Google Pixel 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

Google Pixel 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE - Which is better - Android

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How do the two mid-tier flagships stack up against each other?

Credit: Google

The Google Pixel 5 is the latest smartphone from the folks behind Android. It offers 5G support in a mid-range device and continues the Pixel tradition of having great cameras and innovative features. That’s all inside a phone that costs $699. However, less than two weeks ago, we were introduced to another mid-range smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition). It has a lot of the flagship hardware and features from the earlier Galaxy S20 series of phones. However, Samsung has made a few changes to the Galaxy S20 FE. The final result is that it costs the same as the Pixel 5. So, what are the major differences?

In this article, we will compare and contrast both phones, and offer up our opinion on which one is worthy of your $699. We’ve yet to review both devices in full, but there’s plenty we can glean by looking at the two affordable flagships on paper. Here is our early look at the Google Pixel 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.

Specs

	Google Pixel 5	Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
Display	6-inch OLED 2,340 x 1,080 resolution 432ppi 90Hz refresh rate 19.5:9 aspect ratio >1,000,000:1 contrast ratio	6.5-inch flat Super AMOLED Infinity-O cutout, centered FHD+ (2,400 x 1,080) resolution 407ppi 120Hz refresh rate HDR 10+ Gorilla Glass 3 cover
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G 2x Cortex-A76 6x Cortex-A55 Titan M Security Module	5G models: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 4G models: Samsung Exynos 990
GPU	Adreno 620	5G models: Adreno 650 4G models: Arm Mali-G77 MP11
RAM	8GB LPDDR4x	6GB LPDDR5
Storage	128GB No microSD slot	128GB microSD support up to 1TB
Cameras	Rear Main: 12.2MP, f/1.7 aperture, 1.4µm pixels, optical + electronic image stabilization Secondary: 16MP, f/2.2 aperture, 1 micron pixel, ultra-wide (107-degree FoV) 4K at 60fps/30fps Front 8MP sensor, f/2.0 aperture, 1.12µm pixels, fixed focus, 83-degree FoV	Rear: 12MP wide-angle Dual-Pixel, OIS ƒ1.8, 1/1.76in, 1.8μm 12MP ultra-wide ƒ2.2, 1/3.06in, 1.12μm 8MP telephoto 3x optical zoom, OIS 30x digital "Space Zoom" ƒ2.4, 1/4.4in, 1.0μm Front: 32MP (binned to 8MP) ƒ2.2, 1/2.8in, 0.8μm
Headphone jack	No	No
Battery	4,080mAh 18W charging 12W wireless charging Reverse wireless charging	4,500mAh battery 15W wired charging (in-box adapter) 25W wired charging (add'l adapter needed) 15W wireless charging Wireless PowerShare
IP rating	IP68	IP68
Software	Android 11	Android 10
Dimensions and weight	144.7 x 70.4 x 8mm 151g	74.5 x 159.8 x 8.4mm 190g
Colors	Just Black, Sorta Sage	Cloud Navy, Cloud Red, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud White, Cloud Orange

Design

The Google Pixel 5 has a 6-inch OLED display with a 2,340 x 1,080 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has a much larger 6.5 inch Super AMOLED screen with a 2,400 x 1,080 resolution and a higher 120Hz refresh rate. Both also have punch-hole cutouts for the selfie camera and minimal bezels. The Pixel 5 uses the stronger Gorilla Glass 6 on its display while the Galaxy S20 FE has the older Gorilla Glass 3.

See also: Google Pixel 5 vs Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 4a — Which should you buy?

The Pixel 5 uses aluminum for the back of the phone. This is interesting since the phone supports wireless charging. The Pixel 5 adds this feature via a hole in the chassis covered by a material bio-resin. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE uses a plastic material for its back and an aluminum frame. The Pixel 5 has an old-fashioned fingerprint sensor in the back. The Galaxy S20 FE uses a more modern in-display fingerprint reader. Both phones have IP68 water and dust resistance certification, and both lack a headphone jack. Both also have stereo speakers.

The Pixel 5 comes in Just Black and Sorta Sage colors. Samsung has gone all out with lots of color choices for the Galaxy S20 FE. You can choose from Cloud Navy, Cloud Red, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud White, or Cloud Orange.

Features

Google decided not to put in the fastest processor available for the Pixel 5. Instead, you get the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chip, while the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has the much faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset. Outside the US there is also a cheaper 4G-only version with Samsung’s in-house Exynos 990. Both chips have proven to be much faster than the Snapdragon 765G in our own testing.

Read more: Snapdragon 765G vs Snapdragon 865: How will the Pixel 5 stack up?

In terms of memory and storage, the Pixel 5 has 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM compared to the 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM in the Galaxy S20 FE. Both phones have 128GB of onboard storage, but the Galaxy S20 FE allows for up to 1TB of storage expansion with its microSD card slot, which the Pixel 5 lacks.

The Pixel 5 has a 4,080mAh battery, compared to the 4,500mAh battery on the Galaxy S20 FE. Google has put in an extreme battery saver mode on the Pixel 5. It claims it will add up to 48 hours of extra battery life for the phone by allowing users to pause some apps they don’t want to use at the moment. We will have to see if those claims are justified when we get our hands on one.

In terms of wired charging, the Pixel 5 supports 18W speeds. The Galaxy S20 FE has 15W wired charging out of the box, but if you buy an optional adapter, that can go up to 25W. Both phones support wireless charging, with the Pixel 5 using 12W and the Galaxy S20 FE supporting 15W. Both phones also support reverse wireless charging of other devices.

Credit: Google

The Pixel 5 has the same main 12.2MP camera we have seen in previous Pixel phones for the past two years. However, the secondary camera is a 16MP ultra-wide shooter, ditching the telephoto sensor found on the Pixel 4 series. We expect to see some software improvements for the cameras as well for our full review. For example, the phone’s portrait mode will add Google’s low light Night Sight feature and will add locked, active, and cinematic pan modes for taking better video clips. There’s also an 8MP camera in the front.