The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is Samsung’s best phone to date, but it launches at a time when expensive superphones look like lavish exuberance, not must-haves. That’s not to say the £1,179 price-tag is actually that expensive in the high-priced world of top-end smartphones that scale to £2,000.

A fantastic all-rounder that boasts a stunning display and a versatile user experience, undermined by its size, longevity and high price

After nearly 10 years at the cutting edge, the Samsung Galaxy Note series is still on top of its game. Yes, it's easy to see the Note 20 Ultra as "just another Note" - but that's because it's got so much right.

Integrated stylus delivers key point of difference; Great handwriting and notes input; Massive screen is a delight; Powerful and fluid operation

Big camera protrustion; Battery struggles to last a full day; Zoom camera is unimpressive; 120Hz display unavailable at max res; Gimmicky Air Gestures; Pricey

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a phone for Note lovers, but it might be too expensive and overloaded for anyone else.

Giant; gorgeous screen; fast processor; and great battery life; Mystic Bronze is the new pinnacle in phone colors; Lower S Pen latency makes a huge...

Extremely expensive with less storage than the Note 10+; Might be too big for some pockets; Can get hot during heavy loads

There’s a sense of deja-vu around the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Samsung’s stylus-toting smartphone won’t get to be its 2020 flagship – that honor is reserved for the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 2 – but with its combination of S Pen, big screen, big spec sheet, and big price tag, the newest Note is a...

Fantastic display with a smooth 120Hz mode; S Pen remains the go-to tool for mobile notetakers; Cameras capable of some great photography; Powerhouse specs

Expensive; Can't have 120Hz with maximum screen resolution; Occasional camera autofocus issues; Battery might not satisfy power users

Earlier this year, I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G , and it had specifications and technology to make it an awesome phone for business. However, the camera had some imperfections, it was a large phone for an S series device, and it was expensive.

Full 5G network support; Stunning; large 120Hz adaptive display; Improved latency in the S Pen with new gestures; Improved rear cameras with laser focus; Ultra-Wideband (UWB) support; Wireless DeX support

Expensive; Large rear camera area

Samsung has settled into a new routine for its Galaxy Note line of smartphones: take some of the major new features from the flagship Galaxy S updates from earlier in the year, improve on them slightly, and add a stylus.

Fast performance; Samsung Notes with the S Pen is great; Multiday battery life

Selfie camera (the “Hamcam”) oversmooths faces; Expensive compared to non-stylus competitors; Ads in Samsung apps; Gigantic with a gigantic camera bump

This year's Note device once again features the best smartphone screen currently available

120hz variable refresh rate display is stunning; Overall design looks great; Upgrades to S Pen latency are impressive

Camera bump is still massive; Expensive; More flex to back than S10+

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the phone that can do everything, and do it all well.

Best-in-class display; 120Hz display; S Pen is better than ever; Camera is much improved; thanks to the new laser autofocus; 50x Zoom is actually pretty useful; The ultimate Xbox smartphone; The best Windows PC companion phone; Wireless DeX is amazing

Big and heavy; Battery life is kinda mediocre; Very thick camera bump; Fingerprint sensor is still somewhat slow

At this stage in Samsung's long mobile history, leaks about its upcoming phones are as consistent as the sun rising. New for this year,...

The best phone display out there; Impeccable performance; Excellent camera; S Pen upgrades

Curved display causes false touches; Expensive; Battery life 'good enough'