Samsung’s 2020 smartphones haven’t done especially well, but the Galaxy S20 FE delivers an exceptional experience for a very reasonable price.
Flagship smartphones are ridiculously expensive in 2020, and frankly, people are tired of it. No one wants to spend over $1,000 on a phone, but Samsung’s entire Galaxy S20 lineup demanded four figures. After those devices failed to gain traction, though, Samsung has responded with the Galaxy S20 FE, a $699 smartphone that has everything a buyer actually needs for a fraction of the cost. So, how does Samsung compress a $1,000 phone and most of its specs and features into one that’s $300 cheaper? The first thing most people will notice is that the Galaxy S20 FE is built from plastic. The side rails of this phone are still made from metal, but the entire back panel is plastic. But really, that’s not something worth complaining about. The sturdy plastic build is comfortable to hold, keeps the phone lighter, and has a nice matte coating that’s not very slippery. The regular S20+ had me rushing to put on a case, but I don’t feel the same need on the S20 FE. The Cloud Navy model I was sent by Samsung still collects a lot of oils from my fingers, but frankly, I think just about all of the other colors are superior to this one anyway. Speaking of colors, there are six of them. Cloud Navy is the darkest of the set, with Cloud White, Orange, Red, Lavender, and Mint also available. If I were buying this phone, I think Cloud Orange and Red are no-brainers, but really, they all seem great. At the end of the day, I’m just glad Samsung isn’t making the same mistake as the rest of the S20 lineup where colors were boring or nonexistent. In terms of the physical design of this phone, it’s remarkably similar to the rest of the S20 lineup. The back camera module is placed identically, the ports and buttons are in the same place, and the overall look is very similar. Perhaps the only “big” change is the size of the bezels around the display, as they’re just a bit thicker. Notably, too, the hole-punch selfie camera also has a slim silver ring around it that makes it stand out more. Shame, but no big deal. The screen is also a bit flatter here, which in my book, is always a huge perk. The resolution, too, wasn’t a problem in my opinion.1080p isn’t crazy sharp, but it’s more than enough for most people. Plus, it’s not like having a higher-res screen would have made much of a difference anyway. The regular Galaxy S20 lineup hits 1440p, but out of the box software limits it to 1080p if you’re using 120Hz. That faster 120Hz refresh rate sticks around on the S20 FE, too, and it’s just as wonderful as on the high-end devices.
