The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE offers a larger screen, a higher peak brightness display, and possibly better battery life, which might be more suitable if you consume a lot of media or prefer a more vibrant display. In contrast, the Sony Xperia 5 III has a glass back, potentially higher performance with a more recent processor, and the ability to record 4K videos at higher frames per second, which could be advantageous if you prioritize build quality, gaming or advanced video recording. Both run on Android, have expandable storage, and fall in a similar price range. Consider the Galaxy S20 FE for a bigger and brighter screen, and the Xperia 5 III for better build and performance. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has no clear advantages over the Sony Xperia 5 III.
Advantages of the Sony Xperia 5 III
The Sony Xperia 5 III has no clear advantages over the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.
Key differences
Screen Size
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has a screen size of 6.5 inches and the Sony Xperia 5 III is 6.1 inches.
Cost
$198
$450
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has a price of $198 and the Sony Xperia 5 III costs $450.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE and Sony Xperia 5 III both have only fair overall cameras quality.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE and Sony Xperia 5 III both have fair front-facing (selfie) cameras, with the S20 FE offering a slightly better selfie experience than the Xperia 5 III. Although other camera features like photo resolution and low light performance are important, it's the selfie quality and the cameras' versatility that stand out, with both phones delivering acceptable but not exceptional performance in these areas.
Photo Quality
6.3/10
5.9/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Samsung Galaxy S20 FE to have only fair photos, while the Sony Xperia 5 III takes poor photos.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE and the Sony Xperia 5 III both take fair photos with their selfie cameras, reflecting an average performance for capturing personal photos. Each phone has its strengths and weaknesses in other areas, like resolution and low light performance, but when it comes to taking selfies, they offer a similar, satisfactory experience without excelling.
Video Quality
5.5/10
6.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony Xperia 5 III to have only fair videos, while the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE takes poor videos.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE provides a good video resolution and framerate, along with good stabilization, but has only fair ratings for video software experience and dynamic range, which contributes to its satisfactory video performance. On the other hand, the Sony Xperia 5 III excels in video resolution and framerate, as well as video software experience, both rated very good, but also has only fair results in video dynamic range, which means its overall video capability is deemed as fair.
Battery
7.8 Hours
7.3 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has 7.8 hours of battery life. The Sony Xperia 5 III has 7.3 hours of battery life.
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How the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE and the Sony Xperia 5 III compare to other phones
"The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is a fine phone. The flat display glass may turn off some, but the 120Hz refresh rate turned me on. I really liked the overall size and usability of the phone, and the six different colors mean you’ll likely find a version to suit your personal style. Other pros include solid performance, excellent battery life, and straightforward software."
"The Sony Xperia 5 III excels when it comes to rear camera photography, its display and multi-media features, and all-day battery life. Buy the Xperia 5 III if you’re looking for a fun but imperfect camera setup, customizable gaming features, all-day battery life, and all the best multimedia capabilities that Sony has to offer"
Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE or the Sony Xperia 5 III
About Samsung
Samsung is one of the most recognizable names in the smartphone industry, standing as the undisputed best-selling brand of Android smartphones in the United States for many years now. Samsung is known for offering a variety of smartphones in all available price points, as well as for implementing cutting-edge technology and innovative features in their flagship devices, ones that often shape the market going forward. The company offers its own unique spin on Android, called One UI, which focuses on offering a multitude of features and is heavily customizable, according to user preference.
About Sony
Sony has had a long history in the mobile market, entering the scene all the way back in 1993 with its first commercially available phone, the CM-H333. Nowadays, their Xperia line of phones provide well-rounded and sometimes expensive devices with a focus on camera software that includes extensive support for manual tweaking of settings. Sony's dedication to audio quality is also evident in its smartphones, which often feature high-resolution audio support while also being one of the few remaining manufacturers that consistently provide headphone jacks in their phones. The company's version of Android is also considered to be close to stock, enabling a bloatware-free experience for its users.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
8
Proprietary Phones ratings developed
121,500
Recommendations made
68,850
Consumer hours saved
About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.