Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: Should you upgrade?

Samsung’s loyal Galaxy Note fans have wanted an update for a while now. The lack of a Galaxy Note 21 means many are still rocking their Note 20 or older. Now, there’s finally an opportunity with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. While the name may not be the same, there’s no denying that Samsung’s flagship is its phablet successor. Let’s weigh the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Galaxy Note 20 Ultra to see if it’s time for you to upgrade.

If you’ve been waiting for the Spider-Man pointing meme to come to life via the medium of smartphones, then wait no longer. The Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra sport nearly identical, boxy designs. However, the aging Galaxy Note is ever so slightly taller — about 1mm.

Even the materials that Samsung chose haven’t changed much between 2020 and 2022. Both models incorporate Gorilla Glass Victus for the back panel and the display, though the Galaxy S22 Ultra opts for Victus Plus rather than traditional Victus. Samsung kept a familiar satin finish for its rear glass, which feels great in hand. You’ll also get an Armor Aluminum frame on the Galaxy S22 Ultra instead of the stainless steel option on the Note 20 Ultra.

Of course, we can’t talk about design without digging into the S Pen. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is the first non-Note device to offer built-in S Pen storage, and it’s in the same spot as its predecessor. You’ll still get a down-firing speaker along with the USB-C port on the bottom edge, too.

Check out: The best Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra cases

Perhaps the most significant design change between the two devices lies in the camera module. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra offers a familiar raised set of cameras in a corner-mounted rectangle. You get three lenses to work with, but we’ll touch more on that in the next section. As for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, you’ll notice that each camera is self-contained in a metal ring. This minimizes the overall look of the camera design, something like the underloved LG Velvet.

Moving around to the front, we mentioned that the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s display is slightly larger, measuring 6.9 inches to the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 6.8 inches. Both devices carry AMOLED panels with 120Hz refresh rates and HDR10 Plus support. Samsung also used its Infinity-O design for both panels, planting a punch hole selfie camera in the top center. Otherwise, there’s not much to say about the two nearly identical designs.

We’ve established that the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra look nearly the same outside, but the main changes lie under the hood. Samsung’s final Note device carries the Snapdragon 865 in the US and select markets, while it offers the Exynos 990 in others. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, on the other hand, provides the brand-new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 for the US and the Exynos 2200 for international markets.

You can start with 128GB of storage on either model, though the Galaxy S22 Ultra pairs it with 8GB of RAM. All Note 20 configurations get 12GB, and you can add up to 512GB of onboard storage. However, the new Galaxy S22 Ultra offers a whopping 1TB at its highest tier. The Note 20 Ultra is also one of the last Samsung flagships to offer a microSD slot.

See also: The best phones with expandable storage

At this point, it’s pretty safe to say that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is far ahead of the Snapdragon 865. Qualcomm has had plenty of time to refine its design and shrink it from 7nm to 4nm. That said, you might not notice too much difference in daily tasks until you really push either device.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra also holds an edge when it comes to software — or at least, software updates. Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra has around a year and a half of updates under its belt, while the new Galaxy S22 series is starting fresh. We’ve already seen the Note 20 Ultra receive Android 11 and Android 12, but the Galaxy S22 Ultra will receive four Android version updates, carrying it to Android 16. It should also get five years of security patches, taking it into 2027.

Another significant difference between the two monster phones is the battery and charging setup. The Galaxy S22 Ultra offers a significantly larger cell at 5,000mAh compared to 4,500mAh on the Note 20 Ultra. It’s quicker to charge, too, topping out at 45W wired speeds as opposed to the 25W wired speeds of the Note. However, the two devices are equal in wireless power, reaching 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging peaks.

The final key difference to touch on brings us back to the camera setups. Outside of the noticeable design differences, both the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra offer 108MP main cameras. You’ll also find dual 10MP telephoto cameras on the Galaxy S22 Ultra with support for 10x optical zoom, while the Note 20 Ultra maxes out at 5x optical. The final lens shared by both phones is a 12MP ultrawide option.

Samsung’s choice of selfie cameras is another important distinction, as the Note 20 Ultra carries a 10MP option instead of the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s beast of a 40MP lens.

See also: The best camera phones you can get

Samsung’s excellent Phantom colors are back on the Galaxy S22 Ultra for another year. All carriers will have access to the same base shades — Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green, and Burgundy. However, there are a few colors that you can only get from Samsung’s online store — Sky Blue, Red, and Graphite.

As for pricing, the Galaxy S22 Ultra kicks off at $1,199 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. All other models jump to 12GB of RAM if you want to upgrade. Moving to 256GB of storage should set you back $1,299, or you can drop $1,399 for 512GB. Finally, Samsung offers a massive 1TB version of the Galaxy S22 Ultra with a massive price tag to match — $1,599.

Save some money: The best Samsung Galaxy deals

You might remember that the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra launched before Samsung adopted the Phantom colors. However, the satin finish is pretty similar, and it launched in Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, and Mystic White. Samsung’s 2020 phablet started at $1,299 for 12GB of RAM with 128GB of storage, or you could upgrade to 512GB of storage for $1,449. Overall, the newer device offers better storage options for less cost, even if the base model cuts back on the RAM.

We’ve run through just about all of the key points between the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and now it’s time to make a decision. Is it time to upgrade, or should you stick with the Note 20 Ultra for another year? Well, the answer comes down to just how badly you need a new phone. The design changes aren’t massive, but the updated internals could make all the difference in this case.

Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra holds the advantage when it comes to pricing, maximum storage, and software updates. It’s tough to argue against security support through 2027 and Android 16 when the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will only see Android 13 and security support through 2024. While you won’t find a 1TB Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, it’s one of your last chances to grab a built-in microSD slot for expandable storage.

Qualcomm’s newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor should leave the Snapdragon 865 in the rearview mirror, too. It’s available for the US and select markets, but Samsung’s Exynos 2200 offers a similar boost over its Exynos 990 option.

You might expect the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra to offer some benefit in the price department, but we haven’t seen that come true yet. Device shortages mean that the Note has retained most of its cost, which is equal to the 256GB Galaxy S22 Ultra launch price.

Have you made your decision? Be sure to let us know in the poll below.