Apple iPhone 13 vs Samsung Galaxy S20+
The Quick Answer
Apple's iPhone 13 delivers flagship performance at a mid-range price, while Samsung's Galaxy S20+ commands a 50% premium with older technology.
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone 13 delivers flagship performance at a mid-range price, while Samsung's Galaxy S20+ commands a 50% premium with older technology. The iPhone 13 pairs Apple's A15 Bionic processor with a sharp 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED display, solid 12MP dual-camera setup, and reliable 3227mAh battery supporting 15W MagSafe charging. Storage tops out at 512GB across both devices. Samsung's Galaxy S20+ stretches to a larger 6.7-inch 120Hz display with 3200x1440 resolution and higher 1200-nit brightness, plus a more ambitious camera system featuring 64MP telephoto with 3x hybrid zoom and 8K video recording. The 4500mAh battery offers better endurance, though Samsung's 25W wired charging only marginally outpaces Apple's 20W. However, the Galaxy S20+ runs Android 10 and shipped years earlier, making it notably dated compared to the iPhone 13's iOS 15 with fresher features and longer software support. The iPhone 13 is the smarter choice for most buyers, offering current technology, superior longevity, and exceptional value at $799. The Galaxy S20+ only justifies its $1199 price for users specifically seeking the larger 120Hz screen and superior zoom capabilities, making it a niche recommendation despite its impressive specs.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 13 if…
- →Significantly improved battery life over iPhone 12
- →Cinematic mode for video storytelling
- →Strong A15 Bionic chip handles anything
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20+ if…
- →QHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display
- →5G connectivity
- →microSD card slot retained
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 13
Pros
- Significantly improved battery life over iPhone 12
- Cinematic mode for video storytelling
- Strong A15 Bionic chip handles anything
- Bright and vibrant OLED panel
- Solid value compared to Pro tier
Cons
- Only 60Hz display while Android rivals offered 120Hz
- Lightning connector showing its age
- Notch remains largely unchanged
- No telephoto camera
- USB 2.0 transfer speeds over Lightning
Samsung Galaxy S20+
Pros
- QHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display
- 5G connectivity
- microSD card slot retained
- 12 GB RAM for multitasking
- Good triple camera system
Cons
- 120Hz locked to FHD+ at launch
- $1199 starting price was high
- Slow 25W charging
- DepthVision ToF sensor rarely useful
- Fingerprint sensor sometimes slow
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 13 | Samsung Galaxy S20+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 15 | Android 10, One UI 2.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 174 g | 186 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 6 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm | 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 10 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Telephoto | — | 64 MP, f/2.0, 3x hybrid zoom |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 4 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3227 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 3200 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 800 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-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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