Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Review – Bragging Rights

 

A flagship smartphone from any brand must go beyond the limits set by its predecessors, or its competitors. If it doesn’t, a big question mark hangs over not just the device, but over the person buying it as well. No doubt the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra goes well beyond the limits set by its predecessors. In fact, it even reaches a comfortable parity with the best of the best in the Android cameraphone world. However, for the owner of a flagship, especially the costliest one, this is not enough. It needs to cross the borders of machine and reach into the man, eventually merging into the identity of the owner. In my opinion, after a long time, the Galaxy S20 Ultra has become that iconic S-series Samsung phone which will not only give you the feeling of owning something unique, it becomes an extension of your character as well. Of course, conditions apply. So, what does it feel like to own an iconic device that naturally comes attached with compromises? This is the review of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.

6.9 inches, Quad HD+, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120 Hz, HDR10+, 511 PPI
• Exynos 990 7nm Mali-G77MP11 GPU
• 12 GB RAM, 128GB UFS 3.0
• 108MP main camera, 8K Video, 48 MP Telephoto, 10x Hybrid Optical Zoom, 100x Digital Zoom
• 40 MP Selfie Camera, 4K60 Video on all cameras
• 220g, 5000 mAH, 45W Charging
• 92,999 INR

If these numbers don’t blow your mind, I don’t know what else will. Samsung completely owns it, on paper. Here’s a link to revisit the unboxing to know the box contents, which like all the Samsung flagships, comes with a AKG-tuned headset. Simply, for the amount of money you spend, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is truly a chart-topper. Before we see how these numbers translate into actual experience, let’s take a good close look at the device which houses the entire spec sheet.

In every Samsung Galaxy S-series commercial, the S20 Ultra is THE device that stands out. Primarily, because of the unique look made possible by the huge camera unit. It not only establishes the reason for someone to take a look at this device, it also establishes the fact that Samsung’s flagship innovations are no longer focused on the form factor, it’s the camera. This is why the S20 Ultra looks so iconic, with a very unique looking camera design attracting all you attention instead of the edge-to-edge beautiful AMOLED display. Anyone who looks at this device from the outside can easily recognise it as that Samsung phone from the airport billboard or a TV commercial.

Frankly, the design looks great because it looks sophisticated. There is a nice symmetry, there is a dual-tone finish and then there is the text, with quite a bold proclamation of “Space Zoom 100x”. Who wouldn’t want to brag about these things?

However, there are some compromises we need to make because of the nature of the technology that lets Samsung proclaim so boldly about the zoom. The S20 Ultra is not only huge in size, is not only heavy, it is also thick largely thanks to the camera unit and the battery. The camera unit is massive because it houses a 108MP sensor with OIS AND a periscopic telephoto lens, again with OIS. If you think this phone as a camera, then these issues will vanish, but if you’re looking for a balanced flagship, this ain’t it chief. You’re probably better off with a S20+, again, do read the review here.

Every time I use a Samsung flagship, it is like my eyes are blessed with truly the best images proudly displayed on the smartphone. Having used the Note 10+ and the S20+ for quite a while, I can comfortably say the S20 Ultra beats them both in terms of experience. May be it is the size of the display, or may be it is a tweak Samsung did in software, the S20 Ultra offers such a brilliant viewing experience that it’s a pleasure being addicted to watching videos, especially in the highest resolution. Too much crisp awaits your eyes. May be it’s the size, may be it’s the resolution, may be it’s the great color quality, may be it is the amazing dynamic range thanks to HDR 10 support. Whichever way, this is hands down the best display experience I have had in quite a long time. I think it’s the size.

Yes, unlike the S20+, I mostly used the S20 Ultra at 120 Hz or at Quad HD+. Mostly, at 120 Hz, really because, thanks to the massive 5,000 mAH battery and a forced 1080p resolution, it can actually last a day. Also, unlike the S20+, the Ultra did not lag one bit while 120Hz is enabled, so overall a very smooth or a very crisp experience awaits you with the S20 Ultra. I wouldn’t wish for a crisp AND smooth experience because that would for sure kill the battery within a day. Right now, after using it for nearly a month, I have settled on the 120 Hz option mainly because I scroll a lot, just like you. Also, the display is possibly one of the brightest I have used. As always, Samsung scores big in the display department, the ultrasonic fingerprint also doesn’t disappoint. Fast and reliable, the non-illuminating sensor is much more preferable than the optical ones, in my experience. But now comes the real test, the cameras.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is all about the camera system. It boasts a super high resolution 108MP sensor on the main unit, an f1.8 aperture lens and OIS. It’s not just any sensor, measuring at 1/1.33-inch, it is one of the biggest in the cameraphone market right now. For comparison, the only sensor which is as big is in Huawei P40 Pro at 1/1.28-inch meanwhile the iPhone 11 Pro’s main sensor measures 1/2.55-inch. The S20 Ultra is big league not just in terms of sensor size, it is also currently the undisputed leader in resolution, a whopping 108 megapixels. If you think that’s crazy, the periscopic zoom camera unit at 48 megapixels makes Galaxy S20 Ultra the highest resolution cameraphone in the market, no other device comes close. Yes, there is OIS in this one too.

Naturally, it means you get crispy photos in the default mode where pixel binning is in force, spitting out richly detailed images in ANY condition. But it also means that you get a Zoom capability that goes beyond visual range, earning it the marketing team’s badge of honour, the “Space” Zoom. Of course, it is digital zoom plus some software magic, but what it actually translates in day to day use is very impressive.

It starts at 4x. Yes, upto 4x, it is the 108MP sensor doing all the work and once you cross that threshold, the periscopic lens kicks in, mainly in well lit conditions, giving you a stunning clarity at 4x and above. Even at 10x of Hybrid Optical Zoom, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra manages to capture a clean and richly detailed image that’s absolutely worthy of saving or sharing. There are many examples in the camera sample gallery where you’ll see images taken at various levels of zoom.

The images do start to break beyond 10x, but I wager that not many cameras can hold detail like the S20 Ultra at 30x. Yes, upto 30x, the S20 Ultra creates, may be not share-worthy but at least document-worthy images that can become a part of your archive. Thanks to the Corona virus, I put the Periscopic camera to use in scenarios which I had not thought of, like Macros where it excelled beyond my expectations, with great stabilization and focus. I also used the camera to shoot the moon a couple of times, once in daylight and once in the dark.