iPhone 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 – specs, price and which is best for you?

APPLE unveiled its latest iPhones, boasting 5G connectivity and a cracking new camera system.

But how do the US firm’s flagship mobiles line up against Samsung’s top handset? We compare their specs and prices below.

Here's how the iPhone 12 Pro lines up against the Samsung Galaxy S20 — Here’s how the iPhone 12 Pro lines up against the Samsung Galaxy S20

New iPhones – What are they?

The iPhones 12 series make up the latest and greatest smartphones from Apple, and are the US tech titan’s first to come with 5G connectivity.

They were unveiled during a virtual event on October 13 recorded from Apple’s space age headquarters in Cupertino, California.

Apple boss Tim Cook said: “Today is the day of a new era for iPhone. We’re bringing 5G to iPhone.”

In total, Apple announced four new mobiles, with a range of specs and sizes on offer.

Apple's virtual iPhone 12 reveal took place on October 13 — Apple’s virtual iPhone 12 reveal took place on October 13Credit: apple

In total, for new iPhones were announced (from left to right): The iPhone 12 Pro Max, the iPhone 12 Pro, the iPhone 12 and the iPhone MiniCredit: apple

They’re the 6.1-inch iPhone 12, 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max and a palm-sized, 5.4-inch iPhone Mini.

The mobiles’ release dates are split. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are out October 23 while the Mini and 12 Pro Max launch on November 13.

Samsung, arguably Apple’s biggest competitor in western markets, unveiled its Samsung Galaxy S20 in February.

For the purposes of this comparison, we’ll be stacking the S20 against the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, as they come closest in terms of their pricing.

iPhone 12 specs

The iPhone 12 is at the cheaper end of Apple's new blowers — The iPhone 12 is at the cheaper end of Apple’s new blowersCredit: apple

The iPhone 12 is at the cheaper end of Apple’s flagship mobiles, and as such has slightly diminished specs.

The handset boasts 5G connectivity and two rear cameras, with main and ultrawide cameras.

Apple said the mobile also features Night Mode – the AI-powered technology that lets you take great photos in the dark.

Here are the specs:

Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm
Weight: 162 grams
Screen: OLED, 6.1in
OS: iOS 14
Storage: 64GB / 128GB / 256GB
Selfie camera: 12MP
Main camera: Dual – 12MP main + 12MP ultra wide angle lens
Unlocking: Face ID facial recognition
Battery: TBA for 65 hours of audio playback
Colours: Black, White, Product Red, Green and Blue
Connectivity: 5G
RAM: TBA

iPhone 12 Pro specs

The iPhone 12 Pro is the same size as the iPhone 12 but with better specs and three rear cameras instead of twoCredit: apple

The iPhone 12 Pro is the same size as the iPhone 12 but with slightly better specs.

It also supports 5G but houses three rear cameras, adding a telephoto lens to the main and ultrawide camera sported by the iPhone 12.

The screen is the same is the iPhone 12’s, and it’s powered by the same A14 chip – Apple’s powerful new phone engine.

Here are the specs:

Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm
Weight: 189 grams
Screen: OLED, 6.1in
OS: iOS 14
Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB
Selfie camera: 12MP
Rear camera: Triple – 12MP main + 12MP ultra wide angle lens + 12MP telephoto lens
Unlocking: Face ID facial recognition
Battery: TBA for 65 hours of audio playback
Colours: Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue
Connectivity: 5G
RAM: TBA

Samsung Galaxy S20 specs

The Samsung Galaxy S20 was unveiled in February but is still one of the best mobiles money can buyCredit: AP:Associated Press

The S20 boasts a gorgeous display and a beefy triple camera system, capable of up to 30x digital zoom, letting you take close-up shots of distant objects.

Dubbed “Space Zoom”, the feature basically turns your phone into a pocket-sized pair of binoculars.

On top of that, you get up to 12GB of RAM and an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner that sits under the screen.

There are two versions: One that supports 4G and one that supports 5G.

Here are the specs:

Dimensions: 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9mm
Weight: 163 grams
Screen: AMOLED, 6.2in
OS: Android 10
Storage: 128 GB (you can add up to 1TB more via an SD card)
Selfie camera: 10MP
Main camera: Triple – 12MP main + ultra wide angle lens and 30x telephoto zoom
Unlocking: Under-screen fingerprint scanner, facial recognition
Battery: 4,000mAh for 52 hours of audio playback
Colours: Space Black
Connectivity: 4G and 5G variants
RAM: 8GB and 12GB versions
Price: Starting at £799

iPhone 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 prices

In terms of pricing, there isn’t all that much to separate the gadgets.

Pre-orders for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro open on October 16, while the two mobiles will go on general sale a week later, on October 23.

When it launches on October 23, the iPhone 12 will start at £799 in the UK and $799 in the US. The iPhone 12 Pro will go for £999 / $999.

Those prices jump up as high as £849 for the 12 or £1,299 for the 12 Pro if you decide you want extra internal storage.

The Galaxy S20, which came out in March, is the same price as the iPhone 12 but a good £200 cheaper than the iPhone 12 ProCredit: Samsung

Of course, these are the recommended prices set by Apple, and we could see them go up or down (but not by much) at various retailers.

On Samsung’s website, the Galaxy S20 5G – which hit shelves around the world in March – still starts at £799 / $799.

It’s therefore the same price as the iPhone 12 and a good £200 / $200 cheaper than the iPhone 12 Pro.

When it launched, the phone started at £899 – slap bang in the middle of Apple’s new handsets.

iPhone 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 – Which is best for you?

With specs that line up pretty similarly, it’s tough to call which phone is best for you – especially until we’ve actually got our hands on the new iPhones.

As far as the specs go, if battery life or a wallet-friendly price tag top your list of priorities, then the iPhone 12 is the way to go.

If a camera is more your priority but you don’t want to drop a grand on a phone, then gun for the Galaxy S20.

All in all, we’d suggest sticking to the operating system you know best.

If you’re an avid Android fan, then the Samsung is your best bet, while iOS nuts should stick to one of Apple’s handsets.

What is 5G?

Here’s what you need to know…

The term 5G stands for 5th-generation, and is simply the next “version” of mobile phone networks.
The world’s network operators have settled on a new method of delivering mobile internet to your phone, making it possible to offer far higher download speeds.
Early figures suggest you’ll be able to download 4K movies in a matter of seconds, and buffering video will be a thing of the past.
But 5G also promises low “latency” – the physical delay in transmitting data – which is a major boon for gamers, who desperately need their online actions to be sent and received as quickly as possible.
EE is first across the line in the UK, with 5G live in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Birmingham or Manchester.
The good news is that EE plans to roll out 5G in a further 10 cities by the end of 2019: Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry and Bristol.
Vodafone has also switched on 5G in seven cities: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, and London.

Check out the brand-new iPhone 12 Pro, Apple’s most powerful phone yet!