Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G vs. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing long-term software support and a refined user experience, the iPhone 12 Pro Max emerges as the superior choice. While the Note20 5G offers S Pen functionality and faster charging, the A14 Bionic’s efficiency and Apple’s ecosystem integration provide a more compelling overall package.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-N981U | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2342 |
| 5G bands | 2, 5, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-N981U | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2342 |
| EDGE | No | - |
| GPRS | Yes | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 41, 66, 71 Sub6 - SM-N981W | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2410, A2411, A2412 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, August 05 | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, August 21 | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm (6.36 x 2.96 x 0.33 in) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 192 g (Sub6 5G), 194 g (mmWave 5G) (6.77 oz) | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 26ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~89.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED Plus, HDR10+ | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x3.0 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) - USA | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5 | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Call records | 100 entries | - |
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM |
| Phonebook | 500 contacts | - |
| UFS 3.0 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 1.3 MP | - |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 65mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Games | Yes | - |
| Java | No | - |
| Messaging | SMS, MMS | - |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update |
| Stand-by | Up to 80 h | - |
| Talk time | Up to 5 h | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 4300 mAh | Li-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mystic Green, Mystic Bronze, Mystic Gray, Mystic Red, Mystic Blue | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue |
| Models | SM-N981B, SM-N981B/DS, SM-N981U, SM-N981U1, SM-N981W, SM-N9810, SM-N981N | A2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4 |
| Price | About 430 EUR | $ 328.00 / C$ 549.75 / £ 270.67 / € 339.00 |
| SAR | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.72 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.68 W/kg (head) 1.37 W/kg (body) | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 599.99 |
| 256GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 728.45 |
| 512GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 886.67 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 627.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -23.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G
- Integrated S Pen for productivity and creativity
- Faster 25W wired charging
- Reverse wireless charging capability
- Exynos 990 (global) performance lags behind A14 Bionic
- Android software updates are less consistent than iOS
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- A14 Bionic delivers superior performance and efficiency
- Long-term software support and ecosystem integration
- Excellent camera quality with natural image processing
- Slower 20W wired charging
- No S Pen support
Display Comparison
The iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 822 nits, offering excellent visibility in direct sunlight. While the Note20 5G’s display specs aren’t provided, Samsung historically excels in display technology, likely offering vibrant colors. However, the iPhone’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, delivers deeper blacks and a more immersive viewing experience. Both devices utilize OLED technology, but the iPhone’s calibration and color accuracy are generally considered best-in-class.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in photography and videography, but approach it differently. The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s image processing prioritizes natural colors and detail, while Samsung’s tends towards more saturated and vibrant images. While specific sensor details aren’t provided for the Note20 5G, the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s advanced computational photography and sensor-shift stabilization provide a noticeable edge in low-light performance and video stabilization. The absence of detailed camera specs for the Note20 5G makes a direct sensor comparison difficult, but the iPhone’s consistent image quality is a key differentiator.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s A14 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, significantly outperforms the Note20 5G’s Exynos 990 (global) or Snapdragon 865+ (USA) built on a 7nm+ node. The A14’s hexa-core architecture (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) delivers superior single-core and multi-core performance. The Snapdragon 865+ in the US Note20 5G narrows the gap, but still trails the A14. The A14’s efficiency also translates to better thermal management, reducing throttling during sustained workloads. The Note20 5G’s 6GB of RAM is matched by the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but the A14’s optimized memory management makes it feel more responsive.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 95 hours, indicating comparable battery life. However, the charging speeds differ significantly. The Note20 5G supports 25W wired charging with PD3.0, allowing for a quicker top-up than the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 20W wired charging (PD2.0, 50% in 30 min). The Note20 5G also offers 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent in the base iPhone 12 Pro Max. The iPhone 12 Pro Max gains an advantage with MagSafe, offering 15W wireless charging (requires iOS 17.4 update) and a secure attachment system for accessories.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G if you absolutely need the S Pen for productivity, enjoy the customization options of Android, and prioritize faster 25W charging. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if you value a seamless user experience, long-term software updates, a consistently excellent camera, and are invested in the Apple ecosystem. The iPhone’s A14 Bionic also provides a more stable and efficient performance profile.