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

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

While the Note 20 Ultra 5G doesn't offer a huge leap forward from existing Notes and Galaxy S phones, it comes packed with the best specs around, is beautifully designed, and has one key feature that you can't really find anywhere else – that useful S Pen stylus.

Packed with powerful components; Giant; gorgeous-looking screen; The S Pen continues to improve

Costs a lot of money; Huge camera bump; Stock Android still superior

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra should easily knock out the competition. Instead, it's playing catch-up....

Solid display Good performance Sharp cameras High-quality hardware S Pen stylus Windows PC tie-in

Oversized Only average battery life Gets hot

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a great phone, but it should offer more storage while letting you max out the display for its maxed out price.

An Ultra-impressive flagship phone from Samsung, but there is a worthy alternative

Big; colourful screen; Great camera and zoom; Smart design

Beaten for audio performance; Rivals deliver more detailed video

With its middling heat management and battery life, despite everything it does so well, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra isn’t without its compromises. That would be easier to stomach if it didn’t cost £1,179; but at the same time, there’s still no getting around the fact, this is a beautiful phone and the best pen-packing mobile money can buy.

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

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

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is one of the most feature-packed phones out there; boasting a versatile user experience, a stunning display and the best S Pen stylus capabilities to date, but its huge size and price tag make it a tricky recommendation for everyone in the current market.

Outstanding display; Great camera setup; Rich user experience; Best-ever S Pen experience;

Huge and unwieldy; Exynos version is less capable than 865+ but as expensive; Underwhelming battery;

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. It now comes with better note-taking experiences thanks to that integrated S Pen stylus and a better screen experience too. If only that rear camera and 5G-boosted price point were a little less in your face and the battery lasted longer per charge.

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;

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 difference; Laser autofocus is the fastest I've ever used in a phone;

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