Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra vs. Asus ROG Phone 5s: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a balanced experience with productivity features, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra remains a strong contender, especially at current pricing. However, the Asus ROG Phone 5s decisively wins for gamers and power users demanding peak performance and rapid charging, thanks to its Snapdragon 888+ and 65W charging.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra | Asus ROG Phone 5s |
| 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 - Version 1 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 - Version 1 |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 1 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 1400/150 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 4 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, August 05 | 2021, August 16 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, August 21 | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), stainless steel frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm (6.49 x 3.04 x 0.32 in) | 172.8 x 77.3 x 9.9 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 208 g (7.34 oz) | 238 g (8.40 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 9ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~496 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.9 inches, 116.7 cm2 (~91.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display 120Hz@FHD/60Hz@QHD refresh rate | - | |
| 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 (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) - USA | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 108 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/3.0, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom, 50x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.4, 11mm, 125˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector |
| 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/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Ion 4500 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, Mystic White | Phantom Black, Storm White |
| Models | SM-N985F, SM-N985F/DS | ZS676KS |
| Price | About 1250 EUR | About 1030 EUR |
| SAR | 0.57 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.32 W/kg (head) 1.47 W/kg (body) | - |
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
- Integrated S Pen for productivity and creativity.
- Premium build quality and design.
- Versatile camera system (historically).
- Slower charging speeds (25W).
- Older chipset (Exynos 990 or Snapdragon 865+).
- Potentially more throttling under sustained load.
Asus ROG Phone 5s
- Significantly faster charging (65W).
- More powerful Snapdragon 888+ chipset.
- Optimized for gaming with superior thermal management.
- Less emphasis on camera versatility.
- Gaming-centric design may not appeal to all.
- Lacks integrated stylus support.
Display Comparison
Both phones feature excellent displays, but cater to different needs. While the Note20 Ultra’s display specs aren’t provided, Samsung historically delivers vibrant, color-accurate panels. The ROG Phone 5s, though lacking specific brightness data, is optimized for gaming with a high refresh rate. The Note20 Ultra’s focus is on overall visual fidelity, while the ROG Phone 5s prioritizes responsiveness and smoothness during gameplay. The Note20 Ultra’s S Pen integration also adds a unique dimension to display interaction.
Camera Comparison
The Note20 Ultra, historically, has a strong camera reputation, but specific sensor details are missing. The ROG Phone 5s, being gaming-focused, likely prioritizes camera functionality less. The Note20 Ultra’s image processing is geared towards producing vibrant, social media-ready photos, while the ROG Phone 5s likely offers a more neutral profile. Without specific sensor size data for the Note20 Ultra, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but Samsung’s history suggests a more versatile and refined camera experience.
Performance
The Asus ROG Phone 5s boasts a significant performance advantage with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5nm) chipset, compared to the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s Exynos 990 (7nm+) or Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7nm+). The 888+’s Cortex-X1 prime core, clocked at 2.99 GHz, provides a substantial uplift in single-core performance. The ROG Phone 5s’ 5nm process node also translates to improved thermal efficiency, reducing throttling during extended gaming sessions. The Note20 Ultra’s CPU, while capable, is architecturally older and less efficient. The ROG Phone 5s’ superior GPU will deliver higher frame rates and more detailed graphics in demanding games.
Battery Life
The ROG Phone 5s’ 65W wired charging is a game-changer, achieving 70% charge in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes, vastly outperforming the Note20 Ultra’s 25W charging. While battery capacity isn’t specified for either device, the ROG Phone 5s’ faster charging mitigates any potential capacity disadvantage. The Note20 Ultra offers 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless, while the ROG Phone 5s provides 10W reverse *wired* charging, a less common but potentially faster method for topping up accessories.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra if you need a premium smartphone with a built-in stylus for note-taking, document editing, and creative tasks, alongside a capable camera system and a more refined software experience. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5s if you prioritize mobile gaming above all else, demanding the highest frame rates, sustained performance under load, and the fastest possible charging speeds, even if it means sacrificing some mainstream features.