Announced in February 2020 and released worldwide in March 2020, the S20 is the latest collection of phones in Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S range.

This review will look at all of the Samsung Galaxy S20’s features and provide a table to help you compare the standard model to the Galaxy S20 Plus and the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Wasn’t Samsung’s Last S Model the S10?

That’s right. Technically this is the Samsung Galaxy S11.

Primarily Samsung’s reasoning for the jump in numbers is the size of the upgrade, and as we’re going to discover there’s certainly loads packed into the S20 in comparison to 2019’s S10 range. It also allows Samsung to handily have its flagship phones named for the year they were released in, while those buying smartphones for the first time or looking to quickly decide whether to get a Samsung or another manufacturer’s might assume if Samsung is up to 20, they must be better than Apple, who are only up to 11 as it stands.

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Samsung Galaxy S20: In a Nutshell

This section is a short, quick overview of the Samsung Galaxy S20. If you want to go into detail on all this phone’s fantastic features and functions, skip this section and read on below.

The Galaxy S20 is the cheapest and lowest spec of the S20 range, with the Galaxy S20 Plus being the mid-range model and the Galaxy S20 Ultra being the handset of choice for power users. That said, this phone is anything but cheap and low spec in itself!

The headline feature of the S20 is undoubtedly the addition of 5G capability, although not every UK mobile network is yet supporting 5G, nor is it available everywhere across the country, so be sure to check both network and geographical coverage before investing purely for 5G!

As we’ve come to expect from Samsung, the Galaxy S20 has high-end rear facing and selfie cameras, with a 12MP rear facing main lens supported by a 64MP telephoto lens and 12MP ultrawide lens, and a front facing 10MP lens, while the rear facing camera allows for up to 3x optical and 30x digital zoom.

The Galaxy S20 runs on a powerful Exynos 990 chipset, with 8GB of RAM if you buy the 4G model, and 12GB of RAM in the 5G version, with both versions having 128GB of internal storage, with the option to add up to 1TB via the phone’s microSD slot.

The battery in the S20 is bigger and more powerful than it was in the S10, at 4,000mAh, and will last most of the day with typical use, although as always for power users you may need to buy a portable charger or ensure you’re going to be able to charge your device when you need to.

One potential downside of the Galaxy S20 is that the larger battery means this phone waves goodbye to the headphone jack, so if you’re still a wired headphones user that will need to change if this is your next handset.

The standard Galaxy S20 is a more than good enough phone for everyday use, and while the S20 Ultra offers more storage and a higher specification camera, you should consider whether this is something you really need, even if you can easily afford the price jump to buy it.

How Much Does the Samsung Galaxy S20 Cost?

As you’d expect given the Samsung Galaxy S20 has 5G capability, better cameras, bigger battery, and a larger 6.2-inch screen and display that refreshes quicker than ever before, at 120Hz, you’re going to pay more for the S20 than you did for the S10.

While the price you pay for your Galaxy S20 may differ if you take out a contract via a mobile network provider, to buy the handset outright will cost you £899 for the standard 5G version, or £799 for the 4G handset.

Samsung S20 Deals

What’s New in the Samsung Galaxy S20?

One of the most exciting things about the release of any new smartphone is the wealth of new features and functions that we get to use.

Before we look at a comparison of the new Galaxy S20 model against 2019’s S10, let’s look at some of the new features included in the S20.

Superfast Charging Capability

This isn’t really a new feature, as superfast charging has been a feature of the last few Galaxy S models and is a standard smartphone feature across all manufacturers.

However, it is new in that Samsung have sorted out the speeds at which users can fast charge. For example, the S10 and earlier models could only be fast charged with their own native charger, which offered 15W power.

The smartphones in the Galaxy S20 range all come with 25W USB-C fast charger as standard. The fast charging technology itself is also updated and now based on USB-Power Delivery protocol. This means that you can use any other USB-C device charger both to charge your phone and use the fast charging function. All the Galaxy S20 models support 12W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging, too.

The Galaxy S20 Ultra model can be charged even quicker, supporting 45W charging, but will need to pay to buy the more powerful charger.

8K Video Recording and Direct YouTube Upload Capability

With smartphones increasingly powerful and professional in the context of content creation, the most common upgrades often centre around photo and video shooting capability.

The Galaxy S20 range allows you not just to shoot video in 8K, but thanks to a link up between Samsung and YouTube you can upload them directly to the latter.

It’s not a feature that will be a selling point for everyone, but it’s something cool to have if you’re constantly adding videos to your social feeds.

Switch Between Rear Facing and Selfie Cameras…..While Shooting Video

The Galaxy S20 range of smartphones are the first to allow users to switch between the rear and front facing cameras while shooting video.

This could be great for capturing live reactions or if you’re recording something that you want to commentate on as it happens.

Full HD Video Calls with Google Duo

The Galaxy S20 is again the first in the market to offer video calls in full HD resolution. This takes place using the Google Duo app on the device, with the functionality built into the Samsung Dialler app.

Pro Video Capability

As well as improving the cameras and adding the 8K video functionality, Samsung has also added several pro video capabilities to the S20 range.

These functions are easy to find – Samsung have helpfully called it “Pro Video mode” – and allow you to control things like shutter speed and exposure while shooting videos on your smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy S20 vs Samsung Galaxy S10 Comparison

Now that we’ve looked at a snapshot of the Samsung Galaxy S20 and seen what’s new, how does it stack up against the previous S10?

For the standard Galaxy S20 model, the biggest upgrades on the S10 are clearly the camera and the battery, while the screen is slightly bigger, too. At present, there are far fewer colours available in the UK for the S20, but this will likely change as Samsung manufacture and release additional colours throughout 2020. Cloud White and Aura Red colours are already on sale in other global markets.

While the display is the same on the S20, the new model updates the picture much quicker with 120Hz full HD capability.

Samsung Galaxy S20 vs iPhone 11 Comparison

If you’re considering which smartphone to buy next, or you’re thinking about changing to Samsung from another manufacturer, it’s worth considering how the Galaxy S20 range stacks up against other flagship handsets available on the market.

The below table compares the Galaxy S20 and iPhone 11 standard versions.

Although the Samsung Galaxy S20 range only followed six months behind the iPhone 11 range, it looks like a far better handset for the money you’ll pay. The Galaxy S20 Ultra also looks like a better bet than the iPhone 11 Pro and Max models.

Comparing Different Versions of the Samsung Galaxy S20

As we touched on earlier, Samsung has released three versions of the Galaxy S20.

The below table highlights the main differences in the handsets across the Galaxy S20 range and shows you what you can get for your money if you want more than the standard S20 device.

*At time of writing, no price available for 256GB or 512GB models.

Now that we’ve highlighted the differences between different Samsung Galaxy S20 models, let’s take a closer look specifically at the standard S20 model.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Design

The Samsung Galaxy S20 is a beautifully designed phone, with a Gorilla Glass front and rear, encased in an aluminium frame. This handset retains the familiar curved edges of recent Galaxy S models, but they’re less pronounced than previously. This should mean fewer accidental touches around the edges of your display, and less need to use Samsung’s early 2020 update which seemed to have increased the need to confirm that a touch was legitimate and not accidental.

The Galaxy S20 marks the first time that phones in the Galaxy S range come without a headphone jack, with the removal down to the bigger and more powerful battery cell that has been built into the device. As well as opting for wireless headphones, users can buy a USB-C adaptor for their current wired headphones or buy USB-C headphones.

Samsung has also released its own Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds Plus, but these aren’t essential, and any pair of wireless headphones or buds/pods can be paired with your handset.

One downside to the Galaxy S20 is that the camera protrudes out of the rear. This was a necessary evil on Samsung’s part in order to pack in the camera improvements as they have, and while it looks stylish and premium it won’t sit flat on a surface, worth keeping in mind if that’s the sort of thing that would irritate you!

Samsung Galaxy S20 Display

The Samsung Galaxy S20 display comes in at 6.2-inches, compared to the S10’s 6.1-inches. This is good as with people continuing to prefer phones that can be used comfortably in one hand as opposed to bigger models and phablets, they can get a significantly upgraded handset with the convenience in size the previous model brings. While the S20 is slightly taller than the S10 it is also narrower. The Galaxy S20’s display offers a 20:9 aspect ratio and 563 pixels per inch, making it a top of the market smartphone screen.

While the max resolution of the phone is WQHD+ (3040 x 1440), the default resolution on all Galaxy S20 models remains Full HD+ (2220 x 1080). Full HD is more than good enough for most of the things you’ll do on your phone whether you’re using your handset for work or play, while it isn’t as demanding on your battery as the higher resolutions available. If you want a higher resolution you can change this in your settings.

The major display upgrade in the S20 is the 120Hz refresh-rate, doubling the rate available on most other smartphones available in early 2020 and certainly being a first for a major smartphone manufacturer. While this will make the most difference if you pay attention to things like mobile gaming performance and details, it’ll make your whole experience smoother whatever you’re doing, from scrolling through Instagram to working.

One point of note regarding the display is that the 120Hz refresh-rate is not compatible with the highest resolution setting of WQHD+, so if you change your resolution setting you will need to change it back to Full HD+ to enjoy the maximum refresh-rate capability.

Another upgraded display feature is the touch sensitivity, from 120HZ up to 240Hz. Again, this is something you’ll probably notice more if you’re a hardcore smartphone gamer rather than something that will instantly standout as a noticeable improvement.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Camera

The camera on the Galaxy S20 is a significant upgrade on the S10, however other than looking out for the 64MP telephoto lens and optical and digital zoom features on the phone’s spec list, it can be difficult to see where the improvements lie.

For example, with the main camera, which is 12MP, the aperture is inferior to the S10 but the size of individual pixels is improved, which allows users to capture more detail in their shots.

The new 64MP telephoto lens seems a massive improvement on the S10’s 12MP equivalent, with smaller pixels coupled with a higher megapixel count and wider aperture.

The 3x hybrid optical zoom allows for lossless zooming in your photography, while super resolution digital zoom is available up to 30x although is not lossless but is again good enough for everyday use. If you do need more zoom capability, look at the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, which offers up to 100x super resolution digital zoom.

While the 12MP ultra-wide lens might appear to be a downgrade on the S10’s 16MP equivalent, Samsung has increased the size of the pixels on this camera which allows you take better shots than on the S10.

As we mentioned when looking at the new features, 8K video shooting capability is built into this phone, although you won’t be able to use Samsung’s Super Steady technology – which keeps your screen stable even if you’re moving around to improve the quality of your videos – at this resolution, remaining available only up to 1080p HD.

5G on the Samsung Galaxy S20

While the Samsung Galaxy S20 comes as a 5G handset as standard, a 4G version is also available.

5G is estimated to give average download speeds of around 200MB, although it will depend on the mobile network you are on and where you are in the UK.

Even faster 5G is available on the S20 Plus and Ultra models in comparison to the standard S20. The two higher spec models are fitted with mmWave antennas, which can connect your phone to quicker data speeds. However, mmWave antennas are limited in terms of range – you can usually only take advantage of the signal if you’re close to a transmitter – so be careful about making quicker 5G the reason to upgrade from the standard S20 model.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Software

In the UK, the Samsung Galaxy S20 is fitted with a high end Exynos 990 chipset, which is made by Samsung themselves. This is an excellent chipset which will allow you to perform multiple tasks whether you’re playing games, working, or streaming online content.

If you opt for the S20 Ultra you can expect to enjoy increased performance owing to the greater volume of RAM in the phone.

While the Galaxy S20 runs on Google Android 10, Samsung’s own One UI is overlaid so you get more of a unique Samsung experience rather than a typical Android one. However, that does mean you’ll take your phone out the box and find it already pre-loaded with a lot of Google and Samsung apps. You can uninstall or disable these if you prefer other apps though.

While the S20 comes with 128GB as standard, this will usually be enough unless you’re planning on extensively using the 8K or 4K video shooting capability. However, the phone supports microSD cards with capacities up to 1TB, giving you plenty of scope to expand your storage if you need to.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Battery Life

5G and the other upgrades that Samsung have included in the Galaxy S20 are heavy on battery usage, which is where the 4,000mAh battery included in this handset comes into its own, with even more powerful battery packs included in the S20 Plus and Ultra devices.

Even with a day of typical use you can still expect to have useful amount of juice left at the end of the day, although be wary of advanced features such as the 120Hz refresh-rate being a drain on battery life and keep your charger close to hand if you’re going to be using this extensively for gaming or other apps on your device.

The fast charging capability delivers in spades, and you should be able to get a full charge in around an hour.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Pros and Cons

We’ve learnt an awful lot about the Samsung Galaxy S20 throughout this review, but is it worth buying?

The Samsung Galaxy S20 is Worth Buying, If…

You feel like you need to have a 5G ready handset in your pocket today. If nothing else, it means you’ll be ready to connect whenever it reaches where you live and you’ll be ready for the future of data usage. However, you should check your mobile network as well as your local 5G availability to avoid investing in a phone only to find you can’t unleash its full potential.

It’s also a great buy if you love owning a flagship handset but want to retain the convenience of being able to hold and use your phone with one hand. The camera is also excellent, and you shouldn’t let the impressive specs on the S20 Ultra put you off buying the standard S20 model.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Isn’t Worth Buying, If…

You’re an S10 user. Yeah, we said it, if you’re an S10 user then unless you’re such a keen mobile gamer or photographer that you’ll notice what are mainly subtle differences included in the S20 upgrades, you probably won’t notice much difference for your money. However, if you’re still using an older Samsung Galaxy S model or looking to buy your first Samsung handset, you’ll notice the quality here.

It’s also a less than ideal choice if you’re on a budget, even if you’re looking at the 4G model.

Finally, if you’re in love with wired headphones and feel like you’re not ready to move on from a headphone jack, look elsewhere.

Summing Up the Samsung Galaxy S20

As we’ve come to expect from Samsung, their latest Galaxy S20 phones are exceptional. As with all modern smartphones, you can expect to pay a premium price whether you’re buying the device outright or paying monthly via your mobile network provider.

If it’s time for you to upgrade an older phone, and you’re looking for something with a showstopping display and brilliant camera, this is the phone for you, and it’s also a great choice if you’re moving over to Samsung for the first time.

If you’re an S10 user, you can probably wait until next year for what we assume will be the S21 and enjoy what will feel like a bigger upgrade on the handset currently in your pocket.

Either way, there’s no denying this is an outstanding handset which delivers on every level.

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