Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S20 series last week, and the phones turned out to be every bit as exciting as the leaks made them out to be. The phones not only come with a focus on cameras, but they also feature massively upgraded specifications. Be it the 120Hz screen refresh rate, ultra-high-resolution cameras with 8K video recording, 5G connectivity, or the high-capacity batteries, Samsung is better prepared than ever to combat fierce competition from rival phones.
If you somehow missed the launch of the Galaxy S20 devices and want to know why the whole world is going gaga over Samsung’s newly-launched flagship smartphones, we’re here to help. Here are the top features of the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Larger Super AMOLED screens with 120Hz refresh rate
The most significant upgrade that the Galaxy S20 brings to the table compared to previous-generation flagships is the higher screen refresh rate. All the Galaxy S20 phones feature a 120Hz display refresh rate, the highest in the industry, which makes animations and scrolling appear more fluid and reduces input lag in games, which can give you the edge in competitive games like PUBG and Fortnite. In comparison, most phones, including all of Samsung's previous Galaxy phones, use a 60Hz screen refresh rate.
Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 processor, up to 16GB RAM
A new generation of Galaxy S series phones always comes with a newer processor, and the Galaxy S20 is no different. The Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra use Samsung’s Exynos 990 processor (also known as the Exynos 9830) in most markets. The Snapdragon 865 processor from Qualcomm is used in the phones that are sold in markets like the US and China.
Both these processors use 7nm fabrication technology for improved power efficiency. They are also up to 20% faster in both CPU and GPU processing performance. AI and camera processing has been massively improved as well, thanks to a new NPU (Neural Processing Unit) and ISP (Image Signal Processor). Combine these improvements with the next-generation, 128GB UFS 3.0 storage and 8/12/16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and you get much faster performance all around.
Up to 108MP quad-cameras, 8K video recording
Samsung really upped its game this year in terms of imaging. While the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy Note 10 were among the best camera phones last year, they were missing high-resolution cameras that can offer slightly more detail and zooming capabilities. This year, the Galaxy S20 series brings higher-resolution camera sensors.
The Galaxy S20 Ultra features a 108MP sensor. It is among the largest-sized sensors that have ever been put into smartphones. It offers 9:1 pixel binning for brighter images in low-light conditions. It also has a 48MP telephoto camera with 10x hybrid zoom and 100x digital zoom with its optically-stabilized periscope camera.
The Galaxy S20 and the Galaxy S20+ use 12MP cameras instead of a 108MP camera on the Galaxy S20 Ultra, but they have much larger, 1.8µm pixels for better low-light images. The telephoto cameras on these phones use 64MP sensors (1/1.7-inch) for up to 30x digital zoom. All three phones can record 8K 24fps videos using their rear-facing cameras. You can even capture ultra-high-resolution, 33MP still images while recording 8K videos.
Up to 40MP selfie camera with 4K 60fps video recording
The Galaxy S20 Ultra trumps most other phones with a 40MP selfie camera with phase-detection autofocus. It can even record ultra-smooth, 4K 60fps videos, making it to the list of limited phones that can achieve this feat. Even the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+’s 10MP selfie cameras with autofocus can record 4K videos with a 60fps frame rate.
Cool camera tricks, including Pro video mode
The Galaxy S20 lineup also comes with a number of neat camera features. There's Single Take, which takes a series of photos and videos for up to 10 seconds with all three rear cameras with just a single tap. Pro video mode is making a return to Samsung's flagships and will let you take your video recordings to the next level by giving you control over parameters such as shutter speed.
The Galaxy S20 and S20+ let you shoot a second of video at 960 frames per second and Full HD resolution for up to 32 seconds of super slow-motion video (the Galaxy S20 Ultra goes up to HD resolution). And, for sharing your photos and videos quickly with your friends and family, the Galaxy S20 smartphones come with the Quick Share feature, which lets you instantly share your media with up to 5 friends at the same time.
Stereo speakers, AKG audio
Similar to the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S10, the Galaxy S20 continues to offer stereo loudspeakers. The speakers are tuned by AKG and feature Dolby Atmos for a wider soundstage and surround sound. Dolby Atmos also works over the AKG-tuned earphones that you get in the box with a Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra.
MicroSD card slot lives!
While the Galaxy S20 series comes with a minimum of 128GB internal storage, with higher-priced variants offering as much as 512GB storage, Samsung is still offering a microSD card slot on all three phones. You can use up to 1TB cards to bring the total capacity of the Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra to 1.5TB.
5G & Wi-Fi 6 for faster wireless connectivity
Samsung introduced 5G to the Galaxy S series last year with the Galaxy S10 5G, but this year, it is offering 5G cellular connectivity on all its Galaxy S20 phones. While the Galaxy S20 offers sub-6GHz 5G, the Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra also pack in mmWave 5G connectivity to offer a complete 5G experience.
All three phones continue to offer Wi-Fi 6 (also known as Wi-Fi ax) for faster data transfer when connected to compatible routers and access points.
Up to 5000mAh batteries, 45W charging
Samsung went all out this year in terms of battery capacities. The Galaxy S20 features a 4000mAh battery, which is much bigger than the 3100mAh battery inside its predecessor, the Galaxy S10e. The Galaxy S20+ and the Galaxy S20 Ultra use 4500mAh and 5000mAh batteries, respectively. You can expect all phones to last a whole day, even with the screen refresh rate set to 120Hz.
The Galaxy S20 and the Galaxy S20+ use Samsung’s 25W USB Power Delivery-based Super Fast Charge technology, while the Galaxy S20 Ultra takes it a step further with 45W charging. In spite of high-capacity batteries, you can expect them to charge from nil to full in a litter over an hour with the bundled fast chargers. The Galaxy S20 Ultra takes about 58 minutes to charge its battery fully using a 45W charger.
Wireless & reverse wireless charging
All three phones feature 15W fast wireless charging and 9W reverse wireless charging. Reverse wireless charging is extremely helpful in charging your Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Buds when they run out of juice and you don’t have a charger handy. You can even charge other smartphones, smartwatches, and compatible wireless earphones with the reverse wireless charging feature.
IP68 & Samsung Pay
Similar to flagship phones from Samsung over the past few years, all three Galaxy S20 series phones feature IP68 certification for dust and water resistance. So, you can take them to the beach or the pool and not worry about damaging them. They also feature Samsung Pay, a brilliant and unique mobile payment solution that replaces all your credit and debit cards so you don’t have to carry your wallet with you at all times. The best thing about Samsung Pay is that it works with old, mag-stripe payment terminals as well.
Since you are now well-versed with the most important features of the Galaxy S20 phones, are you planning to upgrade to any of the new smartphones from Samsung? If yes, which variant would you prefer and why?
