Confessions of a Galaxy S20 Ultra owner

[Gray Area]

The s20 ultra may be the most polarizing phone I've seen to date. Before getting one, I said... to expensive, not much of an upgrade over last yr or even 2 yrs ago. Then I got an offer I couldn't refuse on one, so I traded in my trusty Note 9 and went all in with no s-pen.

After getting it I kept reading and watching reviews and even people on this forum saying it was a bust, it was not worth the money, it was an epic fail, the camera was trash etc.... The first couple of days of having the Ultra I really disliked the camera and fingerprint sensor, but loved everything else.

1. It's lightning fast software experience,
2. it's buttery smoothness is what I dreamed of back in the day when Google was touting their project butter efforts
3. it's modest yet bold appearance, camera hump and all
4. it's massive but perfectly sized for my taste
5. the screen is the best in the biz
6. it's battery life is the best I've ever experienced, I don't even use my wireless charging anymore, just top up with the super fast charging for 25-30 min after a day of use.

All of these attributes make this phone amazing! But wait there's more!

After playing around with the camera for a few days either I got better at using the cameras or the cameras just got better themselves, but my pics are vibrant, crisp and look great. It might not be the point and shoot king but it definitely battles and wins at least half of the rounds when going up against any smartphone out there imo.

Now the fingerprint sensor, it's just a little annoying but I've gotten the hang of it, looks like Qualcomm is going to be enhancing future versions of it that will make it much better on future phones. To bad its to late for this one I almost feel like Samsung hates tempered glass screen protectors! First they give us curved screens that took years for the screen protector makers to figure out how to make it work. Then they flatten out the curve and put a in screen fingerprint sensor that uses sound waves and now the companies have to figure this out. lol

With all that said, the price is still to high at full retail! Samsung I hope will learn its lesson as well as all other oems! Stop increasing phone prices! I think the flagship market taps out at around $1199.00 and that should be the biggest HD model with the most ram! Even if the phone folds, it still shouldn't eclipse that price point imo! It's to many great mid range phones out there including Samsung's own A series phones to justify $1399.00 and up pricing. Luckily Samsung is always giving freebies and discounts so anyone who may want one, definitely should get it at their discount rates. I have no regrets with this phone! It's at its very least top 3 in almost every category you can grade a phone on and #1 in many of those categories, imo. It's the equivalent of the Golden State Warriors at the height of the splash brother's and KG! Best in the biz but a few injuries and hiccups here and there and you just can't win them all.

Thanks for listening or reading my ramblings!

 

[mustang7757]

Thanks for sharing

 

[Gray Area]

No problem, thanks for reading. I just hear so much hate for the s20 ultra and other then the price, the phone is truly awesome, just came out at the wrong time, wrong price, and they shouldn't have overly hyped the camera. Promise little then give alot is what I always say They didn't follow that rule.

Thanks for sharing

 

[customshopkv1]

I don't regret switching from my iPhone to this S20U

 

[mustang7757]

No problem, thanks for reading. I just hear so much hate for the s20 ultra and other then the price, the phone is truly awesome, just came out at the wrong time, wrong price, and they shouldn't have overly hyped the camera. Promise little then give alot is what I always say They didn't follow that rule.

I agree with that "promise a little but give a lot"

The ultra is a excellent device , I might get one if Note 20 doesn't fit the bill later

 

[DanielLoreti]

My Ultra is my favorite phone I've owned. Love the size and feel. It just feels super premium and the screen and battery are brilliant. As for the cameras...I've taken primarily day photos with a good light and the pics are the best I've taken on a phone. I've taken a few lowlight/dark/night pics and they are hit and miss. Some come out really good, especially with the flash on, others not so much. Same with night mode. Some good and some bad. I haven't taken any videos yet.

Edit: I also came from a Note 9 (which I still have as a backup).

 

[LordAndroid]

I upgraded from the N10 + and I agree with the OP. I will add I haven't figured how to side step the bokeh effect when I take a standard photo after one camera update but otherwise I am Ultra happy with the S20U. Especially when I got it for 50% off. This device is definitely one to be experienced as a whole. Love how people love to trash a product for any reason without spending more then a week with the device. Don't always believe the hate is all I say.

 

[rikken]

Came from the N10+ and I really enjoy the Ultra. Used to think it was too expensive with nothing much to offer. But it really is the best from Sammy so far. Great screen, speakers, batterylife and camera. Fluid throughout the whole UI.

 

[buzzy3970]

To be fair most of the hate is coming from people that never purchased the S20 or those that purchased it and expected not to like it. I've really enjoyed my Ultra. Hasn't been perfect but no major complaints including the camera.

 

[Mike Dee]

I have never looked back. Its a great device despite all the chatter.

 

[Robert Johnson6]

Love my s20 ultra great battery great reception awesome everything only thing wrong with it is the zoom sometimes doesn't work right but I don't use my camera all that much anyways everything is amazing on this phone the screen quality speakers ect way more good then bad with this phone

 

[MoreDef]

I've got to say, as an owner, I'm quite disappointed =(.

The battery is average at best for me. I religiously charge to 80% and plop it back on a wireless charger (no case, no fast charging) at 40%. For the 40% of the battery I use, it's pretty standard. The first hour of SoT drains 20%, then every other hour drops me another 10%. That leaves me with 3 hours of SoT for 40%. Going by the math, that would give me 6 hours for 80% and 8 hours from charge to drain (perish the thought!). Given that I paid $1600 for it, I run it on high performance mode and 120hz all the time (I'll get to that in a second). Given those things, I get the battery drain, but it's still just a decent battery for me.

In terms of the display, while I love 120hz, the trade-off is simply unacceptable to me. Samsung makes the best displays and my Note 9 spoiled me (I also went from a Note 9 to an S20U). YouTube videos are capped and so are all my other streaming services. It's disappointing to know that I'm settling for one or the other on such a promising device.

Finally, and I think I've made my peace with this, the camera is terrible (for me and the situations I'm shooting), and the fact that I have to carry a Pixel 3XL around just for the camera is sad, especially since I again paid such a premium.

I know, I know, you guys love it, and I respect that. And I'd love to downgrade and get rid of mine, but I'm on an EIP with T-Mobile, and there's nothing I can do until at least half the phone is paid off, after which time I can trade it in and start fresh.

Sorry, not trying to hi-jack, just adding my confession as an (embarrassed) S20U owner.

 

[Gray Area]

Sorry your having such a bad experience, I understand the device is not for everyone. Your right for the price there should be no compromise. I havn't had any of the issues you've had but if I did I'd feel the same way.

I've got to say, as an owner, I'm quite disappointed =(.

The battery is average at best for me. I religiously charge to 80% and plop it back on a wireless charger (no case, no fast charging) at 40%. For the 40% of the battery I use, it's pretty standard. The first hour of SoT drains 20%, then every other hour drops me another 10%. That leaves me with 3 hours of SoT for 40%. Going by the math, that would give me 6 hours for 80% and 8 hours from charge to drain (perish the thought!). Given that I paid $1600 for it, I run it on high performance mode and 120hz all the time (I'll get to that in a second). Given those things, I get the battery drain, but it's still just a decent battery for me.

In terms of the display, while I love 120hz, the trade-off is simply unacceptable to me. Samsung makes the best displays and my Note 9 spoiled me (I also went from a Note 9 to an S20U). YouTube videos are capped and so are all my other streaming services. It's disappointing to know that I'm settling for one or the other on such a promising device.

Finally, and I think I've made my peace with this, the camera is terrible (for me and the situations I'm shooting), and the fact that I have to carry a Pixel 3XL around just for the camera is sad, especially since I again paid such a premium.

I know, I know, you guys love it, and I respect that. And I'd love to downgrade and get rid of mine, but I'm on an EIP with T-Mobile, and there's nothing I can do until at least half the phone is paid off, after which time I can trade it in and start fresh.

Sorry, not trying to hi-jack, just adding my confession as an (embarrassed) S20U owner.

 

[MoreDef]

Sorry your having such a bad experience, I understand the device is not for everyone. Your right for the price there should be no compromise. I havn't had any of the issues you've had but if I did I'd feel the same way.

Thanks. I'm glad it's working out for you though! Do you miss your Note 9 at all?

 

[donm527]

I know, I know, you guys love it, and I respect that. And I'd love to downgrade and get rid of mine, but I'm on an EIP with T-Mobile, and there's nothing I can do until at least half the phone is paid off, after which time I can trade it in and start fresh.

Sorry, not trying to hi-jack, just adding my confession as an (embarrassed) S20U owner.

Don’t downgrade at this point... wait for the Note 20.

I wasn’t expecting much but the rumors are rolling in and it’s sounding pretty much the way I’ve been hoping... 86 the gimmicky “Space Zoom” but looks like the 108mp sensor will stay and maybe a smaller more usable Zoom.. to maybe 30X?

If they tweak the lens/aperture choice maybe they can fix that crazy thin DOF and new autofocus the camera should perform and score better than the Ultra.

Add the new 120hz panel, 2nd gen FPS, hopefully as thin as Note 9 as rumored recently and not much bigger in dimension to last Note... and you add the S-Pen... we might just get the phone the Ultra should have been. And maybe Flat glass!! Finally to be able to stick a regular glass protector on it!!

https://youtu.be/QfsiJhz7A3k

 

[Gray Area]

I always miss the s-pen whenever I get a non note phone. I miss the convenience of jotting notes, editing, using the hover translation and remote picture function. I also miss the less complicated fingerprint scanner. But other then those things, no. The s20 is faster, the display is bigger and brighter, in my experience the camera is better, speakers are better, battery last waaaayyy longer and charges faster. This is the first S phone that I've liked better then a note.

Thanks. I'm glad it's working out for you though! Do you miss your Note 9 at all?

 

[donm527]

The s20 is faster, the display is bigger and brighter, in my experience the camera is better, speakers are better, battery last waaaayyy longer and charges faster. This is the first S phone that I've liked better then a note.

Vs an (almost) two year old phone... that's understandable.

 

[MoreDef]

I always miss the s-pen whenever I get a non note phone. I miss the convenience of jotting notes, editing, using the hover translation and remote picture function. I also miss the less complicated fingerprint scanner. But other then those things, no. The s20 is faster, the display is bigger and brighter, in my experience the camera is better, speakers are better, battery last waaaayyy longer and charges faster. This is the first S phone that I've liked better then a note.

True. I miss doodling at staff meetings.

My problem is the S20U just doesn't have a good GCAM mod. If that got made, then I think I would be absolutely fine with this phone.

Oh yeah, the fingerprint reader is turrrrble on this thing. I don't know if it's the Whitestone Dome screen or what, but it fails literally 50% of the time.

 

[Gray Area]

to be fair, most reviews of the s20 ultra has it being pretty much the fastest at daily tasks period, iPhone 11 pro max gets it in loading games though. it usually is in the top 5 with battery tests, and the display is touted as best in the business.

Vs an (almost) two year old phone... that's understandable.

 

[Mike Dee]

I've got to say, as an owner, I'm quite disappointed =(.

The battery is average at best for me. I religiously charge to 80% and plop it back on a wireless charger (no case, no fast charging) at 40%. For the 40% of the battery I use, it's pretty standard. The first hour of SoT drains 20%, then every other hour drops me another 10%. That leaves me with 3 hours of SoT for 40%. Going by the math, that would give me 6 hours for 80% and 8 hours from charge to drain (perish the thought!). Given that I paid $1600 for it, I run it on high performance mode and 120hz all the time (I'll get to that in a second). Given those things, I get the battery drain, but it's still just a decent battery for me.

In terms of the display, while I love 120hz, the trade-off is simply unacceptable to me. Samsung makes the best displays and my Note 9 spoiled me (I also went from a Note 9 to an S20U). YouTube videos are capped and so are all my other streaming services. It's disappointing to know that I'm settling for one or the other on such a promising device.

Finally, and I think I've made my peace with this, the camera is terrible (for me and the situations I'm shooting), and the fact that I have to carry a Pixel 3XL around just for the camera is sad, especially since I again paid such a premium.

I know, I know, you guys love it, and I respect that. And I'd love to downgrade and get rid of mine, but I'm on an EIP with T-Mobile, and there's nothing I can do until at least half the phone is paid off, after which time I can trade it in and start fresh.

Sorry, not trying to hi-jack, just adding my confession as an (embarrassed) S20U owner.

I charge to 100 percent and recharge between 30 and 40 percent. I get a full day unless I'm in extreme usage mode.