When buying new Android smartphones, there’s a few criterias that they must have before I can consider them.
Compulsory features:
- Wireless charging
- USB-C port
- Big battery
- Big screen (6” or more)
- Always on display
- Stock Android UI
- Stylus
My last Android phone, the Pixel 4A 5G meets some of the criteria listed above except for wireless charging and a stylus. I know I said a stylus is an optional/desirable feature but still, it would be nice to have one because I like to write and doodle occasionally on my smartphone or tablet. I can already write on my iPad mini but you know that thing is huge compared to a smartphone so it’s not really convenient to lug around everywhere.
Which brings us to why I sold the Pixel and bought another Samsung Note smartphone again. This time it’s the Note 20, the last Note phone from Samsung before it was replaced by Samsung S22 with a stylus. The Note 20 has 6 out of the 7 criterias that I listed above save for Stock Android UI. It’ll be a cold day in hell before Samsung ditches their ugly One UI for stock Android but I managed to customize my Note 20 to look as much as a Pixel device using their GoodLock app. I can’t recommend the GoodLock app enough for complete customization of your Samsung smartphone.
Although released in 2020, this version of the Note 20 that I bought lacks 5G support although there is a newer version of this phone that comes with 5G but at a slightly higher price. The big 6.7” Super AMOLED display comes with the standard brilliant Samsung display. There’s dual SIM and eSIM support and the big 4300 mAh battery is paired with a generous 256GB of space.
I could go on and on about the many special features of the Note 20 but there’s already countless reviews and videos about it on the Internet. So I’m only going to highlight the ones that I find useful. Samsung DEX now supports wireless connection to a supported display which is mostly Samsung TV and newer Samsung monitors. Samsung DEX basically turns your Samsung phone into a full-fledged Android computer with an attached monitor or TV. Apps will run in full screen, you will have a desktop and a taskbar as well as use your Samsung phone as a trackpad. Attach a keyboard and you’ll have a mobile workstation.
Writing with the S-Pen is still a pleasure as always. The texts and drawings are precisely drawn as you intended it to, although I must admit the Note 20 screen is still not as big as a tablet so the writing/drawing experience is not as comfortable as the latter.
The Note 20 also comes with an ultrasonic under display fingerprint reader, although if you have a skin condition like me or your screen protector is too thick, this biometric feature is practically useless. Apart from that you can also set up face recognition to unlock the phone although it does not always work, especially in low light conditions. Among other features that’s available are 4K video recording and reverse wireless charging,
The Samsung Note 20 comes with a slew of cutting edge technologies and features during its launch in 2020 but has since been superseded by newer and more advanced Samsung S series phones. Still, 2 years after its launch, the Note 20 is a more than capable smartphone which excels in the display and performance department without showing any noticeable signs of lag or aging. It’s a big phone and coupled with the original leather casing, feels heavy in my pockets. That said, this is still my secondary phone used primarily for media consumption and the odd doodling and writing so I don’t always carry it around everywhere. Definitely not for jogging or other outdoor activities. A second hand unit is listed around 1,500 ringgit or less today so if you’re looking for an Android phone with flagship features and a stylus with a huge screen, the Note 20 is perfect for you.
