Samsung Galaxy S9 vs Note 20

53 out of 100

66 out of 100

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 5.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S9 (with Exynos 9 Octa 9810) that was released on February 25, 2018, against the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, which is powered by Exynos 990 and came out 30 months after. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Differences
Review
Specs
Benchmarks
Battery life
Camera
Comments

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S9

45% higher pixel density (568 vs 393 PPI)
Expandable storage via MicroSD card up to 400GB
Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
Weighs 29 grams less
Better grip in hands – the body is 6.5 mm narrower
Includes a 3.5 mm headphone audio jack port

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy Note 20

The rear camera has a 3x optical zoom
Has a 0.9 inch larger screen size
Comes with 1300 mAh larger battery capacity: 4300 vs 3000 mAh
Has 2x more RAM: 8GB versus 4GB
57% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (718K versus 457K)
Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
More recent OS version: Android 13 versus 10
Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR5 2400 MHz
Compatible with Wi-Fi 6 wireless networks
Has an ultra-wide angle camera lens
Thinner bezels – 5.6% more screen real estate
Supports higher wattage charging (25W versus 15W)
The phone is 2-years and 6-months newer

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy S9 and Note 20 crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	Super AMOLED	Super AMOLED
Size	5.8 inches	6.7 inches
Resolution	1440 x 2960 pixels	1080 x 2400 pixels
Aspect ratio	18.5:9	20:9
PPI	568 ppi	393 ppi
Refresh rate	60 Hz	60 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	658 nits	600 nits
HDR support	Yes, HDR10	Yes, HDR10+
Screen protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Screen-to-body ratio	83.6%	89.2%
Display features	- Always-On Display	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display

RGB color space	-	99.9%
PWM	240 Hz	250 Hz
Response time	7 ms	6.4 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	147.7 mm (5.81 inches)	161.6 mm (6.36 inches)
Width	68.7 mm (2.7 inches)	75.2 mm (2.96 inches)
Thickness	8.5 mm (0.33 inches)	8.3 mm (0.33 inches)
Weight	163 g (5.75 oz)	192 g (6.77 oz)
Waterproof	IP68	IP68
Advanced cooling	-	Vapor chamber
Rear material	Glass	Plastic
Frame material	Metal	Metal
Colors	Black, Gold, Gray, Blue, Purple	Black, Green, Brown
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, rear	Yes, in-display

Chipset	Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 9810	Samsung Exynos 990
Max clock	2700 MHz	2730 MHz
CPU cores	8 (4 + 4)	8 (2 + 2 + 4)
Architecture	- 4 cores at 1.9 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 4 cores at 2.9 GHz: Exynos M3	- 4 cores at 2 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 2 cores at 2.5 GHz: Cortex-A76 - 2 cores at 2.73 GHz: Exynos M5
L3 cache	-	2 MB
Lithography process	10 nanometers	7 nanometers
Graphics	Mali-G72 MP18	Mali-G77 MP11
GPU shading units	324	704
GPU clock	572 MHz	550 MHz
FLOPS	~370.6 GFLOPS	~1126 GFLOPS

CPU	141516	214069
GPU	136666	202411
Memory	82698	134994
UX	92188	164236
Total score	457170	718109

Max surface temperature	39.2 °C	38.6 °C
Stability	93%	88%
Graphics test	13 FPS	25 FPS
Graphics score	2272	4317

Web score	5108	7804
Video editing	5490	5716
Photo editing	9516	29885
Data manipulation	5720	7954
Writing score	6311	11968

RAM size	4 GB	8 GB
Memory type	LPDDR4X	LPDDR5
Memory clock	1794 MHz	2400 MHz
Channels	2	2

Storage size	64 GB	256 GB
Storage type	UFS 2.1	UFS 3.1
Memory card	MicroSD	No
Memory card max size	Up to 400 GB	-

Operating system	Android 8.0 (Can be upgraded to Android 10)	Android 10 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)
ROM	One UI 2,1	One UI 5.0
OS size	14 GB	35 GB

Capacity	3000 mAh	4300 mAh
Max charge power	15 W	25 W
Battery type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes, Qi/PMA (10 W)	Yes (15 W)
Reverse charging	No	Yes, (wireless)
Fast charging	Yes (40% in 30 min)	Yes (50% in 30 min)
Full charging time	1:35 hr	1:05 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	06:04 hr	-
Watching video	10:57 hr	-
Gaming	02:42 hr	-
Standby	70 hr	-

Main camera
Matrix	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	4000 x 3000	4000 x 3000
Zoom	Digital	Optical, 3x
Flash	Dual LED	Dual LED
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
8K video recording	No	Up to 24FPS
4K video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
1080p video recording	Up to 240FPS	Up to 240FPS
Slow motion	960 FPS (720p)	240 FPS (1080p)
Angle of widest lens	-	120°
Lenses	1 (12 MP)	3 (12 MP + 64 MP + 12 MP)
Wide (main) lens	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/1.5 - 2.4 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Samsung SAK2L3 (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.76", Sony IMX555 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization
Telephoto lens	-	- 64 MP - Aperture: f/2.0 - Focal length: 27 mm - Pixel size: 0.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.72", Samsung Bright S5KGW2 (ISOCELL Plus CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization
Ultra-wide lens	-	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.2 - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Samsung S5K2LA (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support
Samples	-	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy Note 20 from DxOMark

Selfie camera
Megapixels	8 megapixels	10 megapixels
Image resolution	3264 x 2448	3872 x 2592
Aperture	f/1.7	f/2.2
Focal length	25 mm	26 mm
Pixel size	1.22 microns	1.22 microns
Sensor type	ISOCELL CMOS	CMOS
Sensor size	1/3.6"	1/3.2"
Video resolution	1440p at 30 FPS	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Wi-Fi features	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display
Bluetooth version	5	5
Bluetooth features	PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, LE, HSP, HID, HFP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP	LE, A2DP
USB type	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
USB version	3.1	3.2
USB features	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG	- Charging - USB-Storage mode
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, NAVIC
NFC *	Yes	Yes
Infrared port	No	No

Number of SIM *	2	2
Type of SIM card	Nano	Nano
Multi SIM mode	Standby	Standby
eSIM support *	No	Yes
Hybrid slot	Yes	No
LTE Cat *	18	20
5G support	No	Yes

Speakers	Stereo	Stereo
Headphone audio jack	Yes	No
FM radio	No	No
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes

Category	Flagship	Flagship
Announced	February 2018	August 2020
Release date	March 2018	August 2020
SAR (head)	0.362 W/kg	0.359 W/kg
SAR (body)	1.18 W/kg	1.366 W/kg
Sensors	- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint	- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint

Samsung Galaxy S9 vs Note 20

Samsung Galaxy S9 vs Note 20

Key differences

Review

Value for money

Tests and specifications

Display

Design and build

Performance

Benchmarks

Memory

Software

Battery

Camera

DxOMark camera tests

Connectivity

Sound

Other

Conclusion