How they compare: Samsung Galaxy S20 vs. iPhone 11 Pro

New phones, new decisions to make.
 By 
Haidee Chu
 on 
How they compare: Samsung Galaxy S20 vs. iPhone 11 Pro
The Galaxy S20 is out. So how does it stack up to the iPhone 11 Pro? Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable

On Tuesday, Samsung unveiled a new lineup of Galaxy smartphones and the company's already set expectations high by jumping from the S10 straight to the S20.

While we already wrote about the new Galaxy line's glo-up, we know the burning question on all of your minds: How does it compare to its closest rival, the iPhone 11 Pro?

Here's a quick comparison of the two phones' most sought-after features.


Design

At 7.9mm, the Galaxy S20 is ever so slightly thinner than the iPhone 11 Pro, which measures in at an 8.1mm thickness. But where Apple has Samsung beat is in its color options: The S20 comes only in three colors — cosmic gray, cloud blue and cloud pink — while the iPhone 11 Pro is available in four. Both phones, however, feature near bezel-less displays.

Galaxy S20

  • Thickness: 7.9 mm

  • Colors: cosmic gray, cloud blue, cloud pink

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Prettiest in pink Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable

iPhone 11 Pro

  • Thickness: 8.1 mm

  • Colors: gold, space gray, silver, midnight green

Mashable Image
The iPhone 11 Pro in Midnight green. Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable

Display

The S20's 6.2-inch display is bigger than that of the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro, packing a higher resolution and more pixels per inch than its Apple counterpart. That means you can expect a more crisp and detailed display from the S20 than the iPhone 11 Pro.

Galaxy S20

  • 6.2 inches

  • 3,200 x 1,440 pixels

  • 563 ppi

Mashable Image
The Galaxy S20's display is bigger and has a higher resolution. Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable

iPhone 11 Pro

  • 5.8 inches

  • 2,436 x 1,125 pixels

  • 458 ppi

Mashable Image
The iPhone 11 Pro has a smaller display than the S20. Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable

Rear cameras

Both the S20 and iPhone 11 Pro have rear triple-camera setups featuring ultra-wide, wide-angle, and telephoto lenses. Not much to see there. But, the S20's telephoto camera one-ups the 11 Pro in the megapixel department, coming in at 64MP. Its ultra-wide camera, too, has a slightly better aperture than the iPhone, which means it can take in more light. And let's not forget the S20's zoom capabilities (up to 30X) which outpace its Apple counterpart.

Galaxy S20

  • Ultra-wide camera: 12MP, f/2.2

  • Wide-angle camera: 12MP, f/1.8

  • Telephoto camera: 64MP, f/2.0

  • Optic zoom: 3X

  • Digital zoom: 30X

Mashable Image
Cameras for days Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable

iPhone 11 Pro

  • Ultra-wide camera: 12MP, f/2.4 aperture

  • Wide-angle camera: 12MP, f/1.8 aperture

  • Telephoto camera: 12MP, f/2.0 aperture

  • Optic zoom: 2X

  • Digital zoom: 10X

Mashable Image
The three-camera system that birthed a meme Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable

Network and connectivity

5G is the hot new thing in the mobile game right now and Samsung is slightly ahead of the pack here. The S20 supports low-/mid-band sub-6 5G, whereas the iPhone 11 Pro doesn't feature 5G connectivity at all. But, since 5G is currently only available in a select few cities, it's not all that much of a competitive advantage at the moment.

Galaxy S20

  • Sub-6 5G

iPhone 11 Pro

  • LTE


Price

The two phones have basically the same starting price: $999. However, the S20 offers 128GB internal storage as a base at that price, whereas, with the iPhone 11 Pro, you only get 64GB. You can upgrade the iPhone's storage, of course, but it will cost you more.

Galaxy S20

  • 128GB: $999

iPhone 11 Pro

  • 64GB: $999

  • 256GB: $1,149

  • 512GB: $1,349

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Haidee Chu

Haidee Chu is an editorial fellow covering technology from New York. She likes to write about how tech intersects with art, design, culture, society, and the public interest.

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