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Our Opinion

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is a significantly better phone, but the OnePlus Nord (12GB RAM, 256GB) is significantly better value for money. Which phone should you buy? Depends on how much you want to spend! But if budget is not a constraint then we recommend the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

OnePlus Nord (12GB RAM, 256GB)  Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 
OnePlus Nord Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Buy Now Buy Buy
Excellence Score
71.7
89.7
Value for Money Score
72.1
55.8
Price ₹ 29,999 onwards ₹ 77,999 onwards
Launch Date (India) Aug, 2020 Feb, 2020
Expected Launch Date N/A N/A
Smartphone OS Android 10Expected update to next Android version Android 10, Upgradeable to Android 11Expected update to next Android version
Touchscreen Yes (Capacitive) Yes (Capacitive)
Screen Size 6.44 inches 6.9 inches
Screen Resolution 1080x2400 pixels (~ 409 pixels per inch) 1440x3200 pixels (~ 509 pixels per inch)
Tall Aspect Ratio / Minimal Bezels Yes Yes
Scratch Resistant Display Yes, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Yes, Corning Gorilla Glass 6
Display Type AMOLED AMOLED
Screen Refresh Rate 90 HzHigh 120 HzSuper High
Display Features Video enhancer, Reading mode, Night mode Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz Refresh Rate, HDR10+, Always-on Display
Full Physical QWERTY Keypad
Processor 2.4 GHz 2.73 GHz
Processor Type Octa Core Octa Core
Processor Name Qualcomm Snapdragon 765GRanked #16 in Mobile Processor Benchmarks Samsung Exynos 990Ranked #7 in Mobile Processor Benchmarks
GPU Adreno 620 Mali-G77 MP11
RAM 12 GB 8 GB
3G Yes Yes
4G Yes Yes
5G Yes
VoLTE Yes Yes
WiFi Yes Yes
VoWiFi/WiFi-Calling Yes Yes
GPS Yes Yes
Bluetooth Yes Yes
Connecting Port USB-C USB-C
Primary Camera 48MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP 108MP + 48MP + 12MP + TOF 3D Camera
Camera Auto-Focus Yes Yes
Camera Flash Yes Yes
HD Video Recording Yes (4K) Yes (8K)
Other Camera Features 48MP: f/1.8 Aperture; 26mm Focal Length, 1/1.72" Sensor Size; 0.8um Pixel Size; PDAF; OIS, 8MP: f/2.3 Aperture; 119-degree Ultra-wide Sensor, 5MP: f/2.4 Aperture; Depth Sensor, 2MP: f/2.4 Aperture; Macro, HDR, Panorama, Video: [email protected]; [email protected]/60/240fps, EIS 108MP: f/1.8 Aperture; 26mm Focal Length; PDAF; OIS, 48MP: f/3.6 Aperture; Periscope; 102mm Focal Length; Telephoto; 1/2" Sensor Size; 0.8um Pixel Size; PDAF; OIS; 10x Hybrid Optical Zoom, 12MP: f/2.2 Aperture; 13mm Focal Length; Ultra-wide; Autofocus; Super Steady video, 0.3 MP: TOF 3D Camera, Auto-HDR, Panorama, Video: [email protected]; [email protected]/60fps; [email protected]/60/240fps, HDR10+ Video, Dual-video rec., Stereo Sound rec., Gyro-EIS, OIS
Secondary Camera 32MP + 8MP 40MP
Secondary Camera Features 32MP: f/2.5 Aperture; 1/2.8" Sensor Size; 0.8um Pixel Size, 8MP: f/2.5 Aperture; 105-degree Ultra-wide; 1/4.0" Sensor Size; 1.12um Pixel, HDR, Video: [email protected]/60fps; [email protected]/60fps f/2.2 Aperture, 26mm Focal Length, PDAF, Dual video call, Auto-HDR, Video: [email protected]/60fps; [email protected]
Internal Memory 256 GB 128 GB
Expandable Memory Slot Yes, up to 512 GB
Contacts Storage Unlimited Unlimited
SMS Storage Unlimited Unlimited
Music Player Yes Yes
FM Radio
Dual SIM GSM+GSM GSM+GSM (Hybrid SIM slot)
Thickness 8.2 mmMedium 8.8 mmMedium
Weight 184 gmMedium 222 gmHeavy
Width 73.3 mmOk for one-handed use 76.0 mmOk for one-handed use
Audio Output USB-C USB-C
Water Resistant Yes, IP68 Rated (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
Battery Capacity 4115 mAh 5000 mAh
Battery Standby N/A N/A
Battery Standby (3G) N/A N/A
Battery Talktime N/A N/A
Battery Talktime (3G) N/A N/A
Fast Charging Support Yes, 30 Warp Charge Yes, 45W Fast Charging
Included Fast Charger Yes, 30.0W Fast Charger Yes
Other Battery Parameters N/A N/A
Fingerprint sensor Yes Yes
Other Features UFS 2.1 Storage; In-display Fingerprint Sensor; NFC; Noise Filtration In-display Supersonic Fingerprint Sensor; Scratch Resistant Back (Corning Gorilla Glass 6); Samsung DeX (desktop experience support); Bixby; Samsung Pay; Reverse Wireless charging; UFS 3.0 Storage; USB Power Delivery 3.0; 15W Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging; 9W Power bank/Reverse wireless charging; NFC; ANT+ Support; Stereo Speakers; Noise Filtration; Dolby Atmos; AKG sound
2-minute Review [Positives]
  • Elegant and attractive looks - the Nord has the same design language as OnePlus flagships, and the in-hand feel is excellent
  • Front design is similar to some of the Oppo and Realme phones with its dual punch-hole selfie camera
  • The flat panel makes it significantly easier to use the phone with single hand
  • The in-display fingerprint sensor as well as the face unlock works very well, and all it needs is a quick tap to unlock the phone
  • Bright, crisp 6.44-inch Super AMOLED display - the 90Hz display on the Nord is just as vibrant and fluid as the OnePlus 8 with punchy colours and excellent viewing angles
  • The brightness levels are more than enough for any situation indoors while being enough for direct under-the-sun use
  • The OxygenOS is delight to have at this price, it is one of the most thoughtful, simple and clean Android skins which arguably offers the best user experience at this price point
  • Snappy and fluid performance from the new Snapdragon 765G - in regular use there's hardly any difference between the Nord and OnePlus 8, it feels as fast and responsive as it's more expensive sibling - heavy games like PUBG mobile and Asphalt 9 run at their highest setting without any issue or lag
  • Good camera setup for the price - a 48MP primary camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera, 5MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro
  • The primary camera is the same as the one on the OnePlus 8 and captures good detail and colours are really punchy and vibrant
  • The ultra-wide camera captures does a good job with colours and HDR with expected weaker details than the primary camera
  • The macro camera works decently well when there is a good amount of ambient light around the subject
  • The portrait lens also does a decent job, creates good bokeh and brings out nice portrait shots
  • Low-light photos turn out decent, given strong enough light sources around - for darker scenes, OnePlus offers a dedicated Night mode which can be quite effective in brightening up photos
  • Very good dual selfie cameras, a 32MP primary and an 8MP ultra-wide - the primary camera captures very good details, skin tones look good, and HDR is handled well
  • The ultra-wide front camera is a thoughtful addition which captures a lot wider scene for all your groupies
  • Overall, OnePlus has accumulated a great set of cameras for the price, they need some more tuning which OnePlus is known to provide with future updates
  • Very good battery life from the 4115 mAh battery - it can easily accommodate for a day and half worth of usage with light to moderate use at 90 Hz, switching to 60 Hz improves the battery even futher
  • Very good fast charging with the provided 30W charger in the box - it is able to take the battery to around 93 per cent in an hour, which is fairly quick
  • The OnePlus Nord ticks all the right boxes - you get a 90Hz AMOLED display, robust hardware, good set of cameras at the back and front, unmatched software experience, and 30W fast charging - OnePlus did a fantastic job distilling the essence of its flagships into the Nord, and the result is one of the best mid-range phones in 2020
  • Top end flagship build quality - the S20 Ultra is a fine piece of hardware that exudes quality and craftsmanship
  • The front looks absolutely gorgeous with an almost edge to edge screen and just a single punch-hole at the top centre - the front glass is slightly less curved along the side edges than previous S series phones
  • The phone is sealed tight and carries an IP68 rating, so you can accidentally dunk it in some water and it’ll survive
  • Stunning 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen that is the best you can buy on any phone right now - the sharpness of the display is simply outstanding with eye-popping clarity
  • The 120Hz refresh rate gives the screen a luscious smoothness that has to be seen to be believed, you’ve got a screen that simply dominates every other panel on the market
  • The screen is also HDR10+ certified, which means the right content will deliver incredible dynamic range - the HDR10 movies on Netflix look really impressive
  • Running the Galaxy S20 Ultra is Samsung's OneUI 2.1 on Android 10 - which, as far as Android UIs go, is one of the most refined, well thought-out experiences
  • Powering the S20 Ultra is the Samsung's own Exynos 990, which is one of the best CPUs available in the market, just a shade behind the Apple's A13 - the phone feels fast all the time, no matter what content or app you throw at the S20 Ultra, it devours the calculations and offers buttery smooth performance
  • The Galaxy S20 Ultra is a camera beast - the camera should be, and is, the number-one selling point for this phone - it’s a monster of an imaging system and is more advanced than just about anything you’ve seen before
  • Samsung gave the Galaxy S20 Ultra an impressive quad-camera system on the rear - the standard lens boasts a 108MP sensor, joined by an ultra wide-angle 12MP camera, an optical telephoto 48MP camera, and a time-of-flight camera to help process depth information
  • The main 108MP sensor is a beast, the base setting uses a process called nona binning to merge nine pixels to take 12MP shots, most standard daytime shots look nearly perfect - you can opt to shoot the full 108MP at any time, the full resolution shots are indeed impressive in their detail and the noise isn’t bad either
  • 48MP telephoto lens is capable of 10x lossless zoom and up to 100x digital zoom - the S20 Ultra’s mix of sophisticated hardware and software deliver a precise images that are much clearer than anything else in the market (though, the 100x zoom is just impractical and shots come out blurry)
  • The S20 Ultra’s 12MP Ultra-wide lens churns out exceptional results, delivering eye-catching shots, even in challenging lighting conditions
  • The low-light shots turn impressive, even in incredibly dark situations, the clarity is quite impressive, and the colours are perfect with little noise - the night mode further improves the quality with brighter and colourful images (though, the Pixel and iPhones still do a slightly better job in low light)
  • The most standout camera feature on the S20 Ultra is Single Take mode - when engaged, Single Take records a 10-second video and snaps multiple images, giving you an entire gallery of options to choose from and share
  • Video recording with the phone looks amazing - it’s sharp, colourful, properly exposed, and on-point when it comes to white balance - video also supports live focus mode, this uses the ToF camera to help judge depth and create a portrait-like effect when capturing video - it is also capable of capturing 8K videos (though, the use case for 8K is very limited)
  • The Galaxy S20 Ultra has improved ten-fold in Live Focus mode - the S20 Ultra captures very realistic photos and is a massive step up from the portrait mode in Samsung’s prior phones (though, iPhone 11 series is still the champ in portrait shots)
  • The 40MP selfie camera does a fine job - you get a worryingly clear view of your pores in good light, and the target resolution dips in low light to keep images clean and bright
  • A pair of USB-C headphones is included in the box
  • Very good stereo speakers
  • Good battery life with the massive 5000 mAh cell, which is the biggest yet in a Galaxy S series device - you will get a comfortable one day of use
  • Sufficient fast charging with the supplied 25W charger (supports upto 45W charging) - it boosts the battery by 50% after just 27 minutes
  • Also supports 15W wireless charging, and it can fill the battery to 50% in just 35 minutes on a charging pad
  • It’s honestly a ridiculous phone, a hyper car of flagship handsets, among sports cars - the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra offers pretty much every feature any phone owner could want - it has a gorgeous screen, classy hardware, wicked performance, good battery life, and capable cameras, if you have the means and the desire to own the most advanced phone on the market - go buy it (though, it’s also huge, heavy, and as pricey as they come)
2-minute Review [Negatives]
  • The Nord has a plastic mid-frame which definitely affects its premium positioning
  • The in-display fingerprint sensor is unreliable - it’s slower than other sensors on competition and far less accurate
  • Aesthetically, the S20 Ultra looks dull, the colour selection is particularly disappointing (just grey & black) - the huge camera module doesn't help either
  • It is also enormous and requires two hands to use most of the time - it doesn’t fit well in pockets, despite its slippery surfaces, and more or less requires a case for protection, which will only make it bigger
  • The phone just takes a half a tick longer to grab focus than it should, and when shooting video, it’ll lose focus and have to hunt for it again
  • It also have problems when it sees faces in the frame, it smoothens the skin tones excessively and brightens the whole scene unnecessarily
  • Overall, while Samsung has created flagship lever cameras that compete at the top level and comes out as champs in many situations, they are still slightly behind the iPhone cameras, that are more consistent and don't rely on just numbers, but quality
  • That said, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra isn't the best phone for everyone - a wider majority of people will do just fine with the Samsung Galaxy S20 or Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, you'll get the same fast processor, 120Hz display and improved cameras (minus the powerful zoom)
Expert Reviews
  1. The OnePlus Nord shines with its display, performance and gaming experiences
    techradar.com in-depth Read Review »
  2. The same OnePlus experience, but at a lower price
    gadgets.ndtv.com in-depth Read Review »
  3. The OnePlus Nord is a compact smartphone that offers the smoothest smartphone experience at this price
    digit.in in-depth Read Review »
  4. The Nord is an impressive smartphone, OnePlus has added all the right ingredients to jump-start its affordable phase of devices
    bgr.in in-depth Read Review »
  5. It has a comfortable, high-end design, smooth performance, and long-lasting battery life you don't have to worry about
    mashable.com in-depth Read Review »
  6. The Nord is a budget phone you can buy without worrying that it’ll need to be replaced next year.
    digitaltrends.com in-depth Read Review »
  7. One of the best mid-range phones in 2020
    androidcentral.com in-depth Read Review »
  8. The OnePlus Nord appears to be quite an impressive deal because of the sum of its premium design, and powerful internals
    indiatoday.in in-depth Read Review »
  9. phonearena.com in-depth Read Review »
  10. cnet.com in-depth Read Review »
  11. engadget.com in-depth Read Review »
  12. wired.com in-depth Read Review »
  13. theverge.com in-depth Read Review »
  14. forbes.com in-depth Read Review »
  15. fonearena.com in-depth Read Review »
  16. trustedreviews.com in-depth Read Review »
  17. indianexpress.com in-depth Read Review »
  18. economictimes.indiatimes.com in-depth Read Review »
  19. telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com in-depth Read Review »
  20. news18.com in-depth Read Review »
  21. tomsguide.com in-depth Read Review »
  22. stuff.tv in-depth Read Review »
  23. zdnet.com in-depth Read Review »
  24. slashgear.com in-depth Read Review »
  25. business-standard.com in-depth Read Review »
  26. firstpost.com in-depth Read Review »
  27. neowin.net in-depth Read Review »
  28. techpp.com in-depth Read Review »
  29. t3.com in-depth Read Review »
  30. pandaily.com in-depth Read Review »
  31. techadvisor.co.uk in-depth Read Review »
  32. thehindubusinessline.com in-depth Read Review »
  33. androidpolice.com in-depth Read Review »
  34. indiatimes.com in-depth Read Review »
  35. timesnownews.com in-depth Read Review »
  36. gadgetsnow.com in-depth Read Review »
  37. arstechnica.com in-depth Read Review »
  38. gsmarena.com hands-on Read Review »
  39. androidauthority.com hands-on Read Review »
  1. At the Ultra's asking price, you deserve to be spoiled, and you deserve to be getting magic, and since that's not the case, so check out the more affordable Galaxy S20s
    gsmarena.com in-depth Read Review »
  2. The S20 Ultra will likely impress you, especially if you can stomach its price
    phonearena.com in-depth Read Review »
  3. Camera is amazing but battery life and design aren't
    cnet.com in-depth Read Review »
  4. People who care only about getting the best of the best, the S20 Ultra is an excellent device... aside from the cameras
    engadget.com in-depth Read Review »
  5. A phone that's close to perfect
    wired.com in-depth Read Review »
  6. Samsung has certainly proved that it can make a fast, powerful, imposing phone... but it got caught assuming powerful hardware is enought
    theverge.com in-depth Read Review »
  7. The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is one of the best devices that Samsung has put out yet
    gadgets.ndtv.com in-depth Read Review »
  8. If you were ever considering switching from a high-end Apple iPhone, now’s the time as the S20 Ultra eclipses every other phone in nearly every power use case
    forbes.com in-depth Read Review »
  9. The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is a powerful phone with crazy specs... but it's unlikely you'll use its special features on a daily basis
    mashable.com in-depth Read Review »
  10. It’s the top dog, the king of the hill, the phone to beat
    androidauthority.com in-depth Read Review »
  11. Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra is as exciting as it is outrageously expensive
    expertreviews.co.uk in-depth Read Review »
  12. The Galaxy S20 Ultra is the ultimate phone, if you're willing to pay the ultimate price
    tomsguide.com in-depth Read Review »
  13. Samsung's biggest and most expensive phone delivers in almost every way
    androidcentral.com in-depth Read Review »
  14. Outmuscles just about any other Android phone you care to name
    stuff.tv in-depth Read Review »
  15. It’s a powerhouse of a phone, beautifully constructed, with a tremendous display and no shortage of features
    slashgear.com in-depth Read Review »
  16. If you are a tech enthusiast and have pockets deep enough to wield it, then the S20 Ultra is impossible not to recommend
    t3.com in-depth Read Review »
  17. The Galaxy S20 Ultra’s five cameras offer about as much fun as you can have shooting with a phone
    wired.co.uk in-depth Read Review »
  18. Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra is a high-performance phone with a great screen and some of the best battery life we've seen from a Samsung flagship in some years
    finder.com.au in-depth Read Review »
  19. The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is full of unmatched hardware innovations... but too pricey to recommend
    pcmag.com in-depth Read Review »
  20. The S20 Ultra is Samsung doing what Samsung does best, putting class-leading hardware on devices before anyone else
    gizmodo.com in-depth Read Review »
  21. fonearena.com in-depth Read Review »
  22. digitaltrends.com in-depth Read Review »
  23. news18.com in-depth Read Review »
  24. livemint.com in-depth Read Review »
  25. zeebiz.com in-depth Read Review »
  26. gadgetsnow.com in-depth Read Review »
  27. androidpolice.com in-depth Read Review »
  28. deccanchronicle.com in-depth Read Review »
  29. techadvisor.co.uk in-depth Read Review »
  30. timesnownews.com in-depth Read Review »
  31. thenewsminute.com in-depth Read Review »
  32. techradar.com hands-on Read Review »
  33. trustedreviews.com hands-on Read Review »
  34. pocket-lint.com hands-on Read Review »
  35. indiatoday.in hands-on Read Review »
User Reviews
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Official Website Official Website » Official Website »
Unofficial specs? N/A N/A
Individual Review 2
  • Individual Review 2
Individual Review

The TRUTH About OnePlus Nord!

Marques Brownlee

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Individual Review

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Review: Attack of the Numbers!...

Marques Brownlee

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Full Review

The TRUTH About OnePlus Nord!

Marques Brownlee

Full Review

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Review: Attack of the Numbers!

Marques Brownlee

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