Test of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G: Flagship-Killer made in Samsung

In the end, the design of the Galaxy S20 Fe is very successful. It is mainly daring in terms of petting colors (which we did not have in hand), even if it is a little coarse compared to a classic S20 and S20+. It is 8.4 mm thick (against 7.9 mm for the S20), which is a little thick and gives it a slightly “balourd” appearance that serves it. It also weighs 190 grams on the scale. A high bit high for a phone, but it remains acceptable.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe test: cheaper than a S20, but however useful ?

With the Galaxy S20 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra, Samsung has still managed to place two of its smartphones among the best of the year. Only here: as good as they are, these models are also one of the most expensive of the moment, and the competition is tough. Google and OnePlus in particular offer high -performance devices at more moderate prices. Count 629 € for Pixel 5 and 599 € for the ONEPLUS 8T Freshly announced. This is why the Korean giant deployed (still) an iteration of its S20, but in a more affordable version this time, the Samsung S20 Fe (for Fan Edition). Available from € 659, it has a triple photo sensor, a powerful processor, an IP68 certification and even 5G (an additional € 100 option).

If we compare the Galaxy S20 Fe to other models in the range, it is 90 € cheaper than the S20 displayed at € 749 on the manufacturer’s website. The S20+ is displayed at € 849 and the Ultra S20 at 1259 €. But despite everything these valid arguments, does this new Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe has a reason to attract our attention when the Galaxy S20 falls almost at the same price during (many) Shopping events of the year ?

We tried the 5G version for several weeks to give us an opinion on the latest Galaxy S20 Fe. This model is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor while the 4G version has an exynos processor.

The right price ?

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe does not reinvent the wheel, but it is not without interest. To start, it’s a versatile smartphone that is displayed at a softer price than the Galaxy S20. It is still more expensive than an iPhone SE 2020 (€ 489), than a northern OnePlus (€ 599) or a Pixel 5 (€ 629). These price differences are justified by a more complete technical sheet compared to those of its competitors. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE benefits in particular from a telephoto lens, an extensible memory and a processor more powerful than the average.

A new star in the galaxy

Quickly go around the owner. The Samsung Galaxy FE is equipped with a 6.5 -inch Super Amoled screen (1080 x 2400 pixels). It is very bright and easy to read even in full sun. If its definition is beautiful and much lower than that of the standard Galaxy S20 (1440 x 3200 pixels), it is impossible to know to the naked eye that one two slabs has more pixels than the other. Nevertheless, you can easily distinguish the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe from the classic S20, because the first screen is flat while the second is curved.

Finally, know that the screen of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe has an adaptive cooling rate of 120 Hz. Navigation in the menus is therefore extremely fluid, and playing video games is pleasant.

Notes: the longer the bars, the better the performance // capture CNET.com

The 5G model is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, While the 4G model has the same exynos 990 as the Galaxy S20 Ultra and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. According to Cnet’s comparison table.com, the performances delivered by these two high -end chips are quite similar. There is therefore no reason to feel injured by opting for the least expensive version, the 4G version.

ASPHALT 9 game screenshot. Click here to see the image in full size.

Video game lovers will be delighted by the power of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe. Gourmet games such as Asphalt 9 are filming wonderfully without a drop in framework and fully use the screen refresh rate. Even better ; The rear of the plastic smartphone is much less burning compared to that of a glass note galaxy.

Do so well in pictures with less

Samsung had to reduce the production costs of his smartphone somewhere, and the photo part was laid down. We find at the back of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe A triple photo sensor consisting of a 12 megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel telephoto lens (with 3X optical zoom) as well as an ultra-angle 7-megapixel sensor. It is below the specs of other high -end galaxy. For comparison, the Galaxy S20 has a 12-megapixel high-angle sensor, an ultra-angle of 12 megapixels, a 3X telephoto lens of 64 megapixels as well as a TOF target of 0.3 megapixel.

The S20 FE is also amputated by a few features such as the 100x “Space Zoom” or the possibility of filming in 8K (thing that is found on the S20 Ultra). You are quite unlikely that these elements are missing on a daily basis to the point of justifying the purchase of a model costing several hundred euros additional, but it is still to underline.

Galaxy S20 FE shots are impactful. The main sensor offers a good exposure balance between the clear sky and the foreground that is darkened. Automated HDR must play it for something.

With the help of 3x optical zoom, we manage to get closer to buildings without losing too much as image quality. Although there are more colors, the rendering is always balanced and alive. However, there is a bluish effect which drools at the top left in the building in construction.

The ultra-wide-angle objective allows you to capture more information. The color rendering is duller because of the clouds and the rather homogeneous forest.

The white balance is slightly offset; The image here draws towards the magenta, which gives a purplish and less natural side to the plant. Nevertheless, the contours are well cut and the blur in the background is well applied.

The 3x zoom has once again proven to be useful to capture this sunny clock.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE allows you to zoom digitally up to 30x, but as you can see here, the quality then takes a serious blow.

The 32 megapixel front camera produces net images accompanied by a good cutting. You will have no worries to exploit your shots for social networks !

A rather discreet appearance

The rear shell of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe is plastic. Not great for a high -end smartphone, but its frosty coating still offers it a nice aspect. It has at least the advantage of being less sensitive to traces than glass. You will have the choice between 6 colors: Cloud Navy, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Red, Cloud White and Cloud Orange. With a Gorilla Glass 5 screen and aluminum edges, we can say that the smartphone gives off a certain robustness and that it is pleasant to handle. We also note the absence of a jack, but the smartphone catches up with its IP68 certification.

A autonomy that makes you comfortable

With 4500 mAh, the accumulator of S20 FE has 500 mAh more than that of the standard S20. The smartphone therefore has enough to hold more than a day in sustained use, or even two days by being moderate. After an hour of video streaming on full -light youtuve, the battery had only lost 7% of its load, which is very good.

It will take you almost 2 hours to fill up with energy with the wired charger, but be aware that it is also compatible with the 25 Watts quick recharge.

S20 FE test

Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe

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My opinion on the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE in short

At the end of 2020, Samsung resurrected the Suffix FE for “Fan Edition”, inaugurated on the reviews of the Galaxy Note 7 explosive with a new battery. But rather than recycling a model with manufacturing problems, the Galaxy S20 FE brings together, in the words of Samsung: “The best characteristics of the S20 range, at a more affordable price”

The S20 FE retains characteristics such as the 120 Hz Amoled screen, the fingerprint reader under the screen, the triple photo module, water and dust resistance, wireless recharge and reverse recharge.

On the other hand, it renounces the glass finish in the rear in favor of plastic, reduces the resolution of the screen from 1440p to 1080p, offers versions with 6 GB of RAM (depending on the model), and has a telephoto with A lower resolution and a less good sensor, but which is caught up with an X3 optical zoom.

The S20 FE is a Samsung balance exercise, which has adopted a different strategy compared to the traditional galaxy s line. Instead of offering a version with SOC Snapdragon in China and the United States, leaving the Exynos SOC for other markets, the S20 FE 5G is sold everywhere with the Snapdragon 865.

• Read also:Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe: Exynos or Snapdragon, what is the best?

The basic S20 FE (4G/LTE) was launched with the Exynos 990 SOC, the same as on the global version of the Galaxy S20 in 2020, with the code SM-G780F code number. But during the year 2021, it was upgraded with the Snapdragon 865 in certain countries, in which it is identified by the code SM-G780G code, which should offer less sensitive performance to thermal throttling and a better autonomy.

The technical sheet aside, the biggest sale argument put forward by Samsung for S20 Fe 5G is its price of 750 euros in Europe, which is much less than the Galaxy S20 5G when it was launched. In 2021, the model can be purchased for around 550 euros.

Design and screen: an old recipe that works

This year’s Galaxy S21 range had made an impression when launching thanks to its design that you really liked in our tests. Launched a few months earlier, the Galaxy S20 FE inherited the S20 look, released in early 2020, which means that this “fan edition” has an already known design and somewhat exceeded in 2021.

I loved:

• The 120 Hz AMOLED screen;
• The plastic finish which does not give a “cheap” aspect;
• The right handling;
• IP68 certification.

I did not like:

• The rear that seems hollow in certain places;
• The Protectian photo module.

The device has a more discreet design than the usual line, moving from the classic duo back in glass and curved screen popularized by samsung flagships. The Galaxy S20 Fe has a plastic but of good quality, which offers an excellent maintaining, but the back remains sensitive to fingerprints.

The Galaxy S20 FE is equipped with an un curved 6.5 -inch AMOLED screen, which gives it dimensions closer to the S20+ than the standard S20. Likewise, the weight of 190 g is closer to the 186 g of the S20+ than the 163 g of the basic model.

The reduction in resolution which, in the Galaxy S20 and S20+, is 1440×3200 pixels, at FullHD+ allowed the integration of the refresh rate of 120 Hz by default, while the native resolution of the original models reduced it to 60 Hz.

The design of the Galaxy S20 Fe is perhaps no more topical, but its sober and discreet look is well suited to the device. The screen, on the other hand, has made good concessions, favoring fluidity to resolution.

Stable performance thanks to the Snapdragon 865

The Galaxy S20 Fe 5G is propelled by the SOC Snapdragon 865, as well as the upgrading of the 4G model, the two versions are essentially differentiating by the integration of the Snapdragon X55 5G modem. The smartphone was tested in its basic configuration, with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage.

I loved:

• Good performance in applications and games;
• Stability, even in games;
• Faster storage than the Exynos model.

I did not like:

• –

Taking into account the fact that the smartphone was released in 2020, performance should not be expected up to smartphones equipped with SOC Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100. Despite this, the Snapdragon 865 remains a fairly powerful Soc in 2021, it is therefore not surprising that it was relaunched under the name of Snapdragon 870.

The launch of the Galaxy S20 FE 5G has broken the tradition of the Galaxy S models equipped only with exynos processors in Europe, showing the advantages in terms of game performance and energy consumption compared to the 4G model equipped with the Exynos 990 chip.

The main camera is based on a 12 Mp sensor, with specifications similar to the standard Galaxy S20, with pixels of 1.8 μm and an F1 opening.8. The recipe is the same as that also adopted in the Galaxy S21, with in particular a phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and an optical image stabilization (OIS).

In broad daylight, the photos of the main angle main camera are like those of almost all Samsung smartphones, with saturated colors, especially with AI and HDR modes activated.

The image of the ultra -wide angle camera, on the other hand, has very different colors from those of the main camera, with a faded appearance. Even more serious, the “vague” on the edges, while the center of the image is clear, is a phenomenon that is repeated in certain photos. It is also possible to note a slight chromatic aberration, also in the corners of the image.

In this other scene, the leaves of the tree are again blurred with the ultra -wide angle camera, which treats colors differently from the main camera. The X2 digital zoom gives correct photos, but the telephoto lens shows the advantages of an X3 optical zoom, with more details.

In order not to neglect the “spatial zoom x30” announced in promoting the Galaxy S20 Fe, I included two photos made with this zoom. As expected, it’s a fantasy and there is nothing you can get:

At night, the Galaxy S20 Fe has nothing to envy models like the Pixel range, but it offers decent photos without above to give the impression that it is daytime or without making light sources blur.

Night mode is also available for the ultra-wide angle camera, but in it the treatment has a curious effect, when activated, it seems that the application of the camera no longer applies the compensation for the Distortion of the lens, which leads to deformations in the corners, in addition to the problem of loss of sharpness perceived during the day.

In this scene, the night mode has improved the level of detail of the image, but changed the color temperature of the main camera. As for the ultra-wide angle camera, the result is more like an adjustment of the brightness, with a loss of details in the right window, in addition to the distortion problems mentioned above.

Selfies offer a natural reproduction of colors, without the saturation of the main camera, nor the excessive treatment found on other devices. The portrait mode manages to make a good separation of the plans for the application of the blur, but it was a little aggressive in the effect in a part of the mask and certain parts of the hair.

The camera of the Galaxy S20 FE may not be among the best on the market, but it still offers good images to share on messaging applications and social networks and even hang in the living room. The X3 optical zoom offers a certain variety of options, despite the low resolution. Although Samsung insists on the so-called “spatial zoom”, it must at least congratulate him for not having given in the race for the greatest resolution and the number of cameras.

Autonomy: a enduring but slow smartphone to load

The Galaxy S20 FE 5G is equipped with a 4,500 mAh battery, supporting 25 W wire -loaded powers, 15 W in charge wireless and 4.5 W inverted. A charger of only 15 W is supplied in the box

I loved:

• Good autonomy;
• Wireless load;
• The reverse load

Displeasure:

• The charge not really fast.

The smartphone has tenuous 2 days in normal conditions of use by taking some photos, a little social networks, short playing sessions, SMS and navigation, with around 20% remaining load at the end of the second day. It should be noted that the test was carried out with a 4G package, and that the use of 5G could have an impact on energy consumption.

The charger is provided in the box, but it unfortunately does not allow to take advantage of all the power supported by the smartphone. In practice, complete recharging lasted around 1h30min, which still an acceptable time.

• Read also:The fast load does it damage the battery of our smartphones?

5 minutes of load made it possible to obtain a capacity of 6 to 7 %, while 20 minutes were enough to recharge the battery at 25 %. One hour of load, on the other hand, only reached 65% at 75%.

The charger and the charge time of the Galaxy S20 FE are lagging behind the Chinese competitors and their ever -increasing charging powers. Samsung brings like assets, on the other hand, wireless recharge and also reverse recharge practice, which can help load headphones, smartwatch and even another smartphone.

Technical sheet and other characteristics

I have listed below, other info that might interest you, but which do not deserve a dedicated section:

• The Galaxy S20 FE integrates NFC technology and is compatible with contactless payment systems;
• After resetting the updated smartphone, the system indicated 24.8 GB of occupied space;
• The box of the smartphone tested included the 15 W charger, the loading cable and the opening tool of the SIM tray;
• The software version during the tests was RP1A.200720.012.G781BXXU3CUE3 (June 2021).

In Europe, some models launched in 2021, such as the Xiaomi Poco F3, offer a better cost-performance report than the Galaxy S20 Fe 5G, which cost half a star in the final note to the South-Corean smartphone.

The Samsung update policy weighs in favor of the Galaxy S20 FE, with four years of guaranteed safety fixes, in addition to three new versions of Android, that is to say to Android 13, expected for The end of 2022.

• Read also:Android 12: smartphones that will receive the update

Thus, the integration of a not very powerful charger in the box can even be forgiven, because the additional minutes spent recharging the battery can allow it to be kept in good condition longer.

Overall, the Galaxy S20 FE has made the right concessions to reach more affordable prices, renouncing not so essential features and providing a good combination of performance, user experience and longevity. The model remains a good purchase in 2021, especially if you find it on sale. With hindsight, it is not surprising that Samsung has taken up a large part of its formula in the Galaxy S21 and S21+.

Test of the Galaxy S20 FE: Do not call it S20 “Light”

The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is the latest born in the Samsung range. Do not take it for a “light” galaxy s20, since it is above all a more affordable version of the smartphone, but not necessarily at a discount. A high -end phone that does not say its name, despite obvious concessions made from the basic model.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe 128GB (4G)
Galaxy S20 Fe 256 GB

The Galaxy S20 range hosts a newcomer. After the classic S20, the S20+ and the Ultra S20, the Fan Edition arrives in the shops. A smartphone that wants to be cheaper and which makes some small technical concessions. But beware, this is not a Galaxy S20 at a discount ! In reality Samsung seeks to fill a new segment, without necessarily cutting too much on performance or design.

The fan edition is not just a cheaper smartphone, since it also seeks to offer a few interesting little things. The possibility of choosing Between an Exynos and Qualcomm processor, First of all. It’s a first ! In addition, the manufacturer wants to target a younger target with farting colors (or not) six in number, and which come to decide with the gray present until then on the range.

But what really is the fan edition worth ? Does he manage to hold the dirt high to the other smartphones on the same price segment ? This is what we will see.

A high -end technical sheet

With the fan edition, Samsung somewhat adjusts the shot compared to the classic S20. The goal is obviously to lower the price, but also to offer more choices to the user. On the technical sheet, we notice several interesting things: the presence of a 6.5 inch screen, First of all, unprecedented size on the range. The fan edition is therefore placed between the S20 (6.2 inch) and the S20+ (6.7 inches) in terms of size.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition
Screen	6.5 “Super Amoled 120 Hz
Sock	Exynos 990 or Snapdragon 865
Internal memory	128/256 GB + microsdxc
Ram	6 or 8 GB
Main photo sensor	12 MP (f/1.8) 8 MP (f/2.0) telephoto 12 MP (f/2.2) Ultra wide angle
Secondary photo sensor	1 selfie sensor
Connectivity	Bluetooth, wifi, 4G, 5G
Fingerprint	Under the screen
Battery	4500 mAh

Another small thing to note is the choice left to the user with regard to the processor. While Samsung forced Europeans to have a galaxy under Exynos, this fan Edition also offers a version with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor. In reality, the Exynos model is equipped with 4G while the model Qualcomm takes 5G. This is where Samsung will focus his models so as not to lose the consumer who knows nothing about it. Nevertheless, the fact of leaving him the choice is to be greeted and is an unprecedented thing at Samsung.

Another change lies in the camera. Here, the module has three sensors: two of 12 megapixels and one of 8 megapixels. We say goodbye to the 64 megapixel sensor of the S20. Finally, let us note a 4,500 mAh battery, is larger than the S20 (4000 mAh) but as much as the S20 +. What really change the situation ?

A smartphone that, on paper, has a high end. No, it is definitely not a S20 light. In reality, it appears more as a classic S20 that has been amputated by two or three little things. Does this make it a smartphone at a discount ? Not really.

Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition has been available since Friday October 2 at a price logically lower than the S20, which starts at 909 euros for its cheapest model.

Two models are thus offered according to the configurations in France:

• 4G / 6 GB RAM version + 128 GB: 659 euros
• 5G / 6 GB RAM version + 128 GB: 759 euros

There are also models with 512 GB of memory but it is not yet sold by Samsung when we write these lines.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe 128GB (4G)
Galaxy S20 Fe 256 GB

A pop design … but not on all models

The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition resumes the main lines of design of the S20 range, but by making some concessions. We therefore find the sleek hood with the rectangular photo module located on the upper left part. This comes much more than other S20 models, unfortunately causing a lack of stability of the terminal when placed on the back. Difficult to use it without annoying when he is lying on a table.

The hood, precisely, Innovates a little with “pop” colors. Samsung thus offers six colors, and it is possible to opt for a scarlet, lavender, orange or even white shell. Colors that offer a second youth to this somewhat dreary design, it must be admitted (which does not prevent it from being chic). For our test copy, Samsung has provided us with a model with a navy blue color, the most sober of all.

Here, we therefore have a aluminum imitation plastic shell which always brings a very chic appearance to the product, even luxury. A finish that has the merit not to attract the fingerprints too much, Unlike smooth shells of certain colors which are synonymous with hell for the most manic. This rounding design is held by a discreet aluminum frame and the most beautiful effect. On the right edge, we find the usual ignition and volume buttons, perfectly integrated into this framework.

On its lower edge, the FE has a speaker as well as a USB type-C port. On the upper part, we find the hood for the SIM card. Note that the smartphone does not have a jack port, Samsung having abandoned the thing on its high -end products. It will therefore be necessary Equip a Bluetooth helmet or headphones with a USB-C connector (supplied with the box according to Samsung, but not in our loan copy).

No visible fingerprint sensor, neither on the edges, nor on the rear cover. This one is actually under the screen. A system that has already proven itself in the past and which still convinces us today. He reacts to the finger and the eye and couple with the facial recognition always very effective (but forget the mask !)). A sensor used not only to unlock the S20, but also to protect its sensitive data, we will come back to it.

The screen part challenges this fan edition. Indeed, Samsung chose abandon the slightly curved screen on the sides. Here we have a flat slab, which is not embarrassing overseas. But the thing that strikes are its edges, very visible to the use. We will come back to this below, but the first contact is a little harsh when we are used to Borderless Smartphones. Finally, the front camera is, as on the other S20s, materialized by a hallmark located at the top of the display. We like it or we don’t like it, but the thing still has the merit of making the upper edge of the facade disappear.

In the end, the design of the Galaxy S20 Fe is very successful. It is mainly daring in terms of petting colors (which we did not have in hand), even if it is a little coarse compared to a classic S20 and S20+. It is 8.4 mm thick (against 7.9 mm for the S20), which is a little thick and gives it a slightly “balourd” appearance that serves it. It also weighs 190 grams on the scale. A high bit high for a phone, but it remains acceptable.

In hand, the smartphone is very pleasant to use, the aluminum cover being soft under the fingers. Samsung once again shows that he knows how to do it in terms of design, Despite a few small pitfalls quickly forgettable. But what about the rest of the terminal ? He holds his rank ?

A screen that deserved more care

The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition offers a new format in the Galaxy range. As we have said, it is indeed equipped a 6.5 inch slab, And is therefore between the S20 (6.2 inch) and the S20+ (6.7 inches) in terms of size. The Ultra S20 makes it 6.9 inches. Thus, Samsung seeks to seduce the greatest number in this segment.

Samsung obliges, the Fan Edition has a Super Amoled slab of a definition of 2,600 x 1080 pixels (which cannot be changed as on the S20+). Its refreshment rate can be set either in 60 Hz or in 120 Hz, in options. This is an absolute 120Hz, and non -adaptive as on the Fold 2 or the note 20 Ultra. It’s a bit of a shame, since this functionality, in addition to being useful, is democratized everywhere, as on the new Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro. By activating the 120 Hz cooling rate, the user benefits from greater visual comfort, whether in games or even in menus. In return, this mode is more energy -greed, we will see it in the autonomy part.

One of the things that challenges this fan edition, as we have said, are the very visible screen edges of 2 mm. Samsung has chosen a flat screen With large unsightly edges. The screen/facade ratio is here 84%. For comparison, this ratio is 90% on other Galaxy S20. This is not very serious, but a bit of a shame, the smartphone losing a little of its presence in terms of design.

We had a probe on the screen to really see what the slab is worth. If the results obtained remain rather correct, We are far from the quality that Samsung had accustomed to. We would have liked more care in terms of calibration. The Middle Delta goes up for example to 4, which is correct but not incredible in terms of color respect. For example, the red redges are shooting on orange pink. Same thing for yellows that become fluorescent. All this shows to the naked eye, but remains acceptable. We have seen much worse.

The temperature is 7100 K, higher than the 6500K of the video standard. On a blank page, the display is therefore slightly towards blue. But Samsung offers in the options to adjust this temperature if you wish (the tests have been done in default mode). The brightness exceeds 500 cd/m², which is acceptable for a smartphone of this caliber. So there is good visibility of the screen even in direct sunlight. Finally, Super Amoled obliges, the contrast is infinite. The blacks are deep and the whites bright. This means that when you watch a very dark video, You will always have good readability of the image.

Ultimately, the S20 FE slab is correct, but deserved more care in its calibration. A bit of a shame when we know Samsung’s expertise in this area. However, we must put into perspective, we are still Faced with a good display. Just not at the rest of the range which is familiar with perfection on this specific point.

Regarding audio, Samsung offers two speakers: one located on the slice at the bottom of the screen, the other directly under the slab. This means that even with the palm placed on the edge on which the enclosure is located, the sound is not muffled and remains clear. The latter is also good, even if there is a slightly unpleasant distortion when it is pushed. In addition, as one of the speakers is under display, the sound is natural, since it seems to come directly from the image.

A Snapdragon 865 that surpasses the exynos

For the Galaxy S, Samsung has accustomed us to a very specific scheme: the American versions are equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor while the European and Asian versions offer a Samsung Exynos processor. A strategy that has always annoyed the most demanding users, exynos being less powerful than its counterpart. But everything ended up changing: This fan edition finally breaks the codes by leaving us the choice !

Thus, Samsung offers two versions for the FE. A 4G model with an exynos 990 processor and a 5G model with a snapdragon 865. This is the 5G version we are testing today, so with a Snapdragon processor. It should be noted that it is supported by 6 GB of RAM and that our model has 128 GB storage.

After a benchmarks session, the results are unequivocal: the phone is elbow with the other S20s, equipped with an exynos 990 less powerful, but having more RAM (12 GB). It even exceeds note 20 (exynos 990 and 8 GB of RAM) in terms of pure power. A smartphone that has under the hood and is among the most efficient on the market currently. With its processor, the fan edition affirms with APLOMB that this is not a light version of the S20 !

A little informed user will not see a big difference between an Exynos processor and a snapdragon, the two being very powerful. Nevertheless, the latter brings the presence of 5G. Admittedly, it is not yet available in France, but it should be deployed in the coming months. Going to this model is therefore a guarantee of the future. You will not have to change new laptops to take advantage of it when your package is compatible.

The S20 FE makes everything run without blinking. It brings very much comfort of use and we have not noticed any slowdown, whether on gourmet software or on a game. The multitasking is also well managed. You just have to point out a certain heating at the processor when it is put to the test (like when the Call of Duty Mobile game is launched), but nothing very embarrassing that prevents use. Ultimately, the FE is a great success in terms of performance. Note that we have not tested the performance of the Exynos 990 version, which must be logically slightly below.

An overlay always as effective

With the S20 Fan Edition, Samsung serves us Android 10 with its usual one UI 2 overlay.5. This one is always as fluid, well thought out and brings some sympathetic improvements to Android. A real example to follow on the part of Samsung which has long been pointed out on this subject because of its famous Touchwizz, abandoned since.

As usual, Samsung sets up its own home applications directly at startup, such as clock, calendar or photo gallery. You have the choice to use them or not. Furthermore, the manufacturer adds its eternal bixby or ar zone. We also note the presence of Smart Switch, which allows to transfer all the content of another Android smartphone (Samsung or not) on this model. Practical to find all your data and applications when you start it for the first time. In addition to that, the interface is improved in small touches, as With the presence of the lateral component. This allows you to have applications shortcuts of your choice, or directly access your favorite contacts. It also gives the possibility of consulting the weather in the blink of an eye or displaying notes or a compass. Very practical in use, it can be deactivated if you wish.

Note the presence of a Samsung Daily component On the left left screen. Personality flow, it allows you to display the latest news about the news or applications you have, such as Netflix or Spotify. Finally, Samsung incorporates a whole security component in his phone to protect your data by encrypting it or locking certain applications with your footprint. For the rest, we are in great classic. Everything works very well and will satisfy the greatest number of users. If you are a follower of third -party launchers, you can always install your favorite. No worries about it.

A slightly disappointing photo part

The photo part is the Achilles heel of this smartphone. He does not sparkle in this area and is not at the rest of the range of S20s. Samsung has indeed a little cut on the sensor to lower the price of the terminal. We end up with a module including a 12 megapixel sensor (f/1.8), a 12 -megapixel wide angle sensor (f/2.2) and a wide angle sensor of 8 megapixels (f/2.0). The APN on the facade is 32 megapixels.

This FE, in addition to offering less good sensors on paper, cannot film in 8K as is the case on the S20, which is a detail. There is also a less efficient night mode than on other models, which is a bit of a shame:

The Telefoto sensor has Digital zoom x30. If this allows you to have fun to identify a detail in the distance, we are clearly in the field of gadget, the photos (digitally smoothed) being too rough and unusable to be used as what.

Here are some examples of photos taken with the S20 Fan Edition:

As we can see, the photos taken are correct in high light. We are not faced with a photophone that makes miracles, but the result remains very acceptable. Only the wide angle photos clearly leave something to be desired (as on the third). A compromise for the consumer, therefore, who will turn to the other versions of the range if he wants a better quality camera.

The software makes it in the great classic, with different possible cliché formats, but also the addition of panorama fashion, filters etc. Samsung obliges, Bixby Vision as well as Ar Zone, which allows you to create an interactive 3D emoji, are there. Small gadgets that are fun in use.

Correct autonomy, but not incredible

Samsung has chosen to include in his S20 Fan Edition A 4500 mAh battery, Or more important than on the classic S20 with its 4000 mAh battery. It is true that autonomy was a big weak point of the mobile. For this FE, the improvement is notable. In so-called “normal” use, that is to say a little game (cloud and local), a little video, social networks and internet navigation, we have held a little more than a day with the smartphone (we were between 30 and 35 % battery in the evening). This test was carried out with the cooling rate set in 120 Hz. By setting this rate to 60 Hz in the options, the smartphone earns a few hours of autonomy (between 40 and 45 % under the same conditions) and can therefore Easily hold a day and a half. Of course, autonomy also depends a lot on the use. If you use your smartphone a lot, recharge will be compulsory in the evening.

Regarding recharging, precisely, the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is compatible with quick charging of 25 Watts. During our trials, the phone battery has received 2 to 100% in just under an hour and ten minutes, which is very correct.