Review of smartphones Samsung Galaxy S20 and S20 Ultra

The authoritative South Korean company Samsung with 80 years of experience keeps up with young competitors - manufacturers of mobile equipment. New models of mid-budget and premium-class smartphones appear every month, characteristics and hardware are improved, but the design remains classic. In January 2024, only a smartphone was announced Galaxy A71equipped with a Super AMOLED screen, macro cameras and a built-in fingerprint sensor. February has not yet arrived, and Samsung plans to present two more new products at the end of winter: Samsung Galaxy S20 and S20 Ultra. The devices are planned to be launched on the market in April 2024, but information about them has already appeared. Consider the characteristics of the new Samsung, determine the advantages and disadvantages, compare what are similar and what are the differences between the new products.

Galaxy S from Samsung

The manufacturer launched the Galaxy S line in 2010. All phones in the series possessed flagship characteristics, worked on productive hardware, and competed with the strongest competitor - the iPhone. In the US, the first million Galaxy S smartphones were sold out in 1.5 months. The Galaxy S20 and S20 Ultra devices keep up with their older brothers in terms of capabilities and hardware, and are no exception. They have a modern display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor version, cameras with high-resolution lenses, a capacitive battery, and a lot of additional functions.

Appearance and ergonomics

Monoblock classic shape, with a glass case and a display protected by a special glass Gorilla Glass 6. The degree of protection is IP68: the case does not allow dust (index 6) and water (index 8) particles to pass through. With the gadget you can swim at a depth of up to 1.5 m for 30 minutes. The frame is aluminum, the display is almost frameless. On it at the top in the center is the front camera in the form of a small circle. On the right are the power and volume buttons, on the left is the card slot. On the cover in the center there is the manufacturer's logo, in the upper left corner there is a rectangular block with cameras and a flash. The smartphone looks stylish, the build quality and the large screen enhance the effect. To protect the case from smudges, fingerprints and frequent wiping, you should purchase a silicone case if it will not be in the package.

The width of smartphones is comfortable and ergonomic - the phones fit comfortably in the palm of a medium size. The dimensions of the S20 Ultra are 167 x 76 x 8.8 mm, the S20 is 162 mm high, 74 mm wide, and 7.8 mm thick. The gadgets weigh 221 grams. and 188 gr. respectively. First, devices with black body color will go on sale. Subsequently, color models will appear.

Screen properties

The models are equipped with capacitive touchscreen displays with dynamic AMOLED matrices that reflect 16 million colors, with an increased image refresh rate of 120 Hz. Due to the technology, the devices have a small thickness. A fingerprint scanner is installed under the display. There is an HDR10 + function, with its help, an image is obtained with high brightness, realistic, with perfect blacks. The technology of high dynamic range of pictures is used in televisions and computer monitors, the considered smartphones can boast of excellent brightness, which is ten times higher than the brightness in conventional phones. AMOLED matrix enhances the effect:

• when using human eyes, it captures twice as many shades and colors;
• the picture is visible and does not light up even in bright sun;
• pixel density increases;
• images have high color rendition and crisp detail.

The 6th generation Gorilla Glass is installed on top of the screen, which protects against shocks, scratches, dirt and dust.

The Galaxy S20 Ultra measures 6.9 inches diagonally, with a usable area of ​​114.9 cm2. The screen occupies 90.6% of the body, the aspect ratio is 20: 9, the density of pixels per inch is 509 pcs. Screen resolution - 1440 × 3200 pixels.

The Galaxy S20 is slightly smaller: its screen is 6.7 inches, the display size is 90.4% relative to the dimensions of the case, the area is 108.4 sq. Cm. With the same 20: 9 ratio, 2D digital elements are compressed to 524 pixels per inch of area. The S20 screen is made in a resolution of 1440 × 3040 pixels.

The new products have the AOD (Always On Display) function. The always-on display provides user-specific information that can be easily configured via the menu or notification panel. The data is visible even in a locked state, on a schedule or on an ongoing basis. The enabled function discharges the smartphone by an average of 1% every 60 minutes, while pixel burnout on AMOLED matrices does not occur.

Communication, communications, technology

Samsung Galaxy S20 and S20 Ultra support all frequency bands: 2G-GSM / CDMA, 3G-HSPA / EVDO, 4G-LTE (no bands indicated), 5G. The speed of 3G transmission is as follows: 42.2 / 5.76 Mbps. EV-DO time division technology increases throughput and improves data transfer. Data transmission is protected by the ANT + protocol. Sensor communication consumes a minimum of energy, operates within a radius of 30 m. The technology is similar to BlueTooth, the only difference is in the range - data is transmitted via BlueTooth over a distance of 10-15 m. By the way, the new products also include Bluetooth 5.0. Other wireless solutions include Wi-Fi 802.11 dual band, hotspot and Wi-Fi Direct.

You can listen to music and audio in wireless headphones using the A2DP standard. The aptX technology will make the track of high quality by compressing the audio track to the required bitrates. Convenient when there is no 3.5 mm headphone jack. The FM radio antennas are installed, but it will only work in select countries such as the United States and Canada. On a long trip, you can use one of the following navigation systems: GPS, A-GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS.

Memory, processor and SIM cards

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor operates on 8 cores. Supposedly available in the US. There is no data yet. The rest of the models will be powered by the Exynos 990 - Global chip.

The operating system Android 10.0 is combined with the One UI 2. The menu is accessible, the icons are beautiful, and there are many functions.

The models differ in the amount of memory. Galaxy S20 uses internal and RAM: 128/12 GB and 256/12 GB. S20 Ultra memory is larger: 128/12 GB and 512/16 GB. If necessary, the volume can be increased by installing a 1TB microSD card.
Smartphones have one or two Nano-SIMs, with dual standby.

Sound and microphones

The new products have high-quality stereo speakers operating at 384 kHz, with 32-bit sound. The output sound diverges through the channels in different planes, which makes it rich, adds 3D volume, like Dolby Atmos, makes you immerse yourself in the atmosphere. For noise cancellation, a separate microphone is installed, which helps to hear the telephone interlocutor in a noisy public place. Adjusted high-quality AKG acoustics.

Multimedia with macro cameras

Comparing the cameras installed in the new products, we note the different lens resolutions and the same functions on both models. The S20 Ultra has cooler cameras. The main unit contains 108 MP + 48 MP + 12 MP + TOF 3D lenses. The first main one is wide, with two-pixel autofocus and an optical gyroscope. The second is telephoto, with OIS gyroscope, PDAF focus and 10x optical zoom. The third is ultra-wide, with the ability to shoot Super Steady videos, and has autofocus. The unit includes an LED flash, panorama modes, auto-HDR. Video sizes are extensive: 3240p * 30 fps, 2160p * ​​30/60 fps, 1080p * 30/60/240 fps, 720p * 960 fps. Among the possibilities are gyroscope-EIS and OIS, HDR10 + technology, dual video and stereo audio recording.Front single camera with a resolution of 10MP shoots from a dual-pixel PDAF, in Auto-HDR, makes it possible to make a double video call.

Galaxy S20 is somewhat more modest in its parameters. The main camera works on 64 MP + 12 MP + 12 MP + TOF 3D lenses. There is a 12MP wide lens with autofocus and OIS, and the telephoto has a 3x zoom. The rest of the cameras and features are similar to the S20 Ultra.

Battery and charging

The non-removable battery S20 has a capacity of 4500 mA * h, the S20 Ultra - 5000 mA * h. Fast charging 45W battery will fill capacity 100% in 74 minutes. Additionally, there is a 15 W wireless charging according to the popular Qi standard with a low speed, using PMA technology (for the USA) in a different frequency range, and 9 W. reverse charging. A USB Power Delivery 3.0 device is used for normal charging. Built-in USB 3.1 and reversible Type-C 1.0 for recharging.

Built-in functions

Smartphones have a standard set of additional services:

• a compass so as not to get lost in an unfamiliar place;
• accelerometer allows you to determine the location of the device and its user, if necessary;
• proximity sensor - to save charging of devices in the talk mode;
• barometer for determining weather changes;
• image stabilizing gyroscope.

The gadgets are equipped with an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, it is installed under the display at the bottom. In addition, the developer stuffed the devices with their own services.

An NFC chip for payment at the checkout without a bank card is installed in every device. He will work in any country.

A bonus from Samsung is the Bixby voice assistant with three components. Like Alice or Siri, Bixby will find information at the user's request, answer questions, and run a series of assignments.

The self-developed Samsung Pay payment service is convenient and safe when using Visa, MasterCard, etc. In Russia, the function has been working since 2016. The service emulates the magnetic stripe of a bank card, which allows the technology to be applied in terminals of various banks without using a card with a magnetic stripe. The data is protected and strictly confidential.

Samsung DeX service provides desktop support, multitasking. With the application, you can simultaneously watch videos, read documents and messages, answer phone calls, feeling like Julius Caesar. Most of the office file extensions are available here. The principle of service is a lot of things in a short period of time.

Comparative characteristics of smartphones S20 and S20 Ultra

• reliable manufacturer;
• classic appearance;
• ergonomic dimensions;
• modern AMOLED screen with high-quality color reproduction;
• HDR10 + support;
• an optical fingerprint sensor is installed under the display;
• high performance processor;
• large amount of internal memory;
• expandable flash drive up to 1000 GB;
• RAM 12 - 16 GB;
• cool macro cameras with good features;
• gyroscope;
• all types of network technologies are used;
• own shell for Android with additional assistants and supports;
• beautiful, convenient menu;
• high-quality assembly;
• capacious battery;
• there are fast, reverse and wireless charging functions;
• body and display covered with latest generation shock-resistant glass;
• the case protects the smartphone from dust and dirt;
• long battery life;
• Dolby Atmos stereo sound.

• glass body, fingerprints remain;
• radio works in selected countries;
• cost is not indicated;
• 5G technology will not work in Russia for the next two years.

Conclusion

Two new flagship devices from Samsung with similar functions and capabilities will be released in April 2024. The gadgets are equipped with AMOLED screens, macro cameras for high-quality shooting, a powerful processor and a large amount of memory. It remains to note the high-quality assembly, the durability of the devices and the reliability of the manufacturer.