Refurbished Samsung S21 vs Samsung S20 - Battle Of The Flagships (2023)

Most smartphone makers will update their line-ups every year to bring new software, faster chips, and even a reboot of the style of the phone. These updates don't usually change much about a phone, which means that the high prices charged on most of these newer devices won't make sense if you already have a recent model. While some will clamour for the latest like Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23 Ultra, the older models' prices go down, and that is what really happens with refurbished Samsung Phones. They are the easiest way to get premium features on a budget and but it also means that you can get flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S21 or the Samsung Galaxy S20.

If you are considering buying Samsung S20 Fe or S21, read on to find out how they stack up against each other and to understand why the Samsung S21 or S20 Samsung in Australia are great refurbished phone ideas. It is a classic case of the old and the new, but which do you think is the best for you? Let's start with a price comparison.

Price comparison

Refurbished Samsung S20 price starts at $619 for the 128GB storage option and the Samsung S21 price in Australia starts at $829. At launch they were priced at the $1,000+ mark and at the price they 're at now, they offer excellent value for money. Yoou can check Samsung S21 Deals for a greater value

Design

The design language between the refurbished unlocked Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S21 is almost identical, with many of the differences coming from the camera layout at the back and the colour options available for the phone. The Samsung Galaxy S21 has a triple camera layout with a raised camera bump on the top left corner, while the Galaxy S20 has its camera bump offset from the edges of the top left corner. Another significant difference is that while the back of the Galaxy S20 is made entirely out of glass, the back cover of the refurbished unlocked Galaxy S21 is made out of plastic made to feel like glass. Samsung calls this Glasstic. The lack of a glass back may make it feel less premium to some; hence if you are looking for a premium feeling device, the Galaxy S20 is the one for you.

Cameras

In terms of cameras, both phones share an identical camera module with updates coming only from the camera modes added by new software tweaks to the Galaxy S21. You can get some of these features with a software update; hence it isn 't really a dealbreaker. Some of the modes include a vlogger view which permits you to record video using the front and rear camera simultaneously, and a director, which allows you to view video recordings from all three rear cameras at once. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Fe 5g and Galaxy S20 use a 12MP main, 64MP telephoto, and 12mp ultrawide sensors, which make for good photos and videos even in low light scenarios. So, unless you are looking for the specific camera modes to use, these phones ' video and photo experience should not be the reason to choose one over the other.

Displays

As we said initially, some corners had to be cut to make the Galaxy S21 cheap, and the splay is one of those corners. While both have a 6.2-inch display, the resolution of the S21 at 1080 X 2400 (HD+) is lower compared to the Galaxy S20 's 1440 X 3200 (quad HD). Besides that, both have a fantastic screen-to-body ratio, 120Hz refresh rates, ultrasonic fingerprints, and a hole punch cut-out for the camera at the top. Despite the low resolution, the screen is still excellent for videos making it a worthy trade-off for a lower price to some.

Battery life

The Samsung Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S20 have an identical battery capacity of 4000mAh. That said, you can expect the galaxy S21 to perform marginally better due to the improvements in the processor 's energy efficiency and software. This battery is enough for a full day of reasonable use on a single charge. Both devices support fast charging and reverse wireless charging for your other devices.

Verdict

Looking at both devices, the Galaxy S21 in Australia makes sense for its software updates, but in terms of features, it is in many ways a step down from the Galaxy S20. To make it affordable, Samsung had to keep most costs down. Its most significant upside is the using the latest Snapdragon 888 chip or the Exynos 2100 in some. The S20, on the other hand, uses a snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990, which are no slouches either. The most common variant of the Galaxy S20 comes with 12GB RAM and 128GB storage—there is a less common 8GB RAM version. The S21 comes with 8GB RAM with storage options of 128GB and 256GB.

As a refurbished device, both these devices will serve you well, with no significant performance differences in both. The Galaxy S20 with its glass back will feel more premium, but you can buy galaxy S21 with newer internals. So, if you are not chasing the latest phone trends, both these devices will give you value for money and performance if you buy them refurbished.

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