Both the Galaxy S20 Ultra and Galaxy S23 Ultra regularly show up on the used and refurbished phone market, often at very different price points. If you’re shopping secondhand rather than buying new, the calculation is less about specs on paper and more about value, longevity, and what you’ll actually notice day to day.
Typical Used/Refurbished Pricing
As a 2020 flagship, the Galaxy S20 Ultra now sells for a fraction of its $1,399.99 launch price on the used market, while the 2023 Galaxy S23 Ultra retains value much better and typically costs several hundred dollars more secondhand, even years after release. The wide price gap is exactly why this comparison matters more for value shoppers than the spec sheet alone suggests.
What You Actually Give Up With the S20 Ultra
- Software updates: The S20 Ultra is at or past the end of Samsung’s official update window, meaning security patches have slowed or stopped.
- Battery health: A 4-6 year old battery has almost certainly degraded from its original 5,000 mAh capacity, meaning real-world screen-on time will be noticeably shorter than spec sheets suggest.
- No S Pen: The S20 Ultra predates Samsung folding S Pen support into the Ultra line.
- Camera consistency: The original 108MP sensor had well-documented autofocus quirks at launch that were never fully resolved in software.
What You Gain by Paying More for the S23 Ultra
- Multiple additional years of guaranteed security and OS updates
- A fresher battery with significantly better real-world endurance
- Built-in S Pen for notes and PDF markup
- A more refined dual-telephoto camera system (3x and 10x zoom)
When the S20 Ultra Still Makes Sense
If you need a secondary phone, a temporary device while your primary is repaired, or a very tight budget purchase where security updates matter less (for example, a device kept off major accounts), a well-maintained used S20 Ultra can still be a reasonable, low-cost option purely on hardware capability.
When to Pay More for the S23 Ultra
For anyone using the phone as their primary device — tied to banking apps, work email, and personal accounts — the ongoing security support alone justifies paying more for the S23 Ultra. Battery longevity and camera reliability tip the scale further in its favor.
Buying Checklist for Either Phone Used
- Check the battery health percentage in Settings before buying, if the seller allows.
- Confirm the IMEI isn’t blacklisted or reported lost/stolen.
- Verify the phone is carrier-unlocked if you plan to switch networks.
- Check for Samsung Knox warranty void flags, which indicate prior repairs or rooting.
- Test all cameras, the fingerprint sensor, and (for the S23 Ultra) the S Pen before finalizing the purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a used Galaxy S20 Ultra safe to use as a primary phone in 2026?
It’s risky given its limited or discontinued security updates; it’s better suited as a secondary or backup device.
How much cheaper is a used S20 Ultra than a used S23 Ultra?
Typically several hundred dollars less, though exact pricing varies by condition, storage, and region.
What should I check before buying either phone used?
Battery health, IMEI blacklist status, carrier lock status, and Knox warranty flags are the most important checks.
