Features

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: GadgetMatch for The Manager

Perfect phone for the team leader?

Published

October 12, 2020

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra represents the current pinnacle of the Galaxy Note line. That’s why it’s not far fetched to think that it can seamlessly add value to people from different walks of life.

In this first of a three-part feature, we’ll explore how the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra can be reliable partner for three specific people:

A balancing act

Having the ‘Manager’ title entails a lot of things. But more than anything, it’s a balancing act: juggling tasks, weighing interests, and considering several options. Having the right device to let you… manage, and give you one less thing to think about goes a long way.

In many ways that’s what the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is — a device so good at so many things that you don’t have to worry whether it can do something or not. It just works.

My daily grind

On any given day, I’m jumping from app to app, doing anything and everything from answering emails, coordinating via chat apps, taking unexpected calls, copy-editing, sharing stuff on social media, and also going on zoom meetings/events. When I said the work involved a lot of juggling tasks, I wasn’t exaggerating.

What “work from home” actually looks like

Thankfully, I shared a good chunk of these days with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. With it, I didn’t have to worry about whether my phone would conk out on me out of nowhere.

During random afternoons where my lower back would hurt, I can leave my laptop for a while and do all my work on the phone. Yes, that includes writing and copy-editing. The large 6.9-inch display is as close to tablet territory as you can get on a device that’s still somewhat pocketable.

It’s the perfect size for tasks that need plenty of screen real estate.

Not an actual article lol

This is true as well for some basic video editing. I hadn’t fully adjusted to any video editing app on Windows (I’ve mostly used Final Cut on Mac), but that’s not the case on Android. I’ve primarily been using CapCut, and the large display again comes into play in making video edits relatively easy even with my stubby fingers.

Video editing is less cumbersome on a bigger display

The processor, RAM, and storage naturally all played a part in this as well. Tackling all these tasks hiccup free won’t be possible without the 12GB+512GB combo as well as the Exynos 990 chip equipped on the unit I used.

A polished gadget

What stood out to me on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is just the overall polish of the device. At this point, we’ve all seen the design and the majestic look of the copper variant. But the polish goes beyond its physical look.

Samsung’s move from TouchWiz to ONE UI has been one of the best things to ever happen to the brand’s smartphone line. TouchWiz borderline unbearable. Meanwhile, ONE UI is as smooth and clean an experience as you’re going to get.

The UI plays a huge part in our interactions with our phones. And Samsung’s ONE UI does all these little things that truly make it easy to use.

I can long press on an app and immediately jump to a task or a conversation that I had left off. Switching from a paired bluetooth speaker to a bluetooth headset, and to the phone’s own speakers is seamless with the SmartThings app working in the background.

These quick actions are really nice

These little things are easy to miss or take for granted if you’ve only ever used a Samsung phone, but for us who jump from phone-to-phone due to the nature of our work, it’s such a welcome thing.

Things I wish I could have used more

There are two things on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra that truly make it stand out against other phones. Unfortunately, those are the two things I barely used.

The S Pen is the Galaxy Note’s headline feature. It’s improved over the years and will continue to do so as the Galaxy Note line evolves. But I found little use for it in my day-to-day life.

S Pen underutilized

Sure, it’s useful for signing documents here or there. But it’s not something I do very often. And I’ve also already established a workflow on this particular task that doesn’t require the assistance of a stylus.

I tried sketching with it too. But my days of sketching to help my mind glide are far behind me. Plus, I had also recently experienced sketching on a larger screen and that just feels more natural and intuitive than doing so on what feels like a tiny canvass.

I suck at sketching now. Not that I was any good to begin with

Lastly, there’s the camera. Despite not rating as the absolute best, we all pretty much already know what to expect from Samsung flagship cameras. They capture detail well and ups the saturation just a little bit for that distinct Samsung look.

However, being stuck at home and having a pile of work left me with little to no time to really explore the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s cameras. I do take photos regularly. But these are product shots that I still prefer to use my mirrorless camera on versus a smartphone camera.

It wasn’t all work

Naturally, I didn’t just use the phone for work. Every now and then I’d play a match or two of Call of Duty: Mobile. Naturally, the phone had no trouble running it on max settings.

My one takeaway is the uneven feeling when you’re holding the phone while you’re playing. The camera bump on this thing is massive, and it’s almost impossible not to grace the lenses when you’re in the heat of the moment.

Speaking of heat, I did experience some heating on this phone, although nothing that’s significant. But it didn’t happen while playing. The most strain happened while I was screen recording a live stream. It’s hard to imagine that to be something that most managers would do.

I also watched the K-Drama Memories of the Alhambra on this thing. I intentionally did so because of the gorgeous display. Plus pairing it with HiFi speakers was just an overall better experience versus the (relatively old) TV I currently own.

Watched this because of Park Shin-Hye

Is the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra fit for a Manager?

It surely is. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is filled to the brim in terms of specs and features. Anything you think you would need, the phone has it. One can even say it’s an overkill. But for getting practically anything done without any trouble whatsoever, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is an absolute killer.

Our Associate Creative Director insisted that this photo be included

I’ve had a personal infatuation with the Galaxy Note line. But as my need (and want) for the S Pen has waned, so has my desire for a Galaxy Note. One of its biggest appeals to me — a large display — is now also present on most phones today.

Personally, it’s no longer the perfect fit for me in terms of need. But for any other manager, it’s easy to say that the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has everything you need. And then some. If you have the means to splurge, this phone will go a long way in helping you with your tasks and making you look good.

Watch our Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Review

Buyer's Guide

2024 Samsung TV: Buyer’s Guide

Which 2024 Samsung TV is your GadgetMatch?

Published

April 21, 2024

GadgetMatch

With all the options available in the market, shopping for TVs can get overwhelming.

One brand Michael Josh recommends whenever someone asks? It’s none other than Samsung.

They have TVs for every price point and every feature a user might prioritize.

But which one is right for you?

Keep watching our 2024 Buyer’s Guide to find out the latest Samsung TV that best matches your needs.

Features

Why choose the MSI Claw?

Is it the gaming handheld for you?

Published

April 18, 2024

GadgetMatch

The MSI Claw is the latest gaming handheld from a major PC and laptop brand. The competition in this emerging gadget segment is tighter than ever. So, what is it about the MSI Claw that can scratch your gaming itch? Here’s a quick list.

Best grip in the game

One quick glance and it’s hard not to compare the claw with another popular gaming handheld. But a closer look and actually holding the thing will reveal that its grip easily feels better.

It has a slightly deeper groove that makes it easier to hold. So, MSI’s “Grip and Game” tagline isn’t all talk. Its design truly does provide one of the better feeling handles among its competition.

The overall design makes sure it’s made for extended gameplay sessions. The buttons are where you expect them to be. That includes the four mini buttons on the upper edges of the screen. These are the View, MSI Center M, Menu, and Quick Settings buttons.

In addition, the face buttons and d-pad all feel great. The face buttons, in particular, feel comparable to those of regular console controllers.

The rest of the buttons and triggers have a very satisfying tactile feel. It also uses Hall Effect technology to get rid of any stick drift issues.

Up top, you’ll find the power button, MicroSD Card slot, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, audio jack, and the volume buttons. These are intuitively placed and just makes sense given the overall design approach.

As cliché as it sounds, you’ll really think you got your money’s worth once you hold, touch, press, and grip the MSI Claw.

Dragon Vision

Now, MSI isn’t really calling it that but I thought it sounds pretty cool. A big part of the whole gaming experience is the display. Balancing resolution and frame rates is always tricky but the MSI Claw does it convincingly.

With this gaming handheld, you get a 7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Looks great on paper and it’s even better in real life. It’s the sweet spot in terms of both size and performance. There’s enough here to immerse you all while delivering a satisfying level of crisp and smoothness.

It’s comfortable to view whether you’re on the couch, on a desk table, or lying down getting a quick game in before you get some shut-eye.

Battery Life

At 53Whr, the MSI Claw has a 36% larger battery capacity than its contemporaries and promises 50% more play time.

MSI claims “elevated performance with extended endurance” using the Claw with faster charging capabilities.

These percentages are hard to measure in real life usage. What we can say for certain is that you get the expected performance and playtime typical of a handheld. That’s a little under two hours for graphically demanding titles, and close to four hours on less demanding ones.

The charging claim is legitimate. The MSI Claw juices up faster than most other handhelds, going from 20% to 100% in about a little over a K-Drama episode (roughly a little over an hour).

MSI Center M

Any self-respecting gaming handheld has its own software to make navigating the thing more manageable. While its direct competitors have an armoury crate and a space, MSI went with Center M.

The best part about MSI Center M is it puts your installed games front and center. Right when it launches, you get immediate access to the titles you have available on your machine.

MSI Afterburner is already the most commonly used app for taking a look at how your machine is performing while you play. That functionality is built-in to the MSI Claw. You can access it view the Quick Settings buttons.

Layout and functionality-wise, the MSI Center M is certainly one of the better Gaming Handheld softwares available right now.

Competitive Performance

A defining trait of the MSI Claw is that It’s the first gaming handheld to be powered by Intel Core Ultra. With it comes Intel XeSS tech. What it does is leverage AI upscaling to boost the fps of select titles.

As of launch, 50 notable games are supported. That number will certainly grow throughout the device’s lifespan. Some of the titles include Hi-Fi Rush, Dying Light 2, Forza Horizon 5, Call of Duty Warzone 2.0, Returnal, and many, many more.

Naturally, results will vary depending on the game mode you’re using. But in general, AAA games get anywhere between 10% to 45% better frame rate performance with Intel XeSS.

For our part we played TEKKEN 8 and the recently launched Horizon Forbidden West. Both graphically demanding games played relatively well on the MSI Claw. Frame rate performance on TEKKEN 8 is crucial and we got a relatively consistent fps, never dropping below 40.

Horizon Forbidden West is a much more graphically demanding game. We were able to run it in Medium Settings and while it doesn’t look as incredible, it still played relatively well with a frame rate surprising for a gaming handheld.

Extras

MSI made sure that if you wanted to, you could get some extra stuff with the MSI Claw. Its separately sold accessory set includes the Claw Travel Case, Nest Docking Station, Claw Lanyard, and Claw Keychain.

On paper, the MSI Claw lists its ergonomic design, AI Engine, and App Player as distinct advantages over its competition.

Whether it’s the Gaming Handheld that matches your needs is still ultimately up to you. If you have the opportunity to test drive the device, we suggest you do so. That might just solidify your purchase decision.