Updated 26 March 2020: The Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra are Samsung’s new line of 5G enabled smartphones that hit the market in Spring 2020. How will the Korean giant’s flagship mid-tier smartphone stack up against Apple’s high-end iPhone? We deep dive into the features of the Galaxy S20+ 5G and compare them side by side with the highly-acclaimed iPhone 11 Pro Max to find out.
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Galaxy S20+ 5G vs iPhone 11 Pro Max Comparison Chart
| Model | Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G | Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max |
 |  | |
| Price | Amazon product | Amazon product |
| Display | 120 Hz Infinity-O Dynamic AMOLED display | 60 Hz Super Retina XDR OLED display |
| Screen Size | 6.7″ | 6.5″ |
| Resolution | 3200 x 1440 pixels | 2688 x 1242 pixels |
| Pixel Density | 525 PPI | 458 PPI |
| Dimensions | 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8mm | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm |
| Weight | 186 g | 226 g |
| CPU | Exynos 990 / Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 | A13 Bionic chip with third-generation Neural Engine |
| 5G | Yes | No |
| RAM | 12GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 512GB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Expandable Storage | Up to 1TB | No |
| Rear Cameras | 12MP Wide, 64MP Telephoto, 12MP Ultra-Wide, DepthVision Camera | Triple 12MP Ultra Wide, Wide, Telephoto |
| Zoom | Up to 30X Digital Zoom | Up to 10x Digital Zoom |
| Front Cameras | 10MP | 12MP Smart HDR |
| Video | Rear: up to 8K 24 fps Front: up to 4K 60 fps | Rear: up to 4K at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps Front: Up to 4K at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps |
| Face ID | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | 4500mAh | 3969mAh |
| Battery Life | Varies depending on the phone settings | Video Playback: Up to 20 hours Video Streaming: Up to 12 hours Audio Playback: Up to 80 hours |
| Wireless Charging | Compatible | Compatible |
| Water Resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Android Version | Android 10.0 with One UI 2.0 | N/A |
| Colors | Cosmic Black Cosmic Grey Cloud Blue | Midnight Green Space Gray Silver Gold |
Design
The Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G is lighter and sports a bigger display than the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Both the Galaxy S20+ 5G and the iPhone 11 Pro Max have a curved profile and look sleek and stylish. The S20+ 5G sports a metal frame while the iPhone 11 Pro Max comes in steel. Apple’s minimalist design is evident in the iPhone 11 Pro Max and its colors and glass back design give it a slightly more premium look than the Galaxy S20 Plus 5G.
The Galaxy S20 Plus 5G is slightly slimmer and taller than the iPhone 11 Pro Max, making it easier to hold than the slightly wider flagship iPhone. Samsung’s new Galaxy S20+ sports a larger 6.7-inch display than the iPhone’s 6.5-inch screen. They feature an all-screen design with no physical buttons on the front and their button controls are housed on the side of the device. Both smartphones have also removed the traditional 3.5mm audio jack.
Both their rear cameras are located at the upper left corner of the handset, but the Galaxy S20+’s cameras look more stealthy than the 11 Pro Max’s bigger lenses. The Galaxy S20+ 5G comes blue, black, and gray, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max comes in four colors: midnight green, gold, silver, and space gray.
Display
The Galaxy S20+ 5G has a slightly better panel with its higher refresh rate, resolution, and pixel density than the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Apart from its bigger screen display, the bezel-less Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G also boasts a 120 Hz Infinity-O Dynamic AMOLED display. This is a step ahead of the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s custom 60 Hz Super Retina XDR OLED display. Using them side by side will show that the Galaxy S20+’s display features more vivid colors.
Although Apple devices are already equipped with smooth, responsive panels, 60 Hz can’t rival the smoothness that a 120 Hz refresh rate in the Galaxy S20 series can offer. That said, the iPhone 11 Pro Max still delivers stunning quality when used with streaming platforms such as Netflix and Apple TV with its 458 pixels per inch display.
Performance
The Galaxy S20 Plus and iPhone 11 Pro Max are both powerful smartphones, but the S20+ supports 5G and loads most applications a tad faster
With its bespoke A13 Bionic chip, Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro Max with 4GB RAM was the most powerful smartphone when it was launched in the fall of 2019. Samsung’s new Galaxy S20+ 5G challenged that position as it runs on Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 865 and its 12GB RAM.
Using them side by side shows that the Galaxy S20+ 5G loads most third-party applications every so slightly faster than the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Even when running on the Exynos 990, the processor for Galaxy S20+ handsets released in the Asian market, the S20+ 5G still loads most applications faster than the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Another win for the Galaxy S20+ 5G is its 5G connectivity, as you can tell from the model’s name. This was already made available in the Galaxy S10, so this feature doesn’t come as a surprise. This means HyperFast upload and download speeds that get rid of delays when streaming movies or live videos. Meanwhile, none of the iPhone 11 Pro smartphones support 5G connectivity at the time of writing.
Cameras
The Galaxy S20+ has four rear cameras while the iPhone 11 Pro Max only has three.
Both the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and the iPhone 11 Pro Max are equipped with 12 MP wide and ultra-wide rear cameras. These let you capture more space while maintaining the same distance from your subject. The 10MP and 12MP HDR front cameras of the Galaxy S20+ and the iPhone 11 Pro Max, respectively, deliver great captures as well. However, when it comes to taking photos under low light, the Galaxy S20 Plus does it better.
They also come with a telephoto lens, but Samsung’s Galaxy S20+ rocks a 64MP telephoto while the 11 Pro Max only comes with a 12 MP telephoto lens. As expected, the 64MP camera of the S20+ takes sharper, more detailed photos than the 12 MP lens of the iPhone 11 Pro Max. What the iPhone 11 doesn’t have is the DepthVision (Time of Flight) rear camera of the S20 Plus which creates better bokeh for video recording and more immersive 3D and AR viewing experience.
Moreover, the Galaxy S20+ can record 8K videos and up to 30x digital zoom (three times more than the 11 Pro Max’s 10x digital zoom). However, its 8K will look shaky and wobbly if you don’t mount the S20+ on a stabilizer or tripod as it can only shoot at 24 frames per second.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 11 Pro Max can only capture up to 4K videos in both its rear and front cameras. When comparing their 4K videos alone, both the Galaxy S20+ and the iPhone 11 Pro Max deliver sharp, detailed videos with impressive autofocus capabilities. When it comes to audio, the Galaxy S20+ has slightly better quality as it decreases the ambient noise. However, the iPhone 11 Pro Max has slightly better stabilization.
Battery and Additional Features
Both the Galaxy S20+ and iPhone 11 Pro Max are water and dust resistant and have a long battery life
Both Samsung and Apple continue to aim to create more and more efficient smartphones for longer-lasting usage. The Galaxy S20+ is rumored to come with a higher battery capacity of 4500mAh compared to the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s 3969mAh battery.
The 11 Pro Max can be used to play downloaded videos for up to 20 hours, stream videos for up to 12 hours, and listen to music for up to 80 hours. While the Galaxy has a larger battery capacity on paper, we can only confirm the actual hours of usage once the smartphones are officially released.
Both the Galaxy S20 Plus and the iPhone 11 Pro Max have an IP rating of 68. This rating indicates they are splash-resistant, dustproof, and sand-proof. Apple claims that the 11 Pro Max can withstand submersion in a depth of up to 4 meters for 30 minutes, while the Galaxy models can be submerged in only 1.5 meters for the same duration.
Smartphone users who like taking a lot of photos and videos will like the expandable storage that the Samsung Galaxy S20+ will have. It is expected to have internal storage of up to 256GB and a MicroSD slot for expandable storage of up to 1TB. Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro Max is available in 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacity and doesn’t have a slot for external storage.
Verdict
Samsung’s Galaxy S20+ will be packed with more features than Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro Max
Amazon productSamsung Galaxy S20+
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Undoubtedly, both flagship smartphones command a premium price tag that comes with their top-notch features. While the official price of the Galaxy S20+ is not yet set, expect this flagship smartphone to set you back a little over a grand. Loyal Apple users will find powerful and significant upgrades on the iPhone 11 Pro Max. This Apple flagship is still a smartphone to beat. However, the Galaxy S20+ offers overall better value for your money as it will be equipped with 5G connectivity, 8K video recording capability, extra camera, higher-resolution photos, and up to 1TB expandable storage.
Make sure to bookmark this page for updates once the Samsung Galaxy S20+ officially hits the market.