Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra vs OnePlus 8 Pro: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the OnePlus 8 Pro emerges as the stronger recommendation. Its consistently faster Snapdragon 865 performance, superior battery endurance (103h vs 87h), and competitive pricing make it a more practical daily driver. While the S20 Ultra boasts a brighter display and a more versatile camera *system*, the Exynos variant's potential for thermal throttling and higher price tag diminish its overall appeal.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G | 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 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - SM-G988B | 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 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G988B | 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 |
| - | 78 SA/NSA - IN | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, February 11 | 2020, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, March 06 | 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 | 166.9 x 76 x 8.8 mm (6.57 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) | 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm (6.51 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 222 g (7.83 oz) | 199 g (7.02 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~511 ppi density) | 1440 x 3168 pixels (~513 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.9 inches, 114.0 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 111.7 cm2 (~90.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1400 nits (peak) | Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| 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-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, OxygenOS 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| - | 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 | 108 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 103mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 4x optical zoom, 10x 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 | 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 | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.7µm, 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 |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 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 (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | 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 |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 45W 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 5000 mAh | Li-Po 4510 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cosmic Grey, Cosmic Black, Cloud White | Glacial Green, Ultramarine Blue, Onyx Black |
| Models | SM-G988, SM-G988U, SM-G988U1, SM-G9880, SM-G988B/DS, SM-G988N, SM-G988B, SM-G988W, SCG03 | IN2023, IN2020, IN2021, IN2025 |
| Price | € 227.11 / $ 184.00 / £ 335.00 | About 310 EUR |
| SAR | 0.94 W/kg (head) 0.95 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.32 W/kg (head) 1.56 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 Ultra 5G
- Brighter display for outdoor visibility
- More versatile camera system with 100x Space Zoom
- Larger display size for immersive viewing
- Exynos variant prone to thermal throttling
- Lower battery endurance compared to OnePlus 8 Pro
- Higher price point, even after discounts
OnePlus 8 Pro
- Superior battery life and endurance
- Faster and more consistent Snapdragon 865 performance
- Faster charging speeds (wired and wireless)
- More affordable price
- Lacks the extreme zoom capabilities of the S20 Ultra
- Camera processing can sometimes appear less vibrant
- No expandable storage
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra boasts a measured peak brightness of 894 nits, exceeding typical smartphone displays and providing excellent outdoor visibility. However, the OnePlus 8 Pro, while lacking a specific brightness figure, benefits from an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting deep blacks and vibrant colors. Both utilize fluid display technology (120Hz), but the S20 Ultra's larger size (6.9 inches vs 6.78 inches) and higher resolution (3200 x 1440 vs 3168 x 1440) contribute to a slightly sharper image. The OnePlus 8 Pro's display is also known for its color accuracy, a key benefit for content creators.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but their approaches differ. The S20 Ultra’s headline feature is its 108MP main sensor and 100x Space Zoom. While impressive, the image quality at extreme zoom levels is often compromised. The OnePlus 8 Pro features a 48MP main sensor, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and an 8MP telephoto lens. While lacking the S20 Ultra’s extreme zoom, the OnePlus 8 Pro excels in natural color reproduction and dynamic range. Both phones can record 8K video, but the S20 Ultra’s larger sensor provides an advantage in low-light video recording. The S20 Ultra's camera system is more complex, offering more shooting modes, but the OnePlus 8 Pro delivers consistently excellent results with a simpler user experience.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipset. The OnePlus 8 Pro exclusively ships with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+), featuring an octa-core CPU with a prime Cortex-A77 core clocked at 2.84 GHz. The S20 Ultra, however, was released in two variants: a Snapdragon 865 for the US market and an Exynos 990 for the rest of the world. The Exynos 990, while also 7nm+, utilizes a different CPU architecture (Mongoose M5) and has historically demonstrated lower sustained performance and a greater propensity for thermal throttling under heavy load. Both phones feature 12GB of RAM, but the OnePlus 8 Pro’s consistent chipset delivers a smoother, more reliable experience, particularly during demanding tasks like gaming.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 8 Pro holds a significant advantage in battery endurance, achieving a measured 103 hours on our testing, compared to the S20 Ultra’s 87 hours. This is despite the S20 Ultra having a slightly larger battery capacity. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s more efficient Snapdragon 865 chipset and optimized software contribute to this superior performance. Charging speeds also favor the OnePlus 8 Pro, with 30W wired charging (50% in 23 minutes) and 30W wireless charging (50% in 30 minutes) outpacing the S20 Ultra’s 45W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless capabilities.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G if you absolutely require the most versatile camera system available, including extreme zoom capabilities, and are willing to accept potential thermal throttling with the Exynos variant. Buy the OnePlus 8 Pro if you prioritize consistent performance, exceptional battery life, fast charging, and a smoother, more refined software experience at a significantly lower price point.