Samsung released a new affordable flagship to cannibalize the sales of Chinese manufacturers in that segment: the Galaxy S20 FE offers a lot of things but, unlike other Samsung flagships, it comes with a very interesting price tag. Is it enough to beat Chinese flagship killers or you can get something better in the same range? In order to understand it, we decided to compare it with the above-mentioned devices. This is an in-depth specs comparison between Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, OnePlus 8, and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro. Not the most affordable flagships out there, but three devices that can give you a complete user experience at a non-excessive price. Note that in this comparison we are referring to the 5G variant of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE sporting a Snapdragon 865 chipset sold in the global market, not the 4G variant with Exynos 990.
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G vs OnePlus 8 vs Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G
| Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G | OnePlus 8 | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 162.6 x 74.8 x 9 mm, 208 g | 160.2 x 72.9 x 8 mm, 180 g | 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm, 190 g |
| DISPLAY | 6.67 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED | 6.55 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Fluid AMOLED | 6.5 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, octa-core 2.84 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, octa-core 2.84 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, octa-core 2.84 GHz |
| MEMORY | 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 10, MIUI | Android 10, Oxygen OS | Android 10, One UI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5, GPS |
| CAMERA | Quad 108 + 12 + 8 + 20 MP, f/1.7 + f/2.0 + f/2.0 + f/2.2 20 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 48 + 16 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 + f/2.4 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 12 + 8 + 12 MP f/1.8, f/2.0 and f/2.2 32 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 4500 mAh, fast charging 50W, Fast wireless charging 30W | 4300 mAh, fast charging 30W | 4500 mAh, fast charging 15W, fast wireless charging 15W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot, reverse wireless charging 5W, 5G | Dual SIM slot, 5G, IP68 waterproof | Dual SIM slot, 5G, reverse wireless charging 4.5W, waterproof |
Design
I would personally exclude the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE from the design comparison at the beginning because of its materials. While OnePlus 8 and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G come with premium materials including a glass back and an aluminum frame, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has a plastic body. Further, OnePlus 8 and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G come with a more elegant curved display, while Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has a flat display. On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is the only waterproof phone of the trio and it carries the IP68 certification which offers protection against dust and water.
Display
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has the most advanced display. Not the best panel out there, but still the only one in this comparison to offer a 120 Hz refresh rate. OnePlus 8 and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G stop at 90 Hz, while the rest of the display specifications of these three devices are pretty similar. With all of them, you get a Full HD+ resolution (so a similar level of detail) and the HDR10+ certification to stream content with great image quality.
Hardware/Software
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, OnePlus 8, and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G are all powered by the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform which is currently one of the best chipsets you can get in the smartphones market. But with the OnePlus 8 and the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G, you can actually get a higher amount of RAM if you choose the most expensive configuration: up to 12 GB. If you go for the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G, you even get more internal storage (up to 512 GB). On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE may be blessed with longer software support than Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro as Samsung flagships get 3 years of major Android updates.
Camera
The best camera setup belongs to the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G which includes a 108 MP main sensor, a 12 MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, an 8 MP telephoto lens with 3.7x optical zoom, an ultrawide 20 MP sensor, dual OIS, and laser autofocus. Right after, we got the Galaxy S20 FE with a 12 MP triple camera including a telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom (but it wins the selfie comparison thanks to its 32 MP front snapper). OnePlus 8 is disappointing since it lacks a telephoto sensor and it provides an overall inferior photo quality.
Battery
We had no chance to test all of these devices, but judging from the specs on the paper, Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G has more chances to provide a longer battery life with its 4500 mAh battery and its 90 Hz display. OnePlus 8 has a smaller battery and, unlike Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro and Galaxy S20 FE, it lacks wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
Price
You can currently find the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro for less than €800/$900 thanks to online street prices, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE costs less than €800/$900 too. With a bit of luck, you can get the OnePlus 8 for less than €650/$760. While OnePlus 8 only wins the value for money comparison, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro and the Galaxy S20 FE are very close. I would go for the former due to its better camera department, charging speeds, and materials, but Galaxy S20 FE 5G has a better display and it is waterproof.
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G vs OnePlus 8 vs Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G: PRO and CONS
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
PROS
- Waterproof
- Wireless charging
- 3 years of updates
- 120 Hz display
- Great front camera
CONS
- Slower charging speeds
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G
PROS
- Great design
- Amazing cameras
- Wireless charging
- Fastest charging
CONS
- Price
OnePlus 8
PROS
- Good price
- Great software and performance
- Premium design
CONS
- Less impressive cameras
