The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra checks off a lot of bests for new phones in 2020, including the best camera on an Android phone and the best-looking display on any phone, period. This is the only stylus-included handset we recommend, and while the competition is thin, it’s not undeserved – you’re just going to have to pay a heap of money for this powerful ‘everything phone’.

5x camera zoom crushes it; New useful S Pen features; The best screen on a phone;

‘Ultra’ expensive; Slower charging; Photos still exhibit smoothing

The Galaxy Note20 Ultra is a great device that makes refinements over past Note devices while also bringing smooth performance, fun to use S Pen and a higher price tag.

Great display with a 120Hz refresh rate, Long battery life, Quick performance thanks to 12GB of RAM, S Pen works great, Great camera with Pro Camera and Video Modes, Large storage options plus a microSD card slot, 5G support

The in-display fingerprint sensor doesn’t work all the time, More expensive than previous models, 50x Zoom is better than 100x Space Zoom but still not great

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G represents the apex of the brand’s technological prowess with one of the best displays in the market, an excellent set of cameras and an upgraded S Pen stylus shoehorned into a beautiful casing.

In a year when mid-range devices like the Pixel 4a and OnePlus Nord have been getting a lot more attention than usual, Samsung has just released the new Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. If you’re looking for a pragmatic device that offers a decent value proposition, this isn’t the phone for you.

S Pen; Display; Cameras; Performance

Battery Life; Software

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra feels a lot like a phone for the one percent -- and not just because it's expensive. It's because the things the Note 20 Ultra excels at, like note-taking tools and wireless desktop features won't really matter to most people.

Big fantastic screen; Excellent battery life; Top-of-the-range performance; Writing with the S Pen feels more immediate; Some new S Pen features are thoughtful

It’s expensive even by flagship standards; “Anywhere Actions” need some fine-tuning; Wireless DeX can be hit-or-miss; Cameras are solid but inconsistent

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+

If you're looking for Samsung's new Galaxy Note 20 Ultra to be a do-everything phone, you won't be disappointed. Like other Note phones that came before it, the Note 20 Ultra is aimed at a rarified group of Android "power users" who want a phone with all the toys and aren't afraid of a higher price tag. With the Ultra, there's plenty of both.

Samsung's Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G is possibly the right phone in the wrong situation. The newest power phone is too expensive for a steep global recession, and its feature set will be too much for many.

Sleek lines, matte bronze finish; Exceptional screen quality and 120Hz refresh rate; 5x optical zoom captures sharp photos in ample light; S Pen creates standout opportunities for using the phone;

$1,300 is too expensive right now; A large, heavy, awkward phone; Unsightly camera bump that invites breakage; Note 20 Ultra rocks when you lay it down flat;

At the time of testing, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is one of the best smartphones available. The phablet shines in the test with a very bright AMOLED display, high system speed, a good and versatile camera, pleasing speakers, and a fancy design.

super-bright OLED display with HDR10; good speakers; S Pen; strong triple-camera setup; expandable storage; Wi-Fi 6; 5G; and eSIM; IP68 certification

slow microSD slot; 120 Hz only at Full HD; neither aptX HD nor aptX Adaptive; SoC policy

A beautiful phone with a great camera and smart pen integration, though it’s undeniably held back by inconsistent heat management and middling battery life.

Bold attractive design; Great camera system; S Pen is best-in-class

Mediocre battery life; Inconsistent heat management; Palm edge rejection issues

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra delivers the most high-end phone experience money can buy in a year when money is tighter than ever.

Excellent all-around performance; S Pen is still the best stylus; Accurate camera with powerful zoom; All forms of US 5G; Long battery life

Expensive; Very large