Samsung Galaxy S20 FE review

The FE stands for Fan Edition -- not exactly the most descriptive label. So what does that mean, and how does it stack up against the rest of the market? Let’s see what the reviews have to say!

Design

Samsung chose to go with the “glasstic” on the backplate with a matte finish. This is just a fancy word for high-end plastic, and some reviewers argued it took away from the phone’s feel. However, others were pleased that the matte texture seemed to do away with ugly fingerprints and smudges.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE also comes in various colors. Orange, mint, navy are just a few of the options. Sure, they’ll likely get hidden under a case, but having options is nice. Just keep in mind that it’s not quite the quality of the rest of the 2020 Galaxy S line-up.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has a flat-screen instead of the rounded waterfall screens on many other phones in its price range. Reviewers said it was still possible to accidentally trigger touches on the screen when using the phone with one hand but a lot less than most waterfall screen designs.

The OLED screen is only 1080p. However, the 120Hz refresh rate helps make up for any potential downside there with its smooth motion. Reviewers praised the display for its bright, vibrant picture and color accuracy.

Performance

The phone kept up with similarly priced phones in both real-world tests and benchmarks. Reviewers felt the 120Hz refresh rate made it feel that much faster and more responsive. Multitasking seemed no big feat, and playing games didn’t either -- it sailed through every attempt to tire it out reviewers created.

It doesn’t outperform the top of the charts, but it also doesn’t underwhelm. It’s the right middle -- and that’s perfectly fine given the price.

Software & Storage

The S20 FE runs the average up-to-date Android software with a skin of Samsung's making over top. Some reviewers remarked that the skin and extra apps were excessive, as some of the features were already there from Android. Onboard storage ranges from 128GB to 512GB, with the option for a MicroSD up to 1 TB.

Cameras

The cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE are nothing to be disappointed about. Still, they don’t offer anything new and are even a slight downgrade from the original Galaxy S20.

Thankfully, those downgrades don’t seem to impact picture quality much. The multiple lenses’ seemed to perform reasonably well in good lighting, except perhaps trying to use the ultra-wide lens indoors, which didn’t work out so well.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has excellent battery life --even when used heavily or using the always-on display option. Reviewers stated that keeping the 120hz refresh rate on all day still left them with plenty of battery until bedtime.

The only sad thing is that while it supports a higher rate of fast charge, the box only comes with the lower end charger. So while it’s still a faster charger, you’ll need to spend extra for the fastest charger.

Audio

The listening experience impressed reviewers, both with and without headphones. The Galaxy S20 FE lacks a headphone jack -- but that’s fairly typical in this price range now. However, reviewers had no issues with Bluetooth stability, and pairing was speedy.

Specs at a Glance

• “Glasstic” chassis
• 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display
• Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 processor
• 6/8GB of RAM
• Android 10
• 128/512GB of storage with MicroSD option
• 12/12/8MP front-facing camera
• 4500mAh battery
  
  

Bottom Line

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is better than a substantial portion of phones in the mid-tier price range. It doesn’t break any barriers, however, in terms of new features or fashion. Despite this, the phone is more than enough to keep the average person happy.

PC Magazine says, “The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G delivers all the phone performance most people need at a price more people can afford."

Tom’s Guide states, “The Galaxy S20 FE delivers a fantastic 120Hz display, excellent cameras and solid performance for a very reasonable price.”