Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G SM-N986UZKAXAA Mystic Black 128GB

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G remains a fantastic phone for S Pen lovers and photography buffs, offering a stunning 6.9-inch 120Hz display, expandable storage, and a versatile 108MP camera with 5x zoom. However, its Snapdragon 865 chip is showing its age, battery life is average, and software support is winding down. If you can find it for around $1,300, it's a bargain for the features, but skip it if you need modern performance.

If you're hunting for a high-end phone that doesn't cost flagship money, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G might catch your eye. It's a few years old now, but with a 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED display, 12GB of RAM, and that iconic S Pen tucked into the body, it still offers a lot of phone for the price. We see listings as low as $1,300, though some vendors are asking over $14,000 (which is, frankly, hilarious). The 108MP camera system with 5x optical zoom is still one of the best you'll find, and the build quality remains top-notch. But it's not all sunshine, the Snapdragon 865 chip was a beast in 2020, but it's starting to show its age next to today's silicon. And the 4500mAh battery, while intelligent, doesn't always last as long as you'd hope with that stunning 120Hz screen running. For Note fans who refused to let go of the S Pen after Samsung killed the line, this is still a compelling buy, especially since it has expandable storage up to 1TB, a feature modern flagships keep ditching.

In our database, the Snapdragon 865 here lands in the 71st percentile for performance. That means it's still solid for daily tasks, but don't expect it to keep up with a current iPhone or the latest OnePlus in heavy gaming. Benchmarks show it's roughly on par with a Snapdragon 870, so apps open quickly and the 120Hz refresh rate keeps everything feeling smooth. The 12GB of RAM helps a lot with multitasking, you can jump between a dozen apps without them reloading. But if you push the phone in games like Genshin Impact at max settings, you'll notice some throttling after 15 minutes. The 5G connectivity is here, but it's not the fastest millimeter wave variety, so real-world speeds will depend on your carrier. Still, for photography, video calls, and streaming, it's more than capable.

The Note20 Ultra's value is all over the map. Newegg currently has them for as little as $1,300, but we've seen it listed elsewhere for over $14,000, which is clearly an error, or a very funny joke. At its lowest price, it undercuts the iPhone 17 by hundreds of dollars while offering a better zoom camera and that S Pen. Compared to the Pixel 10 Pro XL, you lose Google's computational photography smarts and longer software support, but gain the stylus and a more versatile telephoto lens. If you can snag it for under $1,500, it's a solid deal for a phone that was originally over a grand. Just double-check that the seller isn't the one charging fourteen grand.

Set against the Apple iPhone 17, the Note20 Ultra's biggest advantage is the S Pen and that crazy 108MP camera with 5x optical zoom. The iPhone's A18 chip runs circles around the Snapdragon 865 in raw speed, but if you're not a mobile gamer, you might not care. The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL takes better photos in tricky lighting and will get updates until 2032, where Samsung's older flagship is nearing the end of its support window. The OnePlus 15 offers faster charging and a more modern Snapdragon 8 Elite, but it lacks stylus input and expandable storage. If you're torn between these, ask yourself: do you actually use a stylus? If yes, the Note20 Ultra is still the only game in town that doesn't force you to buy a separate tablet.

Skip this phone if you're a heavy mobile gamer or need all-day battery without compromise. The Snapdragon 865 can't keep up with the latest games at high settings, and the 4500mAh cell with a 120Hz screen often doesn't make it through a full day. Also, if you want guaranteed Android updates for years to come, pick up a Pixel 10 Pro XL or wait for a newer Note-like device from Samsung (maybe the S Ultra series). And if you don't care about the S Pen at all, there are plenty of faster, cheaper phones out there, like the OnePlus 15.

Should you buy a Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G in 2025? If you're a diehard Note fan who needs the S Pen and you find a clean unit for around $1,300, the answer is yes. It's one of the best phones ever made for note-taking, sketching, and on-the-fly document editing, and the camera still competes with mid-range 2025 models. But if all you want is a fast, future-proof smartphone, look elsewhere. The aging processor, mediocre battery, and dwindling software updates make it a tougher sell for the average user. Consider this a niche device for stylus enthusiasts and folks who refuse to give up their microSD card slot. For everyone else, the Pixel 10 Pro XL or OnePlus 15 will serve you better in the long run.