This is my biggest wish for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

The new Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the phone that many people have been anticipating for quite a while.

I reviewed it and loved pretty much everything about it: it’s a powerhouse, it has a brilliant camera system that can now do long-range zoom, it performs extremely smoothly, and the S Pen now comes in its most responsive version yet, a joy to use for casual note-takers and artists.

But as you might have noticed in that detailed review, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is not exactly a battery champ. Despite having a large, 4,500mAh battery inside, the Exynos model that we have tested just doesn’t last very long. With average use, it will get you through a day, but… not much more! And heavier use tends to drain the battery even quicker.

• Check out how the Note 20 Ultra battery life compares against other flagships here

All of this has a logical explanation: the new 120Hz refresh rate! After using it for a while, for me, this is the killer feature: the fast refresh rate just makes everything run so much smoother and it eliminates those tiny bits of stutter in Samsung’s interface that have been an annoyance for quite a while. It is a transformative feature. But the 120Hz option also results in a big hit on battery life, even if now the phone is able to automatically fall back to a lower refresh rate and conserve some power when you are not scrolling around (the S20 Ultra was the first Samsung phone with a 120Hz screen and it ran at a fixed 120Hz rate).

I can already guess what our dear commentators would be quick to point out: “Okay, Victor, it’s easy to criticize, but do you suggest a solution, something to actually remedy this problem, or are you just here to bash Samsung?”

The solution, dear reader, is something simple that I fail to understand why Samsung hasn’t done so far: give us, users, a 90Hz option!

I have been using the new Asus Zenfone 7 Pro for a short while, and it is a brilliant new phone that appears to run in the same buttery smooth manner as the Note but… at 90 Hertz. Honestly, while I can notice the difference between 60Hz and 90Hz, I find it hard to notice the difference between 90Hz and 120Hz. Previously, I was impressed by the performance of the OnePlus 8, which also runs at 90 Hertz.

Both those phones have excellent battery life AND smooth moves. And while I sure don’t mind a 120Hz option like the Note 20 Ultra provides for extra smoothness, I would like to see Samsung give users a slightly less battery-draining option that would help get much better battery life. Anyone with me on this?

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