The Galaxy S20 FE is possibly the finest phone that Samsung has ever created. The S20 FE, which was launched final year to bring “premium Galaxy smartphone experiences” to more folks, nails the fundamentals so nicely, it provides OnePlus, even Apple, some thing to assume about.
For some curious explanation, only the LTE version of the phone was out there in India all this time. The 5G S20 FE has arrived almost six months immediately after international debut. Some could say, it was mighty brave of Samsung to launch it at all, but there is a further way to look at it.
Samsung knew it had a strong solution that it could bank on to play as a stopgap, till the S21 FE came along. To do what, you ask? Well, to spoil OnePlus’s party, what else?
There is no doubt that the S20 FE 5G is Samsung’s answer to the OnePlus 9 (as the S20 FE 4G was to the OnePlus 8T) and even though spec-nerds will discover it tough to think, the phone tends to make a lot of sense regardless of its late entry and seemingly old hardware. If something, the finest phone that Samsung ever created just got better—in India.
Breaking the habit
On paper, there are only two variations among the S20 FE 5G and S20 FE 4G. The chipset and modem. The S20 FE 5G packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor and a second-generation X55 modem bringing assistance for Sub-6 bands in 9 unique frequencies. The S20 FE 4G has Exynos 990 and the Exynos Modem 5123 accompanying it, although it is 5G prepared, has been locked at LTE.
While 5G could not necessarily be a big deciding element for several purchasers, a flagship-grade Qualcomm chip certainly is, provided Samsung’s unbendable perseverance to launch only Exynos-based premium S- and Note-series phones in India. The S20 FE 5G (like the S10 Lite) breaks with convention in that sense.
The Snapdragon 865 is based on TSMC’s N7P (DUV) manufacturing approach and has an 8-core CPU, with one ARM Cortex-A77 Prime core clocked at 2.84GHz, 3 Cortex-A77 cores clocked at 2.42GHz, and 4 ARM Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8GHz. The Exynos 990 is based on a more sophisticated 7nm LPP (EUV) manufacturing approach but the Snapdragon 865 makes use of more sophisticated (and more effective) cores. Exynos 990 also has a bigger die size. In other words, the Snapdragon 865 is theoretically more rapidly and more energy effective. The Qualcomm chip has the GPU benefit as well.
All this translates into slightly far better all-round efficiency in day-to-day tasks with true noticeable gains coming in even though gaming. Compared to S20 FE 4G, the S20 FE 5G feels snappier and can sustain steadier frame prices more regularly throughout graphics intensive gaming. It is also far better at heat management and does not break a sweat unless you are actually strain testing it with a heavy game like Genshin Impact – which by the way has a tendency to stutter every single now and then at peak setting but then, that game is just as well intense anyway.
That’s exactly where the OnePlus 9’s next gen Snapdragon 888 unsurprisingly shines. But aside from that, you will have to be as observant as Sherlock to pinpoint the variations. The S20 FE 5G is by no signifies a slouch regardless of its one-year-old hardware. OnePlus provides you more RAM (up to 12GB) and storage (up to 256GB) possibilities, but Samsung presents hybrid micro-SD expansion on prime of 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.
The S20 FE 5G has marginally far better battery life as nicely. Like the S20 FE 4G, the S20 FE 5G also has a 4,500mAh battery. I have been averaging 5-6 hours of screen on time with the phone’s show cranked up to 120Hz (at auto brightness) which is a respectable figure but of course your mileage could differ. Where the OnePlus 9 supports 65W rapid charging, Samsung is sticking with 25W, and, shipping a 15W charger in the box. But even though the S20 FE 5G supports 15W wireless as nicely as reverse wireless charging, the OnePlus 9 can not do either.
If it ain’t broke
There is no telling the S20 FE 5G apart from the 4G model on the outdoors simply because they are practically the exact same phones. It has the exact same matte polycarbonate back out there in a slew of playful colours – like this minty fresh variant I have for assessment – with a metallic frame. It appears precisely like the S20 but of course, Samsung has watered it down to reduce expense. But it has not reduce any corners, at least none that are deal-breakers.
The phone appears and feels higher-top quality and, original, even as OnePlus phones start off to look more and more like a Samsung Galaxy with every single new iteration. The OnePlus 9 could have a far better in-hand really feel, but the S20 FE 5G is hands down a far better developed phone with just the correct quantity of elegance and practicality. It does not attract a lot of smudge and fingerprints. It is also IP68-certified for dust and water resistance.
The 6.5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED show of the S20 FE 5G is simply amongst the finest in the enterprise with ample brightness levels and wealthy colours. It is also pretty fluid – a term OnePlus likes to use to marketplace its version of AMOLED – courtesy a 120Hz refresh price, although this is not adaptive (or dynamic) like Samsung’s more highly-priced S- and Note-series phones. The show is flat and has substantially more bezels in comparison, but all this bodes nicely for content consumption even though providing you sufficient breathing space to rest your palms even though carrying out it – it is not a compromise. The S20 FE 5G supports HDR10+ content playback and has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection. The optical in-show fingerprint scanner is iffy and probably the phone’s weakest hyperlink.
The OnePlus 9 has largely comparable credentials but if I had been to choose one, OnePlus presents a slightly far better package when it comes to calibration and tuning. The OnePlus 9’s show can get tad brighter and has Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It has a more rapidly, more correct fingerprint reader as well (although, it suffers from its personal challenges specifically reduce-than-usual positioning).
The distinction is not like evening and day although. If something, most customers would most likely choose the S20 FE 5G simply because it is a small punchier. Content actually pops out on it.
The true variations lie in the cameras. The two phones take two vastly unique trajectories in strategy and subsequently, the output. While OnePlus has gone with higher-profile Hasselblad branding and higher-resolution sensors, Samsung’s take is a lot more subdued but one that tends to make use of years of practical experience.
The S20 FE 5G has a more versatile camera setup amongst the two. It has a 12MP major sensor behind a 26mm wide f/1.8 aperture lens with Dual Pixel PDAF and OIS. This is paired with a further 12MP sensor behind an f/2.2 aperture ultra-wide-angle lens and 8MP telephoto camera.
The phone’s most important camera shoots regularly very good pictures in very good light with warm and pleasing – if a small oversaturated – colours, lots of detail and superb dynamic variety. The OnePlus 9’s most important 48MP camera shoots more all-natural-seeking pictures in contrast. Both phones are nicely stacked-out and there is no clear winner right here, to be truthful.
OnePlus pulls ahead with far better ultra-wide-angle efficiency across the board like spot-on edge correction on the back of a freeform lens. But Samsung presents more zoom which is also sharper. Optically, the S20 FE 5G can only go as far as 1.1x but 3x hybrid zoom pictures are serviceable. On paper, it can shoot up to 30x zoom pictures (up to 10x in low light/evening mode), but that is just software program overkill.
The S20 FE 5G’s cameras actually come into their personal in low light. Samsung’s evening mode presents brighter, more detailed pictures in difficult and low light. The exact same is accurate about the phone’s portrait mode. Samsung’s phone is just far better at topic isolation and creates a good, creamy background blur in pictures across all lighting scenarios.
The S20 FE can not do 8K video recording if you are into that sort of point. 4K @30fps, 60fps videos shot with the phone are sharp, have lots of detail, and offer you superb all-round stabilisation. The OnePlus 9 metes out slightly far better benefits although audio recording is far better on the S20 FE 5G.
On the front, the phone has a 32MP camera which clicks good and detailed selfies in most lighting scenarios – far better than OnePlus 9.
The massive image
The S20 FE 5G’s greatest draw is software program and assistance. Samsung now presents 3 significant Android updates on pick devices. Samsung says folks are holding onto their devices for longer and it basically desires to extend the life cycle of its Galaxy solutions even though supplying the newest innovations “as soon as they are available”. This is a massive step up from say 3 or 4 years ago when the corporation was infamous for software program update rollout delays.
Tables have turned when it comes to OnePlus phones. Not only has OxygenOS began to look more and more like OneUI, but it is also riddled with bugs and delays. OnePlus phones are not the holy grail of higher-top quality software program practical experience, the way they used to when upon a time.
Also Read: Realme 8 5G with MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor India launch confirmed for April 22
The S20 FE 5G is a classic instance to show off the “new Samsung”. The phone launched globally in late September-early October final year with Android 10. It has launched in India with Android 11. Samsung has confirmed to TheSpuzz Online that it is eligible for two more OS updates. My assessment unit is currently rocking the April safety patch. The sheer frequency of Samsung rolling out fixes (like, the newest one improves the stability of touch screen, an concern I haven’t had on my unit, but several customers have been reporting about it) has gone up substantially more than the final one year.
Not just updates, Samsung’s software program has also enhanced by leaps and bounds and even although there is nevertheless a lot of bloatware (and a handful of advertisements right here and there), the practical experience is unobtrusive and effective.
Verdict
Samsung has launched the S20 FE 5G in India at an introductory value of Rs 47,999. Not only has it undercut OnePlus in pricing, the S20 FE 5G also presents more worth more than the OnePlus 9. Heck, it is a far better acquire than the S21 as nicely.
All this just goes to show how critical nailing the fundamentals is. At this point, the only explanation to get the OnePlus 9 is the new Snapdragon 888 processor and most likely, its more effective ultra-wide-angle camera. Had OnePlus launched the international variant in India, the one that it is promoting in the US for instance with wireless charging and IP68-certfication, possibly, just possibly items would have been unique.
Regardless, the S20 FE 5G is a no-brainer and a actually very good solution regardless of the expanding competitors, like ones from Vivo and Xiaomi. One that gets you more bang for the buck however manages to impress with all-round premium look and really feel.
Pros: Premium match and finish, IP68-certification, Fast 120Hz show, Fast efficiency with storage expansion, Wired and wireless charging out there, Excellent software program assistance, Stereo speakers
Cons: Iffy fingerprint reader, Haptics could be far better