The price of the Galaxy S20+ has already fallen significantly, shortly after Samsung launched it at 999 Euros (~$1,093). Undoubtedly, this is good news for consumers as they can get the same smartphone by spending less money. However, European customers will receive a Galaxy S20+ that does not live up to its potential. Principally, this is because Samsung equips the device with the Exynos 990, its in-house chipset that falls short of the Snapdragon 865 in many areas. In short, the European Galaxy S20+ has worse 5G connectivity, heavier throttling under load and worse CPU performance than its Snapdragon 865-sibling does. Overall, the Snapdragon 865-powered version of the Galaxy S20+ would be the better of the two devices to purchase.

At least the battery life of the Exynos SoC is now slowly approaching the level of the competition. The Exynos 990 is comparatively power-hungry under sustained load, though. You should not expect top charging technology from Samsung either with the Galaxy S20+, as the company reserves this for the Galaxy S20 Ultra. In general, both the Galaxy S20 and the Galaxy S20 Plus feel like significant downgrades compared to the S20 Ultra.

This is mainly due to the cameras that Samsung includes. Without a real optical zoom, it almost feels as if Samsung prioritised 8K video capabilities over a proper telephoto lens. However, the company applies many restrictions to 8K video recording, like the inability to zoom or use autofocus. Similarly, Samsung restricts what options can be used when shooting 60 FPS videos in 1080p and upwards.

The camera oversights are a shame, as the Galaxy S20+ takes decent photos. Likewise, One UI 2.1 feels modern and includes the latest security patches, while the device has a bright and responsive AMOLED screen.

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ uses tricks to hide its camera weaknesses. Its great screen still makes it worth a look, though.

In short, you should look elsewhere if you want the best camera smartphone. Staying loyal to Samsung will reward you with a high-quality flagship that can convince with its Wi-Fi, good call quality, decent GPS accuracy, impressive build quality and serviceable battery life.