Samsung Galaxy S20 5G vs Sony Xperia 1 III: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Sony Xperia 1 III emerges as the superior choice, primarily due to its more efficient Snapdragon 888 chipset and excellent display. While the S20 5G offers a lower entry price, the Xperia 1 III delivers a more refined and future-proof experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S20 5G | Sony Xperia 1 III |
| 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) / 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 - SM-G981B | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G981B | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 2, 5, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G981U | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, February 11 | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, March 06 | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.72 x 0.31 in) | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 163 g (5.75 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~563 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 93.8 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Always-on display 120Hz@FHD/60Hz@QHD refresh rate | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 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) |
| Chipset | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm |
| 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/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output |
| 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 (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink, Cloud White, Aura Red | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | SM-G981, SM-G981F, SM-G981F/DS, SM-G981B/DS, SM-G981U, SM-G981U1, SM-G981N, SM-G981B, SM-G9810, SM-G981W, SC-51A, SCG01 | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | $ 158.44 / £ 144.99 / € 272.39 | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| SAR | 1.07 W/kg (head) 1.03 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.38 W/kg (head) 1.52 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S20 5G
- More affordable price point
- Vibrant and color-rich display (assumed)
- Familiar Samsung One UI
- Exynos 990 can suffer from thermal throttling
- Potentially less efficient chipset
- Older generation processor
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Superior performance with Snapdragon 888
- Excellent video recording capabilities
- High peak display brightness and contrast
- Higher initial cost
- Less mainstream software experience
- May lack some of Samsung's software conveniences
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 III boasts a 6.1-inch display capable of reaching 620 nits of peak brightness, providing excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the S20 5G’s display specs aren’t provided, Samsung historically excels in display technology. However, the Xperia 1 III’s infinite contrast ratio suggests a superior viewing experience, particularly with HDR content. The Xperia 1 III’s focus on color accuracy, a hallmark of Sony’s displays, caters to content creators, while the S20 5G likely prioritizes a more saturated, visually punchy image.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are marketed for their camera capabilities, but approach it differently. The Xperia 1 III emphasizes video recording, leveraging Sony’s expertise in imaging sensors and processing. While specific sensor details are missing for both, the Xperia 1 III’s focus on professional video features (like manual controls and 4K 120fps recording) sets it apart. The S20 5G offers a versatile camera system, but image processing leans towards Samsung’s signature vibrant style. The absence of details on the S20 5G’s camera features makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Xperia 1 III’s dedicated camera features and Sony’s sensor technology give it an advantage for serious photographers and videographers.
Performance
The core performance difference lies in the chipsets. The Galaxy S20 5G utilizes either the Exynos 990 (global) or Snapdragon 865 (USA), both fabricated on a 7nm+ process. The Xperia 1 III, however, features the Snapdragon 888 (5nm). This smaller node size translates to improved thermal efficiency and performance. The Xperia 1 III’s CPU, featuring a Cortex-X1 prime core, offers a performance edge over the S20 5G’s Mongoose M5 core. While both phones feature 8GB of RAM (assumed for S20 5G based on market standards), the Snapdragon 888’s superior architecture and efficiency provide a smoother, more responsive experience, especially during demanding tasks like gaming and video editing.
Battery Life
Both phones share an endurance rating of 82 hours, suggesting comparable battery life despite differing charging capabilities. The Xperia 1 III offers 30W wired charging, reaching 50% charge in 30 minutes, while the S20 5G tops out at 25W. The Xperia 1 III also includes wireless and reverse wireless charging, features also present on the S20 5G (15W wireless, 4.5W reverse). The Snapdragon 888’s efficiency likely contributes to the Xperia 1 III maintaining its battery life despite the faster charging and more demanding processor.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G if you prioritize affordability and a familiar Android experience with a vibrant display, and are comfortable with potential thermal throttling under sustained load. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you demand top-tier performance, exceptional video recording capabilities, and a more professional-grade feature set, and are willing to invest in a premium device.