Samsung Galaxy S20 Guides

Everything about Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra

fast wireless charging 2.0

How to Use Enhanced Processing on Galaxy S20 with Android 11 update?

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Enhanced Processing on Galaxy S20 with Android 11 updateEnhanced processing is one of the prominent new features in Galaxy S20 Android 11 update.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what the enhanced processing is, how to enable it from Settings and quick settings panel and how to use enhanced processing on Galaxy S20 with Android 11 update.

The enhanced processing option is available after you upgraded Galaxy S20 (and Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, and Galaxy Note 20) to Android 11.  If your Galaxy S20 is still running Android 10, please check this guide on how to use and customise the power mode.

What is enhanced processing on Galaxy S20 with Android 11 update?

As mentioned here, Samsung revamped (simplified) the power modes and added the enhanced processing option in Android 11 (One UI 3.0) update for Galaxy S20, S10, Note 10, and Note 20.

But Samsung hasn’t offered a detailed explanation of this feature, except stating:

Get faster data processing for all apps except games. use more battery.

There are some wrong inceptions on this feature on the internet. Some mistakenly thought the enhanced processing is simply the old high-performance mode.

So, what is enhanced processing?

First, the enhanced processing, once enabled, can unleash the full CPU (and GPU) power so that the app can run faster.

Second, the enhanced processing works with power saving mode. In other words, you can use this feature even in the power saving mode.

It sounds confusing. But it makes sense.

Apparently, the enhanced processing actually unleash the CPU power on demand. When you are using an app in the power saving mode, in the past, the CPU speed is capped. Now, with the enhanced processing, the limit can be removed on demand with other restrictions (e.g., brightness) in place. Of course, it does not affect background apps.

Third, enhanced processing is a standalone feature.

Galaxy S20 Android 11 update simplified the power modes to 2 modes only: default mode and power saving mode.  The enhanced processing adds the option to speed up the CPU speed on demand for active (foreground) apps. This addressed the battery consumption issue in the old performance mode.

At the same time, there are many complaints about the old medium power saving mode, which slows down the apps noticeably. Some owners question the rationale of limiting the speed for the foreground apps. The enhanced processing addressed this … Read the rest

How to use and customize power mode on Galaxy S20?

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use and customize power mode on Galaxy S20You can use Galaxy S20 power mode to balance the performance and battery life based on your needs and habit.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the importance of using the proper power modes on Galaxy S20, what are the 4 power modes on Galaxy S20, when and how to use each of these four power modes. The guide also shows you how to manage, customize, and limit battery usage (and background activities) for individual apps from app power management and application managers.

Samsung adopted almost identical power modes (power-saving modes) on all Galaxy Phones with Android 10. So, in addition to Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, and Galaxy S20 FE, this guide also applies to most of the recent Galaxy phones, including all variants of Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 20, and  Galaxy Note 10.

Update: Samsung introduced the Enhanced processing option under battery settings in Android 11 update for Galaxy S20.

Why is Galaxy S20 power mode important to balance performance and battery life?

Battery life is a major concern for many Galaxy S20 owners, although Galaxy S20 supports up to 45W super-fast charging and fast wireless charging 2.0.

Most of Galaxy S20 owners expect the phone worked when they want to use it. Running out of battery can be very disturbing nowadays, especially if you pay more than $1000 for the gadget.

Unfortunately, current Li-ion battery technologies still pose a hard limit on the battery capacity given the limited available space in the phone and possible and safety considerations.

So, one way to extend battery life so that you have enough battery before you can access a charger is to “save ” battery, i.e., reducing or optimizing the usage of the battery.

Basically, it is not necessary to let the Galaxy S20 run at its peak performance. For more than 90% of owners of Galaxy S20,  the phone offers more processing power than what you need.

Even for heavy gamers, the high processing power is only needed when you play some large games. You do not need to keep the phone running in its peak state all the time.

Power mode in Galaxy S20 lets you balance the performance and battery life.

What are the 4 power modes on Galaxy S20?

On Samsung Galaxy S20, there are 4 power modes:

  1. Optimized (default).
  2. High performance.
  3. Medium power saving (aka, power saving)
… Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S20 Clear View Cover (S View cover)?

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Galaxy S20 Clear View cover /S View coverGalaxy S20 Clear View Cover (aka S View smart cover in some regions) lets you check notifications, accept/reject incoming calls,  handle alarms, and control music play through the S View window without opening the case.

Samsung improved a lot for the Clear View (S View ) covers in recent years for the S-View window design and materials.

This Galaxy S20 accessories guide explains the improvements of the Galaxy S20 Clear View cover, how the S View cover works and unique features of the Clear View cover,  shows you how to use the cover to show notification icons, to accept/reject calls, and to control music playing, The guide also shows you how to use the Always-on Display (AOD) on Galaxy S20 Clear View cover. At the end of the guide, a concise no-nonsense review of Galaxy S20 S View cover is included.

Due to the difference in dimensions and cutouts of Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra, you need to get the Galaxy S20 cover based on your phone model. The features, functions, and usage of the cover are identical on all these 3 Galaxy S20 phones.

What is new in Galaxy S20 Clear View Cover (S View cover)?

Samsung changed the design of the Galaxy Note 10 Clear View cover dramatically (compared to S10 clear view cover)  by introducing the long (and narrow) S View window.

Galaxy S20 clear view cover is clearly a refinement of Galaxy Note 10 clear view cover.

Here are the three new features or improvements of Galaxy S20 Clear View Cover.

#1. New S View window

The full screen S View window as in Galaxy S10 Clear View cover is a fingerprint magnet.  Also, the cover only utilizes a small portion of the display (that is why it was named as S View window).

Galaxy Note 10 Clear View Cover is a good experiment for the new S View window.  The long and narrow S View window is perfect for most owners. You can easily peek the S View window to see the notifications and time when it is on the desk.

Galaxy S20 Clear View Cover uses a similar S View window. But it is integrated into the front piece in a more natural way (read on),

#2. Improved design

In Galaxy S20, the new S View window is not on the edge of the front piece.  Instead, it is embedded inside … Read the rest

How to set battery limit for Wireless PowerShare on Galaxy S20, Note 10, and S10?

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set battery limit for Wireless PowerShare on Galaxy S20, Note 10, and S10Wireless PowerShare is a convenient feature allowing you to charge accessories with Galaxy S20 battery.

When the feature was first introduced in Galaxy S10, the battery limit for wireless Powershare is fixed at 30% (of the phone battery). In Android 10 update for Galaxy S10 and Note 10, Samsung allows owners to raise the battery limit for Wireless PowerShare.

Galaxy S20 also allows you to adjust the battery limit for Wireless PowerShare. And it works identically to Galaxy S10 and Note 10.

This Galaxy S20 guide shows you how to adjust the battery limit for Wireless PowerShare on Galaxy S20, S10, and Note 10. Some questions on setting the battery limit for Wireless PowerShare are also answered.

What is Wireless PowerShare on Galaxy S20?

Wireless PowerShare turns your Galaxy S20 into a Qi-wireless charger. So, you can use your Galaxy S20 to charge accessories and even other phones that support wireless charging.

The typical usage of Wireless PowerShare is to charge your smartwatch, earbuds (e.g., Samsung Galaxy Buds,  Galaxy Buds+) with your Galaxy S20’s battery. You can use it to charge other phones. But the speed is not so fast (it is the standard wireless charging. No fast wireless charging.)

Samsung first introduced this feature with Galaxy S10. It is one of a few well-received new features in Galaxy S10.  Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S20 implemented the wireless Powershare similarly.

A detailed guide on how to use Wireless PowerShare can be found here. It applies to all Samsung devices supporting Wireless PowerShare.

The original implementation of the Wireless PowerShare in Galaxy S10 and Note 10 hardcoded a battery limit of 30%. Wireless Powershare will stop automatically if the phone battery is lower than 30% of its full capacity.

Because the phone battery drains faster  (most of us can “feel” it) when the battery level is low,  some owners want to reserve more battery, especially when charging other phones. The 30% limit may be too low for them.

So, in Android 10 update, Samsung added the option for you to set battery limit for Wireless PowerShare on Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10.  Galaxy S20 has this feature from day 1.

Please note some official Samsung Galaxy S20 cases, like Galaxy S20 LED View Cover, Galaxy S20 Clear View /S View Cover, and Galaxy S20 LED back cover, may affect wireless … Read the rest

How to charge Galaxy S20 battery?

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charge Galxy S20 battery super fast charging 2.0You need to charge Galaxy S20 battery properly to maximize the battery life without sacrificing usage.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains to you everything you need to know on charging Galaxy S20 battery: two ways to charge Galaxy S20, how to use USB charging, how to use wireless charging, typical charging time for Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra. The guide also answers questions you may have on charging Galaxy S20 battery.

Charging Galaxy S20 battery is identical on Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra. The only difference is that Galaxy S20 Ultra supports 45W super fast-charging; while Galaxy S20 and S20+ only support up to 25W.

Do you need to charge Galaxy S20 battery for 8 hours for the first time?

No, it is unnecessary to charge Galaxy S20 battery for 8 hours for the first time.

You can disconnect the charger once the battery is fully charged.

The old textbook may teach you to charge the new battery for 8 hours. It is outdated.

When you open the Galaxy S20 box, the battery level on your Galaxy S20 should be normally around 50-60%. You can use the phone immediately.

In some regions, Samsung does not offer a 1-to-1 exchange. You have to power on the phone on the spot to check the phone before you leave the counter.

Two ways to charge Galaxy S20 battery

You can charge Galaxy S20 battery in two ways:

  1. USB charging. You can charge Galaxy S20 with a USB cable, which connects to a USB power source (normally, a wall charger).
  2. Wireless charging. You can put Galaxy S20 on a wireless charging pad to charge the battery. You can use the USB port to connect other devices, e.g., a USB thumb drive.

In Galaxy S20 box, a 25W charger and a USB-C cable are included. You can use them to charge Galaxy S20 battery.

Of course, you can use other wall chargers, power banks, or USB hub to charge Galaxy S20. But the charging speed may be affected. For example, if you use a USB port on your PC or laptop to charge Galaxy S20, you may find it is too slow.

Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra all support Quick Charge (QC) 2.0, USB Power Delivery (PD) 3. As explained in this guide, all three Galaxy S20 models support super-fast charging. Galaxy S20 and S20+ … Read the rest

What is fast charging, super-fast charging, fast wireless charging and fast wireless charging 2.0?

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What is fast charging, super-fast charging, fast wireless charging and fast wireless charging 2.0?Samsung bragged a lot about fast charging and super-fast charging for Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra.

But these are not industrial standards, although there are some industrial standards behind.

So, as an owner of Galaxy S20, you may be confused with the Qualcomm quick charge (QC)  or USB power delivery.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the meaning of fast charging, adaptive fast charge, super-fast charging, fast wireless charging, and fast wireless charging 2.0, and the link to industrial standards.

What are fast charging, adaptive fast charging, and super-fast charging on Galaxy S20?

Before you charge Galaxy S20 battery, you may need to understand some jargons used on “fast” charging.

The old USB charger usually charges up to 5W (5V, 1A). The fast USB charging usually refers to charging up to 10W (5V, 2A).

But Samsung coined “adaptive fast charging” for charging up to 15W (9V, 1.67A) since Galaxy S6. Up to Galaxy S10, the 15W adaptive fast charger had been bundled with Galaxy S and Note devices.

Adaptive fast charging supports both 10W USB fast charging, and 15W proprietary fast charging. The 15W fast charging can be activated only when the battery level is lower than about 60%.

Samsung minted “super-fast charging” when Galaxy Note and Note 10+ were announced last year. It refers to up to 25W charging for Galaxy Note 10, and up to 45W for Galaxy Note 10+.

Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+ support super-fast charging up to 25W, and Galaxy S20 Ultra up to 45W, as explained in the differences among Galaxy S20 models.

Adaptive fast charging and super-fast charging were not industrial standards. Samsung minted them.

The industrial standards related to USB charging for phones have two different sets:

  1. Qualcomm Quick Charge (QC). All Samsung devices, including Galaxy S20, only support QC 2.0. FYI, the latest version is QC4+. Probably due to licensing cost for Samsung’s Exynos chips used in some regions, Samsung chose not to support QC 3.0 or QC4 on all their phones including those with Snapdragon chips.
  2. USB Power Delivery (PD). USB PD became popular with the wide adoption of USB-C, although USB PD does not rely on USB-C. Also, there are no licencing fees involved.  Samsung does not explicitly state the support of USB PD. But Galaxy S20 did get the fast USB charger certificate from
… Read the rest

Galaxy S20 layout

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Galaxy S20 layoutYou need to know the Galaxy S20 layout if you want to use Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra properly.

This Galaxy S20 guide shows each part of Galaxy S20 layout and explains to you the functions of these parts on Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra.

The layout of Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra is almost identical, although the 3 models differ significantly in size and camera features (as explained in this page).

So, this guide applies to the layout of Galaxy S10, S20+, and S20 Ultra. In the text, we use the Galaxy S20 layout refers to all of these 3 models.

Why do you need to know about Galaxy S20 layout?

After unboxing Galaxy S20, the first thing you want to do is powering on the phone.

But where is the power button? If you are an owner of  Galaxy Note 10  (or Note 10+), then you may find the power button (side key) is not relocated back to the right.

If you want to record an audio clip (especially in the interview mode), you probably need to know the location of the two microphones.

If you want to use NFC, use wireless charging, or use wireless PowerShare, you need to know the location of antennas and coils.

If you are new to the in-display fingerprint sensor, you need to know where to put your fingers on.

Anyway, all Galaxy S20  owners need to know the layout of Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra so that you can use the phone effectively.

Galaxy S20 layout

In the picture below, 15 items of the Galaxy S20 layout are illustrated.

Front view

On the front of Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra, you can find the main display (screen), in-display fingerprint reader, and the front camera.

#1. The screen

About 90% of the front part of Galaxy S20 is what Samsung called “Dynamic AMOLED 2X” screen.

It is actually just a new iteration of Samsung’s  Super AMOLED. By default, the colour is vivid and sharp, but oversaturated.

Of course, you can change the default Vivid screen mode to Natural mode with more accurate colours.

Please note, the only screen difference of Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra is the size. The technology, resolution and features are identical.

The Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures were explained in this page.

Galaxy S20 navigation buttons… Read the rest

Top 10 differences among Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra

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differences among Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 UltraSamsung released 3 models of Galaxy S20. So what are the major differences among Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra?

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the top 10 differences of these 3 models to help you choose the correct Galaxy S20 model for your needs. The major differences among Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 ultra include screen size, price, rear camera system, front camera, battery capacity, RAM, storage, colour options, weight and charging speed.

Please note, in some regions, the configuration options (RAM, storage, colour, 5G, LTE) may be limited. But software features are all identical in these three Galaxy S20 phones.

Screen Size

All of the three phones share the same screen resolution (WQHD+, 3200×1440) and display technology (Dynamic AMOLED 2X).

And all of the three phones support 120Hz refresh rate (at 1080p resolution) as explained in this page. FYI, most of the mainstream TVs, smartphones, PC monitors, laptop screens have a refresh rate of 60Hz.

But the size of the screen differs on these 3 phones:

  • Galaxy S20: 6.2″
  • Galaxy S20+: 6.7″
  • Galaxy S20 Ultra: 6.9″

The size difference between Galaxy S20 and the other two big brothers is obvious.  Between Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra, the difference is not so obvious.

In addition to the size, the curvature of the edge of the screen also differs noticeably among these 3 phones. Galaxy S20 screen is the flattest. Galaxy S20 Ultra has the sharpest curvature.

Please note,  the aspect ratio of the screen on Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra is 20:9. So, Galaxy S20 looks narrower than Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 (19:9), and therefore the 6.9″ Galaxy S20 Ultra is narrower than the 6.8″ Galaxy Note 10+ (76mm vs 77.2mm in width).

Price

What is common in the price of the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra is expensive.

Among these 3 expensive Galaxy S20 models, Galaxy S20 Ultra is the most expensive starting at $1399 (with the base configuration).

Galaxy S20 starts at $999, and S20+ at $1199. These are for base (aka, minimum) configurations only, again.

This is a huge jump from the Galaxy S10 series.

It seems  Samsung cannot make the best Android phone. But they can make the most expensive mainstream Android phones.

Actually, Galaxy S20 is more expensive than the latest iPhone 11 Pro, which starts at $999 only.

Surely, this price is not sustainable.  … Read the rest