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There are two ways to assess whether or not a new phone is a just purchase. In the first case, you only need a phone that works for basic tasks, from Internet status to messaging applications. In the second case, here the situation becomes more interesting, you want something more, because it is no longer just a smartphone, it is an investment that helps you in the things you have to do. In the latter case, this year’s Samsung Galaxy S20 series also enters.
We are going through an intense debate in these times. Okay, it’s one that started about two years ago, but in 2020 it got worse. The hypothesis of the debate is this: if the phones have become so good and no longer cost as much, why would I be interested in the models that are the best in the portfolio?
For two-thirds of phone users, the debate is simple: You don’t need the most expensive model. But there is also that third party, of which I am a part, of which only the top range has those characteristics and capabilities that make it worth buying.
In 2020, Samsung has the Galaxy S20 series, among which the S20 Ultra, the 108 megapixel camera phone and the best hardware available for the company stand out. For my experiment to see how good the top of the portfolio is, I chose the Samsung S20, the smallest display version. And that’s for a pretty practical reason: I watch movies and series on Netflix or YouTube videos in bed quite often, and it’s easier for me to use a smaller screen model with one hand. So if the S20 Ultra is perfect in every respect, the Samsung S20 I used is perfectly simple.
But to understand what characterizes this year’s phones, you should know that since the end of 2018 Samsung has begun a transformation. He then launched the One UI interface for Android, which, until now, has remained the most useful approach in this segment. It is fast, with a modern and intuitive design for most users. Sure, in the meantime it has reached version 2.1, but the radical change was made then. So in 2020 the Galaxy S20 series is like an effortless refinement of a good idea.
What makes a camera exceptional, beyond the sensor, artificial intelligence system, or lens type
The three Samsung Galaxy S20 phones differ in two main features: the screen size and the 108 MP camera on the S20 Ultra. Therefore, the model I used, in a shade that you could say is pink-weighted, has a 6.2-inch display that makes it comfortable to hold in your pocket and use with one hand. Concerned about autonomy? It should not, because, unlike other generations of the Galaxy S series, Samsung did not save battery: 4,000 mAh.
But the screen is extremely important, if you haven’t grasped it yet. The one on the S20 is HDR10 + certified and Dynamic AMOLED. Why would you mind? Because the former provides you with higher quality video content and the latter offers some perfect black tones, not to mention very good colors. Well, you don’t have to believe me, the screen specialists said better.
But this chapter is about the camera whose quality I could only guess after I got used to a high level since the Samsung Galaxy S10e in 2019. Only in 2020 Samsung has changed things a bit.
It has maintained a 12-megapixel wide-camera sensor (the general angle of which is classic coverage on all phones for over a decade), has 12 MP for ultra wide-angle, and the surprise is the zoom sensor: 64 MP with zoom 3x hybrid. Why is this sensor relevant? Because it is also used to film in 8K what this phone can do. Yes, 8K. And even if you don’t use this resolution for video, it’s still impressive that a phone can shoot like this.
But the above is related to hardware and you don’t usually think about components when taking photos or filming. So a question remains: what makes a good camera on a phone, beyond the technical characteristics?
Samsung has added and improved artificial intelligence skills for the camera app in recent years. But ultimately, what you’re interested in is the look of the final product. And, from my experience with the S20, I can say that it looks great. I base this statement on three criteria: good exposure of a painting (even in video), colors and stabilization.
All around are colorful, I think it is already obvious, so you want to capture the best you can in a photo or video. Samsung S20 is doing very well in this regard. Then when it comes to stabilization, he has no problems with the images, and in the video there is an absolutely crazy form called Super Steady. You activate it and the image just freezes, but for the better. Here’s a mix between optical and digital stabilization, and at the end you end up with an excellent video.
When it comes to good exposure, well, here you have to see to believe. But the idea is simple. Without making any settings, without complications, the phone strikes an optimal balance between areas that are too dark and too bright. HDR mode works great here, which you can leave in the car or activate whenever you want.
I cannot end this chapter of images without referring to Single Take. You enter it, activate it, then the phone captures all those images (photo and video) that it considers worth keeping. Use all the cameras in this sense and in the end you choose what you want to keep and what not. The great advantage is that you don’t miss any frame you want.
Why would you buy a flagship in 2020?
I started this article because of the divide between users: the two-thirds that most phones are good for and the third one that needs more. The acquisition of a flagship also comes into play here.
What would you need? Regardless of what status it would warrant in the eyes of others, a flagship is little more than a symbol. In 2020, more than ever, we are talking about a hyperportable computer. Overall, our cheapest electronics do 80% of what we need. For the remaining 20% we pay more, percentage by percentage. In this context, the Samsung S20, in whatever version it takes, easily covers that 20%.
The first reason that comes to mind is DeX. This project started as a gadget that connects your phone to a screen. Now, for the new series, you can install an app on your laptop, or connect a monitor directly to your phone, and suddenly you have your phone turned into a regular computer with a physical keyboard and mouse. Why would you do that? Because in this way you have all the data centralized in one place and it does not depend on a workspace.
I used DeX on my laptop and PC to quickly transfer my files, more intuitively than through simple data transfer, to use the apps I like on my phone, like VSCO, but also to see if I can tailor my workflow around the phone. Could without any problem. As an idea, and in parallel with the camera, VSCO is an excellent photo processing application, and on Samsung phones you have four exclusive ways to give a little more fantasy to the images, as you felt when they were made. In the case of the Premiere Rush videos.
When I speak of the Samsung S20 as a flagship, it has an extremely useful option at a time when we are increasingly migrating to a wireless world: reversible wireless charging. Sure, it’s not an absolute novelty, Samsung introduced it in 2019, but it’s a very useful feature on the new series of phones. Several times I charged another phone on the back of this Samsung S20. And most of the time I charged the Galaxy Buds headphones. Last but not least, I charge the cordless phone, because it is so much easier to use so I tangle the cables on a desk that I don’t have space for yet.
But I feel like all of the above doesn’t come to a crux: what’s the first and most obvious thing about a flagship and in this case the Samsung S20? I didn’t mention it on the screen, but it’s one with a refresh rate of 120Hz. For comparison, the previous generation of phones had a refresh rate of just 60Hz. But what does this difference mean in everyday use? Quick. Everything is faster, from opening applications to going through menus. Virtually any interaction with the phone feels fast, not just because of the technical features. Once you test such a screen, it’s extremely difficult to go back to a normal one (although I don’t know why I would).
Finally, there is something else to mention. I use OneDrive on a Microsoft subscription that allows me to access 1TB of cloud storage and the suite of Office applications. And, more recently, I can sync the Microsoft cloud with Samsung’s automatic photo save directly to a dedicated folder. This goes a little in the area of data security and ensures that you never lose it.
What else can a phone like the Samsung S20 use, even when you’re at home?
If you’re the type of person who spends at least an hour a day on Facebook or other social media, you’ve already noticed people complaining that they ate too much during this time, that they didn’t do enough sports. As good as the Samsung S20 is as a flagship, it is as good as a personal trainer. Of course, it has its “limitations”: don’t yell at yourself that you didn’t do all the exercises or that you allowed yourself too much cheating. But it does its job to control how many calories you consume (and should consume), how much you moved in a day, and through Samsung Health, you can connect other apps that control your lifestyle.
Equally, or perhaps a little more, he was interested in AR Doodle. The phone has an area called AR Zone with all kinds of augmented reality applications. You can draw anything in the air, for example, and you can go digitally with your phone through that area. Or you can create a digital portrait with augmented reality. There are some special forms that you can download and explore in this funnier area.
And from classic camera modes, I recommend live focus for video with a special filter that is somewhat reminiscent of VHS video, but with a touch of retro movie. They look great, and even if not everything you’re shooting is Hollywood, at least some things will look better as time goes on. If reality seems boring to you sometimes, you can improve with a filter. Did I at least make my dog look more cinematic? Yes, that’s a good word. It is ready for casting.
On a more serious note, and at the end of the experience, the Samsung S20, in whatever configuration it takes, is a flagship. I will venture to say that he really is the best right now. It has an excellent integration to save photos, videos and other files in the cloud. It has a very mature and efficient photo-video application. It has a large battery with adequate autonomy, it has an excellent screen and a robust construction. It’s a perfect match between phone and computer, especially when connected to a monitor or PC via DeX, and it’s always a handy camera.
When I say the Samsung S20 is the best flagship available right now, I am confident in what it can do for me, in my regular usage flow, but also in all those options that it has and that I might need at some point in the future. . And it’s hands down the best phone when it comes to anything that needs a camera. As a test, it can also shoot 8K, even if you don’t already have a TV.
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