The new Samsung Galaxy Note 20 seems to be getting lost between the Ultra version and the Samsung Galaxy S20, which was released earlier in the year. The main feature that differentiates the Galaxy Note 20 from the Galaxy S20 is the inclusion of a stylus. Even the price is not something that should make a massive difference, considering the base version of each phone is priced at $999.99 in the US.

Samsung revealed five devices during its Unpacked event and among them was the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G. The other devices unveiled included the Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+, the Galaxy Watch 3, the company's new Galaxy Buds Live earbuds, and its latest foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 2. In comparison, the Galaxy S20 series was announced in February.

Related: Galaxy Note 20 & Ultra: Best Samsung Phone Accessories To Buy

The Galaxy Note 20 provides the option for buyers to up their productivity game thanks to the phone’s signature S Pen. Samsung has added more ways the pen can be used to make the phone even more versatile. The Galaxy S20, on the other hand, is a lifestyle device that offers superior photography, good battery life, and a design that makes it “fashionable.” However, when comparing the base model for each of Samsung's two main lines, which is the better Samsung phone to buy in 2020?

Galaxy Note 20 Or Galaxy S20?

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The Galaxy Note 20 has a much larger screen thanks to the inclusion of a 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED Plus display. This compares to the 6.2-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED screen included with the Galaxy S20. Oddly, the Galaxy Note 20 only has a 60Hz refresh rate. In 2020 and for the $999 price, this might feel like a disappointment to some - unless they opt for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra which does come with 120Hz. As for the Galaxy S20, in spite of being older it does come with a refresh rate that goes up to 120Hz. Another notable difference between the standard and Ultra models, is that only the more expensive Galaxy Note comes with the new Gorilla Glass Victus shielding. This is a surprising choice, as cracks and scratches on the display can set the consumer back considerably.

Moving on from the display and the Galaxy Note 20 is powered by the Snapdragon 865 Plus processor while the Galaxy S20 relies on the non-plus Snapdragon 865. This means graphics rendering and processing speeds have improved slightly, but the difference is probably not enough to warrant choosing a Galaxy Note over a Galaxy S.

The Galaxy Note 20's camera system is more or less the same as the Galaxy S20’s, with the inclusion of a 12-megapixel camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and 64 megapixels for the telephoto. In comparison, the Galaxy S20's main camera sensor is 12 megapixels and does well in low light conditions. The wide-angle sensor is also 12 megapixels, while the selfie camera is 10 megapixels. Again, disappointingly, the regular Galaxy Note 20 comes with a non-periscope-enabled Space Zoom, which goes up to 30x. One of the drawbacks of the Galaxy S20 series is slow focusing, which has been fixed on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra using Laser AF sensor, but Samsung decided to keep that upgrade out of the standard Note model.

The Galaxy Note 20 comes with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM (there is a also a 256GB version), but it doesn’t have a microSD option and that could prove to be a problem for those that want to hang on to their phone for a few years. While the Galaxy S20 has 128GB storage (and 12GB RAM), it is also fitted with a microSD slot. Batteries are another area of difference between the two Samsung phones. While they both support fast charging and wireless charging, the Galaxy Note 20 has a 4300 mAh battery compared to the Galaxy S20's 4,000 mAh capacity.

Given the price of the new standard Note smartphone, it might not have the flexibility required to last the user a few years. For a few hundred dollars more, the Ultra has better future-proofing. However, if the S Pen doesn’t make that much of a difference to your experience, then the Galaxy S20 5G might be the better Samsung phone to buy in 2020.

More: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Vs. Ultra: Best Note Phone To Buy In 2020