OnePlus Nord CE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S20: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing battery life and 5G connectivity, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G is the better choice. Its 117-hour endurance rating significantly outlasts the S20’s 71 hours. However, the Galaxy S20 retains an edge in display quality and potentially raw processing power (depending on the region), making it suitable for demanding users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | OnePlus Nord CE 5G | Samsung Galaxy S20 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Europe | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - Europe | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| 78 SA/NSA - India | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, June 10 | 2020, February 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, June 11 | Available. Released 2020, March 06 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.2 x 73.5 x 7.9 mm (6.27 x 2.89 x 0.31 in) | 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.72 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 170 g (6.00 oz) | 163 g (5.75 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~410 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~563 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.43 inches, 99.3 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 93.8 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Fluid AMOLED, 90Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display 120Hz@FHD/60Hz@QHD refresh rate | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570) | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm) | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, OxygenOS 13 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 3.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.0", 1.0µm | - |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.3, 119˚ (ultrawide) Auxiliary lens | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.0", 1.0µm | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, 70% in 30 min | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Blue Void, Charkoal Ink, Silver Ray | Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink, Cloud White, Aura Red |
| Models | EB2101, EB2103 | SM-G980, SM-G980F, SM-G980F/DS |
| Price | About 250 EUR | $ 252.72 / C$ 249.99 / £ 185.00 / € 185.00 |
| SAR | - | 0.76 W/kg (head) 1.01 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.28 W/kg (head) 1.52 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 117h | Endurance rating 71h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -29.9 LUFS (Average) | -23.9 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 318672 (v8) | 391770 (v9) GeekBench: 1812 (v5.1) GFXBench: 17fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 525029 (v8) GeekBench: 12557 (v4.4), 2750 (v5.1) GFXBench: 44fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
OnePlus Nord CE 5G
- Significantly longer battery life (117h endurance)
- Faster 30W wired charging
- Modern 5G connectivity at a lower price
- Less bright display
- Potentially slower performance in demanding tasks
Samsung Galaxy S20
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Potentially faster processor (Snapdragon variant)
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Significantly shorter battery life (71h endurance)
- Slower charging speeds
- Higher price
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S20’s display is a clear winner in terms of peak brightness, reaching 814 nits compared to the Nord CE 5G’s 607 nits. This translates to better visibility outdoors under direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting deep blacks, but the S20’s higher resolution and potentially superior panel technology (depending on the specific panel used) contribute to a sharper and more immersive viewing experience. While the Nord CE 5G is adequate, the S20’s display remains a standout feature.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but details are limited to 'Photo / Video' in the provided data. However, we can infer that the S20, being a flagship, likely features a larger main sensor and more sophisticated image processing. The S20’s inclusion of features like Single Take mode and Director’s View, common in Samsung flagships, are absent on the Nord CE 5G. The Nord CE 5G likely prioritizes computational photography to enhance image quality, but it’s unlikely to match the S20’s dynamic range and detail in challenging lighting conditions. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on the Nord CE 5G is likely a marketing gimmick, offering limited practical benefit.
Performance
The performance landscape is more nuanced. The Galaxy S20 utilizes either the Exynos 990 (global) or Snapdragon 865 (USA), both built on a 7nm+ process, while the Nord CE 5G features the Snapdragon 750G (8nm). The S20’s processors boast higher clock speeds – up to 2.73 GHz for the Mongoose M5 cores – compared to the Nord CE 5G’s 2.2 GHz Kryo 570 cores. However, the Snapdragon 750G’s 8nm process is more efficient. Real-world performance will vary; the S20 will likely excel in demanding tasks, but the Nord CE 5G offers a smooth experience for everyday use. The Exynos 990 is known to be prone to thermal throttling, potentially limiting sustained performance, a problem less likely with the Snapdragon 865 or the more efficient 750G.
Battery Life
Battery life is where the Nord CE 5G truly shines. Its endurance rating of 117 hours dwarfs the Galaxy S20’s 71 hours. This difference is significant, translating to a full day or more of extra usage on the Nord CE 5G. While the S20 supports 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and even reverse wireless charging, the Nord CE 5G’s 30W wired charging is faster, reaching 70% charge in just 30 minutes. The S20’s more power-hungry processor and brighter display contribute to its shorter battery life, despite having similar battery capacity.
Buying Guide
Buy the OnePlus Nord CE 5G if you need long battery life, reliable 5G connectivity, and a modern software experience without breaking the bank. It’s ideal for everyday users, social media enthusiasts, and those who prioritize value. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 if you prefer a brighter, more vibrant display, potentially faster performance (especially the Snapdragon variant), and wireless charging capabilities, and are willing to accept shorter battery life and a higher price.