Galaxy note 20 ultra advise please - Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Real Life Review

Hi guys. I was a huge Samsung fans for years, I left Samsung for LG and later huawei when I had pink lines on Samsung screens. I wanna get back to Samsung cause Huawei no longer has Google. I have held a note 10 plus in my hand and loved the feel and looks. But currently in my country I can't really get new notes 10 plus. I was looking at a note 20 ultra. I haven't seen anyone with it and shops don't have yet for display. When I do reviews people keep saying is huge compared to note 10 plus (when I see specs does not look much). I want your guys advice deciding in what to get. Is note 20 ultra, really huge and feels huge compared to note 10 plus? What's pros and cons from someone that had both, and should I try look for a note 10 plus or should I just go with 20 ultra?

The N20U is not much bigger than the N10+. Both are very nice phones.
Hubby has a N10+ with the Samsung SpiderMan case.
Since Samsung and Google have worked out a lot of the bugs in Android 11, I enjoy using the N20U more.
Android 11 is not my favorite Android OS (scoped storage), lol.
N10+ has Android 10.
N20U should receive updates for 3 years, I think.
You could debloat or root the phone...
I debloated my N20U, and use F-droid apps, and some apps from XDA developers.
S pen was moved to the left side of the N20U, and the power/volume buttons on the right side.
The camera bump is weird.

I currently have a stock 10+ running on Pie.
Pie is better than 10 or 11 with no scope storage.
The 20U is the only other Samsung I would consider until Samsung and Google gets their heads out of their ... .
A used 10+ in good condition at around $600 is a good deal. Running on Pie it's very stable and fast.
The battery isn't that hard to replace if you take your time with the rear cover and use isopropyl alcohol for that and the battery adhesive strips.

Had to resort to google search to understand what scoped storage is and from what I can see it's not necessarily a bad thing for users when it comes to security. Am i missing something?
What is Scoped Storage in Android?
A controversial change that originally was slated for Android 10 becomes mandatory for all new apps in August 2020 and every app targeting Android 11: Scoped Storage. Here's what you ...
www.androidcentral.com

dj24 said:
Had to resort to google search to understand what scoped storage is and from what I can see it's not necessarily a bad thing for users when it comes to security. Am i missing something?
What is Scoped Storage in Android?
A controversial change that originally was slated for Android 10 becomes mandatory for all new apps in August 2020 and every app targeting Android 11: Scoped Storage. Here's what you ...
www.androidcentral.com
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Click to collapse
Not needed. Wastes cpu cycles and your time for nothing.
In over 7 years using Androids have I ever had a malware issue scope storage would have help mitigate. In fact no forced factory resets due to malware, viruses or rootkits.
So why would I want to slow down my device and use more battery?
What's next an embedded CCP vivus detector?

BY FAR THE WORST PHONE I HAVE HAD FROM SAMSUNG SINCE THE MEGA!!!!!
I JUST BOUGHT A NOTE 8 TO REPLACE THIS JUNK!!!!!!

malebornin69 said:
BY FAR THE WORST PHONE I HAVE HAD FROM SAMSUNG SINCE THE MEGA!!!!!
I JUST BOUGHT A NOTE 8 TO REPLACE THIS JUNK!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, good you didn't get the S21U...
All you can do is back step to avoid stepping in the muck. For both Samsung and Android 2021 was a real bad year. 2022 doesn't look much better particularly for Android.
As long as the Note10+ Snapdragon is running on either Android 9/10 it's a fast, rock solid stable Note with one of the best displays out there.
I have 2; the oldest is over 2 years old running on 9. It looks and runs like new with one battery replacement. The newest one is 2 months old running on 10. To my pleasant surprise its UI looks and behaves almost identically to the one running on 9. Scoped storage is not active. Battery life is the same or maybe slightly better than the 9 variant.
It has over 100 more small Samsung system apks that Samsung used to preserve the UI compared to the 9 variant. It was a successful mode which is an impressive clean up of Google's mess. Samsung wasn't able to do near as well with Android 11 or 12 unfortunately.
Both my N10+'s will never run higher then Android 10 to preserve their UI and functionality.
I rejected the N20U because of it's variable refresh rate display (the N20U has a lower color rendering index), and display issues have been observed on all these newer post N10+ displays.
No 5G and no 5G issues which has also been problematic in implementing.
Android 11 is not an acceptable OS and 12 is even worse.
No cam hump but still has an excellent cam system. It's 7mm profile makes casing and holding the N10+ easier.

Related

Going to update to a Note 9 YES/NO

So with the Note 9 only about 1 months and 7 days away and plenty rumours/leaks going, are you considering upgrading your Note 5 and if so, what would be your main decider/s for doing so?
I'm well happy with N5 but if I for under 1k can get 512gb storage, 8gb ram, closer to 4000mah battery (maybe even faster charging) camera even better than S9+, upgraded front cam (maybe even a dual) s-pen we know will come with new stuff just not what yet.
Improved DeX experience, Bixby 2.0
Stereo speakers
What else could sway you?
Forget about the under screen fp scanner, it won't happen
Note5 user had to give up note 7, so yes
Probably not. I've had the Note 5 since launch day. If the rumors are to be believed the Note 9 won't really offer much more than what my 5 is giving me. Maybe I can squeeze another year out of the 5 in hopes that the Note 10 will really blow me away.
What would they have to add to make me switch? Killer battery life, I'm talking 2 days of my "normal" usage. The addition of an in-screen fingerprint reader would make an upgrade really hard to resist. I'd really like some kind of surprise, a surprise technology that is actually useful. Dex laptop with a big-ass battery would be a great feature.
I've been really happy with the Note 5 all this time. Didn't feel like the Notes 6 ,7 or 8 have been worth the cost/new feature ratio. I've been using android since the G1 and every phone I've had has been rooted and ROMed, all but the Note 5. Maybe a new ROM will stretch this phone's life out another year.

Will you update to the Note 9?

Samsung is going to host an unpack at NYC Aug 9th 2018,
since we missed the note 7, did not update to note 8, how about note 9?
Hi, i still have my N920C Note 5 running totally fine on Extreme Debloated ROM 3.3 since a few years now as my daily driver. I am still unsure about any major improvements to spend/waste cash and ditch my Note 5 for a newer one. However, i wish that there was a newer version of my current ROM since i'm stuck on Android 6.0 (i don't think the other ROMs are better to be honest, especially on the battery) but like i said, it's all working fine. I can still take some nice pictures and videos on Auto mode. I watched a video review by MKBHD and wasn't particularly impressed by the Note 9.
For those who are interested in the latest Note, i would advise to just wait a bit for real world usage reviews to start coming in. Don't rush to purchase something which has failed spectacularly in the past with the Note 7.
No, you'd have to be an idiot to fork up to a Samsung phone knowing that they won't support it for very long.
You're better off buying Xiaomi phones on a regular basis, for a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, becuase they use modern - medium/high end hardware, your battery lasts longer.
Samsung needs to step up their game. They don't deserve the level of trust the brand implies.
In comparison I did borrow a Xiaomi Note 5 Plus for a month ($154usd), it was significantly faster than my note 5, had Android 8.0, 10 hrs screen on time and easily 4-7+ days with quite regular usage. I don't often even get 1 anymore, depending on how I use the note 5. Our device sucks and we do not have any active rom support what so ever. All of our updates now revolve around Google's monthly security patches.
Turbine1991 said:
No, you'd have to be an idiot to fork up to a Samsung phone knowing that they won't support it for very long.
You're better off buying Xiaomi phones on a regular basis, for a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, becuase they use modern - medium/high end hardware, your battery lasts longer.
Samsung needs to step up their game. They don't deserve the level of trust the brand implies.
In comparison I did borrow a Xiaomi Note 5 Plus for a month ($154usd), it was significantly faster than my note 5, had Android 8.0, 10 hrs screen on time and easily 4-7+ days with quite regular usage. I don't often even get 1 anymore, depending on how I use the note 5. Our device sucks and we do not have any active rom support what so ever. All of our updates now revolve around Google's monthly security patches.
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Click to collapse
4 to 7 day battery life, 10 hours of screen on time. /r/thathappened
The Xiaomi Note 5 Plus is worse in every aspect compared to the Note 5 besides modern Android support.
Seems like you bought the Note 5 for the wrong reasons.
I guess I value higher quality components over having a newer version of Android.
Got mine on order
Can't wait for root for it
in my country
note 5 $11.000
note 8 $38.000
note 9 $50.000??
where a salary avg is around $25.000, love samsung, but their prices are very high! samsung is a mother fu*k*#$ crazy!
I won't get one. I love my Note FE. Am on Oreo. Just the right size. The Note 9 is too big!
You must be crazy to invest again on Samsung.
Note 5 was my personal lesson in order to blacklist this company which doesn't respect me as a customer.
You cannot ask your customers to pay a premium price and then abandon them like this...
The company I work gave me the S9+ within the bonus list. Didn't even open the box and sold it with no regrets.
Furthermore Samsung is not leading technology in android anymore.
Want to get the best camera in the market , Samsung is not the option.
Want the best speed in the market , Samsung is not the option.
Want the best battery in the market , Samsung is not the option.
Want the best price/performance ratio , Samsung is not the option.
Want the best android update support , Samsung is not the option.
Want any combination of the above , Samsung is not an option...
NEVER AGAIN Samsung.

Oneplus 6T to Note 9

Hi guys I am starting to get bored of this phone and looking to purchase a Note 9. Has anyone else done same. And as I am in uk how is Battery life on exynos version.
Well, I'm coming from a OnePlus 6 (8/128GB version) to a Note 9 (6/128GB Snapdragon version).
I can say the overall experience isn't as different as I thought it would be. I got used to Samsung Experience rather quickly. Haven't used the OP6 since getting the Note 9.
Check out the battery threads to get an idea of what to expect for the Exynos version. I get around the same battery performance with both the 6 and Note 9, but one has a FHD screen and the other a QHD screen. One has a stock Android experience, the other has tons of bloat (including processes).
I've got a Oneplus 6, fancy a note 9
The 2 things I love the most is the gcam hack and clean android
Whats the best note to get for using it the gcam hack with the sd845 or exynos? And are there any fully working clean android roms again is it better to get the sd845 or exynos?
Thanks
I had the OP5T and got quite bored with it also and i got the 512GB Exynos N9 and am quite enjoying it. I am also running Samsung Pie beta and everything is good. Just a lot more bloatware on Samsung compared to OP5T. I haven't looked back either
I also came from a Oneplus 5T and while I wasn't bored with the 5T, I just felt like it was time to upgrade. My decision came down to the N9 and the Oneplus 6T. Originally I purchased the 512GB N960DF/DS because of the unlock BL potential but quickly returned the phone because the signal was horrific and I was missing important LTE bands on ATT. I then bit the bullet and decided on the N9 US unlocked version. I am an admitted itchy finger custom rom flasher and I've always had unlocked phones in the past that allowed rooting. Obviously, the N9 US has locked BL so no root or TWRP. To be honest, I haven't even been bothered with the non ability to root. I really enjoy the stock version of the phone and I've grown fond of Samsung Pay, Knox encryption, Secured Folders, and Bixby. Root on this phone would obviously kill warranty, trip Knox and kill the ability to secure the phone properly. For a $1000 phone, that's too much of a risk if I ever have to put in a warranty claim.
The N9 IMO is superb in every way especially in the screen, audio, and overall speed department. Battery life on SD845 appears to be similar to my OP5T but that's saying a lot because the battery on my OP5T was heavily tweaked using custom kernels. I'm happy with the Samsung Experience thus far so my only worry is that I don't get bored with the locked BL down the road. This is the reason I bought the N960U1 unlocked version that cab be used on ANY network CSMA & GSM for better resale value. I did flash ATT firmware to get my carrier features such as Wifi Calling, Volte, etc but I will simply flash the stock unlocked firmware when it's time to sell. I feel like I'm winning in this deal so far! Good luck with your decision.
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
I tried a 6T and also got bored of it. Went back to my note 9 just has more options, better screen, better fingerprint reader, s pen, better camera, better battery etc etc
oneandroidnut said:
I tried a 6T and also got bored of it. Went back to my note 9 just has more options, better screen, better fingerprint reader, s pen, better camera, better battery etc etc
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Click to collapse
Same here have the 6T and just place a order for Note 9 gonna use it for a week or 2 and decide which to sell or send back
Well for the price I'd hope the Note 9 is better. I have both and use both for certain situations. I use the 6T on the weekends, love stock, clesn and slightly faster overall. I use the Note 9 when traveling, work
oneandroidnut said:
I tried a 6T and also got bored of it. Went back to my note 9 just has more options, better screen, better fingerprint reader, s pen, better camera, better battery etc etc
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Click to collapse
In uk with Samsung cashback bought it for £650 New
worldsoutro said:
Well for the price I'd hope the Note 9 is better. I have both and use both for certain situations. I use the 6T on the weekends, love stock, clesn and slightly faster overall. I use the Note 9 when traveling, work
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Click to collapse
I mean I don't disagree, for the money I think it is a nice phone I just prefer the note. I mean I didn't full retail for 512 gb note 9 but I didn't either for my 6T. About $570 vs $930. Is the note 9 double the phone of the 6T? Nah but did I use the note 9 more when i had both, yup. i am trying pixel 3 now to see how it compared with a price in between the two
worldsoutro said:
Well for the price I'd hope the Note 9 is better. I have both and use both for certain situations. I use the 6T on the weekends, love stock, clesn and slightly faster overall. I use the Note 9 when traveling, work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I pulled the trigger on a brand new note 9 for £590
My op6 is the 256gb version and therefore was only 20 quid less
I have the 6T 8/256 and the Note SM-N960FD 6/128, and have been trying to pick one to use and one to sell. By buying the Note on Black Friday I paid the same for both phones ($630). I'm in the US on T-Mobile and require root. It's a really tough call. The 6T is a better pure phone for my needs but it's hard to pass up the amazing hardware on the Note.
6T pros:
Form factor & high screen:body. Speed. Useful mods & minimal bloat. Great battery life & SOT. Dash charging. Full TMB support w/o hacks (LTE bands, CA, VoLTE, Wi-Fi call/text). No issues w/root & encryption. TWRP can decrypt data. Similarity to Pixel makes features like GCam easier to port.
6T cons:
Screen & camera not best in class. No SD slot. No notification LED. No headphone jack. No wireless charging. Weak vibration motor. No IP certification. Curve of display corners.
Note pros:
Screen A+ from DisplayMate. Great camera w/2x zoom. Stereo speakers w/Atmos. SD slot. S-Pen. DeX. USB 3.0. Rear fingerprint & iris scan. Some Samsung features & apps add value.
Note cons:
Exynos performance per AnandTech. Modem missing TMB LTE bands & CA capability in US. Loss of features/value upon rooting & tripping Knox. No warranty. Root & encrypted data don't like to coexist. Proprietary Samsung encryption (TWRP can't decrypt). Samsung bloat in background processes. Proprietary IMS/VoLTE stack. Broken MTP file transfer on Mac. Slow OS updates. Size & squared design. One UI in upcoming Pie release wastes screen real estate.
5upon said:
I have the 6T 8/256 and the Note SM-N960FD 6/128, and have been trying to pick one to use and one to sell. By buying the Note on Black Friday I paid the same for both phones ($630). I'm in the US on T-Mobile and require root. It's a really tough call. The 6T is a better pure phone for my needs but it's hard to pass up the amazing hardware on the Note.
6T pros:
Form factor & high screen:body. Speed. Useful mods & minimal bloat. Great battery life & SOT. Dash charging. Full TMB support w/o hacks (LTE bands, CA, VoLTE, Wi-Fi call/text). No issues w/root & encryption. TWRP can decrypt data. Similarity to Pixel makes features like GCam easier to port.
6T cons:
Screen & camera not best in class. No SD slot. No notification LED. No headphone jack. No wireless charging. Weak vibration motor. No IP certification. Curve of display corners.
Note pros:
Screen A+ from DisplayMate. Great camera w/2x zoom. Stereo speakers w/Atmos. SD slot. S-Pen. DeX. USB 3.0. Rear fingerprint & iris scan. Some Samsung features & apps add value.
Note cons:
Exynos performance per AnandTech. Modem missing TMB LTE bands & CA capability in US. Loss of features/value upon rooting & tripping Knox. No warranty. Root & encrypted data don't like to coexist. Proprietary Samsung encryption (TWRP can't decrypt). Samsung bloat in background processes. Proprietary IMS/VoLTE stack. Broken MTP file transfer on Mac. Slow OS updates. Size & squared design. One UI in upcoming Pie release wastes screen real estate.
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Click to collapse
Why do you "require" root? Not sure how note 9 slow os updates are a negative I have unlocked note 9 and get regular updates every month like a pixel device. Pie isn't that bad if you use it. Few things they need to fix but it isn't a negative about the device thus far
Update received my note 9 but glad I did not unsealed it as the online retailer (John Lewis) does not accept returns on unsealed item unless faulty. Guess gonna have to keep 6T.
I sold my One Plus 6 for a Huawei mate 20 pro I had to put 600 along with OP6 because I wanted the Twilight 256 GB version. Big mistake.big. Huge. I can almost guarantee that if your a power user you will be disappointed with the Note 9 it will slow down and all the preloaded bloat will really upset you after a while. The Huawei is one of the fastest phone's on the planet right now but certainly doesn't feel like it. If you're used to snappy performance few handsets will feel like a OP6 in my opinion and I have no allegiance to any brand for me it's the speed that is everything. Benchmarks don't mean **** in the real world and the Huawei was like a son of Samsung. I had the last Note 8 and many Samsung's over the years and again it just began to irritate me after time. I do understand your boredom that's always a problem for me I was lucky to sell my Huawei this side of Xmas and now my fingers are wrapped around One Plus 6 T McLaren edition. God it's good to be home.
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
I have both as well and it's really a tough choice. I have the 6T 8gb/128 and Note 9 128gb dual sim. The OnePlus is faster at everything while the Note 9 seems to do everything slightly better. It my hand, the 6T feels like a better form factor, but the screen of the Note 9 is beautiful (and less rounded, not sure why OnePlus rounded the screen so much!).
When I need stuff done quickly and painlessly, the 6T is my pick. When I have time to kill or want to watch videos/play games, the Note 9 is amazing. Also, to me, the Note 9 is not usable without a case. The combination of dry hands, heavy phone that's slippery and curved edges means the phone slips frequently, I constantly touch the edges of the screen with accidental taps, and after you put the Note 9 in a decent case (I use spigen neo), turns a large phone into something even bigger.
You probably know this but the Note 9 is a bigger phone but the screen is the same size as the 6T.
I'm leaning towards the 6T because it's fast and reliable, not the most exciting but if I get bored, I can easily root it and tinker. Also, when Android 10 beta is released, I won't be waiting months for it.
I'm in the same boat trying to decide which one to hold and which one to flip, between Oneplus 6 256 vs Note 9 128.
Both have their pros and cons. What's so far making me lean towards Note 9 are the speakers, screen size, battery & better vibration motor. I've already rooted my Note 9.
What I'm missing from my Oneplus 6 is the super fluid stock like Android Pie experience, better hand grip & size, faster face unlock, faster fingerprint and stability with the apps. Battery life is one of my big concerns on OP6 which is good, but not even close to Note 9. Although ones deciding against the OP6T, it's pretty close to N9.
So far holding on both.
Thanks!
I have both. I moved on from note 9 to 6T. 6T while it has smaller battery lasts longer than note 9. Even with One UI. Note 9s standby drain is significantly better on One UI but overall 6T lasts longer for my day to day use.
Speaker is definitely better on note 9 but I rarely use the speaker.
things that keeps me staying with 6T is size of the phone, Google camera port, and stock Android feel.
insang-droid said:
I have both. I moved on from note 9 to 6T. 6T while it has smaller battery lasts longer than note 9. Even with One UI. Note 9s standby drain is significantly better on One UI but overall 6T lasts longer for my day to day use.
Speaker is definitely better on note 9 but I rarely use the speaker.
things that keeps me staying with 6T is size of the phone, Google camera port, and stock Android feel.
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The size of both phones is almost exact width wise and note is just a tad taller
forgot to mention the biggest issue with Note 9. connectivity consistency. I know a game might not be the most effective way to testing, but sliter.io which is an online game that is dependent on having a low latency connection, is horrible on Note 9. Under the same conditions, Note 9 CONSTANTLY, and I mean CONSTANT, lags and studders while, my 6T, Iphone 6, Iphone 8, Ipad 2018, Pixelbook, doesn't.
Other connectivity problem is bluetooth. 6T is consistently more stable at longer range.. roughly 2x the range of Note 9.. again under same conditions.

Any reason to upgrade to the Galaxy Note 20 (Ultra)?

I want your thoughts. Why would or wouldn't I upgrade from a Galaxy Note 9 to the new Galaxy Note 20 (or Note 20 Ultra)?
Here's what I think/understand about the situation:
The Galaxy Note 9 still works fine
Android 10 will be the last Android upgrade the Note 9 will see.
One UI Updates for the Galaxy Note 9 until One Ui 2.5. Note 9 users won't get One UI 3.0 and beyond
It looks like us Note 9 users will continue to receive security updates. But, for how long?
Of course the Galaxy Note 20/Galaxy Note 20 Ultra are going to be better devices than the Note 9 in terms of specs, that's to be expected. If my screen was cracked, I could justify an upgrade.
Any other compelling reasons or features that would make one want to upgrade?
Bottom line, people will get one for their own reason. Or get one because they have had every Note since Note 1.
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
No
The Note9 has:
No notch or hole display
Headphone jack
Led notification light
Iris scanner
Heart rate monitor
Bixby button (yes i say it as an advantage, I've made it a mute toggle via BxActions app)
Better rear camera design (personal opinion)
Hard press home button
More reliable rear placed physical fingerprint sensor
512GB storage (I'm comparing the 512/8 GB model as that's the best Note9 model)
Note20 Ultra has:
Ultrawide camera
S Pen air actions
No bixby button (can be advantage or disadvantage)
Wireless powershare
Ultra wide band chip which they advertised
5G
Longer software update support
Honestly the Note9 seems like a better device imo. The features it has are very useful in every day situations.
The only thing missing from it which would have been nice is the Ultra wide camera which isn't as big of a deal as the headphone jack or a nice looking uninterrupted display. Cameras on Note9 still take amazing pictures and video. Everyone who sees them is surprised how good they are. I just bought my 512 Exynos 5 months ago and am loving it more than any device that launched after it. Also don't care for software updates so that's that. It got Android 8.1 out of the box, got Android 9, got Android 10 with OneUI 2.0, got OneUI 2.1 and seems like it will get OneUI 2.5. I mentioned UI updates as those introduce more features than an OS update Basically you've almost got a Note20 Ultra in terms of software but you've also got more features which you'd actually use daily. And that Ocean Blue with the yellow S Pen looks awesome
PS: The regular Note20 is a joke and shouldn't even be considered.
If there is something that YOU need on the Note 20/20 Ultra then you get it. Don't look to us to justify a purchase. I'm not trying to be rude just being honest.
At the end of the day you're going to do what you feel you want. We can't make or stop you from getting a device that you're obviously interested in
I only upgrade to Note 20 with Snapdragon 865. Mostly because I pretty hate the curved screen on Note 9. Too inconvenient
I'll get the Note 20, when i hit the lottery. The more people that buy it, the next Note will be $1500.00. If i said what i really think, i'd be barred from this forum.
koragg97 said:
The Note9 has:
No notch or hole display
Headphone jack
Led notification light
Iris scanner
Heart rate monitor
Bixby button (yes i say it as an advantage, I've made it a mute toggle via BxActions app)
Better rear camera design (personal opinion)
Hard press home button
More reliable rear placed physical fingerprint sensor
512GB storage (I'm comparing the 512/8 GB model as that's the best Note9 model)
Note20 Ultra has:
Ultrawide camera
S Pen air actions
No bixby button (can be advantage or disadvantage)
Wireless powershare
Ultra wide band chip which they advertised
5G
Longer software update support
Honestly the Note9 seems like a better device imo. The features it has are very useful in every day situations.
The only thing missing from it which would have been nice is the Ultra wide camera which isn't as big of a deal as the headphone jack or a nice looking uninterrupted display. Cameras on Note9 still take amazing pictures and video. Everyone who sees them is surprised how good they are. I just bought my 512 Exynos 5 months ago and am loving it more than any device that launched after it. Also don't care for software updates so that's that. It got Android 8.1 out of the box, got Android 9, got Android 10 with OneUI 2.0, got OneUI 2.1 and seems like it will get OneUI 2.5. I mentioned UI updates as those introduce more features than an OS update Basically you've almost got a Note20 Ultra in terms of software but you've also got more features which you'd actually use daily. And that Ocean Blue with the yellow S Pen looks awesome
PS: The regular Note20 is a joke and shouldn't even be considered.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am using a Note 9 since it was launched and I love it so much. A bit disappointed that I didn't get the 512gb variant because it cost about $300 more.
You can install a 512gb SD card. I won't touch the Note 20 now, because I refuse to get a bank loan for a cell phone. In about 18 to 24 months, I could get one for half the price.
grunt0300 said:
You can install a 512gb SD card. I won't touch the Note 20 now, because I refuse to get a bank loan for a cell phone. In about 18 to 24 months, I could get one for half the price.
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Click to collapse
If you want it why not just do contract? Pay it out over time
grunt0300 said:
You can install a 512gb SD card. I won't touch the Note 20 now, because I refuse to get a bank loan for a cell phone. In about 18 to 24 months, I could get one for half the price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't have to wait 18 to 24 months, in about 1 year you can find them 1/2 price...smartphones depreciate quicker than you think.
KingVekxin said:
If you want it why not just do contract? Pay it out over time
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Click to collapse
I don't do contracts. If I can't buy it outright, I don't buy it.
Note 4 was the last smartphone that made sense to buy/keep and, sadly, it was neglected by the majority of the community (the Exynos version, thankfully there have been a couple of developers doing their magic). I hate the curved, narrow screen of the sequels, among other things. At least my Notes 9 and 8 still have a headphone jack. I wouldn't "upgrade" to antyhing over 9 even if they paid me.
The 1-120Hz variable refresh rate and the laser auto focus are interesting.
Nirrik said:
The 1-120Hz variable refresh rate and the laser auto focus are interesting.
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Click to collapse
If we have learned anything form the S20 Ultra is that the Laser Auto Focus on the Note 20 Ultra would probably be very glitchy. Samsung will continuous be releasing software updates to try and fix it.
KingVekxin said:
If you want it why not just do contract? Pay it out over time
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because most Samsung Notes do not even last 2 years.
No I will not be upgrading.
1. Enoughf with dumping the crappy chips on us in India. If you want our business offer us the option of buying the CPU we want or upgrade Indias status to first world i.e. give us the same chip sets as USA and China get.
2. Missing HR and O2 sensors which I use every day to measure my BP, Tune my medication.
3. You never know with Samsung what bug will crop up when. The S20 screens with the crappy Indian market chip started turning green. All over India after the s/w update.
4. In a few months you will know what the bugs are and it will be cheaper.
5. These phones are getting to be more like walking around with a glass egg that will scratch, bend, break. Each new version seems to get more delicate and more fragile.
6. The tension of walking around with and using a 1000+ phone is just not worth it. I find walking around with a cheap phone so liberating.
My Fav Note was the 4 and the 9.
RonChinoy said:
Because most Samsung Notes do not even last 2 years.
No I will not be upgrading.
1. Enoughf with dumping the crappy chips on us in India. If you want our business offer us the option of buying the CPU we want or upgrade Indias status to first world i.e. give us the same chip sets as USA and China get.
2. Missing HR and O2 sensors which I use every day to measure my BP, Tune my medication.
3. You never know with Samsung what bug will crop up when. The S20 screens with the crappy Indian market chip started turning green. All over India after the s/w update.
4. In a few months you will know what the bugs are and it will be cheaper.
5. These phones are getting to be more like walking around with a glass egg that will scratch, bend, break. Each new version seems to get more delicate and more fragile.
6. The tension of walking around with and using a 1000+ phone is just not worth it. I find walking around with a cheap phone so liberating.
My Fav Note was the 4 and the 9.
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Click to collapse
If I could've held on to my 4 for a bit longer I would've. It had root, custom roms, plus I had an extended battery on mine. So I honestly understand what you mean. These things are getting more expensive, yet hilariously less durable.
The entire world isn't treated equally when it comes to chipsets and that leads to mixed issues that typically might not get fixed. Honestly? Me understanding what Samsung is doing and the piss poor reasoning behind it has lead me to start looking into other OEM. Like nokia, motorola, one plus. Just someone else with a better Android experience without the bs price tag but with decent specs and a bomb camera.
I agree...
I love my note9 and i would want to continue with more longer as i can. I bought it in August 2018. The first day arrival. 512 GB purple colour...still click amazing photos...
It rocks. I was waiting eagerly for note20 1 TB phone...but sorry will not shift to Note20.
I'm keeping my Note 9
I've read a lot of reviews and YouTube videos hyping the Note 20 Ultra and I don't see a reason to upgrade. My Note 9 will be paid off this month and I couldn't be happier. After receiving the OneUI 2.1 update, I noticed excessive battery drain and couldn't get through a whole day anymore without having to charge it. I reset my phone last week, and in addition to enabling an Adaptive Power setting, I have been able to restore all day use of my phone. It's working better than before so for me, I see no reason to upgrade.
There's a reason the phone is overpriced, yet the carriers are offering discounts up to 50% to encourage you to upgrade. I have a conspiracy theory that there may be something wrong with the phone that will come up in the first 6 months of widespread consumer use. (Remember the Note 7?) I don't usually jump on the "I NEED to upgrade right away" bandwagon for that particular reason. It's a major marketing ploy by Samsung to generate interest from the "Gotta have it NOW!" crowd. I know what you're doing Samsung and I'm not falling for it. I'm still part of the unemployed masses, so I'll be spending my money on more worthwhile things like feeding and housing my family. I plan on rocking my 9 for as long as I possibly can.
Note 9 is quite a classic phone, I will replace a battery to continue using it!It has been confirmed that One Ui 2.5 will be updated!

Question is this phone still the best bang for the buck in 2022

Is this still the best bang for the buck phone in 2022? custom ROMs still working good? issues ironed out? ShOuLd I bUy ThIs OvER a SaMmY pHoNe LiKe a A52?!?!??!
There is no manufacturer which I'd recommend without hesitation. Android is in a horrible state after the manufacturers modified it. For Xiaomi this is crippled Always-on-display, disabled Smart Unlock (Bluetooth) etc. Many restrictions for marketing purposes. MIUI is developed without understanding how the memory on Linux shall be managed: You keep everything in memory until someone wants it, so application switching is fast. The installed bloatware is ok, could uninstall it and thanks to DNS66 never saw an ad.
Samsung in my opinion is even worse than Xiaomi. If I buy a phone, it is my device. I want to be able to see all files on it and do a backup. But opening the bootloader Knox gets triggered. They modify big parts of Android for their UI, that's why updates cost them much effort to adopt their changes to new versions. More effort for Samsung, more bugs, worse experience for the user.
If you want a good Android experience, you probably should have a look at Google pixel phones. But bang for the buck is difficult here.
In summary given the choices I'd say the Xiaomi is fine. You could consider the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE if you don't need dual SIM and additional SD card, because 5G will replace 4G one day.
Imho yes but only when you use custom kernel and rom. If you stick with stock ones especially Miui 13 it really sucks, Miui is too resource heavy for 732g SOC. For example when driving I like to listen to spotify in the background and use google maps even though these tasks are fairly lightweight this phone with Miui 13 struggles to run them without stutters and freezes. If you're okay with running stock android like rom, that is when the SOC shines. It runs much more apps than spotify and maps no problem real fluid.
tag68 said:
There is no manufacturer which I'd recommend without hesitation. Android is in a horrible state after the manufacturers modified it. For Xiaomi this is crippled Always-on-display, disabled Smart Unlock (Bluetooth) etc. Many restrictions for marketing purposes. MIUI is developed without understanding how the memory on Linux shall be managed: You keep everything in memory until someone wants it, so application switching is fast. The installed bloatware is ok, could uninstall it and thanks to DNS66 never saw an ad.
Samsung in my opinion is even worse than Xiaomi. If I buy a phone, it is my device. I want to be able to see all files on it and do a backup. But opening the bootloader Knox gets triggered. They modify big parts of Android for their UI, that's why updates cost them much effort to adopt their changes to new versions. More effort for Samsung, more bugs, worse experience for the user.
If you want a good Android experience, you probably should have a look at Google pixel phones. But bang for the buck is difficult here.
In summary given the choices I'd say the Xiaomi is fine. You could consider the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE if you don't need dual SIM and additional SD card, because 5G will replace 4G one day.
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i'm kinda a die hard SD card and headphone jack dude - so this does limit my choices...i mean i had my galaxy note 4 for 6 years (with roms) lol and I'm just starting to get over the fact I won't be able to easily replace batteries in these new phones...ugh. thanks for your sobering input
no joke... a52 is more more better than this ridiculous note10pro... i have all tthese..
note 10 pro have miui orrible and with problems, custom roms with problems (aod, deep sleep, anx not working all).. and terrible drain... no no i have note4,note5 too but this note10 is bad..
Maybe A52s, i'm looking to sell my pristine 10 Pro and maybe get A52s.
Marvin.the.Martian said:
Maybe A52s, i'm looking to sell my pristine 10 Pro and maybe get A52s.
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Click to collapse
interesting this is exactly what i'm deciding between...you had enough of playing with roms? what's the reason for the trade?
The prices I'm seeing; the A52s is twice the price of the Note 10 Pro, so not an even comparison. I just ordered a Note 10 Pro for $200.
In my country Note 10 pro is around $350 brand new in stores for 128GB, and A52s is about 20-30 bucks more.
david003 said:
The prices I'm seeing; the A52s is twice the price of the Note 10 Pro, so not an even comparison. I just ordered a Note 10 Pro for $200.
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1q3er5 said:
interesting this is exactly what i'm deciding between...you had enough of playing with roms? what's the reason for the trade?
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Click to collapse
I like OneUI a bit better, however Redmi has a better build quality and better camera.
Marvin.the.Martian said:
In my country Note 10 pro is around $350 brand new in stores for 128GB, and A52s is about 20-30 bucks more.
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Click to collapse
Interesting. The 6/64 I ordered is shipped from China, though, not in the store. Still, that's a huge markup.
david003 said:
Interesting. The 6/64 I ordered is shipped from China, though, not in the store. Still, that's a huge markup.
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Everything is more expensive in EU.
david003 said:
The prices I'm seeing; the A52s is twice the price of the Note 10 Pro, so not an even comparison. I just ordered a Note 10 Pro for $200.
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Click to collapse
i found at same prime when buyed.. 260 euro for note 5 pro, 280 for a52
Note 10 Pro has proven to be still better that the next gen, freshly released Note 11 Pro. Easy to repair because screens are on the 120 bucks mark while the back cover is solid plastic, very nice to see and touch and won't break if you pry it for a battery change. Also the silicon cover is great from preventing fall damage.
After debloating its very balanced on any task, but don't expect flagship peak performance by any means yet battery lasts a lot (on short usage sessions it lasted me 3 days without charging, 1,5-2 with continuous/intense usage). Imho, after years going Samsung-only I had enough with Knox nonsense, increasing sales pricing and hard-to-repair phones.
According to the specs, the back cover of the Note 10 pro is gorilla glass 5, not plastic.
The Note 11 pro review I saw at gsmarena would suggest that the Note 11 pro is mostly a downgrade from the Note 10 pro, except for the 5g bands.
Edit to add: There's a 4g and a 5g version for it.
Yes, still the best in this price range of ~230 USD.
Samsung A52 costs 390 USD lol, not even comparable here
david003 said:
According to the specs, the back cover of the Note 10 pro is gorilla glass 5, not plastic.
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Click to collapse
Yeah but 5G isn't available anywhere, plus the more users move into new cell tech the more smooth the 4G is going to be. Would not consider unless you're into high speed hype.
david003 said:
According to the specs, the back cover of the Note 10 pro is gorilla glass 5, not plastic.
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Click to collapse
Realization just struck me. I have the Glacial Blue version that, along with Vintage Bronze are in fact frosted glass while there's not much about the black version which seems to be more common here. I got blinded by disassembly videos where non-Pro versions were considered the same thing as for Pro, so I just made a mistake. Guess I will eventually challenge myself to remove it in future whenever necessary, such as a battery change. They still look pretty simple and solid to remove and the glass lens vessel is separate tho (right, Apple?). Thanks for pointing out!
Yes, personally I don't care for 5g. 4g LTE is fine. One thing that both of the Note 11 Pro models (4g & 5g) have are increased 4g bands, too, that make them more compatible in the U.S. (bands 12 & 66). If 5g or those additional 4g bands matter to someone, those are improvements/features to consider.
I also saw replacement backs for the Note 10 pro, for around $5, and watched a video that made it look easy to change. Hopefully never have to do that.
aleMarvel said:
no joke... a52 is more more better than this ridiculous note10pro... i have all tthese..
note 10 pro have miui orrible and with problems, custom roms with problems (aod, deep sleep, anx not working all).. and terrible drain... no no i have note4,note5 too but this note10 is bad..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no problems with ANX, deep sleep, battery drain, etc. on my RN10P running the Project Sakura ROM. It's cool to prefer one phone over another, but spreading misinformation doesn't help anyone.
Development for this phone really isn't in a good place.
If you look at the latest posts on each of the ROMs, there's either big issues with heavy battery drain, touch issues or microphone problems.
Sad times

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