Samsung Galaxy S20 + Review, Analysis, and Opinion

Table of Contents

Samsung Galaxy s20 + Review

The Best

Display and color calibration
Stereo speaker quality
Main camera
Dimensions and weight

The Worst

Autonomy with 120 Hz display
Telephoto performance
Exynos processor and not Qualcomm
Slippery finish

After a few days with the terminal as the leading mobile, we tell you our opinion of the Samsung Galaxy S20 + in which we analyze the performance of the Exynos processor, the three cameras, and the first screen that leaves aside the “waterfall” philosophy of the Edge.

The launch of a new Samsung Galaxy s20 is, how could it be otherwise, an event in the technology segment? But the “fight” between Apple and Samsung was, for years, the talk of the sector; two companies, with complaints, set the pace in terms of advances in mobile phones. Although they are no longer the standard-bearers of the segment, they continue to attract attention every time they present any device.

In 2019, Samsung introduced four new mobiles, some with 5G versions. There were essential differences between the different devices, and this year the South Koreans wanted to make things easier for users. On the one hand, the S20 is a small but powerful mobile for users who do not wish to have massive screens.

On the other hand, the S20 Plus is more balanced and with a larger screen. But without the user of the S20 feeling that they lose too much. Finally, an S20 Ultra that we have already analyzed is excellent in every way. Now, it is time to explain the Galaxy S20 +, the one at the center of the family, but before … let’s go with its features:

Samsung Galaxy s20 + Specifications

Display: 2X Dynamic AMOLED Panel Display,6.7 “, 90.5% of the front is a screen
3,200 x 1,440 resolution, Density of 525 dpi, Refresh 60 Hz on QHD + or 120 Hz on FHD +, HDR10 +
Process: Exynos 990 processor
RAM memory: 8 GB ,GPU Mali G77 MP11
Storage: 128 GB UFS 3.0, Expandable via microSD
Battery: 4,500 mAh ,25W PD 3.0 load,15W wireless charging,9W wireless reverse charging
Main Cameras: 12 Mpx f1.8 OIS, Telephoto: 64 Mpx f2.0 OIS 3x hybrid,Wide angle: 12 Mpx f 2.2,Depth sensor
Front camera: 10 Mpx f2.2
Dimensions and weight: 161.9×73.7 x 7.8 mm,186 grams
operating system: Android 10 + OneUI 2.0
Connectivity: NFC connectivity, Dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0,5G,USB Type-C 1.0
Price: 987 euros

Summary of the analysis of the Samsung Galaxy S20 + by sections:

Design: slides, but with a very comfortable size
Screen: Dynamic AMOLED of the best on the market, although it makes us choose
Performance: at the height of a high-end, although far from other premium mobiles.
Software: OneUI 2.0 profoundly modifies Android 10
Camera: compete in the Champions
Autonomy: it depends excessively on how we configure the screen
Connectivity and sound: at the height of its range

Sliding glass finish, but with a very comfortable size.

Fortunately, at least on many top-of-the-range phones, it seems that the glass with a shiny finish is beginning to set aside. The tracks are very marked, easily scratched, and, worst of all, they slip, which is pleasant in most cases. Perhaps we will see this in Note 20 since Samsung has opted for precisely this brilliant finish in its S20 line.

The S20 + that we analyze is gray, although we have another model in light blue (beautiful, in my opinion) and another in piano black. They are flat colors that do not produce any type of gradient, and the truth is that they are sober and too “bland.”

That, of course, are personal tastes, but it would have been appreciated if the South Koreans joined that somewhat more striking line of matt glass with some gradient and more fun colors.

Dynamic AMOLED screen of the best on the market, although it makes us choose resolution or refresh.

Samsung has, since the launch of the Galaxy S, a company that has championed the development of screens on mobile phones. With its AMOLEDs and subsequent technologies, it has brought to life its terminals and the high-end and top-of-the-line mobiles of the competition.

AMOLED panels are spectacular, but two generations ago, they had that “Samsung effect” that translated into very saturated colors. With the S10 and, above all, with these S20s, Samsung takes a step forward, and although the panels continue to have a mode that saturates what we see on screen more, they have a practically perfect calibration.

Interestingly, the S20 + has a very discreet curvature in its 6.7 “panel but still achieves a more significant immersion effect than that of terminals with more curved edges on the screen. The black frame on the sides has a thickness of fewer than two millimeters, the upper one of three millimeters, and a chin of four millimeters, counting both the black frame and the aluminum edge. The Galaxy S20 + panel has a resolution of 3,200 x 1,440 pixels and a refresh of 120 Hz, and on paper, it is the most advanced in this regard. However, we cannot have it all.

Performance at the height of a high-end, but far from other premium mobiles

Samsung is one of the companies that designs and manufactures its processors. They are the Exynos; traditionally, they have lagged behind Apple and Qualcomm. However, not all Samsung phones have the Exynos processor since, in the North American market, South Koreans mount the most powerful version of the Qualcomm processor.

In some markets, the Samsung Galaxy S20 + has the Snapdragon 865 processor, but in Europe, we have the Exynos 990. It is an eight-core SoC with two at 2.73 GHz, another at 2.50 GHz, and four at 2 GHz. We are accompanied by the Mali G77 MP11 GPU and 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM. Next, we leave you the comparison between the Exynos 990 in high-performance mode, with FullHD + resolution and 120 Hz, and other top terminals currently.

The negative point is that, although it can be exceeded with heavy applications, when we are playing for a few minutes (no sessions of more than 20 minutes) or recording at 4K, the Exynos 990 heats up. It does not bother in hand, far from it, but it is evident that the chip is 100%.

It is not the fastest mobile on the market, nor the most powerful, but we can not say that it is slow or that it does not measure up to the premium range. However, we would have liked to have the Snapdragon 865 in our territory for both gross and energy efficiency.

OneUI 2.0 profoundly modifies Android 10

Samsung is one of the companies that traditionally modifies Android the most with its layers of personalization. You indeed have reasons for this because it is one of the companies with a robust ecosystem of devices and services, but there came a time when your system was too heavy and very complicated. They wanted to change things at the beginning of last year with OneUI, a layer that continues to personalize, and much, Android and that, in its version 2.0, runs on Android 10.

Three cameras and a ToF sensor with the primary transducer that competes in the Champions League

One of the keys to the analysis of the Samsung Galaxy S20 + is the camera section. Samsung led this segment for a few generations, but other companies, including its top rival (Apple), took the lead in this part for a few years. With the S20, the South Koreans have focused on balance and do not have the best cameras. But they do have consistent colors among them and, as we say, versatility.

The S20 Ultra is the jewel in the crown. It has the largest telephoto (in addition to the 100x marketing movement) and the primary 108-megapixel sensor for a very interesting binning pixel.

The S20 + cuts in telephoto and megapixels, but, in my case, it is something that is not important. Yes, the 108 megapixels are attractive because of the large pixel generated using pixel binning. Still, if you are not much of a telephoto, here we have a 3x hybrid that is not bad.

Seeing those 64 megapixels in the telephoto, which usually have much less, is strange. But when we understand that it does not do an optical 3x zoom. But a 1.1x and the rest are hybrids up to 3x; we know the reason for the 64 Mpx. They are used to generate that hybrid zoom by interpolation.

Focusing is fast, too, and I like that Samsung maintains color consistency between all three lenses.]You can see from the pictures there aren’t too many differences between the three lenses, which is good.

It is best to show how the Samsung galaxy s20 works on video:

In short, we have a primary camera that gives us exquisite detail. And depth even without using the dynamic focus mode and two other sensors that accompany more or less well. The one we will use the least, due to the lack of sharpness, is the “telephoto.” But the wide-angle lens does its job very well. If we talk about recording video, we face one of the best phones in this section.

The autonomy that depends excessively on how we configure the screen

The S20 + SoC built-in 7 nanometers, but not all lithographs are the same, even though the number is the same. The Exynos 990 is less efficient than the Qualcomm chip, influencing battery consumption.

That said, the terminal has a 4,500 mAh battery. And in our tests, we have had to complete a day of undemanding use. And without fanfare. Since we received the terminal and started using it without passing a test that consumes more battery, we have reached the end of the day in a hurry.

The configuration has been with automatic brightness, obviously indoors (which also consumes less because the light is not as high as if we were on the street), and 5G is disabled in the high-performance processor model with FullHD + resolution and 120 Hz.

The screen at 120 Hz consumes from 8:00 in the morning until 22:18, with 4 hours and 7 minutes of the display. We have less than 10% of the battery. The screen at WQHD +, 60 Hz, and the same settings for high-performance mode and automatic brightness. We got a little more comfortable at the end of the day, not with too much fanfare and with use. As seen in the images, mainly from social networks. From what is seen in the usage graph for the last seven days. The screen time is between those 4 and 4.5 hours a day.

Connectivity and sound at the height of its range

A premium mobile is also for the small details, and the sound and the connectivity are essential. Samsung has mounted a stereo sound system with a speaker in the earpiece that doesn’t have the same loudness or volume as the bottom speaker but is very well-defended.

It is a deep sound with good bass and midrange that vibrates the phone. The high volume allows us to enjoy without distortion even above 70%. It is a mobile created to consume content, which shows in the same way they have put on the speakers. We have Dolby Atmos for the overall system but also for games and an equalizer that we can customize. Very well, Samsung, in this regard.

If we go to connectivity, we face a mobile armed to the teeth. The analyzed terminal is the one that includes connectivity with 5G and Wi-Fi 6. Currently, Wi-Fi 6 is not going to improve browsing speed. But it does if we are in public places with a Wi-Fi 6 repeater to improve broadband.