Samsung Galaxy Note20 vs. S21 FE 5G: Which Samsung Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G emerges as the better choice. Its newer Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) chipset provides a significant performance uplift, and the brighter display enhances outdoor visibility. While the Note20 retains the unique S Pen functionality, the S21 FE’s overall package offers superior value and future-proofing.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Note20 | Samsung Galaxy S21 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 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1600/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, August 05 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, August 21 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm (6.36 x 2.96 x 0.33 in) | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm (6.13 x 2.93 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 192 g (6.77 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 26ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~89.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED Plus, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x3.0 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 1Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 2 |
| Chipset | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) - USA | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm | 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 | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 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 | |
| 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 (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C, 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4300 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mystic Green, Mystic Bronze, Mystic Gray, Mystic Red, Mystic Blue | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | SM-N980F, SM-N980F/DS | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | $ 202.82 / € 280.00 | € 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990 |
| SAR | 1.11 W/kg (head) 1.14 W/kg (body) | 0.77 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.36 W/kg (head) 1.37 W/kg (body) | 0.95 W/kg (head) 1.48 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Note20
- Integrated S Pen for productivity and creativity
- Premium build quality and design
- Capable camera system
- Older chipset with less processing power
- Display not as bright as the S21 FE
- Potentially slower charging speeds
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- More powerful Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 chipset
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Faster charging capabilities
- Lacks integrated S Pen
- May experience some thermal throttling under heavy load
- Plastic back (depending on region)
Display Comparison
The S21 FE 5G boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured 792 nits, compared to the Note20’s unspecified peak brightness. While both utilize AMOLED technology, the S21 FE’s higher peak brightness translates to improved visibility in direct sunlight. Both displays feature an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, typical of Samsung’s AMOLED panels. The S21 FE’s panel is likely to have a higher refresh rate, though not specified, offering smoother scrolling and animations. The Note20’s display, while excellent, is showing its age against the newer technology in the S21 FE.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but the S21 FE benefits from software advancements. While specific sensor details are missing, the S21 FE’s image processing algorithms are more refined, resulting in better dynamic range and low-light performance. The Note20’s camera is still capable, but the S21 FE’s newer chipset allows for faster image processing and potentially more advanced features. The inclusion of 8K video recording on the S21 FE is another advantage. The 2MP macro cameras on both devices are largely inconsequential and shouldn’t be a deciding factor.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Note20 shipped with either the Exynos 990 (global) or Snapdragon 865+ (USA), both built on a 7nm+ process. The S21 FE 5G utilizes either the Snapdragon 888 (5nm) or Exynos 2100 (5nm). The move to a 5nm process in the S21 FE’s chipsets results in improved power efficiency and thermal performance. The Snapdragon 888’s Cortex-X1 prime core and the Exynos 2100’s similar architecture offer a substantial CPU performance boost over the Note20’s Mongoose M5 and Cortex-A76 cores. The S21 FE’s GPU also benefits from the newer architecture, delivering superior graphics performance for gaming. The Note20’s LPDDR5 RAM is matched by the S21 FE, but the chipset advantage gives the S21 FE the edge.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an Endurance rating of 92h, suggesting comparable battery life despite the Note20’s unspecified mAh capacity and the S21 FE’s unspecified mAh capacity. However, the S21 FE’s 25W wired charging, capable of reaching 50% charge in 30 minutes, is faster than the Note20’s 25W charging. Both support 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. The S21 FE’s more efficient chipset likely contributes to its comparable battery life despite potentially having a smaller battery capacity.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note20 if you absolutely require the S Pen for note-taking, sketching, or precise control, and are willing to accept slightly older hardware. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you prioritize raw performance, a brighter display, and a more modern feature set, and can live without the integrated stylus. The S21 FE is the better option for gamers and power users.