Galaxy S20 FE or iPhone 12? You can't go wrong either way

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

Best of Android

From $700 at Amazon

Pros

• Fluid 120Hz AMOLED display
• Snapdragon 865 with 5G connectivity
• Same 12MP camera as regular S20
• IP68 dust and water resistance
• 15W wireless charging
• Three Android version updates

Cons

• Polycarbonate back
• No 3.5mm headphone jack

Thanks to outstanding hardware and great value, the Galaxy S20 FE is one of the best Android phones you can buy today. Samsung nailed the basics here, with the phone offering a 120Hz AMOLED panel, the same primary camera as the Galaxy S20, IP68 rating, wireless charging, and all-day battery life.

iPhone 12

Best of iOS

From $799 at Apple

Pros

• Gorgeous OLED panel
• Fastest internal hardware available today
• One of the nicest iPhone designs ever
• Five years of guaranteed updates
• Excellent cameras
• MagSafe has tons of potential

Cons

• 60Hz panel with wide cutout
• No charger in the box
• Still uses Lightning

Even if iOS isn't your cup of tea, there's no denying just how good the iPhone 12 is. Apple's continued refinement of its familiar formula hit a new high this year, with the iPhone 12 touting a gorgeous OLED display, great cameras, and the unmatched A14 Bionic chipset.

Samsung and Apple — two of the largest phone brands on the planet — launched outstanding handsets this year with the Galaxy S20 FE and iPhone 12, respectively. Both phones have the same goal of delivering a high-quality user experience for their respective ecosystem at a great price, meaning you can look forward to a flagship-like smartphone without going completely broke. There are pros and cons to each one, but at the end of the day, you really can't go wrong either way.

Galaxy S20 FE vs. iPhone 12 Price and availability

Right off the bat, let's talk about how much it'll cost you to own either of the phones. The Galaxy S20 FE has a starting price of $700 for 128GB of storage, and if you want to step up to 256GB, you'll spend $770. It's worth noting that the 256GB variant is only available in the Cloud Navy color, which is a bummer considering how many other color choices there are if you go with 128GB. No matter which size you pick, you can always add more storage after the fact with a microSD card.

Looking at the iPhone 12, Apple gives you three models to choose from. These include:

• 64GB costs $799
• 128GB costs $749
• 256GB costs $849

These are good prices considering everything you get with the iPhone 12, but if your main goal is getting the best bang-for-your-buck, Samsung takes the lead with the Galaxy S20 FE here.

Galaxy S20 FE vs. iPhone 12 Specs

Both the Galaxy S20 FE and iPhone 12 deliver the latest internal hardware money can buy, whether it be high-end processors or quality displays. Here's a quick breakdown of all the technical and spec differences between the phones:

Category	Samsung Galaxy S20 FE	iPhone 12
Operating system	Android 10 One UI 2.5	iOS 14
Display	6.5-inch 120Hz AMOLED 2400 x 1080 (20:9) HDR10+ Gorilla Glass 5	6.1-inch 60Hz OLED 2532 x 1170 (19.5:9) Dolby Vision Ceramic Shield
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865	Apple A14 Bionic
RAM	6GB	4GB
Storage	128GB/256GB	64GB/128GB/256GB
MicroSD slot	Yes (Up to 1TB)	❌
Rear camera 1	12MP, f/1.8 1.8um, OIS 8K at 24fps	12MP, f/1.6 1.4um, OIS 4K at 60fps
Rear camera 2	12MP, f/2.2 1.12um, 123-degree wide-angle	12MP, f/2.4 120-degree wide-angle
Rear camera 3	8MP, f/2.4 1um, OIS, telephoto 3x optical zoom	❌
Front camera	32MP, f/2.2 4K at 60fps	12MP, f/2.2 4K at 60fps
Audio	USB-C Stereo speakers	Lightning Stereo speakers
Battery	4500mAh Non-removable	Up to 17 hours of video playback Non-removable
Charging	USB-C PD 3.0 25W fast charging 15W Qi wireless charging	Lightning Up to 20W fast charging 7.5W Qi wireless charging 15W MagSafe charging
Water resistance	IP68	IP68
Security	In-display fingerprint (optical)	Face ID
Dimensions	159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4mm 190g	146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm 164g
Colors	Cloud Mint, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange, Cloud Navy, Cloud White	Blue, Green, (PRODUCT) RED, Black, White

Galaxy S20 FE vs. iPhone 12 Powerful hardware for both phones

There are key differences when comparing an Android handset against an iPhone, but in the case of the Galaxy S20 FE versus the iPhone 12, there are plenty of similarities. Take the processor, for example. While Apple's A14 Bionic is technically more powerful than the Snapdragon 865 inside the S20 FE, both phones deliver excellent performance for virtually every task. Whether you're juggling multiple tabs in a browser, playing graphically-intense games, or just scrolling through Twitter, the S20 FE and iPhone 12 can handle everything without breaking a sweat.

We see something similar when it comes to the display. You're getting a Full HD+ OLED panel, whether you get the Galaxy S20 FE or iPhone 12, and both look fantastic. The Galaxy S20 FE benefits from a smoother 120Hz refresh rate, and while the iPhone 12 makes up some ground given all of the buttery animations present in iOS 14, the experience is technically better on the Samsung phone.

Moving over to the cameras, you end up with a respectable package both ways. The addition of a telephoto sensor on the S20 FE is something you just won't find on the iPhone, though we tend to appreciate the more natural and lifelike image processing that Apple gives you. Just like any Samsung phone, the S20 FE's cameras are filled with saturated colors and faces that are a bit too smoothed out. For the vast majority of folks, though, you'll be happy no matter which way you go. Whether you want to share pictures on Instagram or fill up your Google Photos library with endless memories, both phones are well-equipped to take great shots almost every single time.

On the battery side of things, it's a similar story yet again. The Galaxy S20 FE and iPhone 12 are both fully capable of lasting a full day on a single charge, meaning you don't have to worry about running out of juice. The S20 FE has a bit more overall endurance, but each of these phones is well-equipped to last until the end of the night.

As for some smaller hardware differences, there are a few other things to keep in mind. The S20 FE's polycarbonate back isn't as premium as the glass back of the iPhone 12, though we greatly prefer the USB-C port on the Galaxy compared to the iPhone's aging Lightning port. The S20 FE is the only phone with support for microSD cards, but the iPhone 12 boasts the new MagSafe standard that opens up new charging and accessory possibilities not seen anywhere else.

Galaxy S20 FE vs. iPhone 12 It all comes down to software

If you've read any of our Android vs. iPhone comparisons here on AC, you know a lot of them come down to the same conclusion. There are things to nitpick about the S20 FE compared to the iPhone 12, but for most people, the final decision comes down to the software each phone is running.

For users that love the customization and freedom that comes with Android, the Galaxy S20 FE is the phone to get. Comparatively, if you just can't live without iMessage or AirDrop, you'll be right at home on the iPhone 12. That's not to say that one operating system is objectively better than the other, but that most people have set preferences for these platforms.

The Galaxy S20 FE and iPhone 12 are two phones that deliver fantastic user experiences across the board, so whether you prefer Android or iOS, you end up with a stellar handset for the operating system you call home.

Best of Android

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

From $700 at Amazon $700 at Best Buy $700 at B&H

The ultimate 2020 value flagship

The Galaxy S20 FE has everything you want in a phone in 2020. It has a fluid 120Hz display, the latest hardware with 5G, versatile cameras that take outstanding photos in any lighting conditions, and three years of guaranteed Android updates. The value on offer here is incredible.

Best of iOS

iPhone 12

From $799 at Apple From $829 at Amazon From $800 at Best Buy

The default iPhone choice

Using an iPhone comes with a lot of benefits, and if that's the mobile experience you're looking for, the iPhone 12 is the one to get. It has Apple's incredible A14 Bionic processor, a top-notch OLED screen with a good screen size, and great performance from its battery and cameras. At $799, it even manages to be one of the better values this year.

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