Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is a sleek and stylish smartphone that offers a great balance of features and affordability. With its compact 5.6-inch display and minimal bezels, it's perfect for one-handed use and fits comfortably in your pocket. The metal design gives it a sturdy and premium feel, while the 16MP rear camera captures stunning photos. Powered by the Exynos 7870 chipset and with options for either 3GB or 4GB of RAM, it delivers smooth performance for everyday tasks. The Galaxy A6 (2018) runs on Android 8.0 Oreo and comes with Samsung's custom user interface. Priced competitively, it offers excellent value for its features.

Design and Build Quality

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) boasts an aesthetically pleasing design that exudes a premium look and feel. With its sleek and compact form factor, it is easily portable and can be comfortably used with one hand. The phone features a sturdy metal construction, which not only adds durability to the device but also gives it a robust and sturdy feel. The use of metal also ensures that the phone is less prone to fingerprint smudges, maintaining its sleek appearance. The back panel houses a single camera, which slightly bulges out, and a conveniently placed fingerprint scanner below it. The placement of buttons and controls, such as the power key and volume buttons, on the sides of the phone ensures easy access and enhances the overall ergonomics. The minimal bezels surrounding the 5.6-inch display contribute to the immersive viewing experience. The phone's weight and dimensions make it comfortable to hold and operate, while the texture and finishing touches add to the overall grip and tactile experience. Overall, the design and build quality of the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) are commendable, combining aesthetics, durability, and user-friendly features.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) features a 5.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1480 x 720 pixels. The display offers vibrant colors and good color accuracy, making images and videos look pleasing to the eye. The aspect ratio of 18.5:9 provides a tall and narrow screen, which is great for browsing the web and watching movies. The OLED technology used in the display ensures deep blacks and high contrast levels, enhancing the overall viewing experience.

The brightness levels of the display are decent, allowing for good visibility even in outdoor conditions. The touch responsiveness of the screen is smooth and accurate, making it easy to navigate through apps and menus.

Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) does not come with any specific display protection like Gorilla Glass. However, it is always recommended to use a screen protector to prevent any scratches or damage.

The pixel density of the display is around 294 pixels per inch, which is not the sharpest but still offers a reasonably crisp image quality. The viewing angles are wide, ensuring that content remains visible even when viewed from different angles.

Overall, the display of the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) provides a good visual experience with vibrant colors, decent brightness levels, and smooth touch responsiveness.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is powered by the Exynos 7870 chipset, which provides decent performance for everyday tasks and light multitasking. While it may not offer the same level of performance as higher-end devices, it still delivers a smooth user experience with lag-free performance. The CPU benchmarks show that the Exynos 7870 performs well in single-core tests, outperforming competing chipsets like the Snapdragon 430. However, in GPU benchmarks, the A6 (2018) may not offer the same level of graphics scores as other devices in its price range.

When it comes to gaming capabilities, the Galaxy A6 (2018) handles casual games with ease. It can run popular titles smoothly, providing a satisfactory gaming experience. However, for more graphics-intensive games, the device may struggle to maintain a consistently high frame rate.

In terms of system optimization, the A6 (2018) does a decent job of managing resources and providing a smooth user experience. App loading speeds are generally fast, and the device handles multitasking reasonably well. The processor efficiency of the Exynos 7870 ensures that the device does not drain the battery quickly during regular usage.

While specific benchmark scores were not provided, synthetic benchmarks can provide a general idea of the device's performance. The Galaxy A6 (2018) may not score as high as flagship devices in these benchmark tests, but it still offers satisfactory performance for its price range.

Thermal management is also an important aspect to consider when evaluating performance. The A6 (2018) does a decent job of managing heat, ensuring that the device does not overheat during prolonged usage or gaming sessions.

Overall, the performance of the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is suitable for everyday tasks and light gaming. While it may not offer the same level of performance as higher-end devices, it provides a smooth and lag-free user experience with decent multitasking capabilities.

Software and User Interface

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) runs on the Android 8.0 operating system with Samsung Experience 9.0 custom overlay. This combination provides a user-friendly interface with a familiar layout and easy navigation. The software is intuitive and responsive, making it a breeze to use.

Samsung has added some customization options to the software, allowing users to personalize their device according to their preferences. There are various themes available in the Samsung store, allowing users to change the look and feel of their phone. Additionally, the device supports the use of third-party launchers for further customization.

The Galaxy A6 (2018) comes with a range of pre-installed apps, some of which may be considered bloatware by some users. However, most of these apps can be disabled or uninstalled if desired, freeing up storage space and reducing clutter.

One notable feature of the software is the "Secure folder," which provides a secure space to store files, memos, and apps. This feature can be particularly useful for those who want to keep certain information private.

Overall, the software experience on the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is smooth and user-friendly. The interface is easy to navigate, and the addition of customization options allows users to tailor their device to their liking. The pre-installed apps may be a downside for some, but they can be easily managed.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) comes with a 16-megapixel rear camera with an aperture of f/1.7. This combination allows for capturing sharp and detailed images with good depth of field. The focal length and sensor size of the camera are not specified, but the device offers image stabilization, which helps reduce blur and shake, especially in low-light conditions.

In terms of image quality, the Galaxy A6 (2018) performs well in daylight photography, producing photos with vibrant colors and good sharpness. The dynamic range is decent, capturing a good balance between highlights and shadows.

When it comes to indoor photography, the camera still performs reasonably well, but the low-light performance is not as strong as flagship devices. The device does have a night mode and noise reduction features, which help improve low-light sensitivity and reduce noise in photos.

The camera also offers various modes and features such as portrait mode, HDR, panorama mode, pro mode, and AI scene recognition. These modes allow users to experiment with different shooting styles and enhance their photographs.

In terms of video recording, the Galaxy A6 (2018) can shoot 1080p videos at 30fps. Unfortunately, it does not support 4K video recording. However, it does offer video stabilization, which helps in reducing shakiness and producing smoother footage.

Overall, the camera of the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is capable of capturing good quality photos in daylight and indoor conditions. It may struggle a bit in low-light situations but offers various features and modes to enhance the photography experience.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) comes with a 3,000mAh battery, which provides decent battery life for everyday use. The device offers a good amount of standby time and can last a full day with moderate use. However, heavy users may need to recharge the device before the end of the day. The battery optimization features on the A6 help in maximizing battery performance and efficiency. The device does not support fast charging or wireless charging, which may be a drawback for some users. Overall, the battery capacity is sufficient for typical usage, but it does not stand out in terms of longevity or endurance. Users can manage battery usage by enabling battery saver mode and monitoring power-hungry apps to extend battery life.

Connectivity and Networking

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) offers a range of connectivity options to keep you connected wherever you go. It supports LTE Cat. 6 connectivity, ensuring fast data speeds for browsing the web, streaming videos, and downloading files. With dual SIM support, you can use two SIM cards simultaneously, making it convenient for travelers or those who want to separate work and personal numbers.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the A6 (2018) supports Wi-Fi standards such as 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, ensuring fast and stable internet connections when connected to compatible Wi-Fi networks. It also has Bluetooth 4.2, allowing you to connect wirelessly to other devices such as headphones, speakers, and smartwatches.

Additionally, the A6 (2018) features NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, enabling you to make contactless payments using services like Samsung Pay. The device also comes with GPS, which provides accurate location tracking and navigation capabilities.

For charging and data transfer, the A6 (2018) uses a microUSB port, which is a standard connectivity option. However, it does not support USB-C, which is a newer and more versatile connector.

While the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) does not have wireless charging capabilities, it does support mobile hotspot functionality, allowing you to share your internet connection with other devices.

In terms of network compatibility, the A6 (2018) supports a wide range of LTE bands, ensuring compatibility with most major carriers. However, it does not support 5G connectivity, which is the latest generation of wireless technology promising even faster speeds and lower latency.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) offers a solid range of connectivity options, ensuring that you stay connected and enjoy fast data speeds wherever you are.

Additional Features

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) with related gadgets in the market, it's important to consider its features, specifications, performance, and pricing.

In terms of design, the Galaxy A6 (2018) features a sturdy metal body which sets it apart from devices with glass designs like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Huawei P20 Lite. However, it may not have the same premium feel as these devices.

The Galaxy A6 (2018) has a 5.6-inch display with a resolution of 1480 x 720 pixels. While this may not offer the best viewing experience compared to devices with higher resolution displays like the Honor Play or the Nokia 7 Plus, it still provides a decent visual experience.

When it comes to performance, the Galaxy A6 (2018) is powered by the Exynos 7870 chipset, which may not be as powerful as the Snapdragon 636 found in the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro or the Snapdragon 660 found in the Nokia 7 Plus. However, it still offers smooth performance for everyday tasks and light multitasking.

In terms of camera capabilities, the Galaxy A6 (2018) features a 16MP rear camera, which is on par with devices like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Honor Play. However, it lacks the dual camera setup found in some other devices, which may limit its photography capabilities.

When it comes to pricing, the Galaxy A6 (2018) is priced around 310 euros in Europe, which may seem a bit high compared to devices with similar specifications like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Honor Play, which are priced more competitively.

Overall, while the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) offers a decent set of features and performance, it may face tough competition from other devices in terms of pricing and specifications. However, it does have the advantage of a sturdy metal design, which sets it apart from devices with glass designs.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

Conclusion: The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is a mid-range smartphone that offers a decent set of features for its price range. It has a sleek and compact design, a good display, and a capable camera. However, it falls short in certain areas such as the display resolution, older chipset, and higher price compared to other devices in the market. If you are looking for a reliable smartphone with a trusted brand name, the Galaxy A6 (2018) could be a suitable choice. However, if you prioritize high-resolution displays and faster performance, you may want to consider other options within a similar price range.