Galaxy Note20, Tab S7, Watch 3 and Buds Live: Samsung presents four new products in one go
Samsung used its Unpacked event on 5 August 2020 to unveil four new products: The Galaxy Note20 (Ultra) as this year's edition of the pen smartphone, new tablets with the Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+, the Galaxy Watch 3 as a new smartwatch and the bean-shaped true wireless headphones Galaxy Buds Live.
A common feature of all products is that they are successors to existing devices. None of them are really new - even if the Buds Live look very different to the Galaxy Buds. All new products in a quick overview.
Pen smartphone: Galaxy Note20 (Ultra)
Samsung has high expectations. The Note20 is intended to be nothing less than a PC replacement and gaming device. Its features seem appropriate and the S Pen and customised functions show that Samsung means business. Even if the promise is of course reminiscent of Apple's advertising for the iPad Pro, which is not supposed to be a tablet but a computer.
With the S Pen, you will not only be able to write on the 6.7-inch display (6.9 inches on the Note20 Ultra) - Samsung promises to have improved handwriting recognition through artificial intelligence. According to Samsung, the stylus should replace your finger when operating the device. Five new "Air Actions" have been added. These are movements or gestures that you perform with the stylus in the air and, for example, adjust the volume or swipe to the next image. To ensure that this happens quickly, Samsung has reduced the latency of the pen - i.e. the time it takes to transmit the command - from 42 to 9 milliseconds.
Work and play
The folder structure on the Note20 should now be reminiscent of a PC and Samsung Dex should now work wirelessly on certain SmartTVs with Miracast (for Samsung itself, this applies to models from 2019). Dex is a programme that designs the user interface of the smartphone on a large screen like a classic PC interface. It has been available for monitors for several years and still requires a connection via USB-C cable.
Samsung has updated its Notes app with a synchronisation function via the cloud and lets you move files back and forth to Outlook and Onedrive. This is part of the expansion of the partnership with Microsoft, which also means that the Note20 is one of the Android devices that support xCloud. This means you can stream Xbox games to your smartphone and play them there. Provided you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a Bluetooth controller and sufficiently fast internet (WiFi 6 or 5G are recommended).
Selected tech specs
- Note20: Super AMOLED Plus, 6.7 inch, 60 Hertz, Full HD+ / Note20 Ultra: Dynamic OLED, 6.9 inch, 120 Hertz, WQHD+
- Exynos 990
- Note20: 8 GB RAM / Note20 Ultra: 12 GB RAM
- 256 GB storage (Ulra also with 512 GB)
- Note20: 12 megapixel wide-angle, 12 megapixel ultra-wide-angle, 64 megapixel telephoto; 10 megapixel front camera
- Note20 Ultra: 108 megapixel, 12 megapixel ultra wide angle, 12 megapixel telephoto; 10 megapixel front camera
- Note20: 4300 mAh / Note20 Ultra: 4500 mAh
- Note20: Gorilla Glass 5 / Note20 Ultra: Gorilla Glass Victus
- IP68
- Android 10
- 5G, WiFi 6
- Note20: Mystic Grey, Mystic Green, Mystic Bronze / Note20 Ultra: Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, Mystic White
Android tablet with stylus: Galaxy Tab S7(+)
If the display of the Note20 is still too small for you, the new tablets might be something for you. The Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ differ in size and can also be operated using the S Pen. While the Tab S7 has an 11-inch LTPS TFT display, the S7+ has a 12.4-inch AMOLED display. Both screens support a refresh rate of 120 hertz. The tests will show how big the difference in quality is between the two technologies.
Both tablets run Android 10 and are equipped with the Snapdragon 865+ chipset. There are differences in the RAM - S7: 6 GB, S7+: 8 GB - and internal memory - S7: 128 GB, S7+: 256 GB - as well as the battery - S7: 8000 mAh, S7+: 10,090 mAh.
The main camera has a resolution of 13 megapixels and is complemented by a second lens with 5 megapixels. The front camera has eight megapixels and has been moved to the long side of the tablet for video calls. The four speakers are from AKG and support Dolby Atmos. There is no 3.5 mm headphone connection, only a USB-C port. WiFi 6 is definitely on board and the S7 is also available as an LTE version and the S7+ as a 5G version.
The S Pen is included in the scope of delivery. If you want to convert the tablet into a notebook replacement with a plug-in keyboard, you can also buy a case with keyboard.
Galaxy Watch 3
Samsung says it has made the display of the Galaxy Watch 3 larger, but left the size of the smartwatch unchanged thanks to a narrow bezel. In concrete terms, this means that you are looking at a 1.2-inch display on the 41-millimetre version and a 1.4-inch touchscreen on the 45-millimetre version. The rotating bezel of the watch is still available as a control element.
The case of the Galaxy Watch 3 is made of stainless steel and the strap is made of leather. The smartwatch is IP68 waterproof. Samsung has added new functions to its in-house Tizen-based operating system. These include fall detection, which sounds an alarm if you fall with your watch, and a blood oxygen saturation sensor. Yes, that doesn't just remind you of the Apple Watch.
Galaxy Buds Live
And then there are Galaxy Buds Live. Samsung's latest true wireless headphones look like beans or kidneys and disappear more into the ear than many other true wireless models due to their shape. They feature Active Noise Canceling (ANC) and are designed to use microphones to filter out outside noise so you can focus on your music, podcast or audiobook.
According to Samsung, the battery life of the Buds Live varies depending on the usage mode - ANC and Bixby voice control on or off - between 5.5 and 8 hours or 20 and 29 hours if you recharge the buttons in their case in between. They should be able to charge for an hour of listening to music in five minutes and the charging case also supports the Qi wireless charging standard.
And then there was a brief reference to the Galaxy Z Fold2 and initial details. The outer display is said to be 6.2 inches and the inner 7.6 inches. Samsung has also announced an improved camera, a new design and, above all, a modified folding mechanism.
When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.