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Samsung Galaxy S20 specs: The year of the Ultra
Similar to last year’s S10 family, the Galaxy S20 will come in three distinct variants… but with a big twist for 2020. While the Galaxy S10e opened the door to a cheaper Samsung S flagship, this year Samsung is going in the opposite direction with its new Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 Plus, and S20 Ultra.
Read: Samsung Galaxy S20 Buyers Guide – Everything You Need to Know
The Samsung Galaxy S10e started at just $750, but the Galaxy S20 begins at $999 with higher-end models and configurations nearing the $1,500 mark. So what do these premium-priced devices bring to the table? Check out the full list of Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 Plus, and S20 Ultra specs below:
| Samsung Galaxy S20 | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
Display | Samsung Galaxy S20 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 3,200 x 1,440 20:9 ratio 120Hz refresh rate at 1080p 60Hz refresh rate at 1440p HDR10+ certified | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 3,200 x 1,440 20:9 ratio 120Hz refresh rate at 1080p 60Hz refresh rate at 1440p HDR10+ certified | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 3,200 x 1,440 20:9 ratio 120Hz refresh rate at 1080p 60Hz refresh rate at 1440p HDR10+ certified |
Processor | Samsung Galaxy S20 Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 or Samsung Exynos 990 | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 or Samsung Exynos 990 | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 or Samsung Exynos 990 |
RAM | Samsung Galaxy S20 12GB | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 12GB | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 12 or 16GB |
Storage | Samsung Galaxy S20 128GB | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 128 or 512GB | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 128 or 512GB |
MicroSD | Samsung Galaxy S20 Yes, up to 1TB | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus Yes, up to 1TB | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Yes, up to 1TB |
Battery | Samsung Galaxy S20 4,000mAh Fast wired and wireless charging | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 4,500mAh Fast wired and wireless charging | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5,000mAh Fast wired and wireless charging |
Cameras | Samsung Galaxy S20 Rear: - Wide-angle: 12MP, 1/1.76", ƒ/1.8, 1.8µm - Telephoto: 64MP, ƒ/2.0, .8µm - Ultra-wide: 12MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.4µm 3x hybrid optical/digital zoom, Super Resolution Zoom up to 30x Front: - 10MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.22µm, AF | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus Rear: - Wide-angle: 12MP, 1/1.76", ƒ/1.8, 1.8µm - Telephoto: 64MP, ƒ/2.0, .8µm - Ultra-wide: 12MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.4µm - VGA time-of-flight sensor 3x hybrid optical/digital zoom, Super Resolution Zoom up to 30x Front: - 10MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.22µm, AF | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Rear: - Wide-angle: 108MP, 1/1.33", ƒ/1.8, .8µm - Telephoto: 48MP, ƒ/3.5, .8µm - Ultra-wide: 12MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.4µm - VGA time-of-flight sensor Hybrid optical/digital zoom at 10x Super Resolution at 100x Front - 40MP sensor, ƒ/2.2, .7µm, AF |
Connectivity | Samsung Galaxy S20 4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, DSS, TDD/FDD, SA and NSA, no mmWave) | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, DSS, TDD/FDD, SA and NSA, mmWave) | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, DSS, TDD/FDD, SA and NSA, mmWave) |
Operating System | Samsung Galaxy S20 One UI 2.0 Android 10 | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus One UI 2.0 Android 10 | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra One UI 2.0 Android 10 |
Water resistance | Samsung Galaxy S20 IP68 | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus IP68 | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra IP68 |
Security | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, face unlock | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, face unlock | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, face unlock |
Color | Samsung Galaxy S20 Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus Cosmic Grey, Cosmic Black, Cloud Blue, Aura Blue. | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Cosmic Grey and Cosmic Black |
Dimensions and weight | Samsung Galaxy S20 69.1x151.7x7.9mm 163g | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 73.8x161.9x7.8mm 186g | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 76x166.9x8mm 220g |
All three models feature the latest Snapdragon processors, tons of RAM, and plenty of bells and whistles. The biggest differences come down to camera features, display size, battery size, and even 5G support.
The camera package is probably the biggest point of divergence between the three phones. The Samsung Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus essentially pack the same camera configuration, while the Ultra offers a notable upgrade over the two.
Both the S20 and S20 Plus have 12MP wide-angle sensors, 64MP telephoto lenses, ultra-wide 12MP sensors, and 10MP front-facing cameras. Both also offer 3x hybrid optical/digital zoom and Super Resolution Zoom up to 30x. The only difference is the S20 Plus adds a rear-facing time-of-flight sensor used to record depth information.
The Samsung S20 Ultra’s camera really shines on paper. You get the same ToF sensor as the S20 Plus but the actual camera configuration is completely different. At the center of the experience is a 108MP wide-angle sensor with ƒ/1.8 aperture. There’s also a 48MP telephoto lens and an ultra-wide 12MP sensor. Even the front facing camera gets upgraded to a 40MP sensor that uses pixel binning to produce a high-quality 12MP image. The Ultra is also capable of hybrid optical/digital zoom at 10x and Super Resolution Zoom up to 100x.
Samsung isn’t offering any smaller screen models this year, as the smallest screen is the Galaxy S20’s 6.2-inch display. The S20 Plus has a 6.7-inch display, while the Ultra has a whopping 6.9-inch screen. Regardless of the model, you’ll get Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED displays with support for 240Hz touch response and a refresh rate of 120Hz (only while set to 1080p mode). The improvements to the display technology this year should translate to smoother scrolling through menus and the UI, as well as smoother gaming for games that support 120Hz.
Battery sizes aren’t massively different across the S20 models. The S20, S20 Plus, and S20 Ultra pack 4,000mAh, 4,500mAh, and 5,000mAh batteries, respectively. You’ll get fast wireless and wired charging support, with all three models including a 25W wired fast charger in the box. The Galaxy S20 Ultra also supports 45W fast charging, but the official Samsung 45W charger will cost $50 extra.
The good news about 5G this year is that it no longer requires a special model — all three phones support the tech. The downside is that only the S20 Plus and Ultra support mmWave technology — meaning 5G networks like Verizon won’t work with the standard Samsung Galaxy S20. There will also be a 4G only variant of the S20, but it will only be sold in select markets at a later date.
All three handsets are very expensive, very premium, and pack large displays. You really can’t go wrong with any of these phones, but the Ultra certainly stands out in terms of extras. The improved camera is extremely important, but even smaller things help differentiate it — like packing up to 16GB of RAM.
The idea of 16GB of RAM on a phone is absolutely nuts but it sounds very impressive on paper. Samsung is even actually giving the crazy amount of RAM a purpose by letting you pin five applications in RAM at all times. This should let you switch away and back seamlessly.
That covers the largest differences between the phones, but the Samsung Galaxy S20 specs are just one part of the picture. Check out the other great Samsung Galaxy S20 content from Android Authority below: