Samsung Galaxy S20 FE vs S20+ 5G: A Deep Dive into Samsung's 2020 Flagship Lineup
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE offers the better value. While the S20+ 5G boasts a slightly more refined build and potentially faster Snapdragon variant in the US, the S20 FE’s comparable performance, coupled with its lower price, makes it the more sensible choice.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE | Samsung Galaxy S20+ 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, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - SM-G986B |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G986B |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1800/200 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, September 23 | 2020, February 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, October 02 | 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) | 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8 mm (6.37 x 2.90 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 190 g (6.70 oz) | 188 g (6.63 oz) |
| 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 (~407 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~90.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 1Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 2 | 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 | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - Version 1Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - Version 2 | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - Version 1Adreno 650 - Version 2 | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| 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 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, f/1.0, (depth) |
| 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 | - | |
| 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) | - | |
| 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 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, Cloud White, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange | Cosmic Black, Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud White, Aura Red, Aura Blue |
| Models | SM-G780F, SM-G780F/DSM, SM-G780G | SM-G986, SM-G986F, SM-G986F/DS, SM-G986U, SM-G986U1, SM-G9860, SM-G986B/DS, SM-G986N, SM-G986B, SM-G986W, SCG02 |
| Price | About 390 EUR | $ 174.17 / C$ 684.99 / € 299.97 |
| SAR | - | 1.08 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.24 W/kg (head) 1.45 W/kg (body) | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.57 W/kg (body) |
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
- Significantly lower price point
- Excellent performance with Snapdragon 865 variant
- Vibrant 120Hz AMOLED display
- Exynos 990 variant can suffer from throttling
- Build quality feels less premium than S20+ 5G
Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G
- More refined design and build quality
- Potentially better performance with US Snapdragon 865 variant
- Slightly larger and brighter display
- Higher price tag
- Exynos 990 variant suffers from similar throttling issues as S20 FE
Display Comparison
Both the S20 FE and S20+ 5G feature Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and animations. However, the S20+ 5G’s display is slightly larger at 6.7 inches versus the S20 FE’s 6.5 inches. While both lack LTPO technology for variable refresh rates, the S20+ 5G’s higher peak brightness (spec not provided, but historically brighter than the FE) provides better visibility in direct sunlight. Bezels are marginally thinner on the S20+ 5G, contributing to a more immersive experience.
Camera Comparison
Both phones share a similar camera setup, including a 12MP main sensor with OIS. However, the S20+ 5G benefits from a slightly larger sensor size (spec not provided, but generally larger than the FE) and a wider aperture, resulting in better low-light performance. While both feature a telephoto lens, the S20+ 5G’s 3x optical zoom offers more versatility than the S20 FE’s hybrid optical/digital zoom. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on both is largely inconsequential, offering limited practical benefit. Image processing styles are similar, leaning towards Samsung’s signature vibrant and saturated look.
Performance
The core of the performance difference lies in the chipset variations. Both phones were released with either the Exynos 990 or the Snapdragon 865. The Snapdragon 865, particularly the version found in US S20+ 5G models, generally offers superior sustained performance and thermal management due to its more efficient 7nm+ manufacturing process. The Exynos 990, while capable, is known to throttle more aggressively under sustained load. The S20+ 5G’s CPU, when equipped with the Snapdragon 865, utilizes a Cortex-A77 prime core clocked at 2.84 GHz, compared to the Exynos 990’s 2.73 GHz Mongoose M5, offering a slight edge in single-core performance. Both devices utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the S20+ 5G may have slightly faster RAM speeds depending on the configuration.
Battery Life
The S20+ 5G packs a 4500mAh battery, slightly larger than the S20 FE’s 4500mAh battery. However, the chipset efficiency plays a crucial role. The Snapdragon 865-equipped S20+ 5G models will likely exhibit better battery life under heavy load due to lower power consumption. Both support 25W wired charging, PD3.0, 15W wireless charging (Qi), and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. Real-world 0-100% charging times will be similar, around 70-80 minutes with a compatible 25W charger.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE if you prioritize value and don't need the absolute most premium build quality. It delivers excellent performance, a capable camera, and a vibrant display for significantly less. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G if you prefer a more polished design, potentially benefit from the US Snapdragon 865 variant, and are willing to pay a premium for those refinements.