What you need to know

• Samsung equipped all of its Galaxy S20 phones with a 120Hz display, but it may not do so with the Note 20.
• A new report indicates the smaller Note 20 may not be equipped with a 120Hz display option.
• It's possible this is done to preserve battery life and performance.

Samsung's Galaxy phones have been known for their good to great displays, and the company's newest flagships, the S20 line, all push the envelope in that regard. All of them have been equipped with 120Hz displays, and while it seemed likely for that to continue with the one line, reports indicate that Samsung isn't going to act as we would expect.

The 120Hz display will make a comeback, but that'll be reserved for the upcoming Galaxy Note 20+. Yup, the demarcation of the Note line that was introduced in the previous generation will continue going forward. So while the Note 20+ will get a 120Hz display, the regular Note 20 will probably be limited to regular old 60Hz, as per industry analyst Ross Young.

The 120Hz display was one of the best bits of the Galaxy S20, elevating its display far above even the Pixel 4 XL's smooth display. But it is a hit on the battery and a presumably larger phone with a presumably larger battery like the Note 20+ will be better equipped to handle it.

On the other hand, Samsung's Note line used to represent the best no-compromise phone Samsung had to offer. Starting with the Note 10, the company began to dilute that promise by offering a pared-down experience with the Note 10, and later a Note 10 Lite.

In our S20 review, we noted:

It would be a shame if Note 20 users weren't given the choice that even S20 users had.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ review, 4 months later: Even better with Android 10