Why You Can Trust CNET Galaxy S20 vs. S10 specs compared: What Samsung changed in 2020
Here's what makes Samsung's current Galaxy S20 phones different than last year's Galaxy S10s.
From left to right: the Galaxy S20 Plus, the Galaxy S20 Ultra and the Galaxy S20.
Samsung announced several new Galaxy phones this fall: the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Fold 2 and Galaxy S20 FE. So it's a good time to revisit the company's current flagship phones, the Galaxy S20, S20 Plus and S20 Ultra. The phones are available online and in retail stores. Since their launch earlier this year, CNET has tested the S20 Ultra's impressive camera zoom, compared the Galaxy S20 to the iPhone 11 and conducted drop tests. We also compared the S20 to the S20 Plus and S20 Ultra, and more recently compared the S20 FE to the rest of the S20 line.
All the Galaxy S20 phones share high-end hardware, 5G connectivity and screens with a higher, 120Hz refresh rate. But they also have key differences among each other, too. The 6.2-inch Galaxy S20, for example, is the smallest of the bunch, followed by the S20 Plus and the S20 Ultra, which has a 6.9-inch display.
In addition, the Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus both have wide-angle, telephoto and ultrawide cameras, but the S20 Plus and the S20 Ultra each have one extra camera. This fourth is a time-of-flight camera that measures depth for AR applications. Because the phones belong to Samsung's marquee line, they're expensive. The S20, S20 Plus and S20 Ultra start at $999, $1,199 and $1,399, respectively, though the S20 Ultra is currently selling for a reduced price of $1123. (International prices are £799, £999 and £1,199; or AU$1,349, AU$1,499 and AU$1,999.)
As well as 5G and the higher refresh rates, the Galaxy S20 devices can hold more expandable storage compared to last year's Galaxy S10 line, they shoot 8K video (rather than just 4K) and they run Samsung's second generation of its One UI out of the box.
For more on how the Galaxy S20 and S10 phones vary, check out the spec comparison chart below. And check out CNET's Galaxy S20, S20 Plus and S20 Ultra reviews. (Note the prices for the S10 and S10 Plus are as they were at launch, not today.)
Galaxy S20 phones vs. Galaxy S10
| Samsung Galaxy S20 | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S10 | Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 6.2-inch AMOLED | 6.7-inch AMOLED | 6.9-inch AMOLED | 6.1-inch AMOLED; 3,040x1,440-pixels | 6.4-inch AMOLED; 3,040x1,440-pixels |
| Pixel density | 563ppi | 525ppi | 511ppi | 550ppi | 522ppi |
| Dimensions (Inches) | 2.72x5.97x0.311 in | 2.9x6.37x0.30 in | 2.99x6.57x0.35 in | 5.9x2.77x0.31 in | 6.20x2.92x0.31 in |
| Dimensions (Millimeters) | 69.1x151.7x7.9 mm | 73.7x161.9x7.8mm | 76.0x166.9x8.8mm | 149.9x70.4x7.8 mm | 157.6x74.1x7.8 mm |
| Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 5.75 oz; 163g | 6.56 oz; 186g | 7.76 oz; 220g | 5.53 oz; 157g | 6.17 oz; 175g |
| Mobile software | Android 10 | Android 10 | Android 10 | Android 9 | Android 9 |
| Camera | 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 64-megapixel (telephoto), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide) | 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 64-megapixel (telephoto), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), time-of-flight camera | 108-megapixel (wide-angle), 48-megapixel (telephoto), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), time-of-flight camera | 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 16-megapixel (ultra wide-angle), 12-megapixel (telephoto) | 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 16-megapixel (ultra wide-angle), 12-megapixel (telephoto) |
| Front-facing camera | 10-megapixel | 10-megapixel | 40-megapixel | 10-megapixel | 10-megapixel, 8-megapixel |
| Video capture | 8K | 8K | 8K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | 64-bit octa-core processor (Max 2.7GHz + 2.5 GHz + 2.0 GHz) | 64-bit octa-core processor (Max 2.7GHz + 2.5 GHz + 2.0 GHz) | 64-bit octa-core processor (Max 2.7GHz + 2.5 GHz + 2.0 GHz) | Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 |
| Storage | 128GB | 128GB, 512GB | 128GB, 512GB | 128GB, 512GB | 128GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB | 12GB, 16GB | 8GB | 8GB, 12GB |
| Expandable storage | Up to 1TB | Up to 1TB | Up to 1TB | Up to 512GB | Up to 512GB |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh | 4,500 mAh | 5,000 mAh | 3,400 mAh | 4,100 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | In-screen | In-screen | In-screen | In-screen | In-screen |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Special features | 5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; water resistant (IP68) | 5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; water resistant (IP68) | 5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; 100X zoom; water resistant (IP68) | Wireless PowerShare; hole punch screen notch; water resistant (IP68); Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 | Wireless PowerShare; hole punch screen notch; water resistant (IP68); Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 |
| Price off-contract (USD) | $999 | $1,199 | $1,399 | $900 | $1,000 (128GB), $1,249 (512GB), $1,599 (1TB) |
| Price (GBP) | £799, £899 (5G) | £999 (5G) | £1,199 (128GB), £1,399 (512GB) | £799 | £899 (128GB) |
| Price (AUD) | AU$1,349, AU$1,499 (5G) | AU$1,499, AU$1,649 (5G) | AU$1,999 | AU$1,349 | AU$1,499 (128GB) |