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Best Samsung Galaxy S20 Alternatives

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Samsung’s new Galaxy S20 phone comes in three different sizes and they all have a lot to offer. All of the phones are a lot bigger than previous years and more expensive too, which is why some of you might be looking for the best Galaxy S20 alternatives.

You have plenty of options like the cheaper Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S10e, along with several other brands at different price points and screen sizes.

We’ll help you find a phone with a similar experience or nice screen, capable cameras, without the huge screen or crazy expensive price point. Whether you can’t handle the high price tag, want faster updates, or just want something a little different we have you covered.

Best Galaxy S20 Alternatives (So Far)

  • OnePlus 7T
  • Galaxy S10e
  • Google Pixel 4 XL
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • LG V50 ThinQ 5G
  • & more coming soon

The Galaxy S20 is the first major flagship phone announced and being released in 2020. So while you don’t have any good options yet unless you get a phone from 2019, in the next 2-3 months you’ll have a ton of great choices. From the OnePlus 8 Pro to the affordable Pixel 4a. Today though, these are your best bet.

1. OnePlus 7T – $599

The OnePlus 7 Pro or the newer OnePlus 7T were two of the best phones of 2019. It’s big, fast, and similar to Samsung’s newest at a much more affordable price. The OnePlus 7 Pro is slightly bigger than the Galaxy Note 10, and a hair smaller than the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, coming with a 6.67-inch screen, but there are no cutouts or notches in the display along with super tiny bezels, as you can see below.

The cameras might not be quite as good and the newer OnePlus 7T only ha a 6.55-inch screen, but they’re both 90Hz and look amazing. Better yet, the screen inside is actually made by Samsung. You’re getting nearly top-of-the-line specs, 128 or 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM and triple rear cameras all for 50% (or more) cheaper than the Galaxy S20.

In fact, now that Samsung’s new phones are out OnePlus lowered all of its prices and the impressive OnePlus 7T is now only $499. That’s a hell of a deal and a LOT of phone for the price. The Galaxy S20+ is not $700 better than the 7T. No way. The only real downsides are a smaller screen, no water-resistance, and it doesn’t have wireless charging. None of those are deal-breakers, right?

As you can see, there’s no notch or circle out of the screen, like Samsung. Instead, the front camera pops up from the top. It’s a mechanical pop-up camera, which is pretty rad if you ask me. The OnePlus 7 Pro is available directly from OnePlus and works with almost every carrier, or you can buy it from T-Mobile. It starts at $669 but you can get more RAM for a few more dollars, or a crazy fast and powerful 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for only $749. They even have a 5G version of the new 7T Pro at T-Mobile.

2. Samsung Galaxy S10e – $599

Perhaps the best alternative, aside from maybe the Galaxy S10+ or a Note 10, is Samsung’s smaller Galaxy S10e. This phone is only $599 now that the S20 is coming, but it packs a lot of the same good stuff inside at a huge discount. The Galaxy S10e comes with a 5.8-inch flat screen, too, if you didn’t want a massive phone like the 6.2-inch Galaxy S20.

You still get that premium Samsung experience with powerful dual cameras on the back, compared to quad cameras on the S20. Everything else matches the Note 10 on specs, software, water-resistance, etc, so it’s still an excellent alternative that’s affordable, powerful and has a headphone jack.

You can get the S10e anywhere that sells the regular Galaxy S10. Any carrier, Best Buy, Walmart, Samsung.com and more.

3. Google Pixel 4 XL – $899

This list had great phones from Huawei on it in the past, but with all the government drama we decided to take them off. So, moving on, another great phone with an excellent camera worth considering is Google’s Pixel 4 XL. Sporting a big 6.3-inch 90 Hz Samsung-made AMOLED display it’s a little bigger than the S20, but not massive like the S20 Plus.

You’re getting high-end specs, dual rear cameras and more. You’ll get updates first, can already enjoy Android 11, and get to try fancy new features before anyone else. You’ll love all the Google Assistant features, smart replies, call screening, and the Night Sight mode on the camera is magic.

The phone has water-resistance, Google Pay instead of Samsung Pay, 64 or 128GB of storage and solid cameras. And while the Galaxy S20 is more powerful and slightly better in almost every category from storage, RAM, processor and cameras, your day-to-day performance shouldn’t be much different. Keep in mind that you’ll lose the microSD slot, so buy the 128GB model if you’re worried about storage in the long run.

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are available from every major carrier this year too, which is a big deal. Buy yours right here. You can use it on major carriers in the U.S. and on Google Fi.

4. iPhone 11 Pro Max – $1099

We know, we know, this next one might not be worth mentioning. Most Android users stick to Android and don’t really consider the iPhone, but maybe they should. The biggest choice for the last several years is Galaxy or iPhone, so it’s a natural and obvious Galaxy S20 alternative.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max has a beautiful screen that’s slightly smaller than the S20+, coming in at 6.5-inches, yet bigger than the S20 so it’s perfect for some people. There are almost no bezels, except for the big notch at the top for FaceID unlock.

You’re losing out on storage options unless you spend a lot of money, and it doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor. However, it is the iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple’s biggest and best phone available and it does a lot right. It’ll deliver fast performance, a great set of cameras, and a good experience.

If you’re considering spending a ton of money on the Galaxy S20+ you might as well consider other excellent phones in the same price range. The 64GB iPhone 11 Pro Max is pretty darn expensive too, so go crazy. The iPhone 11 Pro is a smaller option you could take, too. They’re both sold virtually everywhere, from all carriers, in almost any store. Buy one today.

5. LG V50 ThinQ 5G – $949

Another solid alternative to the Galaxy S20 is actually LG’s best phone from late 2019. We’re talking about the LG V50, which actually has a lot to offer. It’s a big phone loaded with fancy features, and it comes in a 5G variant if that’s something you’re interested in but don’t want to pay $1,300 for the 5G Galaxy S20 Plus.

This phone packs a 6.4-inch Quad-HD screen, a powerful Snapdragon 855 processor, three cameras on the back, 5G speeds, and a big 4,000 mAh battery. It starts with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, has a micro-SD slot, and packs water-resistance, wireless charging, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Quad-DAC for improved audio. You get a 16MP main, 12MP zoom, and 16MP wide-angle camera, one of the best speakers in any phone — LG’s boombox speaker. Seriously, it’s very similar to Samsung’s latest, and that’s before we even mention the newly announced LG V60 coming in March.

While the V50 started out expensive, we’re seeing it for under $600 in some cases, which is insane and makes it a great Galaxy S20 alternative. All things considered, it’s worth looking into. They’re asking around $999 from most carriers but LG and even Best Buy, or Sprint.

Conclusion & Other Phones on the Way

These are your best options right now but they won’t be for long. The year just started, spring and summer are right around the corner, and so are excellent phones from OnePlus, LG, Motorola, Google and others. We’re expecting a lot of new phones in the next 2-3 months, so if you don’t need a phone immediately, it might be worth it to wait for a little.

Plus, by then Samsung will have a few Galaxy S20 deals available, worked out the launch bugs and issues, and maybe you’ll find something else you like. Or, check out the Moto RAZR and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip if you want something unique.

Don’t get me wrong the Galaxy S20 lineup looks amazing and they’ll probably be the best phone of all of 2020. However, they’re also super expensive and buying one right away might not be the best move for you. So, decide what you need and choose whatever works.

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