The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo, a relic of a bygone era, faces off against the modern powerhouse, the Galaxy S20 FE 2022. This comparison explores how a phone from 2014 stacks up against a device released just a few years later, considering performance, features, and overall value.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Galaxy S20 FE 2022 is the clear winner. While the Note 3 Neo boasts impressive battery endurance for its age, the S20 FE's superior processing power, modern features like 5G, and significantly improved camera make it the better choice for most users.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - all versions | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - SM-N7505 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 - SM-N7505 | LTE |
| 5G bands | - | SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| EDGE | Class 10 | - |
| GPRS | Class 10 | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2(LTE)/21.1(3G)/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1800/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| | HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100 - SM-N750 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2014, January. Released 2014, February | 2022, April 01 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2022, April 01 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 148.4 x 77.4 x 8.6 mm (5.84 x 3.05 x 0.34 in) | 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm (6.29 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) |
| Keyboard | QWERTY | - |
| SIM | Micro-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 162.5 g (5.71 oz) | 190 g (6.70 oz) |
| | Stylus | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~267 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~72.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~85.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| | - | Always-on display |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (4x1.3 GHz Cortex A7 & 2x1.7 GHz Cortex A15) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Exynos 5260 Hexa | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Mali-T624 MP4 | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to 5.1.1 (Lollipop), TouchWiz UI | Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Call records | 30 dialed, 30 received, 30 missed calls | - |
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 16GB (11GB user available), 2GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| Phonebook | 1000 contacts, Photo call | - |
| | eMMC 5.0 | UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.6, 31mm (standard), AF | - |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto), 1/4.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, stereo sound rec. | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 2 MP, f/2.4, 27mm (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| 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 | 4.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML | - |
| Games | Yes | - |
| Java | Yes, MIDP 2.0 | - |
| Messaging | SMS, MMS, Email | - |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| | ANT+
S-Voice natural language commands and dictation | Virtual proximity sensing
Bixby natural language commands and dictation
Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 25W wired, PD3.0
15W wireless (Qi)
4.5W reverse wireless |
| Music play | Up to 64 h | - |
| Stand-by | Up to 540 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 18 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 3100 mAh, removable | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Green, Pink, Red | Cloud White, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Navy |
| Models | SM-N750, SM-N7505, SM-N750K, SM-N750S, SM-N7507, SM-N750L, SM-N7500Q, SM-N7506V, SM-N7505L | SM-G781NK, SM-G781NK22 |
| Price | About 320 EUR | About 520 EUR |
| SAR | 0.54 W/kg (head) 0.70 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.25 W/kg (head) 0.27 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -96.1dB / Crosstalk -94.9dB | - |
| Battery life |
Endurance rating 74h
| - |
| Camera |
Photo / Video | - |
| Display |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 3.487 (sunlight) | - |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 68dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 75dB
| - |
| OUR TESTS |
|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -96.1dB / Crosstalk -94.9dB | - |
| Battery (old) | Endurance rating 74h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 3.487 (sunlight) | - |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 68dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 75dB | - |
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
- Exceptional battery life
- Compact size
- Good sunlight visibility
- Outdated processor
- Low resolution display
- Basic camera
- No 5G
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 2022
- Powerful processor
- Excellent display (120Hz AMOLED)
- Versatile camera system
- 5G connectivity
- Fast charging
- Battery life not as exceptional as Note 3 Neo
- Can be pricier than older devices
Display Comparison
The S20 FE 2022 features a 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering vibrant colors and smooth scrolling. The Note 3 Neo has a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display, which was excellent for its time, but lacks the resolution and refresh rate of the S20 FE. Sunlight visibility on the Note 3 Neo is surprisingly good (3.487 contrast ratio), but the S20 FE's AMOLED technology provides a more modern and immersive viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
The S20 FE 2022's camera system is far more advanced, featuring a 12MP main sensor, 8MP telephoto lens, and 12MP ultrawide lens. It offers better image quality, more features (like 4K video recording), and improved low-light performance. The Note 3 Neo's camera is adequate for basic photos, but it struggles in challenging conditions.
Performance
The Snapdragon 865 5G in the S20 FE 2022 is a significant leap over the Exynos 5260 Hexa in the Note 3 Neo. The S20 FE handles demanding games and multitasking with ease, while the Note 3 Neo can feel sluggish at times. The S20 FE's octa-core CPU and 7nm process provide vastly superior performance.
Battery Life
The Note 3 Neo's endurance rating of 74h is remarkable, a testament to its efficient design and older processor. However, the S20 FE 2022's 4500mAh battery, combined with its power-efficient processor, still provides a full day of use, and benefits from 25W fast charging and wireless charging capabilities.
Buying Guide
The Note 3 Neo is for nostalgia enthusiasts or those needing a very basic, long-lasting phone on a tight budget. The S20 FE 2022 is ideal for users seeking a balanced smartphone with strong performance, a good camera, and modern features at a reasonable price.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Note 3 Neo still usable in 2024?
Yes, the Note 3 Neo can still be used for basic tasks like calling, texting, and browsing, but its performance is significantly limited compared to modern smartphones.
❓ Why was the Note 3 Neo's battery life so good?
The Note 3 Neo's older processor and less demanding display consumed less power, resulting in exceptional battery life for its time.
