Apple iPhone 13 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S20
The Quick Answer
Both phones launched at the same $999 price point but represent different design philosophies.
The Verdict
Both phones launched at the same $999 price point but represent different design philosophies. The iPhone 13 Pro features Apple's A15 Bionic chip paired with 6GB RAM and up to 1TB storage, delivering exceptional single-threaded performance and fluid iOS experience. Samsung's Galaxy S20 counters with 12GB RAM, Snapdragon 865 processor, and superior multitasking capabilities typical of Android. Display quality heavily favors Samsung: 3200 x 1440 resolution versus iPhone's 2532 x 1170, though both offer 120Hz LTPO panels and 1200 nits brightness. Camera systems differ strategically. iPhone 13 Pro excels in video with ProRes and Cinematic mode, plus Ceramic Shield durability. Galaxy S20 boasts a 64MP telephoto lens and 8K video recording, with better optical zoom performance. Battery capacity tells the story: Galaxy S20's 4000mAh significantly outperforms iPhone's 3095mAh, offering noticeably longer screen-on time. Samsung also uses USB-C versus Lightning. The Galaxy S20 edges ahead through superior display resolution, larger battery, faster charging (25W vs 20W), and more RAM for demanding users. iPhone 13 Pro justifies its choice through superior processor efficiency, longer software support, and video creation tools. For productivity and battery life, choose the Galaxy S20. For ecosystem integration and video production, pick the iPhone 13 Pro.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro if…
- →ProMotion 120Hz adaptive display
- →Cinematic mode and ProRes video recording
- →Durable Ceramic Shield front cover
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 if…
- →Compact flagship with 120Hz QHD+ AMOLED
- →5G support across all S20 models
- →12 GB RAM was generous
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Pros
- ProMotion 120Hz adaptive display
- Cinematic mode and ProRes video recording
- Durable Ceramic Shield front cover
- Excellent A15 Bionic performance
- All-day battery life
Cons
- Lightning port instead of USB-C
- 12 MP camera system unchanged resolution
- Notch instead of Dynamic Island
- Relatively small 3095 mAh battery
- Starting at $999 was expensive
Samsung Galaxy S20
Pros
- Compact flagship with 120Hz QHD+ AMOLED
- 5G support across all S20 models
- 12 GB RAM was generous
- microSD card slot
- Lightweight at 163 g
Cons
- 120Hz required FHD+ resolution at launch
- $999 base price was a $100 increase
- Slow 25W charging
- 64 MP telephoto hybrid zoom not as sharp as optical
- 8K video was impractical due to file sizes
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 13 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S20 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 15 | Android 10, One UI 2.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 203 g | 163 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame, Ceramic Shield front | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 6 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm | 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.5, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 | 10 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps, ProRes, Cinematic mode | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.8, 3x optical zoom | 64 MP, f/2.0, 3x hybrid zoom |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/1.8 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 128 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3095 mAh | 4000 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.2 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, LTPO | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 3200 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1200 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.22 GHz + 4x1.82 GHz) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core) | Adreno 650 |
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
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