Galaxy S20 Ultra hands-on: Samsung's pro phone is a monument to excess

It’s got everything (except a headphone jack).

- MICHAEL SIMON

The Galaxy S20 Ultra is the most phone I’ve ever held in my hand. I’m not just referring to the screen size—a hair under 7 inches—or even the weight, which tips the scales at 220 grams. It’s the whole package, which oozes luxury and excess in a way no Galaxy phone has ever before.

At a quick glance, the S20 Ultra doesn’t seem all that different from the S20 or S20+: You get the same basic features in increasingly larger displays (6.2, 6.7, and 6.9 inches, respectively, as you step up the line). But as soon as you pick up the Ultra, you can feel the difference. It feels more substantial than any other I’ve ever used, including the iPhone 11 Pro Max. It’s hefty without being too heavy, and gigantic without being cumbersome. That’s with a display that’s even bigger than Samsung’s recent 6.7-inch behemoths.

Even though the S20 Ultra is the thickest Galaxy phone since the S5 (and that thickness doesn’t even include its bulbous camera bump), the girth complements its tremendous size surprisingly well. The rounded corners and slimmer bezels give it a sleeker look than the Note 10. The taller aspect ratio makes it feel smaller and gives it a surprising hold ability.

Samsung’s color options, which are limited to somewhat staid black and gray, also give the phone a slimming appearance. That said, the extra millimeter of thickness that the Ultra has on the S20 and S20+ is palatable, and you’ll notice it, even if the phone you’re coming from is several years old.

While you’ll find a ton of power inside the Ultra’s chunky frame, you won’t be able to plug in your wired headphone without an adapter. This was to be expected after the Note 10+ dumped the headphone jack last year, but it still stings given the S20 Ultra’s otherwise maxed-out spec sheet.