Samsung is taking an all-new approach to their midrange with the newly announced Galaxy A line up. With the company bringing flagship features to their midrange, they’ve diversified their offerings across the Galaxy A Series.
The Galaxy A52 is a step down from the Galaxy A72 but brings the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal memory. However, it replaces the 8-megapixel telephoto sensor with a 5-megapixel depth sensor and comes with a slightly smaller Super AMOLED display.
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Samsung’s new approach to their Galaxy A series doesn’t leave anyone behind when it comes to offerings. The new Galaxy A32 looks to bring an even more affordable powerhouse to the masses with a MediaTek powered smartphone for content consumption.
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Together with their recently unveiled Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72, Samsung also took the covers off their new Galaxy A32. The Galaxy A32 maintains the ethos of the new Galaxy A series but looks to bring even more value. That said, it does compromise a little bit more when it comes to specs and features.
The Galaxy A32 comes with a MediaTek Helio G80 with 128GB of onboard storage and 8GB of RAM. Like its bigger siblings, the A32 also supports up to 1TB of extra memory through its microSD card slot. It will come with a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with support for 90Hz refresh rates.
Similar to the A52 and A72, it comes with a quad camera setup. It has a 64-megapixel main sensor with Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF). This is complemented by an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor, a 5-megapixel macro sensor and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. On the front, it comes with a 20-megapixel fixed focus camera. The camera setup on the Galaxy A32 support recording 4K UHD videos at 30fps.
The A32 also comes with all the bells an whistles from the new A52 and A72. This includes KNOX integration and One UI 3.0. It has a large 5,000mAh battery with support for 15W fast charging.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy A32 will be available in Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Blue and Awesome Violet. No pricing has been officially announced just yet.
Samsung just revealed something really awesome! Their Galaxy A series is taking some notes from their successful flagships. The new A series line up brings some of the most sought features from their Galaxy S series to a more affordable price point. Samsung’s new approach is a return to their approach from the Samsung Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 of 2017.
The new Galaxy A72 and the Galaxy A52 both come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G for their 4G versions while the A52 5G comes with the Snapdragon 750G. They will be coming with 8GB of RAM with up to 256GB of internal memory which can be expanded with an additional 1TB of memory with a microSD card.
Awesome Features Come to the Galaxy A Series
The new headliners for the series are the Galaxy A52 and the Galaxy A72. These two models bring features like IP67 water- and dust-proofing to the Galaxy A line up and even complement this with more features that make their devices so compelling. The new approach comes after Samsung’s own Galaxy A51 became one of their best selling smartphones. According to them, consumers are looking for more compelling offerings which are affordable and don’t compromise much when it comes to features.
The A52 and A72 bring a large, Super AMOLED display to the table. The former comes with a 6.5-inch display while the latter comes with a larger 6.7-inch display. Both of them come with 90Hz refresh rates while the 5G variant of the A52 comes with a 120Hz refresh rate. Samsung is claiming that even at 90Hz their A72 and A52 are able to provide a more seamless experience without too much compromise. This is particularly true when it comes to LCD panels that are commonly used in A series competitors. Samsung is also equipping the new A series with Eye Comfort Shield which lowers blue light emissions significantly for better eye health and less strain.
On the battery end of things, Samsung is equipping the Galaxy A52 with a 4,500mAh battery on both the 4G and 5G versions while the Galaxy A72 will be coming with a larger 5,000mAh battery. Samsung claims that these will allow their offerings to last for up to 2 days on a single charge.
Awesome Quad Camera Setup with up to 30x Zoom
While Space Zoom doesn’t make it to the Galaxy A series, it comes with a capable quad camera setup with slight tweaks across the line up. The main camera sensor of the Galaxy A series is a 64-megapixel camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and autofocus (AF). This is complemented by a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor with 123° field of view and a 5-megapixel macro sensor. The final fourth sensor is different on the Galaxy A72 and the A52. The A72 comes with a 8-megapixel telephoto sensor capable of 3x optical zoom with OIS and AF. The A52, on the other hand, comes with a 5-megapixel depth sensor. On the selfie front, the two devices come with a fixed focus 32-megapixel sensor.
Hardware is only part of the story when it comes to the new Galaxy A series. Samsung is bringing features like Single Take to the series to complement the capable hardware. But, before we jump into that, Samsung has also brought tetra binning to the new A series. The camera on the A series creates a larger single pixel by binding four pixels together to allow more light and detail to reach the sensor. This improves low light performance and creates more detailed night shots.
Awesome Software to Complete the Experience
In addition to this, the new A series is coming with AI powered scene optimizer capable of automatically enhancing your photos. The scene optimizer is able to detect and optimize 30 scenes. However, if you can’t find the perfect picture in with scene optimizer, you’re able to take control with Pro mode. Once you have the perfect settings you can store them in the new “My Filter” feature which allows you to apply them to the 4K UHD videos or pictures you take down the road. You can even take 8-megapixel pictures from 4K videos with Video Snap.
Samsung is also bringing KNOX along for the ride with the new A series. While there are components of KNOX built into Android’s core. This will be the first time that Samsung is brining KNOX’s full capabilities to the series. This means that your data is encrypted and secured from the source. This comes as a part of Samsung’s One UI 3 which will be available on the A52, A52 5G and A72 at launch. Keep in mind, Samsung has also promised at least 4 years of updates for their devices to ensure device security.
Pricing & Availability
The Galaxy A52 & A72 will be available in Awesome Black, Awesome Violet, Awesome Blue and Awesome White with a haze (matte) finish. They are available now with prices starting at EUR€349 (MYR1,713.20) for the regular A52, EUR€429 (MYR2,105.91) for the A52 5G and EUR€449 (MYR2,204.08) for the Galaxy A72.
In Malaysia, the A52 and A72 will be available with 256GB onboard memory with 8GB of RAM. No pricing details have been announced just yet. The A52 5G isn’t available in Malaysia just yet. However, Samsung may make it available later on.
There isn’t much you can’t do with a smartphone these days, from filming content to banking online from anywhere with just a few taps. But there is always room for improvement, and Samsung Electronics is constantly seeking to make the smartphone experience more intuitive to help us do even more. This is why One UI was created.
Unveiled in November 2018, One UI improved smartphone usability for millions of users. After two years of further evolution, Samsung launched One UI 3 in December 2020, building on the design, efficiency, and user experience of the original across various devices. Now Samsung is raising the bar yet again with One UI 3.1. From February 18th, the latest One UI is bringing updates to support powerful functionality for some existing smartphones.[1]
So what kind of experience can users enjoy with One UI 3? Samsung Mobile Press sat down with the designers of One UI to ask them what we can expect.
The 4 Principles of One UI
1) Focus on the task at hand 2) Interact naturally 3) Be comfortable to view 4) Make things responsive
These four principles were established by One UI designers to give users the best experience possible.
▲ Jeonggun Choi, Principal UX Designer in the Core UX Group, Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics
The fourth principle is a completely new principal introduced for One UI 3.1.
“From tablets to foldable phones and regular smartphones, the types of devices people are using has diversified, and the number of features and functions has also increased,” said Principal UX Designer Jeonggun Choi. “Following this trend, new principles were needed to provide the best layout for our users.” Whether an app is running on the Galaxy S21, Galaxy Tab, or the foldable Galaxy Z series, the UI is optimized for each device.
When using the Samsung Notes app on smartphones with regular sized displays, for example, users can access the app menu by pressing the navigation button at the top left side of the screen. But on the Galaxy Z Fold and Tab series, users can take advantage of the larger display by having the entire menu always in view, without having to press anything.
▲ Before (left) and after (right) views of the high contrast menu function
As part of the fourth principle, Samsung has also improved the accessibility experience by recommending features that complement the ones already in use. When someone with impaired or weakened vision has High contrast fonts turned on, for example, One UI suggests other features that improve visibility such as Bold font or Dark mode on the Recommended for you screen. One UI also reduces the hassle of having to sort through several menus by allowing users to turn off any accessibility features they are using from a single screen.
“Accessibility features are so diverse that it can often be difficult to use them to their full potential,” said Jeonggun Choi. “The ‘Recommended for you’ function increases convenience and helps users get more out of those features by identifying and recommending ones that users may need. We’ve also made it easy to use these features only when needed by allowing users to turn the features on and off while in use on one page.”
Galaxy Ecosystem Allows for Seamless Connectivity Between Devices
Another perk offered by One UI 3 is the ability to seamlessly switch between smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Taking into account the increased use of tablets and laptops spurred by a boom in remote learning and work, the new update provides a ‘connected device experience.’ This seamless ecosystem is paramount to enhancing study and work productivity.
“A new feature called ‘Continue apps on other devices’[2] has been added so that users can continue whatever they were doing on their smartphone – whether browsing a web page or working on a draft in Samsung Notes – on their tablet,” said Principal UX Designer Min-Young Chang. “Users can also copy text on their smartphone and paste it onto their tablet.”
In addition, users can connect their Book Cover Keyboard to both their tablet and smartphone with the Wireless keyboard sharing feature. The new Auto Switch feature also automatically connects Galaxy Buds to whichever device is playing media, so that users can seamlessly switch between their smartphones and tablets.
Connected device experiences are not only available with mobile devices, they are also available on home appliances such as TVs. Starting with One UI 3, users can use Smart View to enjoy multimedia content from their smartphone on their TV alongside the camera feed from their smartphone. This is especially beneficial for users who work out at home, allowing them to compare their movements with those of their virtual instructor.
“Starting with the One UI 3.1 update, users can cast their Google Duo video calls onto their TV with one just click,” said Jeonggun Choi. “With an increasing number of people connecting with their family via video calls and conducting virtual work meetings, this is an especially useful feature.”
A Customizable Galaxy Experience to Suit Your Needs
Smartphones are no longer just a tool that gives users the power to do various tasks—they’ve become a means of self-expression. Perhaps the best example is decorating the Galaxy Z Flip with stickers to create your own unique phone. But there are many ways to create a custom smartphone experience with the latest updates. “We have implemented a diverse array of features to let users use their smartphone as a form of self-expression,” said Jeonggun Choi. “Users can enjoy a customized Galaxy experience by choosing a video as the incoming and outgoing call screen or changing the wallpaper in the Messages app.”
▲ Before (left) and after (right) views of the quick panel. The design has been simplified and the most commonly used icons have been placed to speed up the search process. Users can add other icons by clicking the ‘See more’ button in the top right corner.
“We first analyzed the usage for each feature available in previous models,” said Min-Young Chang. “After ranking the features based on their popularity, we placed the most used features at the top while hiding the least used features to simplify the panel.”
Saving Your Time, Even if it’s Only 1 Second
▲ Min-Young Chang, Principal UX Designer in the UX Design 2 Group, Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics
Another updated feature available through One UI 3.1 is the integration of the Clock app with Digital Wellbeing’s Bedtime mode.[3] After opening the Clock app, users can tap See More, then tap Set bedtime to set their sleep and wake-up times. Users no longer have to switch between two apps, making setting a daily sleep schedule easier and faster.
“Users might not be aware of all of the One UI design updates that have been made but these improvements combined help users recognize and react to various features quicker and in a more direct manner. Even if it saves 1 to 2 seconds of user’s time, I think it would have been worth the effort,” said Jeonggun Choi. “The One UI designers are going to continue coming up with designs that elevate our users’ happiness and satisfaction with Galaxy devices.”
[1] Features of One UI 3.1 may vary by device model. Updates may vary by carrier, country, and model. [2] Both connected devices need to be running One UI 3.1 or above, have Bluetooth turned on, be signed into the same Samsung account, and be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. [3] The feature allows users to change the background to grayscale and mute incoming notifications in order to help them sleep better.
Samsung is at it again. Just when we thought Samsung is quite done with the first half of the year with the Samsung Galaxy S flagship series, they come back with their budget class Galaxy M series. Samsung is launching their Samsung Galaxy M62 on the 3rd of March 2021 and it will be available then too.
The Samsung Galaxy M62 is not here to impress the speed freaks. But it is still formidable in its class. It packs a Samsung Exynos 9825 System on a Chip (SoC), which is no slouch. The 7nm is supposedly boasting flagship level of processing power at a fraction of the cost. With that (SoC) you also get 8GB of RAM to ensure you do not run out of gas running multiple applications and even having multiple tabs open on Google Chrome.
The SoC and RAM combination powers a large 6.7-inch Infinity-O AMOLED display that churns out Full HD+ resolutions. That also means that you get a better look and view of your Social Media apps. You can even enjoy movies on Netflix with the large display and still make out details in the films, so you do not miss a thing. Of course, AMOLED comes with great colour contrasts and saturation.
Source: Samsung
The biggest selling factor of this device though is its huge battery. It packs a 7,000mAh battery. 7,000mAh is larger than most conventional power banks you can buy in the market today. It is more than two times bigger than a Samsung Galaxy Note8’s battery pack. That also means that you are carrying a smartphone that can double as a powerbank with Wired PowerShare.
Beyond that though, you can survive in the wild for a while with 7,000mAh, you are not going to be wanting to look for a charger for a few days. A large battery does not mean that you need to charge it for hours on end though. With the included 25W USB Type-C charger, the Samsung Galaxy M62 charges from nothing to full within 2 hours.
The Samsung Galaxy M62 will be available 3rd March 2021 onward exclusively on Lazada. The device will retail for MYR 1,999. For one day only on the 3rd of March 2021, the Samsung Galaxy M62 will be available for MYR 1,599. For more information on the Samsung Galaxy M62, you can visit Samsung’s website.
Welcome to the 2004 Nokia 9110 Communicator. This device harks back to a simpler time where mobile phones did not have coloured displays. The green hued colourless displayed was more related to an 8-bit animation console of the time than the Full HD HDR displays we have today.
Fast forward to 2019, the kind of device that the communicator was never made it. Every smartphone today, while they have roots from the Nokia Communicator device, looks completely different. They all feature QWERTY keyboards but in a regular candy bar form. You do not see a foldable behemoth that is the communicator anymore. Until they introduced the Samsung Galaxy Fold in 2019 of course.
Thing is, the Samsung Galaxy Fold, in our hands at least, did not feel like a product we can consciously recommend our friends to buy. It did not feel like a complete product. It felt too much like a prototype, fragile. We do not deny its innovative approach to a keyboard-less smartphone that folds in. foldable screens, while still in its infancy, is a technology we all have been asking for.
To be fair, we like the idea of a smartphone that folds. We like the idea of a smaller smartphone display that hides a larger display behind it. We like the idea of the Samsung Galaxy Fold in 2019. We just did not feel like the Samsung Galaxy Fold was complete enough as a product that commands MYR 8,000 from your back accounts.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 replaces the Samsung Galaxy Fold as Samsung’s most expensive flagship smartphone yet at MYR 7,999. It is also supposed to be the foldable device that finally works. It was made for everyone, supposedly. Is it though? Can we safely recommend this device to anyone now? We find out.
Design
When you first pick it up from the box, the device comes unfolded. What greets you when you open the box then is an expansive and oddly proportioned 7.6-inch display. What do we think when we first opened the box? Find out on our first 24-hours with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 feature.
We said oddly proportioned because it is not the usual wide body 16:9 display ratio. Rather, it looks more square-ish than anything else we have seen so far. While the display real estate nearly matches an 8-inch tablet in size, its usable display in videos is far less than one. Then you fold it for the first time to see a smaller 6.23-inch Super AMOLED display that looks a little more normal.
It is not that normal though; the display’s ratio is an even weirder 25:9 ratio. That also means that the secondar display, or the outside display is much narrower than a regular smartphone display with a Full HD+ type display. It is not even a Full HD+ display that you get up front, just an HD+ resolution here (816 x 2260 pixels, to be exact).
Flip it to the back and a triple camera array greets you. Plenty somehow things that the camera is the exact same on as you would find on a Samsung Galaxy S20 or Galaxy Note20. We assure you that it is not. All three camera sensors top out at 12-Megapixels. At least you can still get decent stills and 4K videos out of it. We will discuss that later though.
The unit we got is labelled as the Mystic Bronze variant. It only comes in either the colour we got, or Mystic Black. Both colours are finished in Matte instead of the usual glossy type finish. But we somehow prefer the Mystic Bronze colour variant over the Black.
When you open the device up to reveal the full glory of the 7.6-inch display and look at the bottom part of the device, you might notice that the display part of the device does not seem like it is laid flat. That is because the device is not flat when you open it up. Technically, the only almost truly flat and level part of the device when it is opened up is the main display. The secondary display and the device’s back are ever so slightly tapered off from each other when the device is opened.
We mentioned also in our first 24 hours feature on the device that we liked the brushed aluminium textured frames on the Galaxy Z Fold2. It adds a bit more texture to grip on for your device. While adding better grip, it also gives the device a distinctive side profile. we thought that the device had enough thickness for a 3.5mm jack. Of course, they did not include a 3.5mm jack
Still, thanks to the vast amount of space on the sides, top and bottom, one of the dual speakers do not have to share space or module with the earpiece. This also means better clarity and balance to audio when playing videos or music. But this also means a lot of wasted space on one side of the device. There is not much else to put besides the volume rockers and the fingerprint sensor cum power button though.
When you fold the device, you reveal another glossy part of the device that separates the secondary display and the matte metal backing of the Galaxy Z Fold2. This forms the left side frame of the device when its closed and we think that it looks gorgeous, somehow more so than the older Samsung Galaxy Fold. This enclosure frame side though houses the new folding mechanism that you see in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. The look of the casing also mimics that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.
That bulging frame tucks away behind two separate gloss finished bars that frames the glass back and secondary display of the device though. Those two frames continue from the rest of the frame of the devices. It is quite hard to believe that there are two frames on this device when it is in its open position. Folded up though, it is more believable since it is the thickness of two smartphone devices sitting on top of each other.
Still, we think that this is a mighty handsome device. We mentioned in the 24 hours feature that this looks and feels like a proper device that is ready for the market instead of the prototype feel and look of the Samsung Galaxy Fold of 2019. The crease of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is still very much visible and it is something that we expect Samsung and other smartphone manufacturers will continue to work on in future devices. The difference between this new model and the old one is that the crease somehow feels less profound and less disruptive to the display than before.
Hardware
Powering two different displays is usually very taxing, even on a regular PC. Thankfully though the internals that lives inside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is all but regular. It packs the best of 2020’s Qualcomm SoC, not an Exynos chip, surprisingly. It has a battery larger than most flagships as well, for good measure. Despite not having any of the super high-resolution cameras that the other Samsung Galaxy flagship devices, this still features five on-board cameras (3+1+1).
FRONT Internal: 10-Megapixel (f/2.2, 26mm wide angle) 4K video recording (30fps)
FRONT External: 10-Megapixel (f/2.2, 26mm wide angle) 4K video recording (30fps)
Sensors
Accelerometer Proximity Side Mounted Fingerprint Ambient Light Gyroscope Face Unlock Compass
User Interface – Still OneUI 3.0
One advantage of mobile optimised operating system is its adaptibility with almost any kind of display at any screen ratio. That is very apparent on the Android 10 based OneUI 3.0 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. The oddly shaped WQHD+ display feature a display factor that you have never seen before, other than the older Samsung Galaxy Fold of 2019.
Naturally, we were a little concerned about the app and system scaling on these devices when we first pick up the devices. Of course, our concerns are not entirely baseless after using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 for a while. The fault is not entirely on Android though.
We have to say that Android does a good job in scaling itself into any display factor, resolution, and size. The implementation on OneUI 3.0 on top of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is really just a testament to that. Android even scales properly on the 4K display of the Sony Xperia 1 and its successor if you are wondering.
The same cannot be said to all the available apps though. Of course, not all the apps available will be subject to the same issue. Still, the scaling issue happens on certain apps that you might use daily.
Sure, things like Gmail, or other email apps may not look too funky. That is because these apps scale nicely and quite normally on larger displays. In fact, you get to see more on your Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 than on a Samsung Galaxy Note20, for example. Even apps like WhatsApp and Telegram looks like the normal smartphone application that they are albeit on a larger, slightly oddly rationed screen. Telegram even works nicely with horizontal typing mode; you still get to scroll through the chat even with the keyboard occupying the bottom half of the display. The same cannot be said for WhatsApp on the horizontal typing front.
Then you go to Instagram, expecting a better experience with bigger screen. Of course, you see photos bigger and everything seems peachy at first. You actually get a very regular smartphone-ish interface with two wasted space on both sides of the main interface. It still works because you are still scrolling through the feed like a normal smartphone. The wasted space is a little bit annoying since you could get contents to shine with the extra display real estate.
Then you go into Instagram Stories and realise that the app really does not play well with the larger display of the Galaxy Z Fold2. To be fair, we could be the only one facing this issue. When we launch Instagram Stories, the display greets us with options to interact with the post, instead of the usual clean post. We had to back out of Reactions by hitting the comment box and back out of it again to have normal interaction with Instagram Stories. If the account user disables comments, you cannot do anything but view the contents behind the reaction overlay. Strangely, Snapchat works fine.
So far though, this is the only app that seems to have an issue with the oddly shaped display. Other apps seem to work fine and scales nicely with the display, either showing a little bit more information than the regular smartphone app or having larger interfaces. Do not get us wrong though, they are largely still the same interfaces as a regular smartphone.
Of course, the ones that takes the most advantage of the larger display on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 are Samsung’s own developed apps. You can see the simple optimisation of the OneUI 3.0 from Samsung’s native Messaging app or even its settings menu. On the Messaging app at least, you get to view your list of conversations on the left side and get into the conversations on the left side.
Bigger Videos
The biggest benefit of a larger display is always on the gaming and video front. You can either watch YouTube with the regular vertical layout and the video looks big enough already. We initially thought as well that with YouTube, you may not need to go full screen horizontally until we did.
There is about 1-inch of difference in the video size when you stream YouTube vertically and when you go on full screen horizontally. That means you get a much bigger real estate that you are looking at on YouTube. But what is interesting with YouTube on the Galaxy Z Fold2 is that the interface looks more like what you will get on tablets instead of a regular smartphone.
Of course, the bigger screen and resolution benefits Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The bigger display in the format of the Galaxy Z Fold2 can easily be tucked away in your pockets. That also means that you can be on the train on the way to work and whip out the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 and feast on Netflix the whole way there without ever needing to squint your eyes too much to pick out details. When you are done, you simply fold it back up and put it in your pockets. No cable worries here too if you are using a pair of Bluetooth earphone.
Like the smartphone app, Netflix and Prime Video cleverly sizes down their videos a little just to avoid projecting over the camera hole that is on the display. That also means that you are not interrupted by a black hole in your screen when you enjoy your videos, unlike YouTube. While it means smaller display real estate for videos, it is still a large enough footprint for Netflix and Prime Video.
Same-Same but Different
The advantage of having two displays on a device though is having two separate home screens for different functions. The OneUI 3.0 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 encourages this. Your main home screen, if you use Samsung’s Smart Switch, will be transferred and translated into the main home screen. Keep in mind that there will be a lot of extra space on your home screen inside too, meaning you can add even more apps and shortcuts on your home screen. If you like to keep the minimal amount of home screens on your smartphone, this could be perfect.
Out the front secondary display though is a fresh home screen that you can customise to your liking. You have to keep in mind though that the display up front is plenty smaller than the main display. That also means that your YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Videos get squished quite a lot. We keep all the apps that we need quick access to up front. We have a calendar widget up front too for a quick glance when we need to.
Of course, because this is a Super AMOLED display still, it is a great display to watch videos on still. It is a perfect display to discreetly watch your YouTube, Netflix, or Prime Video shows. You can stand it up to get it to the perfect screen angle on your desk too. Make sure you have a pair of Bluetooth earphones though, just so that you do not disturb your co-workers or alert your boss.
In that mode as well you can use the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 as a video conferencing device with half the main display. There are two front-facing cameras you can rely on as well for that matter. Unfortunately, the selfie camera out the front of the device does not support this function. Not that it will be a deal breaker.
Performance
With two screens, you will want a lot power to get this behemoth of a device going. That is where the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ on the device comes into play. Credits where credits are due, the flagship Qualcomm System on a Chip (SoC) is the most powerful processing chip you can find on an Android device today, before they introduce a new one with 5nm build next year.
These are all just numbers though, what matters is how they perform in your hands, in your pockets, out in the real world. But big numbers do have some merits. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, the numbers mean that the device should feel buttery smooth and ultra-snappy, together with the 120Hz display. Thankfully the 120Hz refresh rate is not resolution limited like the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Call Quality and Connectivity.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is a standard 5G device. No, that does not mean you get to experience 5G now. It just means that it will be ready for that experience once it is available in Malaysia. Yes, 5G technology is not commercially viable just yet in Malaysia. We are hoping that would change soon though.
The rest of the antenna array on the device is quite the usual affair from Samsung. That also means that you are going to get about the same call quality and performance from the usual Samsung Galaxy flagship. Calls sounds crisp as long and signal is strong enough (one bar and above). You can expect some choppiness when the signal drops to one bar. Of course, do not expect calls to get through when you get no cellular signal.
Still, when calls get through, the party on the other side of the line reports that calls are as clear as day. This is thanks to the noise cancelling mic combination. We thank whichever engineers that has figured out the art of noise cancelling on calls on this.
Making calls is as simple as clicking through the Phone app too. It is the same exact layout and interface as any Samsung Galaxy device you might be familiar with. Then again, any Phone app these days look the same and function somewhat similarly. Like any other Samsung device too, you can quickly swipe right on your contact name or recent calls page to quickly make a call. Swipe left to message the person.
The only thing you might want to keep in mind when using the device to call is that you can only hold it up to your ear (as in, use the earpiece) with the device folded in and using the front display. You cannot use the earpiece with the device unfolded. You would look ridiculous too, even if you can. Remember the days where you can pick up calls on an 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab? Remember how stupid people look picking up calls on those devices? You look even more ridiculous using this, because its is so disproportionate.
You can use loudspeaker mode in both folded and unfolded state though. The experience on that is also quite similar to other Samsung Galaxy flagship devices. The only difference is that one side of the stereo speaker system does not share an outlet with the earpiece. That allows the speakers to fire more evenly for a better all-round experience in your conference calls.
The loudspeaker can be quite loud as well, so if you are sitting in a small discussion table with 6 people, you can use the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 to make conference calls. The only issue is that if the table is not a perfect round (oval and elongated format), some people who are further away from the device might not get picked up on the conversation. We find that anything between 1m to 1.5m from the device is the maximum you should go when using the device as a teleconferencing device.
Gaming
In theory, a bigger screen should also mean a better gaming experience. Samsung did sell this device to gamers as a gaming smartphone. We do not think that was quite wise though.
To be fair, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 does fare well in games, especially when games can take advantage of the 120Hz refresh rate. Games look extra smooth and ultimately looks amazing on the Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. Thanks to a larger display footprint also, it feels that you are looking at a great sweet spot of a display (unfolded) for gaming. The display, in most cases, is the perfect size for plenty of games.
Games like Mobile Legends Bang Bang scales properly to the oddly shaped display. This allows you to see more on the field and gives you a slight advantage in matchups. You tend to be able to see your opponents from further away and react accordingly. This is not the case for every game.
There is a problem, however. Games like Brawl Stars does not scale to fully fill the display. While it does make it a little fairer when it comes to games and matchups, it completely misses the whole point of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. You get two big black bars on top and bottom of the display area. In some sense, it does mean that the alerts and control panels are not obstructing your game view. In a lot of sense, the black bars are annoying and feels like a little bit of a waste.
Still, all these games look really good on 120Hz. With games like PUBG, you might be able to really enjoy and immerse yourself in the game with such a huge display. Thanks to the extra real estate too, games are appearing bigger than the usual smartphone devices. Therefore, we say that the display size, when unfolded, is quite ideal for gaming.
Multitasking and Productivity
We feel that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 feels a little incomplete without an S Pen. We feel that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 will be a more wholesome and complete device with an S Pen. The follow up to this device is rumoured to receive an S Pen treatment though, so that is something to look forward to.
Still, a big screen means you should be able to fit more windows on a single screen. We found that we can open up to 5 applications on floating windows and two split screen windows at the same time. That also means you can have 7 running apps at any give time with the internal main display. When all the apps are open at the same time, you would expect some lags there and here. Not on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. The applications still run smoothly with nearly zero hiccups.
Of course, as the device ages, you might expect some slow down and decrease in performance in that region. You are most likely not going to use up to 7 applications at any given time though. At most, you might have three applications open at any given time to work with. In that sense, the display size is quite perfect for a three-application workflow.
Battery Life
We wanted the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 to pack a large battery, because we know packing two screens on a smartphone will drain its battery quickly. Unfortunately, Samsung only manages to shoehorn a 4,500mAh battery into this behemoth of a thing. This is also because of the oddly constructed device that does not allow for a lot of wiggle room in its mostly metal and glass body.
Despite the bigger display, you could sort of get about the same battery life from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. When we say about the same, it also depends on what you do with your Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.
On most typical days, we did get more than a whole working day. Our typical day, these days, is mostly using the smartphone to make a few calls throughout the day, messaging via WhatsApp, Telegram, and even Facebook Messenger sometimes, checking emails, one or two YouTube Videos, a 20-minute session of Mobile Legends, and an episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. on Netflix. In that type of use, we get about a full workday of battery life and a little bit more.
There are days that there is some non-typical use though. That non-typical use usually involves binging on Netflix non-stop for a few hours, or gaming for a few hours at a time, some messaging here and there, and mostly nothing else. In that use case, you might want to keep yourself near a charging point.
You can probably drain half your battery before lunch time if you start your Netflix binge at 9 in the morning. If you choose to play Mobile Legends, you probably can half your battery life in about the same time frame too, maybe a little quicker if you push your brightness up. This is on WiFi mind you. Of course, if you drain your battery while gaming, expect some heat from the device.
Display
That brings us to the thing that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is built upon; is display, or rather, displays. Unlike most smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 has two displays, one out the front, and one inside. There have been smartphones that packs two displays before from the likes of Vivo. The difference is that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 has one large foldable display.
No, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is not the first foldable smartphone, nor is it the first foldable smartphone with two displays. That is a title snagged by its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Except, the Samsung Galaxy Fold’s front secondary display was quite unusable thanks to its minute size from the 2000s.
The Main Display – Folded Away and Tucked In
That was the first time we see an adaptation of a foldable display that was showcased by Samsung and LG a few years prior to 2019. That was also the only adaptation that worked with two different displays on the device for different usage cases. Its closest competition at the time featured a single foldable display that wraps around the device when folded.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is targeted toward a completely different market segment. We have to say though, it is a niche segment that they are looking at. At least at this time, we struggle to find someone who needs a much larger display than what they already have on their own smartphone. That was what people say when the Samsung Galaxy Note launched back in the day though.
It has an oddly shaped 7.6-inch main display inside the device that is foldable. That is about the same size as the device that came before. It is a bit more expansive thanks to the modern looking Infinity-O punch hole camera solution though.
The main display is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X, the same one as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. It is larger in footprint though at 7.6-inch. In that case, the colour reproduction, HDR quality of the display is excellent. We do not expect anything less from Samsung with the display.
It is bright enough under bright sunlight that we can use the device outside. While you might not use the main display that often outside of home, the brightness can be appreciated. The colour contrasts are of course excellent as well for Netlfix movies and such. Again, it is just a very odd display factor, so your Netflix movies or YouTube will have two huge black bars on top and bottom of the device. That is why we say that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 could use a longer body.
It is sort of a WQHD display as well. We say sort of, because it is actually a little higher in resolution than a 1440p display. It packs 2,000 pixels in height, and about 1,700 pixels across. While it is odd, it makes for a great personal movie watching experience on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.
Protecting the Main Display
We have to talk about the raised bezels though, because they are an important design aspect on the device. There are small plastic bumps on the corners of the bezels too, which acts as shock absorbers and a spacer when the device is folded. These bezels are an essential part in making the foldable display work as intended and as protected as possible from itself, and you.
No matter how Samsung spins it, the display is still a delicate thing. The middle part especially, is not solid. You can sort of press it down with a little give. We have to give it to Samsung though, the center fold creases is not as bad as before. At certain angles, it is barely noticeable, and you can easily forgive the crease. It does not even distort any images or videos on the display, which is a big improvement in the display’s usability.
The raised bezel sort of continues as well through the fold to make it seem as seamless as possible. Here also is where the raised bezel design, though can be quite undesirable in modern smartphones, is a life saver for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. It covers all sorts of gaps between the display and the frame of the device. That also means unlike the first batch of Samsung Galaxy Fold introduced last year, there are less chances of dust particles to be trapped in the folding mechanisms to destroy your display.
The folding mechanism is also the same improved mechanism that you get on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. That also means there is 180o of articulations, and the device will hold at any folded angle. Of course, we have spoken a little bit about this earlier.
There is another thing on the main display that we suggest you do not remove when you get the device – its screen protector. This is just a PSA, do not remove the screen protector that comes with the device, you might break your expansive and expensive main display if you do.
The 6.2-inch Display Up Front
Fold the main display away and you will see the glass protected 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display come to life. This is an odd display too, at 2,280 by 816 pixels. It is not exactly HD, but it is not exactly Full HD either. Samsung labels it at HD though, since it is close to 720p than 1080p.
The front secondary display gives you a different home screen and lock screen from the main display though. This makes the Galaxy Z Fold2 feels like two different devices mashed into one. One bigger, entertainment and productivity beast inside, and one portable, little secondary device outside. Perhaps that was the point from day one anyway and we all have missed the point.
In our case, we set it up to access the simples of apps we tend to work with when we are out and about. That also means surfacing the messenger type apps, the phone app, and even a calendar for quick schedule check. The front display is our ‘quick access’ screen, sort of.
Thanks to Super AMOLED technology too, the display is brilliant and bright. Colour contrasts and saturation is excellent and very vivid. While we think that the display is a tad small, and quite odd in display factor, it is very useable for a quick video fix. Either that, or white noises. You definitely can use it as your media controller for music playback in public transportation spaces. No, you might not want to game on this display. Why do something you might not enjoy?
Camera
You would think that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 packs the same camera array as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. We can forgive you for that, because it features a very similar camera bump module. It does not though.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 packs three 12-Megapixel shooters. One for a regular wide-angle shot, one for ultra-wide photos, and one for longer telephoto shots. While the numbers are quite underwhelming, the results are not.
We have mentioned again and again that you never really need more than 12-Megapixels on your smartphone cameras and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is a great example of that statement. That is because the 12-Megapixel camera on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 produces quite stunning examples in any conditions. The 12-Megapixel shooter can and will produce stunning photos at any time and every time, even when light is a little scarce.
Of course, if you go into the detailing, there is noticeably less from the 12-Megapixel shooter than the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s 108-Megapixel. That is only because there are more pixels packed on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. That is about the only thing the Galaxy Note20 Ultra has in advantage compared to its foldable cousin. That, and 8K video recording which you may never use.
Colours across all the cameras on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 are excellent. Sure, they could use some saturation before you post, but that is easy to do with the device’s pre-installed photo editor anyway. That adjustment can take anywhere from 2 seconds to 1 minute depending on what you want from the photo. You can just throw a clever ‘auto’ adjust and the device can decide what looks best for you, and that should be enough.
That is probably the only complain we have from the camera though. The photos that come out of the camera can look a little flat before you edit them. Because there are only 12 million pixels on the sensor too, cropping photos can make them look a little less crisp, unless you work with the telephoto lens. Still there are three lenses you can choose from anyway, so not like you would be strapped for choice when it comes to photo taking.
A benefit of a 12-Megapixel sensor compared to a 108-Megapixel one is heat management. While boasting similar camera bump, the cameras on the Galazy Z Fold2 heats up less, if it happens at all. In that case, your device is still comfortable to work with at any given time. You still get to record 4K videos, mind you.
Of course, beauty is in the eyes of its beholder. You should see the unedited results of the photos from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 and be your own judge. Check out the gallery below.
Gallery
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold – Much Wow, Much Premium
We want to say that we like it. We like the experience of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 not because it is a unique device. We like it because it feels like a proper Samsung device. We like it because it is smooth, it works well, and it is some high-quality stuff. We like it because it feels like a regular well-built, well developed Samsung device.
It is a rather unique device. The folding mechanism adds some layers of functionality over the regular smartphone. We like the direction that Samsung is heading with the folding smartphone form factor too. We think that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is the right step forward from the older Samsung Galaxy Fold. We think that there is more to explore in the world of folding smartphones and Samsung, no doubt, will exploit that in future iterations.
Thing is, using the device does not feel unique in a lot of times. It can feel cumbersome too. From the awkwardly narrow keyboard in the front display, to the oddly factored inner display for videos, there are things that makes the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 a little less intuitive than a regular smartphone. Its heft is also a constant reminder that you are carrying a sort of thoroughbred. A fragile one at that. You have to remember to not use it in wet conditions too, since it is not IP rated.
So in the end, we think that MYR 7,999, although a reasonable price point for a unique product like the Galaxy Z Fold2, can be better spent elsewhere. Sure, if you have the extra cash and you really want to flash your wealth, this is really the device for you. It turns heads.
Thing is, that kind of money can buy you a Smartphone and a great notebook PC for extra productivity. That kind of money can buy a decent gaming notebook too. That kind of money can buy you a 4K TV and a PlayStation 5 to go along with the TV. You can probably get a few games too, with some extra money you saved.
So, do we think that you should get the device? In short; no. But it is more than that, you really can spend your MYR 7,999 on multiple things that could achieve the same things as the Galaxy Z Fold2, and even more. But again, if you have MYR 7,999 lying around somewhere just waiting to be used, we do think that your money buys more than just the device. Your money buys Samsung’s confidence to go into a territory no one dares to go into. Your money busy their research and development into future products. Your money buys affordability for this kind of technology in the future. So, you decide.
Hot off its announcement of the Galaxy S21 series, Samsung is reintroducing two new entries that may have slipped under your radar. Announced a week before Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event, are two devices that could fall under the “Same same but Different” category: the Galaxy A02s and the Galaxy A12. Both feature a big screen, a large built-in battery and multi camera setups.
Galaxy A02s & Galaxy A12: Same, Same but Different
Both devices come with a 6.5-inch screen with HD resolutions and an Infinity-v display where the front-facing camera sits. In addition to the large display, the Galaxy A02s and Galaxy A12 feature Dolby Atmos® sound which helps immerse you into the movies or games.
To power the entertainment powerhouses, a long-lasting battery is a must to ensure that your not worrying about the battery life when watching movies or playing games on the smartphones. Galaxy A12 and Galaxy A02s are equipped with 5000mAh with 15W fast charging for a quick top up whenever you need it.
The new entries to the Galaxy A series come with Octa-Core processors. The A02s comes with a Snapdragon 450 processor while the A12 comes with a MediaTek Helio P35. These processors are paired together with 4GB to 6GB RAM and 64GB to 128GB internal storage. Both devices also come with a MicroSD slot which supports up to an additional 1TB of storage.
The Galaxy A12 and Galaxy A02s comes with a haze and matte effect on the back with a curve-edge design. That said, the Galaxy A12 is slightly heavier than the Galaxy A02s at 205g compared to 196grams. Yet, the Galaxy A12 has a slimmer design at a mere 8.9mm, and Galaxy A02s at 9.1mm.
Multi-camera Setups for Better Photography
Both devices come with slightly different camera specs. However, they are still touted to be able to capture vibrant, lively pictures with Samsung’s camera technology.
The Galaxy A12 comes with a quad-camera setup complemented with a single front camera. The quad camera comes with a 48-megapixel main camera with an F/2.0 aperture, 5-megapixel Ultra-Wide camera with 123-degree viewing angle and an F/2.2 aperture, 2-megapixel macro camera with an F/2.4 aperture, and 2-megapixel Depth camera with an F/2.4 aperture. The setup of the 4 specs of cameras. With the versatile range of cameras, users can enjoy capturing high quality images of the many moments in their life. On the front, it has an 8-megapixel selfie camera.
On the other hand, the Galaxy A02s comes with a triple camera setup with a 5-megapixel selfie camera on its front. The triple camera consists of a 13-megapixels of the main camera with an F/2.2 aperture, together with 2-megapixels macro camera with an F/2.4 aperture and 2-megapixel depth camera with an F/2.4 aperture.
Galaxy A12 Fortified by Knox
Samsung Galaxy A12 users can enjoy with defense-grade Knox security platform as it has multilayered security to protect your data and personal information. You may apply the security feature to your folder, Samsung Pay, Samsung Healthy, or even Samsung Pass. Knox security platform is serves as a safeguard and plays an important role in protecting more than 1 billion Samsung users and business devices and data.
Price & Availability
Samsung Galaxy A12 and Samsung Galaxy A02s are available from 6 January 2021 onward in Malaysia, and both devices have 2 color options which are black and blue. Galaxy A12 will retail for MYR799 (USD198.183) while the Galaxy A02s will cost MYR529(USD131.183)
Samsung’s big launch of the second half of 2020 came with a big announcement too. It came with the big announcement of their follow up to their very innovative 2019 product, the Samsung Galaxy Fold. They now call it the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, basically to align the device to the newly introduced Samsung Galaxy Z series line-up with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is a completely different beast though. It is not a nostalgic keepsake that is bringing back a very popular smartphone design language that is the flip mobile phone. It is not technically new in its form factor too. Well, technically because it is a successor to the 2019 Samsung Galaxy Fold.
This is not just a mere minor product update from the older foldable device though. This looks like a complete overhaul of the device. This feels more like a major evolution, rather than an improvement.
Picking up the Z Fold2
The evolution is apparent from the moment you pick up the device from the box. It feels untypically heavy. Untypical, because you are used to the near weightless feel from Samsung’s vast portfolio of flagship smartphones.
The first touch feels solid, robust; more so than the old Samsung Galaxy Fold. It feels like a product you can properly chuck in your bag when you need to. It feels complete, unlike the ‘prototype’ that was the Samsung Galaxy Fold. It feels substantial, cold, durable.
The first fold did not feel like a mechanism breaking maneuver. That first fold motion does not feel like you are breaking the ‘Glastic’ in to prepare it for even more folds that the display is going to do in its lifetime. The first fold feels tight and satisfying too, nothing fearful or doubtful.
We love the Mystic Bronze colour option. Somehow, the black does not accentuate the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2’s design characteristics enough. Somehow, the Mystic Bronze highlights the odd glossy chromed lining that runs down the center of the device at the back (opened). It accentuates the proportions of the device and somehow frames it beautifully.
The brushed aluminium on the sides adds a contrast to the whole body. It adds some needed texture for better grip, of course. But its contrasting finish also hides the size, or thickness of its body, especially when its folded in. No 3.5mm jack in sight; just dual speakers, USB Type-C, mic ports, rocker and power buttons, and a SIM tray on the sides.
Fold the device and the center line splits to reveal a very pretty, very classy looking chromed housing for the folding mechanism. It closes with a satisfying thud. You know the inner display is protected by a screen protector and a raised bezel with a recessed panel. There are also some little plastic nubs to prevent the sides to completely crash into each other.
Then you unfold it, because you want to set it up for the first time. The back is now a split of a proper glass back and glass protected front secondary display. It feels weird to say that the display on the outside, that is supposed to be tougher and more protected than the inner display is a secondary display here. It is what it is though, with the device opened and spread out to its full glory, the back is made up for the secondary display under a glossed up glass, and the Mystic Bronze matte finish of the main back plate only disturbed by a protruding camera module.
That bulge is quite disturbing on a flat surface though. The device also does not come with a case out-of-the-box for the device, so you might want to consider getting an OEM case for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. Go for something good, you have spent a good deal of money to get your hands on the device, do not cheap out on the case.
Then you turn it on to set it up for the first time, you rely on its inner display, of course. While it is the same set-up process that comes with any other Samsung device, you feel like you are looking at a completely new set-up experience. Part of that is due to the fact that Samsung bombards you with the ‘dos and do nots’ of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. But most of it is because you are looking at a much larger display than usual. Not quite tablet display, but not quite smartphone as well.
Everything is the same as when you set up your Samsung for the first time though. We have the benefit of having an older Samsung smartphone to switch from, so Samsung Smart Switch is the way to go. You can get Samsung Smart Switch to work on other devices to, for you to transfer the data from those older devices to a Samsung device.
Larger Than Life
I personally remembered mentioning that the Samsung Galaxy Note series was ‘larger than life’. That was because the Samsung Galaxy Note series, at the time, boasts displays bigger than most smartphones features. The display on a Samsung Galaxy Note series, at that time, borders that of a tablet. Hence the word ‘phablet’ was used to describe the older generation Samsung Galaxy Note devices.
The main display on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is even bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Note series though. Unfolded, the screen measures 7.6-inch. It is not a mere Full HD+ screen too. It is a high-resolution 2,208 by 1,768 pixels of Dynamic AMOLED 2X goodness. The other display is still quite large at 6.2-inch but only features Super AMOLED and 2,280 by 816 pixels, in the region of HD+ territory.
There is nothing to complain about up front though, it is a much bigger and much more functional screen than before. The only issue I have with it is how narrow it is. While I have smaller hands and thinner fingers, typing on the narrower display is still quite a nightmare. We can talk about that a little later though. We focus on the bigger picture now, the inside flexible display.
Flexible display is not necessarily a new technology. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, in fact, features the same type of flexible display that the Samsung Galaxy Fold had. The improved the panel and its working tremendously though. The mechanism feels more solid, looks more substantial, and more industrial. There are no more gaps between panels, as they have harshly learnt from their past product. The mechanism is closer to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip than the older Galaxy Fold, to be fair.
The nice thing is that Samsung managed to retain the almost bezel free look that most devices feature today but still have enough bezel to raise a protective barrier for the highly sensitive display. They also managed to fit a punch hole camera instead oof that awkwardly placed notch on the older device. The drawback is that there is only one front-facing camera here instead of two. It is an overall improvement though with less wasted screen real estate.
While the display is that large, videos can hardly take full advantage because of the oddly proportioned display. In the case of YouTube, where you can view the videos either in horizontal or vertical mode, it feels like there is nearly no difference in viewing videos in both forms. Of course, when you put the videos in full horizontal mode, you get an inch more than you get on the normal vertical viewing layout. You hardly notice though, because there are such big black bars on top and bottom of the display.
If you want to watch your videos without holding the device at an angle, you do not need a kickstand. Simply fold the Galaxy Z Fold2 a little bit to create a natural stand. But your YouTube video will shrink to fill one half of the display. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video does not have this feature.
Flipping the device like that also gives us the ability to type messages horizontally with more keyboard space. Samsung’s default keyboard layout when the device is open is a split key mechanism that we actually like very much. We think that it makes sense so that you do not have to reach too far into the middle of the device when typing horizontally. It sort of protects the tender middle of the display in vertical typing mode. Keep in mind though that typing horizontally on Whatsapp will not allow you to see the chat window, that works on Telegram and almost any other app though.
One thing you want to keep in mind if you want to keep your device angled is that the device is back heavy. That also means that your device will tend to rest on the camera side. In this case, if you did not get a case for your Galaxy Z Fold2, the left side of the device will be slightly raised.
Large, but Compact
The large screen folds away to a smaller 6.2-inch display as we mentioned earlier. Technically you get about half the display real estate compared to what is tucked away inside. You get an ultra-narrow workspace and home screen up front. What is nice about this layout is that you can have a completely different home screen on your secondary display compared to what you have on your main display.
You can set up the front display to be a quick access page to things you want to quickly access like calls, messaging, WhatsApp maybe, camera app, or clock. Whatever tickles your fancy can be on that home screen, just like a normal Android home screen. You just have to keep in mind that the display is narrower than even the modern regular small smartphone.
That also means that your keyboard layout is massively compressed and extra small. As mentioned, I had a lot of trouble typing on the front display quickly and accurately. There will always be some sort of typo in every word that I type because the display is so small. Of course, flipping it horizontally helps with typing, but the keyboard will take up at least half the screen at that point. The horizontal layout mimics the keyboard layout when you open to the main display though, which is nice.
The front display though is quite perfect for single handed use, especially when you are out and about. The size of the device in its folded form fits perfectly in your pockets. It is a little on the thick side, we admit, but it still does fit nicely in the pockets, which is all we ask for.
You do not have to watch your YouTube or Netflix videos on the inner display, as it turns out. The secondary display works just fine with all sorts of videos. You get the benefit of making the back plate a stand and just angle the display a little bit for a more comfortable viewing angle on the desk.
We do not think that the secondary display would be as useful or as regularly used as the main display at home just because it is so much smaller and so much more difficult to type on. You will have to keep the device folded to answer calls though. The only earpiece of the device is sitting on top of the secondary display. Imagine if the earpiece was placed on the inside as well.
There is no transition that we can find from the inner display to the outside display though. As far as we know the display locks when you close the display. Which also means you have to turn on the device again if you want to purely use the front display.
4,500mAh Battery – That Cannot Possibly be Enough
When we first heard that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 comes with a 4,500mAh battery, we started getting concerned on its battery consumption. Remember you are powering two displays and up to five cameras. How the same battery pack you find on a Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra going to help you keep the device running the entire day?
We cannot comment too much here though, we need more time to do a proper review of its battery life. We can report to you that 4,500mAh could be just enough to keep you running from morning to at least after work. Not on your first day with the device though.
Your first set up will take some time if you use Samsung’s Smart Switch. You want to wait for everything to be transferred and installed properly. That is going to take some battery life already unless you leave it plugged in. The next thing you will do is start downloading all the other apps that has not yet been installed already. You are going to start setting up your Google apps, check if your emails are coming in properly, see if all your necessary accounts like Netflix, Prime Video, and such are signed in and working.
There are going to be apps that are not transferred from the older device and you might want to go through Google’s Play Store to install them. Because the display is now much bigger, you might want to play new games on it too. You are going to be on your device for the whole day just to see what its like to do everything.
That is the thing though. If you rely on your battery, you are going to run out of battery by the end of your lunch hour. Thankfully charging is relatively quick, though I do feel that it should be a little faster. Still, getting it from nothing to full in less than 2 hours is not bad at all. You can at least keep it plugged in at work.
24 Hours with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 – We Are Not Sure Just yet
This is a piece of kit that we find cool, to be honest. It is unique, innovative, and it feels like a proper Samsung product; a quality product. At the same time though it costs MYR 7,999. That also means that it could be gimmicky, and obnoxious as a product. If you do buy one, you are making a statement too.
To be fair, we do see potential of this type of form factor in the competitive world of the smartphone industry. We do think that this sort of device has a place somewhere in the world if Samsung keeps at it and probably add S Pen functionality to it. The stylus is a little bit much to ask at this point of time, I know. Technology has not caught up to that request just yet, we understand.
The thing is though, we do not know if we would tell anyone to buy this device. What is wrong with a Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra? What is wrong with an Apple iPhone, for that matter? It is a novelty though, this piece. It is an exquisite piece of engineering we cannot find anywhere, and that is important to keep in mind as we review the device.
We have not explored its capabilities and functions fully just yet. We are just peeling off that first layer of fascination you always have when you get a new smartphone or gadget. Would we change our minds completely on this device? Stay tuned to our review.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 series launched with two variants in the line-up. One is the more expensive, more premium, more feature packed Note20 Ultra. It is a formidable machine with great parts in them that makes for very compelling us cases. But it was superbly pricey of a machine too. It made us question everything we thought we wanted in a smartphone.
But they also launched a Samsung Galaxy Note20. No, no ‘plus’ or ‘lite’ moniker here. Just a plain old Samsung Galaxy Note20, a regular name that we are more used to. But it is not quite a Note20 Ultra though this regular one. Of course, they are bred from the same lab and factory. They have plenty of similarities at that, but they are also somehow very different devices.
The question here is of its worthiness to be called a Samsung Galaxy Note20 device. It has an S Pen, yes, but does it fit the criteria of a Galaxy Note20? It is priced like a Galaxy Note device, but is it worth that price? It looks like one, but is it worth the clad of the Galaxy Note name? Most important of all, is this a better buy than the Galaxy Note20 Ultra? Is it worth buying at all? We find out.
Design
First of all, it looks nearly exactly the same as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. In every way, it mimics the looks and the design language of the more premium device, except in proportions. It is a smaller device compared to the Ultra.
Smaller does not mean worse though. In some eyes, including ours, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 looks better than its more premium brother. It looks like a traditional Galaxy Note unit, not a behemoth of a slate that looks a little out of place on the table. It is, in our opinion, the prettier device in the series, helped by its Cloud Green Colour scheme.
Some will argue that the Galaxy Note20 Ultra is more of a stunner. They say that it looks more stunning than the Samsung Galaxy Note20. More dramatic they say. We respectfully disagree.
Put them side by side, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra looks a little out of proportions. The Galaxy Note20 Ultra looks a little too much, overly bulky. It looks obnoxious with a bulging rear camera module somehow.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 is more subtle in that. It is a smaller device, but not by much. It is a sizeable device still, but acceptably and comfortably large. But it is not obnoxious in design. The camera at the back is built and designed like a normal device, flush into its body. There is still a small bump, yes, but not as disproportionate as the Ultra. Somehow, its body feels svelte and clean.
Everything else on the device is about the same as the Ultra though. From the placement of the speaker units, the mic holes, and even the power and volume buttons. We are pleased that the power button is now back in the correct side of the device and they stayed away from the annoying Bixby button from the Galaxy Note9.
Overall, there is not much to say about the design of the device. Except, there are more colour choices for the Samsung Galaxy Note20 compared to the Galaxy Note20 Ultra. While sometimes that makes me think that the extra colour choices are more like consolation prizes to make up for the fact that you do not get as much power, we prefer the colour choices you get from the Samsung Galaxy Note20 instead of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, somehow.
Hardware
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 packs mostly the same internals as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra save for the RAM size, and battery size. Of course, the battery size in a direct effect of the body size. It also packs less powerful cameras compared to the Galaxy Note20 Ultra, which is quite expected thanks to the price differences. It does not mean that the Samsung Galaxy Note20 is less potent than the larger Note20 Ultra though.
Samsung, until the Galaxy Note8 at least, always had TouchWiz. TouchWiz, if you have not known yet, were very similar to OneUI that we know and love today. Technically as well, OneUI is more of an evolution of TouchWiz.
TouchWiz though, at some point was clunky, slow, and heavy on its processor. That is also why Samsung’s devices do not seem all that fast at some point even when they are packing the most powerful hardware in the field. The old TouchWiz User Interface (UI) was one that was flawed since its first developed into the ever so popular Samsung Galaxy S.
TouchWiz though was one of the best-known Android overlay UIs in the world at some point and has grown to be one of the most intuitive Android overlays there is. Plenty of the Android functionality that we know and love today can be traced back to the innovations made on Samsung’s TouchWiz. Split screens for example, was made a thing on TouchWiz with the Samsung Galaxy Note line-up.
Because of that initial flaw in design and architecture though, TouchWiz still faced stability issues from time to time and it still feels clunky. That is why OneUI was born. All these history lesson though is here for a reason.
OneUI, in its third generation, is really a platform that is still based on TouchWiz. The latest OneUI 3.0 of course is an Android 11 overlay for Samsung devices. The OneUI evolution allows Samsung to develop something that can be used on mobile interfaces and desktop interfaces. That is their DeX UI, for your information.
But if you do not turn OneUI into DeX, the experience has a lot more in common with TouchWiz UI than stock Android. Because it is Samsung, there are plenty of blacks that is built into the UI. Black, of course, shows off Samsung’s very impressive OLED technology to the world. It also makes more sense in power consumption terms.
That also means that the OneUI is just as intuitive as TouchWiz that came before, maybe even more so. Since OneUI 2.0 onward, you can have the regular Android gesture controls to move away from the traditional three button navigation layout. This is the swipe up from the bottom of the display for ‘home’, swipe up and hold for ‘recent apps’, and swipe from the left or right edge of the display for ‘back”.
Of course, you can still opt to have the traditional three button navigation layout too. You can either have them as proper buttons, or thin lines for gesture controls (swiping up), or not have the lines at all but still utilize that three-button configuration (swiping up). The choice of experience on the OneUI is one of the widest I have come to know.
Of course, if you came from other Android devices and are used to the regular Android gesture controls, you might want to switch to that in the settings. If you are more used to the three-button layout, like me, I still use them but with gestures. There is something for everyone.
There are no noticeable differences between the Samsung Galaxy Note20’s OneUI and Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s OneUI here. As far as we know, you are practically getting the same UI on both devices anyway. The only thing you do not get on the Galaxy Note20 is probably the fast display at 120Hz.
Smart Switch
Changing your smartphone is a hassle. Apple developed the iTunes to make switching iPhones from one generation to another much easier. Via iTunes, your contacts are saved, the apps you have are saved, your device settings are saved, even your home screen arrangement can be saved.
Switching Android smartphone is a little trickier than that. Android devices rely on your Google account to not just work, but for data back up as well. We are not saying that it is not great, it is just not as clean and straightforward because of device compatibilities, internet speed and more. There is the problem of switching between different Android platforms too, to make it another headache.
Samsung was one of the first Android partners to make switching smartphones a breeze with their phone cloning app, Smart Switch. We have been using Samsung devices for a long time, so we are quite familiar with the system. The thing is, it just gets easier and easier to switch from one device to another with Smart Switch, even from Apple iPhones.
Of course, Smart Switch is not a unique app on its own in the app market. There are other manufacturers who have developed their own version of phone cloning app for their own uses too. Like a lot of these apps, you can only use Smart Switch to receive data as a Samsung device. You can receive from any devices including an Apple device.
Unlike previous iteration of Smart Switch, the new version allows you to transfer data via WiFi direct too. Which also means that Samsung does not need to include a USB OTG dongle anymore in their box (they do not, by the way). It also means that transferring your data is a lot more convenient now. You just have to be patient, because it does not happen immediately. There are app compatibility problems as well, even if you are using a Samsung device to switch to the Samsung Galaxy Note20.
Performance
Thanks to Samsung’s proven Exynos 990 platform with 5G capabilities (there is a Note20 without 5G capabilities for sale in Malaysia too), the Samsung Galaxy Note20 performs just like a flagship should. Sadly, the one in Malaysia only gets the Exynos variant. There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ platform variant in another market, but the Asian market has not been getting the Qualcomm variant of the device since the Samsung Galaxy S4.
To be fair, there are some performance differences on both variants. They say that the Qualcomm tends to perform better in certain areas and is on par with the Exynos 990 in plenty of other areas. We cannot say for sure because we have could not test the Qualcomm variant. Still, The Samsung Exynos platform has been a proven platform. In that case, why would it fail us now?
Call Quality and Connectivity
If you are familiar with Samsung’s devices of the past, nothing has changed much in this feature. The only difference on our test unit is the 5G capability which we do not even get to test out because 5G connectivity is extremely limited in Malaysia. When I say extremely limited, there are no commercially viable 5G data plans just yet in Malaysia.
Making calls though is a very standard affair with the Samsung Galaxy Note20. The Phone app icon is exactly the same as before. Even the layout within the app has not changed since its first inception in the Samsung Galaxy S. There are probably minor changes like button sizes, or fonts, or even how lines look. But the general layout and look has remained consistent. There are a few things you can change with the dialer if you dig through the settings. The thing is, a plain old dialer on your smartphone has never bothered anyone anyway. It does the job, and that is the most important part.
When you do place a call or receive a call, the default volume on the earpiece tends to be a little soft. I usually keep the earpiece volume to the maximum just for clarity sake. When the person at the other end of the line is speaking to you properly with his/her device to their ears, it works perfectly, and their voice is as clear as day. You do want to be careful with volumes though, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 somehow has a slightly louder earpiece than what we are used to, same goes to the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra.
On our end, the other person on the other end of the line never complained about the clarity of our voice. That is even with loudspeaker turned on and the device about a meter away from us. We have used the device in a few conference calls a well, with no more than four participants sitting on a small table. Then again, smartphones are never meant to be used as the primary teleconference tool. Still, the loudspeakers are loud, louder than the Samsung Galaxy Note9 and the Samsung Galaxy Note10.
On the front of signal reception, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G is consistently getting full bars of signals in town. There are several known blind spots in town as well, in those areas, even the powerful antennas of the device do not pick up any coverage. That also means that in most of Klang Valley, you are going to get crystal clear phone calls with full bars of signal. Even if the device only shows one bar of signal, you are going to be okay for calls.
The same may not be said too much with data though. When the bars are more than half to full, you get the full beans of your data connection speed; 4G speeds. When the signals drop below that, you mostly get HSPD 3G speeds supposedly. There are times when even 3G speed is not what you get though. Still, you can send out and receive your WhatsApp or Telegram messages of you are patient enough. Even your emails might not get through immediately, so you might want to keep that in mind.
Gaming
This section has been a measuring stick for a while on smartphones. It is not just smartphones though; gaming is also a measuring stick for PCs. Since a smartphone is more like a modern pocket PC now, it is only appropriate that we use these devices for games.
Games on mobile platforms has evolved a lot though. Games on mobile platforms are a lot more demanding in terms of graphical qualities and therefore require a lot of power from the processor and GPU of the device. That also means that the SoC must have enough power to deliver smooth, great looking games properly, just like the PC.
The games we tested the Samsung Galaxy Note20 with are PUBG Mobile, Asphalt 9, Arena of Valor (AoV), and Sky Force: Reloaded. Among these games, the most graphics and processor intensive game is PUBG Mobile since games can take up to 20 minutes at a time and there are plenty of open world rendering to do here. Of course, there are also games like Call of Duty Mobile which is also very demanding on the GPU and CPU, but we have not gotten around to playing that game, so PUBG Mobile it is.
PUBG Mobile defaults to the highest settings available to the game on the Samsung Galaxy Note20. We did not have to fiddle with the settings any further, in this case. Framerates looks consistent and there is very little lags in terms of graphics or even input. That is an indication of good power from the SoC. The heat build up is reasonable as well without frying your hands in longer game sessions.
On games like AoV and Sky Force: Reloaded then, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 handles them like a champ. Even when the screen gets busy, there are no stutters or lags you can see on the display. There are probably one or two dropped frames, but they are not noticeable when you are in game. While there is no 240Hz response rate or 120Hz refresh rate here, you are not playing at a disadvantage in these competitive games. You still can cope and respond accordingly.
Of course, if you are coming from a faster display with an even faster response, you are going to feel that this device is a little slow when it comes to these games. Keep in mind also that the Samsung Galaxy Note20 is never really made for gaming. Gaming just complements what the Samsung Galaxy Note20 does best – productivity.
Multitasking and Productivity
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 has always been a productivity star. The first Samsung Galaxy Note in the series brought stylus back into smartphones. The Samsung Galaxy Note20 puts the power of creation in your hands.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20, as mentioned time and time again, is a very similar device to the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. It still has the very useful and iconic S Pen stylus that is now fitted to the left side of the device. It also has a large display still, a larger display than most devices today still at 6.7-inch.
The device’s display is still smaller than the behemoth that is the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. Of course, in terms of multitasking, bigger displays also mean you have more real estate to play with. That does not mean that you should not be relying on the Galaxy Note20 for productivity and multitasking.
You still have multi-window functionalities on the Samsung Galaxy Note20. Up to two apps can be open at the same time on a side-to-side or a top-and-bottom layout depending on your device’s orientation. Thanks to an ample 8GB of RAM as well, both apps can load as fast as they can be at the same time without you noticing any stutters or lags.
That also means that you can have multiple Google Chrome tabs open on the device at the same time without any page refreshing when you visit other tabs. As usual, I tend to have over 40 tabs open on Google Chrome at the same time on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 with no stability or load issues on the app, or other apps for that matter. You can even have Google Chrome and other apps open at the same time thanks to multi window. Even that does not seem to slow the device down.
Benchmark
We have said time and again that benchmarks are not everything. They do give an insight to how a smartphone and its hardware work though. Despite its scores, some budget smartphones actually feel and work better than the numbers may suggest. In certain situations too, some devices feel worse than the numbers suggests. So do take the numbers with a pinch of salt. Still, here are the numbers from the benchmarks.
The S Pen – Mightier Than Ever Before
Like the Galaxy Note20 Ultra, the S Pen found on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 is made to be faster and better than before. In terms of size and shape, you can technically take the Samsung Galaxy Note10’s S Pen and slot it into the Galaxy note20’s S Pen slot, it will fit perfectly. They are exactly the same shape and size.
The S Pen on the Galaxy Note20 is much faster though. There seems to be no input lag between the S Pen and the Note20’s display. Each stroke of the almost instantly translate into lines on the display. If you think that the Samsung Galaxy Note10 had a natural feel while using the S Pen, you will get your mind blown with this device. The lines are just keeping up with the Pen however fast you write.
It is not just an improvement on the speed and latency of the S Pen that Samsung has improved though. Its gesture control now is now even more than ever. You do not need to be in the camera app only to use S Pen gesture controls. You can create customised strokes too for even more functions making the S Pen the only remote you need for your Galaxy Note20. It can even be your presentation tool when you mirror your display on a smart display or even plug the device into a display via HDMI.
All these functionalities are only possible thanks to Bluetooth though. Which also means that the S Pen is still battery operated. The battery charges when you slot the S pen into the S Pen tray of the device though, quickly at that. While only having a battery life of about 30 mins on the S Pen, you can put it into the slot and it will charge to full within a minute, less actually.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 packs a 4,300mAh battery. That is 200mAh smaller than the more premium Galaxy Note20 Ultra. While it is smaller, it is still a significant size in a smartphone. Since the battery needs to power a smaller display too, the battery life should not differ by much to the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra.
Samsung promises that the Galaxy Note20’s 4,300mAh battery should last about 15 to 16 hours of continuous usage. That is about one full working day for us. We have not been using the device continuously for that long, so we are not able to confirm nor deny the numbers they put up on their website.
Our typical usage of the device was a couple of phone calls in a day, plenty of WhatsApp messaging, Telegram messaging as well, Emails, YouTube videos, A little bit of Netflix toward the end of the day, taking a few photos from time to time for social media, some music playing via Spotify through our own wireless earphones (since there is no 3.5mm jack), even some games from time to time. Most of our calls never lasted more than two minutes at a time. In fact, most of our phone calls are done within a minute. In our typical use case, the device leaves the charger at 7.30 a.m. most of the time too.
In our review period, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 could last us a whole day from 7.30 a.m. all the way to 11.00 p.m. and still have more to give. We typically put the device into charge by 12.00 a.m. at the latest. Typically, the device would still have about 10-15% of battery left when we plug it in. We recon that the 10% left of the device could last another 45-minutes to an hour if you use the device conservatively, longer if you put your device in ultra-battery-saver mode.
Of course, there are some atypical situations where we use the device for plenty of videos, connect the device to smart displays for presentations, and even using the devices as our data hotspot. In those conditions the device tends to drain its battery a little faster than our typical use. In that case, the device will cry out for a charger by about 9.00 p.m. But that also depends on how extensive you use certain functions, temperature, and plenty of other things really.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy Note20’s Android based OneUI is displayed through a brilliant Super AMOLED display at 6.7-inch. Yes, that is smaller than the Galaxy Note20 Ultra. It packs less resolution too at Full HD+. You need to justify that extra MYR 900 that you are paying for on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra somehow.
It is still an HDR10+ certified display with a punch hole in the middle under a Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It is still a premium Super AMOLED Plus technology. Just that you do not get the 1440p resolution.
Thing is, at this size the difference between 1080p and 1440p is so small that it is negligible. You can hardly see the difference between 1440p and 1080p at this size, which also means it does not make plenty of difference. What might make it feel different in the hands is the refresh rate of the display.
The Dynamic AMOLED 2X found on the Galaxy Note20 has up to 120Hz refresh rate. Of course, you can only use that 120Hz on 1080p Full HD+ mode on the display. In that sense, you might get a smoother sensation or feel on OneUI 3.0 on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra.
It is a minor thing though, this refresh rate, or lack of it. The interface is still a smooth operator without the 120Hz refresh rate. There tends to be a bit more blur when you are scrolling within the interface, which is a given at 60Hz. Coming down from a 120Hz also makes it feel a little clunky somehow. There is virtually no difference between the two though, just a minor difference in feel.
The colours that re on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 is brilliant thanks to Super AMOLED Plus technology. It is no Dynamic AMOLED 2X, but colour contrasts are just as expectedly bright and excellent. There is hardly any colour bleeding or fringing on the display, colours still pop too.
If you put the device beside the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, you might find that the colour temperature of the Galaxy Note20 Ultra is a little more natural, and colours might be a little more vivid on the more expensive device. It is also a very minute difference though, one that you have to really pay attention to notice.
That also means that the Samsung Galaxy Note20’s display is still a brilliant one to work with. The Super AMOLED Plus still stands as a great display against other flagships in the market. We cannot complain against the display at all. Then again, we have always championed AMOLED displays thanks to their better colour contrasts, brightness, and more vivid colours. In the new Galaxy Note20 series, they are more natural. We did notice that the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra had a slightly brighter display at the maximum brightness though. Whatever it is, you should still be very satisfied with the Samsung Galaxy Note20’s Super AMOLED Plus display.
Camera
This is probably the biggest difference between the regular Samsung Galaxy Note20 and its Ultra variant. The Note20 packs a 12-Megapixel main sensor accompanied by a 64-Megapixel telephoto lens, and another 12-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter. The main camera has a lens opening of f/1.8.
This is a similar camera arrangement to the Samsung Galaxy S20. In terms of camera as well, it is way less powerful than the 108-Megapixel plus two 12-Megapixel combo that the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra has. It is still a capable camera arrangement to have though.
You still can shoot videos at up to 8K in resolution. Of course, the compromise is that you have to be using the 64-Megapixel telephoto lens. That also means you have a smaller frame to work with and you have to keep your hands really steady. Mind you, Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) does not work at 8K resolutions.
Another downside to the Galaxy Note20’s camera arrangement is that you cannot get a digital zoom of up to 50x. Instead, you get only up to 30x while hybrid zoom is only up to 3x. That is also a limitation of the megapixel count though.
The thing is you do not really need to shoot videos at 8K resolution. You never really need to shoot photos at anywhere near 10x zoom in most cases. You just need your main camera to shoot great photos at most times and you should be fine.
The 12-Megapixel photos are sort of what you can expect from Samsung’s devices today. The photos are crisp, detailed, and vivid thanks to some clever AI Scene optimisation. Of course, 108-Megapixel will give you more detail in one frame. The problem with higher resolution is also more heat collected from the sensor. There is less heat management problems with the Galaxy Note20.
We put the Samsung Galaxy Note20’s thermals to the test especially during product shoots. We shot videos at 4K resolution and photos at a maximum 12-Megapixel. We switched between video and photos for about an hour. Battery dwindled quickly but the device did not heat up to the point where there is a need for concern. Yes, there was still heat, but it is not uncomfortable, and your hands still can manage it. Of course, if you leave it on timelapse mode for extended periods, you might get the device a little too hot and the camera app automatically switches off.
All these said, photos look as amazing as before. There are enough details that you can appreciate the photos and colours still look good. We have always maintained that 12-Megapixel is usually more than enough for a smartphone. That is because most of the photos you take with your smartphone tends to be shared over social media or messenger apps. In those apps, your photos tend to be compressed and they will lose some form of detail.
Still, images still look great, even in lower light conditions. As mentioned, details are still crisp enough even for small prints. Colours are vivid and accurate, and contrasts are quite good. The autofocus also works better in smaller spaces thanks to the smaller megapixel count and shorter lens distance. We are talking in reference to the 108-Megapixel camera on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra. For the autofocus to work better, your subject must at least be in the center of your camera though. If you are shooting at a close range, you might want to cover most of your frame with your subject to get autofocus to accurately peak on your subject.
You can, however, use the video footages for your own YouTube videos or Facebook videos. You might want to back out of 8K resolution recording and stick to 4K resolution instead. You should get stellar enough videos with 4K resolution and enough light source on your set or subject anyway. You can even crop your 4K videos down for 1080p videos, and it will still look great and professional with the right tools. There will still be heat build-up, yes, but it will not be uncomfortable even if you shoot for 20 minutes.
There is even slow-motion video mode if you stick to Full HD resolution. You can shoot at 240fps at a limited Full HD resolution. While not quite 4K, 240fps Full HD slo-mo videos still can look impressive in the right areas. You can totally shoot that good-looking skateboarding video.
The front camera is now a 10-Megapixel shooter that is also capable of shooting videos at 4K 60fps if you want. We are not very good with selfies, mind you, so our sample photos are not great. Still the 10-Megapixel selfie camera is detailed enough for you to work with. You can definitely use the photo to print a passport size photo and it will still be detailed enough to work with. There is also beauty mode that you can turn on or off to your liking. We like that even in low light the photos are still usable.
Gallery
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The Samsung Galaxy Note20 – Maybe You Do Not Need the Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 line-up is not a peculiar one in the standards of smartphones today. There is an issue of the difficulty of choice here though. Do you spend all your money on the ultra-capable, ultra-expensive, ultra-premium Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra? Or do you save some money and get the less premium Samsung Galaxy Note20 instead?
We always say that you should buy something according to what you want and what you need. You would want the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, of course. Do you need it though?
For nearly MYR 1,000 less you are still getting a very capable performer in today’s flagship standards. Yes, you get a slightly smaller, slower, and less resolution on your display. You also get a slightly less powerful camera array at a maximum of 64-Megapixel for its telephoto sensor rather than a 108-Megapixel. You get a slightly smaller battery too, thanks to the slightly more compact dimensions.
You are still getting a high-performing processing chipset that is the Exynos SoC platfrom, the same one in the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. You still get 5G readiness (MYR 3,899 for 4G only variant). There is still the great and mighty S Pen. The display is still an admirable AMOLED unit you can enjoy. You get about the same battery life. Even the photos still look great, even if you do not have 108-Megapixel to work with. You can still record 4K videos too. You get to choose the pretty looking Mystic Green variant at that.
In our eyes, most of the things we mentioned above are what you need in a Samsung Galaxy Note device. In our books then, the most important things for a Samsung Galaxy Note device is covered within the Samsung Galaxy Note20. In that case, we struggle to see the point of paying more for the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, if you do not have the extra MYR 1,000 to spend. If value is what you are looking for in this case, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 is value for the Galaxy Note series.
