Samsung's Galaxy S20 FE is reportedly selling like hotcakes in the U.S.

By Babu Mohan
last updated

Galaxy S20 FE in Cloud Lavender
Galaxy S20 FE in Cloud Lavender (Image credit: Hayato Huseman / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • The Galaxy S20 FE is reportedly a hit among consumers in the U.S.
  • As per Wave7 Research, the phone is among Samsung's top three sellers at most carrier stores.
  • Samsung's vanilla Galaxy Note 20 and S20 are also performing surprisingly well.

The Galaxy S20 FE is Samsung's first serious attempt at taking on rivals such as OnePlus in the highly competitive value flagship segment. While it may not have the same premium metal and glass build as its more expensive siblings, the Galaxy S20 FE delivers phenomenal value and happens to be one of Samsung's best Android phones in a long time. As per report from market research firm Wave7, the Galaxy S20 FE is a hit among consumers in the U.S., with 60% of carrier store reps saying it is one of the top three best-selling Samsung phones (via 9to5Google).

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According to the report, the Galaxy S20 FE is more popular among consumers in the U.S. than the company's flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and is also cannibalizing sales of A-series phones like the Galaxy A51 and A71. Aside from the Galaxy S20 FE, Samsung's top three sellers at most carrier stores sampled by Wave7 included the Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy S20, and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

The latest Pixel devices from Google, however, aren't selling well at carrier stores. One Verizon representative told Wave7 that they have "no incentive" to push Pixel sales. Sales of Google's Pixel lineup are stuck at just 1% across the major U.S. carriers. Sales of OnePlus devices on the other hand, are said to be stuck at around 2% on T-Mobile and 0% at Verizon. According to a Verizon store rep, nobody has even asked about the OnePlus 8 "during the last four months."

Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

Samsung's Galaxy S20 FE is a true flagship killer, giving you nearly the same experience as the Galaxy S20 at a significantly lower price point. It has everything you would expect from a value flagship in 2020, including a gorgeous 120Hz AMOLED display and great battery life.

Babu Mohan
Babu Mohan
News Writer
11 Comments
  • Have they fixed the touchscreen issues?
  • I've been using the cloud red for about 4wks. I haven't had any touch screen issues whatsoever. The 865 is extremely fast and the 120hz display is very nice!
  • I'm getting mine today, not sure if I'm sending back or not
  • Mostly due to carrier promotions.
  • This model and T-Mobile deal came at the right time. I was trying to decide on Android or iPhone when retiring L950XL. An S20 FE 5G preorder for free (matching credits) when adding a new T-Mobile line for my sister made the decision. Then the cannibalism of Samsung midrange sales resulted in unlocked A51 5G price briefly dropping to $350 on Amazon, so my wife retired her WM for it. Only thing that could have been better would be to get a second S20 FE 5G for $10/mo by adding an 8th line and never using it. But it turned out I added my sister's line on the last possible day lines could be added to my Veteran plan without switching to a newer Veteran plan that would have cost me other benefits.
  • My wife and I were both due for an upgrade. I came from a Pixel 2XL, and was really wanting to stay with the Pixel line. But the Pixel 5 was not thrilling to me just because of the small screen size. If they released a Pixel 5XL, I would have been all over it. We both got a S20 FE from Best Buy for $500 for the unlocked model, and are both really liking it. I wish there were an easy way to "de-Samsungize" it (Nova Launcher helps a lot), but overall we are both happy with our phones.
  • Agreed on your point about the Pixel 5 XL being a huge miss on Google’s part this year. While I elected for a Pixel 5 in November, I’m now using a S20 FE as a daily phone and while I strongly dislike the One UI software as compared to the Pixel’s stock Android, the larger screen, snappier 120 Hz refresh rate and overall better/brighter display has me not wanting to go back. Hoping Amazon will take back my Pixel with minimal fuss... I will admit also, the Pixel’s camera software was superior in terms of elegance and ease of use, but we can’t have everything... at least until 2021’s Pixel 6 XL/PRO release (hopefully).
  • The Galaxy S20 FE is a deal in North America, but it's the Galaxy A51 that's winning the Global Market (I'm a Motorola Dude and I'm impressed by the S20 FE).
  • Been using my Cloud Lavender (unlocked) for about 3 weeks now. I'm loving it, great upgrade from the Galaxy S8+ I've been using since new.
  • I had every intention of keeping mine. I even had two cases and tempered glass screen protectors ordered. But nope...junk. The proximity sensor was broken. Every time I pulled the thing out of my pocket the screen was on and registering multiple taps. Sent it back. Got the OnePlus 8T and it works flawlessly. Sold the cases and screen protectors as a bundle.
  • No issues with my Cloud Navy S20 FE 5G, its such a great phone.