Samsung Galaxy S20+ Review: It’s The Sensible Choice
August 21, 2020Samsung’s S20+ is offers great value, if you’re willing to forgo that 108MP sensor….
Performance: Snapdragon 865, 12GB RAM
Display: 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED (1440 x 3200)
Storage: 128GB
Battery: 4,500mAh
Features: 120Hz(0180p), 4K video recording, Wireless charging
Rear Camera: 12MP Wide, 64MP telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide
Front Camera: 10MP
Rating: 9/10
Price: RM3,999
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world on its head. The disruptions that ensued will reverberate throughout various sectors for several years. Many businesses have been forced to rethink their plans, lay off a portion of their workforce and suspend non-essential roadmaps. The ramifications of this can be seen on most peoples’ faces.
These uncertain times has forced us into survival mode, subconsciously tightening our proverbial belts and scaling back on monthly purchases. Today, the question most consumers ask themselves before making a purchase is not , “I want to buy this”, rather, “Do I really need to buy this?” It’s this need to be thrifty, that has us all reexamining our choices.
However, social distancing and WFH (Work From Home) culture has forced many people in doors. That is why its imperative that the systems that you use for work and play, must be able to keep up with demands, regardless of what they might be. This doesn’t mean that you need to splurge the cash on the best tech hardware on the market, rather spend the money on the right ones.
As awe inspiring as the new Note20 Ultra might be, it’s simply overkill for most of us. the high-end hardware, copious amounts of RAM and capable S Pen, simply isn’t for everyone. And That is where the relevance of the S20+ comes in to play. It’s the middle child of the current crop of Samsung smartphones.Underappreciated and ignored, but happens to be the most sensible option.
The S20 Ultra overshadows the S20 and S20+, with its 108MP camera sensor and 100X zoom capabilities. It was the poster child for a good 6 months before the Note20 stepped into the limelight. It’s an amazing device, one that is bound to serve its owners well for several years. However, the S20+ is irrefutably, the more prudent choice.
Useful Link:
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Review: What’s It Like
Samsung Galaxy S20 Review: A Practical Flagship Phone
Looks wise, from the front, it’s the spitting image of its bigger brother, right down to the AMOLED screen, metal frame and glossy color scheme. The screen may be 0.2-inches smaller, but unless placed side by side, there isn’t a perceivable difference between them. And the appeal of that amazing 100x zoom, only appeals to a small subset of users.
Don’t get me wrong, the extra megapixels and zoom have their uses, but as profound as they might seem to be at first, in a matter of weeks, the novelty fades away. Most of us commoners, simply want a phone that is responsive, takes great pictures/selfies, has a big enough screen to get things done and has the power to last the entire day.
Nowhere on that list, is the S20 Ultra’s ‘lockout’ specs ever mentioned. Sadly, most will pass over the S20+ for the Ultra, for bragging rights alone. But the former has the same blisteringly fast Snapdragon 865 chipset, 12GB RAM, 1440×3200 resolution AMOLED display, 12MP wide and 64MP telephoto as well as a 4,500mAh battery. It’s basically the S20 Nearly-Ultra.
My time with it has taught me one thing, there isn’t a discernible difference between the two. the S20+ is extremely responsive, thanks to the 120Hz display and plentiful RAM. No matter, how many spreadsheets, email clients and messaging apps that I shuffled through each day, not once did the phone falter or give up.
As I moved from spreadsheets to touching up pictures and splicing video clips, the phone kept pace, allowing me to focus on the creative process without ever breaking concentration. A huge portion of my day revolves around online marketing and social media presence. Being able to respond to a task at a moment’s notice is not only essential but vital to maintain my edge.
This is where the S20+ earns its keep. It can be a dependable mobile PC that can help me accomplish pretty much everything that I would do with my PC. And admittedly, I haven’t much use for the S Pen. Sure, it has its uses, but not any that will help improve my level of productivity. If I had one, I’d use it everyday, only because its in front of me.
The Camera
Surprisingly enough, the Ultra’s major trump card, its camera, isn’t ‘all that’. Yes, it has a leg up with its 40MP selfie camera compared to the S20+ 10MP shooter. But the latter’s ability to maintain a natural color balance, realistic hues and saturation, are the preferred results over the overcompensating Ultra’s.
The same is true of the rear cameras. the S20+ produces very pleasing pictures, better during the day than at night. It loses out slightly to the Ultra in terms of depth and detail level, which is evident to only the sharpest of eyes. This carries over to video recordings as well. Footage remains crisp, with decent color recreation in both 4K and 1080P modes.
Just like the Ultra, it too suffers from thermal issues. This is most noticeable when capturing videos and during lengthy gaming sessions. It can be uncomfortable at times, but only just. The use of a silicone case should remedy the problem, but the effectiveness varies based on thickness and texture. However, if it isn’t pushed to the limit, this is a non-issue.
Battery life is good, not great, but good. On most occasions, you should be able to end the day with at least 20% of battery charge, a little more if you’ve been more frugal with tasks. It’s on par with the Ultra despite being 500mAh down on capacity. At most, there’s only about a 5% difference between the two of them.
Video recording and media consumption ‘zap’ the most power from both phones. Their expansive screens are extremely power hungry, gobbling as much as they can, every minute. Mercifully, the Snapdragon 865 chipset is as frugal on power as it is quick at computing workloads. It helps temper the power draw, somewhat.
Thankfully, the DeX system is far better now than it was in previous years. The graphics are better at mimicking a Windows desktop and many apps support full screen mode, especially Microsoft’s productivity app suite. When lacking of a full-fledged PC, the S20+ does a stand-up job of being the stand-in device.
Should I Buy One?
Yes, otherwise what’s all this been about, then? My end goal here, is to provide you with a convincing argument to suggest that the S20+ offers better value for money than the more expensive Ultra. On paper, it comes in as second best. But in reality, its performance and capabilities are on par with that of the Ultra.
If you’re someone like me, then the S20+ aka ‘nearly-there Ultra’, is the best phone for the money. What you save on the S20 Ultra, can be put to good use on a pair of wireless earbuds and will still be left with some change to spare. Do I want the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra? YES. But do I need one? NO. The exact opposite is true of the S20+, which is why it is the best phone for us, sensible people.
