If you buy an Android phone on Prime Day, it needs to be this one

There's no reason to spend more when the upgrades are a bore.

Since its launch late last year, the Galaxy S20 FE has been the phone to beat. While the Galaxy S21 may have been out for four months now, it's nigh impossible to argue with the incredible value you get with the Galaxy S20 FE. This Prime Day, if you're planning to buy any phone — on sale or not — it absolutely should be a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.

When it launched, the Galaxy S20 FE debuted at the same price as the Google Pixel 5; a phone that was touted to be a premium mid-range experience with a flagship-grade camera. The Galaxy 20 FE, on the other hand, doesn't pretend to be anything but a premium-tier product. With the same 120Hz refresh rate AMOLED display as the Galaxy S21, the same triple camera setup with 30X Space Zoom as the S20 and S21 families, and a blazing-fast processor that's an upgrade over what's in the Pixel 5, it's a win-win no matter how you look at it.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE | $221 off at Amazon

The Galaxy S20 FE sheds the price without shedding the specs. It was a surprising release from Samsung that made everyone reconsider what a premium flagship phone really was. Top-tier specs, world-class cameras, a 120Hz display, no bezels, and no real compromises in sight, the Galaxy S20 FE is all you really need.

$479 at Amazon

Most phones that sell for under $500 typically fall into one of two categories. They're either on sale to clear out stock for a newer model, or they make significant compromises that will make the phone feel old after a fairly short amount of time. The Galaxy S20 FE doesn't fall in either of these categories, which makes it one of the most special deals of Prime Day, not just one of the best Prime Day phone deals.

For $479, you'll be getting the best processor that any phone in 2020 had: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. 6GB of RAM leaves plenty of room for a solid multitasking experience — although it is 2GB less than what ships on the Galaxy S21 — and a 4,500mAh battery means you'll be going all day without worrying about charging your phone no matter how you use it. 128GB built-in storage is plenty for apps, pictures, and video, but if you find that you need more, the Galaxy S20 FE supports up to 1TB microSD cards for easily expandable storage.

While it seems that the only obvious cut-backs are a bit less RAM and a plastic body, even the smaller Galaxy S21 uses a plastic body — yet is $120 more on Prime Day. How about the display? If you can believe it, the 6.5-inch display on the Galaxy S20 FE is the same quality as what's on the Galaxy S21, including that liquid-smooth 120Hz refresh rate.

Samsung's OneUI experience has been pushing the boundaries of what's expected from an Android vendor since it debuted a few years back and regularly gets big, note-worthy updates. Additionally, Samsung guarantees another 3 years of software updates for the Galaxy S20 FE — that's 4 years in total — so you know you won't feel like this phone is outdated for a long time to come.

To top it off, the Galaxy S20 FE sports all three of the same cameras from the Galaxy S20 series without compromise. While the Galaxy S21 will give you an ever-so-slightly upgraded ultra-wide and telephoto experience, the difference is not likely worth $120 to most people. After all, the Galaxy S20 FE still sports the exact same 12MP main camera as even the Galaxy S21, making it a winner in everyday situations.

So why opt for more? Well, if you really need some crazy zoom levels or S-Pen support, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is on sale for $350 off, but that still makes the phone nearly double the price of a Galaxy S20 FE. Probably not worth the bump.

If you're looking for a lower price, the OnePlus 8 Glacial Green colorway is on sale for $350 and still sports the same processor as the Galaxy S20 FE. It's got 2GB RAM more than the S20 FE, which could be helpful for heavy multitaskers, but OnePlus's history of flaky software updates — on top of an inferior camera experience — means it's probably worth spending the extra $130 for the S20 FE if you can swing it.