Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW vs OnePlus 8 Pro: A Deep Dive into Snapdragon 865 Flagships
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the OnePlus 8 Pro offers a more compelling package. Its significantly faster 30W wired and wireless charging, coupled with comparable performance and a potentially lower price point (depending on configuration), makes it the better all-around choice. The S20 5G UW remains a strong contender, but its slower charging speeds are a notable drawback.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW | OnePlus 8 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 66 - EU |
| 5G bands | 260, 261 mmWave | 1, 3, 7, 28, 78 SA/NSA - EU |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 78 SA/NSA - IN | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, May 20 | 2020, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, June 04 | Available. Released 2020, April 21 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 69.1 x 8.1 mm (5.97 x 2.72 x 0.32 in) | 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm (6.51 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM (pre-installed) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 168.1 g (5.93 oz) | 199 g (7.02 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~566 ppi density) | 1440 x 3168 pixels (~513 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 92.8 cm2 (~88.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 111.7 cm2 (~90.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) | Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| 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) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 10, One UI 2.5 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, OxygenOS 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 3.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), 1/1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 116˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 5 MP, f/2.4, (Color filter camera) |
| 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 | - |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 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 | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, 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, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 30W wired, 50% in 23 min 30W wireless, 50% in 30 min 3W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Po 4510 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cloud Pink, Cosmic Grey, Cloud White | Glacial Green, Ultramarine Blue, Onyx Black |
| Models | SM-G981V | IN2023, IN2020, IN2021, IN2025 |
| Price | About 880 EUR | About 310 EUR |
| SAR | 0.91 W/kg (head) 1.05 W/kg (body) | - |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 428.39 |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 853.51 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 486.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 103h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -23.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 573276 (v8) GeekBench: 3374 (v5.1) GFXBench: 24fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW
- Established Brand Reputation
- Potentially better carrier support
- 4.5W Reverse Wireless Charging
- Slower 25W Wired Charging
- Slower 15W Wireless Charging
- Potentially higher price
OnePlus 8 Pro
- Faster 30W Wired Charging (50% in 23 min)
- Faster 30W Wireless Charging (50% in 30 min)
- Potentially lower price
- Aggressive Thermal Throttling (potential)
- Less established brand recognition
Display Comparison
Both devices boast displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the context data lacks specific details like peak brightness or refresh rate. Given OnePlus's history, the 8 Pro likely features a 120Hz display, offering smoother scrolling and animations compared to the standard 60Hz expected on the S20 5G UW. This difference would be particularly noticeable for gaming and video consumption. Without further data, it's difficult to assess color accuracy or HDR support, but both are expected to deliver vibrant and detailed visuals.
Camera Comparison
The provided data only states 'Photo / Video' capabilities for both. Without sensor size, aperture, or specific feature details, a detailed camera comparison is impossible. However, OnePlus typically focuses on natural image processing, while Samsung tends towards more saturated and vibrant colors. The S20 5G UW's potential for more advanced software features (like Single Take mode) should be considered. The absence of information regarding optical image stabilization (OIS) is a significant omission; its presence is crucial for low-light photography and video stabilization on both devices.
Performance
Both the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW and the OnePlus 8 Pro utilize the Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+), featuring the same Octa-core CPU configuration (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77, 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55). This means raw processing power will be virtually identical. The key differentiator will likely be thermal management. OnePlus has a reputation for aggressive thermal throttling to maintain sustained performance, while Samsung's approach is typically more conservative. The S20 5G UW's larger chassis *may* allow for slightly better heat dissipation, but real-world testing is needed to confirm. Both devices utilize LPDDR5 RAM, ensuring fast memory access.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 8 Pro boasts a significant advantage in charging speed. Its 30W wired charging can reach 50% in just 23 minutes, while the S20 5G UW's 25W charging is noticeably slower. Similarly, the 30W wireless charging on the OnePlus 8 Pro (50% in 30 minutes) dwarfs the S20 5G UW's 15W wireless charging. Both offer reverse wireless charging, but the OnePlus 8 Pro's 3W output is less powerful than the S20 5G UW's 4.5W. The OnePlus 8 Pro's endurance rating of 103 hours suggests optimized power management, potentially offsetting any minor differences in battery capacity (which isn't specified in the data).
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW if you prioritize a more established brand ecosystem and potentially better carrier support, and are less concerned about charging speed. Buy the OnePlus 8 Pro if you value faster charging, a potentially lower price, and a cleaner, more streamlined Android experience. The OnePlus 8 Pro is ideal for power users who frequently top up their battery throughout the day.