It’s a common consensus that cheap phones aren’t that good but the M20 will certainly change this notion. It’s a budget device that packs a punch and is well worth your cash. So, make sure to read ahead.
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If you didn’t know, the warranty you get with it also affects the final price tag.
Not many people like plastic backs. This isn’t surprising as they make phones feel cheap. Surprise, the M20 comes with a polycarbonate rear. Before you panic, it’s kind of hefty. Being 186 g, it feels premium.
The thing with the plastic back is, it doesn’t really look like plastic. Samsung worked its magic and made the back panel very glass-like.
Enough about the plastic, let’s talk about its dimensions. The M20 is a giant. It measures 156.4 x 74.5 x 8.8 mm across, so it’s certainly not for smaller hands. However, you’ll notice that the phones’ edges are seriously curved. We can’t tell you how much we appreciate this as being stabbed in the palm by while using a phone is not fun.
If you’re a fan of colourful devices, the Samsung M20 may not be the phone for you. It only comes in 2 colours. They are dark blue and black, which are not too exciting as you can imagine.
Overall, its buttons are pretty tactile. They’re clicky and a blast to play with. But this isn’t out of the ordinary either. What’s unfortunate is that we found its fingerprint sensor hard to reach.
There’s a USB Type-C port on the bottom, which is a major plus. This is because Samsung reserves it for their more expensive devices. The fact that the phone still has a headphone jack is appreciated as well. Too many phones have been unnecessarily joining the Bluetooth trend.
Having a 6.3-inch display, you wouldn’t want to waste it on a subpar screen. The M20 doesn’t disappoint as its screen is FHD+. Colours definitely pop, and it takes little effort to notice this.
The device has an impeccable screen resolution. It’s 1080 x 2340 pixels, giving it a 409 PPI. Believe it or not, this is better than the iPhone XR’s. The higher the screen resolution is, the more detailed a display you get.
Did we mention that it has a considerably strong screen to body ratio as well? It’s 83.6% which is great considering how big the device is.
Like any good phone, the M20 comes with a strengthened glass display. It’s not as strong as Gorilla Glass but phone cases exist for a reason.
Before we continue, let’s talk about something:
The Infinity V display.
The front of the phone is almost zero bezel due to the presence of a tiny notch. The notch is shaped in a way that doesn’t protrude, allowing for a great viewing experience.
Out of the box, it comes with Android Oreo which is questionable in 2020. However, you can upgrade the device to Android 10, so you’re good to go.
What exactly will you be upgrading? Well, a device that comes with the Exynos 7904 chip. The chip is equivalent to the Snapdragon 636. Its hiccups are nonexistent except for the occasional overheating but this only happens when you seriously overuse the device. It’s fast, snappy and reliable, for its price point that is.
If you’re wondering about its memory variants, know that the M20 doesn’t have that many. All you get is either 32 or 64 GBs of space, with 3 or 4 gigs of RAM. At the end of the day, 4 GBs of RAM is good and explains why the M20 is as snappy as it is.
If you found the storage space too small, don’t worry. You can use a microSD card to expand the device.
We’re impressed with the M20’s 5000 mAh battery. It’s one of the largest we’ve seen and we were delighted to see it on such a budget-friendly device. It can last about two days with moderate use. That’s why it has an endurance rating of 103 hours.
In terms of charging capabilities, there’s nothing to write home about. The M20 is one of Samsung’s many phones that have a 15 W fast charger. As a result, it takes two hours to charge, like many of its siblings.
For starters, the Samsung device really struggles in low light. This wasn’t a surprise considering how well Samsung phones at this price point do. Overall, its back camera produces shots that are standard for phones at its point, being colourful and detailed but nothing too DSLR-like.
Its selfie camera does worse than its front one. Once again, this wasn’t a surprise as it’s only 8 MP. It’s still Instagram-ready though.
How could we wrap up our review without diving into its camera specs? There’s a dual camera set up on its back, with the primary camera being 13 MP, while the secondary one is 5 MP. The main sensor has an aperture of f/1.9, with the secondary one having an aperture of f/2.2.
It’s pretty clear that the Samsung M20 is a killer mid-ranger. However, you might want to see some of its alternatives before you settle. This isn’t a bad idea, and we’ve got you covered.
The Redmi device is heavier than the M20. It isn’t that noticeable though, at 190 g. What is noticeable is its glass back. Not only is it made from Gorilla Glass 5, but it has quite the eye-catching gradient.
The two devices are the same size. We even think that their edges are similarly curved. This isn’t where the similarities end as you also get an LCD panel with the Redmi device. It even has a 1080 x 2340 screen resolution, but what’s lacking is that it’s not FHD+.
The Redmi Note 8’s screen to body ratio is not too great. It’s 81.7% which is 2% smaller than the more vivid M20’s screen.
If you were bummed by the memory variants in the M20, there are multiple for the Redmi device. You get storage space in either 32, 64, or 128 gigs of space. Along with this, you can choose from 3, 4 or 6 GBs of RAM.
At the same price, it’s noteworthy that the Redmi Note 8 has the better processor. The Snapdragon 665 out beats the Exynos 7904 any day of the week.
Its camera also beats the M20’s. There are four on the rear, with the primary one being 48 MP, so the Samsung device never stood a chance.
That being said, its battery is smaller. You get a 4000 mAh one which is still impressive though. It’s powered by an 18 W fast charger. This seems better, but it charges the Redmi Note 8 also in two or so hours.
From its name, you can tell that the phone is a new and improved version of the M20. This is true as you get a Super AMOLED display. Its vividness runs laps around the M20’s FHD+ screen. That being said, you get the same screen resolution, and so, PPI.
It’s 6.4 inches in height. Being larger, you’d expect a better screen to body ratio and the M30 doesn’t disappoint. Its ratio is 84.2%, so you get a more immersive viewing experience.
A bummer is how light the phone is. However, the Samsung device weighs 12 g less than the cheaper M20.
What’s surprising is seeing the Exynos 7904 chip on it. We don’t know about you but we’re iffy on seeing it on a newer device.
Its camera set up is certainly an upgrade. There’s a triple camera set up on the back. The primary sensor is 13 MP, while the secondary is 5 MP, with a 5 MP tertiary sensor as well. Its selfie camera produces very vivid shots. This is as its front camera is 16 MP, and can capture in HDR.
The M30 has quite a few memory variants to choose from. There are 32, 64 and 128 gigs of storage space at your disposal. Along with this, you get either 3,4 or 6 GBs of RAM.
Once again, you get the enormous 5000 mAh battery which we fell in love with in the M20. If you’re wondering, it also has a 15 W fast charger.
We just had to mention:
Its back is plastic.
It’s clear that the Samsung M20 is a budget device that’s more than worth your money. For starters, its price tag is really good. The fact that it’s so cheap and comes with a USB Type C port is highly appreciated. It’s also great that it comes with a vivid, FHD+ display. That being said, FHD+ is great but it has nothing on Super AMOLEDs.
However, we couldn’t get past its plastic back. Although Samsung went to great lengths to make it glass-like, the feel of it was still plastic-like. The fact that it didn’t even come with Gorilla glass on its front was a letdown.
Nevertheless, the phone’s superb battery won us over. In terms of its cameras, we have no reason to complain.
The phone was recently discontinued in India. While it's still available here, you might want to grab one soon if you have your thoughts set on getting the M20.
All in all, the M20 would make a great purchase. What would also make a great purchase would be its brother, the M30. Which one will you pick?
