Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or Note 10 Plus: Which phone is the better buy?

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a beast of a phone. But it doesn't come cheap starting at 1300 US dollars into the note 10 plus also an excellent phone, but a little bit cheaper. So let's work out which phone is the better value. Obviously the Note 20 Ultra is Samsung's latest phone. It has more features, more performance than the Note 10 plus. But this is still an excellent phone and it was one of the best phones of 2019. So I wanted to see how they [MUSIC] stack up In this video I'm going to compare everything from the design, the S Pen, performance battery, extra features, and of course the camera. So let's get started. [MUSIC] Let's talk battery and performance. Both of these phones are incredibly capable. And I can show you all the benchmarks until the cows come home but really, it comes down to real world use for me and there's been nothing that I've been able to throw at these phones that they haven't been able to cope with. Even though the note 10 Plus is a year old, it still is such a good performer compared to the note 20 Ultra. These have the same amount of RAM at 12 gigabytes. So in terms of background apps and launching and all things like that, both of them are pretty much the same in that regard. What the main difference is, is the [MMM]Persis now in the US, Snapdragon 865 plus on the note 20 Ultra and Snapdragon 855 on the note 10 plus.[MMM] And this will also play a factor into performance so for all my other teammates and everyone else around the world outside of the US, [MMM]you are going to be using an Exynos chip for the most part. I haven't used the Exynos version of either of these two phones if you do have thoughts on how the performance is on that, please let me know I would love to hear what you think. Battery life is incredibly important and both of these phones have slightly different sized batteries the 4500 milliamp hour battery on the note 20 Ultra compared to 4300 on the note 10 plus But I'll just say that both of these phones can definitely get me through the day but battery usage does depend on a number of different factors including 5g and cellular reception screen resolution display brightness refresh rate versus individual use patterns like a video is taken up and uses movie playback camera usage steps taken. What do you have for breakfast Kevin, you take how many people use the Netflix login and if you are subscribed to seen it not guaranteed All rights reserved. Now that said I was still a little bit disappointed overall in the battery life that I did get out of the note 20 Ultra, but I have to say that the standby time was actually a lot better than I was expecting probably because when the screen is static, it switches automatically to the 60 hertz thanks to that variable refresh rate setting. But the note 10 Plus is such a base for me and it does get me through the day and then some quite easily the night 20 Ultra I can see heavy uses definitely needing to top up a little bit more if you are choosing to use it at 120 hertz you get through the day not a problem. Just if you are super heavy user Maybe think about switching back to 60. I don't want to do it either. When it comes to storage, both of these phones have expandable storage via micro USB up to one terabyte. But for onboard storage, the base storage is actually different and the note 10 Plus has the upper hand It comes in at 256 as your entry level base level, whereas on the 20 ultra. The entry level or base storage has not really entry level cuz it's 1300. Our phone is 128 gigabytes. I mean come on Samsung if you put an 8k video recording On this based give me the storage to match to seems a little bit rude otherwise, another factor that might sway your decision one way or the other is 5G or not 5G. So the note 20 Ultra just has 5G by default And the note ten plus was released initially as a 4g LTE version and then subsequently, it has also got a 5g variant that you can buy, although it does cost a little bit more [MUSIC] Now let's talk cameras because the NERC 20 Ultra offers an embarrassment of riches for photographers. I feel like a contestant on a game show when I use this camera because it's like people are throwing cash at me. I kind of try and use and grab all the cash are all the features that I can possibly use. At one time, so the hardware itself is actually quite different between these two phones. And to me, I think the camera presents the biggest point of difference between the two. So both of them have an ultra wide main rear camera and a telephoto lens. Now on the note 10 plus it is a two times telephoto camera on the note 20 Ultra. It is a five times optical zoom which can then go out Do that crazy 50 times zoom. Long story short, don't use the 50 times. Stop between 10 and 20 times, and you'll be very impressed with the results as long as you have good light. So upload the photos between them, you can definitely tell that Samsung has done a lot of work to it. Photo processing algorithms on the note 20 Ultra. There's also that 108 megapixel sensor that gives you the benefits of pixel thinning to get the most detail out of your images. I can see a significant difference between the photos from both of these phones side by side. Overall the note 20 Ultra images have a bit more contrast they're a little bit more punchy and it's clear that the dynamic range is a lot better on the newer phone than it is on the older phone. That I tend to us also has that time of flight camera that is no longer on the note 20 Ultra Really it doesn't serve that much use if you want to do things like scan a 3D object. I guess you can use it on that on the note 10 plus but I used it once. And a year later, I've never touched that feature again night photos on the note 20 Ultra, clearly a lot brighter. And clearer than those on the note templates. So that one is just a no brainer there, the newer phone does produce the better results. Autofocus is also slightly different on both of these phones. Now the note 20 Ultra uses a laser autofocus system to address the issues of the phase detect auto system on the Galaxy S 20. Ultra, which was, quite frankly, a bit of a mess when it was first released. Now the AF system is improved on the night 20 ultra. But it's still is a little bit twitchy video and not as smooth as I would like it. But speaking of video, the note 20 Ultra really does have an ace up its sleeve when it comes to pro video mode. [SOUND] This is the ability to be able to change not only all of your manual exposure control modes, but also select audio options. There's a live histogram audio levels, zooming in with the smooth zoom feature Look, there's just so much in that mode and 8k recording plus a huge array of Framerate and aspect ratios. If you are serious about videos then the NERC 20 Ultra is gonna be the one of the two phones to buy [MUSIC] Overall, these two phones feel more like an evolution rather than a revolution in design. So by that I mean the jump from note nine to note 10 plus was significant but the jump from note 10 plus two note 20 Ultra. That's not all that much different. So the screens they both have beautiful curved edges. 6.8 inches on the note ten plus versus 6.9 inches on the note 20 Ultra. They both have the same dynamic OLED display. Overall the note 20 Ultra screen was a little bit brighter and easier to see in broad daylight. But they both look fantastic and the movie going experience social media, taking photos playing games on both. Just looks fantastic. So I was really happy with the performance of both. That being said this The size of the note 10 plus just works a little bit better for smaller hands like mine. The note 20 Ultra is manageable, but it does get a little bit tiresome for prolonged use if you have bigger hands so this will not present any of a challenge. The next thing is screens. Okay, so we did talk about the same dynamic OLED display. However, refresh rate on the night 20 Ultra is 120 hertz And it's a variable or adaptable screen refresh rate compared to the 60 hertz on the note 20 Ultra. If you've used a high refresh rate screen, you'll know what I'm talking about. It's just so smooth and the experience is like silky, buttery, all of those adjectives that you can use to describe it. Really, really nice. And I actually thought though, going back to using the note 10 class that I would notice a bigger difference. I think the first 30 seconds of like little, little, this is gross 60 hertz like, no thank you. And then after 30 seconds, I was totally fine with it and I got used to it again. What might present a challenge though is what happens when you lay both flat on a surface now. If you do what I do, which is use the S Pen with the phone laying flat, you'll notice that the Note 20 Ultra has a little bit of a rocking chair effect when you try and write on it. It's a little bit annoying so obviously to mitigate that I would absolutely put a case on it. I've been using some pretty slimline cases the one of my favorites at the moment is the spigen liquid air it just actually creates a really nice layer so it sits totally flat. Rather than rocking around the one reason why you might also want to put a case on them is because of the durability. So they both have Gorilla Glass the Norton plus uses Gorilla Glass six. The no 20 Ultra uses the newer Gorilla Glass victus which is rated for drops from up to two meters or 6.6 feet. Look long story short, we've done the durability and drop tests, glass breaks, or you'll definitely need to put a case on both of these phones. The other thing is an in screen fingerprint reader which both of them have the notch 10 plus 30 Look, that fingerprint reader has just been so troublesome from day one. The Note 20 Ultra I've had no issues with whatsoever. So yeah, Note 20 Ultra much more reliable in that regard. Speaking of fingerprints, I've said it before, and I'll say it again at the Note 10 Plus is a fingerprint magnet. It looks like a crime scene if you use it without a case because of that glossy finish. It looks gorgeous. But yeah, you can never touch it if you don't want it to look like a total mess. The note 20 Ultra thanks to that matte finish on the back. It looks much better when you use it without a case. Not as many fingerprints and not as much of a mess. [MUSIC] now let's talk about the S Pen because that's a big reason why you choose a Galaxy Note device or anything else out there. Now the location of the S Pen has changed. It's the first time in the note lineup when it has moved from the right hand side. On the templates to the left hand side on the 20 Ultra, I did complain about this when I first took the note 20 Ultra out of the box, but I've gotten totally used to it now, just a little bit of muscle memory to get to know which way you need to hold your phone to take the pen out, not as big of a deal as I thought it was going to be when I first tested it out. Now the key thing you need to know is that the skin is actually very similar on both. The pen itself is pretty much identical. The main differences that you really want to know about is, the latency between the pen. Now it is 45 milliseconds on the Note 10 Plus, and nine milliseconds on the Note20 Ultra. Now in theory this means, that it's gonna feel much more realistic to write, and use the S Pen on the Note20 Ultra As well as thanks to that 120 hertz screen than it is on the notes 10 Plus, but actually using them side by side, I didn't notice that huge of a difference, you would think my brain would be able to tell the difference between nine versus 45 milliseconds, but I don't know what's going on upstairs. I really couldn't tell that much of a difference. I think if I was an artist or someone that really wanted to get super fine, precise Brushwork with the S Pen, it would make a big difference. But for casual use, I really didn't find it a problem at all. Both of the phones have air gestures. So the ability to use the S Pen to say launch the camera app switch between the selfie and the rear cameras, or take a photo remotely change between tracks and your music app and all of that good stuff. Yes, 20 Ultra adds on top of that, some actions So you're able to go back and forth between webpages like Navigate back and forward, take a screenshot and then scribble on the screen look not that useful because namely, they just don't work that well and they don't actually respond super well to my commands. Maybe I'm doing it wrong but I have been using it for several weeks and they just haven't got any more intuitive or more accurate I've been using them. [MUSIC] Let's do a quick check of all the other features that we haven't yet talked about. As for charges, both of them have a 25 watt charger in the box that you can use to juices up super fast and it will get you to Flat to full in pretty much an hour or just under that. Now then again the note 10 plus actually has the upper hand. I don't know why like wow, it's the old phone but anyway, it's actually supported by the 45 watt charger. That is a separate purchase. PayPal charges a lightning fast whereas the Nord 20 Ultra doesn't support 45 watt charging so you can use a 45 watt charger but it's just going to stop at 25. So it's not going to give you that extra bit of boost charge speed, lightning fast as you do on the note 10 plus again how. There are some other bells and whistles including wireless decks on the note 20 Ultra and the ability to basically use it with your big screen TV. Now it is MiraCosta but it is recommended that you use a Samsung Smart TV for this feature so I wasn't able to test it out because this is not a Samsung Smart, Television you also get Xbox game pass compatibility on the note 20 Ultra again there at the time of recording this. It hasn't been released yet, so I haven't had a chance to test it out. The speakers on the note 20 Ultra are also significantly louder and more defined than those on the note 10 Plus, I did listen to them both side by side with the same track One with the note 10 plus against my ear and the next with the note 20 Ultra and I pretty much blew my eardrum out because of how loud it was and I wasn't expecting it. And now everything is ringing the night 20 Ultra is also the first Samsung phone to have a huge web or ultra wideband chip to facilitate faster transfers wirelessly. Although you do have to do that with another phone that is a Samsung phone that has a huge web chip, and both of the phones also support Android nearby. Share Now it comes down to the part of the video where I need to choose which phone I think is the better value. There's no doubt that if you can afford the note 20 Ultra and especially if you're already coming from an older Samsung phone and you get some pretty significant discounts if you trade in, it might be worth it to you, especially if you want the high refresh rate screen and also all of the additional camera functionality. But this time, I'm going to choose the cheaper option which is the Note 10 Plus there's just something about this phone that is more than the sum of its parts. It just has that X Factor appeal. It is still incredible even a year after it's released. I think it's just a better option for someone with a smaller hand like me, the cameras are still really good. Well, the fingerprint reader is annoying, but I can get over that I can use a pin. And overall I just think this is a better value for money than the more expensive phone. So for me, I'm choosing the notes 10 plus. But maybe fear, the more expensive foreign is the better option. So hopefully what I've talked about throughout this video will help you decide which one is the right choice for you. [BLANK_AUDIO]