Samsung Galaxy Note 20 leak shows no upgrade from the S20 in one major area
Evidence grows that there’s no Ultra
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We’re expecting theSamsung Galaxy Note 20phones to bring loads of upgrades and tweaks to theGalaxy S20devices from earlier in the year, but that might not end up being the case in all areas, as a new leak suggests the battery capacities will be exactly the same.
According to a report fromGalaxyClub, a DutchSamsung-focused publication, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Plus will have a 4,500mAh battery, and the site hadpreviously reportedthat the standard Note 20 will have a 4,000mAh one - theSamsung Galaxy S20 Plusand Galaxy S20 had those exact same stats respectively too.
What’s more, this report makes no mention of a top-end device beyond this Note 20 Plus, backing up rumors thatthere will be no Note 20 Ultra. If that’s the case then it seem theGalaxy S20 Ultrawill remain the top-end Samsung phone with the biggest battery pack at 5,000mAh.
These battery capacities are up from theGalaxy Note 10andNote 10 Plusat 3,500mAh and 4,300mAh respectively though, so if you’re in the market for a stylus phone then the Note 20 range might still be the longest-lasting, unless the screen sizes are much bigger on these models.
It’s not all bad news
Beyond the battery, GalaxyClub also echoes something we’ve heard before, namely that the Galaxy Note 20 Plus could have a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz.
The Galaxy S20 phones have refresh rates that max out at 120Hz, so you can choose to have this smooth screen tech, or you can manually change it down to 60Hz. However a variable refresh rate will automatically change the screen refresh speed depending on what you’re doing on the phone, and this feature isn’t present on the S20 range.
Variable refresh rates are typically great battery-saving features, as they stop 120Hz being used when it isn’t needed (as high refresh rates drain battery faster), and GalaxyClub estimates in the Note 20 this will result in 15-20% battery life saved compared to having 120Hz running all the time.
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So despite there potentially being no battery size increase, the tech inside the phone might make up for it. We’ll find out for sure in August, when we’re expecting Samsung to launch the Galaxy Note 20 range.
Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.
He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.
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