Samsung Galaxy S20 in India: First Look and Impressions
Samsung will only sell the 4G model of the Galaxy S20 in India, making this a unique release for the region. The phone comes in just one variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage, priced at a competitive level for its features. Available in three color options - Cosmic Black, Cosmic Grey, and Cosmic Blue - the Galaxy S20 offers a range for savvy tech enthusiasts.
Samsung Galaxy S20 First Look
The Samsung Galaxy S20 features a large 6.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED screen with an Infinity-O punch-hole display panel. This is the latest trend in Samsung's recent lineup, including the A series and ‘Lite’ series. Both the front and back cameras share a similar rectangular design, maintaining consistency and sleekness.
The small punch-hole camera at the front adds minimal disruption to the viewing experience. The display is as good as expected in a premium Samsung flagship phone, albeit with the 120Hz refresh rate limited to 1080p. Compared to the Galaxy S10 series, Samsung has managed to make the display feel much flatter, with a more pronounced curvature on the back glass.
Exynos 990 for India
As expected, Samsung has chosen the Exynos 990 chipset for the Indian market, instead of the Snapdragon 865. The Exynos 990, fabricated on a 7nm process, pairs well with Mali-G77 MP11 for graphics processing. My preliminary usage suggests some improvement over last year's Galaxy S10 series, but I haven't yet made a final verdict. A comparison with the Snapdragon 865 powered iQOO 3, which felt snappier, gives me more data for a comprehensive review.
Rectangular Camera and Battery with 25W Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S20 boasts a quad-rear camera setup with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide shooter, a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens, a 64-megapixel telephoto sensor, and a DepthVision 3D ToF sensor. The front camera, situated in the small display punch-hole, is a 10-megapixel selfie lens. It remains too early to comment on the camera quality, but I believe Samsung has added a few features aimed at 2020 standards.
Speaking of the battery, it's undoubtedly an important aspect of flagship Samsung phones. The Galaxy S20 sports a 4500mAh battery with 25W fast charging support. You will find the 25W charger in the box, along with 15W wireless charging and 9W reverse wireless charging capabilities. This setup is a significant step up from previous models, which faced battery troubles after a few months of usage.
Initial Thoughts
Samsung has already started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S20 in India, which will be available from March 6. Notably, the company is only selling the 4G LTE connectivity models of Galaxy S20 in India, while the global debut contained 5G models. My initial thoughts on the phone highlight Samsung's dedication to fit, feel, and finish, exemplified by the new rectangular camera and Infinity-O display. The upgrade to 25W fast charging is commendable, but the market trend of up to 100W fast charging highlights still unmet demand.