If a better camera is a priority and you're okay with a higher price, the Sony Xperia 5 III pulls ahead in camera technology offering trio of 12MP cameras and the ability to record 4K videos at up to 120fps. It also boasts a slightly higher battery life endurance. On the other hand, if you're budget-conscious, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra offers solid performance at a lower cost, including a larger screen and a unique S Pen stylus. The Note20 Ultra also has a higher refresh rate and peak brightness which contributes to a more fluid and luminous display experience. Both run on Android and have comparable processors and RAM, making them both strong performers. 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 Sony Xperia 5 III
Good battery life
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
7.3/10
6.0/10
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra has good overall camera quality, while the Sony Xperia 5 III has only fair overall camera quality.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is noted for its good selfie camera quality, which matters highly if you frequently take self-portraits, while the Sony Xperia 5 III has fair selfie camera quality, indicating a noticeable difference for this feature. However, both devices have received similar assessments for other camera aspects, like photo resolution and low light performance, offering comparable experiences for general photography.
Photo Quality
7.3/10
5.9/10
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra takes good photos, while the Sony Xperia 5 III takes poor photos.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra's selfie camera is praised for its quality, but there are areas for improvement in photo resolution and software experience, which are only rated fair, and the same applies to dynamic range and low light performance. In comparison, the Sony Xperia 5 III, while having a fair selfie quality score similar to the Note20 Ultra, struggles with dynamic range and low light performance for photos, indicating both devices capture fair photos for different reasons.
Battery
6.4 Hours
7.3 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra has 6.4 hours of battery life. The Sony Xperia 5 III has 7.3 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra has a screen size of 6.9 inches and the Sony Xperia 5 III is 6.1 inches.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony Xperia 5 III to have only fair videos, while the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra takes poor videos.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra provides a stable video experience with good dynamic range and low light performance but is let down by fair video software and microphone quality. Conversely, the Sony Xperia 5 III offers very good video software and stabilization but falls short with fair dynamic range and low light video performance, paired with good microphone quality.
Cost
$450
$450
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra has a price of $450 and the Sony Xperia 5 III costs $450.
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How the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 5 III compare to other phones
"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."
"The Sony Xperia 5 III excels when it comes to rear camera photography, its display and multi-media features, and all-day battery life. Buy the Xperia 5 III if you’re looking for a fun but imperfect camera setup, customizable gaming features, all-day battery life, and all the best multimedia capabilities that Sony has to offer"
Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 5 III
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.
About Sony
Sony has had a long history in the mobile market, entering the scene all the way back in 1993 with its first commercially available phone, the CM-H333. Nowadays, their Xperia line of phones provide well-rounded and sometimes expensive devices with a focus on camera software that includes extensive support for manual tweaking of settings. Sony's dedication to audio quality is also evident in its smartphones, which often feature high-resolution audio support while also being one of the few remaining manufacturers that consistently provide headphone jacks in their phones. The company's version of Android is also considered to be close to stock, enabling a bloatware-free experience for its users.
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
137,100
Recommendations made
77,690
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.