Samsung Galaxy Note 20: News, Leaks, Release Date, Specs, and Rumors!

Every year, there are certain phones we just can’t help but get excited about — one of which is the Galaxy Note. From the first Note that debuted in 2011 up to last year’s Note 10, Samsung’s stylus-equipped flagships are regularly some of the most interesting to hit the market.

Samsung revamped its naming convention this year with the Galaxy S lineup, going from the S10 to the S20. We’re expecting something similar for the Note lineup, meaning 2020 will see the launch of the Galaxy Note 20.

From the latest specs, leaked renders, pricing rumors, and more, here’s everything you need to know!

We know you’re probably eager to get your hands on the Note 20, but you should be aware that this year’s release spectacle will look a bit different than normal. All previous Note launches have taken place at physical Unpacked events hosted by Samsung, but that’s not happening this time around. The Galaxy Unpacked event for the Note 20 series will be fully virtual, with a livestream on August 5 at 10:00 a.m. ET.

Even though it isn’t an in-person event, the timing aligns well with Samsung’s previous Note launches. For comparison’s sake, here’s the timeline for Samsung’s past Unpacked events:

• Galaxy Note 10 — Released August 23, 2019
• Galaxy Note 9 — Released August 24, 2018
• Galaxy Note 8 — Released September 15, 2017
• Galaxy Note 7 — Released August 19, 2016

In addition to the Note 20, we’re also expecting Samsung to use the event to unveil other products. Possibly the Galaxy Fold 2, Galaxy Z Flip 5G, and Galaxy Watch 3.

How much will the Note 20 cost?

Smartphone prices have been continually rising, and unfortunately for your wallet, that trend is bound to carry over to the Note 20. Looking back on the prices of past Notes, here’s how things have changed between the previous three models:

• Galaxy Note 8 — $930
• Galaxy Note 9 — $1,000
• Galaxy Note 10 — $950
• Galaxy Note 10+ — $1,100

Samsung really went all-out with price hikes this year with the S20, with the base S20 costing $1,000 and the S20 Ultra starting at $1,400. In other words, the Note 20 will be expensive. The first pricing leak arrived on July 28, giving us a glimpse at European prices for the two phones — including €999 for the regular Note 20 and €1349 for the Note 20 Ultra. Those prices should translate equally to the U.S., meaning we’re looking at $999 and $1349, respectively.

In any case, if you want to ensure you’re among the first to own the Galaxy Note 20 for yourself, reservations for the phone are now open on Samsung’s website. You can place your reservation between now and August 4, and doing so gives you a $50 instant credit for your next Samsung purchase.

Will there be more than one version of the Note 20?

For most Notes that have come out, Samsung’s released one model and called it good at that. Last year, however, Samsung went all out with three versions of the Note — including the Note 10, Note 10+, and Note 10+ 5G.

Given that 5G will be a core feature for this year’s Notes, there isn’t a need for a 5G-specific model. However, instead of releasing a Note 20 and Note 20+ similar to the Note 10 series, Samsung’s expected to drop a Note 20 Ultra alongside the baseline Note 20.

That means there won’t be a Plus model this year, but there doesn’t really need to be. From what we know so far, the Note 20 will offer the core Note experience with flagship specs, minus a couple of key features that are exclusive to the bigger and more expensive Note 20 Ultra. In other words, similar to what we got with the Note 10 and Note 10+.

Do we know what the Galaxy Note 20 looks like?

What you’re looking at above is a render for the regular Note 20, which was published on May 21 by phone accessory company Pigtou and leaker xleaks7.

The Note 20 is very reminiscent to the Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra, especially with the sizeable camera bump on the back. There’s also a large display with slim bezels, a centered hole-punch cutout, and what appears to be no (or minimal) curved edges.

There are a couple of smaller details also revealed by this leak, such as the S Pen being moved to the left of the bottom frame and the power + volume buttons going from the left side of the device to the right. We can also see a USB-C charging port and no presence of a headphone jack.

Pigtou returned on May 24 to share renders for the Note 20 Ultra, this time partnering with @OnLeaks. The Note 20 Ultra looks a lot like the baseline Note 20, though the rear camera module appears to have a different design that puts a greater emphasis on the various camera sensors.

The Note 20 Ultra is also said to have a 6.9-inch display and a periscope zoom module for one of the rear cameras.

On July 1, we got a massive leak for the Note 20 Ultra — this time from Samsung itself! The company’s Russian website accidentally showcased two images of the Note 20 Ultra in a Mystic Bronze color, and it looks nothing short of amazing.

The rear camera housing appears a bit more complete than what’s seen in the above CAD renders, showing a similar setup of three main sensors. The bronze colorway is also quite nice, and it makes us excited to see what other designs Samsung is working on for the release.

Just a few days later on July 6, we were treated to our first batch of real-world photos of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. They were shared by YouTuber Jimmy Is Promo, and they look identical to the Samsung leak above. We get another look at the rear camera housing, in addition to seeing the front of the device.

It looks like we’re going to get another Infinity-O display with curved edges, along with Android 10 out-of-the-box and a slightly upgraded version of Samsung’s custom software with One UI 2.5.

Speaking of Jimmy Is Promo, he returned to the scene on July 8 with a hands-on video of the Galaxy Note 20. In it, they show off some of the Note 20’s software, the S Pen, and the rear camera housing which is said to be even bigger than the one on the Galaxy S20 Ultra ?.

Tying all of this together, WinFuture provided us with high-quality leaks for both the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra. The Ultra render looks identical to the Samsung leak above, but this is our best look yet at the regular Note 20. It lines up with the initial render from back in May, through we can now see what the final design looks like.

What specs is the Galaxy Note 20 expected to have?

There’s been a lot of debate regarding the specs for the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra, but thanks to the folks at WinFuture, we have a clear idea as to what both phones will be packing. The site published a major spec leak on July 22, with a lot of the below information based off of that.

The Note is always powered by the latest-available Qualcomm processor, meaning the Note 20 will offer either the Snapdragon 865 or 865+. We’re expecting a decent 8GB of RAM for the regular Note 20, with the Note 20 Ultra getting a beefier 12GB loadout.

If you live in a country where Samsung phones get Exynos chips instead of Qualcomm ones, word on the street is that the Note 20 will get a new Exynos 992 processor in these markets. The Exynos 992 should be a noticeable upgrade from the 990 in the Galaxy S20, seeing as how it’s built on a 6nm process instead of a 7nm one.

As for the display, this is where things get interesting. The Note 20 Ultra is tipped to come with a 6.9-inch AMOLED display that features a Quad HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. That’s what we’d expect from a Samsung screen in 2020, but the regular Note 20 is going a completely different route. There’s still a decently-sized 6.7-inch display size with an AMOLED panel, but it steps down to a Full HD+ resolution and a refresh rate of just 60Hz. That’s especially disappointing when you consider that all three models of the Galaxy S20 have 120Hz screens, putting the baseline Note 20 in an odd spot.

Speaking of the S20, the Note 20 Ultra should ditch one of the most talked-about features of the S20 Ultra — its 100x Space Zoom. Samsung tipster Ice Universe reported this on May 19, saying:

Note20 series no longer retains 100X zoom function

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) May 19, 2020

Samsung hyped up the Ultra’s 100x zoom function quite a lot, but shortly after reviews of the phone started coming out, it became quickly apparent that it offered little real-world functionality. As such, it isn’t all that surprising to learn Samsung may be leaving the feature behind.

The Note 20 Ultra will still have a 108MP sensor for its primary camera, but the digital zoom will now be limited to just 50x. And, thanks to that periscope camera, you’ll also get 5x optical zoom.

Should I wait for the Note 20 or get the Note 10?

We fully expect the Note 20 to be one of the best phones of 2020, but if you’re shopping for a handset right now and don’t feel like waiting until August to make a decision, the Note 10 and Note 10+ are both excellent devices that are more than worth a look.

Even by 2020 standards, the Note 10 lineup has plenty to like. The Snapdragon 855 processor is more than capable for all of your apps and games, the AMOLED display tech looks fantastic even with the slower 60Hz refresh rate, and the triple rear cameras are more than adequate for snapping Instagram pictures.

On top of all that, it’s quite common to find deals and promotions on the Note 10 that bring its price down quite a bit.