Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G vs Galaxy S20 Specs Comparison

Earlier this year, we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S20 and described it as the balanced one in the S20 series with the right amount of exceptional features you can find in a flagship.

As Samsung freshly introduces its Note 20 line-up, let’s see in this specs comparison how the Galaxy Note 20 5G fairs against the Galaxy S20.

Summary of advantages

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G
• Bigger display
• Larger battery
• 5G connectivity
• Bigger storage variant
• S-Pen

Samsung Galaxy S20
• QHD+ and 120Hz display
• Higher RAM available
• Expandable storage

Display

Noticeably, the Galaxy Note 20 5G has a larger 6.7-inch Super AMOLED 2.0 display compared to the S20’s 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2.0 screen. However, for display performance, the S20 stands out with a QHD+ (vs FHD+) resolution, 563ppi (vs 393ppi), and a 120Hz (vs 60Hz) advantage. Both displays also use Samsung’s Infinity-O design to house the front camera.

Chipset

When it comes to chipsets, locally, both sport the flagship Exynos 990 processor.

RAM & Storage

The Note 20 5G comes with 8GB RAM, while the S20 is available with either 8GB or 12GB LPDDR5 RAM. As for storage, the Note 20 5G packs 256GB of internal storage while the S20 gets 128GB which is expandable up to 1TB via microSD card.

Cameras

These two power-packed devices are equipped with the same camera configuration. That’s a triple set-up at the back composed of a 12MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, and a 64MP telephoto lens. On their tiny notches reside their respective 10MP dual-pixel front cameras.

Connectivity & Other Features

Connectivity-wise, the Galaxy Note 20 is 5G-ready, but as a telco-exclusive. It’s also capable of 4G LTE, dual-band WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC. The S20 model in the Philippines, on the other hand, is capable of 4G LTE, WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC. Thankfully, both carry a dual SIM tray for two nano-SIM cards.

Expect an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner and face recognition for biometrics on both. And as for protection, both are equipped with IP68 dust and water resistance plus Corning Gorilla Glass 6 for the S20. It’s still undisclosed on what specific glass protection Samsung used for the Note 20, but there’s one for sure. Now the main selling point for the Galaxy Note 20 is the S Pen compatibility, of course.

OS & Battery

Out of the box, these two Samsung devices run on Android 10 skinned with OneUI 2.0.

For battery, the Note 20 5G packs a larger capacity of 4,300mAh, while the S20 has a 4,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging. Both are supported with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, and Wireless PowerShare.

Price

The two devices are priced as follows:

• Samsung Galaxy Note 20 – starts at PHP 53,990USD 920INR 77,994EUR 876CNY 6,700 (8GB + 256GB)
• Samsung Galaxy S20 – PHP 49,990USD 852INR 72,216EUR 811CNY 6,204

Which one is the better buy?

The Galaxy Note 20 and S20 share a few significant similarities. They both have the same processor, set of cameras, software, and even IP68 rating. Now there are some notable upgrades on the Note 20 such as the larger display, bigger battery, and of course the advantage of having an S-Pen. You get those by paying the extra PHP 4,000USD 68INR 5,778EUR 65CNY 496. However, if you want to get the 5G connectivity, you’ll have to get it through a postpaid plan.

However, if you don’t really need those upgrades, the S20 is still a better choice with an outstanding QHD+ display that’s capable of 120Hz, plus, the option for a higher RAM variant and expandable storage up to 1TB via microSD card.