Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) vs Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB)
Side by side comparison between Sony Xperia 5 III vs Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
6.1"
OLED
OLED
1080x2520
12
MP
MP
8mp
8GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
4500
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
6.9"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1440x3088
108
MP
MP
10mp
12GB
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!
8 Advantages 
17 Advantages | 33 Common items in both devices |
| 128GB (109GB available) / 128GB (103GB available) |
| UFS 3.0 |
| Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC |
| HDR10+ |
| 120Hz |
| LED flash |
| Digital and optical zoom |
| +26 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 | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| Model | Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) |
| Other model names | Xperia 5 III XQBQ52G.UKCX (128GB+8GB RAM) | Galaxy Note20 Ultra SM-N986U (Snapdragon) - US Carriers |
| Country or region available |  (Global, International) |  USA |
| Brand | Sony | Samsung |
| Release date | 6/1/2021, Announced: 4/14/2021 | 8/21/2020, Announced: 8/5/2020 |
| Depth | 8.2 millimeters (0.32 inches) | 8.1 millimeters (0.32 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 68 x 157 millimeters (2.68 x 6.18 in) | 77.2 x 164.8 millimeters (3.04 x 6.49 in) |
| Weight | 168 grams (5.88 ounces) | 208 grams (7.28 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Aluminum frame, glass front/back | Stainless steel body, 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 | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| Display type | OLED | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Screen size | 6.1" inches | 6.9" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~81.4% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~92.5% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 1080x2520 pixels (21:9) | 1440x3088 pixels |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 449 PPI | 494 PPI |
| Colors | 1 billion | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass 6 | Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Display features | HDR10+ | 1500nits[peak] HDR10+ Always-On Display 120Hz@FHD 60Hz@QHD |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| System version | Android 11 | Android 10 |
| Firmware update | Android 13 | Android 13 |
| User Interface | feature not registered | One UI 2.5 / 3.1 / 4.1 / 5.0 |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| Chipset | 64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (SM8350) (5nm) | 64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (SM8250-AB) (7nm) |
| CPU | 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) | 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) |
| GPU graphical controller | Qualcomm Adreno 660 (840MHz) | Qualcomm Adreno 650 (250-646MHz) |
| Performance (benchmark) | AnTuTu: 708521 (v9) Geekbench: 3550 (v5.1) GFXBench: 53fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 508760 (v8) Geekbench: 2603 (v5.1) GFXBench: 42fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| RAM memory | 8GB LPDDR4X | 12GB LPDDR5 |
| Internal storage | 128GB (109GB available) UFS 3.0 | 128GB (103GB available) UFS 3.0 |
| External storage | Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (hybrid slot/shares the same SIM-2 slot) | Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| Dual-SIM | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card (hybrid slot/shares the same microSD slot) | Not supported |
| SIM card | 2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) | 1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 2000/1024 Mbps | 5000/1024 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 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 66) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46) VoLTE | 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 |
| Primary 5G network | SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78) | SA/NSA/Sub6 (2, 5, 41, 66, 71) mmWave (260, 261) |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6 |
| Secondary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | Not supported |
| Secondary 3G network | UMTS 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 | Not supported |
| Secondary 4G network | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 66) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46) VoLTE | Not supported |
| Secondary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A | Not supported |
📷 Camera | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | (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 | (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 |
| Main camera resolution | 4000x3000 pixels | 12000x9000 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 120 fps | 8K UHD (7680x4320) 24 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/1.7 (aperture) | f/1.8 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 24mm lens | 26mm lens |
| Sensor size | 1/1.7" inches | 1/1.33" inches |
| Pixel size | 1.8µm pixel | 0.8µm pixel |
| Autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras |
| 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@24/30/60/120fps 1080p@30/60/120fps Zeiss optics | 4K@60fps 1080p@240fps 720p@960fps |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 8 megapixels | 10 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 3264x2448 pixels | 3872x2592 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | f/2.0 (aperture) | f/2.2 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 24mm lens | 26mm lens |
| Sensor size | 1/4" inches | 1/3.2" inches |
| Pixel size | 1.12µm pixel | 1.22µm pixel |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| Loudspeaker | Stereo sound 24-bit/192kHz | Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz Dolby Atmos Tuned by AKG |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones or more |
| Radio | Not supported | FM |
| 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 | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| USB | USB 3.1 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go | USB 3.2 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go |
| Audio output | 3.5mm jack | Type-C reversible connector |
| TV output | USB Type-C (reversible) | USB Type-C (reversible) |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 + A2DP/LE | 5.0 + 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, QZSS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted) Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor ANT+ Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor UWB (Ultra Wideband) |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| Battery type | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 4500 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charger, watts | 30W Wired fast charging USB Power Delivery 3.0 | 25W Wired fast charging USB Power Delivery 3.0 |
| Inductive / wireless charging | Not supported | 15W Qi wireless charging (Qi/PMA) 4.5W Reverse wireless charging |
| Talk time autonomy | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Standby | feature not registered | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| 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: Black, Green, Pink • Dynamic vibration system • PS4 Remote Play • DUALSHOCK 4 compatibility | • Colors: Mystic Black, Mystic Bronze, Mystic White • Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor • Bixby • Samsung Wireless DeX • Samsung Pay (MST, NFC) • Stylus pen (Bluetooth integration) |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Sony Xperia 5 III (XQ-BQ52) | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986U 128GB) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | feature not registered | 0.83W/kg (head), 1.04W/kg (body) |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |