I just got the S20 on Monday. I moved from an Essential Phone. I was having too many issues with the device and had been researching possible replacements. The build on the Essential beats the plastic S20 hands down. The Samsung feels cheap. Even the supplied USB type C cable is cheap. No comparison.
But the screen is way better on the S20. The 120Hz refresh rate makes things so fluid. The phone itself super quick and responsive. The only drawback is that you have to downgrade the resolution to FHD+ (2400 x 1080) to use the 120Hz. If you are trying to save battery, I'd turn the rez down to 60Hz. I suppose next year's model (Samsung Galaxy S30) will be able to do WQHD+ while maintaining the faster refresh rates. Whatever the case, count me in as sold.
The S20 is not that good at voice recognition. Lots of errors. I'm hoping it improves over time. I haven't been catching the errors all the time.
I sure wish Samsung just went with stock Android. Spent considerable time customizing everything. I'm re-learning Samsung toggle buttons. I had the Note 3 some years back so it's been a while.
Got a thin minimalist case from Spigen. I went with that case because I wanted a pocket-able phone. The S20+ and the S20 Ultra are way too big for my pockets (and my wallet!). The S20 is similar in width to the Essential.
The finger recognition leaves a lot to be desired. I get that it works. It just doesn't work that smoothly. You shouldn't have to learn how to use it. It's too picky on finger placement. Also, it's hard to do the finger recognition one handed. The sensor should be mid screen instead of at the bottom so you can hold on to your device a little easier.
I'm used to the buttons on the right side.
I use the camera a lot. Despite good hardware, the Essential Phone's camera sucked in low light and in motion. The S20 is not only a superior camera, it is one of the best ones available in a smartphone. I haven't tried shooting any video, let alone an 8K video. I'll probably see what it can do this weekend.
The S20 comes with a screen protector already put on the screen.
I don't care about the headphone jack. At home I have a desktop and awesome sounding speakers. On the road, I connect via Bluetooth to my Alpine. At work, I don't listen to music. I've got a headset that I connect via Bluetooth.
I'm glad they have a microSD slot. I ordered a 512GB San Disk Extreme card. I will put it in when it is delivered.
The signal is stronger with the S20. The Essential had poor reception.
The S20 is considerably lighter than the Essential. This will save my poor hands.
Did I mention 5G??!!! I ran a speed test at work. Looks good to me!
I hate paying $1000 for a phone. However, Amazon had the phone on sale for $799 and I get 5% back on my Visa.
Overall, it's a nice upgrade. For a grand, you'd think the build would be a little bit better. The hardware is top notch though. I've got T-Mobile. As soon as the merger was effective, T-Mobile took all of Sprint's sub-6 frequencies and used it for 5G. I could notice the difference right away.
I'm keeping my Essential as a backup.