Samsung Galaxy A20 Review

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Samsung has been incessantly flooding A-series phones for the last couple of months. In fact, in just the last 50 days or so we have witnessed the launch of seven A-series phones shooting the Galaxy total up to 15 this year. The strategy, however, seems to be working since the South-Korean giant has already sold over 2 Million A-series phones in just the first 40 days! (Samsung Galaxy A20 review हिंदी में पढ़िए)

The Galaxy A20, that we’d be discussing today, overlaps with the Galaxy M20 (Review) or lies somewhere in the middle of the two M20 variants, to be precise. Since this is an A-series phone, you get a relatively better design, fast charging, an AMOLED screen, and the new One UI software. These are clear cut advantages that cannot be discounted. But are these perks good enough to overshadow the likes of Realme 3 Pro and the much sought-after Redmi Note 7 Pro that offer faster processors? Read on our Galaxy A20 review to know our take.

Page Contents:

Samsung Galaxy A20 Price and Specifications

Model Samsung Galaxy A20
Display 6.4-inch 720×1560 HD+ pixels, AMOLED, Infinity-V cutout
Processor 1.6 GHz octa-core Exynos 7884 SoC
RAM 3GB
Internal Storage 32GB, Dedicated card slot (expandable up to 512GB)
Software Android 9 Pie based One UI
Primary Camera 13MP (F1.9) + 5MP (F2.2)
Front Camera 8MP (F/2.0)
Fingerprint sensor Yes, rear-mounted
Battery 4000mAh with fast charging
Price Rs. 11,490

Samsung Galaxy A20 Unboxing: What’s in the box?

The Samsung Galaxy A20 box contents include:

  • Handset
  • Adaptive fast charger
  • USB Type-C cable
  • SIM ejector tool
  • Basic headphones
  • Documentation

Also Read: Realme 3 Pro vs Redmi Note 7 Pro comparison

Samsung Galaxy A20 Review: Design and Build

The Samsung Galaxy A20 follows the standard 2019 A-series design. It has premium looking 3D ‘glasstic’ back (which is a fancier way of putting glass-finish polycarbonate back), a much-appreciated USB Type-C port, and it feels extremely solid. It’s also exactly similar to the Galaxy A30, except that Samsung is using a different AMOLED panel with a V cutout (as compared to Infinity-U on A30, a minor change).

But all those are mere details. No matter what the design labels say (glass, 3D, curved, rounded, etc.), we know a good design when we see one. The Galaxy A20 is slick and sexy and it’s extremely comfortable to hold and to operate. Our Red color review unit has drawn polarized opinions, but we kind of like it. Our only gripe is that the fingerprint sensor is a bit too close to the top.

Samsung Galaxy A20 Review: Display

Samsung bestows this affordable phone with an AMOLED screen, but the catch here is that the resolution is just HD+ (which is more of a concern since this is an OLED screen). This was a thing we were concerned about going into the review, but using the phone first hand pacified us. 

Yes, our trained eyes can make out soft edges and fuzzy text but HD resolution on a phone screen. But yes, it’s definitely something we can live with.

The AMOLED panel offers excellent contrast, close to neutral whites, and the option to choose between 4 color presets (Basic being our personal favorite). The screen isn’t sharp enough, but it’s light on eyes, well-calibrated, and wonderful to look at.

Also Read: Realme 3 Pro Review – The Real Redmi Note 7 Pro Challenger

Samsung Galaxy A20 Review: Performance and Software

Samsung is following a very weird nomenclature for its Exynos chips. The Exynos 7904 (Galaxy M20, M30, A30) is actually weaker than the Galaxy 7885, but it’s still better performing than the Exynos 7884 that powers the Galaxy A20.  

The handset comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB native storage. There’s a dedicated card slot that you may use to add additional microSD storage.

Long story short, the Galaxy A20 is primarily meant for very basic users. The performance isn’t snappy, but we didn’t encounter any stutters with day-to-day usage. Casual games are playable, but the hardcore stuff doesn’t run smooth.

The software, on the other hand, counts as a major strength. Samsung’s new One UI is sublime and very simple to navigate or to get used to. We are quite taken in with the redesign and nifty animations, and the UI is very well optimized. Like all recently launched Samsung phones, the Galaxy A20 supports HD streaming on Amazon Prime and Netflix.

The fingerprint sensor can detect and reference your fingers really fast, but it takes another extra second (or a fraction of a second) for the screen to wake up.  Face unlock is reasonably fast but not snappy.

As for call quality, we didn’t face any issues with calling. Dual 4G VoLTE is supported, but the Galaxy A20 does not have dual-band Wi-Fi support.

Samsung Galaxy A20 Review: Camera

The Galaxy A20 benefits from all the work Samsung has put over years into refining its camera software. The camera performance turned out to be quite good considering the price.

The handset has a 13MP rear camera and a secondary 5MP wide-angle shooter. In proper lighting (both indoors and outdoors), the images clicked have reasonable details and wide dynamic range. Colors are punchy without going overboard.

Colors are well balanced outdoors
Details in the backdrop are fuzzy. The subject appears fine.

The Galaxy A20 can lock focus quickly outdoors, but not indoors. The camera fumbles metering in tricky shots or for shots with light sources in the background. 

In low light, details take a hit and there is visible noise, but the camera software is smart enough to churn out useable pictures.

The wide-angle camera can be used to zoom out and shoot landscapes, but there’s distortion around edges which can get a bit distracting.

The portrait mode (Live focus) only works when the camera detects a face nearby. It’s primarily software-powered and felt a bit underwhelming.

The 8MP selfie camera can click workable shots but only in proper outdoor lighting.

Overall, the Galaxy A20 camera performance is not impressive by far, but it’s perhaps acceptable for the price.

Samsung Galaxy A20 Review: Battery

The Galaxy A20 has a 4000mAh battery with fast charging support. The battery mileage is awesome and we could easily last for more than a day on most days.

A fast charger is bundled in the box. In case you don’t know, Samsung’s a bit chary about fast charging on phones. Its Adaptive Fast Charging maxes at 15W, even for flagships like Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S10. So, yeah, the fast charging is moderately fast, but it still counts as an advantage at this price point. The battery charges to 35-percent in the first 30 minutes and takes less than two hours for a full charge. 

Also Read: Huawei P30 Pro Camera Review

Samsung Galaxy A20 Review: Verdict

In terms of specs, the Galaxy A20 is outclassed by the likes of Realme 3 Pro and Redmi Note 7 that fall in the price segment. Having said that, if consumers were to experience the three phones in a closed room without any idea about their specs, many would be inclined to go with the Galaxy A20.

That’s because of the solid impression it casts. The design is wonderful, the phone is compact and handy, the One UI software is extremely likable, and the AMOLED display is gorgeous. At the same time, the choice of chipset and performance configuration limits the phone to very basic users especially if you are considering the Galaxy A20 in 2020.

Pros

  • Premium design
  • AMOLED display
  • Dedicated Card Slot
  • Excellent battery backup and fast charging
  • Excellent software

Cons

  • Performance
  • Mediocre camera performance
  • Low display resolution

 

Deepak SinghDeepak Singh
Deepak has more than 8 years of experience in covering technology for several eminent publications in India. He currently leads an enthusiastic team of young writers at Smartprix and tries to uphold the highest quality standards.

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56 Comments
User
Nathan C Sams
Anonymous
2 years ago

I love mine…but lately the battery fails too quickly…once it’s lower than 20%, I plug it in to charge and as soon as I do that the percentage goes down to 0 within five minutes. I have no idea why it does that. I bought it in September of 2020.

Reply
User
manjood
Anonymous
2 years ago

good phone

Reply
User
Laure
Anonymous
2 years ago

I have T-Mobile and bought an A20. That was over a year ago and I couldn’t stand it anymore! Putting my old phone, a Galaxy J7Prime next to the A20, it wouldn’t download an app I needed, next to the J7 that didn’t have a problem. I’m trading it in today

Reply
User
An Honest reviewer
Anonymous
3 years ago

This is so far the most useless phone I have came across, it’s so complex and hard to use specially as a ex-iphone user. It is NOT wonderful nor easy to use, it’s just a waste. DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE, SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

Reply
User
Hairstyles
Anonymous
3 years ago

Thanks , I’ve recently been looking for info approximately this topic for a while and yours is the best I have discovered till now. However, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you certain concerning the supply?

Reply
User
Tina E Wilson
Anonymous
3 years ago

Oh man now I am asking myself if I got the right phone now A20 but for the money I had no choice wish me luck I just got it so I will update in a month or so unless something really crappy goes wrong crossing my fingers it don’t 🙂

Reply
User
Michael
Anonymous
3 years ago

I have had my A20 for a year now. I have no complaints, for it has worked very well for me. Maybe some of the complaints on this phone have more to do with there service providers?

Reply
User
Patty Brown
Anonymous
3 years ago

I don’t understand all of the negative comments. I switched from V*** to Spectrum Mobile a couple of months ago and purchased a Samsung A20. I have not had a problem with it at all. Hopefully, after reading all of these negative comments, I won’t start experiencing any!

Reply