Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy S20 range, which is the company's first major flagship smartphone series for 2020. The devices mark a new era for Samsung phones, according to the company.

With three new devices in the lineup, what can you expect from this year's batch of smartphones? Here's a rundown of everything you should know about the S20 smartphones, from their most interesting features to the prices.

1. Why Not the Galaxy S11?

Samsung shook up its normal flagship naming convention this year. Instead of the expected S11 name following 2019's S10 range, the 2020 Galaxy lineup is called the S20 series.

So why the name change?

According to Sung Yoon, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Africa, the company chose the S20 name not to reflect the year of its release, but rather "because it's a gamechanger."

While some of the expected tweaks and improvements have been made for the whole 2020 Galaxy S series, the features of the high-end S20 Ultra definitely set the range apart from previous installments.

2. Galaxy S20 Smartphone Specs and Features

galaxy s20 range smartphones

The Galaxy S20 range features three phones: the standard Galaxy S20, the Galaxy S20+, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Rather than opting for an entry-level device in the range (such as the S10e in the S10 series), the S20 smartphones range from premium to ultra-premium.

While the S20 and S20+ mostly differ in battery and storage size, the S20 Ultra marks a significant upgrade from the standard model. This is thanks to its camera and other impressive hardware features.

Have a look at the specifications for each phone below:

Galaxy S20 Specifications

The Galaxy S20 is the standard flagship of the S20 range. However, even with its more conservative features compared to the other S20 phones, it still packs some impressive hardware.

The main features of the S20 include:

  • Display: 6.2-inch 3200x1440 Quad HD display with dynamic AMOLED
  • Battery: 4000mAh
  • RAM:8GB/12GB
  • Storage: 128GB
  • Main camera: Triple lens camera (12MP ultra-wide + 12MP wide-angle + 64MP telephoto lens)
  • Front-facing camera: 10MP selfie camera

Galaxy S20+ Specifications

The Galaxy S20+ offers a slight improvement on the standard S20 recipe. It packs a bigger battery, an extra camera lens, and the option for more storage.

You can see a list of S20+ specifications below:

  • Display: 6.7-inch 3200x1440 Quad HD display with dynamic AMOLED
  • Battery: 4500mAh
  • RAM: 8GB/12GB
  • Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB
  • Main camera: Quad lens camera (12MP ultra-wide + 12MP wide-angle + 64MP telephoto + depth-sensing lens)
  • Front-facing camera: 10MP selfie camera

Galaxy S20 Ultra Specifications

The Galaxy S20 Ultra is the most powerful of the S20 devices, with a high-resolution main camera and tons of battery power.

Here are the highlights for the Galaxy S20 Ultra's specifications:

  • Display: 6.9-inch 3200x1440 Quad HD display with dynamic AMOLED
  • Battery: 5000mAh
  • RAM: 12GB/16GB
  • Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB
  • Main camera: Quad lens camera (12MP ultra-wide + 108MP wide-angle + 48MP telephoto + depth-sensing lens)
  • Front-facing camera: 40MP selfie camera

3. The Galaxy S20 Lineup Features Full 5G Support

Unlike previous launches, 5G support is not only limited to certain devices within the S20 series. Rather, the entire S20 lineup will work with 5G.

Samsung said in its launch press release that "to harness this new generation of connectivity, every device in the Galaxy S20 series---the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra---comes equipped with the latest 5G technology. All three devices are capable of delivering non-standalone and standalone 5G capabilities."

This is part of Samsung's push to support 5G networks and high-speed connectivity. The company has even partnered with Google to allow S20 users to upload their 8K videos directly to YouTube.

4. Experience Samsung's Best Camera Yet in the Galaxy S20 Ultra

samsung galaxy s20 ultra camera

The Galaxy S20 Ultra marks a major step forward in Samsung's smartphone camera technology. This device is the first phone from the company to feature a 108MP lens.

This wide-angle lens, along with AI processing, enables the S20 Ultra to reach 100x zoom. That greatly outpaces the maximum zoom of the S20 and S20+ cameras, which both reach 30x zoom.

Of course, zooming at this level will cause some distortion. But it sets a new standard to beat for other smartphone makers.

The S20 Ultra also has a 48MP telephoto lens as part of its quad-camera setup. The S20 Ultra doesn't skimp on the selfie end either, as it offers a 40MP front-facing camera.

5. New Camera Modes Available on the Galaxy S20

While the S20 Ultra is definitely the leader of the pack when it comes to camera capabilities, Samsung has introduced new camera features across all three devices. This includes an 8K video snap mode, which records video at 8K resolution and lets you isolate and save 33MP stills from the video clip.

Another new mode, called Single Take, records shorts clips and uses AI to highlight the best stills, provide suggested filters, and apply video editing effects.

Other highlighted camera features include improved night photography and even a night hyperlapse mode. Meanwhile, the S20+ and S20 Ultra enable 3D scanning and AR measuring thanks to their depth-sensing lenses.

6. Galaxy S20 Phones Launch Date and Price

man holding galaxy s20 smartphone

The Galaxy S20 series launches on March 6, 2020, with pre-orders beginning on February 21. The phones will cost between $999.99 and $1,599.99, depending on the model and storage capacity.

Below is a summary of the launch prices for the Galaxy S20 smartphones:

  • Galaxy S20: $999.99
  • Galaxy S20+: $1,199.99 (128GB) | $1,299.99 (512GB)
  • Galaxy S20 Ultra: $1,399.99 (128GB) | $1,599.99 (512GB)

Samsung is offering bonus credit for pre-ordering the phones. There are also various trade-in options for those looking to save on the cost of an upgrade.

The smartphones are also available in a variety of new colors, including Cosmic Gray, Cloud Blue, and Cloud Pink.

Galaxy S20 Brings an S10 Price Drop

At the S20 launch, Samsung also announced that it would reduce the price of the Galaxy S10 range. This might prompt you to look at the company's 2019 flagships, which have enjoyed high ratings to this day.

To find out more about the S10 range, have a look at our guide to the Galaxy S10 series features you should know about. And if you get one of these devices, make sure you know how to customize your Samsung phone.