Samsung S20 Ultra: Full Specifications, Price, Camera, Battery and Review

Samsung Galaxy S20 was the most ambitious model of Samsung’s Galaxy S20 lineup when it was released in 2020. It brought 100x Space Zoom, 100MP main camera, 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, and 5,000mAh battery to the Galaxy S lineup for the first time. The phone got placed in the S20 family as Samsung’s flagship offering for those looking for the largest display and the most sophisticated camera capabilities.

Samsung Company Overview

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a South Korean technology company and the world’s biggest producer of consumer electronics and smartphones. It has a Galaxy smartphone lineup and its Galaxy S lineup is the mainstream flagship line.

The Galaxy S20 series consisted of the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra. Samsung made the Ultra variant as the most feature-rich, especially the camera system, the size of the display, and the battery size. The S20 series was marketed as the company’s new “photography and video and mobile experiences” focused line.

S20 Ultra Release Date and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra was officially announced on 11th February 2020. Availability in the markets started in March 2020, but varied by country. Starting from March 6th, 2020 Samsung India said that the Galaxy S20 Ultra customers who pre-ordered the device would get their smartphones.

There were regional variants of the phone. This is especially relevant because of the fact that processors and network specifications were not the same across all markets. Today’s buyers should therefore verify the model number of the device before buying a refurbished or used version.

S20 Ultra Price in India and Global Market

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra had a high price at launch. Samsung unveiled the phone in India at ₹92,999. The Galaxy S20 Ultra was released at $1,399 in the U.S., running to the higher-capacity version at $1,599.

Its price was in line with its status as the most premium conventional smartphone in the Galaxy S20 series. The camera setup was significantly improved over the standard S20, and the size of the display was also larger than the standard S20, but several contemporary reviews noted that the launch price was one of the biggest drawbacks.

Current pricing is no longer comparable to the original launch price because the device is now mainly found through used, refurbished or remaining-stock channels. The condition, battery health and exact regional variant can significantly affect its value.

Design and Build Quality

The Galaxy S20 Ultra is made with high-quality glass and metal. Front and back made of Gorilla Glass 6 and aluminium frame. With dimensions of ~166.9 x 76 x 8.8mm and a weight of 222 grams, the smartphone is one of the biggest and heaviest mainstream Samsung flagships of the time.

Front has Samsung’s Infinity-O pattern, that features a centred punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. The S20 Ultra is easily identified from the smaller S20 models by its large square camera enclosure on the back.

The large size provides it with a significant multimedia presence, but it could be challenging to use with one hand. One of the compromises of the phone was often cited in contemporary reviews as its weight.

Processor and Performance

Galaxy S20 Ultra has been equipped with different processors in various regions. While Exynos 990 variants were sold in other markets including the Indian version, the Snapdragon 865 versions were sold in some markets. This separation is crucial as it means benchmarking figures, gaming performance and battery life may vary between the two.

At the time of its launch, the device had top-of-the-line specifications and offered generous memory options. It came in 12GB/16GB RAM and up to 512GB of storage (microSD expansion on select models).

Daily usage of the S20 Ultra saw the gadget being designed for demanding multitasking, high-end gaming, camera processing and 8K video recording. Its processors are not up-to-date, but at the time of its release, the phone was one of the most powerful Android devices available.

Camera Performance Review

The camera system was the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s draw card feature. Samsung has given the phone 108MP wide-angle primary camera and 48MP telephoto camera, 12MP ultra wide-angle camera and depth vision time of flight sensor. The front camera is 40MP.

The highlight of Samsung’s is 100x Space Zoom. Super Resolution Zoom and Hybrid Optic Zoom were used together to obtain the extreme magnifications. The telephoto system was 4x optical zoom with Samsung also touting greater hybrid and digital zoom.

The phone can record video up to 8K at 24fps. With this, the S20 Ultra was one of the first mainstream smartphones to offer 8K video recording.

In real life testing, things were not as simple as they appeared. The main sensor and camera versatility were commended by several reviewers, and autofocus was cited as one of the main drawbacks of the phone during its initial release. Digital Zoom was also not always high quality at high zoom levels.

Battery Life and Charging

Samsung has opted for the maximum battery size of 5,000mAh typical battery in the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Samsung stated actual battery life may be affected based on network conditions, usage and other factors.

This big battery was required as the phone also had a massive display with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. The higher refresh rate could reduce power efficiency but, in terms of user experience, it is beneficial for scrolling and gaming.

Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 and fast wired charging was supported. It also had the capability of Wireless PowerShare, which let the phone power compatible accessories and devices wirelessly.

Software and UI Details

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is running on Android 10 and Samsung’s One UI 2 software. One UI is Samsung’s overlay on Android, which contains Samsung’s own visual design, multitasking features, and ecosystem components and custom apps.

The software experience was engineered to be optimized for the phone’s large display and featured Samsung services like Bixby and Samsung DeX support. Samsung DeX enables the compatible devices to deliver the desktop experience when attached to a suitable external display setup.

It is important for consumers to know the installed Android version and security patch level prior to purchasing the phone to understand software support status, which is not the same as the phone’s original software.

Connectivity and Sensors

Specific Galaxy S20 Ultra models will have different connectivity options. There were even some versions with 5G support, and other regional versions varied in network capabilities. Hence, it is recommended to always check the model number and the bands the phone supports prior to buying a used or imported phone.

The phone features Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS and USB Type-C. It also features an ultrasonic under display fingerprint sensor, a variety of motion and environmental sensors.

AI Features

Galaxy S20 Ultra leveraged AI and computational processing as its main application for the camera system. Samsung said the S20 series benefits from “a combination of camera hardware and AI-powered camera software processing.

Samsung’s Space Zoom is one such example which the company has implemented multi-image processing and Super Resolution Zoom to minimize the quality drop at high Zoom levels. These computational technologies played an integral role in the S20 Ultra’s initial camera settings.

It’s worth noting that these are not the AI and computational photography capabilities of Samsung’s newer Galaxy AI platform, but rather the capabilities at launch. Unlike the Galaxy phones that followed, the S20 Ultra’s AI capabilities were primarily focused on photography and image processing, not on the generative AI capabilities that have come with more recent smartphones.

Audio and Multimedia Experience

With its big 6.9 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, the Galaxy S20 Ultra is a multimedia consumption device. The screen has a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels, while its 120Hz refresh rate provides smoother scrolling and animations.

Samsung’s support details state that the 120Hz refresh rate is available in Full HD+ mode with the full Quad HD+ resolution available at 60Hz. Thus, users were forced to make a compromise between the highest resolution and the highest refresh rate.

The phone also has stereo speakers which make it ideal for video viewing and gaming. But it will not have a 3.5 mm headphone jack, so wired audio will need a USB-C solution or an adapter.

S20 Ultra Pros & Cons

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra was one of the most ambitious smartphones of 2020. It established the Ultra model as the most specification-focused version of Samsung’s Galaxy S lineup, bringing together a 6.9-inch display, 108MP camera, 100x Space Zoom, 8K recording and a 5,000mAh battery.

Its strengths were clear: an excellent display, flagship-level performance for its generation, versatile camera hardware and strong multimedia capabilities. However, the phone also showed the limitations of pushing specifications to extremes. Its large size, high launch price, autofocus complaints and inconsistent results at extreme zoom levels prevented it from being a perfect flagship.

For buyers looking at the S20 Ultra today, the exact variant, condition, battery health, network compatibility and software status are more important than the original specification sheet. At the right refurbished or used price, it can still offer a premium large-screen smartphone experience, but it should be evaluated against newer devices rather than judged solely by its once-impressive launch specifications.

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