Why You Can Trust CNET Galaxy S20 FE vs. Samsung's rivals: iPhone, Pixel and OnePlus
We compare Samsung's new Galaxy S20 Fan Edition to three comparable phone competitors made by Apple, Google and OnePlus.
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Samsung took the wraps off its latest Galaxy phone, the S20 Fan Edition, earlier this fall in an online-only event. The S20 FE is Samsung's response to the coronavirus pandemic: A premium phone that aims to offer a well-rounded experience at a more attractive price. Pricing starts at $700 (£599, AU$999). The 6.5-inch S20 FE features a 2,400x1,080-pixel, AMOLED display with ultrafast refresh rates (120Hz) for smooth scrolling. It also has the most advanced Snapdragon 865 processor (allowing it to support 5G ), a large battery and three rear cameras complete with a telephoto lens.
But it's hardly the only value-for-money option in the premium phones category. The S20 FE joins the OnePlus 8 and one-generation-old iPhone 11 and Pixel 4 in this segment. Google's Pixel 4 launched at $799, making it the most expensive of the pack (though you can find it cheaper now that it's been discontinued), while the rest started at $699 for varying levels of RAM and storage. (The Pixel 5 and iPhone 12, both also announced this fall, start at $699 and $799, respectively.) See the chart below for variant and international prices.
Read more: Here's how the Galaxy S20 FE compares to the Pixel 5, iPhone 12 and other major rivals. And here's how the S20 Fan Edition compares to the other phones in Samsung's Galaxy S20 line.
One key feature that sets the S20 FE apart is the option to expand storage by up to 1TB -- you won't find that on any of the rivals mentioned here. It's a feature that'll likely prove useful, especially if you plan on buying the base 64GB variant.
While all four phones have premium looks, the S20 FE uses a polycarbonate (plastic) back in lieu of glass, which is found in its three rivals. Samsung likely made that decision to drive down costs.
Read more: The best phone to buy for 2020
All four phones also have two or three camera lenses on their backs, but only the Galaxy 20 FE and the Pixel 4 come equipped with sought-after telephoto lenses. The S20 FE sports a 12-megapixel main shooter, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and an 8-megapixel lens.
Galaxy S20 FE vs. rivals
| Samsung Galaxy S20 FE | iPhone 11 | Google Pixel 4 | OnePlus 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 6.5-inch super AMOLED; 2,400x1,080 pixels | 6.1-inch LCD Liquid Retina; 1,792x828 pixels | 5.7-inch OLED; 1,080x2,280 pixels | 6.55-inch AMOLED; 1,080x2,400 pixels |
| Pixel density | 405ppi | 326ppi | 444ppi | 402ppi |
| Dimensions (Inches) | 6.29x2.97x0.33 inches | 5.94x2.98x0.33 inches | 2.7x5.7x0.3 inches | 6.3x2.8x0.31 inches |
| Dimensions (Millimeters) | 159.8x75.5x8.4mm | 150.9x75.7x8.3 mm | 68.8x147.1x8.2 mm | 160x72.9x8.0 mm |
| Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 6.7 oz; 190g | 6.84 oz; 194g | 5.7 oz; 162g | 6.35 oz; 180g |
| Mobile software **at launch | Android 10 | iOS 13 | Android 10 | Android 10 |
| Camera | 12-megapixel (standard), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), 8-megapixel (3x telephoto) | 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide) | 12.2-megapixel (standard), 16-megapixel (telephoto) | 48-megapixel (standard), 16-megapixel (ultra-wide), 2-megapixel (macro) |
| Front-facing camera | 32-megapixel | 12-megapixel | 8-megapixel | 16-megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (5G) Samsung Exynos 990 (4G) | A13 Bionic | 2.84GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Storage | 128GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 64GB, 128GB | 128GB, 256GB |
| RAM | 6GB | Not disclosed | 6GB | 8GB, 12GB |
| Expandable storage | 1TB | None | No | No |
| Battery | 4,500 mAh | Not disclosed, but Apple claims it will last 1 hour longer than iPhone XR | 2,800 mAh | 4,300 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | In-screen | None (Face ID) | No | In-screen |
| Connector | USB-C | Lightning | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | No | No | No | No |
| Special features | 5G enabled, IP 68 rating, 120Hz screen refresh rate, support for 30W fast charging,15W fast wireless charging | Water resistant (IP68); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging | Soli motion sensing and touchless gestures; 90Hz display; water-resistant (IP68); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging | 5G enabled; Warp Charge; 90Hz refresh rate |
| Price off-contract (USD) **at launch | $700 for sub-6 5G; $750 for Verizon model with mmWave 5G | $699 (64GB), $749 (128GB), $849 (256GB) | $799 (64GB), $899 (128GB) | $699 (8GB RAM/128GB), $799 (12GB RAM/256GB) |
| Price (GBP) **at launch | £599 (4G) £699 (5G) | £729 (64GB), £779 (128GB), £879 (256GB) | £669 (64GB), £769 (128GB) | £599 (8GB RAM/128GB), £699 (12GB RAM/256GB) |
| Price (AUD) **at launch | AU$999 (4G), AU$1,149 (5G) | AU$1,199 (64GB), AU$1,279 (128GB), AU$1,449 (256GB) | AU$1,049 (64GB), AU$1,199 (128GB) | UK converts to: AU$1,180 (8GB RAM/128GB), AU$1,370 (12GB RAM/256GB) |