The Samsung Galaxy A03s is a basic smartphone that is neither inexpensive nor worthwhile to purchase. It looks good and has a respectable battery life, but the performance and camera quality are appalling. The older, less expensive Samsung Galaxy A02s offer almost the same user experience. Avoid being fooled by the naming convention if you’re looking to upgrade from the A02s; the A03s is not an improvement.
Samsung’s most affordable smartphones frequently involve trade-offs in order to achieve their astronomically low prices. The Galaxy A03s is hoping that removing some of those restrictions will make it okay to ask you to open your wallet a little wider even though it is still the most affordable way to join the Galaxy ecosystem. Is the experience worth the slightly higher price?
Learn more in our Samsung Galaxy A03s review.
Table of Contents
Design And Screen Of Samsung Galaxy A03s
- Ridged plastic chassis
- 6.5-inch, 1600 x 720 display
- Erratic fingerprint scanner
Don’t fix it if it isn’t broken. Despite having a more traditional single-tone color scheme, the Samsung Galaxy A03s looks almost identical to the A02s.
The lightly ridged plastic chassis has a pleasing appearance and feel, and it does a great job of hiding unsightly fingerprints.
As a result, the phone can lie flat on a tabletop. The triple array of camera sensors is housed within a dark rectangular module that, crucially for some users, sits almost perfectly flush with the chassis.
Along the right edge of the phone, the power button sits next to the volume controls and doubles as a fingerprint reader. But it’s so unreliable that I quickly stopped using it because of it.
This is problematic because the fingerprint scanner—the primary feature that sets the Galaxy A03s apart from the A02s—raises the price by 20 pounds. There is also a face unlock feature that uses the selfie camera, but it is equally unreliable as the fingerprint scanner.
You’ll be better off skipping the biometrics entirely and using a PIN or pattern to unlock the A03s instead to prevent excruciating frustration every time you try to do so.
The 6.5-inch, 1600 x 720 PLS LCD panel used by the Galaxy A03s is the same as that of its predecessor. It is big and sharp enough to satisfy the needs of most people, with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a pixel density of 270ppi. Again, direct sunlight poses a problem for maximum brightness.
The selfie camera is incorporated into a notch that resembles a teardrop at the top of the screen, which is surrounded by a bezel that is reasonably thick.
Some potential customers will appreciate the presence of a headphone jack and dual SIM card support. A wonderful addition is the MicroSD card slot. Along the bottom edge of the phone, there is a downward-firing mono speaker next to the USB-C charging port.
Display Of Samsung Galaxy A03s
The Galaxy A03s has a 6.5-inch PLS (Plane to Line Switching) LCD display with a resolution of 1600 x 720. It still has a teardrop notch and a broad bottom chin. Although it is usually bright enough, it won’t be adequate outside. This type of display in the entry-level segment is something I’m accustomed to. Although I don’t believe the expense would be justified, it would have been nice to see Samsung demonstrate its display prowess in this area. In order to prevent random reflections while viewing Netflix or YouTube content, this phone also has a flat display.
Performance And Software Of Samsung Galaxy A03s
Normally, I would display some benchmarks in this section, but I didn’t think it made sense given the Samsung Galaxy A03s review. This phone has a MediaTek Helio P35 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMC 5.1 storage. It wasn’t gonna be a really fast phone to the point that Samsung only put One UI 3.1 Core based on Android 11. One benefit is that there wouldn’t be much bloatware, but that won’t change the fact that the phone is slow.
While it isn’t painfully slow, most operations will seem that way. I thought that eMMC storage may be a factor in how slow it is. Other phones with comparable RAM, storage, and eMMC would, however, feel faster as a result of its software. (eMMC storage-equipped phone review can be found here.) We can only hope that One UI 4 on low-cost phones will be superior.
One UI Core is perfectly adequate software. Not much else happens, but it functions as expected. I love how One UI gives you access to the entire Galaxy ecosystem. The Galaxy A03s (or any other Samsung phone) makes it easier to use the Galaxy Buds 2! If you don’t like wearing earbuds, this phone’s single speaker is adequate and supports Dolby Atmos in some way.
I’ll soon be releasing content for the Galaxy Buds 2!
I’m satisfied with my overall interaction with One UI Core. Nothing more is done; it merely fulfills my needs. However, do not anticipate engaging in meaningful game play! When I tried to play Pokemon Unite, the phone had a lot of trouble delivering a fluid gaming experience. (Even lower settings had been used!)
Battery Life Of Samsung Galaxy A03s
I find the Galaxy A03s’ battery life to be a major plus. To destroy this phone in a single day would be extremely difficult. The fact that the screen is lower resolution and the processor is weaker helps as well. You could pretty much go through a day with moderate to heavy use thanks to its 5000 mAh battery. With moderate use, you might even be able to last for a day and a half or even longer!
But this phone’s charging is a pain! It is only capable of 15W fast charging and you only get a charger that offers less than 10W! Charging the Galaxy A03s would always take 2 and a half to 3 hours! To make matters worse, I already see other phones with bigger batteries that come with 18W fast chargers! It is disappointing to see that Samsung essentially cut corners with the chargers for its entry-level smartphones. Hopefully, in 2022, things will be better.
See our top related articles:
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Camera Of Samsung Galaxy A03s
- Triple rear cameras
- 13-megapixel main camera
- No Night mode
A 13-megapixel main sensor serves as the foundation for the Galaxy A03s’ triple rear camera system. The set is completed by a 2-megapixel depth sensor and 2-megapixel macro lens.
It’s possible that the reason any of that sounds familiar to you is because the camera array on the more affordable A02s is the exact same one.
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
The results were just about adequate for a £120 phone, but you would expect more from the marginally more expensive Galaxy A03s.
On a phone screen, this camera can take pictures that look good in good lighting conditions, but if you zoom in even slightly, all of the detail disappears and is replaced by soft edges and a noisy, hazy haze.
Due to the HDR’s lack of a Night mode, images taken in low or even moderate light conditions consistently turn out poorly. This allows some subjects to be lost in the shadows and others to be lost in the light.
It’s especially annoying that there isn’t a Night mode because the Macro mode is neither impressive nor useful.
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
Fun additions include Portrait mode, which blurs the background of photos to highlight the subject, and Pro Mode, which allows you to drill down into the technical details of the camera. Time-lapse videography is made simple with Hyperlapse. Each of these benefits, however, is accompanied by a significant drawback: the Galaxy A03s’ photos are of poor quality.
And for Night mode and HDR that actually works, I’d gladly forgo Pro mode, Portrait mode, Hyperlapse, and Macro.
Additionally, the selfie camera uses a basic 5-megapixel sensor and lacks image stabilization for video.
Similar to the A02s, it appears that Samsung added a triple camera to the Galaxy A03s simply because it appears to have good functionality.
How Effective Is The Samsung Galaxy A03s?
You should expect some compromises since this is the cheapest phone in Samsung’s Galaxy line. Unlike the more precise and superior OLED screens found in more expensive phones, the 6.5-inch display is an LCD. Even though the screen was perfect indoors and CR testers gave it a Fair rating, I found it challenging to watch videos outside in the direct sun.
Additionally, the Samsung Galaxy A03s has 3GB of memory as opposed to other phones’ 6GB or more. The phone’s comparatively sluggish performance is brought on by its meager RAM and an antiquated processor that was released in 2018. You will probably notice the lag on this phone if you are used to a touchscreen that is instantly responsive. You decide whether or not it’s a deal-breaker. However, when navigating menus, you will need some patience.
Because video games frequently push technology to its limits, I played a few games on the Galaxy A03s. The phone worked well with 2D puzzle games and 3D strategy games, but it frequently crashed when attempting to run the demanding and intensive Genshin Impact game.
The cameras on the phone are “good enough,” according to our testers. There is a 13-megapixel primary rear camera, a 2-megapixel depth sensor (which works with the primary camera to help blur the background to create bokeh effects), and a 5-megapixel front camera. The quick pictures I snapped looked good enough to post on social media or in a group chat, but the colors weren’t quite right. For instance, when I took a photo of a stuffed animal that was the color of blue painter’s tape or a plastic recycling bin, the image came out a soft, pastel blue. This phone isn’t for professional photographers or people who may want enlarged prints because the edges of the image appeared blurry when zooming in. Additionally, since there is no image stabilization, videos may appear shaky.
The power button on the right side of the phone houses a fingerprint sensor, but I found it to be unreliable. The Galaxy A03s frequently notified me that it couldn’t match my fingerprint when I attempted to unlock the phone with my thumb and advised me to try again. The phone disabled the fingerprint option and forced me to enter my password after numerous tries from various angles, which was counterproductive.
The Galaxy A03s’ plastic body has a slight give to it, which makes me wonder if it might be a candidate for one of those YouTube videos where someone breaks a phone in half with their bare hands. (Despite being a cheap device, you should probably put it in a durable case (although I did not test this.)
Who Is The Samsung Galaxy A03s For?
Despite all of its flaws, the Galaxy A03s would make a great first phone for a teenager or perhaps someone who travels frequently and values long battery life above all else.
The Galaxy A03s may suit you if you’re willing to forego top performance in exchange for cost savings. It meets all the requirements for the essentials and is the cheapest phone in our rankings.
Top Samsung Galaxy A03s Questions And Answers
Are There Any Chargers Included With The Samsung Galaxy A03s?
A charger is not included in the box with the Samsung Galaxy A03s. Check out our chargers guide for advice on how to buy the right charger.
The Samsung Galaxy A03s Is A 4g Phone, Right?
No, the Galaxy A03s does not support 5G.
How Old Is The Samsung Galaxy A03s?
In August 2021, the Samsung Galaxy A03s debuted.
Has The Samsung Galaxy A03s Wireless Charging Capability?
Yes, wireless charging is not supported by the Samsung Galaxy A03s.
Conclusion
Priced higher than last year, the Samsung Galaxy A03s now faces more competition. With a nearly identical set of cameras and a slightly more potent Snapdragon 460 processor, Motorola’s Moto G Play ($169) is likely the closest rival. It does not support NFC for contactless payments, has slower charging speeds, and has less RAM and storage at the base level. If you’re looking for a slightly upgraded Motorola option, the Moto G Pure ($159) comes pre-installed with Android 11 and a low IP rating.
The Samsung Galaxy A13 5G ($249) and Nokia X100 ($252) are reasonably priced ways to add 5G to the mix if you don’t mind spending a little more. Nokia’s device adds a 48MP primary camera and a crisp Full HD+ display, but it lacks software updates. On the other hand, Samsung’s Galaxy A13 5G offers a sleek, minimalist design, a 50MP camera, and a generous update policy. The $282 OnePlus Nord N20 is also available from T-Mobile. It has a triple 64MP camera setup and 128GB of storage. A step up from the Galaxy A13 is Samsung’s Galaxy A23 5G ($299), which has entered the fray. It has a flexible quad-camera array, a faster 25W charging battery, and a capacity of 5,000mAh.
Thank you for reading.