Samsung Galaxy A5s Review

Introduction

• Reviewer: Will for GSM Arena
• Samsung has released a new entry-level phone, the Galaxy A5s.
• Inherits many features from last year's Galaxy A4s.

Design

• Plastic back with a matte finish and smooth texture.
• Plastic frame with a brushed metal look.
• Vertical triple cameras similar to other Samsung models.
• Notably unremarkable design.

Display

• 6.7-inch LCD with 1080p resolution (upgraded from 720p).
• 90Hz refresh rate.
• Improved sharpness from previous complaints.
• Large bezels.
• Poor color accuracy without control adjustments.
• Brightness: Nearly 470 nits maximum (usable outdoors).
• Issues with pixel response times leading to ghosting and smearing.
• Refresh rate doesn't dial down when idle.

Audio

• 3.5mm headphone jack.
• Single bottom-firing speaker with average loudness and mediocre sound quality.

Biometrics and Storage

• Side-mounted fingerprint reader in the power button (accurate and snappy).
• Expandable storage via microSD.
• Onboard storage: 128GB eMMC 5.1 (no 32 or 64GB versions).

Software

• Samsung's One UI Core 5.1 on top of Android 13.
• Includes features from high-end Samsung devices, albeit missing Edge panels, Good Lock, and Samsung Pay.

Performance

• Snapdragon 680 4G chipset (2 years old, better than last year's Exynos 850).
• No 5G connectivity.
• Below-average performance in benchmarks.
• Noticeable sluggishness in everyday use.

Battery Life and Charging

• 5000mAh battery.
• Active use score: 11 hours and 32 minutes.
• Faster charging: 25W (from 15W previously).
• No charger included in the box.
• Charge from 0 to 43% in 30 minutes.

Camera

• Main: 50MP (photos come out at 12.5MP due to pixel binning).
  • Detailed with no excessive sharpening.
  • Colors true to life, but noticeable noise and dark shadows.
  • Competent portrait shots with some edge detection issues.
• Macro: 2MP (decent close-up photos).
• Depth sensor.
• Selfie: 13MP (aggressively processed and smoothed).
• Low light performance is poor.
  • Night mode improves brightness and noise but reduces detail.
• Video: 1080p resolution, good colors, low noise, decent dynamic range, no stabilization.

Conclusion

• Improvements over Galaxy A4s: better screen, faster charging, more storage.
• Still lacks a powerful chipset resulting in a less snappy user experience.
• Display issues with sluggish pixel response.
• Alternatives with more powerful chipset: Samsung Galaxy A14 5G, Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 4G.

Recommendations

• Worth checking for better performance or battery life alternatives.

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