- iFixit did a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 demolition with both the Ultra and Vanilla models.
- Both phones are difficult to repair - you won't be replacing the battery yourself.
- Oddly enough, Samsung uses different cooling for versions of the same model.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series may offer a premium over previous year's models, but that doesn't translate into easier repairs.
The iFixit team has completed the dismantling of the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra. Both are difficult to repair yourself - about as daunting as the Galaxy S20 and considerably harder to repair than rivals like the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Tear off Samsung Galaxy Note 20
According to iFixit, it is "far too difficult" to replace the stuck battery. If your power adapter is worn out, you will likely seek help from Samsung. The DIY repair shop also warned that display fixes are "poorly prioritized" and costly. Added that virtually all fixes require peeling, cleaning, and replacement of "tough glue".
Even if you are not prone to prying your phone open, the tearoffs are revealing. For one thing, Samsung, oddly enough, uses different cooling methods between devices on the same phone for no clear reason to do so. For example, you can get graphite or copper on an otherwise identical Exynos model. It's not sure if this has a practical impact on your phone's cooling performance, but it does leave room for some variation.
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Oddly enough, iFixit couldn't find an antenna for the vaunted ultra-broadband in the Note 20 Ultra. While the feature is clearly there, Samsung may have found a way to stealthily incorporate it into the design.
The low repairability is in stark contrast to the Galaxy Buds Live, which are surprisingly easy to repair. The complexity clearly makes the repair difficulty in the current Samsung lineup greater than the size. That doesn't mean the Note 20 family is on the whole poorly designed, but you should carefully consider tearing your phone apart rather than sending it in for service.