Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G vs Galaxy S20 FE 5G: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Note10+ 5G boasts a superior display, faster charging, and the S Pen, justifying its higher price for power users. However, the S20 FE 5G delivers excellent value with a newer chipset, competitive camera, and a more modern design, making it a strong contender for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA |
| 5G bands | 5, 71, 260, 261 NSA/Sub6 | 2, 5, 41, 66, 71 Sub6 - USA |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1800/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 41, 78 Sub6 - International | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, August. Released 2019, August | 2020, September 23 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2020, October 02 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9 mm (6.39 x 3.04 x 0.31 in) | 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm (6.29 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 198 g (6.98 oz) | 190 g (6.70 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 42ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~498 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~407 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 114.0 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEA/LATAMOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) - USA/China | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Exynos 9825 (7 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/China | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 2 MP |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.1, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, Super Steady video 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) | 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 | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio (USA & Canada only) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Browser | - | HTTP / WAP 2.0 |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | Virtual proximity sensing Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Stand-by | - | Up to 300 h |
| Talk time | - | Up to 5 h |
| Type | Li-Ion 4300 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black | Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, Cloud White, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange |
| Models | SM-N976F, SM-N976U, SM-N976, SM-N976B, SM-N976N, SM-N976V, SM-N9760, SM-N976Q | SM-G781B, SM-G781B/DS, SM-G781U, SM-G781U1, SM-G781W, SM-G7810, SM-G781N, SM-G781V |
| Price | About 700 EUR | $ 137.00 / C$ 531.23 / £ 169.00 / € 199.00 |
| SAR | - | 0.70 W/kg (head) 0.82 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.50 W/kg (head) 1.35 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 361.99 |
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 589.97 |
| 256GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 769.99 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 110h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.3 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 543986 (v8) GeekBench: 3296 (v5.1) GFXBench: 45fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G
- Premium Display
- S Pen Stylus
- Faster Charging (45W)
- Excellent Build Quality
- Versatile Camera System
- Older Processor
- Higher Price
- Larger and Heavier
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
- Newer Snapdragon 865 5G Chipset
- Excellent Value for Money
- Competitive Camera
- Modern Design
- Good Battery Life
- Slower Charging (25W)
- No S Pen
- Plastic Back (on some models)
Display Comparison
The Note10+ 5G features a slightly larger 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering a more immersive viewing experience. While the S20 FE 5G's 6.5-inch display is also excellent with a 120Hz refresh rate and impressive brightness (822 nits), the Note10+ 5G's larger size and slightly better color accuracy give it a slight edge.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer versatile camera systems. The Note10+ 5G has a triple-lens setup with a wide, ultrawide, and telephoto lens. The S20 FE 5G also has a triple-lens setup, but with a slightly different configuration. Both capture excellent photos and videos in various lighting conditions. The S20 FE 5G's newer image processing algorithms often produce slightly more vibrant and detailed images.
Performance
The S20 FE 5G holds a significant advantage here. It's powered by the Snapdragon 865 5G chipset, a newer and more powerful processor than the Exynos 9825 (or Snapdragon 855 in the US version) found in the Note10+ 5G. This translates to smoother performance in demanding games and apps, and better overall responsiveness. The Note10+ 5G still performs well, but the S20 FE 5G is noticeably faster.
Battery Life
Both devices offer an endurance rating of 110h, suggesting comparable battery life. However, the Note10+ 5G's 45W fast charging is significantly faster than the S20 FE 5G's 25W charging, allowing for quicker top-ups.
Buying Guide
The Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G is ideal for professionals and creatives who need the S Pen for note-taking, drawing, and precise control. It's also a good choice for those who prioritize a premium display and faster charging. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G is perfect for budget-conscious buyers who want a flagship-like experience with a powerful processor, great camera, and a vibrant display, without breaking the bank.