Samsung Galaxy A50s review: Great looks and design, performs well too

Samsung recently launched Galaxy A50s, the upgraded version of Samsung A50, with 6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED screen and 48MP main shooter. The smartphone has a sleek profile that complements its overall look and design, but faces tough competition as there have been notable entries in the mid-range segment. Can the Galaxy A50s make a mark? Let’s have a look:

Design

Galaxy A50s impresses with its looks. The first thing you'd probably notice is the Prism-cut design on the solid glassy rear panel. We had the Prism Crush White variant and it can take on any rival in terms of looks. The metallic frame adds to the looks while the thin bezels highlights the screen.

The phone is sleek and very easy to hold despite the 6.4-inch screen size. The power and volume buttons are placed on the right side of the frame, while the left side has the tray for two SIM cards and a microSD card. The headphone, USB Type-C and speaker grille sit at the conventional bottom position. However, it’s a bit difficult to reach the sound and power buttons with single-handed use.

Display

Samsung Galaxy A50sThe Galaxy A50s features a 6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display (1080 x 2340 pixels) with an Infinity-U notch, 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 403 PPI. The screen is bright, the colours are vivid and the viewing experience was fine as far as we could observe.

There is an in-display fingerprint sensor, too, but it is not the fastest that we have seen. The face recognition is not the fastest either, as it takes some seconds for the phone to unlock. At times, you are compelled to key in the password to unlock the device.

Performance

Samsung Galaxy A50sThe Galaxy A50s features the Exynos 9611 chipset paired with 6GB of RAM and a 128GB of storage (the other version being 4GB/128GB). Exynos 9611 is slightly upgraded from the 9810 chip in the earlier A50. The processor easily allows you to juggle social media apps, photo editing apps, heavy games and camera. The phone is swift in performing all operations. The OneUI on top of Android Pie gives it a clean look while operating. The navigation is easy due to clutter-free interface and large icons.

The 4000 mAh battery lasts long enough to sail through heavy camera use, long gaming sessions, and even binge-streaming. The 15W charger enables fast charging as well.

The phone has Widevine L1 certification to confirm its ability to play content from over-the-top platforms such as Amazon Prime and Netflix, in high-definition.

Camera

Photo taken using mode in Samsung Galaxy A50sPhoto taken using standard mode in Samsung Galaxy A50sThe Galaxy A50s features a triple-camera set-up at the back, including a 48MP main shooter, a 5MP depth sensor and an 8MP ultra-wide lens. Under the notch, there is a 32MP front camera that is satisfactory but not impressive. The rear camera performs well in indoor conditions but the overall image seems a bit grainy and not sharp enough in outdoor photography. The depth sensor works fine, though. The wide angle captures a good area under the frame but the images produced look a bit dull. The pictures in night usually come out grainy, too. Hence, don't expect too much from the camera.

Verdict:

Photo taken using wide-angle lens in Samsung Galaxy A50sPhoto taken using wide-angle lens in Samsung Galaxy A50sThe Galaxy A50s with 4,000mAh battery, 48MP main shooter, and the price tag of Rs 24,999 for 6GB + 128GB version (Rs 22, 999 for 4GB + 128GB) is a considerable offering in the mid-range segment but faces a tough competition from rivals.

The smartphone looks impressive, and scores well on several parameters, especially performance. The camera may not impress too much, but does a fine job otherwise. Overall, we had a good experience with the phone.