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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prefer a larger screen and a stylus for productivity, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra offers a 6.9-inch display with stylus support, and it's more budget-friendly. However, the Galaxy S21 FE, despite being costlier, offers a more recent processor and might have better performance and support in the long run. For photography, both have solid cameras, but if you prioritize a higher-resolution selfie camera, the S21 FE boasts a 32-megapixel front camera compared to the Note20 Ultra's 10-megapixel. In terms of build, the Note20 Ultra has a glass back which may feel more premium, whereas the S21 FE has a plastic back. The choice depends on whether you value screen size and stylus functionality or a newer processor and potentially better support. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
- Good for taking photos
- Poor for recording videos
- Very good display quality
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
- The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has no clear advantages over the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra.
Key differences
Screen Size
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra has a screen size of 6.9 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is 6.4 inches.
Cost
$450
$770
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra has a price of $450 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE costs $770.
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Key similarities
Overall Camera Quality
7.3
7.0
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S21 FE both have good overall cameras quality.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE outperforms the Galaxy Note20 Ultra in selfie quality, which is very important for personal photos. Additionally, the S21 FE has higher ratings in photos software experience and camera versatility, contributing to better overall camera performance in various scenarios.
Photo Quality
7.3
6.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra to have good photos, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE takes only fair photos.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra takes fair photos, mainly because its selfie quality is considered fair; although it excels in versatility and has a good performance in other aspects, the photo quality is not considered at the top. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE takes good photos, with very good selfie quality, alongside fair ratings in dynamic range and low light performance, which generally impacts the overall photo-taking experience more positively.
Video Quality
5.9
5.9
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S21 FE both have poor videos.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra delivers fair video quality largely due to average performance in video stabilization and dynamic range, which affects overall video smoothness and color contrast, respectively. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE offers good video quality with better overall video software experience and microphone quality, contributing to a more user-friendly recording experience and clearer audio capture.
Battery
6.4 Hours
6.7 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra has 6.4 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has 6.7 hours of battery life.
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How the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$450 | $770 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Samsung | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 21, 2020 | January 29, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.9" | 6.4" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3088 x 1440 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | Yes | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 496 | 401 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD865+ | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 6 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 6/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Super Telephoto | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 108 megapixels + OIS | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.4 Hours | 6.7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 4500 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | Yes (4.5 watts) | Yes (4.5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.49" x 3.04" | 6.13" x 2.93" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.34 oz | 6.24 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Plastic | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.0 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 6 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)2, 5, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)41, 66, 71, 260, 261 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Mystic Black, White, Mystic Bronze | Graphite, Lavender, Olive, White, Navy Blue | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | No | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | Yes | No | |
Shopping
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
See more
Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Matt Swider | July 2021
"The Note 20 Ultra has it all – almost: a big screen, superb camera, high refresh rate, the S Pen, in-screen fingerprint sensor, super-fast specs, 5G speeds, a fancy curved display. This phone is built for power users who want everything but the fastest charging speeds."
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Guide
Philip Michaels | March 2022
"The Galaxy S21 FE is a fine addition to Samsung's S21 lineup, retaining the very best features of those flagship phones for a more modest price. This is a solid phone, matching the performance of the top Android flagships from a year ago and delivering photos that hold their own against some of the best camera phones we've tested."
Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
About Samsung
Samsung is one of the most recognizable names in the smartphone industry, standing as the undisputed best-selling brand of Android smartphones in the United States for many years now. Samsung is known for offering a variety of smartphones in all available price points, as well as for implementing cutting-edge technology and innovative features in their flagship devices, ones that often shape the market going forward. The company offers its own unique spin on Android, called One UI, which focuses on offering a multitude of features and is heavily customizable, according to user preference.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
8
Proprietary Phones ratings developed
151,800
Recommendations made
86,020
Consumer hours saved
About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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