The Samsung Galaxy S20 series was announced not long ago and the brand is skipping the ongoing naming convention, so there is no S11 this year (yet).
As someone who likes to keep up with technology, I'm excited to see how the S20 will increase its use for upcoming flagship devices.
specifications | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra |
processor | Exynos 990 |
display | Dynamic 6.9-inch AMOLED 2X display at 120 Hz |
camp | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB memory / 12 GB, 16 GB RAM |
battery | 5,000 mAh |
Dimensions | 166.9 x 76 x 8.8 mm |
Weight | 222 g |
camera | Rear: 108 MP (wide angle), 48 MP (telephoto), 12MP (Ultra-Wide), depth sensor Front: 40MP selfie cam |
The Galaxy S20 series includes three devices: a Galaxy S20, a Galaxy S20 + and a Galaxy S20 Ultra. Admittedly, "Ultra" sounds better than "Pro".
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
I managed to get my hands on an early Galaxy S20 Ultra device to find out and test what it hides under the hood, starting with the camera.
Increase the
Megapixels count
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra comes out with its powerful quad camera setup that would easily shame other flagship phone cameras.
Activate Space Zoom!
While a high megapixel count does not correspond to a high quality image, it allows you to zoom in and crop the image closer after capturing it while maintaining clarity.
As a fan of mobile photography, this is an advantage for me because I can enlarge and cut out unnecessary motifs without losing focus on the main motif.
However, I noticed that the phone has very aggressive edge blurring even with non-human subjects.
It felt a little uncomfortable to me because sometimes I still want to focus on other objects when I take the picture.
There is also a new camera mode called "Single Take" on the phone. When you click on it, you'll be asked to either move, pan, and just do everything.
The phone then compiles the recorded video and generates usable images, videos and even boomerangs with additional background music.
Heavenly
zoom
Another advantage of this large, chunky quad camera setup is the 100X Space Zoom mode. So you can optically zoom 100 times when taking a picture (and why Samsung didn't call it Galaxy Zoom is a mystery to me).
Although it sounds impressive, I was a little disappointed after the picture was taken. Samsung's AI will try to improve the image, but there is only so much you can do to correct a blurry image.
Trying to take a picture of your favorite celebrity while boarding a flight might be useful, but they look so blurry that they resemble a Picasso painting.
A screen
Smoother than your monitor
Samsung updated its displays after each iteration and they were pretty good at it. However, the display of the S20 series could be the longest jump so far.
Instead of a normal 60 Hz display, the brand increased its use with a 120 Hz display.
While some would argue that the human eye is unable to see beyond 60 Hz, you will be surprised at how fluid the user interface feels when you use it. Navigating through the menu and settings went smoothly.
If you use the refresh rate of 120 Hz, the display mode is limited to a Full HD resolution. In my experience, I've also noticed faster battery consumption compared to the usual 60 Hz.
Simply switch between the two settings
As much as I like the smoothness of the user interface, not many apps use it, and there are only a handful of games that can run at this refresh rate.
The colors of the display are beautiful and it is definitely one of the best mobile screens I have come across recently. Binging's favorite shows on the go never looked better.
Heavier than yours
Everyman
The phone is fairly well built and weighs slightly more than the current generation phones. It weighs more than my Note 8, no doubt thanks to the large 5,000 mAh battery.
The wired and wireless options can be charged quickly, so you can easily charge the phone and use it all day.
Unfortunately, the phone does not have a headphone jack. So make sure you are ready to dive into the world of wireless headphones or use USB-C headphones.
However, the phone comes with a pair of AKG-matched wired USB-C headphones.
I also have to give props to Samsung to remove the dreaded Bixby button. You will notice that there are no buttons on the left side of the phone.
Player certified
Technical specifications
In my short time on the phone, he was able to carry out any task that I gave him with ease. Playing, daily chores and even making calls were an easy task.
Quite high numbers, it beat 99% of the other users in Antutu's benchmark
If you want, you can turn your phone into a mobile workstation thanks to Samsung Dex.
Unfortunately, I was unable to connect to a 5G network with the device during my entire time. However, I think the problem is more with my SIM card than with the phone.
judgment
I personally find it a little difficult to recommend this phone only because of its price. While it is endowed with first-class specifications, the RM4.999 Price tag that it comes with is a little ridiculous.
However, it looks like the price of a phone will continue to rise, and sooner or later we will likely see a phone that exceeds the RM 7,000 price threshold.
If you are someone who wants the best of the best (read: don't need), you will find it on this phone.
In the end, my curiosity was satisfied, but it raised the bar and the price for future flagships.
benefits | disadvantage |
Top specifications | price |
Great camera | Excessively blurred edges when taking pictures |
120Hz refresh rate | camera shock |
- More information about the Samsung S20 Ultra is available here.
- More VP judgments can be found here.
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