Vector Robot checking out the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
It’s been almost two years since I got my Samsung Galaxy A50 and I was already eligible for an upgrade so I decided it was time to get a new phone. I tried doing the upgrade online via the Koodo website but for some reason, it gave me an error message saying I wasn’t eligible. Because of this, I decided to go to the nearest Koodo store in person.
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, I had to book an appointment in advance but I didn’t have to wait long because I was able to schedule an appointment later that afternoon. I went there hoping to get the Samsung Galaxy S21+ but unfortunately, they didn’t have it in stock so I settled for the best available phone which was the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G.
If you’re not familiar with this model, the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) 5G is a mid-range device released by Samsung late last year. It is a popular option for users who want to get flagship features at a much lower price. It is one of the most popular Samsung devices of 2020 and was awarded the Phone of the Year by MKBHD.
Just like I did with my Galaxy A50 post, I’m not going to do a detailed review as there are already tons of blog posts and YouTube videos on that. Instead, I will only post a few product photos, and the basic product specifications and share with you the things I like and dislike about this device.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S20 FE 5G SPECIFICATIONS:
- Network: GSM / HSPA / LTE
- Dimensions: 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm (6.29 x 2.93 x 0.33 in)
- Weight: 190 g (6.70 oz)
- Build: Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame
- SIM: Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
- Display Type: Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+
- Display Size: 6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio)
- Display Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~407 ppi density)
- Display Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- OS: Android 10, upgradable to Android 11, One UI 3.1
- Chipset: Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)
- CPU: Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 585 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 585)
- GPU: Adreno 650
- Memory RAM: 6 GB
- Memory Internal: 128 GB
- Memory Card Slot: up to 1 TB microSDXC
- Main Camera: 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide) + 8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto) + 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm
- Selfie Camera: 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74″
- Video Recording Resolution: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS
- Earjack: None
- Bluetooth: 5.0, A2DP, LE
- WiFi: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot
- Battery: Non-removable Li-Po 4,500 mAh
- Charging: Fast charging 25W; Fast wireless charging 15W; Reverse wireless charging 4.5W
UNBOXING PHOTOS
The Galaxy S20 FE 5G comes with a charging adapter and USB to USB-C cable
Side by side comparison of the Galaxy A50 (left) and Galaxy S20 FE 5G (right)
Side by side comparison of the Galaxy A50 (left) and Galaxy S20 FE 5G (right)
LIKES
- Price – The retail price of the Galaxy S20 FE 5G is $1,130 CAD. It wasn’t the cheapest phone available but I’m happy I got it because I was able to get a phone with flagship features but at a much cheaper price. Another bonus, I didn’t have to pay anything upfront because the phone was featured in an ongoing promo.
- Display – Because the Galaxy A50 had a 6.4″ display, I made sure that the next phone I get would have the same or bigger display, and the Galaxy S20 FE 5G has a 6.5″ Super AMOLED (HDR10+) display with a screen refresh rate of 120Hz.
- Camera – Based on the reviews I’ve read, the camera on the Galaxy S20 FE 5G is impressive given it’s not a flagship device. Its camera takes great photos except for low light conditions which are okay for me since I don’t really take photos at night.
- Battery – Another thing I liked about this phone is that it has a 4,500mAh battery which is more than what the Google Pixel 5 or Galaxy S21 have which is only 4,000mAh.
- Memory/Storage – The Galaxy S20 FE 5G has a built-in storage of 128GB which is the base storage capacity for most flagship phones. To add to that, it also has a memory card slot (shared with the SIM card) which can accommodate up to 1TB (microSDXC).
- Fingerprint Scanner – Although I’m not a fan of the in-display fingerprint scanner, I’m happy that it works more reliably and responds quicker compared to the one on my Galaxy A50.
- Processor/RAM – Last but not least, this device is FAST! It comes with a Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 chip, which is the same processor used on flagship phones such as the Galaxy S20+ 5G, Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, and Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G. The Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 paired with the 6GB RAM allows the user to perform demanding tasks flawlessly.
DISLIKES
- Bloatware – Samsung device owners know what I’m talking about. There are a lot of apps that come with the device that I don’t need or use like Bixby Routines, Bixby Vision, Bixby Voice, Samsung Health, Samsung Pay, etc.
- Samsung One UI – Samsung’s software overlay has gone a long way and has improved a lot since the Samsung Experience UX and Touchwiz days. One UI is not the worst but it certainly is not the lightest Android-based UI. Personally, I still prefer the vanilla Android UI.
I’ve had the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G for about two weeks now and I can say that I’m very happy with it. As you can see from what I posted above, there are only two things I dislike about this device and those reasons aren’t deal-breakers. The device performs very well and I haven’t noticed any lag so far when running various apps/games or when switching between apps.
Before I got this phone, I read about how many users had issues with ghost touches so I was a bit hesitant about getting it. I think Samsung has already addressed that issue with some software updates and models produced at a later date no longer have these issues.
To keep my device protected, I purchased the Caseology Parallax case and picked the Midnight Blue version to match my Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G Cloud Navy color.
Anyone else owns a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G phone? How has your experience been with it? Do you like it or regret getting it? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
