Galaxy S20 FE vs Galaxy S21 5G

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, released in October 2020, and the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, launched in January 2021, represent two distinct approaches within Samsung's flagship smartphone offerings. While the S20 FE was positioned as a 'Fan Edition' providing core flagship features, the S21 5G arrived as the direct successor to the main S20 series, introducing refinements and a newer generation of hardware. Both devices operate on the Android platform with Samsung's One UI, offering a consistent software experience, but they differ in build materials, specific camera capabilities, and display technology.

The longevity of a smartphone is influenced by its physical resilience and ongoing software support. These two models, released within months of each other, offer slightly different profiles in this regard.

• Release Timeline and Software Support: The Galaxy S20 FE, launched in October 2020, received three major Android OS updates, concluding its software support lifecycle with the October 2025 security patch. The Galaxy S21 5G, released in January 2021, benefits from a slightly newer starting point, implying a longer period of official Android version upgrades and security updates.
• Physical Durability: The Galaxy S20 FE features a plastic back, often referred to as 'glasstic,' and its display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The Galaxy S21 5G also utilizes a plastic back, which can be more resistant to shattering than glass, but it incorporates the newer and tougher Gorilla Glass Victus for its display.
• Repairability: The Galaxy S20 FE is considered moderately repairable, with some sources giving it a score around 7.5 to 8.1 out of 10, noting that the battery can be challenging to remove due to adhesive. The Galaxy S21 5G has a similar repairability profile, with some assessments placing it around 7.75/10, though others, like iFixit, gave it a lower score of 4/10, citing difficulties with battery removal and screen fragility.

Both the Galaxy S20 FE and the Galaxy S21 5G deliver robust performance suitable for daily use, multitasking, and demanding applications, though they achieve this with different underlying hardware.

• Processing Power: The Galaxy S20 FE (5G variant) is equipped with a processor that handles demanding apps and gaming smoothly, providing a responsive user experience. The Galaxy S21 5G features a newer generation processor, which offers enhanced CPU and GPU performance, translating to a slightly snappier feel and potentially better handling of future, more intensive applications and games.
• Multitasking and Storage: The S20 FE typically comes with 6GB of RAM, which is sufficient for most multitasking scenarios, and offers 128GB of internal storage, expandable via a microSD card slot. The S21 5G generally includes 8GB of RAM, providing more headroom for extensive multitasking, and comes with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, but it lacks a microSD card slot for expansion.
• Battery Behavior: The Galaxy S20 FE houses a larger 4500 mAh battery, which, combined with its FHD+ display, contributes to excellent battery life, often lasting through a full day of heavy use. The Galaxy S21 5G has a 4000 mAh battery. While its adaptive refresh rate display helps optimize power consumption, some users have reported that heavy usage, especially with the 120Hz refresh rate enabled, can lead to more frequent charging.

The visual experience on both devices is a highlight, featuring vibrant displays with high refresh rates, though there are distinctions in their underlying technology and size.

• Display Technology and Clarity: The Galaxy S20 FE sports a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels), offering clear visuals and vibrant colors. The Galaxy S21 5G features a slightly smaller 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, also with a Full HD+ resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels). Both technologies provide deep blacks and good contrast.
• Refresh Rate and Smoothness: Both models boast a 120Hz refresh rate, which results in noticeably smoother scrolling, animations, and a more fluid overall user interface experience. The S21 5G's display is adaptive, meaning it can dynamically adjust its refresh rate based on the content being viewed, which can contribute to power efficiency.
• Brightness and Outdoor Visibility: Both displays offer good brightness levels, making them suitable for outdoor use. The S20 FE can reach a peak brightness of around 679 nits, while the S21 5G's Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel is capable of higher peak brightness, enhancing visibility in direct sunlight.

Both smartphones offer versatile camera systems capable of capturing high-quality images and videos, but they differ in sensor configurations and advanced features.

• Rear Camera System: The Galaxy S20 FE features a triple-camera setup on the rear, including a 12MP main sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12MP ultrawide lens, and an 8MP telephoto lens capable of 3x optical zoom. The Galaxy S21 5G also has a triple-camera array, comprising a 12MP main sensor with OIS, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 64MP telephoto lens that achieves 3x hybrid optical zoom.
• Photography Performance: The S20 FE's main camera delivers bright and vibrant photos in good lighting, with its telephoto lens providing effective optical zoom. The S21 5G offers improved focus and subject tracking, and its 64MP telephoto sensor can capture more detail, especially at higher zoom levels. Both phones include a dedicated night mode for low-light conditions.
• Video Recording and Front Camera: The S20 FE supports 4K video recording at 60fps from both its primary and 32MP front camera. The S21 5G introduces features like Director's View, allowing users to record from multiple cameras simultaneously, and supports 8K video recording. Its front camera is 10MP.