Would you like a little more ?: The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a stunner

For users for whom good is not good enough, who want the best of the best and for whom size really matters, Samsung has made the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. And if you can take a lot, you might be ready to shell out almost 1300 euros.

Well, Samsung is not reinventing its Galaxy Note series with the 20 Ultra, but the giant smartphone is a real treat from a technical point of view. And the device is also an eye-catcher when you look over the flashy camera unit on the back. The Galaxy Note Ultra shines all along the line in the test, but occasionally causes transport problems and a moment of shock when looking at the pricing.

Great display

A big argument in favor of the 208 gram device is its grandiose, 6.9-inch AMOLED display. It only has very narrow edges and takes up almost the entire front. The impression of almost only seeing the screen is reinforced by the slightly curved sides. The colors and contrasts of the display should set new standards. The brightness is also impressive for an OLED panel, you can still read it well even in direct sunlight.

The resolution of 3088 x 1440 pixels enables a super sharp pixel density of around 500 ppi. If it is set, however, you cannot use the highest possible screen refresh rate of 120 Hertz, this is only available with Full HD + (2316 x 1080 pixels). But even then, the smartphone only accelerates the frequency when it is appropriate to save electricity. If you want to save the battery, 60 Hertz and Full HD + are fixed values. You notice this a bit when scrolling, but it's hardly worth mentioning.

Strong and persistent

Main camera, …

(Photo: kwe)

You only have to save electricity on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra on very long days. Otherwise you can ride the device with a battery capacity of 4500 mAh. It has enough power for that. The in-house Exynos 990 is not a benchmark winner, but together with 12 gigabytes (GB) of RAM it still has so much oomph that criticism that the even stronger Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus is not used in Europe is quite nerdy Mimimi. Otherwise there's nothing to complain about on the inside, from the wireless standards to the flash memory, everything is at the highest level.

Like the display, the back of Gorilla Glass 7 is effectively protected from scratches. And because it is matt, they hardly spoil any streaks or fingerprints even after prolonged use. If you want to be angry, you could ask what is still a lot to mess up with the enormous camera unit. But that will not occur to technology fans, because multiple snaps in the premium class need an outstanding look.

Top camera equipment

… five times magnification, …

(Photo: kwe)

This is particularly true of the 12 megapixel telephoto camera because it offers five times optical magnification. The 108-megapixel sensor of the main camera also needs space, the 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera is the third in the group.

Overall, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is one of the best camera smartphones that you can currently buy, even if it doesn't come close to the Huawei P40 Pro +. However, that is again whining on a very high level. Because photos and videos from the main camera look first-class, even in low light or at night. The ultra-wide angle camera also does a great job in that it does not lose focus too quickly on the sides.

… 50x magnification.

(Photo: kwe)

And a five-fold optical magnification is completely sufficient, in addition, one is often closer than one would like. And with this zoom factor, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra also takes really good photos with lots of details and sufficient sharpness. If you zoom in more, the high resolution of the main camera helps, which you can quickly see in the pictures. But if it is only a matter of recognizing what is there in the distance, you can also use 50x magnification.

Fast S Pen, very high prices

Real Note fans will appreciate the new S Pen inserted in the frame if they have accompanied its evolution. Because you will probably notice that the delay is a little shorter than with the predecessor. Otherwise, the stylus has gained a few more gestures, which are quickly forgotten after trying them out.

If you are not using the pen for notes, drawings, etc., it is particularly useful as a remote control when you couple the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra with a notebook, monitor or television in order to present presentations on their displays. And of course, like other Samsung Galaxy smartphones with a coupled monitor, the device can be used as a replacement PC.

All in all, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a great device that offers almost everything that fans of large smartphones could want. However, you really need a lot of storage space for the phablet and you shouldn't be short of cash. With 256 GB of flash memory (expandable), the gem costs 1266 euros, while the 512 GB version costs 1364 euros. After all, like Google, Samsung is now offering system updates for three years, which makes the high prices a bit more reasonable.