Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G Review: The Goldilocks Device
November 21, 2020It’s the oddball that aims to win our hearts, but is a cheaper price tag enough to justify its existence?
Performance: Snapdragon 865, 8GB RAM
Display: 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED (1080 x 2400)
Storage: 128GB
Battery: 4,500mAh
Features: 120Hz(1080p), 4K video recording, Wireless charging
Rear Camera: 12MP Wide, 8MP telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide
Front Camera: 32MP
Rating: 8.5/10
Price: RM3,399
Samsung’s Galaxy S20 FE is a bit of an oddity. It has forcefully wedged itself between the S20 and S20+, filling the apparent void that neither phone could fill. The S20’s 6.2-inch screen and 4000mAh battery make it a mini device, while the larger S20+ with its 6.7-inch display edges it toward phablet territory.
Consumers who want a flagship S20 that is not too small or not too large, were once out of luck. At this present time, the sweet spot in terms of screen size is 6.4-6.5 inches. Noticing this, and the relative dissatisfaction certain quarters had with the ‘polished’ new line of phones, Samsung went to work to build the best compromise.
The end result is the S20 FE, a mishmash of sorts. It is the sum of bits taken from the S20 line and other models, but omitting less important features and hardware. The premise for such a phone, according to Samsung, is being able to meet the immediate needs of customers who care about the “essentials” rather than aesthetics.
When initially announced, the phone caught us all by surprise. There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with the S20 line, but Samsung felt compelled to introduce a follow up phone, just a few months before the next generation ‘S21’ phones hit shelves. Many were inclined to believe that this was a misstep, especially due to the timing.
Related Reviews:
Samsung Galaxy S20 Review
Samsung Galaxy S20+ Review
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Review
The last time we heard of the FE moniker was when Samsung introduced the Note 7 Fan Edition. That phone was introduced to atone for the egregious battery behavior of the Note 8. Due to “quality control” issues, they had a propensity to malfunction and explode. A worldwide recall was issued of these devices, which was the right move, to keep customers out of harm’s way.
However, the S20 line doesn’t have any inherent flaws, at least none that warrant a recall, so what is the point of the S20 FE? Well, when you delve deeper into its hardware and software, the appeal becomes startlingly clear. See, it is meant to appeal to the “Goldilocks” of customers. The ‘not to cold’ and ‘not too hot’ crowd who know exactly what they want in a smartphone.
What’s It Like?
Like the fairytale; Goldilocks and the Three Bears, where a young girl picks the bowl of porridge that best suits her preference, the S20 FE aimed at a specific demographic. It’s a subset of an audience that isn’t particularly interested in the eye candy or amazing camera abilities. Instead they prefer a capable device with subdued but tasteful aesthetics.
Despite sharing similar dimensions to the S20 phones, the FE gets a matte finish rather than the glossy one of the halo phones. It lends a clean and tasteful look to the phone. It commands attention instead of seeking it. It’s an ‘unapologetic’ approach at subtlety, which flies in the face of nearly every marketing strategy for a flagship device.
This isn’t for everyone, but for the select few who can appreciate it, they would be hard-pressed to find a similar device. Besides the visual appeal, the FE gets a Snapdragon 865+ and 8GB RAM, the ceiling limit of which very few will ever experience. It’s a powerhouse, so you can throw anything but the kitchen sink at it, and the phone won’t trip over itself.
That said, there are certain things that the FE won’t be able to muster quite like the Note 20 Ultra or S20 Ultra. When tasking a phone with editing videos or render high definition games, a higher memory limit may come in handy. This prevents the phone from being overwhelmed when pushed to the limit.
Regardless of which colour you choose, the phone has a clean and understated look to it. It’s a more subtle approach to the design of the S20 line compared to the actual halo phones. In fact, it looks fairly similar to the Galaxy M51 or A71.
The screen is a 6.5-inch dynamic AMOLED 120hz display, which is far larger than the s20’s 6.2-inch one but a smidgen smaller than the s20+’s 6.7-inch one. It also has the same chip as the two of them, which is the snapdragon 865. Paired with 8GB RAM and 120GB of storage space. However it does fall behind in certain areas.
An example of this is in the camera department. It doesn’t have the same stuff as the s20+ because it gets a rather mediocre 12MP wide, 12MP ultrawide cameras. Mercifully, they are enough to capture decent pictures with a good amount of detail. It’s the same story for videos because the footage seems crisp and focused.
The Camera
This is a clear example of why Megapixel count don’t directly correlate to picture quality. This was apparent when we compared picture quality of the S20+ with that of the S20 Ultra. Though was a quality deficit, it wasn’t much. But the FE has to make do with an 8MP telephoto, instead of the S20+’s 64MP one. That’s a shortcoming that will matter to certain quarters.
If photo and video quality are very important to you, then opt for the S20+, it has far more capable hardware and the footage that you capture show this. The depth and detail level of each shot is noticeably better. The contrast seems to be more accurate too. However, the S20 FE isn’t far off the mark, and only a keen eye can spot the quality deficit.
Low light performance lags behind the S20+ as well. When compared side by side, the S20 FE’s results seem a little grainy and lacks depth, which is something that is less of an issue on the S20+ and the S20 Ultra. But then again, shots are decent looking, but just not as good as its larger siblings.
Video quality is decent, however when compared side by side with the S20+, there is a noticeable difference in richness, but only just. This proves how important good software is when paired with less than stellar hardware.
And herein lies the appeal of this phone. It’s a bag of compromises that is priced more affordable and thus easier to live with. It isn’t flashy, so bumps and scratching the phone won’t be much of a for concern. It’s a phone that begs to be used to its fullest potential. Its a knock-on effect that makes the it seemingly more robust than the halo S20 series.
The S20 FE may not have a pretty exterior or a 108MP camera, but it has it where it counts. At its heart sits a flagship chip, a 120Hz AMOLED screen, 8GB RAM and 4,500mAh battery. And as such it outshines the S20+ in several aspects because it is relatively more affordable, yet offers comparable performance and battery life.
Should I Buy It?
If you’re a general consumer, it’s a firm, no. The FE is meant for people who have a particular list of requirements. It has an understated look and less than stellar cameras, which are attributes that scare off budding YouTubers and IG community. The S20 FE is a flagship that doesn’t retain any of the flashy bits, just the stuff that truly matters.
If you want flagship-like performance, but aren’t too particular about “award-winning” photo quality or capturing crisp footage, this is the phone you want. It exudes the kind of “cool factor” that its more expensive cousins simply cannot muster. It’s a phone for people who know what they are about, but refuse to toot their own horn. For them, FE stands for Fan Edition.
