The Galaxy Note 20 as a ‘flagship’ phone is hard to recommend: Here’s why
The Note series has always been a showcase of bleeding edge technology having highest of specs and luxurious build to boast, though some features can be excessive to a fault. This year’s Note 20 Ultra is still that aspirational device for those who want the latest and greatest an Android phone has to offer, that is if you are willing to pay top dollar. On the flip side, the regular Note 20 (6.7-inch), is a whole different story being overshadowed in many ways by its more superior sibling. The reason being is that the Note 20 is in an odd place as a flagship phone as it is marred by ridiculous cost cutting in many key areas. These are the reasons why many in the industry gives unfavorable remarks to the Note 20.
No high refresh rate
Probably the most baffling omission is the absence of a high refresh rate. Even last year’s regular Samsung S20 can do 120Hz. Though the 6.2-inch S20 has a Quad HD+ resolution, it scales down to Full HD when high refresh rate is turned on, which is the resolution of Note 20 anyway so it seems unthinkable not to have a smoother refresh rate in the first place. To put things in another perspective, the discontinued Pixel 4 only comes with Full HD resolution but it has a higher 90Hz refresh rate. Therefore, it is inexcusable to release the Note 20 with only 60 Hz refresh rate at this point knowing older and cheaper devices can better deliver a more smoother and perceptively faster user experience.
Snapdragon Envy
Samsung’s choice of in-house chipset for top-tier devices is a very controversial topic lately to say the least that there’s even a petition to stop putting it on their phones. As you can see, Samsung usually use a Snapdragon chipset for their flagship phone in the US while the rest of the world have to settle with Exynos chipset and that is why many felt they are getting the short end of the stick. For instance, last year’s US version of Galaxy S20 utilize the Snapdragon 865, which benchmark suggest a major gap in performance and battery life with Exynos 990 counterpart by a significant margin. To rub salt to the wound further, Exynos 990 will make yet another reappearance in the Note 20 Ultra and Note 20 for Exynos countries while the upgraded Snapdragon 865 Plus is going to be utilized in US, South Korea and China!
Plastic doesn’t exactly scream flagship
Last Samsung flagship that sports plastic back was the Galaxy S5 and from then on, its only glass and metal from the Korean moving forward. For better or for worse, plastic makes a comeback with the Galaxy Note 20, which actually makes it feel (among other reasons) less premium than the more expensive Note 20 Ultra. This is where cost cutting rears it ugly head as the premium feel of glass and metal has been ditched in favor of cheaper polycarbonate and certainly uncharacteristic of a flagship phone these days.
A scaled-down resolution
This shouldn’t be a big deal at all because a 1080 x 2400 pixels with 393 ppi density can still be not-so-terrible resolution, and knowing Samsung’s display expertise, it can on be among the best in its class, sans high refresh rate. But the truth is, again the Note 20’s Full HD resolution could have been acceptable if it not for its hefty price tag.
All that for a thousand dollar “premium” phone.
It all boils down to the confusing pricing, really. The Note 20 is in an awkward pricing position as it is torn between having a flagship specs only to be let down by mid-range cost cutting. That in effect, undermine its premium status and for a thousand bucks, it is really a hard pill to swallow, especially in this current economic climate. Have Samsung shave at least couple of hundred dollars from the get go, it could have been a drastically more attractive proposition. When its best selling device of last year are dominated by the excellent Galaxy A series, the Note 20 looks like a niche phone with that expensive price tag.
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