Samsung Galaxy A04s review
The Samsung Galaxy A04s is an entry-level phone that attempts to balance budget-friendly specs with desirable features. As the lowest-tier model offered by Samsung this year, the A04s doesn't impress with its specs, but it does offer a large 5,000mAh battery, which provides good battery life. The phone's design is plastic and glossy on the back, making it prone to fingerprints. The 6.5-inch LCD screen has a 720p resolution and a teardrop-shaped notch, with a welcome 90Hz refresh rate that can be dialed down to 60Hz to save energy. However, the display's resolution gives away its budget nature, and brightness is mediocre at best. The camera setup consists of three cameras, but only the 50-megapixel main cam is truly useful. The macro camera delivers subpar results, while low-light photos from the main camera are decent considering the phone's price. Selfies are also average. Under the hood, the A04s packs an Exynos 850 chipset, which struggles to run smoothly with Samsung's feature-packed interface, One UI Core. The phone often experiences slowdowns and stutters even during basic tasks. The Galaxy A04s is an okay phone considering its price point. It offers a high refresh rate on the display, solid battery life, and decent camera performance. However, the software struggles to run smoothly due to the low-power chipset, making it a phone that feels like a compromise between budget and features. Overall, it's a decent option for those who want a feature-packed phone at an affordable price, but there are better options available in this class.
Build Quality and Design
The Samsung Galaxy A04s boasts a plastic unibody design with a glossy finish on the back that's prone to fingerprint smudges. The rounded sides give the phone a slightly larger feel in the hand, but it still provides a decent grip. The build quality is adequate for its price point, but not particularly impressive. The front of the device features a 6.5-inch LCD screen with a 720p resolution and a teardrop-shaped notch. While the high refresh rate of 90Hz is a welcome addition at this price, the display's resolution gives away its budget nature. The content appears slightly blurry compared to screens with higher resolutions, such as 1080p. In terms of brightness, the Galaxy A04s achieved only 390 nits maximum, which is less than last year's model. There's no brightness boost available, and while color accuracy isn't terrible, whites take on a bluish tint. Unfortunately, there are no options to tweak colors or settings. The phone also features a single bottom-firing speaker that earned an average score in our loudness test. The sound quality is subpar, with noticeable distortion at higher volumes and limited bass response. One of the few redeeming qualities of the A04s is its comfortable grip, despite its size. However, this is largely due to the rounded sides, which can be a bit gimmicky. Overall, the build quality and design of the Galaxy A04s are adequate but unremarkable, especially considering the phone's price point. The Samsung software experience on the A04s is a significant upgrade over previous budget offerings from the company. However, this is a separate topic that deserves its own discussion.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy A04s is an entry-level phone that doesn't boast impressive specs, but it does pack a large battery to its advantage. The 5000mAh battery in the A04s is a significant upgrade over last year's model, and it delivers decent battery life. In our tests, the A04s earned an endurance rating of 114 hours, which is respectable for a budget phone. With moderate usage, you can easily get through a day without needing to charge the phone. Heavy users may need to top up the battery around mid-day, but even then, it's unlikely to die on you. The A04s also supports 15W fast charging, although you'll need a separate adapter to take advantage of this feature. In our tests, we managed to charge the phone from 0 to 28% in just half an hour with a Samsung charger. While not spectacular, it's still relatively quick for a budget device. Overall, battery life is one area where the Galaxy A04s shines. It's not going to set any records, but it should easily get you through a day of moderate use without needing to be plugged in. The only issue is that the battery itself doesn't feel particularly large or robust in the phone's unibody design. While not perfect, the A04s' battery life is one redeeming quality for this budget phone.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy A04s boasts a 6.5-inch LCD screen with a 720p resolution, which is a decent display for an entry-level phone. However, the low pixel density of 270 PPI gives away its budget nature, making content less sharp compared to higher-resolution screens found on some competitors. One notable upgrade over last year's model is the addition of a 90Hz refresh rate, which provides a smoother visual experience. This high refresh rate is particularly impressive at this price point and can be reduced to 60Hz to save energy when needed. Despite its limitations, the display still offers decent brightness, achieving 390 nits maximum, although it's not as bright as some other options. The color accuracy of the Galaxy A04s is relatively good, with white tones being slightly on the bluish side. Unfortunately, there are no options to adjust colors and settings, which might be a drawback for users who value customization. In terms of brightness, the display performs adequately but doesn't offer any significant boost over its predecessor. This might not be a major concern for casual users, but it's something to consider for those who frequently watch videos or play games on their phone. Overall, while the Galaxy A04s' display is not exceptional, it still provides an acceptable viewing experience, especially considering its budget-friendly price tag. However, buyers looking for a more premium display might find themselves slightly disappointed by this entry-level offering from Samsung.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy A04s is an entry-level phone that doesn't expect too much from its camera capabilities. However, despite being at the bottom tier, the phone's camera surprisingly punches above its weight class. On the back, you'll find a 50-megapixel main cam, accompanied by a 2-megapixel macro camera and a depth sensor. While the other two cameras are not particularly impressive, the main cam delivers good sharpness and detail in well-lit conditions. The photos it produces have true-to-life colors, low noise, and decent dynamic range. Portraits taken with the main cam are also noteworthy for their sharpness and detailed color saturation. Edge detection around the subject is decent, but can be disappointing if the scene is too complex. Low-light performance from the main cam is passable, considering the phone's budget price. Photos have a good overall exposure, and there's a decent amount of detail, although contrasts and colors are not outstanding. Highlights tend to come out clipped, and there's no HDR or night mode available. The 5-megapixel front-facing camera takes selfies that are decent for a low-end phone. Colors are lively, and sharpness is good in well-lit conditions. Dynamic range is okay, but can suffer if the lighting is not ideal. Video recording capabilities are limited to up to 1080p resolution at 30fps from the main cam. Footage has adequate dynamic range, accurate colors, and acceptable sharpness for a phone of its class. While the camera on the Samsung Galaxy A04s may not be the best, it's certainly better than expected, especially considering its price. The main cam is capable of taking good photos in various lighting conditions, and the front-facing camera produces decent selfies. However, the other two cameras are less impressive, with the macro cam struggling to deliver detailed photos. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A04s' camera capabilities make it an okay phone for its price range. While there may be better options available, this phone's camera is certainly not a major letdown.
Price and Value
In today's crowded budget smartphone market, it's hard to impress with specs alone. The Samsung Galaxy A04s aims to please with a high refresh rate display, solid battery life, and decent camera capabilities, all for an attractive price point. But does it deliver on value? Priced at a competitive level, the Galaxy A04s promises a lot for its asking price. With a 6.5-inch LCD screen, a 90Hz refresh rate, and a large 5000mAh battery, this phone is sure to please those who prioritize everyday usability. The camera setup, comprising a 50MP primary sensor, 2MP macro camera, and depth sensor, also shows promise, especially in well-lit conditions. However, the A04s's performance is where things get murky. Powered by an Exynos 850 chipset, this phone struggles to keep up with demanding tasks, resulting in slowdowns and stuttering. This makes it difficult to fully utilize the display's high refresh rate or enjoy seamless navigation. The camera, while capable of delivering good results in ideal lighting conditions, falls short in low-light scenarios. While the A04s offers a decent package considering its price, there are better options available that balance performance and value more effectively. For those willing to compromise on features, other budget smartphones might offer smoother experiences at comparable or lower prices. Ultimately, the Galaxy A04s is an average phone with a few standout features, but it fails to justify its existence in the face of stiff competition. As a budget option, it's not necessarily bad, but it's certainly not exceptional either. If you're in the market for a no-frills smartphone and don't mind some compromise on performance, then the A04s might be worth considering.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A04s is an entry-level phone that aims to provide a decent experience without breaking the bank. However, when it comes to performance, this phone falls short. Under the hood, you'll find an Exynos 850 chipset, which is Samsung's own processor built on an 8 nanometer process. In benchmarks, the A04s lags behind other phones in its class, and GPU performance is not great either. The real issue lies with the CPU department, where the phone struggles to keep up. This translates to slowdowns and stutters even when performing relatively low-key tasks. You might experience lag when switching between apps or scrolling through menus. This is a shame, considering the phone's high refresh rate display. While 90Hz is nice to have, it doesn't make up for the sluggish performance. One UI Core 4.1, based on Android 12, runs smoothly in some areas, but its resource-hungry nature exacerbates the problem. You'll notice stutters and slowdowns even when doing simple tasks like browsing or checking notifications. The interface is feature-packed, but it's a double-edged sword – while you get access to many features, the phone can't handle them smoothly. The only silver lining in this performance review is battery life. With a 5,000mAh battery and an endurance rating of 114 hours, the A04s can last for several days on a single charge. However, charging speeds are somewhat disappointing, taking over half an hour to reach 28% from empty, even with a Samsung charger. In conclusion, while the Galaxy A04s has its strengths in other areas, performance is a major letdown. If you're looking for an entry-level phone that excels in this department, there are better options available. However, if you prioritize budget and features over performance, then the A04s might still be worth considering.
Pros
1. High Refresh Rate
2. Large Battery
3. Decent Camera Performance
4. Samsung Software Experience
5. Expandable Storage
6. Fingerprint Reader
7. Good Color Accuracy
8. Competitive Price
Cons
1. Underpowered CPU
2. Poor GPU Performance
3. Low Resolution Display
4. No Brightness Boost
5. Average Speaker Quality
6. Limited Camera Features
7. No HDR or Night Mode