Samsung Galaxy S20 versus iPhone 12 Pro: two

L'

iPhone 12 Pro

is Apple's latest flagship smartphone. Delivering the most significant overhaul since the

iPhone X

, it features an angular, flat-sided design, 5G support, the powerful A14 Bionic processor, and an improved camera setup. It looks very, very good, but it's not the only $999 flagship smartphone you can buy right now, with the

Samsung Galaxy S20

also having a lot to offer. p>

We guess most readers don't have the luxury of owning two high-end smartphones at the same time, so in this article, we're comparing the iPhone 12 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S20 head-to-head. to manage. We take a look at their specs, performance, designs, screens, batteries, cameras, and special features, which should hopefully help you decide which is right for you.

Specifications

Samsung Galaxy S20

iPhone 12 Pro

Cut

151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.72 x 0.31 inches)

146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.29 inches)

Weight

163 grams (5.75 ounces)

189 grams (6.67 ounces)

Screen size

6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X

6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED

Screen resolution

3200 x 1440 pixels (563 pixels per inch)

2532x1170pixels (460pixels per inch)

Operating system

Android11

iOS 14

Storage

128 GB, 512 GB

128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB

MicroSD card slot

Yes

Nope

Tap-to-pay

services

p>

Samsung Pay, Google Pay

Apple Pay

Processor

Exynos 990 (Qualcomm Snap dragon 865 in USA)

Apple A14 Bionic

RAM

8GB (12GB in US)

6GB

Camera

12MP wide, 64MP telephoto and 12MP ultra-wide rear, 10MP front triple lens

Triple rear 12MP wide, ultra-wide and telephoto lenses, front 12MP TrueDepth< /p>

Video

4K up to 60 fps, 1080p at 30 fps

4K up to 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps

Bluetooth version

Bluetooth 5.0

Bluetooth 5.0

Ports p>

USB-C, 3.2

Lightning connector

Fingerprint sensor

Yes, integrated in the screen

No, FaceID instead

Water resistance

IP68

IP68

Battery

4000mAh

Quick charge (25W)

Qi wireless charging

To confirm

Fast charging (20W charger sold separately)

Qi wireless charging p>

Application Market

Google Play Store

Apple AppStore

Network support

All major carriers

All major carriers

Colors

Cosmic Gray, Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink, Cloud White, Aura Red

Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue

Price

$999+

$999+

Revision note

3.5 out of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars

Design, display and durability

The iPhone 12 Pro looks great, largely because its design is quite different from previous models. It features flat-edged sides, in the vein of the iPhone 5 or latest

iPad Pro

, while it also features smaller edges and a narrower notch than before. It looks very modern and refined, and is arguably more attractive than the Samsung Galaxy S20, which doesn't stray too far from the S10.

That said, the Galaxy S20 is still a very attractive phone. Its edge-to-edge display is one of the sleekest on the market, while it's also over 30 grams (over an ounce) lighter than the iPhone 12 Pro, making it more comfortable to hold during long periods. It also comes with a sharper and more impressive display, despite being over six months older. This display packs 3200 x 1440 pixels, which at 6.2 inches gives you 563 pixels per inch. By contrast, the iPhone 12 Pro's 6.1-inch display only goes up to 2532 x 1170 pixels, or 460 pixels per inch.

There's also the fact that the S20 supports a 120Hz refresh rate, meaning its images and visuals update much more smoothly than standard. That's something the iPhone lacks, and combined with 100 fewer pixels per inch, you really notice the difference in quality.

Both phones have been given an IP68 rating. This means they can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. However, Apple says its new Ceramic Guard Glass will provide better protection against drops and damage, further increasing its durability.

Even with better durability, we think the difference isn't that great as outweighing the fact that the Galaxy S20 has a significantly better screen. So we're giving this first round to Samsung's phone.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S20

Performance, range and charging

Andy Boxall/DigitalTrends. com

Much is made of the A14 Bionic chip in the iPhone 12 pro, and rightly so. By using 5nm technology, it allows for a significantly larger number of transistors, which in turn increases its processing power and efficiency. Coupled with 6GB of RAM, it will allow the iPhone 12 Pro to handle just about anything you throw at it, from the latest games to juggling multiple tasks at once.

It certainly beats the Samsung Galaxy S20 if you buy Samsung's phone outside of the US. If you buy it outside the US, it will come with an Exynos 990 processor and 8GB of RAM, which will be inferior to Apple's phone, considering the superiority of the A14 and the fact that the iPhone require less RAM. That said, if you buy the Galaxy S20 in the US, the phone will come with a more powerful Snapdragon 865 chip and 12GB of RAM.

This puts it on par with the iPhone 12 Pro, and you'll have no problem using it for all sorts of applications and purposes. Both phones also come with 128GB of internal memory as standard, although the S20 provides a MicroSD card slot for expandable storage.

Our

the S20 review

revealed that its battery was solid if a bit disappointing, lasting around a full day under moderate to heavy usage. The same cannot be said for the iPhone 12 Pro, which

our test

found it comfortably lasts up to a second day in the vast majority of cases, although continued 5G use can send it into low power mode.

With the faster processor, we can only give Apple's device that turn.

Winner: iPhone 12 Pro

Cameras

Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends

The Samsung Galaxy S20 has an interesting camera setup. Equipped with 12-megapixel wide and 12-megapixel ultra-wide lenses, it also offers a 64-megapixel telephoto lens. This rugged telephoto camera offers 3x optical zoom, giving you more detail with close-ups. However, its support for 30x digital zoom is more of a cool gimmick than anything else, as shots using this feature typically lack the detail and clarity of shots using only optical zoom.

The iPhone 12 Pro has the same basic setup, but with a 12MP telephoto lens instead of a 64MP alternative. While this puts it at a slight disadvantage when it comes to zoomed shots, the 12 Pro's camera is overall more efficient and versatile than the S20's.

our iPhone 12 Pro review

, we found a number of significant improvements over the 11 Pro, which was already a great camera phone. This includes a wider aperture on its main lens, which allows for more detailed and clearer shots in low light conditions. It also includes a LiDAR sensor, which allows for better depth perception when using Portrait mode.

Both the iPhone 12 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S20 can capture 4K video at 60 frames per second. The iPhone 12 Pro goes one step further by offering a low-light mode for video, while supporting a higher frame rate for 1080p video.

All in all, it's a slim win for the iPhone 12 Pro. It goes one step further than the iPhone 11 Pro's camera, which we think is already a bit more useful and impressive than the S20's.

Winner: iPhone 12 Pro

Software and updates

Andy Boxall/DigitalTrends.com

It is not really possible to offer a direct comparison of the software of each phone. The iPhone 12 Pro runs on

iOS 14

, while the Samsung Galaxy S20 uses OneUI 2, which is Samsung's own skin.

Android 10

. It's pretty well known by now that iOS and Android each have their own respective strengths and weaknesses, so an objective judgment isn't really possible.

Nonetheless, iOS 14 is pretty much the best iOS version in a long time. time, seeing how it showcases features like an app library, translator app, home screen widgets, and more. Likewise, OneUI 2 is one of the best Android skins, improving on Google's underlying operating system by streamlining the design and user interface, providing greater customization and ensuring everything runs efficiently.

Even though each functioning system has its own pros and cons, we can safely say that Apple is the clear winner when it comes to updates. It has a much better track record of delivering timely updates, while also supporting its devices for significantly longer than Samsung. With that in mind, we're offering a new victory phone from Apple.

Winner: iPhone 12 Pro

Special features

The iPhone 12 Pro finds that Apple is bringing 5G to its smartphones for the very first time. That's great news, but what's not so great is that the faster mmWave will only be available with the iPhone 12 sold in the United States. Those outside the US will have to make do with the slower sub-6Hz band, although this is still much faster than 4G. It might be a little disappointing, but the Galaxy S20 didn't support the faster mmWave at all at launch, no matter where in the world you were. It now supports mmWave if you are on Verizon, but only on Verizon.

Another special feature offered by the iPhone 12 Pro is its MagSafe compatibility. With MagSafe, the phone can be used with magnetic chargers and accessories, such as dash mounts and cases. It also supports the now long-standing TrueDepth camera, which enables Face ID unlocking and payments.

When it comes to the Galaxy S20, its only other special feature (besides 5G support) is its 120Hz refresh rate. It's worth repeating how much this improves the screen's appearance , and while other Androids also support 120Hz, it still stands out (especially compared to iPhones).

We call this round a tie. The iPhone 12 Pro has slightly wider 5G support than the S20, and has a special new feature in its MagSafe compatibility. However, MagSafe is a fairly modest addition, while few of us will have the opportunity to get the most out of mmWave 5G just yet.

Winner: Tie

Price and availability

The 12” iPhone can be ordered directly from Apple and starts from $999 for the 128GB version, while upgrades to 256GB or 512GB will set you back $1099 or $1299 respectively. It's also available from all major carriers and the vast majority of major retail stores, so you'll likely find some good ones.

iPhone deals

during the

Black Friday sales

.

The Galaxy S20 officially costs $1,000 and is available for purchase from Samsung, as well as all major carriers and most major retailers. It has now been replaced by the

Galaxy S20 FE

(to some extent), so you might be able to find it online for less than $1000.

Overall Winner: iPhone 12 Pro

the

Samsung Galaxy S20

is unquestionably a very good smartphone, but the

iPhone 12 Pro

is definitely a better device overall. Its revamped design is a little more interesting, while offering superior performance (at least outside the US), a more versatile and powerful camera, and a longer-lasting battery. It's definitely one of the best smartphones around, and while the Galaxy S20 is good, it just isn't as good.

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