Samsung Galaxy Note20 vs OnePlus 8 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-around performance and faster charging, the OnePlus 8 Pro emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 865 consistently outperforms the global Exynos 990 variant of the Note20, and its 30W wired and wireless charging significantly surpasses the Note20’s 25W and 15W speeds. However, the Note20’s S Pen remains a unique and compelling feature for productivity-focused users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Note20 | 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, 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, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 66 - EU |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 7, 28, 78 SA/NSA - EU |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 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 (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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| 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) |
| 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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-N980F, SM-N980F/DS | IN2023, IN2020, IN2021, IN2025 |
| Price | $ 202.82 / € 280.00 | About 310 EUR |
| SAR | 1.11 W/kg (head) 1.14 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.36 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
- Integrated S Pen for productivity and creativity
- Refined Samsung One UI software experience
- Excellent video recording capabilities
- Exynos 990 variant prone to thermal throttling
- Slower charging speeds (25W wired, 15W wireless)
- Potentially smaller display size
OnePlus 8 Pro
- Consistent Snapdragon 865 performance
- Faster 30W wired and wireless charging
- Larger, more immersive display
- OxygenOS, while clean, lacks some of Samsung's advanced features
- No integrated stylus support
- Image processing can be less vibrant than Samsung's
Display Comparison
Both the Note20 and OnePlus 8 Pro boast 'Infinite' contrast ratios, indicating excellent OLED panels. However, detailed specifications regarding peak brightness and color accuracy are missing. Given OnePlus’s history, the 8 Pro likely features a slightly more color-accurate display tuned for natural visuals. The Note20’s display, while excellent, is often criticized for its relatively small size compared to the 8 Pro’s expansive 6.78-inch panel, making the OnePlus a better choice for media consumption. Both displays feature a 120Hz refresh rate, but the Note20's implementation is adaptive, potentially impacting battery life.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but differ in their approach. While both feature a photo/video focus, detailed sensor information is limited. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s camera system is known for its versatility and natural image processing, while the Note20 leans towards more saturated colors. The absence of detailed sensor specs makes a direct comparison difficult, but the OnePlus 8 Pro’s consistent image quality and wider dynamic range give it a slight edge. The Note20’s video recording capabilities are excellent, but the 8 Pro’s stabilization is also highly regarded.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipset. The OnePlus 8 Pro consistently utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G, while the Galaxy Note20 shipped with either the Snapdragon 865+ (USA) or the Exynos 990 (Global). The Snapdragon 865, with its Kryo 585 core clocked at 3.0 GHz, generally outperforms the Exynos 990’s Mongoose M5 cores (2.73 GHz). The Exynos 990 has been known to exhibit thermal throttling under sustained load, impacting gaming performance. Both phones feature 12GB of RAM in certain configurations, ensuring smooth multitasking. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s optimized software and consistent chipset deliver a more reliable and sustained performance advantage.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 8 Pro boasts a 103-hour endurance rating, indicating solid battery life. Its 30W wired charging (50% in 23 minutes) and 30W wireless charging (50% in 30 minutes) are significantly faster than the Note20’s 25W wired and 15W wireless charging. While the Note20’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the faster charging speeds of the OnePlus 8 Pro translate to less downtime. The 3W reverse wireless charging on the OnePlus 8 Pro is also a slight advantage over the Note20’s 4.5W offering, though both are primarily for charging accessories.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note20 if you absolutely need the S Pen for note-taking, sketching, or remote control functionality, and are willing to accept potentially lower performance and slower charging speeds. Buy the OnePlus 8 Pro if you prioritize raw processing power for gaming and demanding applications, value faster charging, and prefer a cleaner, more streamlined Android experience. The OnePlus 8 Pro is the better choice for those seeking maximum performance per dollar.