Samsung Galaxy A03 Review: Budget Phone with Big Battery

Samsung Galaxy A03 offers a massive 5000mAh battery, a 48MP camera, and a large 6.5-inch display for an unbeatable budget price.

Introduction

The Samsung Galaxy A03 is an entry-level smartphone designed to deliver core smartphone functionality without breaking the bank. Released in early 2022, it focuses on providing a large screen, a long-lasting battery, and a capable main camera, making it a solid choice for first-time smartphone users or those needing a reliable backup device.

Design & Display

The Galaxy A03 features a simple yet practical design with a plastic back and frame. It's available in classic colors like Black, Blue, and Red. The front is dominated by a 6.5-inch PLS LCD display with a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera. The HD+ resolution (720 x 1600 pixels) is standard for this price range, offering decent clarity for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos. The bezels are reasonably thin, resulting in an screen-to-body ratio of approximately 81.8%.

Performance & Hardware

Under the hood, the Galaxy A03 is powered by the Unisoc T606 chipset, an octa-core processor built on a 12nm process. It is paired with either 2GB, 3GB, or 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM. Storage options include 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB, all using eMMC 5.1 technology, which is expandable via a microSDXC card slot. This hardware configuration is sufficient for light multitasking, social media, and casual gaming, though it may struggle with more demanding applications.

Camera

The phone sports a dual-camera setup on the back, headlined by a 48MP main sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. This sensor is capable of capturing detailed photos in good lighting conditions. It is accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor to assist with portrait mode effects. Video recording maxes out at 1080p at 30 frames per second. On the front, a 5MP camera housed in the notch handles selfies and video calls.

Battery & Charging

A major highlight of the Galaxy A03 is its massive 5000mAh lithium-polymer battery. This large capacity easily provides a full day, and often two, of battery life even with moderate to heavy use. It charges via an older Micro-USB 2.0 port, which is a notable drawback in an era where most devices have moved to USB-C for faster charging and data transfer.

Software & Features

The device launched with Android 11 skinned with Samsung's One UI Core 5. The Core version is a slightly streamlined variant of One UI designed for entry-level devices, but it retains most of the key features and the clean interface. Samsung has made the device upgradable to Android 13, providing users with access to newer security patches and software enhancements.

Pros & Cons

• Pros:
  • Excellent battery life from the 5000mAh cell
  • Surprisingly capable 48MP main camera
  • Large 6.5-inch display
  • Clean software with upgrade path to Android 13
  • Extremely affordable price point
• Cons:
  • Uses an outdated Micro-USB port for charging
  • Performance can be slow with only 2GB/3GB RAM in base models
  • No NFC for contactless payments
  • HD+ resolution only
  • No 5G connectivity

Tags: Samsung, Galaxy A03, budget smartphone, Android, Unisoc T606, 5000mAh battery, 48MP camera

Samsung Galaxy A03 offers a massive 5000mAh battery, a 48MP camera, and a large 6.5-inch display for an unbeatable budget price.