Sony Xperia 5 II vs Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G: A Deep Dive into Compact Power
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-around performance and a vibrant display, the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G (Snapdragon variant) is the better choice. However, the Sony Xperia 5 II excels for content creators and those who value long battery life and a more minimalist software experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 5 II | Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 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, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66 | 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, 8, 28, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G986B |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, September 17 | 2020, February 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, October 12 | Available. Released 2020, March 06 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158 x 68 x 8 mm (6.22 x 2.68 x 0.31 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 | 163 g (5.75 oz) | 188 g (6.63 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 86.9 cm2 (~80.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~90.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| Triluminos display X-Reality Engine | - | |
| 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 10, upgradable to Android 12 | 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 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, 3x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF | 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@24/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p, 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX HD, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 21W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Grey, Blue, Pink | Cosmic Black, Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud White, Aura Red, Aura Blue |
| Models | SO-52A, XQ-AS52, XQ-AS62, XQ-AS72, A002SO, SOG02 | 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 650 EUR | $ 174.17 / C$ 684.99 / € 299.97 |
| SAR | - | 1.08 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.57 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | $ 695.00 | - |
| RENEWED | £ 239.00 | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 102h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -28.3 LUFS (Average) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 532655 (v8) GeekBench: 3301 (v5.1) GFXBench: 41fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Sony Xperia 5 II
- Exceptional battery life (102h endurance)
- Dedicated camera shutter button for pro users
- Clean, near-stock Android experience
- Compact and lightweight design
- Lower peak display brightness
- No wireless charging
- Less vibrant display colors
Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- Faster 25W wired charging and wireless charging
- More versatile camera software
- Samsung ecosystem integration
- Potential for Exynos 990 overheating (global variant)
- Shorter battery life compared to Xperia 5 II
- More bloatware in One UI
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G boasts a more visually striking display, though the Xperia 5 II isn’t far behind. While both utilize 7nm+ fabrication, the S20+’s panel likely achieves a higher contrast ratio than the Xperia 5 II’s ‘Infinite’ (nominal) rating suggests. Sony’s display peaks at 600 nits, which is respectable, but falls short of the S20+'s likely higher peak brightness. Both support PD3.0, but the S20+ adds 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless, features absent on the Xperia 5 II. The S20+’s 120Hz refresh rate (not specified for the 5 II) would provide smoother scrolling and gaming, though it impacts battery life.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer capable camera systems, but cater to different shooting styles. While both are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, the Xperia 5 II emphasizes professional video features, including a dedicated shutter button and real-time tracking autofocus. The S20+ likely benefits from Samsung’s advanced image processing algorithms, known for vibrant colors and strong dynamic range. Sensor sizes and lens apertures are not specified, making a direct comparison difficult, but the Xperia 5 II’s focus on manual controls and video features sets it apart. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on the S20+ is largely a marketing gimmick and offers limited practical benefit.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G (in the US version of the S20+), but the global S20+ uses the Exynos 990. The Snapdragon 865 offers more consistent performance and better thermal management than the Exynos 990, which has been known to throttle under sustained load. The Xperia 5 II’s CPU configuration (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77, 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) is identical to the US Snapdragon S20+’s, suggesting similar raw processing power. However, Sony’s thermal design and software optimization could influence real-world performance. Both phones feature 8GB of RAM, but the type (LPDDR5 vs LPDDR4x) isn’t specified, impacting memory bandwidth.
Battery Life
The Sony Xperia 5 II boasts an impressive endurance rating of 102 hours, significantly exceeding what’s typically seen in flagship smartphones. This is likely due to a combination of its 3600mAh battery (not specified, but typical for the device) and Sony’s power management optimizations. The Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G, while offering faster 25W wired charging (compared to the Xperia 5 II’s 21W), likely has a shorter battery life. The S20+’s inclusion of 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging adds convenience, but at the cost of efficiency. The Xperia 5 II’s 30-minute 50% charge time is competitive, but the S20+ can achieve a full charge faster.
Buying Guide
Buy the Sony Xperia 5 II if you need exceptional battery endurance (102h rating), a dedicated camera shutter button for professional photography/videography, and a clean, near-stock Android experience. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G if you prefer a brighter, more color-accurate display, faster charging speeds, and the broader feature set of Samsung’s One UI, particularly if you’re already invested in the Samsung ecosystem.