Galaxy S20 review: A smartphone that can immediately answer "Recommended! Yes!" if the world was the same

The cheapest flagship device.

Samsung's Galaxy S20, which seems to be not selling well because of Corona. However, according to Gizmodo's review, this is the lowest price for the flagship, and it's really good! That's what I'm talking about.

In the first place, the high price of the S20 series became a hot topic after the announcement, but even if it is the cheapest standard model S20, it costs 1000 dollars. With that in mind, let's take a look at the reviews.

Considering the current situation, $1000 is...

The standard model Galaxy S20 is the cheapest among Samsung's flagship models. $1,000 for a 6.2-inch display (the bulk price in Japan is about 100,000 to 110,000 yen). Currently, the industry's highest display (above this is S20 + / S20 Ultra of S20 upper model). Galaxy S20 is usually a good device worth $ 1000! That's what I'm saying.

Normally...

Now, due to the influence of the new corona, it is not normal driving worldwide. With unemployment soaring and stuck at home, I'm not sure if I should recommend a $1000 smartphone. Now is the time to put smartphone cameras and processors on the back burner. But if anyone wants a new device, I would say the S20 is a great Android device to buy.

Samsung Galaxy S20

What is this? : The smallest and cheapest standard model in Samsung's flagship S20 series. Price: $ 1000 (Price in Japan is 102,960 yen (including tax for docomo) / 117,480 yen (including tax for au)) Liked: Beautiful display with a driving speed of 120Hz, good battery life, 12GB of RAM, high-end model S20+ I felt the same about the camera: During the blurry time when switching camera modes, even 5G only works with sub-6 radio waves

I like this size

First of all, I like the S20. It's a strange way of saying it, but it feels good to have something.

Even people with small hands like me can get along with the elongated shape and slightly rounded corners of the display. There are many large terminals these days, so with the S20, which can be said to be a normal size in a sense, it's easy to do basic tasks with your thumb. If this is S20 + (6.7 inches) or S20 Ultra (6.9 inches), it is impossible.

Some people like big, high-spec screens on big devices, but the S20 isn't bad either. It's full HD+, but the battery life will be better. With a refresh rate of 120Hz, web pages are easy to scroll and beautiful.

At any rate, the screen is easy to operate and smooth, so you might end up concentrating on the game for about an hour before you know it.

5G is 5G, but...

S20 is 5G compatible = near future compatible. But there's a bit of a catch: it only supports low-band, sub-6GHz 5G networks. In the US, T-Mobile supports this, and AT&T and Verizon have faster networks, so watch out. Also, catching 5G radio waves is a situation where you hold the terminal here and there to search for it, and if you get it right, it's giga speed, but considering the time you're looking for, it feels a bit stupid.

Using the S20, T-Mobile averaged 85Mbps download speeds on 5G, which is a bit disappointing. Still, using AT&T's "5GE" on the iPhone XS was 33Mbos, so it's better than that. True 5G is at its best when using a mix of high/middle/low bands, so the S20 must be able to do this.

Specification comparison with high-end models

Like the S20+/S20Ultra, the chip is equipped with Qualcom's Snapdragon 865. 12GB of RAM. It has a capacity of 128GB and can be expanded with a MicroSD slot. No headphone jack.

The battery is 4000mAh, which is numerically strong, but the video playback test result of the editorial department was 15 hours and 16 minutes. That's better than the S20 Ultra's 14 hours and 41 minutes, but the S20+'s 4500mAh battery lasted 15 hours and 56 minutes. Well, with such a difference, considering the price difference of $ 200, I think it will be a negative purchase.

The camera is a bargain, but the camera function is not practical

The camera is worth noting. It has the same camera as the top model S20+. It is a triple camera with 12MP wide-angle, 12MP ultra-wide, and 64MP telephoto (3x hybrid optical zoom).

To test out the S20's zoom, I took a picture of the famous Hollywood sign. Compared to the iPhone 11 Pro Max, the S20 zoom is smoother. On the other hand, the colors of the iPhone are closer to reality.

Next, at the Griffith Observatory, try out the S20's low-light features Night Mode and zoom. I compared it with Pixel 3's Night Sight and Super Res Zoom. The result is Pixel 4's victory. After all, Pixel is strong in night shooting. However, even with Pixel, you can't zoom in that far at night. S20 also night & zoom, the image has become quite rough. The S20's Night Mode is good without zoom, but the Pixel 4 wins and the greenery of buildings and trees is beautiful.

I personally don't like the S20's Live Focus (Samsung's version of Portrait Mode) that much. iPhone 11 Pro Max has a natural color. Compared to the iPhone and Pixel 4, the S20's face is too close.

One thing that bothered me about the S20's camera was the slight lag. Every time you switch camera modes, yet? There is a time that makes me want to say I miss the shutter chance with this.

Overall, the S20's camera is good. However, functions such as Night Hyperlapse and Single Take may be a bit gimmicky. (So ​​that it can be used with S10 and Note 10 with a software update) Samsung tried to pack all the possible functions into the flagship terminal for the time being, but it may not have thought deeply about how to actually use it.

Summary

Galaxy S20 is a good device, although there are some things that bother me. However, considering the situation caused by the corona virus, I cannot say that I would buy a $1,000 smartphone. If the situation calms down and you want a new smartphone, of course I recommend it. The S20 is a beautiful, fast and long lasting device.

・Although it is a futuristic terminal that supports 5G, it only has a sub-6GHz 5G network.・The lowest price for Samsung's 2020 flagship model. Equipped with the same camera as the top model S20 +.・It's a beautiful screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz, but it doesn't work with full image quality.・It's difficult to buy a $1,000 device, but depending on the campaigns of each carrier, it's possible.