Samsung Galaxy S20 Differences
This time no ‘S20 Lite’, but an S20 FE. In other words, Samsung wants to make it clear that it is not just a cheap variant, but a fully-fledged alternative to the other devices in the series. FE stands for Fan Edition and the company told Androidworld that it primarily wants to target young people between 18 and 25 years. You can also clearly see that in the wide range of no fewer than six color options in which the phone appears.
But don’t be put off by that so-called target group, because the S20 FE and its differences compared to the S20 4G, S20 5G and the S20 Plus actually have very little to do with age. We list everything.
Screen
The size of the S20 FE screen with its 6.5 inch size is just between the S20 and the Plus version. If that Plus version is too big for you, but it may be slightly more in size than the S20 panel, then this one might be for you.
Furthermore, we see similarities, because the FE still has the screen notch in the middle of the AMOLED panel and it is also still a panel with the 120 Hz refresh rate. Where this phone has to lose out is in the area of ​​resolution, because Samsung uses Full HD with this device. Although that might be the best compromise the company could make, because the fact that the S20 FE does retain the high refresh rate will usually be more noticeable than the difference in resolution. So it’s a great way to push the price of this phone down.
Casing and size
The S20 FE starts out in size between its two other brothers and that is also noticeable in the size. The new phone is a bit thicker than the other devices, but you get a larger battery in return. Furthermore, with the finish of this Fan Editon, Samsung continues to build on the design of the Galaxy Note 20. That is, no glass back, but a ‘Frosted Glass’ that closely resembles glass. Although it is in fact plastic.
The choice for a plastic finish on a flagship can already be seen as controversial, but in fact plastic does have advantages, because it does not crack like glass when dropped. Still, it is a notable difference compared to the S20 and the Plus version if you compare the three devices.
Cameras
We see that with the camera of the S20 FE, Samsung has taken over the main camera of the Plus version and the regular S20. At first glance, that also seems too much for the wide-angle camera, but if you dig a little deeper into the specifications, you will notice that the FE has a slightly smaller sensor. Although it has the same number of megapixels and aperture size. A smaller sensor is usually able to collect less light.
There is also the telephoto camera, and Samsung says goodbye to the 64 MP sensor for this Fan Edition. On the other hand, there will be an 8 MP copy that still provides 3x optical zoom and 30x ‘Space Zoom’, just like with the other devices. This sensor also lacks optical image stabilization, which is likely to increase the chance of blurry photos, especially when shooting in difficult lighting conditions. However, a camera test will have to show how this sensor performs.
Finally, we see that Samsung is committed to the performance of the selfie camera for this S20 FE, because it has a 32 MP sensor. It also has a wider aperture of f/2.0 so that it should be able to capture more light.
Performance and Storage
This time we see Samsung enable two different chipsets for the 4G and 5G model of the S20 Fan Edition. Those who opt for 4G get the Exynos 990 from Samsung, but the 5G model comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. If we look at the S20 and Plus version, we see that the 5G models with the Exynos variant also appear.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 and the S20 Plus
To be clear, both chipsets are two powerhouses and they perform very similar in general. Yet it is known – and we also establish this in tests at Androidworld – that the Qualcomm chipset is faster than the Exynos. For that reason, Samsung fans have even started a petition to complain about the lower performance of the Exynos. The 5G version of the S20 FE could well be the fastest phone in the series.
Although we also have to look at the amount of working memory. The S20 FE has a 6GB/128GB model and one with 8GB/256GB for both the 4G and 5G versions. Android runs very smoothly today with 6 GB of RAM, and that certainly applies to 8 GB, but the largest ‘power users’ will miss the option with 12 GB of RAM.
Battery
Samsung’s deliberately chose Fan Editon of the S20 has the same 4500 mAh of the S20 Plus despite its smaller size. That is certainly a good thing and we also see that more and more devices with larger batteries appear.
Less positive is the fact that the S20 FE comes on the market with a 14 watt charger, because given the price of this phone, that is difficult to justify. Especially if you look at other devices in this price segment, all of which appear with a powerful fast charger. Samsung states that the FE does work, with the 25-watt charger that the other S20 phones use, but why it isn’t in the box is a mystery to us.
Conclusion
The other S20 devices were already on the market this spring and that means that you can buy them for a lower price. The above prices are the cheapest for a single phone according to our Androidworld price comparison. The prices of the S20 FE are very similar to those of the current S20 and it will really depend on personal preference if you want to determine which device is most suitable for you.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has a few trump cards and we see that Samsung manages to push the price of the device in a few ways in a smart way. You get more screen space with this phone, the FE has a better selfie camera and a larger battery. In addition, he comes with the excellent Snapdragon 865 for the 5G version. The S20 FE can also count on the same three years of updates as the other variants.
Still, you can say that the phone has a less high-quality finish and that Samsung also had to make compromises in the field of camera, fast charging and working memory. A test of the S20 FE will have to show how well the phone does in practice. Which phone do you prefer based on these differences? Let us know in the comments at the bottom of this article.
Buy Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE comes in a 4G model and one that also supports 5G, and both are available in a 6GB/128GB or 8GB/256GB version. You can buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE at, among others, at Media market, CoolBlue, bol.com, T-Mobile, Mobiel.nl.
The colors of both phones also vary by model, as the version with 6GB RAM is available in Cloud Navy, Cloud Mint, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange and Cloud White for both the 4G and 5G versions. If you prefer the model with 8GB RAM, you will find Cloud Navy and Cloud Mint for the 4G version. The 5G model only comes in Cloud Navy.
Top row: Cloud Red, Cloud Levender and Cloud Navy respectively. Bottom row: Cloud Mint, Cloud White and Cloud Orange respectively.
The pre-orders of this phone start today and until October 1, you get an extra gift with the purchase of this phone. You can choose from the new Galaxy Fit 2 worth 49 euros or a ‘Game Pack’ worth 109 euros. The latter includes an Xbox controller and three months of access to Xbox Game Pass. Thanks to Microsoft’s xCloud streaming service, you can then play games on your phone.
– Thanks for information from Androidworld.