OnePlus 8T vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: Which is right for you?

The OnePlus 8T is 2020’s affordable flagship from OnePlus. It packs a ton of high-end hardware and software, despite its relatively affordable price tag of just $749. Of course, there are a lot of great affordable flagships out there these days, including the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition). The 2020 S20 variant has much in common with the Galaxy S20 but makes a few concessions to reach the low price of $699. The real question comes down to this: In the battle between the OnePlus 8T vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, which phone should you buy?

We’ve already reviewed the S20 FE and OnePlus 8T, but let’s take a closer look at how the two phones compare.

See also: Samsung Galaxy S20 FE review | OnePlus 8T review

OnePlus 8T vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: Specs

Design

The OnePlus 8T features a design that’s not terribly different from its predecessor, though there are some obvious differences, like a new camera setup found in the upper left corner. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE looks very similar to the original Galaxy S20, though it swaps out the glass rear for a plastic material with a glass-like finish, held together by an aluminum frame.

While both manufacturers have very distinct design languages, they have several things in common too. Both handsets have AMOLED displays, with the S20 FE sporting a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED screen with a 2,400 x 1,080 resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate. The OnePlus 8T has a slightly larger 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED display, with the same resolution and refresh rate. Punch holes are the name of the game here, though the S20 FE centers the punch hole, while the OnePlus 8T pushes it off to the upper left corner. As you’d expect, neither phone has a headphone jack.

There are just two color choices for the OnePlus 8T: Lunar Silver and Aquamarine Green. Samsung takes a different approach, offering quite a few colorways. You can choose from Cloud Navy, Cloud Red, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud White, or Cloud Orange.

If water and dust resistance are important to you, you’ll be pleased to know the Galaxy S20 FE has an IP68 rating. There’s no such rating for the regular unlocked OnePlus 8T. However, T-Mobile users will be able to pick up the so-called OnePlus 8T Plus, which offers the same overall features but does have an IP68 rating.

Hardware

You’ll find plenty of power regardless of which phone you choose. Both devices feature the same Qualcomm 865 chipset with 5G support. For those outside the US, there’s also an optional 4G-only version of the Galaxy S20 FE with Samsung’s in-house Exynos 990 chip. If 5G does matter to you, the Galaxy S20 FE is the more robust choice, offering sub-6 and mmWave support. The 8T only supports sub-6, meaning it won’t work with certain carriers like Verizon.

Turning to the rest of the specs, you’ll find several differences. For starters, the OnePlus 8T has two configurations: 8GB of RAM with 128GB of storage, or 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Galaxy S20 FE comes with 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB onboard storage. While there isn’t a model with more RAM or storage, you also can add up to 1TB of additional storage via microSD.

See also: Best camera phones

Both phones have a 4,500mAh battery inside and support for quick charging. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has 15W wired charging out of the box but supports 25W with an optional adapter. The OnePlus 8T ups the ante with its included Warp Charge 65 charger, capable of charging the 8T to 100% in just 39 minutes. The 8T even can quick charge other devices with speeds up to 45W.

Only the Galaxy S20 FE supports wireless charging, with speeds up to 15W. There’s even support for reverse wireless charging of other devices.

Camera

The OnePlus 8T has a Sony IMX586 48MP main rear camera, along with a 16MP 123-degree ultra-wide camera. There’s a third 5MP macro sensor as well, along with a 2MP monochrome camera. Finally, there’s a 16MP camera in the front.

OnePlus says the 8T includes some special AI-driven camera features. One of them will automatically detect if the phone is in a low light setting, so it can switch to the camera’s Nightscape mode immediately. In our review of the phone, we noted that we were disappointed in the overall image quality of the photos taken with the cameras.

In contrast, the Galaxy S20 FE has three camera sensors in the back: a 12MP standard camera, a 12MP wide-angle camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera. You also get a 32MP front-facing camera. In our review of the phone, we stated that the Galaxy S20 FE cameras produce solid but unspectacular images. It can also record video clips, but they are limited to 4K resolution at 60fps.

Software

The OnePlus 8T comes with OxygenOS 11, based on the new Android 11 OS, out of the box. While Oxygen OS has historically kept to a very stock-like design, the newest software makes a few changes that move it a bit further away from stock Android. Some of the changes include adding a new OnePlus Sans font, a new Always On Display, and improvements to Dark Mode and Zen Mode.

The Galaxy S20 FE shipped with Android 10, with the One UI skin. However, the phone got its over-the-air Android 11 update in early 2021. Samsung has pledged to support the Galaxy S20 FE with three Android OS updates.  The OnePlus 8T will get at least two Android OS updates, plus an extra year just for software security updates.

Further reading: Oxygen OS vs One UI

Price

• OnePlus 8T with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage — £549/42,999 Rs
• OnePlus 8T with 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage — £649/$749/45,999 Rs
• Samsung Galaxy S20 FE — $699/£699/€759
• Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (4G only) — £599/€659

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE will set you back $699 in the US. Verizon Wireless is selling its own variant, the Galaxy S20 FE 5G UW which costs $749, and can connect to the carrier’s “ultra-wideband” 5G network. You can get the 5G model in the UK for £699 and the 4G version for £599. In Europe, the 4G model costs €659, and the 5G version costs €759.

As for the OnePlus 8T? The US only offers the 12GB/256GB version, priced at $749. Other regions will carry the 8GB/128GB version, where it is priced at £549 (~$709) in the UK.

OnePlus 8T vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: Which should you buy?

On paper, the Galaxy S20 FE beats the OnePlus 8T in several areas, including price. It also supports wireless charging, and Samsung promises at least three Android OS updates for the phone. Pictures taken with the Galaxy S20 FE seem to edge out the ones made with the OnePlus 8T. The IP68 rating is nice to have. Finally, that microSD slot offers users more storage expansion.

The OnePlus 8T, however, does offer more onboard storage for its US version, along with a lot more RAM. It ships with Android 11 out of the box. Its Warp Charge 65W charger means you will be up and running with the phone in much less time compared to the Galaxy S20 FE. Its glass back is a bit more premium than the plastic on Samsung’s phone. However, it’s odd that the IP68 rating is only available on the version sold at T-Mobile.

It’s a close call between the OnePlus 8T and the Galaxy S20 FE, and it ultimately comes down to personal preferences.

Want to check out some other options? These are the best Android phones you can buy today

That’s our look at the OnePlus 8T vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. Which one are you considering?