vivo NEX 3S 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G: A Detailed Performance and Feature Comparison

Launched in different markets and representing distinct approaches to the 2020 flagship experience, the vivo NEX 3S 5G and Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G offer compelling, yet contrasting, packages. The NEX 3S aimed for a waterfall display and aggressive charging, while the S20+ focused on a refined camera system and broader ecosystem integration. This comparison dissects their core components to determine which device delivers the best value.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing consistent performance and a well-rounded experience, the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G (Snapdragon variant) emerges as the stronger choice. While the vivo NEX 3S 5G boasts faster charging, the S20+'s more mature software, camera capabilities, and wider availability outweigh this advantage.

PHONES
Phone Names	vivo NEX 3S 5G	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, 17, 18, 19, 26, 20, 25, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	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, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G986B
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL)
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO	-

Launch
Announced	2020, March 10. Released 2020, March 14	2020, February 11
Status	Discontinued	Available. Released 2020, March 06

Body
Build	Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame
Dimensions	167.4 x 76.1 x 9.4 mm (6.59 x 3.00 x 0.37 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 + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	219.5 g (7.76 oz)	188 g (6.63 oz)

Display
Protection	-	Corning Gorilla Glass 6
Resolution	1080 x 2256 pixels (~363 ppi density)	1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density)
Size	6.89 inches, 119.3 cm2 (~93.6% screen-to-body ratio)	6.7 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~90.5% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Super AMOLED, HDR10+	Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak)

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, Funtouch 10.0	Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1

Memory
Card slot	No	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal	256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM	128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
	UFS 3.1	-

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Triple	64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.5, 52mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 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@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS	8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS

Selfie camera
Features	LED flash, HDR	HDR
Single	Motorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.1, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm	10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video	1080p@30fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	No
35mm jack	Yes	No
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers
	32-bit/192kHz audio	-

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD	5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Radio	No	FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent)
USB	USB Type-C 2.0, 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, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

Battery
Charging	44W wired	25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type	4500 mAh	Li-Ion 4500 mAh

Misc
Colors	Black, Blue, Orange	Cosmic Black, Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud White, Aura Red, Aura Blue
Models	V1950A	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 630 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)

vivo NEX 3S 5G

Extremely fast 44W wired charging
Unique waterfall display design
Snapdragon 865 5G chipset (comparable to S20+ USA variant)

Potentially limited software support and updates
Waterfall display may introduce accidental touches

Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G

Versatile and high-quality camera system
Polished and feature-rich software experience
Wireless and reverse wireless charging

Slower 25W wired charging
Exynos 990 variant may experience thermal throttling

Display Comparison

Both devices utilize 7nm+ fabrication, but display differences are significant. While specific display specs (resolution, refresh rate) are missing for the NEX 3S, its defining feature is the 'waterfall' display, maximizing screen real estate. The S20+ features a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. Samsung’s AMOLED technology is known for its vibrant colors and excellent contrast. The S20+ likely benefits from a higher peak brightness and potentially better color accuracy due to Samsung’s display calibration expertise. The NEX 3S’s waterfall design, while visually striking, may introduce accidental touch inputs.

Camera Comparison

The Galaxy S20+ 5G boasts a more comprehensive camera system. While specific sensor details for the NEX 3S are limited, the S20+ features a 12MP main sensor with OIS, a 64MP telephoto lens with 3x hybrid optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. Samsung’s image processing is renowned for its vibrant colors and detail preservation. The S20+ also excels in video recording, offering 8K video capture. The NEX 3S likely relies heavily on software processing to compensate for potentially less advanced hardware. The S20+'s superior optical zoom capabilities and video recording features provide a significant advantage for photography enthusiasts.

Performance

The performance landscape is complex due to the S20+'s chipset variation. The USA variant receives the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+), identical to the NEX 3S. This means both will offer comparable CPU performance, with the Snapdragon 865’s octa-core configuration (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77, 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) mirroring the NEX 3S. However, the global S20+ uses the Exynos 990 (7nm+), featuring a different CPU architecture (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5, 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76, 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55). The Exynos 990 has historically faced criticism for thermal throttling under sustained load, potentially impacting gaming performance compared to the Snapdragon variant. Both devices utilize LPDDR5 RAM, ensuring fast memory access.

Battery Life

The vivo NEX 3S 5G distinguishes itself with 44W wired charging, significantly faster than the S20+'s 25W wired charging (with PD3.0 support). This translates to a substantially quicker 0-100% charge time for the NEX 3S. The S20+ compensates with 15W wireless charging (Qi standard) and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the NEX 3S. While battery capacity isn’t specified for the NEX 3S, the S20+ packs a 4500mAh battery. The faster charging of the NEX 3S is beneficial for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly, but the S20+'s wireless charging and larger capacity offer greater convenience and longevity.

Buying Guide

Buy the vivo NEX 3S 5G if you prioritize extremely fast 44W charging and a unique, nearly bezel-less waterfall display, and are comfortable with potential software quirks. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G if you value a polished software experience, a versatile camera system with strong video capabilities, and the benefits of Samsung’s broader ecosystem, particularly if you can secure the Snapdragon 865 variant.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 990 in the global S20+ 5G overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?

Yes, the Exynos 990 has been known to exhibit thermal throttling under sustained load, particularly during graphically intensive gaming. This can lead to reduced performance and frame rate drops. The Snapdragon 865 variant does not suffer from this issue to the same extent.

❓ Is the waterfall display on the vivo NEX 3S 5G prone to accidental touches?

The curved edges of the waterfall display can indeed lead to accidental touches, especially when holding the phone. vivo likely implemented software optimizations to mitigate this, but it remains a potential usability concern.

❓ How does the image processing differ between the NEX 3S and the S20+?

Samsung's image processing tends to produce vibrant, saturated images with enhanced detail. The NEX 3S likely relies more on software algorithms to improve image quality, potentially resulting in a less natural look. The S20+ also offers more advanced features like Single Take and Pro Video mode.

❓ Does the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G support 90fps gaming?

While the S20+ 5G's display has a 120Hz refresh rate, achieving 90fps in games depends on the game's optimization. Some titles support higher frame rates, while others are capped at 60fps. The Snapdragon 865 variant is better equipped to handle higher frame rates consistently.