Exploring the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G: A Flagship Powerhouse

June 29, 2024
Naazneen sohrab

Intro

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G is a powerhouse of a smartphone, boasting top-of-the-line features and cutting-edge technology. In this review, explore the remarkable design and standout features that set the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G apart from its predecessors.

Design

Display and Build

The Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G features a massive display, setting it apart from other models in the S20 lineup. Its glass and metal construction exudes a premium feel, while the cosmic grey finish adds a touch of sophistication.

Huge display
Premium glass and metal build
Elegant cosmic grey finish

Camera Setup

One of the most prominent design elements of the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G is its advanced camera setup. This device boasts the most sophisticated camera array ever seen in a Samsung smartphone, promising to deliver exceptional imaging capabilities.

Most advanced camera setup from Samsung
Promises exceptional imaging capabilities

Display

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G boasts a massive 6.9-inch AMOLED display with high Quad HD resolution, offering a visually stunning experience for users. The punch-hole cutout at the top houses a 40-megapixel quad-bayer selfie camera, ensuring crisp and detailed self-portraits.

Screen Features

The device introduces a 120Hz screen refresh rate, providing smoother motion for on-screen elements. However, to utilize this feature, users must compromise on resolution, opting for 1080p. Despite the slight reduction in sharpness, the enhanced smoothness of motion is a compelling choice. Additionally, the display supports HDR 10+, delivering vivid and accurate colors, with the option to further customize color settings.

Brightness and Fingerprint Reader

With a remarkable brightness of nearly 900 nits in auto mode, the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G's display ensures excellent visibility in various lighting conditions. The ultrasonic fingerprint reader embedded under the display offers secure access to the device, although it may not match the speed of some competitors' offerings.

Audio

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G is equipped with a pair of stereo speakers, with the earpiece doubling as the second speaker. These speakers deliver exceptional audio quality, producing loud and well-balanced sound for an immersive listening experience.

User Interface

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G runs on Samsung's One UI 2.1, based on Android 10. While it maintains the familiar interface, there are subtle tweaks in the menus and settings, enhancing the overall user experience. Notably, the addition of the video call feature through the phone app with Google Duo eliminates the need for third-party video chat applications, streamlining communication for users.

Customizable Functions

The device offers the convenience of using the power button as a shortcut for various customizable functions, although it defaults to activating the virtual assistant. This feature provides users with quick access to essential functions, enhancing the device's usability and accessibility.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G is powered by either the Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 chipset, both of which are top-of-the-line, ensuring exceptional performance for users. The inclusion of a 240Hz touch sensing display further enhances responsiveness, particularly beneficial for gaming enthusiasts seeking a seamless and immersive experience.

Chipset Variants

With the option of the Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 chipset, users can expect optimal performance and efficiency, catering to diverse user preferences and regional availability. These powerful processors enable the device to deliver impressive speed and seamless multitasking capabilities, setting a new standard for Android smartphones.

Battery

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G is equipped with a massive 5000 milliamp-hour battery, which should promise exceptional battery life. However, in tests with the display set to 120 Hertz, the phone delivered good but not spectacular endurance, scoring 87 hours. When the display was switched to 60 Hertz and qHD, the results improved significantly, with a score of 97 endurance hours. While this is commendable, it may not meet the high expectations set by the large battery capacity.

Charging Capabilities

Although the S20 Ultra supports 45-watt charging, the device comes with a 25-watt charger in the box. Nonetheless, it still provides a speedy charge, with the ability to reach 64% in just half an hour. Additionally, the device features wireless charging and a wireless power share function, allowing users to conveniently top up other compatible devices.

Cameras

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G's quad-camera setup is undoubtedly the star of the show, offering a comprehensive and advanced imaging system. The camera array includes a remarkable 108-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a time-of-flight (TOF) depth sensor. This setup is designed to deliver exceptional imaging capabilities, catering to a wide range of photography needs and preferences.

Camera Summary

The inclusion of a high-resolution main camera, a powerful telephoto lens, and an ultra-wide lens ensures that users can capture a diverse range of subjects with impressive detail and clarity. Additionally, the TOF depth sensor contributes to enhanced portrait and depth effects, further elevating the overall photography experience with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G.

Camera performance

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G's camera system offers a mix of impressive features and limitations, making it essential to delve into its performance to understand its capabilities fully.

Image Quality and Zoom

The 108-megapixel main camera delivers excellent image quality, particularly excelling in producing a shallow depth of field. While the overall image quality may not show significant improvement over its predecessor, the large sensor provides a standout feature in creating captivating depth effects.

108-megapixel main camera provides excellent image quality
Large sensor creates captivating shallow depth of field

Zoom Capabilities

The telephoto lens offers exceptional zoom capabilities, delivering high-quality images at 4x zoom and maintaining impressive clarity up to 10x zoom. However, the advertised 100x zoom is deemed more of a marketing gimmick than a practical feature.

Telephoto lens provides high-quality zoom at 4x and 10x
100x zoom is more of a marketing gimmick

Low-Light and Ultra-Wide Photography

The ultra-wide camera impresses with its performance in nighttime shots, showcasing a noticeable improvement over its predecessor, the Note 10. Additionally, the nighttime footage in 4k looks surprisingly impressive, benefitting from the 108-megapixel sensor's size.

Ultra-wide camera excels in nighttime shots
Impressive 4k nighttime footage due to the 108-megapixel sensor

Video Recording and 8k Capability

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G introduces the ability to record in 8k at 24 fps, although the practical benefits of this feature may not be fully realized unless viewed on an 8k monitor. The 4k footage during the day delivers excellent results, while the nighttime footage is surprisingly impressive, benefitting from the large 108-megapixel sensor.

8k recording capability with limited practical benefits
Excellent 4k footage during the day and impressive nighttime footage

Verdict

While the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G offers a host of high-end features, including a versatile camera system, the device presents a mix of impressive capabilities and some limitations. Considering its premium price point, it's essential to weigh the device's strengths and weaknesses to make an informed decision.

The standout benefits of the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G lie in its impressive zoom capabilities, advanced camera features, large high refresh rate AMOLED screen, and the latest chipset. However, some drawbacks, such as the limited practical benefits of the 8k recording, thermal throttling of the chipset, and the inability to simultaneously run the high refresh rate and qHD resolution, may impact the overall user experience.

While the device delivers on several fronts, the limitations and the premium price point may warrant careful consideration before investing in the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G.