Galaxy S20 comparison: S20 vs S20+ vs S20 Ultra | CNN Underscored

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Samsung will open preorders for its Galaxy S20 lineup on Feb. 21. The trio of phones are like, yet unique with their own features.

The S20 Ultra is unapologetically big, expensive and mighty. The standard S20 can surely get the subcontract done and will save you money. But, the Galaxy S20+ is likely the device that most people should buy, once they get over the price electric shock of the entire batting order .
You can preorder the Galaxy S20 for $ 999, the S20+ for $ 1,1990 or the S20 Ultra for $ 1,399 starting on Feb. 21. They’ll be available in stores starting March 6, the like day shipments are expected to arrive .

The core of the S20 lineup is the same

The three Galaxy S2 0 models have more in common than you might think.
For case, all three phones use the like Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, depart with 128GB of memory and 12GB of memory, have expandable storage via a MicroSD card slot, and consumption Samsung ’ s Quad HD+ AMOLED displays with a 120Hz refresh rate .
It’s the first time we’ve seen a smartphone with a refresh rate of 120Hz, which should lead to smoother scroll and an improved gambling experience .
naturally, there are differences between the three models .
The most notable is the size of each phone. The S20 has a expose that measures 6.2 inches, the S20+ display is 6.7 inches, and the S20 Ultra ’ s riddle measures 6.9 inches .
With larger displays, come larger batteries. The S20 ’ south battery is 4,000 milliamp hours. The S20+ battery is 4,500 milliamp-hours and the S20 Ultra is 5,000 milliamp hours .
In addition, there are two more noteworthy areas where the S20 batting order diverges : 5G compatibility and the television camera .

Not all 5G is created equal

Forget the deviation in screen and battery size, and setting aside the camera capabilities, the biggest dispute between the Galaxy S20 and the rest of the batting order is the phone ’ s 5G connectivity .
All three variants have the components to connect to 5G networks, the first time Samsung has included 5G across its flagship lineup .
however, not all 5G networks are created equal .
Without getting excessively nerdy, I ’ ll try on to summarize the differences .
In the U.S., there are two independent types of 5G networks. They are Sub-6 and millimeter-wave ( mmWave ) .
A Sub-6 5G network is a fast version of the LTE networks we use and is wider reaching than mmWave. A mmWave network is faster, with multi-gigabit speeds and broken latency, but each loom is lone capable of covering a few city blocks and has trouble oneself penetrating buildings or homes.

When carriers talk about the predict of 5G connectivity and the improvements to engineering it will deliver, they ’ re talking about mmWave-type connections. Don ’ thyroxine get me improper, Sub-6 5G is an improvement over LTE, but mmWave 5G is what the carriers are working toward .
Sprint ’ s 5G network is all Sub-6. AT & T and T-Mobile have both Sub-6 and mmWave 5G networks deployed, while Verizon is entirely mmWave .
therefore, only the Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra come with the necessary components to connect to both the Sub-6 and mmWave 5G networks. The standard S20 only has Sub-6 connectivity .
At launch, you won ’ t have the choice to buy a Galaxy S20 if you ’ re a Verizon Wireless customer. You ’ ll have to wait until late this year when Verizon rolls out its Sub-6 5G network .
In early words, careless of which Galaxy S20 you buy, you ’ ll get 5G connectivity. But alone the S20+ and S20 Ultra will be able to give you gigabit speeds, a long as your carrier supports them, of course .

The Ultra’s camera is intense

Samsung made a big manage about the television camera improvements customers would see with the S20 batting order. But the camera experience will be determined by which Galaxy S20 model you buy .
The Galaxy S20 and S20+ have the lapp kernel three-camera frame-up, with the latter having an extra Depth Vision detector. There ’ s a 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera, a 12-megapixel fisheye camera and a 64-megapixel telephotograph television camera. Both phones have a Super Resolution Zoom of up to 30x .
The Galaxy S20 Ultra has a 12-megapixel ultra-wide fish, a 108-megapixel broad fish, a 48-megapixel telephotograph camera and a Depth Vision television camera .
The Depth Vision camera is used in the S20+ and the Ultra to better detect objects in photograph, a well as create 3D scans of objects using certain apps .
More notably, the Ultra’s camera setup has up to a 100x hybrid zoom. That means you can zoom in on a build tucked away in the skyline or open across the soccer field for a close-up of your front-runner player .
The front-facing television camera on the S20 and S20+ is 10 megapixels and the S20 Ultra is 40 megapixels .
For the most part, the camera experience between the S20 and S20+ is going to be like. The total depth television camera will improve portrayal photograph and allow for cool tricks in certain apps, but in everyday use, you probably won’t notice much of a difference .
It’s the S20 Ultra, however, where the camera experience should vastly improve. Between the 108MP chief camera and the 100x hybrid rapid climb, the Ultra ’ s camera setup is designed for person who wants the best smartphone television camera tools at their administration. But it’ll cost you .

The bottom line

ultimately, your buying decision may come down to how much you want to spend on a phone. The S20 starts at $ 999, the S20+ is $ 1,199 and the Ultra is $ 1,399. The remember of paying $ 999 versus paying $ 1,399 for a call might simply be besides much, and I can ’ thymine blame you .
The S20 Ultra is equally commodity as Samsung has, and for early adopters, tech enthusiasts and avid photographers who want to have access to the latest camera tricks Samsung has to offer — it’s perfect.

But for those who want Samsung ’ s latest Galaxy earphone, the S20 and S20+ are fine options. For the most separate, the experience between all three phones will be nearly identical, save for a few key features .
I ’ m inclined to lean toward the S20+ as a way of future-proofing its 5G capabilities. I don ’ thyroxine know when my carrier will roll away 5G to my sphere, nor do I know which flavor of 5G coverage I ’ ll have. With support for both 5G net types, the S20+ will ensure access to your carrier ’ second ( or future carrier ’ mho ) 5G network .
note : The prices above reflect the retailer ’ south listed price at the time of issue .