The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Galaxy Note 10 Plus are big, bold, and beautiful smartphones. We find out which one is best in a head-to-head comparison.
Last year’s Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus was big, but this year’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is even bigger. It’s the direct successor to the Note 10 Plus, offering a larger screen, a more powerful processor, tastier camera specs, and a bigger battery. It certainly looks like it should be a better Android smartphone, but does hype match up to reality? We compare the two mobiles to find out, weighing up the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and the Galaxy Note 10 Plus over six categories, to help you to decide which of these two flagships is better for you. Being part of the same series, it’s hardly surprising to find that the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Galaxy Note 10 Plus look very similar. However, if you squint at them carefully, you’ll notice a few subtle differences. The Note 20 Ultra departs ever so slightly from the traditionally angular design of its predecessors (and also the Note 20), featuring fine curves around its edges that give it a slightly more refined appearance. It’s also 2 millimeters taller and 0.2mm thicker, but this difference isn’t really noticeable when you hold either phone (they’re both big). The Note 20 Ultra also has a fractionally sharper and more vivid screen. It sports a 3,200 x 1,440 resolution, in comparison to 3,040 x 1,440 on the Note 10 Plus. This provides it with 13 more pixels per inch than its predecessor, which isn’t really noticeable. At the same time, the inclusion of a Super AMOLED screen does provide a tangible difference in quality. When coupled with the 120Hz refresh rate, it’s likely to offer a more fluid and vibrant screen experience. Predictably enough, the Note 20 Ultra and Note 10 Plus both come with IP68 certification. This means they’re resistant to dust and can withstand immersion in shallow water for up to 30 minutes. This puts them on an equal footing, but with slight-yet-detectable differences in the design and display areas, this round is going to the Note 20 Ultra. Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra They may pack equal amounts of RAM and ROM, but the Note 20 Ultra lays claim to a newer processor. It’s equipped with the Snapdragon 865 Plus in the United States (and China), while it runs on Samsung’s own Exynos 990 in the rest of the world. The Note 10 Plus operates on the Snapdragon 855. It’s hardly a slow processor, but the 865 offers a small advantage that could make itself known if you run some of the latest games and apps at the same time.
