Review of the flagship smartphone Samsung Galaxy S20+

In the loud lineup of flagship smartphones Samsung Galaxy S20, which was the first to provide the ability for mobile video recording in 8K resolution in the new season, three models are currently presented.
We have already reviewed the oldest, most technically equipped Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, as well as the younger Galaxy S20.
The manufacturer was so eager to raise interest in the new feature that they even organized the presentation broadcast based on 8K recording on the camera of this smartphone.
But not only the most expensive of the fresh trio can shoot video in extremely high quality.
There is also the "mid-range" Galaxy S20+, which can do much of what the flagship can do, but costs less.
Is it worth overpaying for the maximum "configuration" of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, or can one be satisfied with the more balanced price-to-capabilities ratio of the Samsung Galaxy S20+,
we will figure out in a detailed review.

Main characteristics of Samsung Galaxy S20+ (model SM-G985F)

Global version:
SoC Exynos 990, 8 cores (2×Mongoose M5 @ 2.73 GHz + 2×Cortex-A76 @ 2.50 GHz + 4×Cortex-A55 @ 2.0 GHz)
GPU Mali-G77 MP11
US version:
SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
GPU Adreno 650
Operating system Android 10.0; One UI 2
Display Dynamic AMOLED 6.7", 3200×1440, 20:9, 525 ppi, up to 120 Hz
RAM 8 GB, internal memory 128 GB
Support for microSD (compatible slot)
Support for Nano-SIM (2 pcs)
Networks HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (7CA) Cat.20 2000/200 Mbps
GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4 and 5 GHz)
Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC
USB 3.1 Type-C, USB OTG
No 3.5mm audio output for headphones
Camera 12 MP (f/1.8) + 64 MP (f/2.0) + 12 MP (f/2.2) + 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, video 8K@24 fps
Front camera 10 MP (f/2.2)
Proximity and light sensors, magnetic field, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer
Under-display fingerprint scanner (ultrasonic)
IP68 protection
Battery 4500 mAh, fast charging 25 W, wireless charging 15 W
Dimensions 162×74×7.8 mm
Weight 186 g

Appearance and usability

All smartphones in the Samsung Galaxy S20 series have received practically identical designs, with differences only in size, as well as the quality and number of cameras.
Regarding the cameras, we will discuss that a bit later, but the dimensions deserve a more detailed look.
The thing is, surprisingly, they differ significantly: while the top model is so large that one can say it is bigger and heavier than most modern mobile flagships,
the younger model, on the contrary, unexpectedly turned out to be so thin and light that it can be classified among the smallest "mini-flagships" of modernity.

The middle model of the trio, Samsung Galaxy S20+, is not the "golden mean" as one might expect.
It leans more in dimensions and weight closer to the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G than to the miniature Galaxy S20, unfortunately. But this is the price for a large screen and a more powerful battery.

As for the design itself, it is strict, calm, the glass of the back panel has a substrate with deep matte coloring without a mirror effect.
It looks solid and expensive, but perhaps a bit boring, and this large black camera module protruding from the back looks "out of place".

The back quickly gets covered with fingerprints, but neither the side metal frame nor the glass panels themselves slip in the fingers, the smartphone is held firmly in hand.

The side buttons are installed on one side, large buttons, comfortable, with a pleasant springy travel. They only lack a distinguishing surface, but with such a "polished" design, the ribbing of the buttons might indeed look out of place.

A small round hole is cut directly on the screen for the front camera.
Thus, it becomes clear that there is no additional sensor for full identification by the owner's face here.
Unfortunately, there is also no LED notification indicator installed here, and the indication using the Always On display from a distance is unnecessary.

The under-display fingerprint scanner is ultrasonic. It works quickly, but you need to hold your finger on it for at least a moment.

The card slot is designed for two Nano-SIM cards, a microSD memory card can be installed instead of one of them. Hot swapping of cards is supported.

On the bottom edge, the main speaker, conversation microphone, and USB Type-C are installed. Unfortunately, the 3.5mm audio output for headphones has been forgotten again.

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ smartphone is released in several colors, but in official sales, mainly gray, red, and black variants are encountered.
The body has protection against water and dust according to the IP68 standard (submersion for 30 minutes at a depth of up to 1.5 m).

Screen

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ smartphone is equipped with an AMOLED display (Dynamic AMOLED 2X) with a diagonal of 6.7 inches and a resolution of 3200×1440, covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 6. The physical dimensions of the screen are 70×155 mm, the aspect ratio is 525 ppi. The width of the bezel around the screen is less than 2 mm on the sides, 3 mm on the top, and 4 mm on the bottom. The bezel is minimal. The screen supports a refresh rate of 120 Hz, but not for the QHD resolution. That is, either 120 Hz at Full HD or 60 Hz at Quad HD. The front surface of the screen is made of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, let’s provide a photo where a white surface is displayed on the turned-off screens (on the left – Nexus 7, on the right – Samsung Galaxy S20+, which can be distinguished by size):

The screen on the Samsung Galaxy S20+ is noticeably darker (brightness in the photos 109 against 116 in the Nexus 7) and has no pronounced tint. The two reflected objects on the Samsung Galaxy S20+ screen are very weak, indicating that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. Due to the fewer boundaries (type glass/air) with significantly different refractive indices, screens without an air gap look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked outer glass is much more expensive, as the entire screen has to be replaced. On the outer surface of the Samsung Galaxy S20+, there is a special oleophobic (oil-repellent) coating (very effective, much better than in the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a slower rate than with regular glass.

When displaying a white field on the entire screen and with manual brightness control, its maximum value was only 330 cd/m² in normal conditions, but in very bright light, it increases to 710 cd/m². It should also be noted that in such a case, the smaller the area of white on the screen, the brighter it is, meaning the actual maximum brightness of white areas will almost always be higher than the specified value. For example, if the area of the white field is about 2% of the screen area, and the rest is filled with black, then in bright light, the brightness of white reaches 1200 cd/m². As a result, reading the screen during the day in sunlight should be at an excellent level, and the dark theme not only saves battery charge but also contributes to better readability of information on the screen in high lighting conditions. The minimum brightness value is 1.5 cd/m², meaning the reduced brightness level allows the device to be used without problems even in the dark. Automatic brightness adjustment works based on the light sensor (located under the screen near the top edge and to the right of the center). The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider: the user can try to set the desired brightness level in the current conditions. If everything is left at default, then in complete darkness, the auto-brightness function reduces brightness to 8 cd/m² (a bit dark), in conditions illuminated by artificial light in an office (approximately 550 lx) it sets to 110-120 cd/m² (normal), and conditionally under direct sunlight increases to 710 cd/m² (to the maximum, and needed). The result did not completely satisfy us, so in the dark, we slightly increased the brightness, resulting in the following values for the three conditions mentioned above: 15, 130, and 710 cd/m² (an ideal combination). It turns out that the auto-brightness adjustment function works adequately and to some extent allows the user to adjust its operation to individual requirements. At any brightness level, there is significant modulation at a frequency of 240 Hz.