Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 2022 vs. Galaxy S20: A Detailed Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The S20 FE 2022 generally offers better value with its newer chipset and often more competitive pricing. However, the original S20 boasts a slightly brighter display and, depending on the region, a potentially more refined camera experience. It's a close call, but the FE often wins on performance and price.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 2022 | Samsung Galaxy S20 |
| 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 | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA/Sub6 | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1800/200 Mbps, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, April 01 | 2020, February 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, April 01 | Available. Released 2020, March 06 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm (6.29 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) | 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.72 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 190 g (6.70 oz) | 163 g (5.75 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~563 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~85.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 93.8 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | 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 (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 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA |
| OS | Android 12, One UI 4.1 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 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 | 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 | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| 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 | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Virtual proximity sensing Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | 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 | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cloud White, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Navy | Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink, Cloud White, Aura Red |
| Models | SM-G781NK, SM-G781NK22 | SM-G980, SM-G980F, SM-G980F/DS |
| Price | About 520 EUR | $ 252.72 / C$ 249.99 / £ 185.00 / € 185.00 |
| SAR | - | 0.76 W/kg (head) 1.01 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.28 W/kg (head) 1.52 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 71h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -23.9 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 525029 (v8) GeekBench: 12557 (v4.4), 2750 (v5.1) GFXBench: 44fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 2022
- Better Performance (Snapdragon 865)
- More Modern Design
- Competitive Pricing
- Reverse Wireless Charging
- Slightly less bright display than S20
- Camera processing not quite as refined as S20 (potentially)
Samsung Galaxy S20
- Brighter Display
- Potentially better camera processing (region dependent)
- Premium Feel
- Older Chipset
- Generally more expensive
- No reverse wireless charging
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S20 boasts a measured peak brightness of 814 nits, giving it a slight edge in outdoor visibility. Both phones feature excellent AMOLED displays with vibrant colors and deep blacks. The S20 FE 2022's display is generally very good, though not quite as bright as the S20. Both have a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer versatile camera systems. The S20 generally has a slightly better reputation for image processing, particularly in certain lighting conditions. However, the S20 FE 2022's camera is still very capable and produces excellent results. Video recording is comparable on both devices.
Performance
The S20 FE 2022's Snapdragon 865 offers a noticeable performance boost over the S20's Exynos 990 (global version) or Snapdragon 865 (US version). While both are capable, the FE handles demanding tasks and games with greater ease. The newer chipset also benefits from software optimizations.
Battery Life
The S20's endurance rating of 71h is impressive, suggesting excellent battery optimization. The S20 FE 2022's battery life is still good, but not quite as exceptional as the S20. Real-world usage will vary depending on usage patterns.
Buying Guide
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 2022 is ideal for budget-conscious users who prioritize performance and a modern design. It's a great choice for gamers and those who want a smooth, responsive experience. The Samsung Galaxy S20 is a good option for those who prefer a slightly more premium feel and a potentially better camera (region dependent) and don't mind a slightly older chipset.