Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra vs Sony Xperia 1 VIII
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (2020) runs on the Samsung Exynos 990, while the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $1299 and $1500. By overall MobileRank rating, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads — 77/100 vs 57/100 (a 20-point difference). Key differences: the Sony Xperia 1 VIII has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 108 MP vs 48 MP; the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is faster in AnTuTu (3,842,882 vs 918,508).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
What makes Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra better?
- Better main camera: 108MP vs 48MP
- Cheaper at launch: $1299 vs $1500
- Better display (88/100 vs 80/100)
What makes Sony Xperia 1 VIII better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3842882 vs 918508
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1222
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 3060
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4500 mAh
- Faster charging: 30W vs 25W
- Lighter: 200g vs 208g
- Higher performance (97/100 vs 58/100)
- Better camera (69/100 vs 49/100)
- Longer battery life (53/100 vs 42/100)
- Better portability (56/100 vs 53/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra vs the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII scores 20 points higher (77/100 vs 57/100). In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (97/100 vs 58/100). In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (69/100 vs 49/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (53/100 vs 42/100). Value score: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra — 24/100, Sony Xperia 1 VIII — 62/100; it shows how far a model sits above or below the usual level for its price, and is not part of the overall rating. In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (97/100 vs 58/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a bit better (88/100 vs 80/100). In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (69/100 vs 49/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a bit better (53/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII and the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra are nearly equal (56/100 vs 53/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra | Sony Xperia 1 VIII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Samsung Exynos 990 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 918508 | 3842882 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1222 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3060 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.9" AMOLED | 6.5" LTPO OLED | |
| Resolution | 3088x1440 | 1080x2340 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 25W | 30W | |
| Wireless charging | 15W | 15W | |
| Main camera | 108 MP | 48 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 48 MP | |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 48 MP | |
| Front camera | 10 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 10 | Android 16 | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP65/IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 164.8×77.2×8.1 mm | 162.0×74.0×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 208 g | 200 g | |
| Launch price | $1299 | $1500 |
Camera comparison
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
- Main: 108MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 10MP
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- Main: 48MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
- 6.9" AMOLED
- Resolution: 3088x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 6.5" LTPO OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 25W
- Wireless: 15W
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 15W
Overall performance score
We compared Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Sony Xperia 1 VIII, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra by 76.1% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $201. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra was $201 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (97/100 vs 58/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a bit better (88/100 vs 80/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (69/100 vs 49/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a bit better (53/100 vs 42/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII and the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra are nearly equal (56/100 vs 53/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra by 20 points (77/100 vs 57/100).
What is the rating of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 57/100, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII — 77/100.
Which has the better camera: the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on camera score (69/100 vs 49/100).
Which is more powerful: the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on performance (97/100 vs 58/100).
Should you choose the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra over the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a better fit for gamers and power users.