Note 20 Ultra vs. Note 10 Plus By CNET

The Galaxy Note: 20 ultra is a beast of a phone, but it doesn't come cheap, starting at 1300. Us dollars enter the note, 10 plus also an excellent phone, but a little cheaper. So, let's work out which phone is the better value. Obviously the note 20 ultra is Samsung's latest phone. It has more features more performance than the note 10 plus, but this is still an excellent phone, and it was one of the best phones of 2019. So I wanted to see how they stack up in this video, I'm going to compare everything from the design, the s, pen, performance, battery extra features and, of course, the camera.

So, let's get started, let's talk battery and performance. Both of these phones are incredibly capable, and I can show you all the benchmarks until the cows come home, but really it comes down to real world use for me and there's been nothing that I've been able to throw at these phones that they haven't been able to cope with, even though the note 10 plus is a year old. It still is such a good performer compared to the note 20 ultra. They have the same amount of ram at 12 gigabytes, so in terms of background apps and launching, and all things like that, both of them are pretty much the same. In that regard.

What the main difference is the processor now in the US, snapdragon 865, plus on the note 20 ultra and snapdragons 855 on the note 10 plus now. This will also play a factor into performance, so for all my Aussie mates and everyone else around the world outside the US, you are going to be using an Enos chip for the most part, I haven't used the Enos version of either of these two phones. So if you do have thoughts on how the performance is on that, please let me know I would love to hear what you think battery life is incredibly important and both of these phones have slightly different sized batteries. The 4 500 milliampere hour battery on the note 20 ultra compared to 4 300 on the note 10 plus, but I'll just say that both of these phones can definitely get me through the date. But battery's usage does depend on a number of different factors, including 5g and cellular reception screen resolution display brightness for fresh trade, processor, individual use patterns, aka videos taking us pen, uses movie, move playback camera usage, steps taken.

What you had for breakfast caffeine intake, how many people use the Netflix Logan and if you are subscribed to seeing it not guaranteed all rights wizard now that said, I was still a little disappointed overall in the battery life that I did get out of the note 20 ultra, but I have to say that the standby time was actually a lot better than I was expecting, probably because when the screen is static, it switches automatically to the 60 hertz thanks to that variable, refresh rate setting. But the note 10 plus is such a beast for me, and it does get me through the day and then some quite easily the note 20 ultra. I can see heavy users definitely needing to top up a little more if you are choosing to use it at 120. Hertz you'll get through the day, not a problem. Just if you are a super heavy user.

Maybe think about switching back to 60. I know I don't want to do it either when it comes to storage. Both of these phones have expandable storage via micro, USB up to one terabyte, but for onboard storage. The base storage is actually different and the note 10 plus has the upper hand. It comes in at 256 as your entry level or base level, whereas on the note 20 ultra the entry level or base storage has not really entry level because it's 1300 phone is 128 gigabytes.

I mean come on Samsung if you're putting 8k video recording on this beast. Give me the storage to match just seems a little rude. Otherwise, another factor that might sway your decision one way or the other is 5g or not 5g. So the note 20 ultra just has 5g by default, and the note 10 plus was released initially as a 4g LTE version and then subsequently it has also got a 5g variant that you can buy, although it does cost a little more now, let's talk cameras, because the note 20 ultra offers an embarrassment of riches for photographers. I feel like a contestant on a game show when I use this camera because it's like people are throwing cash at me.

I kind of try and use and grab all the cash or all the features that I can possibly use at one time. So the hardware itself is actually quite different between these two phones and to me, I think the camera presents the biggest point of difference between the two, so both of them have an ultra-wide main rear camera and a telephoto lens. Now, on the note 10 plus, it is two times, telephoto camera on the note 20 ultra. It is five times- optical zoom, which can then go out to that crazy 50 times. Zoom long story short, don't use the 50 times, stop between 10 and 20 times, and you'll be very impressed with the results.

As long as you have good light, so, overall the photos between them. You can definitely tell that Samsung has done a lot of work to its photo processing. Algorithms, on the note 20 ultra there's also that 108 megapixel sensor that gives you the benefits of pixel binning. To get the most detail out of your images, I can see a significant difference between the photos from both of these phones side by side. Overall, the note 20 ultra images have a bit more contrast, they're a little more punchy, and it's clear that the dynamic range is a lot better on the newer phone than it is on the older phone.

The note 10 plus also has that timer flight camera that is no longer on the note 20 ultra. Really it doesn't serve that much use. If you want to do things like scan a 3d object, I guess you can use it on that on the note 10 plus, but I used it once and a year later, I've never touched that feature again night photos on the note.20 ultra are clearly a lot brighter and clearer than those on the note 10 plus, so that one is just a no-brainer there. The newer phone does produce the better results. Autofocus is also slightly different on both of these phones.

Now the note 20 ultra uses a laser autofocus system to address the issues of the phase detect auto system on the galaxy s20 ultra, which was quite frankly, a bit of a mess when it was first released. Now the AF system is improved on the note 20 ultra, but it still is a little twitchy in video and not as smooth as I would like it. But speaking of video, the note 20 ultra really does have an ace up its sleeve when it comes to pro video mode. This is the ability to be able to change not only all of your manual exposure control modes, but also select audio options. There's a live, histogram audio levels zooming in with the smooth zoom feature, look there's just so much in that mode and 8k recording, plus a huge array of frame rates and aspect ratios.

If you are serious about video, then the note 20 ultra is going to be the one of the two phones to buy. Overall, these two phones feel more like an evolution rather than a revolution in design. So by that I mean the jump from note.9 to note 10 plus was significant, but the jump from note, 10 plus to note 20 ultra there's not all that much different. So the screens they both have beautiful curved edges, 6.8 inches on the note, 10 plus versus 6.9 inches on the note 20 ultra. They both have the same dynamic AMOLED display.

Overall, the note 20 ultra screens was a little brighter and easier to see in broad daylight, but they both look fantastic and the movie going experience. Social media taking photos playing games on both just looks fantastic, so I was really happy with the performance of both. That being said, the size of the note 10 plus just works a little better for smaller hands like mine. The note 20 ultra is manageable, but it does get a little tiresome for prolonged use. If you have bigger hands, so this will not present any of a challenge.

The next thing is screens okay, so we did talk about the same dynamic AMOLED display. However, refresh rate on the note.20 ultra is 120 hertz, and it's a variable or adaptable screen refresh rate compared to the 60 hertz, on the note 20 ultra, if you've used a high refresh rate screen, you'll know what I'm talking about it's just so smooth, and the experience is like silky buttery, all of those adjectives that you can use to describe it really, really nice, and I actually thought, though, going back to using the note 10 plus that I would notice a bigger difference. I think the first 30 seconds I was like look. This is gross 60 hertz like no thank you and then after 30 seconds. I was totally fine with it and I got used to it again.

What might present a challenge, though, is what happens when you lay both flat on a surface now, if you do what I do, which is use the s pen with the phone laying flat you'll notice that the note 20 ultra has a little of a rocking chair effect when you try and write on it, it's a little annoying so obviously to mitigate that. I would absolutely put a case on it. I've been using some pretty slimline cases. The one of my favorites at the moment is the sign liquid air. It just actually creates a really nice layer, so it sits totally flat rather than rocking around the one reason why you might also want to put a case on them is because of durability, so they both have gorilla glass.

The note 10 plus uses gorilla glass 6. The note 20 ultra uses the newer gorilla glass Vitus, which is rated for drops from up to 2 meters or 6.6 feet, look long story, short, we've done the durability and drop tests. Glass breaks, so you'll definitely need to put a case on both of these phones. The other thing is an in-screen fingerprint reader, which both of them have the note.10 plus, though, look that fingerprint reader has just been so troublesome from day one the note 20 ultra I've had no issues with whatsoever, so yeah note 20 ultra much more reliable in that regard. Speaking of fingerprints, I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

The note 10 plus, is a fingerprint magnet. It looks like a crime scene if you use it without a case, because of that glossy finish, it looks gorgeous but yeah. You can never touch it. If you don't want it to look like a total mess. The note 20 ultra thanks to that matte finish on the back.

It looks much better when you use it without a case not as many fingerprints and not as much of a mess. Now, let's talk about the s pen, because that's a big reason why you choose a Galaxy Note device over anything else out there. Now the location of the s pen has changed it's the first time in the note lineup, when it has moved from the right hand, side on the 10 plus, to the left hand, side on the 20 ultra. I did complain about this when I first took the note 20 ultra out of the box, but I've gotten totally used to it now, just a little of muscle memory to get to know which way you need to hold your phone to take the pen out, it's not as big of a deal as I thought it was going to be when I first tested it out now. The key thing you need to know is that the s pen is actually very, very similar on both the pen itself is pretty much identical.

The main differences that you'll really want to know about is the latency between the pen. Now it is 45 milliseconds on the note, 10 plus and 9 milliseconds, on the note 20 ultra now in theory, this means that it's going to feel much more realistic to write and use the s pen on the note, 20 ultra as well, thanks to that 120 hertz screen than it is on the note, 10 plus, but actually using them side by side. I didn't notice that huge of a difference you would think my brain would be able to tell the difference between 9 vs 45 milliseconds, but I don't know what's going on upstairs. I really couldn't tell that much of a difference. Furthermore, I think if I was an artist or someone that really wanted to get super fine, precise brush work with the s pen, it would make a big difference but for casual use.

Furthermore, I really didn't find it a problem at all. Both of the phones have air gestures, so the ability to use the s pen to say, launch the camera app switch between the selfie and the rear cameras or take a photo remotely change between tracks and your music app and all of that good stuff. The s20 ultra adds on top of that some air actions, so you're able to go back and forth between web pages like navigate back and forward, take a screenshot and then scribble on the screen. Look they're, not that useful, because, namely they just don't work that well, and they don't actually respond super well to my commands. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I have been using it for several weeks, and they just haven't, got any more intuitive or more accurate.

What I've been using in them. Let's do a quick check of all the other features that we haven't yet talked about. As for charges, both of them have a 25 watt charger in the box that you can use to juices up superfast, and it will get you to flat to full in pretty much an hour or just under that now, then again, the note 10 plus actually has the upper hand. I don't know why, like wow, it's the older phone, but anyway it's actually supported by the 45 watt charger. That is a separate purchase.

It will charge us up lightning fast, whereas the note 20 ultra doesn't support 45 watt charging, so you can use a 45 watt charger, but it's just going to stop at 25. So it's not going to give you that extra bit of boost charge, speed, lightning fast, as you do on the note, 10 plus again how there are some other bells and whistles, including wireless decks on the note 20 ultra and the ability to basically use it with your big screen TV. Now it is Miracast, but it is recommended that you use a Samsung smart TV for this feature, so I wasn't able to test it out, because this is not a Samsung smart television. You also get Xbox game, pass compatibility on the note 20 ultra again, though, at the time recording this, it hasn't been released. Yet so I haven't had a chance to test it out.

The speakers on the note 20 ultra are also significantly louder and more defined than those on the note 10 plus. I did listen to them both side by side with the same track, one with the note 10 plus and against my ear and the next with the note 20 ultra- and I pretty much blew my eardrum out because of how loud it was, and I wasn't expecting it and now everything is ringing. The note 20 ultra is also the first Samsung phone to have an USB or ultra-wideband chip to facilitate faster transfers. Wirelessly, although you do have to do that with another phone, that is a Samsung phone that has an USB chip and both of the phones also support android nearby share. Now it comes down to the part of the video where I need to choose, which phone, I think is the better value.

There's no doubt that if you can afford the note, 20 ultra and especially, if you're, already coming from an older Samsung phone, and you get some pretty significant discounts, if you trade in it might be worth it to you, especially if you want the high refresh rate screen and also all the additional camera functionality. But this time I'm going to choose the cheaper option, which is the note, 10 plus there's just something about this phone that is more than the sum of its parts. It just has that x factor appeal that is still incredible. Even a year after it's released, I think it's just a better option. For someone with a smaller hand.

Like me, the cameras are still perfect. Look. The fingerprint reader is annoying, but I can get over that. I can use a pin and overall I just think this is a better value for money than the more expensive phone. So for me, I'm choosing the note 10 plus, but maybe for you, the more expensive phone is the better option.

So hopefully what I've talked about throughout this video will help you decide which one is the right choice for you thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoyed this video make sure, as always to let me know which phone wins your vote down in the comments below or if there's a question that I didn't answer. Of course, I would love to help you out. So leave me a note down below and make sure you check out. All this other fun related note, 20, ultra content over there bye.

Source : CNET