Phone Comparisons: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 vs Samsung Galaxy S10

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 did not receive a lot of praise next to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, despite the fact it’s a really good phone. Well, in this article, we’ll compare the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 vs Samsung Galaxy S10. Why? Well, the Galaxy Note 20 launched with quite a high price tag, and buying the Galaxy S10 may still be a viable option for some of you. In this article, we’ll try to figure out if that’s a good idea or not.

The Galaxy S10 is not exactly a new phone. The device launched about a year and a half ago, and its price tag dropped several times thus far. The Galaxy S10 is still a very good smartphone, even though it’s technically no longer a flagship. Do note that we’ll be comparing two Snapdragon-powered variants of these two devices, not the Exynos models. Exynos models of both phones do offer inferior performance, so keep that in mind, other aspects are pretty much the same as with Snapdragon units.

As per usual, we’ll compare the two phones across a number of categories. We’ll kick things off by listing their specifications, and then more to the display, performance, battery, camera, and audio categories. That being said, let’s get started, let’s kick off the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 vs Samsung Galaxy S10 comparison.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 vs Samsung Galaxy S10: Design

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy S10 may not look completely different, but they are. Not only are different materials used in their build, but they’re different in terms of size, and in-hand feel as well. First and foremost, let’s just say that the Galaxy Note 20 is made out of metal, glass, and plastic. The Galaxy S10 combines metal and glass, however. The Galaxy Note 20 has plastic on its back, while the Galaxy S10 has glass.

The Galaxy Note 20 also has a slightly boxier design than the Galaxy S10. The phone is larger, quite a bit larger, in fact, and it comes with a larger display as well. The Galaxy Note 20 is almost 40 grams heavier than the Galaxy S10, while it’s considerably taller, wider, and a bit thicker. No matter the way you look at it, the Galaxy Note 20 is a large phone, while the Galaxy S10 is not, at least not for today’s standards. The Galaxy S10 is one of those devices that many people could use with one hand, with a little bit of hand gymnastics.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 also includes a stylus, while the Galaxy S10 does not. The camera modules on the back are differently-orientated, and are placed in a different spot on these two phones. Both phones look really nice, there’s no denying that, but are meant for completely different types of people. If you don’t like large phones, and are bothered by a plastic back of the Galaxy Note 20, the Galaxy S10 is a good choice.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 vs Samsung Galaxy S10: Display

Both of these displays are really good, but also quite different. The Galaxy Note 20 features a 6.7-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) display, while the Galaxy S10 comes with a 6.1-inch QHD+ (3040 x 1080) display. The Galaxy S10’s panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass 6, compared to the Gorilla Glass 5 on the Galaxy Note 20. Both displays support HDR10+ content, and both are of an OLED variety.

The Galaxy Note 20 sports a Super AMOLED Plus capacitive display, while the Dynamic AMOLED panel is included on the Galaxy S10. Do note that neither of these displays offer a high refresh rate, both are tuned to 60Hz. You’d be hard-pressed to notice the difference between these two panels when it comes to resolution. The Galaxy Note 20 does offer a lesser resolution, but that’s hard to notice.

Both displays are very vivid, and bright at the same time. The colors are punchy, and viewing angles are great as well. White balance is also nicely-tuned, and there’s not much to complain in either case. If you really need to have a higher-res display, then the Galaxy S10 is for you. The Galaxy Note 20 offers a larger panel, however. Both displays are curved, and the difference in protection is not something that should bother you.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 vs Samsung Galaxy S10: Performance

What about the performance, is there any difference? Well, I’d be lying if I said if there isn’t. The Galaxy Note 20 is the fastest phone. Is it much faster, though? Well, no, but the difference is noticeable. This was to be expected, though, as the Galaxy Note 20 comes with a more powerful processor, and other parts of its internals are also newer. The Galaxy Note 20 can load apps and games a bit faster, while the Galaxy S10 may also offer a few more hiccups in terms of general performance.

Is the difference something that should bother you? Well no, not at the moment, at least. This difference may become more obvious down the road, but at the moment, it’s really not that noticeable. Both the Snapdragon 865 Plus and Snapdragon 855 are quite powerful chips, and both of these phones work great in collaboration with Qualcomm’s silicone. The software is also well-optimized, and all in all, they’re really great performers.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 vs Samsung Galaxy S10: Battery

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 comes with a larger battery than the Galaxy S10, a considerably larger battery. It does include a larger display, though. The Galaxy Note 20 sports a 4,300mAh battery, while the Galaxy S10 features a 3,400mAh unit. Despite the fact the Galaxy Note 20’s display is larger, it’s lower in resolution, and both panels are 60Hz ones. The Galaxy Note 20 will definitely offer more in terms of battery life, at least that’s what we’ve seen.

The Galaxy Note 20 should be able to push the vast majority of you over the 6-hour screen-on-time mark. Your mileage may vary, of course, depending on how many processor-intensive tasks you’re doing, how bright your display is, and so on. There are a lot of variables. The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, can get across that mark, sometimes… it is not exactly as much of a road warrior as the Galaxy Note 20, that’s for sure.

Both phones offer fast charging, though the Galaxy Note 20’s is faster. The phone supports 20W fast wired charging, and 15W wireless charging. The Galaxy S10 is limited to 15W in both cases. Both devices do offer 9W PowerShare, aka reverse wireless charging.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 vs Samsung Galaxy S10: Cameras

When it comes to cameras, the Galaxy Note 20 is a better choice. That is to be expected, as it’s over a generation newer than the Galaxy S10. The Galaxy Note 20 has somewhat different sensors than its sibling, though both include three rear-facing cameras. Both sets of cameras are extremely capable in good lighting. You’ll get plenty of detail in both cases, while the images will be punchy due to Samsung’s processing. The Galaxy S10 is a bit heavier on processing than the Galaxy Note 20, though.

When the light goes away, the Galaxy Note 20 shows its prowess. It can brighten up images more, while offering less grain than the Galaxy S10. It also captures more detail in such conditions, even though the Galaxy S10 is no slouch either. Both phones have really good wide-angle cameras, but the Galaxy Note 20’s is better in low light. The front-facing cameras offer similar results. They’re not great, but not bad either, exactly what you’d expect out of a selfie camera in a flagship phone, pretty much.

Audio

Both the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy S10 come with stereo speakers. Both those sets of speakers are quite good, by the way. They’re not that different, to be quite honest. They’re good across the spectrum, with mids and highs being better than lows, slightly. The bass is good as well, and they produce loud and sharp sound. The distortion is barely noticeable, and only if you tune the volume all the way up.

Out of the two, only the Galaxy S10 has a 3.5mm headphone jack. So, if that’s something you need / want, that is your only choice. On the Galaxy Note 20, you’ll either have to use a Type-C USB port, or a wireless set of earphones / headphones. The sound is also quite similar between these two phones when you use earphones / headphones. If you use a quality pair, the sound can be really good, not great, but really, really good.