First of all, this has got to be the best looking and the best-built phone that Samsung has ever made. The matte-like soft-touch finish on the back, as well as the boxy flat top and bottom, just screams class and elegance. Unlike the S20 series, this flagship phone comes with only two models which are the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra. But that doesn’t bother me at all because this metal and glass phone is all about the quality.
Design 4/5
Based solely on looks, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a beautiful smartphone that even I would get for myself. Even the colour options just give the phone an all-around elegance, especially when it comes to the classy Mystic Bronze. The razer thin bezels, the chamfers, the metal rails are all in the right places and the contrast with the dark camera bump is just pure genius. Looking back at all of Samsung’s design, I would have to give credit where it belongs because this is a phone that is sleek and absolutely gorgeous.
The first time I picked up this metal and glass phone, it just screamed quality. As a flagship phone, there’s always a bunch of little things that usually add up to make that premium feel and I feel like Samsung really has delivered on that especially when it comes to the satin texture on the back.
However, the one-off thing I have about the design is its bulkiness. Not only can’t I use the phone single-handedly but its protruding camera bump kind of makes my OCD go a little crazy.
Nevertheless, the phone is still worth the price especially when it comes with a screen that is absolutely rich in colour. Featuring a Dynamic AMOLED 2X an edge Infinity-O display, say goodbye to the days when direct sunlight just ruins your viewing experience.
Features 4/5
New phone means new features and more unexplainable upgrades that can be quite overwhelming for an individual. Honestly, there was even a time when I forgot that the S Pen existed or that it comes with a few more Air Actions that I can’t seem to get a grasp on. No kid, I was waving the stylus as though I was a witch from the Harry Potter films who was having troubles with her wand. But speaking of the S Pen, it now has a lower latency of 9ms so it does make writing and drawing feel much more realistic.
Auto-saving and syncing notes across all mobile, tablet and PC has never been easier especially when users can now pair the phone wirelessly to a Windows machine without any hassle. On top of that, Samsung’s own note-taking app also comes with major improvements. Forget switching to different apps just to record important details from your meeting because now the Notes app can do just that.
Although I had been using the smartphone on a daily basis, I just felt that it isn’t as satisfying as I thought it’d be. Yes it’s gorgeous, and it has plenty of cool features but it just felt like an overpacked luggage. On top of that, you have the four-figure barrier so unless you’re someone who needs an instant phone upgrade and has the dough — then I’d say go for it.
Performance 3.5/5
I can’t deny the fact that even though the phone does lean more towards the pricier end, at least it does come with hyperfast speed. Thanks to its powerful processor, the Exynos 990 with 12GB of RAM, you’ll certainly feel much more content and might even look past the price tag. ‘Cause at the end of the day, who wants a laggy phone? Also worth noting that the Note 20 Ultra also comes with a 120Hz refresh rate so that’s highly appreciated and would make your gaming experience definitely better than before.
Then there’s the hero of the phone, the camera. I’m obsessed with how the colours from the photos just pop, especially the reds. The Note 20 Ultra ultimate feature has got to be its 108MP main camera that’s coupled by a 12MP ultra-wide and telephoto camera. With photos turning out absolutely great particularly using the main camera, it is like you’re getting what you paid for. On top of it all, if you are into zoom photography, the Super Zoom feature which allows you to zoom up to 50x. Though the photos aren’t as crisp, it still gets the job done. To say the least, the Note 20 Ultra will certainly fulfil your photographic needs.
However, I personally found that the phone doesn’t get me through the day with its battery life. It’s utterly disappointing when I experienced a terrible battery drain even when the phone wasn’t in use. Plus, it gets incredibly heated fast although I’m just browsing through the apps so that’s -1 for me.
Value 3/5
With all that said and done, it is truly a really expensive device and is priced at RM5,199.00 with a 256GB memory. At the moment, the Mystic Bronze version is out of stock however Samsung fans can still go for the Mystic White or Mystic Black that is also priced the same.
Conclusion
All in all, I feel like if you really use your phone to its full advantage then I’d reckon you should save up five grand in total to make your purchase. Or in another case, you’re a Samsung fanatic and you’re consistently upgrading your phone, then I don’t see why not. For me, there are pros and cons to owning a Note 20 Ultra but I’m not really a stylus kind-of-gal so I’ll be taking a pass. But in terms of design, this has got to be the only phone that has made me feel excited.
Specifications
Battery: 4,500mAh
Size (Main Display): 174.5mm (6.9″ full rectangle) / 173.3mm (6.8″ rounded corners)
Resolution/Technology (Main Display): 3088 x 1440 (Quad HD+) / Dynamic AMOLED 2X
CPU Speed/Type: 2.73GHz, 2.5GHz, 2GHz / Octa-Core
Rear Camera – Resolution/F Number/ Zoom (Multiple): 108.0 MP + 12.0 MP + 12.0 MP / F1.8 , F2.2 , F3.0 / Optical Zoom at 5x , Digital Zoom up to 50x
Video Recording Resolution: UHD 8K (7680 x 4320)@24fps
Contact
Samsung Experience Store @ Digital Mall, Lot G-09, Ground Floor, Digital Mall, 2, Jalan 14/20, Seksyen 14, 46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, 03-7931 2136