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Google Pixel 5 vs. Galaxy S20 FE vs. S20 vs. S20 Ultra: All the specs compared

What's different between Google's Pixel 5 and some of its Samsung-made Android rivals?

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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Angela Lang/CNET

Google's Pixel 5 was part of the last crop of  5G Android smartphones released last year. Unlike the pricey Pixel phones of years past, Google took a decidedly midrange-approach to the Pixel 5. While the Pixel 5 has 5G connectivity along with the fantastic cameras that have become the line's main selling point, Google made sure to drop the price to $699 (£599, AU$999) and scale back on some features (like the processor, for instance) in light of the pandemic and perhaps the generally saturated state of the smartphone industry.

One of the fiercest rivals to the Pixel 5 is Samsung's  identically priced  Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE), which was launched as a response to the pandemic. The S20 FE is a lower-cost cousin of the flashy Galaxy S20 family (comprised of the Galaxy S20, S20 Plus, and S20 Ultra), but it sticks with the flagship series' top features like the 120Hz display and comprehensive rear camera setup. If you're looking to upgrade your Android phone, you're probably wondering how these Google and Samsung phones square up against each other. 

Read more: How is the Galaxy S21 $200 cheaper than the S20? 3 big changes Samsung made

Some of the key differences between them include size (the Pixel 5 is the smallest and lightest of the bunch) the camera setup, expandable storage (the Pixel 5 doesn't have any), and processor. For specifics, take a look at our specs chart below.

More Samsung specs comparisons:

Pixel 5 vs. Galaxy S20 FE vs. S20 vs. S20 Ultra

Pixel 5Galaxy S20 FEGalaxy S20Galaxy S20 Ultra
Display size, resolution 6-inch FHD+ OLED; (2,340x1,080 pixels)6.5-inch super AMOLED; (2,400x1,080 pixels)6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X; (3,200x1440)6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (3,200x1,440 pixels)
Pixel density 432ppi405ppi563ppi511ppi
Dimensions (inches) 5.7 x 2.8 x 0.3 in.6.29 x 2.97 x 0.33 in.2.72 x 5.97 x 0.311 in.2.99 x 6.57 x 0.35 in.
Dimensions (millimeters) 144.7 x 70.4 x 8.0mm159.8 x 75.5 x 8.4mm69.1 x 151.7 x 7.9mm76.0 x 166.9 x 8.8mm
Weight (ounces, grams) 5.33 oz.; 151g6.70 oz.; 190g5.75 oz.; 163g7.76 oz.; 220g
Mobile software (at launch) Android 11Android 10Android 10Android 10
Camera 12.2-megapixel (standard), 16-megapixel (ultrawide)12-megapixel (standard), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 8-megapixel (3x telephoto)12-megapixel (wide-angle), 64-megapixel (telephoto), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)108-megapixel (wide-angle), 48-megapixel (telephoto), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), time-of-flight camera
Front-facing camera 8-megapixel32-megapixel10-megapixel40-megapixel
Video capture 4K4K8K8K
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 765GQualcomm Snapdragon 865 (5G) Samsung Exynos 990 (4G)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)
Storage 128GB128GB128GB128GB, 512GB
RAM 8GB6GB12GB (5G), 8GB (LTE) 12GB, 16GB
Expandable storage NoUp to 1TBUp to 1TBUp to 1TB
Battery 4,000 mAh4,500 mAh4,000 mAh5,000 mAh
Fingerprint sensor RearIn-screenIn-screenIn-screen
Headphone jack NoNoNoNo
Special features 5G enabled; water resistant (IP68); 90Hz refresh rate display; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and eSIM); reverse wireless charging; fast charging120Hz screen refresh rate, support for 30W fast charging and 15W fast wireless charging5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; water resistant (IP68)5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; 100X zoom; water resistant (IP68)
Price off-contract (USD) $699$699$999$1,399 (128GB), $1,599 (512GB)
Price (GBP) £599£599 (4G) £699 (5G)£799, £899 (5G)£1,199 (128GB), £1,399 (512GB)
Price (AUD) AU$999Converts to AU$975 from USDAU$1349 (4G), AU$1,499 (5G), AU$1,999 (128GB), AU$2,249 (512GB)

*All prices are at launch.