05 Aug
Blog

Samsung Galaxy A71 5G Review: Premium Midrange At A Price

Samsung Galaxy A71 5g review 1

"Despite the growing value of cheaper devices, the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G is a solid mid-range phone."

  • Modern design

  • Good value for the price

  • Nice display

  • Long-lasting battery life

  • Camera is just fine

  • No wireless charging

Cheap phones have a moment right now. While there were always good options in the under $ 400 range, 2020 seems to be the year of the cheap phone, thanks in part to the ultra-powerful iPhone SE and the new Google Pixel 4a. But older cellphone series like the Samsung Galaxy A series have been around for years and they have a huge fan base. Thanks to Samsung’s strong brand and carrier relationships, the A-series, which includes the new $ 600 Galaxy A71 5G, is one of the best-selling phone lines ever.

My test device is the 5G model from the US carrier, which offers 5G support and a Qualcomm processor (not to be confused with the various international models).

As the most expensive A-series device, the Galaxy A71 5G faces more intense competition – which means that it has to offer some serious advantages in order to be worth buying. Does it really compete? I tested the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G to find out.

design

The Galaxy A-series usually has a solid design, and although the build quality is sometimes not quite at the level of more expensive phones, the look is still there. That remains true here. The Samsung Galaxy A71 5G offers a beautiful and large edge-to-edge display with a hole cut out for the front-facing camera and a rectangular camera projection on the back, which is reminiscent of the Galaxy S20.

The bezels around the display are razor-thin and the phone therefore looks very modern. The lower bezel is slightly larger than the others, but barely noticeable and makes no real difference in everyday use. Interestingly, the hole cutout at the top of the display is smaller than that of the Galaxy A51, although it appears to offer the same camera hardware.

Thanks to the plastic back, the phones feel very light.

On the edges of the phone you will find a USB-C connection, a volume rocker and a power switch. And there is a headphone jack, which is a nice touch these days.

The phone is also comfortable to hold and is very light. Part of it probably has to do with the fact that the back of the phone is made of plastic instead of glass, but it still feels pretty high quality and doesn't seem to scratch or ring easily.

A modern design is one thing that sets some midrange phones apart from the competition. For example, the iPhone SE has a greater focus on performance than design, although it still looks good. Then there is the Pixel 4a, which also offers an edge-to-edge design, but only costs $ 350.

display

At 6.7 inches, the display of the Galaxy A71 5G is slightly larger than that of the Galaxy A51 with 6.5 inches. Here, however, the differences end – you still get the same AMOLED panel with a resolution of 1080p and a refresh rate of 60 Hz.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. The display actually looks great, and although a higher resolution would have been nice, a flagship-level display would hardly be expected. This is particularly true given the fact that it is still an AMOLED panel that provides deep black levels and vivid colors. It can also get light enough to be used outdoors even in direct sunlight. In a few years, we should expect 1440p resolutions for midrange phones, but right now this is a great display for a phone in this price range.

A higher refresh rate may have been estimated, but is not expected in this price range. With a higher refresh rate, the software feels smoother and the animations are more natural. Samsung's high-end phones, such as the Galaxy S20, offer refresh rates of up to 120 Hz. We hope that these higher rates will also apply to mid-range phones in the next few years.

There is a fingerprint sensor under the display, which apparently works quite well. It worked much faster and more accurately than the Galaxy A51's fingerprint sensor. It has occasionally failed, but no more than other fingerprint sensors I use.

performance

Under the hood, the Galaxy A71 5G offers a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 processor, 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. The result is a fast phone that's reactive and fast enough for most multitasking and even most mobile games. This is in direct contrast to the Galaxy A51 which, due to its Exynos 9611 processor, generally seemed to freeze and stutter under more than easy use.

Of course, it's not necessarily the best performing phone in its price range, especially in a flagship iPhone SE world. The iPhone SE offers the A13 Bionic chip from Apple – the same processor as the iPhone 11 Pro. The best comparison in the Android world would be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, which can only be found on flagship phones like the Galaxy S20.

The Galaxy A71 5G will outperform the vast majority of the competition. The phone will outperform the Snapdragon 730-equipped Pixel 4a, but in everyday use, the Pixel 4a may feel a bit smoother and more responsive due to its stripped down software. We have to wait until we get our hands on a Pixel 4a.

The Galaxy A71 5G also performs well in mobile gaming. The phone seemed to be able to handle games like Call of Duty: Mobile and Asphalt 9 with ease, and while it didn't load as quickly as flagship phones, the actual gaming felt smooth and smooth.

The solid performance is also reflected in benchmarks. Here are the benchmark results we got on the phone.

  • AnTuTu: 324,648
  • GeekBench 5: 617 single-core, 1,916 multi-core

These results are excellent for a phone in this price range. It doesn't really come close to the iPhone SE, which reaches over 480,000 on AnTuTu, but with the Snapdragon 765, it should surpass almost anything else that is cheaper. If you can add an additional $ 50 to $ 100 to your budget, you can of course purchase the OnePlus 8, which offers a flagship Snapdragon 865 and even better performance than the Galaxy A71.

This device also offers 5G support, making it one of the cheapest phones. It supports both mmWave and Sub-6GHz 5G, so you should be able to achieve ultra-fast speeds wherever your network operator offers them. This won't be one of the cheapest 5G phones for long – manufacturers are likely to add more and more 5G modems to their phones this year. The Google Pixel 4a 5G is due to appear sometime in the fall and will only cost $ 500.

If you want 5G on a budget now, this may be the way to go – but wait a few months and you'll likely have a lot more options.

software

The Samsung Galaxy A71 5G comes with Samsung's One UI operating system. Samsung's software skin has evolved significantly over the years, improving usability and removing bloatware. Still, Samsung could be even better at generally offering less third-party software. The T-Mobile variant Galaxy A71 5G contains a number of T-Mobile apps, an extensive selection of Microsoft apps that you may not want or need, Spotify, McAfee and much more. Some of these apps can be removed, others stay with you.

A user interface generally looks and feels relatively different from standard Android, thanks to its larger square apps, more colorful user interface, and wide range of customizations. You can choose between the classic three-button navigation system or the new Android gesture controls from Google. A user interface also has some unique features like the built-in screen recorder, integration with Windows computers when you want to set them up, and more.

Customization is another strength of Samsung software. A user interface offers a variety of customization options, and many people love the ability to tweak pretty much anything related to the home screen, theme, etc. However, others simply feel overwhelmed by all options and are better served by OnePlus & # 39; OxygenOS, the standard Android offered on a pixel phone or even Apple's iOS.

As is so often the case with Samsung phones, the Galaxy A71 5G is unlikely to receive super-fast updates. We expect the phone to receive important updates for at least a year. Hopefully it will make it on Android 11, but Samsung hasn't confirmed anything and you shouldn't buy the phone as you hope it gets a lot of updates. If you want to stay up to date with Android, buy a pixel.

Camera quality

The Samsung Galaxy A71 5G offers a quad lens camera with a 64 megapixel main sensor, a 12 megapixel ultrawide sensor, a 5 megapixel macro sensor and a 5 megapixel depth sensor. It's a solid selection of cameras, and although I personally would have preferred a telephoto lens to a macro lens, the Galaxy A71 5G can generally deliver great photos.

Of course, the photo quality depends on the situation, and a phone is not necessarily as consistent as more expensive devices. When the lighting is good, the photos are colorful and bright, with adequate dynamic range and solid details. In low-light conditions, the photos are relatively noisy and have no details, which is usually the case with medium-range phones. There's a built-in night mode that removes the noise, but photos are still not on the same level as devices like the iPhone 11 Pro and Google Pixel 4 XL.

The elephant in the room here is the new Google Pixel 4a. There are few early reviews of the Pixel 4a, but most suggest that the device offers a camera that matches the standard Pixel 4. This is a flagship camera in a $ 350 phone. Don't expect this on the Galaxy A71 5G, though the phone comes a lot closer to a flagship in price.

The macro lens is more or less useless for the phone because it has a fixed focal length and is therefore extremely difficult to focus on a subject. Even if you get a good focus, there aren't many details and the colors are a bit subdued.

Despite the problems, you will find that photos are more than passable in most situations.

Battery life

The Samsung Galaxy A71 5G easily lasted a whole day under relatively heavy use, and we don't expect anyone to have any real issues with the battery life itself. The battery of the Galaxy A71 5G has a capacity of 4,500 mAh, and at the end of a long working day, I still had 30% to 40% left.

If you run out of juice at some point, you can charge the device relatively quickly. The phone supports 25-watt quick charge, which means the device gets 50% of its battery back in just 30 minutes. It’s pretty impressive.

The only feature that's really lacking is wireless charging, although it's not necessarily unacceptable that a phone in this price range doesn't have this feature. We hope that wireless charging will become cheaper phones over the next few years.

Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy A71 5G is located between real mid-range phones and flagships and costs $ 650. Depending on your wireless service provider, you can get it at a cheaper price. For example, T-Mobile is offering the phone for $ 600. It's actually not a bad price considering what you get – but there is definitely some competition in the price range. The device is available from Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and directly from the Samsung website.

Our opinion

With solid performance, modern design, and 5G support, the Samsung Galaxy A71 is a great phone for the price. The fact that it offers 5G support is probably not a reason to buy the phone alone, but it's an added bonus. However, the proliferation of new budget phones at the flagship level dampens the excitement about their value.

Are there alternatives?

If you can spend an additional $ 50 to $ 100, you get the OnePlus 8, which offers better performance and a more modern design.

If you're ready to make the switch, the iPhone SE will perform better than any other Android device and will only cost $ 400.

Then there is the Pixel 4a, which is unlikely to perform as well as the Galaxy A71 5G, but offers a much better camera, modern design, and more – all for $ 300 less than this phone.

How long should it take?

The Samsung Galaxy A71 5G does not have an IP protection class. You should therefore keep it away from the pool or bathroom if possible. The phone should last a good two years before it needs to be replaced. The plastic back breaks much less often than a glass shelf.

The Galaxy A71 5G offers a limited one-year warranty, but only covers manufacturing defects.

Should you buy it

Yes, but only if you want a solid Samsung phone for $ 650 or less. Otherwise, consider spending more on the OnePlus 8, or save almost half of that money, and purchase the Pixel 4a.

Editor's recommendations




26 Jun
Blog

Samsung Q90T 4K HDR QLED TV review: Mostly Exceptional

"The Samsung Q90T delivers a breathtaking picture."

  • Eye-catching design

  • Excellent brightness and contrast

  • Spot color accuracy

  • Excellent for playing

  • Rainbow effect from the screen level

  • Still expensive

  • Nobody connects box

Given that the Samsung Q90R was one of my favorite TVs in 2019, I had high hopes for its successor in 2020, which I suspected would be the Q90T tested here. As it turned out, Samsung had some interesting plans to shake up its 2020 lineup, which was unveiled at CES earlier this year.

Unlike the Q90R, the Q90T doesn't come with Samsung's One Connect Box (a feature I'm a big fan of), the backlight system has fewer local dimming zones, and the panel layer that enables deeper black levels isn't quite as effective. To use these functions, you have to switch to the Q800T, which is an 8K television.

All of this makes the Q90T appear less as a replacement for the Q90R than as an effort by Samsung to bring premium buyers to its 8K TV line. But it's not all bad news. The 65-inch Q90T costs $ 1,000 less than the 65-inch Q90R when it was released. It has a pimped sound system and is available in other sizes – including 55, 65, 75 and 85 inch variants.

Ultimately, the Q90T doesn't seem to be as advanced as last year's 4K flagship, but it is still a remarkable TV and will likely be one of the best TVs you can buy this year.

Out of the box

The Q90T is one of the heaviest 65-inch devices I've wrestled with from Samsung and Panasonic plasma TVs since sunset. Most of the weight comes from the stand, a sturdy, curved piece of brushed metal that attaches to the center of the TV. This weight instilled confidence that the panel is held securely, and it is, but the TV still wobbles a lot more than I want. Be sure to install a seat belt to ensure safety when you mount this TV while standing.

Do-it-yourself wall mounting needs a friend. I dare to say that even the 55-inch set would require a second set of hands to be securely mounted on the wall. I would also recommend drilling the wall mounting plate into studs as I'm not sure if drywall anchors would do the trick.

Samsung Q90T remote controlDan Baker

In addition to the TV and the stand, the packaging contains the simple but effective remote control from Samsung, batteries, stand screws and some product literature, which contains an installation guide that I would like to recommend to buyers, since the method of installing the TV stand depends on Stand size varies TELEVISION.

Properties and design

The Q90T is a very eye-catching television, even if its bezels are not as invisible as that of the Q90R. It's a black plate with an intentionally thick profile, but I like it. Maybe it's all lush brushed metal, but the Q90T seems to be on business.

The Q90T is a very eye-catching television

I mentioned the absence of Samsung's One Connect box, which handles all incoming connections from game consoles, Blu-ray players, etc., and conducts power and video signals over a single clear cable that is virtually undetectable on a wall. Its convenience and practicality are missed.

Samsung Q90T profileDan Baker

The Q90T has four built-in HDMI inputs, of which only one is HDMI 2.1 capable. This means that the TV supports eARC together with variable refresh rate (VRR), automatic low latency mode (ALLM) and up to 4K 120 Hz signals. All of this is good news for gamers.

Samsung's workmanship has also improved this year. You will see fewer artifacts, especially if you stream content from Netflix, Hulu, Disney + or HBO Max. Apps for which everyone is directly integrated. Samsung has also reduced its tendency to sharpen the image too much by making the image presets in the focus department less aggressive. These are all welcome improvements.

Regarding the backlight, I have already mentioned that there are fewer zones, but as I will explain shortly, this is not a weak point for this TV. Samsung's local dimming processor seems to be working even better than last year, fewer zones or not.

user friendliness

Samsung's Tizen operating system is fine. There is nothing wrong with that. I think most people will navigate it easily enough. Maybe it just feels a little stale to me because I've used it so often and I've been using it for a long time. I will say that Samsung's automatic detection function, which detects what you have connected to the TV, labels it correctly and allows immediate control via its own remote control, is something I have always appreciated on Samsung TVs and that for the user friendliness of this television set is of great importance.

Compared to LG's webOS, which looks a bit dated, Tizen makes less effort to integrate the smart home, which I think is a little more geared towards meeting the needs of television. Tizen also complies with LG's webOS in that it combines free wireless and free TV channels provided over the Internet and summarizes everything in one guide.

Compared to Android TV, which is used by Sony, Tizen feels a bit more individual, but less language-friendly. Samsung added the ability to make Amazon Alexa the default voice assistant – much better than Samsung's own Bixby – but the integration was uncomfortable for me. Android TV makes using the Google Assistant very easy.

picture quality

It gets a little tricky here. From the moment I turned on the Q90T for the first time, I found that it had a problem with the uniformity of the panel. Certain areas of the screen appear blotchy, which is known in television circles as the dirty screen effect (DSE). I've seen this on less expensive TVs, but never on a premium Samsung.

Dan Baker

I think that's an anomaly. Let me explain.

First of all, it is clear that this TV has been used before – the screws of the TV stand were in a sandwich bag and I could see some small scratches on the back of the TV. In addition, the TV box saw significantly more than the typical mailing campaign. Speaking to representatives from Samsung, I also learned that, given the global coronavirus pandemic, it was difficult to send review samples to reviewers, and part of this fight meant that the device I had received was unlikely to be checked, before it was shipped to me.

The Q90T is a top performer.

I have requested a replacement sample for Q90T and will update this review as soon as I have made a second review. I only offer this option in extreme cases when I suspect that a television is damaged or otherwise defective. Until then, my rating and rating for this TV contains the uniformity issues I've seen.

But uniformity is only part of the picture quality. Otherwise, the Q90T is a first-class service provider.

The Q90T's black levels are the best I've seen outside of Samsung's own high-end models (like the 8K Q900R and probably the Q800T, which I haven't checked yet) and the Sony and LG OLED TVs, one use completely different technology. Blooming is well controlled, which is particularly evident when, in some films, subtitles run across the bottom black letterbox bars without turning the black bar gray.

Dan Baker

The brightness is more than sufficient. Using Portrait Display's Calman software, along with a SpectraCal C6 HDR colorimeter and a Videoforge Pro pattern generator, I measured the sustained peak brightness in HDR at 1500 nits, which is bright enough to provide a stunning HDR image from the Screen appears. Compared to the brightness of the Sony X900H of 750 nits that I am currently evaluating, the number is twice as high, although I would say that it is not twice as bright.

The Q90T delivers a breathtaking picture

The color accuracy in the Q90T's film image preset was immediately ready for use in both SDR and HDR. I've made minor adjustments to the white balance that have further improved color accuracy, but I think most people will love the color of the TV without any adjustment. So far, only the Sony X900H has achieved ready-to-use color accuracy, but with a slightly lower color volume due to the lower HDR brightness. However, I still have a lot of TVs to check, so I will be running updates all year round.

Apart from technical data and dimensions, the Q90T delivers a breathtaking picture. In my case, the dirty screen effect was a distraction, but it didn't affect other performance elements. I suspect that the replacement device I am getting has a more typical "clean" panel than I have seen in the past.

I have a complaint that I am less optimistic that a replacement TV will respond, and this is a rainbow effect that I have observed on the screen. This can be a side effect of Samsung's anti-glare treatment or the wide-angle viewing layer, both of which are very effective for the intended purpose. This is also something that I would like to investigate further and that I will update as I learn more.

When I saw this TV for several days, I was often amazed by its picture quality. Samsung tends to over-brighten the picture, especially in HDR mode, but I suspect this move away from technical accuracy is actually enjoyed by many viewers. However, purists should check out the Sony A8H OLED, the Sony X900H LED or one of LG's OLED televisions if strict compliance with the intent of the creator is of the utmost importance.

Gaming performance

This is an excellent TV for gamers. The Q90T's response time is among the best I've seen from a VA LCD panel, its input delay is also exceptional at just 10 ms in game mode, and its support for Freesync VRR will be a huge bonus for gamers, especially if the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X arrive.

At this point, the only televisions that can compete for games with the Q90T are LG's OLEDs that topping Nvidia's G-Sync VRR.

Our opinion

The Q90T will likely turn out to be one of the best 4K HDR LED TVs you can buy in 2020. Without the suspicious problems with panel uniformity I've seen, this TV would be enthusiastically received by me. I suspect a replacement pattern review will lift all of the caveats as the Q90T outperforms any other television I've seen in its class this year and in all previous years. It's no small thing that Samsung offers such premium picture quality at a significantly cheaper price than last year.

Is there a better alternative?

At this point, I have not yet tested a superior 4K LED TV for the Q90T. I'm excited to see what Vizio brings this year and I've been impressed with the Sony X900H so far, but if history is an indicator, the Q90T will be one of the best 4K LED TVs you can buy this year.

You can find more options in our best TVs of 2020.

How long it will take?

With an HDMI 2.1 input, the TV supports extended functions for many years. I suspect that this television will continue to exist in the future.

warranty

Samsung offers a one-year warranty on parts and labor for home use and a 90-day warranty on parts and labor for commercial use.

Should you buy it

I'm holding back to give this TV the "Digital Trends Recommended Product" award, but I still think the answer is "yes" until a solution to the extremely uniformity of my sample is found. This is one of the best TVs you can buy this year. If you find problems with the uniformity of the panel that were to some extent a problem for all TV brands, you can request a replacement from your authorized Samsung dealer.

Editor's recommendations




06 Jun
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Surprisingly Excellent True Wireless Buds

Samsung Galaxy Buds review full performance

"The Galaxy Buds are a valuable pair of real wireless earphones."

  • Six hours of battery life

  • Sweatproof

  • Light, comfortable fit

  • Wireless charging case

  • Only 7 hours of battery in the case

This review was last updated by Nick Woodard, employee of Digital Trends A / V, on June 5, 2020.

It's an exciting time for real wireless earbuds. With new chips that promise more compact designs and better battery life and finally make it real products, there are more reasons than ever to shorten the cable for your listening time.

Samsung Galaxy Buds is one of the first true next generation wireless headphones to hit the market and features the latest technology. With a battery life of six hours, a wireless charging case and a lightweight, nimble design, there's a lot to love about the company's newest buds.

Most impressive is that the Galaxy Buds feature set is available at an affordable price of $ 129. The buds were even bundled with pre-orders for the S10, S10 + or Fold phones. The combination of technology and value made the Galaxy Buds one of the best wireless earbuds you can currently buy, at least until the Galaxy Buds + came on the market.

Out of the box

The Galaxy Buds come in a small box with a charging case, a long USB Type-C cable, three sets of silicone earplugs and sports fins, and a small instruction manual. When you open the case, it immediately becomes clear that Samsung's successor to the 2018 Gear IconX is significantly smaller and lighter than its predecessor, so that it can sit more comfortably in your ears.

An ergonomic triangular design integrates the comfortable rubber ear fins and the soft rubber ear plugs and offers a very solid fit and an excellent seal. This is easily one of the most convenient real wireless earbuds we've tested. While Apple's ear-tip-free AirPods can be a bit rough during longer listening sessions, the Galaxy Buds are almost unnoticed after insertion.

properties

First of all, the headphones from Samsung offer a solid battery life of six hours per charge – one hour more than comparable Apple and Jabra models. It was impressive at the time of his debut, although the bar has now been raised. The Galaxy Buds + offers 11 hours of playback, while the Edifier TWS NB offers five hours of noise reduction and 11 hours without this feature.

Unfortunately, the impressive playback time is not answered with a lot of juice in the case itself, which is our only real criticism of the Galaxy Buds. The Galaxy Buds case offers only seven hours of extra battery life, while competitors offer 20 to 30 hours or more.

The most convenient real wireless earbuds we've ever tested.

This is less of a concern for Galaxy phone owners, as the case includes the ability to wirelessly charge from the back of new Galaxy phones (or a standard wireless charging pad). However, this means that you won't be able to spend days at a time without finding a charging station or outlet. However, plugging in your headphones after 13 hours of play isn't a big deal for most of us, and it's a low price for all the other properties of the buds.

In addition to good battery life and a wireless charging case, the Galaxy buds offer a number of cool functions. Changing songs or adjusting the volume is done, for example, using intuitive touch controls that can be adjusted in the Samsung Wear app. With the app, you can also choose between five different equalizer settings to adjust the sound of the headphones to your ears and your taste in music.

Perhaps the most useful feature of the app is "Find my earbuds", which does exactly what you think it does and prevents you from digging through the sofa cushions or jeans pockets when the buds disappear.

The Galaxy Buds are particularly impressive due to the use of the two on-board microphones integrated in each headphone. During a call, the headphones can analyze how loud the sounds are around you. To do this, use the microphone on the outside of each headphone when the ambient noise is quieter, and the microphone near the inside of the headphone when it is louder. You can also use the microphones to whistle the sound of the outside world while listening to Samsung's ambient noise mode, which even includes a function that uses filtering to emphasize the sound of human voices.

Both ambient noise mode and call mode worked well during testing, allowing employees to be heard over music without removing the earbuds, and to call both quiet and noisy rooms without missing a beat. Call quality isn't as good as Apple's AirPods, but it does the job.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Ambient sound mode is great for situations like running or cycling where you want to jam but don't want to miss a scream or car horn when you need to hear it. And that's not the only way Samsung has targeted its latest earbuds to those who like to sweat: The Galaxy Buds have IPX2 protection, which means they're protected from dripping water (or sweat). It's not as good as the IP56 rating of Jabra models like the Elite Active 65t, but given the fact that Apple's more expensive AirPods don't offer any water resistance, this feature is welcome. You'll have to pay $ 250 for the AirPods Pro to get Apple's water resistance.

I took the headphones on a 5 mile run on a treadmill and found them great for training. Their lightweight and compact design keeps them in place, and thanks to the IPX2 rating, you don't have to worry about them breaking a sweat.

Audio performance

The ergonomic design of the Galaxy Buds and the soft silicone earplugs enable them to seal very well in your ears, to achieve a warm bass and a low mid-range and to avoid hard, thin sounds.

There are no real wireless earphones that we have tested and that feel so liberating.

During my time with the headphones, I heard a variety of pieces of music and played everything from the Beatles to Kendrick Lamar. Overall, the headphones performed well on all pieces of music and offered a relatively flat response despite the playback, even with large differences between the genres.

My preferred equalizer mode was the "Dynamic" setting, which allows the sound to be adjusted to best suit what you are listening to. The "Soft" mode and the "Clear" mode were also interesting. The former allowed you to hear things with a rounder, less harsh sound signature, and the latter only brought out a hint of the glow from acoustic guitars and cymbals.

Although I preferred Dynamic most often, it was nice to have a choice when it came to adapting the sound to the music. One option I wanted was standard on all wireless headphones.

The Galaxy Buds don't offer the vivid clarity that we've experienced from real wireless headphones like the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 or the Master and Dynamic MW07 and MW07 Plus, but they deliver a pleasant and customizable sound for well below half the price could easily be enjoyed every day. In fact, their sound is just as good or better than that of the more expensive Apple and Jabra models.

The stable Bluetooth 5.0 connection also made it great when cleaning my living room and kitchen, so I could just put your phone on a table or counter and forget it.

To listen to your favorite music in all styles on the go, the Galaxy Buds absolutely serve their purpose, and the lightweight design underlines the luxury of not having cords. Honestly, there are still very few real wireless earphones that we have tested that feel so liberating.

Warranty information

Samsung offers a one-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.

Our opinion

With a host of great features, six-hour battery life, and a fantastic list price of $ 129, the Galaxy Buds are currently the most compelling true wireless earbuds on the market.

Is there a better alternative?

The Galaxy Buds + are the obvious option here, with improved battery life and other features for an additional $ 20. The aforementioned Edifier TWS NB may fit even better because it offers good active noise cancellation for $ 10 less.

You should also consider Amazon's Echo Buds. They are a great alternative if you are already deep in Amazon's Alexa ecosystem.

Other close competitors to the Galaxy Buds – Apple's AirPods and Elite Active 65t and Jabra Elite 75t from Jabra – offer steeper sticker prices, although you may find the earlier Jabra model at a discount once the 75t arrives.

How long will they last?

Samsung has made durable products in the past, and we don't expect the buds to be different. With replaceable earplugs and ear fins, we expect a long lifespan.

Should you buy them

Yes. If you are looking for comfortable, real wireless earbuds with excellent battery life, good sound and an affordable price, you have come to the right place.

Editor's recommendations




04 May
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Book Flex Review: QLED For the Big Win

"The Samsung Galaxy Book Flex offers incredible battery life and a vibrant QLED display."

  • Light, thin design

  • Good performance

  • Excellent battery life

  • The QLED display has great colors

  • Built-in S-pin

  • Cumbersome keyboard placement

  • Huge lower bezel

Samsung operates a tech empire. From phones and televisions to air purifiers and vacuum cleaners, Samsung has expanded everything down to the individual components that drive these products.

However, laptops have always been the only small domain outside their limits. Sure, there have been a lot of Samsung laptops over the years, but none that were really worth putting up Samsung's proud banner.

But 2020 is the year of conquering Samsung's laptops, and the Galaxy Book Flex is its war horse. It starts at $ 1,349, though my more expensive configuration comes with 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of storage, and a Core i7 processor. No question, this is the best laptop Samsung has ever made. But is that one you should buy?

QLED display and battery life

The Galaxy Book Flex has some outstanding features that come from other areas of the Samsung empire. The most notable feature is the QLED display. This comes from Samsung's hugely successful TV business. As an alternative to the standard LED, the Galaxy Book Flex is the first laptop to use QLED that uses quantum dots. The results are groundbreaking.

It's bright (428 nits) and has a high contrast (1,080: 1), but QLED really makes a difference in color gamut and accuracy. It hits 92 percent of Adobe RGB, a color space that most laptop screens struggle with. This colorful, accurate screen is important for photographers. Perhaps it is one of the best photo laptops you can get at this price.

There is even an "outdoor mode" that increases the brightness to 600 nits. This can be useful if you work outdoors. This is Samsung that flexes its muscles.

The Galaxy Book Flex offers the best battery life you can get with a laptop.

However, Samsung has two competitors. The 13-inch MacBook Pro still has a brighter, more colorful screen and a higher-resolution display. OLED screens also offer better contrast and better colors, but are rare on 13-inch laptops. There is only one option for the HP Specter x360 13 and only available in 4K. It looks good, but it's expensive. The Specter is a $ 300 display upgrade, while the Galaxy Book Flex QLED is standard.

In addition, 4K OLED screens are expensive in terms of performance. The Galaxy Book Flex's QLED 1080p is far better in terms of battery life. In fact, the Galaxy Book Flex has some of the best battery life you can get in a laptop.

It delivers almost 14 hours of battery with low power consumption and a whopping 17.5 hours when playing local videos (no streaming). Many laptops promise such numbers, but none deliver as much as the Galaxy Book Flex. It overtook the Dell XPS 13 battery life champion by an hour and lasted more than twice as long as the 4K Specter x360.

Sticking to 1080p helps here, but Samsung also jammed a 69.7-watt-hour battery. It's a huge battery for a laptop of this size that pays off.

S pen and keyboard

The S Pen was also borrowed from another Samsung product – in this case the Galaxy Note. Earlier Samsung laptops also used the S Pen, such as the Notebook 9 Pen and the Galaxy Book 2 from 2018. The pen itself has not changed, but is now in a slot above the keyboard. Clicking on the pin in the slot ejects it, making it quick and easy to access (and you won't lose it). This accessibility has always been special about the S Pen: it is part of the device and not an additional peripheral.

The S Pen is suitable for all common pen functions such as notes, sketching and selecting. A button on the S Pen opens a familiar options menu that allows you to dive straight into the drawing on the screen. These simple apps are fairly simple, but provide a good entry point to try the S Pen for the first time.

A larger pen like the Surface Pen or the Apple Pencil fits better in the hand for illustrations and detailed work. The S-pen is just long enough to fit in my hand and doesn't mimic the feel of a real pencil as well. However, that was never the point. As with the Galaxy Note, the greatest strength of the S Pen is its convenience. It's always there and it's easy to take out and start writing.

The Galaxy Book Flex is a 2-in-1 device, meaning you can fold the screen flat with its 360-degree hinge. Unfortunately, the screen is pretty shaky and the hinge is a bit loose, so using it in a position other than completely flat makes it difficult to take notes.

The S Pen's convenient location also has a disadvantage. To make room in the case, Samsung had to impair the typing experience. The keyboard sits closer to you and leaves less space for the palm rests. They are one centimeter narrower than a MacBook Air and about half a centimeter narrower than the Dell XPS 13. The lack of support is just enough to make typing on the Galaxy Book Flex uncomfortable, as the edges of the aluminum case dig into your palms . The keyboard layout also feels tight, although the keycaps are no smaller than most laptops.

To make matters worse, the Galaxy Book Flex uses a keyboard with low travel. It's not as flat as the old MacBook keyboards, but the keystrokes could take a little more depth.

The touchpad is quiet, easy to track and can even be used as a wireless charger. Now there is something I have never seen in a laptop. A Qi-enabled phone or a pair of earphones will charge wirelessly, which is a nice addition. You can't use the laptop often when a phone is in the way, but I could imagine that this is a convenient option in a confined space.

design

In the past, Samsung made some of the lightest laptops. They were also some of the most flimsy. The Galaxy Book Flex manages to balance these two things by providing aluminum for stability and keeping the weight at just 2.5 pounds. It's lighter than the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the MacBook Air, but built just as well as the Galaxy smartphones with which it shares its brand.

The Galaxy Book Flex is pretty too. The silver-colored, diamond-cut edges subtly reflect the light, and of course the dark blue color is unforgettable. If you want something different, but even bolder, check out the red on the Galaxy Chromebook, the Chrome alternative to Flex.

Both are a little too brave for my preference. The flex resembles the HP Elite Dragonfly in tone, but is even brighter and more pronounced. Compared to the Flex's two main competitors, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the HP Specter x360, the Galaxy Book Flex is the aesthetic that I least prefer.

It's more than just a color preference. The steady rests are my real touch. The top and bottom edges are narrow, and to make up for this, the Galaxy Book Flex has an unusually large lower chin. It is a real eyesore. When you sit next to the XPS 13, it's strange how high the screen starts. In addition to the MacBook Air, it even looks strange, which I often criticize for its large bezels.

These bezels spoil the otherwise attractive design.

On the silver sides you will find a selection of USB-C ports, but no full-size USB-A. Two Thunderbolt 3 ports flank the right side next to the power switch and S-pin. The headphone jack, the microSD card slot and a USB-C 3.1 port are on the left.

Next to these connections is a pair of speaker grilles. The audio output is branded by AKG and the result is impressive sound quality. The MacBook Air is in another league, but the Galaxy Book Flex has a fuller-bodied audio profile than some of its competitors and even offers a hint of bass in the mix. It blows the XPS 13 2-in-1 out of the water with thin, downward-facing speakers.

performance

The Galaxy Book Flex is powered by a standard mix of high-end components. On the processor side, the latest 10th generation Ice Lake processors from Intel are used, which provide the laptop with four cores, eight threads and a base clock speed of 1.3 GHz. My test device was the Core i7 variant with 16 GB RAM, although the only 13-inch model sold in the USA only has 8 GB RAM. It also comes with 512 GB SSD storage.

I would like to see more configurations in the future, but the one offered is a fairly fast computer. My daily routine consists of dozens of Chrome tabs, Spotify, Slack, Office and some light photo editing. The Galaxy Book Flex never flinched. It'll crank up its fans and seem to get a little warm by chance, but it was never loud or hot enough to distract.

There are faster laptops like the XPS 13 in this class. The Galaxy Book Flex was only 5 percent behind in Geekbench 5, but 24 percent slower in Handbrake video coding. You may not be planning much video encoding with the Galaxy Book Flex, but the ability to create content may be somewhat limited compared to the powerful XPS 13. Still, it's one of the more powerful laptops with these processors.

The Galaxy Book Flex also has Iris Plus graphics. This is the greatly improved integrated graphics from Intel, which promises twice the performance of the old Intel UHD graphics. The Core i7 model has the best of these Iris Plus graphics, which allow for improved content creation and even easy gaming.

It was still struggling with a game like Fortnite, which is unfortunate. You need to reduce the resolution to playable frame rates. But the Galaxy Book Flex can handle lighter games like Rocket League without too much trouble.

Our opinion

The Galaxy Book Flex is everything you could want in a modern laptop. It's slim, portable, and powerful – and outperforms some of the best laptops in key areas like display and battery life. Adding the S-pin to the case is just the icing on the cake.

Some minor user experience issues such as keyboard placement and front panel size prevent them from getting really great, but it is without a doubt the best laptop Samsung has ever made.

Are there alternatives?

There are tons of laptop options out there, but the Flex's closest rivals are the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the HP Specter x360 13. The Galaxy Book Flex gains battery life and display, even though I match the keyboard and frame size of the other options prefer. The Specter x360 is also a battery life champion and the cheapest of the three. I prefer the design and look of the XPS 13 2-in-1, although the Galaxy Book Flex's colorful QLED screen is ideal for photographers. I wish there was a 4K option as well as a cheaper Core i5 model.

When you're ready to go without the 2-in-1 element, the Dell XPS 13 remains the best laptop you can buy as it can be configured with a touchscreen.

How long it will take?

The Galaxy Book Flex should last for at least four or five years. The components are up to date and the build quality is excellent. Samsung offers a one-year limited warranty at the time of purchase.

Should you buy it

Yes. The first-class battery life and the display make it an outstanding 2-in-1 laptop.

Editor's recommendations




29 Apr
Blog

Samsung Galaxy A51 Review: Can It Beat The Competition?

Samsung Galaxy A51 Main

Samsung Galaxy A51 review: everything about the display

"The Samsung Galaxy A51 offers the best display at this price."

  • Modern design

  • Excellent display

  • Good photos with enough light

  • Good battery life

  • A headphone jack

  • Poor performance

  • Slower fingerprint sensor

  • Doesn't get operating system updates quickly

Flagship phones are becoming increasingly expensive. While there was a time when you could get the best of the best for $ 600 to $ 700, today you have to pay at least $ 900. The result? Midrange phones also have to get better – and this is where the Samsung Galaxy A51 comes in.

The device is a continuation of the Samsung Galaxy A50 from last year. It offers a modern design and some high-end features, while sacrificing things like peak performance and some camera features. But at $ 400, the phone has a lot of competition. And it's serious competition – like the new iPhone SE, which many currently consider the best phone under $ 400.

Is the Samsung Galaxy A51 a good option? Let’s take a closer look.

design

The Galaxy A series has long been about offering premium features in a low-performing, low-cost package – and these premium features typically include a modern design. This also applies here, and this is one of the main ways that the phone is better than the iPhone SE, which shares an aging design with the iPhone 8.

On the front of the phone is a borderless display with a hole in the middle for the front-facing camera. The modern design trends continue to the rear, with the rectangular camera joint on the top left – similar to that of the Galaxy S20 series. The camera bump doesn't stick out much from the back of the phone at all, which ensures that it doesn't wobble too hard on the desk. It's a nice touch, and I hope manufacturers continue to rely on dishwashing cameras.

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The SIM compartment is on the left, an on / off switch and a volume rocker are on the right. There is a USB-C port and a headphone jack on the bottom. This is an enticing option for audiophiles.

The edge-to-edge display ensures that the phone feels comfortable in the hand and can be easily inserted into the pocket. While there's a fairly large 6.5-inch display here – 6.24 x 2.90 x 0.31 inches – most people won't find it too big for everyday use. Sure, it's bigger than the iPhone SE, but at the same time, the iPhone SE is only equipped with a 4.7-inch display. It's also bigger than the Google Pixel 3a – but the Pixel 3a also retains an outdated design with a big forehead and a big chin.

Sure, it's not as high quality as the over $ 1,000 Galaxy S20 series, and the back of this phone is made of plastic instead of glass, but it has many of the same design elements, and despite the plastic, it doesn't really feel cheap at. There are some colors, including silver, black, and blue, and although they all look good, I particularly like the colorful blue model.

display

As already mentioned, the display of the Samsung Galaxy A51 is 6.5 inches tall and the quality is above average for a phone in this price range. There is more than enough display here for most, and only the most avid pixel keepers will have a problem with it.

The resolution of the display is 1,080 x 2,400, but what is perhaps more important is an AMOLED display that provides deep black levels and vivid colors. This puts the phone ahead of the iPhone SE when you consider that Apple only uses OLED technology in the most expensive and latest models. It also gives the device a leg against the Moto G stylus, which corresponds to the resolution, but is equipped with LCD technology.

It's nice to see better display technology moving into cheaper phones. In the coming year or two, we should also see cheaper phones with a resolution of 1,440p – but in my experience, an AMOLED display is more than a higher resolution.

There is an optical fingerprint sensor under the display. The sensor works fine and has recognized my printout most of the time. It was a little slow and it can get annoying, but it's rarely a real annoyance.

performance

While the Galaxy A51 has an overall design similar to that of more expensive phones, performance is one of the downsides. And unfortunately it is relatively important here.

Under the hood is a Samsung Exynos 9611 processor with 4 GB, 6 GB or 8 GB RAM, depending on which model you choose. I am reviewing the 4 GB model.

It's a bit of a shame that Samsung doesn't have a more powerful chipset installed. While the Exynos 9611 is being marketed as a new chip, it's actually just a recycled Exynos 9610 that enables the 48-megapixel main camera sensor. The Exynos 9610 was introduced in last year's Galaxy A50 and was already somewhat undersupplied at this point. In a world with the iPhone SE equipped with A13 and even the Google Pixel 3a equipped with Snapdragon 670, the Galaxy A51 is extremely slow.

That means daily use. The phone often skipped a beat or two while performing basic tasks, and the animations weren't as smooth as they could have been. Mobile gaming delivered similar results with regularly missing frames and slow loading times.

Benchmarks confirm the poor performance.

GeekBench 5: 315 single-core, 1,281 multi-core

For Samsung, it is unfortunate that Apple has launched the iPhone SE, which absolutely dominates the Galaxy A51 in terms of benchmarks and daily use. In fact, users are beginning to expect better performance from lower-end phones, and the Galaxy A51 doesn't perform.

software

Samsung's One user interface has gotten better and better over the years and the leagues better than in the old days of TouchWiz and Samsung Experience – but it's still quite far from standard Android. If you're looking for a stock experience, try the Pixel 3a instead.

That said, a user interface has its own aesthetic, and some like it. I personally prefer the cleaner look of standard Android, but luckily Samsung doesn't go too far in the area of ​​bloatware like LG UX.

In this phone, you get the second iteration of One UI, One UI 2.0, created over Android 10. It looks good and is easy to get used to if you are from another manufacturer.

As with other Samsung phones, the Galaxy A51 is unlikely to receive quick software updates. The flagship of the Galaxy S series is slow enough to receive updates and is a priority for Samsung. You will likely receive one or two updates for the A51, but don't expect them to be on time. You need to deal with Bixby on the Galaxy A51 as there is no native way to map the Bixby shortcut to another wizard.

Camera quality

Samsung Galaxy A51 camera

Flagship phones are pushing the boundaries of what we expected from a smartphone camera, mostly thanks to machine learning and the use of multiple lenses. The Samsung Galaxy A51 also jumps into the multiple lens train with a quad lens camera. You get a 48-megapixel main sensor as well as a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor, a 5-megapixel macro sensor and a 5-megapixel depth sensor.

Of course, the number of sensors and megapixels doesn't ultimately determine the quality of the photos, but in the right situation, the photos are pretty good. The phone has some competition in the camera department. The iPhone SE uses Apple's A13 processor for better image processing and ultimately good photos, while the Google Pixel 3a has the same image quality that the Pixel series has become known for. Places the Pixel series on the front of the camera quality package.

Photos look great on the A51 with its 48-megapixel main sensor and in well-lit surroundings. You get a lot of details. Photos aren't as deep as those taken with the iPhone 11 Pro and Pixel 4, but they're still vivid. The ultra wide-angle lens is a big deal here too – it provides much better landscape shots and a generally more versatile camera experience.

However, if you get rid of the good lighting, you're out of luck. The Galaxy A51 just can't keep up with Apple and Google's machine learning skills. The Google Pixel 3a still takes excellent photos in low light conditions, although the iPhone SE is a little missing here too.

There's also a macro lens here, but it doesn't have its own autofocus. You can get some good results with some work, but it seems to be a feature that most people don't use.

Battery life

Samsung Galaxy A51 Below

The compromise between lower-performing chipsets and lower-resolution displays is usually longer battery life. Combined with the fact that the Galaxy A51 already has a 4,000 mAh battery, you get a day on which you are put under relatively high stress. I was able to get through part of the next day without any problems, and I suspect that most people will have a similar experience.

Unlike some other phones in this price range, the Samsung Galaxy A51 does not offer wireless charging. It has a 15 watt quick charge, which is rather slow for this technology.

Price, availability and guarantee

The Samsung Galaxy A51 costs $ 400 and is, as already mentioned, in the same price range as the iPhone SE, Google Pixel 3a and the Motorola Moto G Stylus. The device is available from the Samsung website, Verizon and Sprint. Verizon actually offers the phone for $ 10 a month for 24 months, which reduces the total to just $ 240.

The warranty on the phone is a fairly normal 1 year contract for manufacturing defects. So don't expect to return the phone if you drop it and the screen is cracked.

Our opinion

The Samsung Galaxy A51 is a solid phone, but it can compete with an even more solid competition. However, this doesn't make this a bad option. With a great display, modern design and decent camera performance under the right conditions, the Galaxy A51 has a lot to offer.

It's worth noting that while the Galaxy A51 has an official MSRP of $ 399, it's available from online retailers at a cheaper price. It becomes a more attractive option if you can pick it up for less than $ 300, which is sometimes possible.

Are there alternatives?

The Galaxy A51 has a lot to offer, but others offer more. When you're ready to switch to iOS, the iPhone SE offers much better performance. This is the best option for most. If you want to stay in the Android ecosystem, I recommend opting for the Pixel 3a or better and waiting for the Pixel 4a.

How long it will take?

The Galaxy A51 should last two years, but will likely feel slow towards the end of this term. It has no official IP rating. So if you drop it in the water, you may be out of luck. Thanks to the plastic back, it should survive if you drop it at the right angle. However, if you drop them on the screen, cracks can occur, as is the case with any modern smartphone.

Should you buy one?

No. Apple's iPhone SE and Google's Pixel 3a remain better options.

Editor's recommendations




25 Apr
Blog

Samsung Galaxy S20 Review: It’s Not A Compact Flagship

Samsung Galaxy S20 review hand

"The Galaxy S20 is the smallest S20, but not small enough to be a compact flagship."

  • Nice screen, 120Hz refresh rate

  • The camera takes good photos

  • Slim, light and easy to hold

  • 5G for the future

  • The size does not do justice to the screen

  • Not small enough to be different

The Galaxy S20 is an excellent phone. It is also the smallest member of the Galaxy S20 family. However, Samsung was wrong in not adopting the even smaller 5.8-inch screen size of the Galaxy S10e.

What is the Galaxy S20? It's a brilliantly powerful smartphone that can't differ from the slightly larger Galaxy S20 Plus to reach the underserved crowd that is screaming for a tiny flagship phone. Let's take a closer look at where the Galaxy S20 is successful and where it fails.

design

The Galaxy S20 looks exactly like the Galaxy S20 Plus, only on a slightly smaller scale. It is thin and light with 163 grams and 7.9 mm thickness and is based on an aluminum metal housing with Gorilla Glass 6 front and back. The screen measures 6.2 inches, so it's smaller than the 6.7-inch Galaxy S20 Plus and just a tad larger than the iPhone 11. I'm very happy that I injected the blue version instead of the matte gray Galaxy S20 Plus much needed character. It's fun to watch, rather than something Winston Smith from 1984 could have come up with on a particularly depressing day.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

It's more natural to hold and use, also thanks to the 20: 9 aspect ratio compared to the Galaxy S20 Plus and OnePlus 8, but it's not that small. Although it's the baby of the S20 series, it's not a small phone. If you have the Galaxy S10 in hand, it's essentially the same size, only with a slightly larger screen. This is possible due to the amazingly slim bezels. They are almost invisible on the sides and only black splinters above and below. Using the Galaxy S20 is really like holding a big screen in your hand.

I also like the little details in the design, from the way the aluminum case bends around the volume and on / off buttons to the delicate camera joint on the back, which looks much less offensive here than the S20 Plus . It's a friendlier, tidier, and better all-round design. However, the larger screen of the S20 Plus convinces me every time it comes to watching videos and playing games.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The Galaxy S20 is smaller than the other phones in the range, but not so small that the trade-off between screen size and portability matters. The Galaxy S20 isn't a really compact flagship, but it's the most attractive of the three Galaxy S20 devices available this year. It is a puzzle that was ultimately solved by buying the blue or pink Galaxy S20 Plus.

Screen and games

The 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED has a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels for an even higher pixel density than the S20 Plus with 563 ppi. It has a refresh rate of 120 Hz, HDR10 + support and is one of the amazingly beautiful and sharpest smartphone screens that you will stare at. This is also a problem since you really have to stare at it as it feels quite restrictive when you take the opportunity to watch videos. You will enjoy the colors and sharpness of the S20 Plus or S20 Ultra more.

The screen size is great for reading emails and notifications, as well as surfing the Internet. The refresh rate of 120 Hz is not activated by default, but is strongly recommended. Scrolling is smoothed continuously, which results in less strain on the eyes and a more pleasant visual experience. There is a limitation as it can only be operated with the screen with Full HD resolution and not with active QHD resolution.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

Start a video and YouTube shows content in 1080p quality with HDR, if available. Using the NowTV app to watch HBO's vapid but visually charged ballers looks incredible, with lots of details and a very natural color palette. However, the aspect ratio of the screen affects the viewing experience, since black bars run on both sides. Zoom in to fill the screen and you will lose part of the image above and below. Audio is very pleasant, with a lot of volume, although the bass is limited.

Playing is great, especially because of the immense power and performance of the phone and the wide variety of games available on the Google Play Store. Of course, it's not quite as impressive as the larger S20 Plus. Dariusburst is a good example of why you need to zoom out to compensate for the 20: 9 aspect ratio screen. Hill Climb Racer doesn't suffer the same way, and although I never really question the 240 Hz sample rate, the S20 always feels sharp and responsive, which makes playing comfortable.

The Galaxy S20 (from left), the Galaxy S20 Plus and the Galaxy S20 Ultra Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The Galaxy S20's screen is excellent, but while I'm willing to bypass the 20: 9 aspect ratio drawbacks on the larger models, I'm less willing to do so on the mid-size S20. If I want to pay for the kind of specs and media skills here, I really want to be able to enjoy them. That means a bigger screen.

camera

The camera of the Galaxy S20 is the same as that of the Galaxy S20 Plus. It only has a slightly more compact bulge on the back. It houses the 12-megapixel 1: 1.8 aperture sensor with optical image stabilization as well as a second 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a third 64-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. It records 4K videos, has a time-of-flight sensor and there is a 10 megapixel selfie camera on the front.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

I found it to offer the same performance as the S20 Plus. The camera is versatile, with wide-angle and zoom functions, takes decent shots in night mode and has a great photo editing suite built into the app. Portrait mode is effective, but must be used with care, as it sometimes fails to focus and edge detection suffers in more complex shapes. If this works, the edit mode to remove color from the background when taking portraits can produce some atmospheric, eye-catching shots.

You can find more information on the rating in the Galaxy S20 Plus test because the camera is identical. Check out some of the photo examples here to see how the Galaxy S20 behaves against it. The degree of saturation may be a little daunting, but is more reserved than with previous Samsung cameras. I have found that pictures taken on sunny days offer just the right amount of life and visual impact. Note that night mode can increase noise while lightening shaded areas. Therefore, shooting outside of night mode is often preferable.

Ultimately, the Galaxy S20 takes detailed and colorful photos that you want to share with minimal editing. There are more powerful cameras, from the iPhone 11 Pro to the Huawei P40 Pro, but the S20 (and the S20 Plus) are crowd pullers that take photos day and night and in most situations that you are happy with.

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Like the phone itself, the camera is a brilliant all-rounder that does without the great functions of the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Software and security

The same Android 10-based OneUI 2.0 software is installed on the Galaxy S20 as on the S20 Plus and S20 Ultra. I went into more detail in my Galaxy S20 Plus review, but my overall impression remains the same. The colorful, bold, and fairly large icons stand out on the screen, and you can see what they're doing at a glance. The appearance can also be customized. By default, for example, it is a 4 x 4 grid with symbols, which makes it look a bit childish. However, for those who don't like large print, it can be switched to a 5 x 4 layout or a 6 x 4 layout. Style version.

I had no problems with apps, notifications are delivered without any problems and the design on a Google Pixel 4 was not so far removed from Android that it is a mysterious journey – although it is so different that it has its own identity. The haptic feedback is tactile, but I don't like the standard Samsung keyboard because it doesn't offer swipe input. Therefore, it is preferable to switch to Google's Gboard.

The problems remain the same. The Samsung Daily screen that appears is useless, and the need to use a hidden software key to turn off the phone, since the hardware key is assigned to Bixby, is irritating. On a positive note, the use of Samsung DeX to connect to my MacBook works well and much better than before because photos and music can now be synchronized.

The Galaxy S20 (from left), the Galaxy S20 Plus and the Galaxy S20 Ultra Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

I mainly relied on the face unlock system to secure the Galaxy S20. It's fast and reliable, even if the phone sometimes doesn't wake up properly when I answer it, so I have to press the power button, which slows down the process. The built-in fingerprint sensor is the opposite. It is a bit slow and unreliable.

Power and battery

The golden glasses keep going. The Galaxy S20, bought in the USA, has the Snapdragon 865 processor with 12 GB RAM and is therefore one of the most powerful smartphones that you can currently buy. For this test I use the European version with a Samsung Exynos 990 chipset. Here are the benchmark results to see how they stand out from the competition.

Geekbench 5: 2753 Muilt-Core / 905 Single-Core

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 5198 volcano

Not surprisingly, this is almost the same as the Galaxy S20 Plus, which puts it slightly behind the Oppo Find X2 Pro and its Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. This shows how the U.S. Galaxy S20 phones will work. The OnePlus 8 Pro did better in the gaming benchmark test, which is probably not only due to the graphics chip of the Snapdragon 865, but also to the additional gaming modes of the phone, which are more comprehensive than those of the Galaxy S20.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The smallest Galaxy S20 phone gets the smallest battery. It is a 4,000 mAh cell that performs adequately. For daily, moderate use, including some phone and video calls, the Galaxy S20 ended the day at around 15% until 11 p.m. However, this was the case when a Wi-Fi connection was made, so I would assume it would be fairly empty if it had used a cellular network. With the included 25W Type C wired USB charger, the value increases from 0 to 55% in 30 minutes, and the full charge takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes. The Galaxy S20 also has wireless charging.

Although the Galaxy S20 has 5G, I don't have 5G coverage in my area. I tried both the Vodafone and EE 4G networks. Calls are clear to both, and reception was good on both cellular and Wi-Fi calls. Even though the speaker is small, I never had to constantly reposition the phone to find the right position to hear the caller.

Price, availability and guarantee

The Galaxy S20 costs $ 1,000 and is available in the cloud blue color shown above, as well as in the colors Cloud Pink, Cloud White and Cosmic Gray. It is available now from Samsung, various retailers and with a contract with network operators. In the UK, the phone costs £ 800 and is sold through all major carriers and also through Samsung itself.

You get a standard one-year warranty to cover manufacturing defects. If you buy the phone directly through Samsung, you can add a premium care package that offers accidental damage coverage and 24-hour care for $ 12 a month.

Our opinion

The Galaxy S20 is an excellent smartphone, but it doesn't differ enough from the larger, more user-friendly Galaxy S20 Plus, it's not cheap enough to be tempting as a budget buy, and it's not small enough to buy a truly compact flagship. If you want to spend $ 1,000 or more on a phone with one of the best screens in the industry, you can also get it in a size you like, and that's more true for the Galaxy S20 Plus than the S20. Assuming you understand this, the Galaxy S20 is still an excellent smartphone.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. The Galaxy S20 Plus is the better buy in the Galaxy S20 range. However, if you only want to spend $ 1,000 on a new phone, you should take a closer look at the iPhone 11 Pro for $ 1,000 and the OnePlus 8 Pro for $ 1,000. Both seriously challenge the Galaxy S20 with excellent battery, camera and screen performance at the same price. The 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro will also meet your desire for a reasonably sized flagship.

We also think the $ 700 iPhone 11 is a great buy. If you're looking for a brilliant camera phone and don't want to worry about battery life, the Google Pixel 4 XL is worth a look. If you're in the UK looking for a less common alternative, the Oppo Find X2 Pro fills the gap if you don't mind spending more.

How long it will take?

With the fastest Qualcomm processor you can currently get, a nice screen, a decent camera, and 5G for the future, the Galaxy S20 easily lasts for a two-year contract and even longer.

It has an IP68 waterproof rating so it survives when it gets wet, but the vitreous can be kept in a suitcase if you're a bit clumsy. Samsung regularly offers software updates for its phones, and its flagships are usually well served. However, don't expect them to arrive as quickly as if you had bought a Google Pixel 4 XL or an iPhone 11 Pro.

Should you buy it

No. Most people should opt for the larger Galaxy S20 Plus.

Editor's recommendations




10 Apr
Blog

Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus Review: The One You Want

Galaxy S20 Plus

Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus review: the one you want

“The Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus has everything you need now, and with 5G, it's ready for the future. It's the Galaxy S20 phone that needs to be bought in 2020. "

  • Nice screen, 120Hz refresh rate

  • The camera takes good photos in all environments

  • Slim and light

  • 5G for the future

  • Boring design

  • The camera software needs some improvements

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus is the smartphone equivalent of a well-known friend. The design, the camera and the performance reliably deliver all expectations. But you won't find any surprises either. It is a safe, trustworthy companion.

There is nothing wrong with that. The new and unexpected can be fun, but it can also disappoint or distract you. This year, the safe choice in the chaos of everyday life feels like the right choice. Of the three new Samsung Galaxy S20 smartphones released in 2020, you should buy this one.

design

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus isn't a nice smartphone, but it's a mature, well-proportioned mobile device. This inconspicuous phone is only suitable for demonstration if you get it in the pretty cloud blue color. In the black or gray shown here, it won't turn your head, but you can be satisfied with using one of the most nifty phones you can currently buy.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

What I mean? The 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen is not strongly curved on the side of the phone, but the 3D glass above it is beautifully shaped on every corner to give the front of the phone a modern shape that is comfortable to hold . The on / off switch and the volume rocker are on the right. The metal body is not only between the chassis and the glass, but is also arranged around it.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The style of the Galaxy S20 Plus can be appreciated, but it's not for everyone. The camera hump on the back is a bleak rectangle in the top corner, and the gray color seems to be inspired by the last time the Navy gave a battleship a quick spruce. It is also not significantly different from many other cell phones available today, including the Huawei P40 Pro and the Oppo Find X2 Pro.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The Galaxy S20 Plus is certainly light and slim. It's 6.5 ounces and 0.3 inches thick, which not only makes it a better phone to put in your pocket, but also to last for long distances. However, it is slippery and its width makes it easy to stretch with one hand. A case would be advisable to keep the phone protected.

Compared to its brothers, the S20 Plus is just right. The Galaxy S20 Ultra is considerably larger and heavier, and the S20 is a bit too small for modern conditions, unless you specifically want a small phone. The S20 Plus seems to be the most suitable for most people.

camera

The S20 Plus has a quad-sensor camera on the back, which consists of a 12-megapixel 1: 1.8 wide-angle lens, a 64-megapixel 1: 2.0 telephoto sensor and another 12-megapixel -1: 2.2-Ultra-. wide sensor. A time of flight sensor completes the lineup, and this is the same camera system as the regular Galaxy S20. You can take 3x hybrid zoom recordings or up to 30x digital recordings, record 8K videos at 24 frames per second (fps), record with HDR10 + and record slow-motion videos at 960 fps.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

When the sun shines, the shots are pretty saturated, which can split opinions, but I often found that they animated the pictures well. Night mode is effective and brightens scenes with medium lighting without adding excessive noise. In very poor lighting conditions, however, it becomes loud and less user-friendly. The worst crime is consistently inaccurate edge detection in portrait orientation and problems with focusing. The same problems were found when testing the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Outside of the saturation surge, Samsung software can also be sluggish when sharpening, but you'll have to look for it to notice. I had no issues with the 8K video mode we saw on the S20 Ultra. The high-resolution videos were recorded smoothly and looked stunning on the screen. It should be noted that this S20 Plus has a Samsung Exynos processor, while the S20 Ultra we tested has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865.

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Although 8K videos look good, playback in all their glory is currently impossible for most because of the cost of buying an 8K TV. Avoid the massive file sizes (at least 500 MB per minute). and shoot at 4K or 1080p. This way, you can also use Samsung's superb Super Steady Stabilization mode, which works incredibly well.

The Galaxy S20 Plus also features Samsung's entertaining single-take mode, where you can record video instead of taking still pictures, and the software generates a selection of clips, GIFs and still pictures for you. It's great for taking pictures and videos that can be shared right now, without having to worry about missing anything. It's easy to use and really fun.

Selfies with 20 megapixels in the central hole are a mixed bag. If you don't use portrait mode, they come out very well, with nice colors and natural tones, but portrait mode is unreliable, blurs edges when they shouldn't be, and smoothes the skin to an unacceptable level. I like the automatically activated gesture control, where holding up your hand starts a countdown timer. The phone has always "seen" my hand, which makes it reliable and user-friendly.

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Samsung Galaxy S20 plus review not night "class =" m carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/s20-plus-non-night-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7S20 Plus non-night mode Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The results of the camera of the Galaxy S20 Plus are generally very good, almost regardless of the environment or the time of day. It's a great all-rounder and versatile enough that you don't want a feature that it doesn't provide, provided you don't expect much from portrait mode and want a bit of saturation in your photos on sunny days.

Screen and performance

Samsung knows how to create a stunning screen. The dynamic 6.7-inch AMOLED screen offers a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels at a frequency of 120 Hz and supports HDR10 +. It is undoubtedly beautiful, with stunning colors and a dynamic range, especially when viewing HDR content. Fortunately, a lower resolution video doesn't suffer and I also enjoyed watching older 720p videos. The size of the S20 Plus also makes it an excellent video partner. The previously described low weight is ideal for relaxed viewing on the couch or in bed.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The refresh rate of 120 Hz means smoother scrolling, less flickering and less eye strain when surfing for longer periods and is extremely effective. You cannot use the 120 Hz refresh rate when the screen is set to full resolution. At this point, it will switch back to a refresh rate of 60 Hz, which is also the case if the phone gets too hot. I preferred the advantages of the higher refresh rate to the higher resolution, so I found the combination with 2400 x 1080 pixels / 120 Hz best for everyday use.

As much as I like the screen and overall size of the S20 Plus, it can't keep up with the fabulously huge 6.9-inch S20 Ultra when it comes to impressive viewing, but you have to decide whether you're ready with the similar to epic size and size to live weight. That is why the S20 Plus is the sensible choice among the three S20 phones. Put it next to the iPhone 11 Pro, another phone with a great screen, and the vibrancy of the S20 Plus is clear. In addition to the more natural tones of the iPhone, colors burst from the screen.

Galaxy S20 Plus (top) against iPhone 11 Pro Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The Galaxy S20 Plus is sold with two different processors depending on where you buy it worldwide. In the US, it comes with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 processor, while in the UK it comes with Samsung's own Exynos 990 chip, which has been tested here with 12 GB of RAM.

In the real world, the differences between the two are minimal for everyday tasks, although some independent tests have shown that the Snapdragon 865's Adreno 865 graphics chip is more efficient and therefore may offer better battery life when you play or use the full resolution screen . Here are two benchmark test results:

  • Geekbench 5: 919 single-core / 2,838 multi-core
  • 3DMark: 6,357 (volcano)

It stands directly behind the Oppo Find X2 Pro with Snapdragon 865. A quick test of an S20 Ultra with Exynos drive did not surprisingly show that it was very close to that of the S20 Plus. As you'd expect from a high-performance smartphone like this, the S20 Plus has no problems with everyday tasks, including gaming. Although, like the S20 Ultra, the body feels very warm when it works very hard.

Fortunately, the S20 Plus does not get hot when playing, and its weight loss allows long sessions without fatigue. Even if the graphics on Asphalt 9: Legends are set high, the game is as fast and exciting as usual. The view spans the entire screen and you quickly forget that the pinhole camera is present. DariusBurst SP, which runs at 120 Hz, is beautifully fluid and fun, but some game content is lost above due to the aspect ratio of the phone when you play in full screen mode. This also affects some older games like Reckless Racing 3, which due to the wide aspect ratio leads to a smaller playing area. However, these problems do not only occur with the S20 Plus.

5G is standard on the S20 Plus, so it's ready when the new network is available near you. During this period of social isolation, I was only able to test the S20 Plus on Vodafone's 4G network and EE's 4G network in the UK, where it performed excellently and offered excellent call quality and reception.

Software and battery

Samsung's software can be described in a similar way to the design. It's extremely user-friendly, attractive, but not over the top, and a perfect companion that most people can use every day. It's also colorful, with uniformly shaped icons across the operating system, an effective system-wide dark mode, and a logical settings menu. The constantly active screen is informative and can be adjusted a little. Notifications can be made using the notification shadow.

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Samsung Galaxy S20 plus verification links "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/galaxy-s20-plus-shortcuts-640x640.jpg "srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

Disadvantage? Nothing serious, just a few quarrels. Samsung's OneUI 2.0 differs significantly from Android on a Google Pixel, which some may not like, and although Bixby's virtual assistant is on board, it's largely useless. Samsung also pre-assigned the power button to call Bixby instead of turning the phone on and off. This is now done with a button in the notification shadow. This can be changed in the settings, but is still annoying. Samsung Daily, which is displayed from the home screen, is also a pointless mess of widgets and warnings.

A large 4,500 mAh battery supplies the Galaxy S20 Plus with heavy use for a whole day, even if, in my experience, the refresh rate of 120 Hz is active. During this period of social isolation, the S20 Plus handled multiple voice calls, multiple long video calls, a bit of photography, and regular general use, and generally lasted from early morning until late at night. On days of moderate use, the S20 Plus will not almost run out of power.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

Charging is also quick. There is a 25W charging block in the box, and the phone also supports wireless charging. While not as fast as some of the fastest phones on the market (e.g. the Oppo Find X2 Pro), it is fast enough for most. With a 30-minute charge, the battery will be 55% empty and approximately 75 minutes fully charged.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus costs $ 1,200, which is in the middle of the $ 1,000 Galaxy S20 and the $ 1,400 Galaxy S20 Ultra. The phone can be purchased through the Samsung website and through major contract partners. The phone costs £ 1,000 in the UK, and I tested the phone on the Vodafone network, where it is available with a contract starting at £ 68 a month.

Our opinion

The Galaxy S20 Plus is the Galaxy S20 phone to buy, which sits at the right price with the right screen size in a case of a reasonable size. It is very easy to use, very powerful and the camera takes great photos in different situations. It is only disappointed by the boring design and some inconsistencies in the camera, but none of them are deal breakers.

Is there a better alternative?

If you're considering the Galaxy S20 Plus, you should also take a closer look at the iPhone 11 Pro for $ 1,000. It is Apple's best smartphone yet and our choice as the best smartphone currently available. However, if you're from Android, you'll need to get used to some software and usage changes. However, we think it's worth it. The only concession here is that the iPhone doesn't have 5G, which makes the S20 Plus a slightly better bet in the long run.

If you stay in the Android camp, you can see the Google Pixel 4 XL for its camera and software, but the battery life is much worse than the S20 Plus. Alternatively, you can wait and see what the OnePlus 8 looks like when it is announced on April 14th. If you're outside of the U.S. or like to import, the Oppo Find X2 Pro offers the same benefits as the S20 Plus with the advantage of super-fast charging in the deal.

How long it will take?

The phone is made of glass. So be careful or wrap it in an envelope. The good news, however, is that it has IP68 protection for water resistance. Android 10 is now installed, but there is no indication of when the phone will receive an update to Android 11 after its release later this year. Samsung updates are moderately fast, and the latest flagships are usually updated first.

Since the phone has 5G, regardless of whether it is available in your area, it is still ready to take advantage of the high data speeds if you decide to introduce the new network. Add this with the latest processor, the latest screen technology, and a decent camera, and the Galaxy S20 Plus has no problem beyond the duration of a two-year contract.

Should you buy one?

Yes. If you want a phone from the Galaxy S20 family you should buy it and it is also one of the best Android phones overall.

Editor's recommendations




07 Mar
Blog

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Review: Brawn Over Brains

“You may have thought the camera was the best feature. It is not at the moment. "

  • Large, beautiful screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz

  • The zoom lens frames beautiful pictures

  • Battery life that blows through a day

  • First-class installations with 5G for every large carrier

  • Expensive

  • Inconsistent, sometimes erroneous photo and video performance

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is an elaborately equipped device with an extravagant price. With $ 1,400, you get an opulent 7-inch display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, the best internals you can expect from an Android phone, 5G compatibility with all major networks and, perhaps most importantly, a monstrous camera setup.

With 108 MP on the main lens, 48 ​​MP on the telephoto camera and up to 100x zoom, it is clear which function Samsung expects for the knockout punch. Despite its robust statistics, this heavyweight is prevented from becoming the undisputed camera champion.

Design and display

There are no two options – this is a big phone. With a 6.9-inch display – just a tenth of an inch less than usual – the slim Galaxy S20 Ultra is a large device that is somewhat unwieldy to hold.

My hands are slightly above average, and even I had to be extra careful to have a good grip when I pulled them out of a pocket or picked them up. It's big, heavy, and a bit top heavy (did you see the hump of the camera?). I used the one-hand mode for the first time because otherwise I simply cannot operate this phone with one hand.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

That said, it looks and feels like the Grand – or rather 1.4 Grand – you paid for it. The Quad HD + (3200 x 1440) Dynamic AMOLED delivers deep, deep black and popping, saturated colors paired with sharp detail reproduction. Combined with the booming clarity of stereo speakers, this is one of the best viewing experiences you can have on a phone.

It's as bright as the iPhone 11 Pro at its peak, making it easy to see in direct sunlight, while the saturated colors can help brighten darker areas for difficult viewing situations.

New this year is the 120 Hz refresh rate of the screen, twice that of the Samsung Galaxy S10 with the industry-standard refresh rate of 60 Hz and switching between tasks seems pleasantly fluid.

Camera performance

On paper, the camera setup of the Galaxy S20 Ultra is the main attraction of this device. You can get a big, beautiful screen on the S20 Plus for $ 200 less. The Ultra tilts the scale with a 108 MP main camera, accompanied by a similarly stacked 48 MP tele-shooter and a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle camera to top it off. While this system offers some advantages that no other phone can replicate at the same level, the overall performance of the camera is mixed.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

Several reviewers have reported a number of problems with the S20 Ultra's camera, which Samsung has officially fixed in a software update. Reported issues that were not officially named by Samsung include over-aggressive image processing (excessive sharpening and smoothing) and focus problems, two issues that are not new to the Galaxy S series.

We'll update our test when there's an update, but my S20 Ultra has shown significant improvements over the Galaxy S10 in all of these areas, apart from focusing.

In ideal lighting scenarios, the main camera of the S20 Ultra shoots great colors and details in the standard 12 MP recording mode, which takes pictures by pixel binning on the 108MP sensor. Here the Ultra shows its improvements in detail capture and dynamic range over the Galaxy S10 because it is less likely to blow out highlights, smooth out gradients, and produce excessively warm photos. This was the case for both the main sensor and the 40 megapixel selfie camera, which improved significantly in the same areas compared to the S10's selfie game.

More impressive details can be found in the 108 MP recording mode of the main camera. You can't see this kind of difference when looking at photos on your phone. However, zoom in on a specific area of ​​a photo on a larger, higher resolution screen and you'll see how detailed this mode is. This way you can crop photos into a smaller area and still get perfectly divisible images.

Yes, the zoom lens is as impressive as you heard it, but after zooming in about 30 times, it becomes more of a party trick than anything else. High zoom images are too grainy to be useful as saying, "Look at what I can do." In addition, distant subjects are difficult to see with the naked eye. Therefore, you are unlikely to ever notice a shot that you can only take at 100x zoom. Even if you did, the grainy, blurry result would not be pleasant.

Compared to other devices such as the iPhone 11 Pro and Pixel 4 (maximum 2 x optical zoom), the S20 Ultra has a 4 x optical zoom and uses a mixture of digital and optical magnification called "space zoom" up to 100x. The Ultra captures appealing details up to 10 times, with Samsung saying it is "lossless" while the loss of quality of the iPhone and pixel becomes apparent. The S20 Ultra has some slight losses, but nothing like the Pixel and iPhone at this zoom level.

Compared to the Huawei P30 Pro, which has a 5x optical zoom and uses a similar optical / digital hybrid to achieve 10x, there is hardly any difference between the two when it comes to optimal lighting. Step into the night and you will see a noticeable advantage in dynamic color rendering for the zoom of the S20 Ultra over the P30 Pro.

s20 10x

p30 10x

8x pixels

iPhone 10x

  • 1.
    S20 Ultra 10x
  • 2nd
    P30 Pro 10x
  • 3rd
    Pixel 4 8x
  • 4th
    iPhone 11 Pro 10x

Taking photos in low light and using Samsung night mode have been improved over the Galaxy S10. While the former's details and colors are the best, the latter is a step behind Google's Pixel 4 and iPhone 11 Pro conditions for consistently creating good-looking, accurate images.

There have been cases in less challenging low-light situations where the S20 Ultra took the best looking photo and produced sharp details and punchy colors that weren't too dramatic. But in challenging situations, such as a dark alley or even a dimly lit restaurant, the Ultra showed problems with focusing, heavily yellowed shots, and sometimes a blotchy mess.

These were situations in which the Pixel 4 and iPhone 11 Pro defeated the Ultra, and the same was true for handheld shots of the starry sky. It was easy to take these shots without errors on the iPhone and Pixel, but the S20 Ultra takes a few tries. In some situations in night mode, no usable photo could be taken at all.

Perhaps these issues will be fixed in the upcoming update, but at the moment software and processing are keeping the S20 Ultra from the dominance of the camera despite its strong hardware.

Single take is fun. This feature captures about ten seconds of video and then pulls portraits, black and white images, wide-angle photos, short GIF-like videos, and whatever the A.I. looks useful. This way you can quickly create alternative settings for a photo. It's perfect for quick, casual photos that you can share on social media or instant messaging.

Video performance

8K video recording is available, but you may not want to use it. An obvious problem? There aren't many places you can really appreciate it except an 8K TV. It also doesn't work with other key features like Samsung's Super Steady Stabilizer. 8K videos take up an enormous amount of storage space (a 31-second video uses 301 MB of storage space – over half a gig per minute).

You can forget about 8K video recording after the sun sets. These videos are significantly more grainy than those shot at a lower resolution than 4K, even though they use the same camera sensor and lens. Stabilization disturbances, shutter rolls and accidental distortions (especially in bright light) are all evident.

In truth, most of these problems can affect the video recording of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, regardless of resolution, stabilization mode or lighting – it's just a question of the situation in which these effects occur the least. Although the iPhone 11 Pro is not perfect even at night, its superior image processing avoids the many disturbances, distortions and eye-shaking pans that the S20 Ultra generates. This is also the case when you step into daylight, although the problems of the Ultra are generally less.

The video looks best at 1080p and Super Steady in bright light. Distortions are much less common in daylight, but shutter rolls are still noticeable, making camera pans look edgy and overworked. Enabling Super Steady Stabilization, which only works with 1080p video, will reduce this so much that I would recommend taking photos with Super Steady enabled as much as possible.

Both 4K and 8K shots are less attractive due to their poorer stabilization and locking roller. At night, however, you have no choice but to do 4K or less without Super Steady, as 8K is useless in such low light conditions and Super Steady uses the Ultra wide-angle lens, which cannot capture enough light for a usable video even at night.

4K video at 60 fps at night looked best from all options, but distortion, glitches, and shutter rolls were still common, much more than on the iPhone 11 Pro.

Performance, battery life and 5G

The cameras may not deliver the promised decadence, but every other aspect of the S20 Ultra's performance doesn't disappoint. With 128, 256 or 512 GB of memory and 12 or 16 GB of RAM in combination with Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 865 processor, you don't want anything anymore when playing, multitasking or using the Ultra every day. Add 5G support to all major U.S. networks, and you have an entertainment and workforce package that is as expensive as its price. This cannot be said about any iPhone or many Android phones – especially not one of the latest flagships.

If you're lucky enough to have around 5G and even more lucky that it is mmWave, you can expect download speeds of up to 1.6 Gbps during my NYC tests on Verizon's mmWave network, though I would often hit between 400-800 Mbps on Big Red's spotty mmWave cover. If you're not at Verizon, don't fret since the Ultra also works on Sub-6 GHz and 2.5 GHz -Access networks – good news for T-Mobile customers who enjoy much broader, but significantly slower (about 100Mbps top speed). 5G coverage.

Battery life can be where the S20 Ultra offers the most unassailable performance, and with so much going on, it is much appreciated that this basic but integral part of the great phone experience has not been shortened. Much like we saw the iPhone 11 Pro Max, this bigger phone has a bigger battery. With the refresh rate of 120 Hz activated on the display, a well-known source for increased battery consumption, I was able to use the S20 Ultra consistently for a whole day, with very little consumption for about a day and a half.

This was very similar to my experience with the iPhone, which has no 120 Hz display option. Activating a refresh rate of 60 Hz on the S20 Ultra can take an hour or more, depending on use, but for the smooth running of 120 Hz, this little bit of battery sacrifice is a breeze.

Our opinion

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is almost everything you can expect from a high-end smartphone – on paper. In practice, it is a phone with a base price of $ 1400, which means it has to be the best or damn close. The camera does not meet this expectation.

Are there any better alternatives?

The iPhone 11 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus cost hundreds of dollars less and offer great big-screen experiences with plenty of battery life. The iPhone is also the well-rounded camera experience, although it can't keep up with the Ultra's zoom. Perhaps the upcoming Samsung update could at least result in parity in photography, although the videography is unlikely to match. The Note 10 offers the Samsung experience in a lighter, slightly smaller package with a pen for booting.

If you're a photography purist who doesn't care about spending a full day of battery life, the Pixel 4 XL is another option that offers a sleek Android experience and a camera to be with the iPhone Main competitor.

How long it will take?

This is one of the best points of the S20 Ultra. It is equipped for a certain time. With all the important 5G bands and camera hardware that is ahead of its time (and at this time with its own software), the Ultra is designed for durability. All of this, combined with its IP68 water and dust resistance, means that you should work solidly with the Ultra for two years.

Should you buy it

No. At the moment, it's hard to justify spending $ 1,400 on a camera-centric device that just isn't the best smartphone camera you can buy. For a similar big-screen experience, it seems just as good to get the S20 Plus for $ 200 less.

Editor's recommendations




02 Mar
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Review: Slick, Simple, Killer Battery

"With improved audio and a continuing commitment to convenience and ease of use, Samsung has done a lot more to improve the quality of its real wireless buds."

  • 11 hours of battery life

  • Comfortable, light design

  • Additional accessories for an ideal fit

  • Stellar customization app

  • The charging case contains only one charge

Sequels don't always have to be worse than the original. The Terminator 2 was the blockbuster of its predecessor in every way, and Red Dead Redemption 2 was a masterpiece. Now it seems Samsung's new real wireless earbuds could be one of the success stories of the second edition.

Samsung's Galaxy Buds + were unveiled at the company's Galaxy Unpacked event on February 11 and were available for sale on the Samsung website for $ 150 three days later. Judging by the modest price increase of the original Galaxy Buds ($ 129) and the look and functionality of the new buds, it's clear that Samsung knew the wheel didn't need to be reinvented. The company just needed to make some improvements and keep prices low enough to be a serious competitor to Apple AirPods.

The verdict on the G-Buds + is: The latest products from Samsung are just right.

Let's go

As has become the standard for brands like Samsung and Apple, packaging, accessories and the actual Galaxy Buds + adhere to a less-is-more-aesthetic. Opening the compact white box reveals an even more compact, pill-shaped charging case with the buds embedded in it. Also included are a USB charging cable, two additional pairs of earplugs and sports fins, and a quick start guide to guide you through the setup.

The setup is pretty painless by the way. Most major brands have finally made this a simple science, and Samsung is no exception. However, those who are not yet familiar with Samsung wearables have to go through some digital frames.

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First, you want to download the Galaxy Wearable app and give the app access to your phone. Next, download the Galaxy Buds + plug-in, allow a few more permissions for the buds themselves, and the buds will automatically connect to your device when you open the charging case.

From there, the next step pulls the buds out of the case and fits them in your ear.

The buds were a bit small for me with their initial earplugs because the seal didn't feel safe in my ears. After swapping larger tips, I found them to be as comfortable as their predecessors, with an extremely lightweight construction that would almost make you forget that they were there, if not the sound emanating from their double drivers.

That's a lot of battery

One of the biggest improvements that Samsung touted for its new buds was the improved battery, which it claims has a playtime of 11 hours between charges. With the original Galaxy Buds, it's 6 hours and miles away from the company's first pair of buds, the Gear IconX.

In fact, we still have to try a pair with a longer battery life per charge. They offer more than twice the playing time of Apple's more expensive AirPods (including the second-generation pair and AirPods Pro for $ 250). Unlike the AirPods, the Galaxy Buds + only offers a single charge in the case. However, since it is 11 hours per recording, playback is almost a full day and just under Apple's 24 hours.

The lifespan of these buds is as excellent as stated, but there is an interesting quirk.

In terms of this battery life requirement, the life of these buds is as excellent as stated, but there is an interesting quirk. The app offers you charging status for each bud as well as the charging case itself. I noticed that my right bud ran out of juice faster than the left one. It was a little difference, usually no more than two or three percent at a time. It's a puzzling feature, though not entirely surprising – we've noticed the same thing with older Samsung earbuds, including the Galaxy IconX 2018.

Custom grade

The Galaxy Buds + have standard programmed gestures for the touchpads of each bud. Touch once to play or pause music, tap twice to go to the next track, answer / end calls, and tap three times to go backward.

We feel obliged to point out that all these gestures failed on this first pass with these buds. However, after disconnecting and reconnecting, each gesture worked smoothly and has continued since then. We should also mention that a colleague had another pair of Galaxy Buds + in the office and had no problems with the controls.

Some other touch controls are also available. You can use the app to determine which earbuds control functions such as voice commands, switch ambient sounds on and off, switch playlists in Spotify and increase or decrease the volume. In our tests, each of these controls worked perfectly.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

In terms of Spotify, the integration here is both compelling and just makes us ask for a little more. With a long press on the Galaxy Buds + touchpad, Spotify continues to play the most recently played playlist. Another long press and the buds will go to the next playlist in your collection, although there doesn't seem to be a way to determine what that will be. This could be a playlist you created, a “Daily Mix” playlist curated by Spotify based on your listening habits, or a recently listened to playlist. It definitely kept us musically busy, and frankly that's not a bad thing, but more direction when switching between playlists wouldn't be bad either.

Sound and call quality

With two dynamic drivers – a woofer and a tweeter – as well as a new speaker and microphone system from the Samsung subsidiary AKG, the company has described its new buds as being able to produce studio-quality sound.

We wouldn't go that far and we wouldn't expect that at $ 150 either. Frankly, studio quality is a buzzword that shouldn't be used for any kind of wireless earphones.

The Galaxy Buds + immediately sounded clearer to our ears than the AirPods.

However, what we would say for the money is that the Galaxy Buds + present a very appealing sound stage with decent bass and a clear upper register. The app offers several equalizer presets that allow you to customize the sound to your liking.

For most tracks, from Blues Traveler & # 39; s Hook to Maroon 5 & # 39; s Girls Like You, the "dynamic" equalizer setting produced the best overall sound, avoiding the sometimes flat-sounding "normal" setting and less Brightness was offered as a "height boost". For us, this dynamic environment was the sweet spot. A few choices sounded a bit unnatural (I can think of a few classic rock songs), but for the most part, this setting best combined vocal clarity and unmixed instrumental music.

The Galaxy Buds + immediately sounded clearer to our ears than the AirPods, although they weren't as detailed or defined as the beautiful AirPods Pro. The latter has active noise cancellation, a feature that Samsung's wireless offerings have missed. At the price, however, it makes sense that the Galaxy Buds + left out the technology. The only earphones under $ 200 that have noise protection features are the Amazon Echo Buds, and even these only offer active noise reduction instead of full cancellation.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

For what it's worth, the Samsung Galaxy Buds + make a commendable contribution to suppressing outside noise.

With regard to the call quality, we are happy to report after a few test runs that the calls are received clearly and without great distortion from the outside environment. Voices on the other end sounded somewhat distant in some places, but it was minimal.

warranty information

Samsung's 12-month warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship.

Our opinion

If the Galaxy Buds + kept the same as the original Galaxy Buds and simply doubled the battery life, it would still be an improvement that is worth the cost. With improved audio and a continuous commitment to comfort and ease of use, Samsung has done a lot more to improve the quality of its real wireless buds.

Is there a better alternative?

While the Galaxy Buds + certainly offers more than enough features to hold its own against more expensive competitors, the $ 200 1More Wireless ANC and the $ 200 Jabra Elite 75t would be solid alternatives without breaking the bank completely. The Air Pods from Apple and the Echo Buds from Amazon also fit in the same category as the Galaxy Buds +. Depending on the ecosystem you are already invested in, both may be preferable.

Still, it's hard to find earphones that can do everything the Samsung Galaxy Buds + can do at this price.

How long it will take?

Samsung's products are generally a long-lived breed, and these Galaxy Buds + shouldn't be an exception. With replaceable earplugs and fins, they seem to be well equipped for the long haul.

Should you buy it

Yes. Samsung's successor to the original Galaxy Bud introduces groundbreaking battery life into the landscape of real wireless earphones, optimizes already solid audio performance and maintains an attractive price. This is a formula for success in our book.

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