Hip shot to show my photography skills
(Image: Mark Hofman / WANT)
While we wait expectantly for the arrival of a new flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S20 is almost half a year old. The smartphone was announced in February 2020 and is now in use by many people. But is it still worth buying it six months later?
In this review we look at the pros and cons of the Samsung Galaxy S20. We look at the phone from its current position in the market, where it has a price tag of around € 699.
Samsung Galaxy S20: still worth it?
The Samsung Galaxy S20 has been on sale since the beginning of this year. The smartphone has also received a lot or what it had to offer. To be honest, this is the first flagship in years that we missed during the review period. However, we got the opportunity to work with the phone twice before launch and we saw that the Galaxy S20 is impressive.
Now that the smartphone is six months old, and has significantly decreased in price, I get the chance to test it for a longer time. Something I have done extensively. In this review, I’ll give you four reasons why you should buy the phone and just one reason why not.
At the end of the article, it is then up to you to decide whether you want to buy the phone or leave it.
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Samsung Galaxy S20: why buy?
Of Samsung Galaxy S20 is a multi-level phone that you should buy. In this part of the review, I explain in four points why exactly.
# 1 The design
The design of the Samsung Galaxy S20 is simply top. I cannot say much else. The phone feels great in your hand. This is partly due to the format in which the device comes. This makes the Galaxy S20 easy to use with one hand and that is nice. Something that is certainly made possible by the weight. With a weight of 164 grams, the phone is too light rather than too heavy. Delicious.
Despite the fact that Samsung made the phone so light, it feels very premium. This is due to the finish of the device. Glass and aluminum ensure that the phone feels solid and that is very pleasant.
The Samsung Galaxy S20, just like its bigger brothers, has a camera island on the back. Personally, this does not appeal to me and I prefer a strip like the Galaxy Note 10. But that is purely a matter of taste.
In terms of color options, black, blue and pink are also good.
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# 2 Impressive display
The second point is the screen. The Samsung Galaxy S20 features a 6.2-inch WQHD + display with a hole-punch notch in the center. In addition, a refresh rate of 120Hz is accompanied by the smartphone.
In my opinion, this notch is the solution for the selfie camera. Right in the middle and small enough not to be noticed. That also makes sense, because the quality of the display takes all the attention. The colors look fresh, the screen is bright enough to use in full sun and the quality is impressive. Viewing photos, videos or reading articles is a feast for the eyes in that regard.
That is also thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate that the screen offers. In that respect, the Samsung Galaxy S20 is very fluid and that is very nice.
Samsung has also clearly listened to feedback from previous models. The screen edges are a lot less curved than before. Something that I personally see as something positive. The edges are indeed curved, but just right. Not too disturbing, but well present.
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# 3 Excellent camera system
If you turn the phone around, you will see a camera island. Despite the fact that, like me, you cannot be a fan of the design, it is of course the content that counts. The Samsung Galaxy S20 has the following in that area:
- 12 megapixel main-camera
- 64 megapixel telefoto-camera
- 12 megapixel ultra-wide camera
With this setup you can take beautiful photos without a doubt. When it comes to zoom quality, we are dealing with one of the best devices on the market. The quality loss is minimal. Of course it is not quite perfect yet, but the Samsung Galaxy S20 is the closest.
In addition, the colors, brightness and details in the photos you take are of high quality. The large amount of choices of functionalities is also something that enhances the experience. A slow motion video, portrait photo or an ultra-wide photo is made in that respect.
The only drawback of the Samsung Galaxy S20, in this area, is the night mode. As with previous models, the functionality is still quite disappointing in practice. Photos are exposed strangely or remain very dark. That’s something that competing companies seem to have mastered better.
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# 4 Great value for money
Now the showpiece of the Samsung Galaxy S20 in July 2020: the price. When the phone just appeared it was on the expensive side. Not abnormally expensive, but on the pricey side as we are used to from flagships. Samsung is known for pricing its smartphones fairly quickly and that is also evident six months after its launch.
You can now tap the phone for € 699. For that money you get a lot of smartphone. The build quality, the screen, the camera system and the software ensure an extremely pleasant experience. The phone can take a beating, feels great in the hand and works great.
A very good deal if you ask me.
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Samsung Galaxy S20: why leave it?
Of Samsung Galaxy S20 is a wonderful smartphone, but there is still some improvement in the following area.
# 1 The battery
The battery of the Samsung Galaxy S20 drains remarkably fast. With the 120Hz refresh rate set, making the end of the day is quite a trick. At least in my experience.
I am not a very fanatic user in everyday life. I scroll through Instagram, read an article here and there and watch a movie from time to time. No long lasting Netflixsessions or hours of game play. The fact that the phone struggled to get me through the day was therefore disappointing in that respect.
There is something to do about that: lower the resolution of the screen and reset the refresh rate to 60Hz. But to be very honest, I think that’s nonsense. You buy this phone to use its full potential. In that respect, you can expect that the battery will easily help you with that. Something that unfortunately is not the case in my experience.
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Samsung Galaxy S20: buy or leave it?
Of Samsung Galaxy S20 was already a good smartphone in March this year. It still is. Despite the battery issues, my time with this phone was fantastic. Wonderful image quality, fantastic camera system and the software works well on all fronts.
For € 699 you have a fantastic phone at home. I really cannot say otherwise.
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Samsung Galaxy S20: 5 reasons to (not) buy the smartphone now
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