1. Specifications Comparison
Design
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Dimensions | 159.8 × 74.5 × 8.4 mm | 161.9 × 74.1 × 7.8 mm | Honor 90 is slightly taller and thinner, potentially feeling more modern and easier to hold for some. |
| Weight | 190g | 183g | Honor 90 is marginally lighter, which might be noticeable during extended use. |
| Build Quality (Screen Protection) | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Unknown | S20 FE 5G offers known screen protection, likely more resistant to scratches and minor impacts. Honor 90 screen protection is unknown which could be a point of concern. |
Display
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Size | 6.5" | 6.7" | Honor 90 provides a slightly more immersive viewing experience. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1200x2664 | Honor 90 offers sharper images and text, resulting in a clearer visual experience, particularly noticeable when viewing high-resolution content. |
| Pixel Density | 407 PPI | 435 PPI | Images on the Honor 90 will appear slightly crisper. |
| Technology | AMOLED | AMOLED | Both offer vibrant colors and deep blacks. |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | Both provide smooth scrolling and animations. |
| Brightness | 1200 nits | 1600 nits | Honor 90 offers better visibility in direct sunlight, making it easier to use outdoors. |
Performance
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Accelerated Edition (4 nm) | While the S20 FE has a flagship chipset from its time, the newer 4nm process of the Honor 90's chipset can offer better power efficiency and potentially comparable performance for most tasks. |
| AnTuTu Score | 623,000 | 701,227 | Honor 90 benchmarks slightly higher, suggesting marginally better overall performance, especially in CPU-intensive tasks. |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 644 | S20 FE 5G may have a slight edge in graphics-intensive tasks like gaming, but the difference may not be significant for most users. |
Camera
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Main Camera | 12MP, f/1.8, 1/1.76" sensor | 200MP, f/1.9, 1/1.4" sensor | Honor 90's 200MP camera can capture significantly more detail, allowing for greater flexibility in cropping and editing. |
| Selfie Camera | 32MP, f/2.2, 1/2.8" sensor | 50MP, f/2.4 | Honor 90 should capture more detailed selfies. |
| Telephoto Lens | 8MP, f/2.0 | None | S20 FE 5G offers optical zoom capabilities, allowing for closer shots without significant quality loss. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 12MP, f/2.2 | None | S20 FE 5G allows for capturing wider scenes, which is useful for group photos or landscapes. |
| Portrait Mode (depth) | None | 2MP, f/2.4 | Honor 90 has a dedicated depth sensor which might improve the quality of bokeh in portrait shots. |
| Wide Angle + Macro | None | 12MP, f/2.2 | Honor 90 allows for both wide-angle shots and close-up macro photography. |
| Video Recording | 4K@60fps, EIS | 4K@30fps, EIS | S20 FE 5G can record 4k video at 60fps. |
| Features | OIS, Optical Zoom | PDAF, Front Flash | S20 FE offers optical image stabilization and optical zoom. The Honor 90 offers phase detection autofocus and a front flash, potentially improving focus speed and low-light selfies. |
| DxOMark | Not Tested | 122 | The DxOMark score suggests the Honor 90 has good camera performance. |
Battery
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Capacity | 4500mAh | 5000mAh | Honor 90 is likely to provide longer battery life, especially with its more efficient chipset. |
| Charging | 25W fast charging | 66W fast charging | Honor 90 charges significantly faster, reducing downtime. |
| Features | 15W Wireless Charging, Reverse Wireless Charging | None | S20 FE 5G offers wireless charging and the ability to charge other devices wirelessly, adding convenience. |
Software
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| OS | Android 10 (upgradable to 13) | Android 13 | Honor 90 has a more recent Android version out of the box. |
Connectivity
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 | Honor 90 has a more up-to-date Bluetooth version, potentially offering faster and more reliable connections, as well as support for newer audio codecs. |
Storage
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Internal | 128GB/256GB | 256GB/512GB | Honor 90 offers more storage. |
| Expandable | No | No | Neither phone allows for expandable storage. |
Audio
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Quality | Dolby Atmos, Stereo Speakers | Noise cancellation microphone | S20 FE 5G offers better audio output quality with stereo speakers. Honor 90 might provide slightly better call quality due to the noise-canceling microphone. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G Advantages:
- Optical Zoom: Dedicated telephoto lens for better zoomed-in photos.
- Wireless Charging & Reverse Wireless Charging: Convenient charging options.
- Stereo Speakers: Enhanced audio experience for media consumption and gaming.
- Screen Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 3 offers known durability.
Honor 90 Advantages:
- Higher Resolution Main Camera: 200MP camera for extremely detailed photos.
- Faster Charging: 66W charging significantly reduces charging time.
- Larger Battery: 5000mAh battery likely offers longer battery life.
- More RAM/Storage: Offers up to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage.
- Brighter Display: 1600 nits brightness provides better outdoor visibility.
- Newer Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 5.2 may offer improved connectivity.
Trade-offs:
- S20 FE 5G trades a larger battery and faster charging for wireless charging and optical zoom.
- Honor 90 sacrifices a telephoto lens and stereo speakers for a higher resolution main camera and faster charging.
- S20 FE 5G has older hardware (chipset, bluetooth), but offers a more complete flagship experience in some areas (wireless charging, screen protection).
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G:
- Ideal User: Someone who values a well-rounded smartphone experience with wireless charging, stereo speakers, and optical zoom capabilities. Good for users who take zoomed in photos often.
- Use Cases: Mobile photography (especially zoom), media consumption (movies, music), users who need wireless charging.
Honor 90:
- Ideal User: Someone who prioritizes camera quality, battery life, and fast charging. Good for social media enthusiasts who want to capture highly detailed photos.
- Use Cases: Social media, vlogging, photography (high-resolution landscapes), users who need long battery life and quick charging.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions to Consider:
- How important is zoom capability to you? If you frequently take zoomed photos, the S20 FE 5G's telephoto lens is a significant advantage.
- How important is screen brightness? If you use your phone outdoors a lot, the Honor 90's brighter screen will be beneficial.
- Do you value wireless charging and stereo speakers? The S20 FE 5G offers these features, while the Honor 90 does not.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: You primarily use your phone for social media, taking lots of photos and videos. Recommendation: Honor 90 due to its higher resolution camera, fast charging, and long battery life.
- Scenario 2: You watch a lot of videos and listen to music on your phone, and you occasionally need to zoom in on photos. Recommendation: Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G because of the stereo speakers, optical zoom, and wireless charging.
- Scenario 3: You are on a tight budget, want a fast phone and don't mind missing out on wireless charging and zoom lens. Recommendation: Honor 90, as it offers more modern features (faster charging, brighter screen) for potentially less.
My Choice
I would choose the Honor 90. While I appreciate the S20 FE 5G's wireless charging and telephoto lens, the Honor 90's significantly larger battery, faster charging, and higher-resolution camera are more appealing to my daily usage. I also value having a brighter screen, as I often use my phone outdoors. The slightly better performance, larger RAM/storage options, and newer Bluetooth version make it a more future-proof device. Although the lack of stereo speakers is a slight downside, it's not a dealbreaker for me. The main deciding factor is the significant camera upgrade and battery improvements that the Honor 90 offers.
