In the ever-changing smartphone world, it’s once again a battle between giants. This time, between the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and the OnePlus 8 Pro.
With each giant bringing with them a slew of impressive functions, might I add.
The highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is designed to be the ultimate big-screen experience. It is also an extremely versatile phone with a 6.9-inch 120Hz display and an astonishing 50x zoom camera.
Vice versa, the OnePlus 8 Pro delivers many amazing and attractive features at a more affordable price tag. It also boasts of a 120Hz display, along with fast charging and long battery life. Battery life is especially noteworthy with the OnePlus 8 Pro; it lasts longer than any phone in that price range.
Both models are among the best smartphones you can buy this festive year-end. If, however, you are still undecided over which model to get, the following is a comparison to help you make an informed decision.
Just note that whichever model you end up choosing, you will still be holding one of the best 2020 smartphones in your hands.
OnePlus 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: Price Comparison
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is one of the costliest phones this year. It is priced at nearly SGD 1,400/- for the 256 GB model. Significantly more for the higher 512 GB version..
In comparison, the OnePlus 8 Pro in a comfortable and affordable range at SGD 948/-.
In short, for buyers with smaller budgets, the OnePlus 8 Pro is definitely the go-to. That said, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra might still be affordable, especially if you have the latest voucher codes and promo codes for smartphones on hand.
OnePlus 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Specifications
As is obvious from the chart below, both smartphones are quite similar in specs, with the exceptions of screen display, processor, and camera abilities.
| Specifications | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra | OnePlus 8 Pro |
| Price | SGD 1,400/- | SGD 948/- |
| Display | 6.9-inch AMOLED | 6.78-inches OLED |
| Processor | Snapdragon 865 Plus | Snapdragon 865 |
| RAM | 12 GB | 8 GB, 12 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Rear Camera | 108MP wide; 12MP telephoto; 12MP ultra wide; laser autofocus. | 48MP wide; 8MP telephoto; 48MP ultra-wide; 5MP colour filter |
| Front Camera | 10MP | 16MP |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 4510 mAh |
| Operating System | Android 10 with One UI 2.0 | Android 10 with Oxygen OS |
| Weight | 7.33 ounces | 7 ounces |
| Colors Available | Mystic Black, Mystic White, Mystic Bronze | Onyx Black, Glacial Green, Ultramarine Blue |
Physical Design
As far as visual appeal and aestheticism are concerned, both flagship smartphones are equally sleek, elegant, and modern in appearance. In other words, the standard for 2020 smartphone flagships.
Look closer, though, and you’d see that the Note 20 Ultra has squared-off edges at the top and bottom, while the OnePlus 8 Pro is uniformly curved on all sides. Not to be corny but Samsung’s latest flagship has the “edge” as far as easier handgrip is concerned.
Notably, with or without grip enhancements, both phones are too large to be comfortably used with one hand. But in today’s smartphone world, that’s probably an attraction, rather than a design flaw.
Camera
Again, as you can see from the specifications listed above, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra comes with a whooping, WOAH(!!) 108MP sensor for its rear camera. A feature that is bound to immediately invite disbelief, followed by fascination.
Even its ultra-wide lens is equipped with a 12MP sensor and 50x Zoom. As far as these numbers are concerned, the Note 20 Ultra easily bests the OnePlus 8 Pro’s 48MP sensor for normal and ultra-wide shots, and 8MP for telephotos.
Such phenomenal specs come with a cost, though, and I don’t mean financially. The rear of the Note 20 Ultra has a camera casing protrusion, one that’s enough to prop up the whole smartphone when it’s rested on its back.
While this design aspect, or flaw, doesn’t hamper actual camera performance, for some users, it could be a nuisance or eyesore. It might even make the camera casing easier to damage.
Performance
Here’s one area in which one word literally makes a world of a difference.
Well, maybe not a world of difference, but enough to be annoying to a demanding user.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra uses the newer Snapdragon 865 Plus processor, while the OnePlus 8 Pro is powered by the standard Snapdragon 865.
Without going into actual technical details, that one extra word means you can play the latest games using the Note 20 Ultra with lesser worries about the device heating up or slowing down. Benchmarks like frame rates would obviously be superior too.
Conclusion
With both smartphones being flagship releases, it’s hard to say with certainty which is the better buy.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra offers a superior AMOLED display, higher-end cameras, and a stronger/newer processor. It also features an improved stylus i.e. S pen.
All these features are partnered with a significant price tag, however.
In comparison, the OnePlus 8 Pro is equipped with slightly less impressive features but priced near a third lesser. Note, though, less impressive doesn’t mean insipid. For example, compared to features of 2019 smartphones, the OnePlus 8 Pro will still excite all but the most demanding users.
Check out my other gadget reviews.
