Samsung Galaxy S20 FE vs Galaxy S20+: What difference does it make?

 


(Pocket-lint) - The Galaxy S20 Fan Version, or Galaxy S20 FE, was released in September 2020 by Samsung. It's a lighter take on the family of the Galaxy S20, offering much of the significant specifications, but making a few cuts makes it a little more affordable.

With the Samsung Galaxy S20+, which was our choice of the previous versions, and the device that theoretically has the greatest appeal, it goes head-to-head. Has it been undercut now?

Prices and availability

  • Galaxy S20 FE: £599 (4G), £699 (5G)
  • Galaxy S20+: £999 (5G)
Given that there are so many different versions of the Galaxy S20+ globally, price comparisons are a little difficult, but the simple version is this: the Galaxy S20 FE is better, no matter what you pick.

The S20+ is still more expensive than the S20 FE, even with discounts from the initial launch price. Not all regions get all S20+ models and not all regions get all S20 FE variants, but the FE costs less, whichever way you cut it.

Build and dimensions 

  • Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4mm, 190g
  • Samsung Galaxy S20+: 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8mm, 186g
The S20+ and the S20 FE are remarkably similar in size. There is a difference of a few millimeters, with the FE slightly shorter - clarified by the smaller monitor - and slightly larger, possibly because the display is flat. It's a little thicker as well, not that you'd notice. On the S20 FE, there are wider bezels, most likely because of the flatter display, so it doesn't look as premium as the S20+.

Both of these phones provide IP68 waterproofing, both have Dolby Atmos-supported stereo speakers and both have a similar camera setup on the back of the handset.

The key difference is that, instead of S20+ glass, the rear of the S20 FE is glass - plastic. This may make it more sturdy, it may mean that it doesn't feel as premium, but it has a matte finish, so fingerprints are less likely to be collected.

There are also a number of colours available for the Galaxy S20 FE - blue, red, lavender, mint, white, orange - while the Galaxy S20+ is all about extreme dark, black and light blue variants.

There's very little difference in reality.

Display 

  • Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: 6.5-inch, 120Hz, AMOLED, Full HD+
  • Samsung Galaxy S20+: 6.7-inch, 120Hz, AMOLED, Quad HD+
Both use the same kind of panel when it comes to the monitor, AMOLED in both cases with a punch hole for the front camera. Technically, Samsung says the S20 FE has a Super AMOLED X2, while a Dynamic AMOLED X2 is available for the Galaxy S20+.

In the resolution, the real difference is. Quad HD+ is supported by the Samsung Galaxy S20+, which is 3200 x 1440 pixels (524ppi), while the Galaxy S20 FE provides 2400 x 1080 pixels (404ppi). The S20+ can make finer details technically, but Samsung's default on the S20+ is Full HD anyway, and many people never use the full resolution, so it's probably no big loss.

Both phones also deliver 120Hz and that's going to be something fans want, so it's welcome to see it on the cheaper unit.

As we described above, at 6.5-inches, the display on the Galaxy S20 FE is slightly smaller, a minor 0.2-inch reduction over the S20+ that will not make a big difference in fact. The S20 SE is also smooth, so the edges don't have any curves.

In fact, this may be a benefit: while curves look nice and make it slightly easier to grip a large phone, it can lead to some decrease in touch sensitivity towards the edges. Give us every day of the week a flat monitor for gaming.

Core hardware and battery

  • Samsung Galaxy S20 SE: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (5G), Exynos 990 (4G), 6GB/128GB, 4500mAh
  • Samsung Galaxy S20+: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (4/5G), Exynos 990 (4/5G), 8/12/128GB, 4500mAh
The storey only shows itself when it comes to the main hardware. The headline is that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 is powered worldwide by the Galaxy S20 FE 5G edition. The 4G version will be Exynos 990, but not all regions will be able to access the 4G version (like the US).

The Galaxy S20+ is even more complicated: both the Snapdragon 865 and the Exynos 990 are 4 and 5G models. It was the Exynos 990 edition that was available in Europe, so the S20 FE is a chance to get a Samsung computer powered by Qualcomm, but make sure you purchase the 5G version.

With 128GB of storage, there is a reduction in RAM to 6GB. In fact, it is unlikely that the decrease in RAM will have a major impact on how the phone runs. On all computers, MicroSD capacity expansion is supported.

At 4500mAh, they both have the same battery power as well. Thanks to the slightly lower spec display, the S20 FE has slightly greater endurance, but there's not much difference.

Cameras

  • Galaxy S20 FE:
    • Main: 12MP, f/1.8, 1.8µm, OIS
    • Tele: 8MP, f/2.4, 1.0µm, OIS, 3x
    • Ultra-wide: 12MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm
    • Front: 32MP, f/2.2, 0.8µm, FF
  • Galaxy S20+:
    • Main: 12MP, f/1.8, 1.8µm, OIS  
    • Tele: 64MP, f/2.0, 0.8µm, OIS, 3x
    • Ultra-wide: 12MP, f/2.2, 1.4µm
    • DepthVision
    • Front: 10MP, f/2.2, 1.22µm, AF
The Samsung Galaxy S20+ and the Galaxy S20 FE cameras have a lot in common. They usually have the same option, focused on the same main camera. Without the nonsense of pixel combining that is common elsewhere, this is a 12-megapixel camera with nice large pixels to absorb lots of light.

Ultra-wide and telephoto cameras are synonymous with it, but here the specs are different. The main move is from a 64-megapixel sensor to an 8-megapixel sensor, starting with a telephoto. It's a slightly different approach from the hardware, but both offer OIS 3x optical zoom, while both also include Samsung's 30X Space Zoom feature with 10x digital zoom.

Why such a switch? 8K video capture is also done by the 64-megapixel camera on the S20+, so we assume that the explanation for the move is that the S20 FE does not deliver 8K capture.

The ultra-wide is also a different camera and it's not quite as good as the output of the S20+ with a move to a smaller sensor in the S20 FE.

The S20+ has a good selfie with a 10-megapixel sensor. Samsung has changed to a 32-megapixel front camera for some reason. There seems to be no logic to this step that we can see at all and instead of autofocus, it's fixed focus, so it's a little weaker.

Finally, the S20+ has a DepthVision sensor as well, but we don't really think it does a thing, so the S20 FE won't miss it.

Conclusion 

Provided that the cheaper phone is the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, it has a lot going for it. But what are you missing out on actually? There are some minor camera improvements, but the experience is going to be mostly the same with the same main camera.

There are some small spec changes such as less RAM, but this does not have a major impact on use, compared to the option of having a Qualcomm computer instead of Exynos for those in Europe, which is likely to be common

The display changes: the flatter display can actually match some and again, the decrease in resolution will just bother some individuals and have very little difference on items such as games or media consumption.

Finally, the plastic is back there. Sure, you're not going to get the highest quality finish, but at the same time, you're still going to have more cash in your wallet. In view of this, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE seems to us like a win, a decent push back against the rising power of mid-range devices and the antidote to flagships that are over-spec and over-priced.

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