Samsung announced its flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra smartphone at a time when the pandemic was still raging. The Note line of devices is the cornerstone of everything Samsung does in the smartphone business. While the Galaxy S line of devices are equally powerful, it’s the Note series that elevates the smartphone game year after year.

Back in August, the Note 20 Ultra was put on sale in India at a starting price of Rs 1,04,999. That’s a hefty asking price during a worldwide pandemic. Budgets may be stretched but if the product is that good, then why not?

I’ve been using the smartphone for over a month now and here’s why I think the Note 20 Ultra has a lot to offer

Design: Similar to the previous Note 10+

Let’s start with the design. The smartphone is all-screen at the front, while the back is covered with glass and has curved sides with a thin metal band. There’s the flat top and bottom. It’s one of those designs that immediately stands out despite its gigantic nature.

The 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED display is simply stunning to look at. It’s the back of the smartphone that will attract all the attention though. It’s got an enormous camera bump. So much so that the smartphone will never lie flat on a table when on its back.

What’s best about the rear panel is the frosted glass back. Probably the best Samsung has ever used. It hides fingerprints more than most other phones and also provides for a comfortable grip in one’s hand. In certain situations - answering calls and checking notifications - one-handed usage may be possible but this is really a phone for both your hands.

Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra is the first smartphone in the world to use the new Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back. It can withstand drops up to 2 metres and is twice as scratch-resistant as compared to Gorilla Glass 6.

The camera module is covered with Gorilla Glass 6. Despite a few drops and a couple of nicks here and there, there hasn’t been a single dent on my Note 20 Ultra. It is one sturdy device.

Mystic Bronze goodness

Is the mystic bronze colour really all that it is hyped up to be? The answer to that is YES. It may look like rose gold in certain lightings but it’s got this understated elegance to it. Thanks to the matte finish, there are close to zero fingerprints.

Display: Gorgeousness

<img alt="Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a56f986f-1474-42e9-a910-cc4c38b7a7b4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Samsung%20display%20final.jpg" />

The best-in-class display shows off its strengths on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.. It might be massive at 6.9 inches but it is pretty faultless. The colours are vivid and punchy and when maxed out at QHD+ resolution, binge-watching is a super treat.

The 120Hz screen refresh rate has been much better implemented than on the Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra. There’s the “Adaptive” motion smoothness, that adjusts the refresh rate based on the action being performed on the screen. Essentially, this saves battery in the long-run.

The one negative is the optical fingerprint scanner that is buried under the display. It’s easy to set up but the positioning is off. It’s the exact same sensor as in the Note 10+ but it’s inconsistent and slow.

Curved screens: Yay or nay?

The curved display of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra looks immersive, with its waterfall edge. But the edge-to-edge display makes it easy for accidental touches to occur. It’s more prominent when gripping the phone with one hand and typing with the other. Far too many times I unintentionally touched a part of the display I didn’t want to and it got in the way of my typic. Sometimes, an app would be closed by accident.

Some touch rejection along the edges would make this issue mostly go away.

Performance: Will breeze through any task

Despite the Indian variant of the Note 20 Ultra having the Exynos 990 chipset and not the Snapdragon 865+, the smartphone can handle any task with aplomb.

Whether it is capturing multiple photos, flipping through social media feeds, playing game after game, or just reading, the Note 20 Ultra will never slow down.

The Note 20 Ultra developed significant heat during my usage. Whether it was playing Call of Duty: Mobile, taking multiple pictures or even just charging the smartphone, the Note 20 Ultra got hotter than usual. It wasn’t too hot to hold at any point though.

Software: One UI 2.5

Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra runs the latest One UI 2.5 based on Android 10. It’s almost identical to S20 Ultra but has some nifty S Pen features such as handwriting recognition, translation and gesture support and various screen writing and screenshot tools.&nbsp;

One UI 2.5 may be filled with Samsung apps and a Galaxy Store (that basically acts as a duplicate), but the software works well and is very heavily-customised to suit the consumers’ needs. Samsung has promised three years of major Android updates and monthly security patches which bodes well for the company’s outlook.

Battery life: Middling at best

With the Galaxy S20 Ultra there was rarely a time I had to charge the smartphone in the same day. Samsung decided to stick with a 4,500 mAh despite the huge display and state-of-the-art processor. Sure, it is an improvement over the Note 10+’s 4,300 mAh battery, but was hardly an improvement in real world usage.

The Note 20 Ultra lasted me a day and over 5 hours of screen-on-time but barely any charge leftover to last through the night. I always have to put it on charge before hitting the sack.

With the S20 Ultra earlier this year, I rarely had to charge it at night. It was only in the morning, while getting ready, did I put it for charge.

The Note 20 Ultra ships with a 25W charger which means the phone takes about 70 minutes to reach a full charge from being dead. The Note 20 Ultra also supposes 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.

Cameras: The all-important laser autofocus sensor

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One of the biggest downfalls of the S20 Ulta’s camera was blurry shots. The S20 Ultra had 100x digital zoom but the photos were blurry in both zoom shots and general shots.

The laser autofocus helps with all kinds of shorts. It provides for less blurry photos on the whole. Even those with the shakiest of hands get a huge benefit here.

Also, the Note 20 Ultra uses pixel-binning technology. This basically means that it uses a higher lens to capture a shot as smaller megapixels. Then it combines them for a rich and detailed shot. A 108-megapixel lens delivers 27-megapixel shots. It combines four pixels into one.

The Note 20 Ultra has a triple-camera setup plus the laser autofocus sensor.

<ul>
	<li>A 108-megapixel wide-angle camera: You can shoot at full 108 megapixels or the pixel-binned 27-megapixel shots.</li>
	<li>A 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera: This can be used to capture a wider field of view.</li>
	<li>A 12-megapixel telephoto camera: This lens allows for you to capture more details (when zoomed in) and offers up to 5x optical zoom.</li>
</ul>

The Note 20 Ultra’s camera is a huge step up from the S20 Ultra’s camera setup. The speed of the capture and the transitions between the three lenses is excellent. In good lighting, the photos are rich in detail with great colours. The low-light performance has been vastly improved. Using the Night mode is a pleasure.

It is the 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera that steals the show. One of the best implementations of an ultra-wide camera on any phone.

The 12-megapixel telephoto camera is definitely a step up from the S20 Ultra. The optical zoom makes a difference but going into digital zoom and anything over 30x is just not good.

Video quality up to 8K is also quite good and you get a range of shooting options. Finally, the 10-megapixel selfie camera is simply excellent.

This is by far Samsung’s best camera on any of its smartphones. It’s a reliable camera that you can just pull out of your pocket and shoot dozens of great photos in mere minutes.

S Pen: Game-changer

The S Pen on the Note series of devices has been a game changer since Day One. This time around, the latency on the S Pen has been drastically reduced making it a pleasure to use all the time. Taking notes is faster and more accurate.

The Air Actions and the physical button is great. I use it mostly to as a camera shutter

Final observations: Worth the price tag?

While I love the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and it is Samsung’s best photo to date, expensive smartphones just don’t cut it anymore. Going down the ladder, there are plenty of other phones that offer almost as much as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra but for far less.

Samsung played it safe with the Note 20 Ultra but that isn’t to cut into the fact that this is a fantastic device. Despite some shortcomings, the Note 20 Ultra has risen to the top of the Android smartphone charts.

During a pandemic nonetheless, spending over one lakh rupees is sheer exuberance. Once the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is on discount, it will be a fantastic deal.

Samsung announced its flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra smartphone at a time when the pandemic was still raging. The Note line of devices is the cornerstone of everything Samsung does in the smartphone business.

Samsung announced its flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra smartphone at a time when the pandemic was still raging. The Note line of devices is the cornerstone of everything Samsung does in the smartphone business. While the Galaxy S line of devices are equally powerful, it’s the Note series that elevates the smartphone game year after year. Back in August, the Note 20 Ultra was put on sale in India at a starting price of Rs 1,04,999. That’s a hefty asking price during a worldwide pandemic. Budgets may be stretched but if the product is that good, then why not? I’ve been using the smartphone for over a month now and here’s why I think the Note 20 Ultra has a lot to offer Design: Similar to the previous Note 10+ Let’s start with the design. The smartphone is all-screen at the front, while the back is covered with glass and has curved sides with a thin metal band. There’s the flat top and bottom. It’s one of those designs that immediately stands out despite its gigantic nature. The 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED display is simply stunning to look at. It’s the back of the smartphone that will attract all the attention though. It’s got an enormous camera bump. So much so that the smartphone will never lie flat on a table when on its back. What’s best about the rear panel is the frosted glass back. Probably the best Samsung has ever used. It hides fingerprints more than most other phones and also provides for a comfortable grip in one’s hand. In certain situations - answering calls and checking notifications - one-handed usage may be possible but this is really a phone for both your hands. Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra is the first smartphone in the world to use the new Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back. It can withstand drops up to 2 metres and is twice as scratch-resistant as compared to Gorilla Glass 6. The camera module is covered with Gorilla Glass 6. Despite a few drops and a couple of nicks here and there, there hasn’t been a single dent on my Note 20 Ultra. It is one sturdy device. Mystic Bronze goodness Is the mystic bronze colour really all that it is hyped up to be? The answer to that is YES. It may look like rose gold in certain lightings but it’s got this understated elegance to it. Thanks to the matte finish, there are close to zero fingerprints. Display: Gorgeousness The best-in-class display shows off its strengths on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.. It might be massive at 6.9 inches but it is pretty faultless. The colours are vivid and punchy and when maxed out at QHD+ resolution, binge-watching is a super treat. The 120Hz screen refresh rate has been much better implemented than on the Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra. There’s the “Adaptive” motion smoothness, that adjusts the refresh rate based on the action being performed on the screen. Essentially, this saves battery in the long-run. The one negative is the optical fingerprint scanner that is buried under the display. It’s easy to set up but the positioning is off. It’s the exact same sensor as in the Note 10+ but it’s inconsistent and slow. Curved screens: Yay or nay? The curved display of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra looks immersive, with its waterfall edge. But the edge-to-edge display makes it easy for accidental touches to occur. It’s more prominent when gripping the phone with one hand and typing with the other. Far too many times I unintentionally touched a part of the display I didn’t want to and it got in the way of my typic. Sometimes, an app would be closed by accident. Some touch rejection along the edges would make this issue mostly go away. Performance: Will breeze through any task Despite the Indian variant of the Note 20 Ultra having the Exynos 990 chipset and not the Snapdragon 865+, the smartphone can handle any task with aplomb. Whether it is capturing multiple photos, flipping through social media feeds, playing game after game, or just reading, the Note 20 Ultra will never slow down. The Note 20 Ultra developed significant heat during my usage. Whether it was playing Call of Duty: Mobile, taking multiple pictures or even just charging the smartphone, the Note 20 Ultra got hotter than usual. It wasn’t too hot to hold at any point though. Software: One UI 2.5 Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra runs the latest One UI 2.5 based on Android 10. It’s almost identical to S20 Ultra but has some nifty S Pen features such as handwriting recognition, translation and gesture support and various screen writing and screenshot tools. One UI 2.5 may be filled with Samsung apps and a Galaxy Store (that basically acts as a duplicate), but the software works well and is very heavily-customised to suit the consumers’ needs. Samsung has promised three years of major Android updates and monthly security patches which bodes well for the company’s outlook. Battery life: Middling at best With the Galaxy S20 Ultra there was rarely a time I had to charge the smartphone in the same day. Samsung decided to stick with a 4,500 mAh despite the huge display and state-of-the-art processor. Sure, it is an improvement over the Note 10+’s 4,300 mAh battery, but was hardly an improvement in real world usage. The Note 20 Ultra lasted me a day and over 5 hours of screen-on-time but barely any charge leftover to last through the night. I always have to put it on charge before hitting the sack. With the S20 Ultra earlier this year, I rarely had to charge it at night. It was only in the morning, while getting ready, did I put it for charge. The Note 20 Ultra ships with a 25W charger which means the phone takes about 70 minutes to reach a full charge from being dead. The Note 20 Ultra also supposes 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. Cameras: The all-important laser autofocus sensor One of the biggest downfalls of the S20 Ulta’s camera was blurry shots. The S20 Ultra had 100x digital zoom but the photos were blurry in both zoom shots and general shots. The laser autofocus helps with all kinds of shorts. It provides for less blurry photos on the whole. Even those with the shakiest of hands get a huge benefit here. Also, the Note 20 Ultra uses pixel-binning technology. This basically means that it uses a higher lens to capture a shot as smaller megapixels. Then it combines them for a rich and detailed shot. A 108-megapixel lens delivers 27-megapixel shots. It combines four pixels into one. The Note 20 Ultra has a triple-camera setup plus the laser autofocus sensor. A 108-megapixel wide-angle camera: You can shoot at full 108 megapixels or the pixel-binned 27-megapixel shots. A 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera: This can be used to capture a wider field of view. A 12-megapixel telephoto camera: This lens allows for you to capture more details (when zoomed in) and offers up to 5x optical zoom. The Note 20 Ultra’s camera is a huge step up from the S20 Ultra’s camera setup. The speed of the capture and the transitions between the three lenses is excellent. In good lighting, the photos are rich in detail with great colours. The low-light performance has been vastly improved. Using the Night mode is a pleasure. It is the 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera that steals the show. One of the best implementations of an ultra-wide camera on any phone. The 12-megapixel telephoto camera is definitely a step up from the S20 Ultra. The optical zoom makes a difference but going into digital zoom and anything over 30x is just not good. Video quality up to 8K is also quite good and you get a range of shooting options. Finally, the 10-megapixel selfie camera is simply excellent. This is by far Samsung’s best camera on any of its smartphones. It’s a reliable camera that you can just pull out of your pocket and shoot dozens of great photos in mere minutes. S Pen: Game-changer The S Pen on the Note series of devices has been a game changer since Day One. This time around, the latency on the S Pen has been drastically reduced making it a pleasure to use all the time. Taking notes is faster and more accurate. The Air Actions and the physical button is great. I use it mostly to as a camera shutter Final observations: Worth the price tag? While I love the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and it is Samsung’s best photo to date, expensive smartphones just don’t cut it anymore. Going down the ladder, there are plenty of other phones that offer almost as much as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra but for far less. Samsung played it safe with the Note 20 Ultra but that isn’t to cut into the fact that this is a fantastic device. Despite some shortcomings, the Note 20 Ultra has risen to the top of the Android smartphone charts. During a pandemic nonetheless, spending over one lakh rupees is sheer exuberance. Once the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is on discount, it will be a fantastic deal.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: The best Android smartphone comes with a hefty price tag

In less than a month, on August 5th, Samsung will be hosting its annual Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event. This time though, it’ll be an online-event as the coronavirus pandemic has halted travel and in-person events across the world. The Unpacked event is one of the two annual events hosted by Samsung but arguably the more important one.

At the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event, Samsung is inviting us to explore their latest ecosystem of Galaxy devices that are “designed to empower” our lives.

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While the prized package will be the upcoming Galaxy Note 20/Note 20 Ultra (if that is what they end up calling them), there is also going to be the brand-new Galaxy Tab S7/Tab S7+ (No one is sure if they’ll release two variants or if they’ll just be two sizes of the same tablet), Galaxy Watch 3 and the Galaxy Buds Live (bean-shaped TWS earphones). That’s a hefty lineup for Samsung going into their fall showcase.

<img alt="Samsung Galaxy note 20 " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8595e73f-1fa0-4d48-b5c9-85bf51f8678b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/960x0_1.jpg" />

In picture:&nbsp;Galaxy Note 20

Samsung has confirmed 5 devices to be launched at the Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event, Galaxy Note 20 series, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Fold 2 and Galaxy Z Flip 5G, the latter two being foldables which I won’t be talking about in this piece.

<img alt="Samsung Galaxy Watch 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="56a2b12b-8366-43f0-8c37-687ee67ce328" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/watch3.jpg" />

In picture:&nbsp;Samsung Galaxy Watch 3

Samsung, for what it's worth, has been on an upward trajectory lately. It’s Android devices - S-Series, Note-Series and Tab-Series - have all got One UI 2.1, a much needed refinement on the Android experience.

<img alt="Samsung Galaxy Tab S7" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ccf2a32c-f76d-4a16-bca5-e641e891202d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/csm_iu65_7900ffaa78.jpg" />

In picture:&nbsp;Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

With just about two weeks to go for the event, let’s take a look at how the Galaxy S20 Ultra, Note 10 Plus and Galaxy Tab S6 fare in 2020 and what to expect from the showcase event of the year.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ &amp; Galaxy Note 20/Note 20 Ultra

Samsung’s Note-series of smartphones has been a revolutionary ever since they were first launched in 2011. Over the years they’ve been considered the one of the first successful examples of phablets (A combination of a phone and a tablet). The Note series devices have also brought big-displays to the mainstream.

What really has stood out with the Note-series has been the S-Pen. Other companies have tried and failed but Samsung stuck to its guts and with the Galaxy Note 10 plus, knocked it out of the park.

I’ve been using the Galaxy Note 10 Plus for a year - on-and-off for the past six months) - and I think it’s really held up as a wonderful multitasking device. I think the S-Pen can be further upgraded to do more going forward but let’s rewind a year.&nbsp;

The Galaxy Note 10 Plus was the first modern phone to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack. That was a paradigm shift in the industry with many other players following suit. It was also the first Note to embrace the bezel-less trend we’re all comfortable with. Last but not least, it also went far and away from the distinct bold colours and gave us the Aura Glow.

The only thing I really miss while using Note 10 Plus is a high-refresh rate display. Either 90Hz or 120Hz. The Note 10 Plus’ display is excellent. The colours and sunlight eligibility are superb. Samsung has always aced it with its displays. A high-refresh rate display comes at the expense of battery life and with the criticism toward the S-series a few months ago, there is hope that Samsung would have found a sweet middle spot between high-refresh rate and battery life.

Coming back to the all-important S-Pen. It’s a handy little stylus that comes with the device and can perform a plethora of tasks. Most importantly, one can scroll using the stylus, highlight text more precisely (thanks to the floating cursor) and just take notes with it. Last year though, with the Note 10 Plus, came an S-Pen that had a button on its side. It can be used as a remote shutter. A game changer. One needn’t use a self-timer anymore.

One last thing, Samsung needs to fix the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor in the upcoming Note 20 device. Samsung failed to improve it with the S20-series and all hopes are fixated on the Note 20-series.

If you were to buy the Note 10 Plus in 2020 then you’d only be missing out on 5G (doesn’t really matter here in India until end of 2021), a high-refresh rate display and the best cameras on a smartphone. Saying that, the Note 10 still feels every bit as modern as when I first got my hands on it near the end of 2019.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 &amp; Galaxy Tab S7

Nothing comes close to Apple’s iPad in the tablet industry. Unfortunately though, you’ve got to be deep into the Apple ecosystem to want one of those. On the Android side, Samsung is leading the charge for many a year. Samsung further consolidated their market share with the Galaxy Tab S6 last year. This time around, Samsung is rumoured to be bringing Galaxy Tab S7 in two sizes.&nbsp;

Samsung has been on top of the tablet industry on the Android side for many a year and 11" and 12.4". A press render shows the Tab S7 being eerily similar to the iPad Pro.

The tablets are likely to be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 865+ chipset with 5G support and an S Pen. Furthermore, the larger tablet is rumoured to come with a 10,090 mAh battery, while the smaller one will have a 7,700-7,900 mAh battery cell. Finally, the display will be AMOLED and the speakers will be “tuned by AKG” (the sound engineering company now owned by Samsung).

Over the past eight months I’ve been using the Galaxy Tab S6 almost exclusively. My Dell XPS is way too old and it’s just easier and lighter to pull out the Galaxy Tab S6 for daily work (which for me, is mostly writing).&nbsp;

The Galaxy Tab S6 is by no means a tablet replacement but if you’re not a graphic designer nor a gamer then for day-to-day activity, this will suit you pretty well. Having the DeX mode also enables you to use the tablet like you would a laptop. It’s limited in what it can do as a laptop but the potential is certainly there.

Lugging the Galaxy Tab S6 around Delhi was pretty much no problem. I could take it to cafes, friends houses, the park and more. I’d have no problem plonking it down, and getting to my writing within seconds. Provided there was a flat surface, of course.

With the Galaxy Tab S7 there is hope that the official Tab Keyboard cover would do a whole lot more. For one, the back cover could be a lot more sturdy. The glue that sticks the cover to the Tab has come off way too many times for me during my typing and that has broken my chain of thought.

With fast charging up to 45W coming to the Tab S7, one needn’t worry about battery life anymore.

One thing Samsung, and all Android tablet players need to scale up significantly is the number of apps optimised for these tablets. It pales in comparison to iPadOS.

Still, one is optimistic that the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 models will be even closer to the iPad Pro from Apple and even surpass it in some areas.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4G &amp; Galaxy Watch 3

This is another category where Apple is head and shoulders above its Android-based competitors. The Apple Watch has done wonders for the company but yet again you’ve got to be tied to the Apple ecosystem.

On the Android side there is a whole lot more competition. Samsung may be leading with the Galaxy Watch 4G and the Galaxy Watch Active 2 but the competition - Huawei GT2e, Fitbit Versa 2 and others - isn’t far behind.

What Samsung has up its sleeve is the rotating bezel on the Galaxy Watch 4G. It was absent on the Galaxy Watch Active and Watch Active 2 but is set to make a comeback with the upcoming Galaxy Watch 3.&nbsp;

The Galaxy Watch 3 will also reportedly be getting a heart rate monitor with 8 pulse-reading photodiodes and support for blood pressure monitoring. Furthermore, it could also be getting an electrocardiogram sensor. That’s something Apple implemented but was missing on the Android side.

I’ve been using Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4G for many months now and it is a fantastic watch. Two things have been bugging me while using this watch though. First, it is more of a smartwatch than a fitness tracker. I get that it isn’t purely a fitness tracker like FitBit or Garmin and it’s trying to be a cross between the two but the activity monitor could be much better at tracking my workouts and my walks. I’m hoping Samsung works on its fitness smarts so that I don’t get told to walk when I’ve already embarked upon one.

Second, the watch face is a little bulky. I’ve gotten used to it and actually kind of like it but a lot of people have been put off by its sheer size. It’s a nice looking watch but could do with a little bit of trimming. Battery life could also get a boost but seeing as I get over two days of battery life as compared to other watch’s even tinier batteries, I’m quite happy. 
&nbsp;

In less than a month, on August 5th, Samsung will be hosting its annual Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event. This time though, it’ll be an online-event as the coronavirus pandemic has halted travel and in-person events across the world.

In less than a month, on August 5th, Samsung will be hosting its annual Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event. This time though, it’ll be an online-event as the coronavirus pandemic has halted travel and in-person events across the world. The Unpacked event is one of the two annual events hosted by Samsung but arguably the more important one. At the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event, Samsung is inviting us to explore their latest ecosystem of Galaxy devices that are “designed to empower” our lives. × While the prized package will be the upcoming Galaxy Note 20/Note 20 Ultra (if that is what they end up calling them), there is also going to be the brand-new Galaxy Tab S7/Tab S7+ (No one is sure if they’ll release two variants or if they’ll just be two sizes of the same tablet), Galaxy Watch 3 and the Galaxy Buds Live (bean-shaped TWS earphones). That’s a hefty lineup for Samsung going into their fall showcase. In picture: Galaxy Note 20 Samsung has confirmed 5 devices to be launched at the Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event, Galaxy Note 20 series, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Fold 2 and Galaxy Z Flip 5G, the latter two being foldables which I won’t be talking about in this piece. In picture: Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 Samsung, for what it's worth, has been on an upward trajectory lately. It’s Android devices - S-Series, Note-Series and Tab-Series - have all got One UI 2.1, a much needed refinement on the Android experience. In picture: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 With just about two weeks to go for the event, let’s take a look at how the Galaxy S20 Ultra, Note 10 Plus and Galaxy Tab S6 fare in 2020 and what to expect from the showcase event of the year. Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ & Galaxy Note 20/Note 20 Ultra Samsung’s Note-series of smartphones has been a revolutionary ever since they were first launched in 2011. Over the years they’ve been considered the one of the first successful examples of phablets (A combination of a phone and a tablet). The Note series devices have also brought big-displays to the mainstream. What really has stood out with the Note-series has been the S-Pen. Other companies have tried and failed but Samsung stuck to its guts and with the Galaxy Note 10 plus, knocked it out of the park. I’ve been using the Galaxy Note 10 Plus for a year - on-and-off for the past six months) - and I think it’s really held up as a wonderful multitasking device. I think the S-Pen can be further upgraded to do more going forward but let’s rewind a year. The Galaxy Note 10 Plus was the first modern phone to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack. That was a paradigm shift in the industry with many other players following suit. It was also the first Note to embrace the bezel-less trend we’re all comfortable with. Last but not least, it also went far and away from the distinct bold colours and gave us the Aura Glow. The only thing I really miss while using Note 10 Plus is a high-refresh rate display. Either 90Hz or 120Hz. The Note 10 Plus’ display is excellent. The colours and sunlight eligibility are superb. Samsung has always aced it with its displays. A high-refresh rate display comes at the expense of battery life and with the criticism toward the S-series a few months ago, there is hope that Samsung would have found a sweet middle spot between high-refresh rate and battery life. Coming back to the all-important S-Pen. It’s a handy little stylus that comes with the device and can perform a plethora of tasks. Most importantly, one can scroll using the stylus, highlight text more precisely (thanks to the floating cursor) and just take notes with it. Last year though, with the Note 10 Plus, came an S-Pen that had a button on its side. It can be used as a remote shutter. A game changer. One needn’t use a self-timer anymore. One last thing, Samsung needs to fix the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor in the upcoming Note 20 device. Samsung failed to improve it with the S20-series and all hopes are fixated on the Note 20-series. If you were to buy the Note 10 Plus in 2020 then you’d only be missing out on 5G (doesn’t really matter here in India until end of 2021), a high-refresh rate display and the best cameras on a smartphone. Saying that, the Note 10 still feels every bit as modern as when I first got my hands on it near the end of 2019. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 & Galaxy Tab S7 Nothing comes close to Apple’s iPad in the tablet industry. Unfortunately though, you’ve got to be deep into the Apple ecosystem to want one of those. On the Android side, Samsung is leading the charge for many a year. Samsung further consolidated their market share with the Galaxy Tab S6 last year. This time around, Samsung is rumoured to be bringing Galaxy Tab S7 in two sizes. Samsung has been on top of the tablet industry on the Android side for many a year and 11" and 12.4". A press render shows the Tab S7 being eerily similar to the iPad Pro. The tablets are likely to be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 865+ chipset with 5G support and an S Pen. Furthermore, the larger tablet is rumoured to come with a 10,090 mAh battery, while the smaller one will have a 7,700-7,900 mAh battery cell. Finally, the display will be AMOLED and the speakers will be “tuned by AKG” (the sound engineering company now owned by Samsung). Over the past eight months I’ve been using the Galaxy Tab S6 almost exclusively. My Dell XPS is way too old and it’s just easier and lighter to pull out the Galaxy Tab S6 for daily work (which for me, is mostly writing). The Galaxy Tab S6 is by no means a tablet replacement but if you’re not a graphic designer nor a gamer then for day-to-day activity, this will suit you pretty well. Having the DeX mode also enables you to use the tablet like you would a laptop. It’s limited in what it can do as a laptop but the potential is certainly there. Lugging the Galaxy Tab S6 around Delhi was pretty much no problem. I could take it to cafes, friends houses, the park and more. I’d have no problem plonking it down, and getting to my writing within seconds. Provided there was a flat surface, of course. With the Galaxy Tab S7 there is hope that the official Tab Keyboard cover would do a whole lot more. For one, the back cover could be a lot more sturdy. The glue that sticks the cover to the Tab has come off way too many times for me during my typing and that has broken my chain of thought. With fast charging up to 45W coming to the Tab S7, one needn’t worry about battery life anymore. One thing Samsung, and all Android tablet players need to scale up significantly is the number of apps optimised for these tablets. It pales in comparison to iPadOS. Still, one is optimistic that the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 models will be even closer to the iPad Pro from Apple and even surpass it in some areas. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4G & Galaxy Watch 3 This is another category where Apple is head and shoulders above its Android-based competitors. The Apple Watch has done wonders for the company but yet again you’ve got to be tied to the Apple ecosystem. On the Android side there is a whole lot more competition. Samsung may be leading with the Galaxy Watch 4G and the Galaxy Watch Active 2 but the competition - Huawei GT2e, Fitbit Versa 2 and others - isn’t far behind. What Samsung has up its sleeve is the rotating bezel on the Galaxy Watch 4G. It was absent on the Galaxy Watch Active and Watch Active 2 but is set to make a comeback with the upcoming Galaxy Watch 3. The Galaxy Watch 3 will also reportedly be getting a heart rate monitor with 8 pulse-reading photodiodes and support for blood pressure monitoring. Furthermore, it could also be getting an electrocardiogram sensor. That’s something Apple implemented but was missing on the Android side. I’ve been using Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4G for many months now and it is a fantastic watch. Two things have been bugging me while using this watch though. First, it is more of a smartwatch than a fitness tracker. I get that it isn’t purely a fitness tracker like FitBit or Garmin and it’s trying to be a cross between the two but the activity monitor could be much better at tracking my workouts and my walks. I’m hoping Samsung works on its fitness smarts so that I don’t get told to walk when I’ve already embarked upon one. Second, the watch face is a little bulky. I’ve gotten used to it and actually kind of like it but a lot of people have been put off by its sheer size. It’s a nice looking watch but could do with a little bit of trimming. Battery life could also get a boost but seeing as I get over two days of battery life as compared to other watch’s even tinier batteries, I’m quite happy.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2020: What impact will the upcoming Note 20, Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Tab S7 have?