With the Galaxy Note 20, Samsung may right the display and finger scanner wrongs of the S20
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and 20 Plus display size and refresh rate
- Galaxy Note 20 display specs: 6.42″ 2345 x 1084, 404 PPI, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz with LTPO or 60Hz LTPS
- Galaxy Note 20 Plus display specs: 6.87″ 3096 x 1444, 497 PPI, 19.3:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz with LTPO refresh rate
Samsung, on the other hand, has apparently placed a software stack that references various refresh rate levels – from 48Hz to 120Hz – but an automatic refresh rate solution hasn’t been implemented for some reason, so the S20 Ultra stays either at 60Hz or at 120Hz at all times.
The OnePlus 8 Pro, however, has automatic refresh that defaults to, say, 120Hz when you are browsing, and drops to 60Hz when you are watching a frame-upscaled video. Thus, it is gentler on its battery in 120Hz mode than the S20 Ultra thanks to the auto refresh rate pick that the software will do, whereas the S20 runs the phone’s display on 120Hz at all times.
Since video is usually shot at 24fps or 30fps, the 120Hz refresh can go to waste, but OnePlus used the Iris 5’s chip custom motion estimation-motion compensation (MEMC) solution that can upscale lower frame rates to match the higher display refresh. That’s exactly what Samsung is preparing to do with the upgraded LTPO panels of the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20+, according to Ross Young:
Note 20 Display Leak:
Note 20 will grow from 6.3″ on the 10 to 6.42″ on the Note 20. Resolution will increase slightly to 2345 x 1084, 404 PPI, 19.5:9 aspect ratio. 120Hz with LTPO, variable refresh, so lower power with 120Hz, great for always on mode. #GalaxyNote20— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) May 11, 2020
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and 20 Plus in-display fingerprint scanners may grow in size
Another gem in the Samsung Note 20 series supply chain analysis video above is the mention of the eventual in-display fingerprint reader that the Note 20 and Note 20 + may sport.
Unlike the first iteration that only allows users to scan one fingerprint, the 3D Sonic Max offers a recognition area that is 17x larger than the previous generation, allowing for increased security via simultaneous two-finger authentication, increasing the ease of use. Qualcomm also claims that its new fingerprint sensor is faster than the previous generation, but we have yet to hear by how much, and can’t wait to pit that tech against the S20 series scanners if it makes it to the Note 20 models.