Samsung S10 vs S20: Which will conquer your mind, heart and wallet?

Is the change worth it?

That the millennium and the century are the same as the decade and the year is something most people only experience once in a lifetime. So Samsung decided not to name the successor of the Galaxy S10 S11, but rather Samsung Galaxy S20 instead. If those responsible had already known in February how the year 2020 would be remembered, they might have preferred the name S11. 😬

If you can't decide between the S20 vs S10, or you own the Galaxy S10 and are currently considering an upgrade to the Galaxy S20 - then this guide is for you. We look at all the important factors and hope that we can make your decision easier.

Size and screen: what has changed?

As an iPhone owner, when I hold a Samsung Galaxy in my hand, I keep realising how long the Galaxy phones are! 😳 When jumping from the Galaxy S10 to the S20, the Galaxy S20 has become a bit longer and even narrower: the dimensions of the Galaxy S10 were 149.9 x 70.5 x 7.9 mm, so they are already 152x for the Galaxy S20 68x7.9mm.

The Plus versions have also been lengthened: 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8 mm for the Galaxy S10+ versus 162 x 74 x 7.8 mm for the Galaxy S20 Plus. The resolution is the same for all three S20 models, unlike the S10 models: the S10e was the exception with a lower resolution.

Here in the overview you can clearly see the differences:

S20 vs S10: Are there any innovations in design?

In fact, there is a really positive surprise in the design: on the one hand, the S20 models only have one front camera and are hidden in a punch-hole camera. In the S10 models, the two front cameras are housed in a longer notch. Personally, I really like the design of the Galaxy S20, as the camera is discreetly hidden in the design and is less conspicuous. In general, I would probably have to get used to the elongated design.

If you then look at the back of the devices, you will immediately notice that the cameras of the Galaxy S10 are arranged in a row and those of the Galaxy S20 in a square. The Galaxy S20 Plus and Ultra also have a fourth camera, leading to the fundamental design change on the back.

🎨 What colours are available on the Galaxy S10 and S20?

The Galaxy S10 colours come in; Prism Green, Prism Blue, Prism Black, Prism White and Cardinal Red - the colours are unique and definitely stand out. With the Samsung S20, things are a little different as Samsung introduced cloud colours: Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink and Cloud White (in addition to the classic colours black, white and grey). If you like your smartphone colour brighter, then you will love the Aura colours (Aura Red and Aura Blue).

How is the performance of the devices?

⚡ And it rolls: The Exynos processor

Like Apple, Samsung also produces its own processors. Their own processor brand is called Exynos, and each new series is optimised and improved. However, if you buy a Samsung device in the US, you will notice the Snapdragon processor installed, which is developed by the manufacturer Qualcomm. It is said that they are more battery-friendly and more powerful, which is why the demand for Qualcomm processors is growing in Europe.

It is likely you will probably have an Exynos 9820 on the Galaxy S10 and an Exynos 990 on the S20, which will not let you down anytime soon. According to Samsung, the S20 has 20% more power, plus 5G-capability. This is one of the biggest differences between the two smartphones.

🔋 The battery performance

Generally, devices with a larger display are prone to sucking up more battery life. Although the newer devices are more powerful on paper, they don't quite come close to their predecessors (S10) in terms of battery life.

💾 What storage options are there?

I think it's great that all models are generally equipped with 128 GB as standard. When comparing the series between the S20 vs S10, the Galaxy S10 Plus is even available with 1 TB. Unfortunately, you do not have this option with the newer S20 models.

What are the camera differences on the S20 vs S10?

As mentioned earlier, the Galaxy S20 Plus and Ultra come with four cameras. The fourth camera is a so-called DepthVision camera. This is currently very popular with camera enthusiasts because you can get a greater depth of field with this additional camera. The other three cameras are almost standard wide-angle, telephoto, and ultra-wide-angle lenses. The difference in the S20 Ultra is the 48 MP telephoto lens with periscope technology, which means the technology is not compromised by the slim design. In our S20 comparison, we compared all three models of the Galaxy S20 series.

If you compare the cameras of the S20 with the Galaxy S10, the Galaxy S10 is slightly behind the S20 when shooting in daylight. In more difficult lighting conditions however, the differences are small. Both cameras of the S20 vs S10 are overall comparable to each other and hard to split apart.

👉 You might also be interested in: Galaxy S10e review.

What is the conclusion of the S20 vs S10?

Now that we have looked at the most important aspects between the two models, I’ll first say as a disclaimer that your choice will heavily depend on your available budget. The Samsung Galaxy S20 refurbished, is available at Back Market from as low as *£156, and the Galaxy S10 from *£123.

Here again the advantages at a glance:

✅  Advantages of the S20:

• Streamlined design

• Bigger screen

• quad camera

• 5G possibility

✅ Advantages of the S10:

• Cheaper price

• 1 TB storage option on the S10 Plus

• Handier design

• Strong battery performance

Now it's up to you, which smartphone do you choose? Take a look at our smartphone comparison tool from Back Market: Here you can compare all devices with each other and find your dream mobile phone.

*Prices were updated at date of latest publication