Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G vs. OnePlus 8 Pro: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the OnePlus 8 Pro emerges as the stronger choice. Its consistent Snapdragon 865 performance, coupled with significantly faster 30W wired and wireless charging, provides a smoother and more convenient experience. While the Note20 5G offers the S Pen and a more refined software experience for Samsung loyalists, the OnePlus 8 Pro delivers superior value.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G | OnePlus 8 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 66 - EU |
| 5G bands | 2, 5, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-N981U | 1, 3, 7, 28, 78 SA/NSA - EU |
| EDGE | No | - |
| GPRS | Yes | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 41, 66, 71 Sub6 - SM-N981W | 78 SA/NSA - IN | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, August 05 | 2020, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, August 21 | Available. Released 2020, April 21 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm (6.36 x 2.96 x 0.33 in) | 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm (6.51 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 192 g (Sub6 5G), 194 g (mmWave 5G) (6.77 oz) | 199 g (7.02 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 26ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | IP68 dust/water resistant | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) | 1440 x 3168 pixels (~513 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~89.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 111.7 cm2 (~90.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED Plus, HDR10+ | Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| 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 | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) - USA | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, OxygenOS 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Call records | 100 entries | - |
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| Phonebook | 500 contacts | - |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 3.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), 1/1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 116˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 5 MP, f/2.4, (Color filter camera) |
| 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 | - |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 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 | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| 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, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Games | Yes | - |
| Java | No | - |
| Messaging | SMS, MMS | - |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 30W wired, 50% in 23 min 30W wireless, 50% in 30 min 3W reverse wireless |
| Stand-by | Up to 80 h | - |
| Talk time | Up to 5 h | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 4300 mAh | Li-Po 4510 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mystic Green, Mystic Bronze, Mystic Gray, Mystic Red, Mystic Blue | Glacial Green, Ultramarine Blue, Onyx Black |
| Models | SM-N981B, SM-N981B/DS, SM-N981U, SM-N981U1, SM-N981W, SM-N9810, SM-N981N | IN2023, IN2020, IN2021, IN2025 |
| Price | About 430 EUR | About 310 EUR |
| SAR | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.72 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.68 W/kg (head) 1.37 W/kg (body) | - |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 428.39 |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 853.51 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 486.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 103h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -23.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 573276 (v8) GeekBench: 3374 (v5.1) GFXBench: 24fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G
- Integrated S Pen stylus for enhanced productivity.
- Samsung’s refined One UI software experience.
- 4.5W reverse wireless charging for accessories.
- Exynos 990 variant prone to thermal throttling.
- Slower charging speeds compared to OnePlus 8 Pro.
- Regional chipset variation (Exynos vs. Snapdragon).
OnePlus 8 Pro
- Consistent Snapdragon 865 performance.
- Significantly faster 30W wired and wireless charging.
- Potentially more affordable price point.
- Lacks the S Pen stylus.
- OxygenOS, while clean, may require more customization.
- 3W reverse wireless charging is less powerful.
Display Comparison
Both devices boast 'Infinite' contrast ratio displays, suggesting excellent black levels. However, detailed specifications regarding peak brightness and panel technology (LTPO) are missing. Given OnePlus’s history, the 8 Pro likely employs a more color-accurate display tuned for natural visuals, while Samsung typically leans towards vibrant, saturated colors. The Note20 5G’s display benefits from Samsung’s display expertise, but without specific nit ratings, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner. Bezels are comparable, offering an immersive viewing experience on both.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but differ in their approach. Detailed sensor information is limited, but both prioritize photo and video capabilities. The OnePlus 8 Pro likely benefits from Qualcomm’s image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 865, offering strong dynamic range and detail. Samsung’s image processing tends to be more saturated and contrast-rich, appealing to users who prefer vibrant photos. The Note20 5G’s inclusion of the S Pen could be leveraged for unique camera features, but without specific sensor size comparisons, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s consistent image processing and potentially larger main sensor give it a slight advantage.
Performance
The performance landscape is where the most significant difference lies. The OnePlus 8 Pro consistently utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G, featuring an octa-core CPU with a prime Cortex-A77 core clocked at 2.84 GHz. The Note20 5G, however, suffers from regional variation: the global model uses the Exynos 990, while the US version receives the Snapdragon 865+. The Exynos 990, built on a 7nm+ process, historically exhibited thermal throttling under sustained load, impacting long gaming sessions. The Snapdragon 865 in the OnePlus 8 Pro, and the 865+ in the US Note20, offer more consistent performance. Both phones feature 12GB of RAM in certain configurations, ensuring smooth multitasking, but the Snapdragon’s architectural advantages give the OnePlus 8 Pro an edge.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 8 Pro boasts a 103-hour endurance rating, indicating excellent battery life. While the Note20 5G’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s charging capabilities are a clear win. The 30W wired charging can reach 50% in just 23 minutes, and the 30W wireless charging is equally impressive, hitting 50% in 30 minutes. The Note20 5G’s 25W wired and 15W wireless charging are comparatively slower. The 3W reverse wireless charging on the OnePlus 8 Pro is also less potent than the Note20 5G’s 4.5W offering, but the overall charging experience favors the OnePlus 8 Pro.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G if you absolutely require the S Pen stylus for note-taking, drawing, or precise control, and are deeply embedded within the Samsung ecosystem. Buy the OnePlus 8 Pro if you prioritize raw performance, rapid charging speeds, and a cleaner, more customizable Android experience, all at a potentially lower price point.