The OnePlus 8T vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: Which is right for you?

The OnePlus 8T is the newest affordable flagship from OnePlus. Despite the relatively cheap price of just $ 749, it has a ton of high-end hardware and software. Of course, there are many great, affordable flagships out there these days, including the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition). The newly introduced S20 variant has a lot in common with the Galaxy S20, but it does make some concessions in order to hit the low price of $ 699. The real question is, which phone should you buy?

We’ve already tested the S20 FE and the OnePlus 8T, but let’s take a closer look at how the two phones compare. Here’s our early look at the OnePlus 8T versus the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.

See also: Samsung Galaxy S20 FE review | OnePlus 8T review

OnePlus 8T vs. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: Technical data

	OnePlus 8T	Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
display	6.55 inch AMOLED Resolution 2,400 x 1,080 402ppi 120Hz refresh rate Aspect ratio 20: 9	6.5-inch flat Super AMOLED Infinity-O-neckline, centered FHD + (2,400 x 1,080) resolution 407ppi 120Hz refresh rate HDR 10+ Gorilla Glass 3 cover
processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 4x Cortex-A77 4x Cortex-A55	5G models: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 4G models: Samsung Exynos 990
GPU	Adreno 650	5G models: Adreno 650 4G models: Arm Mali-G77 MP11
R.A.M.	8 GB / 12 GB LDPPR4x	6 GB LPDDR5
warehouse	128 GB / 256 GB No microSD slot	128 GB microSD support up to 1TB
Cameras	back Main: 48 MP, 1: 1.7 aperture, 0.8 µm pixel, optical + electronic image stabilization Secondary: 16 MP, aperture 2.2, ultra wide (123-degree FoV) Macro: 5 MP, 3 cm focal length Monochrome: 2 MP 4K at 60 fps / 30 fps front 16MP sensor, f / 2.4, 1.0 μm pixel, fixed focus, electronic image stabilization	Back: 12 MP wide-angle dual pixels, OIS ƒ 1.8, 1 / 1.76 inch, 1.8 μm 12 MP ultra-wide ƒ2.2, 1 / 3.06 in, 1.12 μm 8MP Tele 3x optical zoom, OIS 30x digital “Space Zoom” ƒ2.4, 1 / 4.4in, 1.0μm Front: 32 MP (grouped to 8 MP) ƒ2.2, 1 / 2.8 in, 0.8 μm
Headphone jack	No	No
battery	4,500 mAh 65W charging	4,500mAh battery 15W wired charging (in-box adapter) 25W wired charging (additional adapter required) 15W wireless charging Wireless PowerShare
IP rating	None for unlocked model Degree of protection IP68 for the T-Mobile version	IP68
software	Android 11	Android 10
Dimensions and weight	160.7 x 74.1 x 8.4 mm 188g	74.5 x 159.8 x 8.4 mm 190 g
Colours	Aquamarine green, moon silver	Cloud Navy, Cloud Red, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud White, Cloud Orange

design

The OnePlus 8T has a design that is not that different from its predecessor, although there are some obvious differences, such as: B. a new camera setup in the upper left corner. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE looks very similar to the original Galaxy S20, but replaces the glass back with a glass-like plastic material that is held together by an aluminum frame.

While both manufacturers have very different design languages, they also have some things in common. Both handsets have AMOLED displays. The S20 FE has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The OnePlus 8T has a slightly larger 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED display with the same resolution and refresh rate. Potholes are the name of the game here, although the S20 FE centers the pothole while the OnePlus 8T pushes it to the top left corner. As you’d expect, none of the phones have a headphone jack.

Both phones offer very iterative designs, although there have been some notable improvements.

There are only two colors to choose from for the OnePlus 8T: Lunar Silver and Aquamarine Green. Samsung takes a different approach and offers some color options. You can choose between Cloud Navy, Cloud Red, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud White or Cloud Orange.

If water and dust resistance is important to you, you’ll be pleased to know that the Galaxy S20 FE is rated IP68. There is no such rating for the regular activated OnePlus 8T. However, T-Mobile users can purchase the so-called OnePlus 8T Plus, which offers the same overall functions but has an IP68 rating.

hardware

You’ll find plenty of power no matter which phone you choose. Both devices have the same Qualcomm 865 chipset with 5G support. For those outside the US, there is also an optional 4G version of the Galaxy S20 FE with Samsung’s in-house Exynos 990 chip. If 5G is important to you, the Galaxy S20 FE is the more rugged choice, with support for Sub-6 and mmwave. The 8T only supports Sub-6, which means it won’t work with certain providers like Verizon.

If you look at the rest of the specifications, you will find several differences. For starters, the OnePlus 8T has two configurations: 8 GB of RAM with 128 GB of storage or 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. The Galaxy S20 FE has 6 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128 GB of onboard storage. While there’s no model with more RAM or storage, you can also add up to 1TB of additional storage via microSD.

See also: Best camera phones

Both phones have a 4,500 mAh battery and support fast charging. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has 15W wired charging but supports 25W with an optional adapter. The OnePlus 8T improves on use with the included Warp Charge 65 charger, which can charge the 8T to 100% in just 39 minutes. The 8T can even quickly charge other devices at speeds up to 45W.

Only the Galaxy S20 FE supports wireless charging at speeds of up to 15 W. There is even support for wireless reverse charging of other devices.

camera

The OnePlus 8T has a Sony IMX586 48MP main camera on the back plus a 16MP 123-degree ultra-wide camera. There is also a third 5MP macro sensor as well as one 2MP monochrome camera. Finally there is a 16MP camera in the front.

According to OnePlus, the 8T includes some special AI-controlled camera functions. One of them will automatically detect if the phone is in low light, so it can instantly switch the camera to Nightscape mode. During our review of the phone, we found that we were disappointed with the overall image quality of the photos taken with the cameras.

In contrast, the Galaxy S20 FE has three camera sensors on the back: a 12-megapixel standard camera, a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera. You also get a 32MP front camera. In our test of the phone, we found that the Galaxy S20 FE cameras deliver solid but unspectacular images. Video clips can also be recorded, but these are limited to a 4K resolution of 60 fps.

software

The OnePlus 8T comes with OxygenOS 11, which is based on the new Android 11 operating system. While Oxygen OS has kept a very stock-like design in the past, the latest software makes a few changes that take it a little further from standard Android. Some of the changes include the addition of a new OnePlus Sans font, a new Always On Display feature, and improvements to Dark and Zen modes.

The Galaxy S20 FE comes with Android 10 with the One UI skin. There’s no word on when the Android 11 update might be available. Samsung has promised to support the Galaxy S20 FE with three Android operating system updates. The OnePlus 8T receives at least two Android operating system updates plus an additional year for software security updates only.

Further reading: Oxygen OS vs One UI

price

OnePlus 8T with 8 GB RAM, 128 GB storage – $ 549 / 42,999 Rs
OnePlus 8T with 12 GB RAM, 256 GB storage – £ 649 / $ 749 / Rs 45,999
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – $ 699 / £ 699 / € 759
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (4G only) – £ 599 / € 659

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is getting $ 699 back in the US. Verizon Wireless sells its own variant, the Galaxy S20 FE 5G UW, which costs $ 749 and can connect to the carrier’s 5G broadband network. You can get the 5G model in the UK for £ 699 and the 4G version for £ 599. In Europe, the 4G model costs 659 euros and the 5G version 759 euros.

As for the OnePlus 8T? The US only offers the 12GB / 256GB version priced at $ 749. Other regions offer the 8GB / 128GB version, priced at £ 549 (~ $ 709) in the UK.

OnePlus 8T Better than the OnePlus 8, but still not as good as the OnePlus 8 Pro

OnePlus’s newest flagship has some relatively subtle improvements over the OnePlus 8. However, it has a big new feature: Warp Charge 65, which allows the 8T to charge faster than any other OnePlus phone.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE All the best features of the Galaxy S20 series at a lower price

If you don’t mind cutting a few corners, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (which stands for “Fan Edition”) might be the phone you’re looking for. It has most of the flagship specs and features of the Galaxy S20 family but cuts costs to keep the price down.

OnePlus 8T vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: What Should You Buy?

On paper, the Galaxy S20 FE beats the OnePlus 8T in several areas, including price. It also supports wireless charging, and Samsung is promising at least three Android operating system updates for the phone. Pictures taken with the Galaxy S20 FE seem to outperform those taken with the OnePlus 8T. The protection class IP68 is nice to have. Finally, this microSD slot offers users more storage expansion.

However, the OnePlus 8T offers more onboard storage for its US version, as well as a lot more RAM. It ships with Android 11. The Warp Charge 65W charger means you’ll be up and running with the phone in much less time than the Galaxy S20 FE. The glass back is a bit higher quality than the plastic of the Samsung phone. However, it’s strange that the IP68 rating is only available for the version sold at T-Mobile.

It’s a close bond between the OnePlus 8T and the Galaxy S20 FE, and it ultimately comes down to personal preference.

Would you like to try more options? These are the best Android phones that you can buy today

That’s our early look at the OnePlus 8T versus the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. Which are you considering