Galaxy A72 vs Galaxy S20 FE: Almost as good, but not quite there yet

The Galaxy A72 is official and, even before its unveiling, we explored the possibility that this new Galaxy A smartphone could become a better bargain than the rumored Galaxy S21 FE. The latter device has yet to be unveiled, but the next-best thing in line is the Galaxy S20 FE and it's been available for months.

Samsung's new upper-mid-range phone is getting dangerously close to the flagship killer market territory, except it's supposed to be priced even lower than the FE-branded models at launch. The Galaxy S20 FE may have found a true adversary, and it's ironic that its origins lie in the humble Galaxy A series.

But is the Galaxy A72 actually better than the highly acclaimed Galaxy S20 FE? Well, to save you the suspense, it isn't. But given the lower launch price and the overall specs, it could be a better bargain or a really good alternative to the S20 FE.

Galaxy A72 vs Galaxy S20 FE: Who's got the better SoC and display?

One clear advantage the Galaxy S20 FE has over the Galaxy A72 is the chipset. The new mid-range phone is powered by the Snapdragon 720G SoC, whereas the Galaxy S20 FE / S20 FE 5G conceals a superior Exynos 990 / Snapdragon 865 chipset under the hood.

Another area in which the Galaxy S20 FE has some advantages is the display. Samsung's new Galaxy A72 boasts a 6.7-inch 90Hz FHD+ Super AMOLED display, but the Galaxy S20 FE's 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel is capable of a 120Hz refresh rate, and 30Hz can make a real difference.

Fortunately for the Galaxy A72, it has at least one advantage over last year's FE-branded model. It conceals a larger 5,000mAh battery, and even though it lacks wireless charging capabilities, it supports 25W fast charging.

Galaxy A72 vs Galaxy S20 FE: What about the software and cameras?

A bigger battery isn't the only thing about the Galaxy A72 that's better compared to the Galaxy S20 FE. The newer phone ships with a version of One UI 3 that includes Fun Mode, which is a new series of AR camera filters developed with Snapchat.

As for the hardware, the Galaxy A72 has four rear-facing sensors and it actually shares its 8MP 3x telephoto shooter with the Galaxy S20 FE. It also boasts a 64MP main camera with PDAF, OIS, and tetra-binning technology for improved shots in low light. The 12MP ultra-wide appears to be similar across both phones, but the Galaxy A72 has an additional 5MP macro sensor.

We'll have to test the Galaxy A72's quad-camera to determine if this combo is superior, but so far it sounds promising enough to match or even surpass the Galaxy S20 FE.

Galaxy A72 vs Galaxy S20 FE: Conclusion

The Galaxy A72 is an impressive new mid-range smartphone, boasting a high refresh rate display, a near-complete One UI 3.1 experience, decent cameras and internal specifications, and more. It's a fantastic addition to the Galaxy A series, but the Galaxy S20 FE manages to outweigh it in many key aspects, even if only by a little.

The Galaxy A72's new IP67 dust and water resistance rating, along with the 3x telephoto camera and the 90Hz display offer clear advantages over other non-flagship Galaxy smartphones, however, they're simply not enough to threaten the Galaxy S20 FE from a purely technical point of view.

It's worth noting, however, that the rumored Galaxy A72 5G could feature a 120Hz display along with a better Snapdragon 750G chipset, thus leveling the playing field some more.

Samsung
Galaxy S20 FE

Select model SM-G780F Buy Full specs

Samsung
Galaxy S20 FE 5G

Select model SM-G781B Buy Full specs

Samsung
Galaxy A72

Select model SM-A725F SM-A725M Buy Full specs