Here’s the lowdown on Samsung’s newest Note.
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Every year, there are certain phones we just can’t help but get excited about — one of which is the Galaxy Note. From the first Note that debuted in 2011 up to last year’s Note 10, Samsung’s stylus-equipped flagships are regularly some of the most interesting to hit the market.
Samsung revamped its naming convention this year with the Galaxy S lineup, going from the S10 to the S20. We’re expecting something similar for the Note lineup, meaning 2020 will see the launch of the Galaxy Note 20.
From the latest specs, leaked renders, pricing rumors, and more, here’s everything you need to know!
Today’s Note
Galaxy Note 10+
$1100 at Amazon
$1100 at Best Buy
$900 at Walmart
Plenty of specs and features for years to come
While we are excited to see what Samsung has to offer with the Note 20 later this year, that doesn’t dismiss the fact that the Note 10 is still one heck of a phone. Between its AMOLED display, flagship performance, and reliable triple rear cameras, there’s plenty to like. Now that the Note 10’s been out for a while, it’s not uncommon to find solid promotions/deals for it.
Jump to:
- The Note 20 should be announced in August
- Here’s what we know about price
- We may get three different models
- This is what the Note 20 looks like
- These are the rumored specs
- The Note 10 is still a great phone
When is the Galaxy Note 20 going to be announced?
We know you’re probably eager to get your hands on the Note 20, but you should be aware that this year’s release spectacle will look a bit different than normal. All previous Note launches have taken place at physical Unpacked events hosted by Samsung, but that’s likely not happening this time around.
A May 20 report claims that Samsung will launch the Note 20 via an online-only event, all thanks to the ongoing global pandemic. This idea was backed up on June 9, with it also being reported that the event will take place on August 5. For comparison’s sake, here’s the timeline for Samsung’s past Unpacked events:
- Galaxy Note 10 — Released August 23, 2019
- Galaxy Note 9 — Released August 24, 2018
- Galaxy Note 8 — Released September 15, 2017
- Galaxy Note 7 — Released August 19, 2016
In addition to the Note 20, we’re also expecting Samsung to use the event to unveil the Galaxy Fold 2, Galaxy Z Flip 5G, and Galaxy Watch 3.
How much will the Note 20 cost?
Smartphone prices have been continually rising, and unfortunately for your wallet, that trend is bound to carry over to the Note 20. Looking back on the prices of past Notes, here’s how things have changed between the previous three models:
- Galaxy Note 8 — $930
- Galaxy Note 9 — $1,000
- Galaxy Note 10 — $950
- Galaxy Note 10+ — $1,100
Samsung really went all-out with price hikes this year with the S20, with the base S20 costing $1,000 and the S20 Ultra starting at $1,400.
In other words, the Note 20 will be expensive. We don’t know exactly how expensive, but something beyond the $1,000 threshold seems inevitable.
Will there be more than one version of the Note 20?
For most Notes that have come out, Samsung’s released one model and called it good at that. Last year, however, Samsung went all out with three versions of the Note — including the Note 10, Note 10+, and Note 10+ 5G.
5G is expected to be a core feature for the Note 20 just like it is on the S20, so we shouldn’t have a 5G-specific model like we did last year. As such, this could mean we only get a Note 20 and Note 20+. This point was reinforced on May 10, with the CEO and Founder of the Display Supply Chain Consultants saying that Samsung is only making the Note 20 and Note 20+ — no Note 20 Ultra.
No Note 20 Ultra. Note 20 and 20+
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) May 11, 2020
Contradictory to that point, certification from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group revealed a phone by the name of the “Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.” There were early rumors that an Ultra variant of the phone was in the works, but then the story shifted to Samsung only launching a Note 20 and Note 20+. Now, it seems that the Note 20 Ultra is back in the running.
Do we know what the Galaxy Note 20 looks like?
In May, leaked CAD renders for the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20+ were shared to give an in-depth look at the design for both phones. What you’re looking at above is the render for the regular Note 20, which was published on May 21 by phone accessory company Pigtou and leaker xleaks7.
The Note 20 is very reminiscent to the Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra, especially with the sizeable camera bump on the back. There’s also a large display with slim bezels, a centered hole-punch cutout, and what appears to be no (or minimal) curved edges.
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There are a couple of smaller details also revealed by this leak, such as the S Pen being moved to the left of the bottom frame and the power + volume buttons going from the left side of the device to the right. We can also see a USB-C charging port and no presence of a headphone jack.
Pigtou returned on May 24 to share renders for the Note 20+, this time partnering with @OnLeaks. The Note 20+ looks a lot like the baseline Note 20, though the rear camera module appears to have a different design that puts a greater emphasis on the various camera sensors.
The Note 20+ is also said to have a 6.87-inch display and a periscope zoom module for one of the rear cameras.
On July 1, we got a massive leak for the Note 20 Ultra — this time from Samsung itself! The company’s Russian website accidentally showcased two images of the Note 20 Ultra in a Mystic Bronze color, and it looks nothing short of amazing.
The rear camera housing appears a bit more complete than what’s seen in the above CAD renders, showing a similar setup of three main sensors. The bronze colorway is also quite nice, and it makes us excited to see what other designs Samsung is working on for the release.
What specs is the Galaxy Note 20 expected to have?
The Note is always powered by the latest-available Qualcomm processor, meaning the Note 20 will offer the Snapdragon 865. We’d also expect at least 12GB of RAM, with an upgrade option to go all the way to 16GB. In regards to battery size, it’s being said that the Note 20 Plus will have a 4,500 mAh unit — noticeably smaller than the S20 Ultra’s 5,000 mAh one.
If you live in a country where Samsung phones get Exynos chips instead of Qualcomm ones, word on the street is that the Note 20 will get a new Exynos 992 processor in these markets. The Exynos 992 should be a noticeable upgrade from the 990 in the Galaxy S20, seeing as how it’s built on a 6nm process instead of a 7nm one.
Samsung impressed last year by making 256GB the base storage amount for the Note 10, but according to a leaked model number for the Note 20 (SM-N9821), this year’s phone will come with just 128GB. That’s still plenty of space for most people, but a 50% year-over-year decrease isn’t exactly something we’re excited about.
As for the display, a report from May 11 offered a few tech specs for the Note 20+’s screen. Based on that report, the Note 20+ will have a 6.87-inch display size, 3096 x 1444 resolution with a 497ppi, a 19.3:9 aspect ratio, and a 120Hz refresh rate. An earlier report suggested that the regular Note 20 won’t get a 120Hz refresh rate, which would certainly be disappointing seeing as how all models of the S20 family have that feature. This point was further reaffirmed on June 19, with Samsung tipster Ice Universe claiming that the regular Note 20 will have a Full HD+ display at 60Hz. He also goes on to say that the Note 20 Ultra will get a Quad HD+ 120Hz display, along with a more impressive Snapdragon 865+ chip in some markets.
Speaking of the S20, the Note 20 may ditch one of the most talked-about features of the S20 Ultra — its 100x Space Zoom. Samsung tipster Ice Universe reported this on May 19, saying:
Note20 series no longer retains 100X zoom function
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) May 19, 2020
Samsung hyped up the Ultra’s 100x zoom function quite a lot, but shortly after reviews of the phone started coming out, it became quickly apparent that it offered little real-world functionality. As such, it isn’t all that surprising to learn Samsung may be leaving the feature behind.
That said, another report hints at the Note 20 Plus keeping the S20 Ultra’s 108MP primary camera.
Should I wait for the Note 20 or get the Note 10?
We fully expect the Note 20 to be one of the best phones of 2020, but if you’re shopping for a handset right now and don’t feel like waiting until August to make a decision, the Note 10 and Note 10+ are both excellent devices that are more than worth a look.
Even by 2020 standards, the Note 10 lineup has plenty to like. The Snapdragon 855 processor is more than capable for all of your apps and games, the AMOLED display tech looks fantastic even with the slower 60Hz refresh rate, and the triple rear cameras are more than adequate for snapping Instagram pictures.
On top of all that, it’s quite common to find deals and promotions on the Note 10 that bring its price down quite a bit.
Today’s Note
Galaxy Note 10+
$1100 at Amazon
$1100 at Best Buy
$900 at Walmart
Plenty of specs and features for years to come
While we are excited to see what Samsung has to offer with the Note 20 later this year, that doesn’t dismiss the fact that the Note 10 is still one heck of a phone. Between its AMOLED display, flagship performance, and reliable triple rear cameras, there’s plenty to like. Now that the Note 10’s been out for a while, it’s not uncommon to find solid promotions/deals for it.
