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With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, we have seen Samsung dramatically up their game with specs.
While their phones have always been some of the best of the year, many of the new Chinese brands have been pumping out cheaper phones with better-looking specs. In reality, hardware specs don’t always equal a good phone. The Pixel series regularly gets classed as the best camera phone, but its camera specification looks poor.
But there is no denying the appeal of having a phone will big show stopper specs, and Samsung has gone all out this year, especially with their Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G.
The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G has just launched confirming most of what we knew but a couple of specs are different. Most importantly we know the launch price, though this is only for China, so UK pricing will likely be much higher once you factor in VAT, duties, etc.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G Mobile Phone; Sim Free... |
£374.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Chipset
Both phones are flagship devices and depending on where you live they may have the same chipset. For US buyers the Samsung will come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865.
Xiaomi isn’t in the US. So for the rest of us choosing between these phones, you will get the Samsung Exynos 990 in your S20 vs the Snapdragon 865 in the Xiaomi.
The Samsung Exynos 990 isn’t quite as well-specced as the Snapdragon 865, with two of its cores using the older Arm Cortex A76 architecture. This effect of this was recently shown in some Geekbench results. While the Samsung achieves 2% higher scores for the single-core performance, it falls behind by 20% on the multicore performance.
Connectivity
While any device launching with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 must us the 5G X55 modem, the same is not true for the Samsung Exynos 990. Therefore, Samsung is one of the few companies that are launching 4G variants of their flagship device this year.
It does mean you can buy the standard S20 for £100 less in the UK, while US users have no options to go with the more expensive 5G variant. So many consumers may prefer this.
All the phones should feature the new super-fast Wi-Fi 6, and this looks like it will be the case for all flagship devices in 2020.
Display
All the Samsung Galaxy S20 models have Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays running at 1440 x 3200 pixels and 120Hz refresh rate, but only when in FHD. The displays all feature the infinity-o selfie design with a punch hole in the centre of the taskbar.
The S20 is 6.2 inches then 6.7 inches for the S20+ and finally a massive 6.9 inches for the S20 Ultra.
The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G was leaked as having a 6.39-inch display, but in fact, it has launched with a 6.67 inch AMOLED display running at 90hz and 180Hz touch-sensing. The display can go to 1200nits of brightness with a 5million to 1 contrast ratio.
Camera
This is where things get interesting. Samsung has gone all out with their phones this year ditching the 12MP main lens on the Ultra model, which has been featured on the Galaxy series for the past few years.
At the top of the pack is the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G with a ridiculous:
- 108 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), PDAF, OIS
- Periscope 48 MP, f/3.6, 102mm (telephoto), 1/2″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x hybrid optical zoom
- 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1.4µm, AF, Super Steady video
- 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)
- 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), PDAF Selfie camera
Then the S20+ has:
- 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
- 64 MP, f/2.0, (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x hybrid optical zoom
- 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), AF, Super Steady video
- 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)
- 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2″, 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF Selfie
The S20 is the same but minus the TOF 3D sensor.
The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G is no slouch with:
- 108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
- 12 MP, f/2.2, 54mm (telephoto), 1/3.6″, 1.0µm, PDAF, Laser AF, 2x optical zoom
- 16 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.0″, 1.0µm, PDAF, Laser AF
- 5 MP, (depth)
- 20 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3″, 0.9µm Selfie
The 108MP lens on the Xiaomi and S20 Ultra is the same hardware, both being the Samsung 108MP ISOCELL Bright HMX. So it will be interesting to see how much better the S20 Ultra is vs Xiaomi allowing us to see how much of a difference the software side of things makes.
Xiaomi has also officially taken the top spot on the DXOMARK rankings, ousting the Mate 30 Pro by 1 point with a score of 124. The Samsung Galaxy S20 has not been tested yet but the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ scores 117 and I would bet good money that Samsung will beat Xiaomi when it eventually gets tested.
Battery
Samsung has been cautious with their batteries since the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, but after a couple of years most of the public have forgotten and they are going toe to toe other brands with a strong focus on battery performance.
At the top of the range is the Ultra with a monster 5000 mAh battery, 45W charge and 15W wireless charge.
Then the S20+ with a 4500 mAh battery, 25W charge and 15W wireless charge.
Finally the S20 with a 4000mAh battery and 25W charge and 15W wireless charge.
It was previously reported than the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro would have a massive 5250 mAh battery, with 65W charge and 30W wireless.
Sadly, it is a bit lower at 4500 mAh with a 50W charge and 30W wireless.
Price
The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro will launch for 4999 CNY which is £552 so maybe £699 by the time it lands on our shores. This will include 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage. This should mean the Xiaomi will be comfortably cheaper than the cheapest option Samsung has.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S20 Mobile Phone; Sim Free Smartphone -... |
£295.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S20 5G Mobile Phone; Sim Free Smartphone -... | £399.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G Android Smartphone - SIM Free Mobile... |
£300.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G Mobile Phone; Sim Free... |
£374.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy S20 | US | Europe | UK |
| 4G 128GB storage | N/A | €899 | £799 |
| 5G 128GB | $999 | €999 | £899 |
| Samsung Galaxy S20+ | US | Europe | UK |
| 4G 128GB storage | N/A | €999 | N/A |
| 5G 128GB | $1,199 | €1,099 | £999 |
| 5G 512GB | $1,299 | €1,249 | N/A |
| Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra | US | Europe | UK |
| 5G 128GB | $1,399 | €1,349 | £1,199 |
| 5G 512GB | $1,599 | €1,549 | £1,399 |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip | US | Europe | UK |
| 4G 256GB | $1,380 | €1,480 | £1,300 |
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
