Samsung's 2019 Budget AMOLED Contender

A deep dive into the Samsung Galaxy A20, featuring a Super AMOLED display, dual rear cameras, and enduring battery life in a budget-friendly package.

Introduction

Launched in early 2019, the Samsung Galaxy A20 was designed to bring core Samsung experiences to the highly competitive budget smartphone segment. It stood out by offering a premium-looking Super AMOLED display, a combination that was rare for its price point at the time, aiming to deliver strong value for everyday users.

Design & Display

The Galaxy A20 features a sleek plastic body with a glossy finish, available in several vibrant colors like Deep Blue and Coral Orange. Its 6.4-inch HD+ (720 x 1560) Super AMOLED display is its standout feature, providing deep blacks and vibrant colors that outshine typical LCD panels in this category. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and boasts an impressive 85% screen-to-body ratio with a minimal waterdrop notch.

Performance & Hardware

Under the hood, the A20 is powered by Samsung's own Exynos 7884 octa-core chipset built on a 14nm process, paired with 3GB of RAM. This configuration was adequate for handling everyday tasks like social media, web browsing, and light gaming, though it could struggle with more intensive applications. It comes with 32GB of internal storage (eMMC 5.1), expandable via a dedicated microSDXC card slot.

Camera

The smartphone sports a dual-camera array on the back: a primary 13MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture and a 5MP ultra-wide sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 123-degree field of view. This ultra-wide lens was a notable inclusion for a budget phone, allowing for more creative shots. The 8MP front-facing camera handles selfies and video calls. Video recording is capped at 1080p at 30fps for both front and rear cameras.

Battery & Charging

A major strength of the A20 is its large 4000mAh battery, which easily provided a full day—and often well into a second day—of use on a single charge. It supports 15W fast charging via its USB Type-C port, a welcome feature that helped top up the sizable battery relatively quickly.

Software & Features

The device launched with Android 9 Pie skinned with Samsung's One UI. It received an update to Android 11 with One UI 3.1, significantly improving the software experience with better aesthetics, dark mode, and enhanced privacy controls. It features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and retains the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: Excellent Super AMOLED display; Strong all-day battery life; Includes an ultra-wide camera; Modern USB-C port with fast charging.
• Cons: HD-only resolution on a large screen; Performance is basic and can feel sluggish; Plastic build feels less premium; Cameras perform poorly in low light.

Tags: Samsung, Galaxy A20, Android smartphone, budget phone, AMOLED display, battery life

A deep dive into the Samsung Galaxy A20, featuring a Super AMOLED display, dual rear cameras, and enduring battery life in a budget-friendly package.