After an extremely leaky run-up, Samsung has officially unveiled its first flagship smartphones for 2020: the Galaxy S20, the Galaxy S20+, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra. The trio is joined by the Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung's second attempt at a foldable smartphone.
The Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+ succeed last year's Galaxy S10 series, touting larger displays with faster refresh rates, improved cameras, bigger batteries, and the option of 5G connectivity on both models.
And for those after something even more extra, there's the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, Samsung's new crowning jewel. The new top-tier handset augments the more "affordable" S20 models with an even larger 6.9-inch display and a 108MP camera capable of up to 100x digital zoom.
Affordable, is of course, a relative term. Much like the 2019 iPhones, Samsung's latest handsets sure command a premium with devices starting at $1,349. Outright pricing for the family is as follows:
- Samsung Galaxy S20 (128GB): $1,349
- Samsung Galaxy S20 5G (128GB): $1,499
- Samsung Galaxy S20+ (128GB): $1,499
- Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G (128GB): $1,649
- Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G (512GB): $1,899
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (128GB): $1,999
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (512GB): $2,249
Before we get stuck into the nitty gritty, here's the important stuff. You'll be able to pre-order all three Galaxy S20 devices from 9am today (Sydney time) ahead of a March 6 release date. You can pre-order on a plan from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, or Woolworths Mobile, or outright from major retailers including Samsung, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, and Amazon.
Customers who pre-order the Galaxy S20+ or Galaxy S20 Ultra will get a bonus pair of wire-free Galaxy Buds+ valued at $299. The Galaxy S20 isn't part of this promotion.
Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+
The Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+ aren't dissimilar to last year's round of Samsung's devices: the biggest physical changes are a centred hole-punch display for the selfie camera and a much more sizeable camera bump on the back.
However, both the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+ are larger than their predecessors from last year. The Galaxy S20 has a 6.2-inch display, up from 6.1-inch on the Galaxy S10, and the Galaxy S20+ has a 6.7-inch display, up from 6.4 on the Galaxy S10+. Phones just keep on getting bigger.
Size isn't the only difference when it comes to the Galaxy S20 displays: they both run at 120Hz. A conventional smartphone has a 60Hz refresh rate. This means the panel on a conventional smartphone can display 60 images per second, versus 120 images per second on Galaxy S20 devices. This should make all motion on the phone look smoother - something that should be especially noticeable when it comes to animations and scrolling through apps.
The pair of phones share a core rear-facing camera setup made up of a 12MP primary lens, a 64MP telephoto lens capable of 3x hybrid-optical zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. The Galaxy S20+ also has a Time-of-Flight lens for depth sensing, but the camera configurations are identical otherwise.
Both the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+ will be launched in 4G-only and 5G-ready models. If you'd prefer a 5G model, you'll pay an extra $150 over the 4G version. Once again, outright pricing for the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+ is as follows:
- Samsung Galaxy S20 (128GB): $1,349
- Samsung Galaxy S20 5G (128GB): $1,499
- Samsung Galaxy S20+ (128GB): $1,499
- Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G (128GB): $1,649
- Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G (512GB): $1,899
You can grab the Galaxy S20 in a choice of Cloud Pink, Cosmic Grey, and Cloud Blue, or the Galaxy S20+ in Cosmic Black, Cloud Blue, and Cosmic Grey.
Pre-orders start at 9am AEDT today ahead of a March 6 release date.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
If the standard Galaxy S20 models aren't quite enough phone for you, there's now the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G - a new top-tier model with the best tech Samsung has to offer.
The key differentiator between the Galaxy S20 Ultra and it's less-ultra siblings is the camera. The phone packs a 108MP primary lens, a 48MP telephoto capable of up to 10x hybrid-optical zoom, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a Time-of-Flight sensor. That's a whole lot of megapixels. While you can shoot in a high resolution 108MP mode, the primary camera can also shoot 12MP images where it combines nine pixels into one for a brighter, more detailed image.
The Galaxy S20 Ultra is also capable of 100x digital zoom. Based on experience with the Huawei P30 Pro - which offers 50x digital zoom - this feature will be rather circumstantial, as impressive as it sounds. Every a tiny shake of your hand is magnified significantly as you zoom in with a camera, so even the slightest movement can entirely change the composition of your shot. If you want to make the most of the Galaxy S20 Ultra's zoom functionality, you'll almost certainly need a tripod.
Other than camera, the Galaxy S20 Ultra isn't too different to the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+, just bigger, in almost every way. It has a 5,000mAh battery, 40MP selfie camera, and a massive 6.9-inch display, making it the largest mainstream smartphone around.
5G comes standard on the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Outright pricing is as follows:
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (128GB): $1,999
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (512GB): $2,249
The Galaxy S20 Ultra will be available in a choice of Cosmic Black and Cosmic Grey. Pre-orders start at 9am AEDT today ahead of a March 6 release date.
Here's how the three models compare:
| Galaxy S20 | Galaxy S20+ | Galaxy S20 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.2-inch OLED | 6.7-inch OLED | 6.9-inch OLED |
| Resolution | Quad HD | Quad HD | Quad HD |
| Rear Cameras | 12MP + 64MP + 12MP | 12MP + 64MP + 12MP + ToF | 108MP+ 48MP + 12MP + ToF |
| Front Camera | 10MP | 10MP | 40MP |
| Processor | Exynos 990 | Exynos 990 | Exynos 990 |
| RAM | 8GB or 12GB | 8GB or 12GB | 12GB or 16GB |
| Storage | 128GB | 128GB or 512GB | 128GB or 512GB |
| Battery | 4,000mAh | 4,500mAh | 5,000mAh |
| Water-Resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| 5G | Optional | Optional | Yes |
| Price | From $1,349 | From $1,499 | From $1,999 |
Alex Choros
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