Samsung Galaxy Note 20: Everything we know so far (Updated: May 29)
by Phillip Prado
Update, May 29, 2020 (7AM ET): We’ve updated the original Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Plus rumor hub with more information about leaked renders, colorways, and an apparent chipset upgrade. Read on for all the latest.
Original article, April 17, 2020 (5:44 PM ET): Samsung’s Galaxy Note series has long been the preferred choice for Android power users. The Galaxy S line, on the other hand, has traditionally appealed more to the masses. Samsung changed that up a bit recently with the Galaxy Note 10, while the top of the line Galaxy S20 Ultra is now a power user’s dream. So, where does that leave the upcoming Galaxy Note 20 line?
As of right now, we’re still in the early days, and we haven’t heard much about the upcoming handset. With that being said, there’s still a bit we know and a lot we can infer.
This is everything we know (or at least think we know) so far about Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 20 series.
Name and release date
Samsung has not confirmed the Galaxy Note 20 moniker, but it’s a safe bet to assume this will be the name of the series’ next iteration. Samsung’s Note and Galaxy lines have mirrored each other pretty closely over the years. Most recently, the Galaxy line name jumped from 10 to 20, so it makes sense the Note line will as well.
We also know that shortly after Samsung released the Galaxy S20 line, the company also released the handsets’ kernel source code. The folks over at XDA Developers scoured the code and found evidence of the Galaxy Note 20 series.
The Galaxy Note 20 series is allegedly on schedule for an August 2020 launch.
XDA found files for three different series in the code: “Project XYZ,” “Project Canvas,” and “Project Winner2.” It notes that Project Canvas is most likely a reference to the Galaxy Note 20 because the name “Project C” was also previously associated with the Note 20. This information is far from a guarantee, but it’s the closest thing we have to verifying the device name.
Samsung will also likely release two variants this year: the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Plus. It’s technically possible for the Note line to adopt the new Ultra moniker, but the Plus name is more likely.
As far as the release date is concerned, South Korean publication The Korea Herald recently reported that the Galaxy Note 20 series is on schedule for launch this August. The current coronavirus pandemic has caused several other OEMs to suspend their device launch events recently, but it looks like the Note 20 is too far off to be affected yet. We still think the company will likely announce it via an online event rather than a physical one.
The Korea Herald later reported that the Galaxy Note 20 series launch will be an online event instead of a traditional Unpacked launch. The outlet reiterated the August launch window as well.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20: Design
Roland Quandt (Twitter)
Source: Roland Quandt (Twitter)
An early leak of the upcoming handset’s possible phone case reveals a bit about what we can expect from its design. The leaked photos show what appears to be an inlay mold for the official Samsung Galaxy Note 20 LED View Cover.
Winfuture.de editor Roland Quandt posted the images on his Twitter account, and we can see the front and the back of the inlay. Check them out:
There are a couple of things we can deduce about the handset from these images. First, we have a good idea of what we might expect from the Galaxy Note 20’s camera array. If these leaked images are to be trusted, we can probably expect a robust camera setup similar to what we see on the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
We can also see that the Galaxy Note 20 could possibly move the hardware buttons to the right side of the device. The Galaxy Note 10 was the first Note handset to shift them to the left, but Samsung might take this move back.
Followed by this leak of possible case molds, we got a look at the leaked renders for both the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Plus in May. The renders show that both the new Note phones will have big screens, chunky camera modules, and a design that remains largely unchanged compared to the Galaxy Note 10 series.
As per the Galaxy Note 20 render leak, the phone will get a 6.7-inch display. Meanwhile, the Note 20 Plus is said to come with a larger 6.9-inch screen. Both phones could come with a quad-camera setup at the back. Obviously, camera specs could vary and you can scroll down to read more on that in the specs and features section. Meanwhile, take a look at the leaked renders below, courtesy of Pigtou.
The position of the S Pen housing has also changed on both the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Plus. Samsung usually slots the stylus on the right side but renders for both phones show that it’s now placed on the bottom left.
Colorways for both the Galaxy Note 20 phones also leaked recently. The standard Galaxy Note 20 might come in gray, copper, and green colorways. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note 20 Plus is tipped to arrive in black, and copper or gold colorways.
Specs and features
As far as specs are concerned, we expect both the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Plus to feature the latest Snapdragon 865 SoC and 5G connectivity. The previously mentioned Galaxy S20 kernel source code associates the Galaxy Note 20 with “kona,” which is a codename for Qualcomm’s latest chipset. We were already confident the Note 20 would run on the Snapdragon 865 this year, but this just further affirms our expectations.
The code also suggests that only the US variant will feature the Snapdragon SoC. If this is the case, then handsets in other markets will tout Samsung Exynos processors — likely the Exynos 992. This would come as no surprise since the Note 10 also featured the Snapdragon 855 SoC stateside while the rest of the world saw the then-latest Samsung chipset: the Exynos 9825.
According to ZDNet Korea, Samsung is now fully prepared to mass-produce the 5nm Exynos processor, expected to be called the Exynos 992. The 5nm design would bring a major boost to performance and power efficiency compared to the Exynos 990 on the Galaxy S20 handsets. However, Samsung is still reportedly deciding if it wants to use the new processor on the Note 20 series or not. Guess we’ll have to wait and watch what happens but a powerful Exynos chipset will definitely go a long way towards allaying existing performance complaints.
We also expect the handset to feature an IP68 water-resistance rating, at least 12GB of RAM, no less than 256GB of internal storage, wireless charging, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and a multi-sensor camera setup. Only the Note 10 Plus featured expandable storage, so at least the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Plus should see it this year, but hopefully both will.
A recent report from SamMobile suggests the Samsung Galaxy Note 20’s battery capacity will start at 4,300mAh. This would be larger than the standard Galaxy Note 10’s 3,500mAh battery. If this is the case, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Plus should at least feature at least a 4,500mAh battery, but we hope to see a 5,000mAh rating like the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Unfortunately, Samsung has now done away with the headphone jack on its premium flagship devices, so don’t expect to see a comeback with the Note 20 series.
While the aforementioned specs and features are what we’ve gathered from rumors so far, we also have our own set of expectations from the new Galaxy Note 20 series. Here’s what we want to see on the phones.
Price and availability
Credit: David Imel / Android Authority
Samsung’s flagship handsets are some of the most expensive on the market, and the Galaxy Note 20 series will be no different. We haven’t heard any rumored pricing yet, but the company’s previous handset prices can give us an idea of what to expect.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10 with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage: $949
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10 5G (Korea only): $1,049
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage: $1,099
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage: $1,199
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage: $1,299
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage: $1,399
Since the Galaxy Note 20 series will likely come with the Snapdragon 865 SoC, we expect both the standard and plus models to support 5G connectivity. So, if last year’s pricing is anything to go by, both the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Plus could see price tags starting at no less than $1,000.
As far as availability is concerned, you can expect a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 global launch. That means we will most like see it land in the US, Europe, South Korea, and more.
Those are all the details we have on the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 so far! Be sure to bookmark this page and check back often as we will update it with new information as we get our hands on it.