Samsung Galaxy Note 20 (Note 11) Release Date, Price & Spec Rumours

King of the phablets is not down yet. Here's what to expect from a potential Samsung Galaxy Note 20, successor to the flagship Note 10.

For the past few years there have been whispers that Samsung will kill off its Note line, merging it with the increasingly large-screen S-series but adding the S Pen stylus as an option. This is still a possibility, especially with so few leaks on the ground right now, but if this is Samsung’s plan it has not yet made that news public. For now we will assume that Galaxy Note 10 will see a successor in August 2020 in the form of the Galaxy Note 20.

When the Galaxy S20 launches on 11 February we should get a much clearer vision of Samsung’s plans for the year ahead, but there are already a few ideas out there.

Reliable leakster Ice universe has shared the framework design of the new Galaxy Note, though it gives little away aside from the placement of ports. It has been suggested that this is in fact the case design for the Note 10+, but neither theory is verified.

The shape of the rear camera module suggests it will feature the same Domino-style assembly that we are expecting to see on the Galaxy S20. At the bottom we also see space for a mic, speaker, USB-C charging port and S Pen stylus, but no 3.5mm headphone jack.

The volume rocker and power button are visible once again on the left side of the phone, making room for the S Pen, whereas on the S20 they will be on the right side. For right-handed users this may feel unnatural, but lefties rejoice.  It may make using a traditional wallet case difficult, of course.

Something else missing here is a fingerprint sensor, suggesting we will see one integrated to the display.

Early renders such as the video we’ve posted below should be taken with a big pinch of salt. Renders, until you get closer to launch and start seeing official press renders, are always based on rumours - and when rumours are thin on the ground they become more a case of what the creator wants to see in the new phone, or what will attract the most interest.

In this case we’re pretty sure there are some aspects of the design that are incorrect, particularly the rear penta-lens camera assembly, and potentially the overly curved edges of the display, with Samsung adopting a flatter design with Galaxy S20.

But some of the specifications mentioned - a 6.9in, 1440x3040, 19:9 full-screen Dynamic AMOLED display with HDR10+, Gorilla Glass 6 and an integrated ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, the Snapdragon 865 with Adreno 650, up to 12GB of RAM and 1TB of expandable storage, IP68 waterproofing, Android 11, and USB 3.1 Type-C with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 55W wired, 25W wireless and 18W reverse wireless charging - are more likely.

It’s worth noting that this is not the only source to suggest under-glass cameras as a possibility, with Ice Universe tweeting back in October that Samsung would release such a phone in 2020 and it would be neither the Galaxy S20 nor the Galaxy Z Flip (Galaxy Fold 2). Korean site The Elec has also backed the theory.

Still, the video is interesting as one digital designer’s impression of what Note 20 could look like. We have also used some screen grabs from the video to illustrate this article.

Other Galaxy Note 20 leaks are thin on the ground, but given what we know about the Galaxy S20 it is possible to make some educated guesses. First, and most obviously, is the name change: not Galaxy Note 11, but Galaxy Note 20. We can only presume that if Samsung has chosen to follow this practice with the S-series it will also do so with the Note.

Second, the processor. Samsung will allegedly use the new Snapdragon 865 in its Galaxy S20 (potentially swapping in the Exynos 990 in some markets), so you can also expect to see this chip (or something even more powerful that has yet to be released) in the Note 20. The interesting thing about this processor, aside from the fact it is more powerful and energy-efficient than ever, is that Qualcomm is selling it only with the X55 5G Modem. Ergo, all Samsung Galaxy Note 20 models should be capable of 5G.

So what about the models? With the S20 we’re expecting standard, Plus and Ultra models, differentiated in size (6.4in/6.5in/6.7in), battery capacity (4,000mAh/4,500mAh), display (90Hz/120Hz) and cameras (64Mp/108Mp). We would expect the Note 20 to come with a Plus model as previously, but with a spec jump to match the S20 Ultra it’s possible we won’t see a Note 20 Ultra. Instead, Note 20 Pro could feature a 108Mp camera and 120Hz display.

We wouldn’t necessarily expect Note 20 to be larger than the biggest S20 model, so rumours of a 6.9in screen could be a bit out there for the standard Note 20. After all, the standard Note 10 has only a 6.3in screen, while Note 10+ has a 6.8in panel. It is possible for the larger model, though we’d expect the standard Note 20 to be in line with the S20 at around 6.5in.

There is also a possibility of a Note 20 Lite, successor to the Note 10 Lite, but if Samsung chooses to go down that path again there is not guarantee it will arrive at the same time as the main Note 20.

Battery life is likely to increase from the 3,500/4,300mAh we saw in 2019 to meet the increased power drain of a 120Hz display, but a 5,000mAh battery would add considerable size and weight. We’d expect something closer to 4,500mAh, as is rumoured for the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

The one key difference between S-series and the Note-series is of course the S Pen, and Samsung is unlikely to unveil a new Note without upgrading the stylus in some form.

When is the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 coming out?

Following previous fashion, we would expect Samsung to announce its next flagship phablet ahead of IFA at an Unpacked conference in August 2020. The Note 10 and Note 10+ were announced on 7 August 2019.

How much will the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 cost?

Although we’re certain Samsung would love to keep its pricing constant, if 5G does become a constant in the Note 20 line it may not be able to. No credible leaks on pricing have been released yet, but we will share here anything we hear.

When Galaxy S20 is officially announced on 11 February we should have a better idea of how the new processor and display affects pricing.

For reference, the Note 10 went on sale at £899, and the Note 10+ at £999. Both are now available online for significantly less.

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