Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW vs. iPhone 12 Pro Max: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing long-term software support and a refined user experience, the iPhone 12 Pro Max emerges as the stronger choice. Its A14 Bionic chip, coupled with Apple’s ecosystem integration, provides a smoother, more consistent experience. However, the S20 5G UW offers compelling value for Android enthusiasts.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max |
| 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 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 48, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2342 |
| 5G bands | 260, 261 mmWave | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2342 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2410, A2411, A2412 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, May 20 | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, June 04 | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 69.1 x 8.1 mm (5.97 x 2.72 x 0.32 in) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM (pre-installed) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 168.1 g (5.93 oz) | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~566 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 92.8 cm2 (~88.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display 120Hz@FHD/60Hz@QHD refresh rate | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10, One UI 2.5 | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 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 | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 65mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, 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 | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| 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, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, 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) | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cloud Pink, Cosmic Grey, Cloud White | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue |
| Models | SM-G981V | A2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4 |
| Price | About 880 EUR | $ 328.00 / C$ 549.75 / £ 270.67 / € 339.00 |
| SAR | 0.91 W/kg (head) 1.05 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 599.99 |
| 256GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 728.45 |
| 512GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 886.67 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 627.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -23.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW
- Faster 5G speeds (UW support)
- Android’s customization options
- Reverse wireless charging
- Potentially shorter software support lifespan
- Less efficient chipset compared to A14
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Superior chipset performance (A14 Bionic)
- Long-term software support
- MagSafe wireless charging
- Locked into the Apple ecosystem
- Less customization options
Display Comparison
The iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 822 nits, providing excellent visibility in direct sunlight. While the S20 5G UW’s display specifications aren’t provided, Samsung historically excels in display technology, likely offering vibrant colors and high contrast. The iPhone’s 'infinite' contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, delivers deep blacks. Both devices utilize OLED technology, but the iPhone’s display is known for its color accuracy, crucial for photo and video editing. The lack of refresh rate information for the S20 5G UW means it likely lacks the smoother scrolling experience of higher refresh rate displays.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in camera performance, but approach it differently. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is renowned for its computational photography and natural-looking images. The S20 5G UW, while capable, often leans towards more saturated colors. Without detailed sensor specifications for the S20 5G UW, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison. However, Apple’s image processing pipeline is consistently praised for its dynamic range and detail preservation. Both devices offer excellent video recording capabilities, but the iPhone’s cinematic mode provides advanced features for video editing. The absence of information regarding the S20’s camera features makes a detailed comparison challenging, but the iPhone’s consistent performance is a key advantage.
Performance
The core of the performance difference lies in the chipsets. Apple’s A14 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, delivers superior single-core performance compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (7nm+) in the S20 5G UW. The A14’s hexa-core configuration (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) is optimized for both peak performance and efficiency. While the Snapdragon 865’s octa-core setup (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) is powerful, the A14’s architectural advantages and smaller process node translate to better sustained performance and thermal management. Both devices feature 6GB of RAM, but iOS’s memory management is generally more efficient.
Battery Life
Both the Galaxy S20 5G UW and iPhone 12 Pro Max achieve an endurance rating of 95 hours, suggesting comparable battery life in real-world usage. However, the charging speeds differ. The S20 5G UW supports 25W wired charging with PD3.0, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max offers 50% charge in 30 minutes with PD2.0. Both support 15W wireless charging, but the iPhone benefits from MagSafe, offering a more secure and efficient wireless charging experience. The S20 5G UW also includes 4.5W reverse wireless charging, a feature absent on the iPhone.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW if you need the flexibility of Android, prefer a more customizable experience, and value faster 5G speeds on compatible networks. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if you prioritize a seamless user experience, long-term software updates, and a consistently excellent camera system, even if it means being locked into the Apple ecosystem.