Apple iPhone SE (2020) vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone SE (2020) and Samsung's Galaxy S20 FE represent fundamentally different philosophies at different price points. The SE packs the A13 Bionic chipset into a compact 4.7-inch body with a dated but sharp 1334x750 IPS LCD display, while the S20 FE offers a sprawling 6.5-inch 2400x1080 Super AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate for $300 more. Performance-wise, the A13 trades blows with the Snapdragon 865, though the iPhone edges ahead in raw speed and consistency. The S20 FE dominates on camera versatility with its telephoto and ultrawide lenses versus the SE's single 12MP shooter, plus a 32MP selfie camera compared to 7MP. Battery capacity tells the story of their different designs: the SE's 1821 mAh struggles through a day under moderate use, while the S20 FE's 4500 mAh easily lasts two days. The SE runs iOS 13 on 3GB RAM, limiting multitasking, versus the S20 FE's 6GB minimum with Android 10. Neither has 5G, though the S20 FE supports it. For compact phone lovers or Apple ecosystems users on a budget, the SE remains excellent value at $399. However, the S20 FE justifies its premium with superior display, battery endurance, camera system, and everyday usability for most Android users.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone SE (2020) if…
- →Incredibly affordable at $399 with flagship A13 chip
- →Compact and lightweight design
- →Touch ID home button
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G if…
- →Flagship Snapdragon 865 at a reduced Fan Edition price
- →120Hz Super AMOLED display is vibrant and smooth
- →3x optical zoom telephoto is rare at this price point
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
Pros
- Incredibly affordable at $399 with flagship A13 chip
- Compact and lightweight design
- Touch ID home button
- Wi-Fi 6 support
- Long software support from Apple
Cons
- Tiny 1821 mAh battery with poor endurance
- Dated design with thick bezels
- Single rear camera with no ultrawide
- 750p LCD display
- No 5G support
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
Pros
- Flagship Snapdragon 865 at a reduced Fan Edition price
- 120Hz Super AMOLED display is vibrant and smooth
- 3x optical zoom telephoto is rare at this price point
- IP68 water resistance and wireless charging
- MicroSD expansion for additional storage
Cons
- Plastic Glastic back instead of glass at flagship pricing
- 25W charging is slow compared to competitors
- Software updates have reached end of life
- 8 MP telephoto resolution is low
- 32 MP front camera can oversharpen selfies
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 13 | Android 10 (One UI 2.5) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 148 g | 190 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, glass back | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 3 front, plastic (Glastic) back |
| IP rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm | 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 7 MP, f/2.2 | 32 MP, f/2.0 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | — | 8 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS |
| Ultrawide | — | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 3 GB | 6 GB / 8 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 1821 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired (adapter sold separately) | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 7.5W Qi | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| Display | ||
| Size | 4.7 inches | 6.5 inches |
| Type | Retina IPS LCD | Super AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1334 x 750 | 2400 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 625 | 800 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.80 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno 650 |
| Chipset | Apple A13 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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