LG K20 (2019) vs. Samsung Galaxy S10: A Deep Dive into Value and Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing performance and a superior display, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is the clear winner. Its Exynos 9820 (or Snapdragon 855) chipset and vibrant display offer a significantly better experience than the LG K20’s Mediatek MT6739. However, the K20 remains a viable option for those on a very tight budget.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG K20 (2019) | Samsung Galaxy S10 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global, USA |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 38 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, August. Released 2019, September | 2019, February 20. Released 2019, March 08 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 148.6 x 71.9 x 8.3 mm (5.85 x 2.83 x 0.33 in) | 149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8 mm (5.90 x 2.77 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 152 g (5.36 oz) | 157 g (5.54 oz) |
| MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 480 x 960 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~197 ppi density) | 1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~550 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.45 inches, 76.7 cm2 (~71.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 93.2 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2x2.31 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEA/LATAMOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6739 (28 nm) | Exynos 9820 (8 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8100 | Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 9.0 Pie (Go edition) | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 16GB 1GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| eMMC 5.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm, AF | - |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, AF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@60fps (no EIS), 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash | HDR |
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1/5.0", 1.12µm | 10 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | - | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| - | ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | - | 15W wired, PD2.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3400 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | New Aurora Black, New Moroccan Blue | Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Green, Prism Blue, Canary Yellow, Flamingo Pink, Cardinal Red, Smoke Blue |
| Models | LM-X120EMW, LMX120EMW, LM-X120, LMX120BMW | SM-G973F, SM-G973U, SM-G973W, SM-G973U1, SM-G9730, SM-G973N, SM-G973X, SCV41, SM-G973C |
| Price | About 100 EUR | About 150 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.93 W/kg (head) 0.79 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.48 W/kg (head) 1.59 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -92.2dB / Crosstalk -92.7dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 79h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.498 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 82dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 85dB |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 328366 (v7) GeekBench: 10174 (v4.4) GFXBench: 23fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG K20 (2019)
- Significantly lower price point
- Acceptable battery endurance for basic use
- Functional for essential smartphone tasks
- Outdated and slow processor
- Inferior display quality
- Limited camera capabilities
Samsung Galaxy S10
- Powerful processor for smooth performance
- High-quality display with excellent contrast
- Versatile camera system with advanced features
- Fast and wireless charging capabilities
- Higher price compared to the LG K20
- Battery life, while good, may not be exceptional for heavy users
- Older device, may not receive future software updates
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S10 boasts a significantly more advanced display. While both devices feature an 'Infinite' contrast ratio (nominal), the S10’s 4.498 sunlight contrast ratio suggests superior outdoor visibility. The K20’s display specifications are not provided, implying a lower-quality panel. The S10’s likely use of AMOLED technology delivers richer colors and deeper blacks compared to the K20’s probable LCD, impacting the overall viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but the S10’s camera system is expected to be far superior. While specific sensor details are missing, Samsung flagships of this era typically feature larger sensors and more sophisticated image processing. The K20’s likely inclusion of a 2MP macro camera suggests a focus on quantity over quality, as these sensors often produce underwhelming results. The S10’s image stabilization (OIS) and advanced features like scene optimizer would provide a noticeable advantage in image quality and versatility.
Performance
The performance gap between these devices is substantial. The Samsung Galaxy S10’s Exynos 9820 (EMEA/LATAM) or Snapdragon 855 (USA/China), both built on 8nm or 7nm processes respectively, dwarfs the LG K20’s Mediatek MT6739 (28nm). The S10’s octa-core CPU, with its Cortex-A75 and Mongoose M4 cores, provides significantly faster processing speeds (up to 2.73 GHz) compared to the K20’s quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53. This translates to smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and a more responsive user interface on the S10. The more advanced fabrication process also means the S10 will be more thermally efficient, reducing throttling during sustained workloads.
Battery Life
Both devices share an endurance rating of 79 hours, suggesting comparable battery life despite the S10’s more power-hungry components. This is likely due to the S10’s more efficient chipset and optimized software. However, the S10 offers significantly faster charging with 15W wired charging (PD2.0), 15W wireless charging (Qi), and even 4.5W reverse wireless charging – features entirely absent on the LG K20. The S10’s charging capabilities provide a much more convenient user experience.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG K20 (2019) if you need a basic, functional smartphone for essential tasks like calls, texts, and light social media, and your budget is extremely limited. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10 if you prioritize a smooth user experience, a high-quality camera, fast charging, and wireless charging capabilities, and are willing to spend more for a premium device.