Samsung took to the virtual stage today to announce the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition), bringing a bunch of premium features from its S20 range in a more affordable package. The device starts at $699 in the U.S., and for that price, it sports a 5G capable flagship Snapdragon 865 processor, a 6.5-inch 120Hz high refresh rate Super AMOLED display, IP68 water and dust resistance rating, and much more.
In the camera department, the S20 FE it packs a triple camera setup at the back, similar to the regular Galaxy S20. However, the camera hardware differs slightly, as the telephoto lens is now an 8MP unit, instead of the beefier 64MP unit that offers a wider field of view and PDAF in the S20. However, the front-facing camera has been upgraded to a 32MP sensor.
The Galaxy S20 FE is being touted as a phone with “fan favorite features” at an “accessible price point”. The device’s launch comes less than two months after the Note20 series launched. The smaller of the two offerings – the regular Note20 – retails for $999. For that price, the device comes with a flagship Snapdragon 865+ processor, features a display with a 60Hz refresh rate, and offers similar overall specs to the S20 FE, except for S Pen support.
With the differences between the smallest S20-series phone – the Galaxy S20 –, the Galaxy S20 FE, and the Galaxy Note20 being minor, it begs the question of how the latest entrant stacks up against Samsung’s $1,000 offerings. Does the company pack a strong punch with the S20 FE at a price point of $300 less than the other two flagships? Let’s take a look at an in-depth spec comparison to find out:
| Basis of difference | Galaxy S20 FE | Galaxy S20 | Galaxy Note20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.5-inch flat FHD+ Super AMOLED | 6.2-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X | 6.7-inch flat FHD+ Super AMOLED Plus |
| Infinity-O Display (2400x1080), 407ppi | Infinity-O Display (3200 X 1440) | Infinity-O Display (2400x1080), 393ppi | |
| 120Hz refresh rate | HDR10+ certified 120Hz display support | HDR10+ certified 60Hz display | |
| Dimensions | 74.5 x 159.8 x 8.4mm, 190g | 69.1 x 151.7 x 7.9mm, 163g | 75.2 x 161.6 x 8.3mm, 194g |
| Camera (Rear) | 12MP, F1.8, 79 degrees, dual pixel AF, 1.8μm pixel, OIS | 12MP, F1.8, 79 degrees, | 12MP, F1.8, 79 degrees, |
| 12MP, F2.2, 123 degrees, 1.12μm pixel | 12MP, F2.2, 120 degrees, 1.4μm pixel | 12MP, F2.2, 120 degrees, 1.4μm pixel | |
| 8MP, F2.4, 32 degrees, 1.0μm pixel, OIS, Telephoto: 3X optical zoom | 64MP, F2.0, 76 degrees, 0.8μm pixel, OIS, 3X Hybrid Optical, Telephoto: 3X hybrid optical zoom | 64MP, F2.0, 76 degrees, 0.8μm pixel, OIS, Telephoto: 3X hybrid optical zoom | |
| Video (Rear) | Not specified | Up to 8K at 24fps | Up to 8K at 24fps |
| Camera (Front) | 32MP, F2.2, 80 degrees, 0.8μm pixel, | 10MP, F2.2, 80 degrees, 1.22μm pixel, dual pixel AF | 10MP, F2.2, 80 degrees, 1.22μm pixel, dual pixel AF |
| Processor | 7nm Snapdragon 865 (U.S., 5G) | 7nm Snapdragon 865 (U.S., 5G) | 7nm Snapdragon 865+ (U.S., 5G) |
| RAM | 6GB/8GB (5G) | 12GB (5G) | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB (5G), expandable up to 1TB | 128GB (5G), expandable up to 1TB | 128GB |
| Battery | 4,500mAh | 4,000mAh | 4,300mAh |
| Charging | 25W Super Fast Wired Charging supported | 45W Super Fast Wired Charging support | 25W Super Fast Wired Charging supported |
| 15W Fast wireless charging | 15W Fast wireless charging | 15W Fast wireless charging | |
| 4.5W reverse wireless charging | 4.5W reverse wireless charging | 4.5W reverse wireless charging | |
| OS | Android 10 with One UI 2.5 | Android 10, updated to One UI 2.5 | Android 10 with One UI 2.5 |
| Connectivity | LTE/5G (sub6 + mmWave) | LTE/5G (sub6 only) | LTE/5G (sub6 + mmWave) |
| Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Type-C, NFC | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Type-C, NFC | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Type-C, NFC | |
| Others | Optical in-display fingerprint sensor | Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor | Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor |
| Samsung Pay (NFC payments) | Samsung Pay (NFC payments) | Samsung Pay (NFC payments) | |
| Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos | Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos | Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos | |
| IP68 water and dust resistance | IP68 water and dust resistance | IP68 water and dust resistance | |
| Price | $699 (5G) | $999 (5G) | $999 |
The specs suggest that the company has not cut too many corners to bring down the price. While premium features like HDR10+ support for the display and a higher resolution, wider angled telephoto lens have been dropped, the S20 FE beats the Note20 in screen refresh rate - bringing smoother scrolling for a similarly sized screen, and beats the S20 in support for the faster, mmWave 5G network.
Of course, the Note 20 offers an S Pen for those that prefer a stylus, and the S20 brings a higher resolution display, both of which may not be huge deal breakers. Unlike competing devices from OnePlus, users do not sacrifice the IP rating, at least for the same $699 price - unless you spend $100 extra for the Verizon variant of the OnePlus 8.
What"s more? The Galaxy S20 FE is already being discounted by $100 on Amazon, making it an even better deal for those on a budget looking for a device with premium features, which also rivals its more expensive siblings. However, a detailed judgment will have to be reserved for when we have a review device to put the phone through its paces and see how it fares against its rivals outside of the spec sheet.