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iPhone 12 vs. Apple's major 5G rivals: Galaxy S20, S20 FE, Pixel 5, OnePlus 8T

Apple's iPhone 12 has arrived. Here's how it stacks up against Samsung's Galaxy S20 and S20 FE, Google's Pixel 5 and OnePlus' 8T.

Sareena Dayaram Senior Editor
Sareena is a senior editor for CNET covering the mobile beat including device reviews. She is a seasoned multimedia journalist with more than a decade's worth of experience producing stories for television and digital publications across Asia's financial capitals including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Mumbai. Prior to CNET, Sareena worked at CNN as a news writer and Reuters as a producer.
Expertise Huawei, Oppo, smartphones, smartwatches Credentials
  • More than a decade of journalism experience
Sareena Dayaram
2 min read
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The iPhone 12 lineup, Apple's 5G family of iPhones, is here and you can order all four models now. Coronavirus disruptions delayed the iPhone 12, but it made its debut alongside three siblings last month via a virtual event. The $799 iPhone 12 and 12 Pro, the iPhone 12 Mini and the iPhone 12 Pro Max feature a revamped design reminiscent of the iPad Pro as well as a new ceramic-hardened display promising to be "tougher than any smartphone glass." (Here are the results of our iPhone 12 drop test.)

For Apple, the iPhone 12 family marks the company's first crop of devices that can connect to 5G. But competition is notoriously stiff in the smartphone world, which means there are already plenty of high-powered 5G phones for you to select from including the Samsung Galaxy S20 and S20 FE, Google's Pixel 5, and OnePlus 8T. In general, what makes these five phones similar is their premium OLED panels and class-leading processors. The Pixel 5, which is powered by the older Snapdragon 765G chipset, is the exception.

Read more: iPhone 12 takes us a step closer to Apple's portless future

Apple reintroduces its MagSafe charging brand for the new iPhone 12 family. 

Apple

There are several differences between these five phones, including screen refresh rates and camera module. The iPhone 12, for instance, has a 60Hz refresh rate display, while all of its rivals boast either 120Hz or 90Hz panels. Apparently this is because Apple prioritized battery longevity, which can drain faster because of 5G, instead of an ultrasmooth display. 

Another key difference that you won't necessarily find easily on spec sheets is the absence of the power adapter and wired earphones that previously came in an iPhone box. Instead, you'll have to buy those accessories separately, or use ones you already have. Apple likely made this decision to help offset the added costs that come with releasing a 5G-enabled phone. 

Read more: The best phone to buy for 2020

For specific details on the iPhone 12, take a look at the chart below, where you can see the specs side-by-side. And for more information on all of the iPhone news, check out CNET's full coverage of Apple's event.

iPhone 12 vs. rivals


iPhone 12OnePlus 8T Pixel 5Galaxy S20 FE Galaxy S20
Display size, resolution 6.1-inch OLED; 2,532x1,170 pixels6.55-inch AMOLED; 2,400x1,080 pixels6-inch FHD+ OLED; 2,340x1,080 pixels6.5-inch super AMOLED; 2,400x1,080 pixels6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 3,200x1440 pixels 
Pixel density 460ppi402ppi432ppi405ppi563ppi
Dimensions (inches) 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.29 in6.33 x 2.92 x 0.33 in5.7 x 2.8 x 0.3 in6.29 x 2.97 x 0.33 inches2.72 x 5.97 x 0.311 in
Dimensions (millimeters) 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm160.7 x 74.1 x 8.4 mm144.7 x 70.4 x 8 mm159.8 x 75.5 x 8.4mm69.1 x 151.7 x 7.9 mm
Weight (ounces, grams) 5.78oz; 164g6.63 oz; 188g5.33 oz; 151g6.7 oz; 190g5.75 oz; 163g
Mobile software iOS 14Android 11Android 11Android 10Android 10
Camera (megapixels) 12 MP (wide), 12 MP (ultra-wide)48 MP (standard), 16 MP (ultra-wide), 5 MP (macro), 2 MP (monochrome)12.2 MP (standard), 16 MP (ultra-wide)12 MP (standard), 12 MP (ultra-wide), 8 MP (3x telephoto)12 MP (wide-angle), 64 MP (telephoto), 12 MP (ultra-wide)
Front-facing camera 12 MP16 MP8 MP32 MP10 MP
Video capture 4K4K4K4K8K
Processor Apple Bionic 14Qualcomm Snapdragon 865Qualcomm Snapdragon 765GQualcomm Snapdragon 865 (5G) Samsung Exynos 990 (4G)64-bit octa-core processor (Max 2.7GHz + 2.5 GHz + 2.0 GHz)
Storage 64GB, 128GB, 256GB128GB, 256GB128GB128GB128GB
RAM Undisclosed8GB8GB6GB12GB (5G), 8GB (LTE)
Expandable storage NoNoNo1TBUp to 1TB
Battery Undisclosed; Apple lists 15 hours of video playback4,500mAh4,000mAh4,500mAh4,000mAh
Fingerprint sensor None (FaceID)In-screenRearIn-screenIn-screen
Connector LightningUSB-CUSB-CUSB-CUSB-C
Headphone jack NoNoNoNoNo
Special features 5G enabled; 60Hz refresh rate; MagSafe; water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM) 5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)5G enabled; water resistant (IP68); 90Hz refresh rate; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); reverse wireless charging; fast charging5G enabled; 120Hz  refresh rate; support for  fast charging on wired and wireless5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; water resistant (IP68); fast charging compatible on wired and wireless
Price (USD) $799 (64GB), $849 (128GB), $949 (256GB) Unlocked: $829 (64GB), $879 (128GB), $979 (256GB)$749$699$699$999
Price (GBP) £799 (64GB), £849 (128GB), £949 (256GB)£549£599£599 (4G) £699 (5G)£799, £899 (5G)
Price (AUD) AU$1,349 (64GB), AU$1,429 (128GB), AU$1,599 (256GB)Converts to AU$1,000AU$999AU$999AU$1349 (4G), AU$1,499 (5G)