Galaxy S20 FE 5G • Unlocked vs iPhone 12 Pro • Unlocked

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G and the iPhone 12 Pro, both released in late 2020, represent distinct approaches to premium smartphone experiences. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G, a Fan Edition model, aimed to deliver core flagship features with a focus on user-requested elements, running on the Android operating system. In contrast, the iPhone 12 Pro offered Apple's high-end innovations, including advanced camera technology and a refined design, powered by iOS. While both devices provide robust performance and connectivity, they cater to different preferences in terms of ecosystem, display characteristics, and camera capabilities.

When considering the long-term usability of these devices, their release timelines and software support are key factors. Both phones launched in late 2020, meaning they have received several years of software updates.

• Software Longevity: The iPhone 12 Pro, running iOS, typically receives major operating system updates for approximately five to six years from its release, extending its software lifespan well into the future. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G, an Android device, has also received consistent updates, with Samsung generally providing several years of OS upgrades and security patches, though often for a slightly shorter duration than Apple's flagship line.
• Repairability: The iPhone 12 Pro received a repairability score of 6 out of 10 from iFixit, noting that many components are modular but proprietary screws and increased waterproofing can complicate repairs. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G is considered moderately repairable, with some sources giving it a score of 7.5 out of 10, indicating that while some effort is required, components like the battery are accessible, though often with adhesive.
• Build Durability: The iPhone 12 Pro features a Ceramic Shield front cover and a stainless steel frame, contributing to its overall durability. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G utilizes Gorilla Glass 3 for its front display and an aluminum frame with a plastic back. Both devices carry an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

Both the Galaxy S20 FE 5G and the iPhone 12 Pro deliver strong performance for daily tasks and demanding applications, though they achieve this through different hardware architectures.

• Processing Power: The iPhone 12 Pro is equipped with a powerful processor that provides a significant boost in speed and efficiency compared to previous generations, ensuring smooth operation for complex applications and multitasking. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G features a high-performance processor that handles demanding apps and gaming smoothly, offering a responsive user experience.
• Multitasking and Responsiveness: The iPhone 12 Pro benefits from its optimized operating system and ample memory, allowing it to keep multiple applications active in the background and switch between them fluidly. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G, with its generous RAM configurations, also provides a capable platform for multitasking, ensuring apps load quickly and run without significant delays.
• Storage Options: The iPhone 12 Pro offers internal storage options starting from 128GB and going up to 512GB, without expandable storage. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G comes with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, with the added flexibility of a microSD card slot for further expansion.

The visual experience on both devices is a highlight, each offering a vibrant display with distinct characteristics.

• Display Technology and Clarity: The iPhone 12 Pro features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, known for its deep blacks, high contrast, and excellent color accuracy, providing a sharp viewing experience with a pixel density of 460 pixels per inch. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G sports a larger 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, offering vivid colors and good clarity at a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, resulting in approximately 407 pixels per inch.
• Refresh Rate and Smoothness: A key difference lies in the refresh rate; the Galaxy S20 FE 5G boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, which contributes to noticeably smoother scrolling and more fluid animations, particularly beneficial for gaming and fast-paced content. The iPhone 12 Pro maintains a standard 60Hz refresh rate, which still provides a smooth experience for most users but lacks the enhanced fluidity of a higher refresh rate display.
• Brightness and Outdoor Visibility: The iPhone 12 Pro's display can reach a typical brightness of 800 nits and a peak HDR brightness of 1200 nits, ensuring good visibility even in bright outdoor conditions. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G's Super AMOLED panel also offers good brightness, though some users have noted that outdoor visibility can sometimes be challenging in direct sunlight compared to some other flagship devices.

Both smartphones offer versatile camera systems capable of capturing high-quality photos and videos, with some notable differences in their approach and features.

• Rear Camera System: The iPhone 12 Pro features a triple 12-megapixel camera setup, including wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses, enhanced by a LiDAR scanner for improved low-light autofocus and depth sensing. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G also comes with a triple camera array, comprising a 12-megapixel wide lens, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens.
• Photography Performance: The iPhone 12 Pro excels in low-light photography, with its LiDAR scanner contributing to faster and more accurate focusing in dim conditions, and supports features like Night Mode Portraits. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G delivers strong everyday photography, with users often praising its vibrant color reproduction and detail in good lighting, and it also includes a dedicated Night Mode.
• Video Recording Capabilities: The iPhone 12 Pro is capable of recording 4K video at up to 60 frames per second and was among the first smartphones to support Dolby Vision HDR video recording, offering enhanced dynamic range and color. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G also supports 4K video recording at 30 or 60 frames per second from both its rear and front cameras, providing good quality for general video capture.