Samsung Galaxy Note 20 preview: Everything we know so far

Samsung’s Galaxy S20 line launched this past spring, which means the Galaxy Note 20 is next on the horizon, right? Well yes, it appears that way.

Leaks are amassing around Samsung’s next stylus-driven phone, which is expected to largely keep the design philosophy of both the Galaxy Note 10 and S20. Will it introduce enough features to pull people in? And will the pandemic delay Samsung’s usual Note release window?

Here’s everything we’ve heard so far.

(Concept renders via OnLeaks/Pigtou)

When will the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 be out?

Galaxy Note phones reliably launch in August. That’s a month before Apple’s usual iPhone window, so it gives Samsung a bit of advance space to call its own.

Following rumours on the matter, Samsung has officially announced a streaming Galaxy Unpacked event for 5 August. While the company hasn’t confirmed anything that’ll be shown, the Galaxy Note 20 is a sure bet given the stylus tip shown in the video above, and rumours point to a new Galaxy Fold phone as well as a 5G-enabled Galaxy Z Flip.

Fact or fiction?

We’re just a few weeks out from seeing the Galaxy Note 20… officially, at least.

Also Read › Apple iPhone 12 preview: Everything we know so far

How much will the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 cost?

Well, it will no doubt be expensive. The Note line has never been particularly affordable, and that was even true last year when Samsung released two different models.

There hasn’t been any concrete chatter at this point about pricing, but we certainly don’t expect the Note 20 or Note 20+ to be any cheaper than their predecessors, which started at £869 and £999 respectively.

Fact or fiction?

Much as we’d love to see cheaper Note models, we probably won’t.

What will the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 look like?

Envision the Samsung Galaxy S20 in your mind, but slightly boxier. Got it? Well, you’ve probably figured it out then.

Rumours currently suggest that there won’t be any huge design shake-up for the Galaxy Note 20, which still ought to have a centered selfie camera cutout on the screen and a more rectangular aesthetic than the S20.

Early case designs (purportedly based on leaked specs) from established leaker IceUniverse suggest a similar-looking camera array on the back, too, which may mean that there’s little different about this year’s model.

The concept renders and video all around this page come from notorious leaker OnLeaks in association with Pigtou, and show a rumoured design that suggests very little in the form of changes for the Note 20+ design.

Leaker Jimmy is Promo seems to have gotten his hands on a pre-release version of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, as seen in the hands-on video above. He highlights some of the key differences between the Note 20 Ultra and the current Galaxy Note 20 in terms of size, but it looks like the S-Pen is the same as before.

The Note 20 Ultra seems to be just a smidge larger overall, although the camera module is much bigger this time around and the S-Pen slot has moved to the left side of the bottom.

Fact or fiction?

If you’re expecting a big design change with the Note 20… well, don’t.

What about the Samsung Galaxy Note 20’s screen?

Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, has been tweeting out purported Note 20 details of late, and he suggests larger screens this time around: 6.42in on the Note 20 and 6.87in on the Note 20+.

He also points to the Galaxy Note 20+ featuring an LTPO display with a variable refresh rate, which should save battery life while delivering smooth animations. However, the Note 20 is expected to have a standard 60Hz refresh rate along with a resolution around 1080p again, like the Note 10, while the Note 20+ will go for the crisper QHD+ panel.

Leaker Ice Universe suggests that the Galaxy Note 20 will have a fully flat screen, while GSM Arena claims that the Note 20+ will have a curvier display in tow.

The renders above and below leaked from Samsung’s own Russian website (via Ishan Agarwal), amazingly, offering what seems to be a clear look at the back design and copper colour option for the Note 20 Ultra.

Fact or fiction?

Larger screens, but the same kind of resolution split as last year… and maybe a difference in flatness too.

How much power will the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 pack?

Galaxy Note phones always pack flagship-level power, and we expect much the same from the Note 20 – no doubt about it.

Rumours point to a potential bump in power for Note 20 models running Samsung’s Exynos processors, with a possible Exynos 992 providing more processing grunt than the Exynos 990 in the Galaxy S20.

Meanwhile, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 seems likely in other parts of the world, although an enhanced Snapdragon 865+ has also been rumoured. Still, it’s not likely to be significantly more powerful than what the Galaxy S20 line had on offer.

Young suggests that the Note 20 line will offer configurations with up to 16GB RAM.

Fact or fiction?

You’ll get top-of-the-line power with the Note 20, no doubt.

What kind of cameras will the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 have?

The Galaxy Note 20+ is expected to feature the same 108-megapixel ISOCELL Bright HM1 as the Galaxy S20 Ultra… but without the 100x zoom capability.

That’s according to leaker Ice Universe. We suspect the Galaxy Note 20 won’t have quite the same array – probably something more akin to the standard Galaxy S20.

As the leaked images above show, however, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is packing another hefty back camera array. Will it beat the Galaxy S20 Ultra on camera capabilities?

Fact or fiction?

Dropping the 100x feature seems odd, but maybe it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be on the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Is there anything else I should know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 20?

Yeah, there are a few other details worth knowing. It will come with the S Pen stylus, of course, although we’re still awaiting details on the kinds of enhancements in tow.

Storage-wise, SamMobile reports that the core Note 20 may only ship with 128GB of internal storage – but that bodes well for the return of the microSD port that was missing from the standard Note 10.

And in terms of battery life, the Note 20 is expected to have 4,000mAh capacity, with the Note 20+ boosting above that tally. You’re also sure to find 5G models of the Note 20 phones.

Meanwhile, the Note 20 line could implement Qualcomm’s larger 3D Sonic Max in-display fingerprint sensor that can read two fingers at once.

Fact or fiction?

All told, it doesn’t sound like there are massive changes or upgrades planned, but hopefully Samsung puts together a compelling package at the right price. We’re eager to see it.

About

Andrew writes features, news stories, reviews, and other pieces, often when the UK home team is off-duty or asleep. I'm based in Chicago with my lovely wife, amazing son, and silly cats, and my writing about games, gadgets, esports, apps, and plenty more has appeared in more than 75 publications since 2006.