vivo iQOO 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G: Clash of Titans

The vivo iQOO 8 Pro and Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G represent different philosophies in smartphone design. The iQOO prioritizes raw power and blazing-fast charging, while the Note20 Ultra emphasizes versatility with the S Pen and a premium experience. Let's dive into a head-to-head comparison to see which reigns supreme.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The iQOO 8 Pro delivers unmatched charging speeds and top-tier performance thanks to the Snapdragon 888+. The Note20 Ultra offers a more complete package with the S Pen, a vibrant display, and a refined software experience, but lags behind in charging. It depends on your priorities: speed or versatility.

PHONES
Phone Names vivo iQOO 8 Pro Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 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-N986U
5G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA2, 5, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-N986U
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 -41, 66, 71 Sub6 - SM-N986W
Launch
Announced2021, August 172020, August 05
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, August 26Available. Released 2020, August 21
Body
Build-Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), stainless steel frame
Dimensions165 x 75.2 x 9.2 mm (6.50 x 2.96 x 0.36 in)164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm (6.49 x 3.04 x 0.32 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight205 g (7.23 oz)208 g (7.34 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 9ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~518 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~496 ppi density)
Size6.78 inches, 111.0 cm2 (~89.4% screen-to-body ratio)6.9 inches, 116.7 cm2 (~91.7% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1500 nits (peak)Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+
 -Always-on display 120Hz@FHD/60Hz@QHD refresh rate
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)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
ChipsetQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm)Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) - USA
GPUAdreno 660Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA
OSAndroid 11, OriginOS 1.0Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5
Memory
Card slotNomicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.0
Main Camera
FeaturesDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single16 MP, f/2.4, (wide)3.15 MP
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, gimbal OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 60mm (telephoto), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 0.8µm, AF108 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
Video8K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single16 MP, f/2.4, (wide)10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with dual speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDSGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioYesFM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent)
USBUSB Type-C 2.0USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), 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
Charging120W wired, 100% in 18 min 50W wireless 10W reverse wireless25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type4500 mAhLi-Ion 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsWhite (BMW M branding), Black, Pilot EditionMystic Bronze, Mystic Black, Mystic White
ModelsV2141A, I2017SM-N986B, SM-N986B/DS, SM-N986U, SM-N986U1, SM-N986W, SM-N9860, SM-N986N, SC-53A
PriceAbout 660 EUR€ 381.00 / $ 248.44
SAR-0.71 W/kg (head)     1.18 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.34 W/kg (head)     1.47 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 88h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -27.8 LUFS (Good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 508760 (v8) GeekBench: 2603 (v5.1) GFXBench: 42fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

vivo iQOO 8 Pro

  • Blazing-fast 120W charging
  • Top-tier Snapdragon 888+ performance
  • Excellent display
  • Fast refresh rate

  • Camera not as versatile as Note20 Ultra
  • Software experience may not appeal to everyone
  • Design less premium than Note20 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G

  • Versatile S Pen stylus
  • Excellent camera system with great zoom
  • Premium design and build quality
  • Refined software experience

  • Slower 25W charging
  • Performance lags behind iQOO 8 Pro
  • Can be expensive
  • Exynos variant performance is slightly lower

Display Comparison

The Note20 Ultra boasts a stunning 1024 nits peak brightness and an 'infinite' contrast ratio, providing exceptional visibility even in direct sunlight. Its 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling. The iQOO 8 Pro's display is also excellent, but likely doesn't reach the same peak brightness as the Note20 Ultra. Color accuracy is generally good on both, but Samsung's display tuning is often considered superior.

Camera Comparison

The Note20 Ultra's camera system is highly regarded, offering excellent image quality and versatile zoom capabilities. While the iQOO 8 Pro has a capable camera, it generally doesn't match the Note20 Ultra's overall photographic prowess, particularly in zoom and low-light scenarios. Both offer good video recording capabilities.

Performance

The iQOO 8 Pro's Snapdragon 888+ is a clear winner here. It offers significantly better CPU and GPU performance than the Note20 Ultra's Exynos 990 (global) or Snapdragon 865 (USA). Expect smoother gameplay, faster app loading times, and overall snappier performance on the iQOO.

Battery Life

The iQOO 8 Pro's 120W charging is a game-changer, allowing for incredibly fast top-ups. The Note20 Ultra's 25W charging is considerably slower. While the Note20 Ultra has an impressive endurance rating of 88h, the iQOO 8 Pro's faster charging means you'll spend less time plugged in.

Buying Guide

Buy the vivo iQOO 8 Pro if you're a mobile gamer or power user who values speed and rapid charging above all else. Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G if you need a versatile device for productivity, note-taking, and creative tasks, and appreciate a premium design and established ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the iQOO 8 Pro worth it if I don't game?
Even if you're not a gamer, the iQOO 8 Pro's performance and charging speed will provide a noticeably smoother and more convenient experience for everyday tasks.
❓ Does the Note20 Ultra still receive software updates?
Samsung typically provides several years of software updates for its flagship devices. Check Samsung's website for the latest update information for the Note20 Ultra.