging portUSB-C charging portLightning charging port
Rear cameras108mp (F/1.8, OIS, 79 degree, 1/1.33") wide, 12MP (F/2.2, 120 degree) ultrawide, 12MP (F/3.0, 20 degree) telephoto, Laser AF108MP (F/1.8, OIS, 1/1.33") wide, 48MP (F/3.5, OIS, 1/2.0") periscope telephoto, 12MP (F/2.2) ultrawide, 0.3MP (F/1.0, TOF 3D) depth12MP (F/1.5 -2.4, OIS, 1/2.55") wide, 12MP (F/2.1, OIS, 1/3.6") telephoto, 16MP (F/2.2, 1/3.1") ultrawide, 0.3MP (TOF 3D) depth12.2MP (F/1.7, OIS, 1/2.55") wide, 16MP (F/2.4, OIS, 1/3.6") telephoto48MP (F/1.8, OIS, 1/1.43") wide, 8MP (F/2.4, OIS) telephoto, 48MP (F/2.2, 116 degree, 1/2.0") ultrawide, 5MP (F/2.4) color filter12MP (F/1.8, OIS, 1/2.55") wide, 12MP (F/2.0, OIS, 1/3.4") telephoto, 12MP (F/2.4) ultrawide
Front cameras10MP (F/2.2)40MP (F/2.2)10MP (F/2.2)8MP (F/2.0)16MP (F/2.5)12MP (F/2.2)
BiometricsUltrasonic fingerprint sensorUltrasonic fingerprint sensorUltrasonic fingerprint sensorFace unlockIn-display fingerprint sensorFace unlock
WaterproofIP68IP68IP68IP68IP68IP68
Wireless chargingYesYesYesYesYesYes