Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) vs Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72)
Side by side comparison between Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G vs Sony Xperia 5 III phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
6.9"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1440x3088
108
MP
MP
10mp
12GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
4500
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
6.1"
OLED
OLED
1080x2520
12
MP
MP
8mp
8GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
4500
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better phone? Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB)
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
17 Advantages 
9 Advantages | 32 Common items in both devices |
| UFS 3.0 |
| Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC |
| HDR10+ |
| 120Hz |
| LED flash |
| Digital and optical zoom |
| PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras / PDAF: phase detection autofocus |
| +25 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| Model | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) |
| Other model names | Galaxy Note20 Ultra SM-N986U (Snapdragon) - US Carriers | Xperia 5 III XQBQ72/B1/G1/B2/G2 (256GB+8GB RAM) |
| Country or region available |  USA |     China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan |
| Brand | Samsung | Sony |
| Release date | 8/21/2020, Announced: 8/5/2020 | 6/1/2021, Announced: 4/14/2021 |
| Depth | 8.1 millimeters (0.32 inches) | 8.2 millimeters (0.32 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 77.2 x 164.8 millimeters (3.04 x 6.49 in) | 68 x 157 millimeters (2.68 x 6.18 in) |
| Weight | 208 grams (7.28 ounces) | 168 grams (5.88 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Stainless steel body, glass front/back | Aluminum frame, glass front/back |
| Protection against water and others | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant |
📲 Display | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| Display type | Dynamic AMOLED | OLED |
| Screen size | 6.9" inches | 6.1" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~92.5% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~81.4% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 1440x3088 pixels | 1080x2520 pixels (21:9) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 494 PPI | 449 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 1 billion |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass Victus | Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Display features | 1500nits[peak] HDR10+ Always-On Display 120Hz@FHD 60Hz@QHD | HDR10+ |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| System version | Android 10 | Android 11 |
| Firmware update | Android 13 | Android 13 |
| User Interface | One UI 2.5 / 3.1 / 4.1 / 5.0 | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| Chipset | 64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (SM8250-AB) (7nm) | 64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (SM8350) (5nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core, 3 processors: 1x 3.09GHz Kryo 585 (Single-core) 3x 2.42GHz Kryo 585 (Triple-core) 4x 1.8GHz Kryo 585 (Quad-core) | Octa-core, 3 processors: 1x 2.84GHz Kryo 680 (Single-core) 3x 2.42GHz Kryo 680 (Triple-core) 4x 1.8GHz Kryo 680 (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | Qualcomm Adreno 650 (250-646MHz) | Qualcomm Adreno 660 (840MHz) |
| Performance (benchmark) | AnTuTu: 508760 (v8) Geekbench: 2603 (v5.1) GFXBench: 42fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 708521 (v9) Geekbench: 3550 (v5.1) GFXBench: 53fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| RAM memory | 12GB LPDDR5 | 8GB LPDDR4X |
| Internal storage | 128GB (103GB available) UFS 3.0 | 256GB (230GB available) UFS 3.0 |
| External storage | Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (dedicated slot) | Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (hybrid slot/shares the same SIM-2 slot) |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card (hybrid slot/shares the same microSD slot) |
| SIM card | 1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) | 2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 5000/1024 Mbps | 2000/1024 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 | UMTS 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41, 46) VoLTE | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 66) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46) VoLTE |
| Primary 5G network | SA/NSA/Sub6 (2, 5, 41, 66, 71) mmWave (260, 261) | SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79) |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6 | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA |
| Secondary 2G network | Not supported | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | UMTS 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 66) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46) VoLTE |
| Secondary data network | Not supported | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A |
📷 Camera | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | (triple camera) 108 megapixels 12MP periscope telephoto f/3.0120mm1.0µmPDAFOIS5x-optical-zoom50x-hybrid-zoom 12MP ultrawide f/2.2120°13mm1/2.55"1.4µm | (triple camera) 12 megapixels 12MP telephoto f/2.3|70mmf/2.8|105mm1/2.9"PDAFOIS4.4x-optical-zoom 12MP ultrawide f/2.2124°16mm1/2.6"PDAF |
| Main camera resolution | 12000x9000 pixels | 4000x3000 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | 8K UHD (7680x4320) 24 fps | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 120 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/1.8 (aperture) | f/1.7 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 26mm lens | 24mm lens |
| Sensor size | 1/1.33" inches | 1/1.7" inches |
| Pixel size | 0.8µm pixel | 1.8µm pixel |
| Autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras | PDAF: phase detection autofocus |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | OIS: Optical stabilization | OIS: Optical stabilization |
| Zoom | Digital and optical zoom | Digital and optical zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Supported | Supported |
| HDR | HDR photo/video on both cameras | HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| Camera extras | 4K@60fps 1080p@240fps 720p@960fps | 4K@24/30/60/120fps 1080p@30/60/120fps Zeiss optics |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 10 megapixels | 8 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 3872x2592 pixels | 3264x2448 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | f/2.2 (aperture) | f/2.0 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 26mm lens | 24mm lens |
| Sensor size | 1/3.2" inches | 1/4" inches |
| Pixel size | 1.22µm pixel | 1.12µm pixel |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| Loudspeaker | Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz Dolby Atmos Tuned by AKG | Stereo sound 24-bit/192kHz |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones or more |
| Radio | FM | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| USB | USB 3.2 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go | USB 3.1 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go |
| Audio output | Type-C reversible connector | 3.5mm jack |
| TV output | USB Type-C (reversible) | USB Type-C (reversible) |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 + A2DP/LE | 5.2 + A2DP/LE |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot |
| DLNA | Supported | Supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, QZSS |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor ANT+ Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor UWB (Ultra Wideband) | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted) Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 4500 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charger, watts | 25W Wired fast charging USB Power Delivery 3.0 | 30W Wired fast charging USB Power Delivery 3.0 |
| Inductive / wireless charging | 15W Qi wireless charging (Qi/PMA) 4.5W Reverse wireless charging | Not supported |
| Talk time autonomy | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Standby | feature not registered | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| Messaging | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Mystic Black, Mystic Bronze, Mystic White • Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor • Bixby • Samsung Wireless DeX • Samsung Pay (MST, NFC) • Stylus pen (Bluetooth integration) | • Colors: Black, Green, Pink • Dynamic vibration system • PS4 Remote Play • DUALSHOCK 4 compatibility |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ72) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | 0.83W/kg (head), 1.04W/kg (body) | feature not registered |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |