We reviewed the 5G version of the phone, and this review will mostly focus on that device as it's the more commonly available handset. The differences are more slight when you compare the wide-angle images, however. Both pictures are filled with detail, although they both struggle a bit when it comes to distortion in the far corners of the frame. Microphone problems — A few users have reported issues with the microphone seemingly cutting in and out when using a chat app and during a phone call. This is likely a hardware problem, and the best option is to get a replacement. As you might expect – or hope, given the price – the Galaxy S20 storms through our usual suite of performance benchmarks. It doesn’t quite match the superior levels of performance we’ve seen from the iPhone 11’s A13 Bionic chipset in the past, but it’s certainly fast enough that you shouldn’t have to worry about a sluggish experience, no matter which application you decide to throw at it. As Android handsets go, it’s as good as it gets.

Samsung Galaxy S20 colors: all the shades - TechRadar Samsung Galaxy S20 colors: all the shades - TechRadar

Yes, the S20 Plus has gotten a price bump over the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, presumably due to the added 5G compatibility. It pushes the phone to new heights of flagship prices, which is frustrating – especially given the limited availability of the cheaper 4G model, and notably the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus actually has a lower launch price. However, pictures looked a touch candy-coloured for my liking, and the iPhone 11 did a better job at capturing more neutral-looking images. The S20 was also insistent on overexposing most images. The differences between the two are night and day as soon as the light begins to fade, too: the S20 looks drab when placed side-by-side with the positively vibrant images from the iPhone 11.

Haven’t you heard? 20 is the new 11 – the basic Galaxy S20 is Samsung’s best-value flagship yet

Buying a reconditioned Samsung Galaxy S20 is also an environmentally friendly option. A refurbished Samsung Galaxy S20 is often a second hand device that has been restored and updated to meet manufacturer standards, which means you'll be helping to keep old Samsung Galaxy S20s out of our landfills, reduce electronic waste, and minimise your carbon footprint. Yes, the S20 phones join several other late-2019 and 2020 models in adding the option to refresh the screen more frequently. Most phones operate at 60Hz (meaning the screen refreshes 60 times per second), but on the S20 Plus and its siblings you can opt to up this to 120Hz. The resulting images at maximum zoom are a bit mixed, but there’s no denying that this tech is quite impressive. I can’t see there being many use cases for zooming that far into the frame – you certainly won’t be putting the pictures on a cushion at Snappy Snaps – but when you consider that the iPhone 11 doesn’t zoom at all, the advantage goes to Samsung here. That’s because we’re still in the early days of 5G, so don’t expect this expanded connectivity to be a major selling point this year as carriers build out their networks. In our New York City testing, we bounced through Verizon’s still-piecemeal mmWave 5G area, which provided impressive speeds when we didn’t accidentally step outside the coverage bubbles. The single center-aligned punch-hole for the front-facing camera looks cleaner, and obstructs less of the display, than the lozenge-shaped cutout housing two lenses on the S10 Plus. Less noticeable unless the two phones are side-by-side is that the new Plus model has no top lip or bottom chin – its bezel is evenly sparse.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 4G | View Specs | Samsung UK

That’s not especially remarkable, but it seems that battery life is more or less keeping pace with innovation: you can eke out a bit more life by reducing the display resolution or dropping the refresh rate down to 60Hz; conversely, you can max-out the screen tech that’s on offer, but battery life will suffer accordingly.

Finally, let’s discuss the Galaxy S20’s new camera capabilities. As it’s the cheapest of the three phones, the Galaxy S20 actually loses the fourth depth-sensing unit found on the S20 Plus and S20 Ultra, but I mostly find these to be pointless additions anyway. The other three cameras are exactly the same as the rest of the S20 Plus’ arrangement; there’s a 12MP (f/1.8) camera, 12MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide and a 64MP (f/3.5) telephoto zoom sensor. That’s a debate to be held for another time, and I’m pretty impressed with all of the new stuff Samsung has brought to the table this year. These new phones feel like much more of an upgrade than ever before and since the Galaxy S20 is the cheapest of the bunch, it earns my recommendation more so than the rest.

Samsung Galaxy S20 128GB Cloud Blue, Unlocked C - CeX (UK

Both phones also benefit from the new 120Hz screen – which is a first for Samsung – and have an identical camera arrangement. This means you have a 12MP (f/1.8) main camera at your disposal, along with a 12MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide and 64MP (f/3.5) telephoto sensor. All of the phones are capable of 8K video recording, although the keen-eyed might have noticed that the S20 and S20 Plus don’t use the S20 Ultra’s 108MP camera, and neither are capable of 100x zoom – instead ‘only’ zooming up to 30x. Samsung Galaxy S20 review: Price and competition

What to expect when buying a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S20?

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus doesn’t look much different to its predecessor, but this is the sleekest device in a long line of flagships – and that isn’t a bad look.