Should you fall for this affordable smartphone?
A representative of the A series, the Galaxy A23 5G wants to find its place between the entry and mid-range of Samsung. Was the bet successful? Answer in our test.
Coming just before the start of the school year, the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G wants to find its place in the A family. It is very important for Samsung, which currently includes very affordable models like the A13 (5G) and the A33 5G or. A53 5G. The latter is a bit of a standout in this series, distinguished by its value for money.
The Galaxy A23 5G hopes to follow in those footsteps by establishing itself as a bestseller at Samsung. But is that enough to respect the lineup and convince us? We tested this affordable smartphone for several weeks. SPOILER: we appreciated it more.
For this test, we decided to highlight the most striking elements of the Galaxy A23 5G. That way, you’ll see the strengths and weaknesses come to light, while making sure the other elements are as complete as possible. Feel free to let us know your comments and suggestions.
| Samsung Galaxy A23 5G | |
|---|---|
| Screen | – 6.6″ LCD screen in 20:9 format – Full HD+ image (1080 x 2408 pixels) – 400 dpi density – Gorilla Glass 5 – 120 Hz |
| SoC and GPU | – Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G – Adreno 619 |
| Memory | – 4 GB of RAM – 128 GB – Memory expansion |
| Colors | – Black – White – Blue |
| Camera | – Four cameras on the back: – Main camera: 50 MP (f/1.8) – Ultra wide-angle camera: 5 megapixels (f/2.2) – Macro shooting: 2 MP (f/2.4) – Depth sensor: 2 MP (f/2.4) – Recording videos in Full HD 1080p at 30 fps – Front camera with 8 MP sensor (f/2.2) |
| Audio | – Speakers |
| Battery | – 4000 mAh – 25 W |
| Connections | – Fingerprint reader on the side -Bluetooth 5.1 – Wi-Fi 5 – 5G -NFC – USB Type-C |
| Software | – Android 12 – One UI 4.1 – Update available for Android 13 (One UI 5). |
| Height and weight | – 165.4 x 76.9 x 8.4 mm – 197 g |
| Starting price | – 319 euros |
| Date of availability | – Summer 2022 |
Yes! For autonomy
We start with the Galaxy A23 5G’s big strength: its endurance. In its segment, we are used to devices with breath, and the Samsung model still manages to stand out. It has a 5000 mAh battery and its relatively light configuration is not too heavy on resources. Therefore, we are in the presence of a model that will not be difficult to follow you until the end of the night.
Indeed, the Galaxy A23 5G makes it possible to get through the day without compromise. There will still be enough juice to finish the evening, and we will almost be in a hurry to get away from the catch on the second day. If you’re a smartphone addict like us, it might be wiser to charge it in the evening to approach the day stress-free. A second day is possible if you are a little thrifty.
Unfortunately, not everything is perfect and you will have to make do with a charge of up to 25 W. The endurance of the smartphone tends to make you forget about this element, but you should consider that a full charge takes about 2 hours. That’s a lot if you compare the Galaxy A23 5G to its Chinese rivals. Another point to be aware of is that the smartphone comes without a charger and needs to be provided.
Yes! For design and management
It’s true that the Galaxy A23 5G doesn’t have the most premium design in the universe. It also uses a lot (a lot) of plastic and doesn’t feel high quality. However, it is important to remember that we are dealing with an accessible model (not quite entry-level). Quite logically, Samsung ignores noble materials such as metal or glass and does not take any risks.
The Galaxy A23 5G looks a lot like its siblings, but overall it’s still good quality. We find a Samsung style that will appeal (or not) to us, and ultimately we hope for such a model. All plastic, the back of the smartphone does not collect fingerprints and favors a “smooth” approach. The photo module, although somewhat prominent, is very well integrated and easily overlooked with a shell (not included).
The rounded shapes are pleasing to the eye and the device is less slippery than it looks. On the front, the teardrop notch is still reminiscent of the entry/early mid-range orientation.
The Galaxy A23 5G feels nicely solid and feels great in the hand. Although it is not really compact (165.4 x 76.9 x 8.4 mm), its weight does not fly off the scale at 197 grams.
Yes! For software and performance
It should be noted that the Samsung ecosystem is one of the most perfect systems on Android. The user experience lives up to expectations thanks to a good balance between the choice of components and the software. First of all, we are in the presence of a 6.6-inch LCD screen that displays up to Full HD + 120 Hz. Therefore, this terminal, which wants to be accessible and prefers to bet on 120 Hz flow, does not have AMOLED. This wide format is noticeable in everyday life, and the refresh rate provides additional comfort. If we trust the positioning of the smartphone, the panel meets expectations and the settings made by the manufacturer are effective.
Fortunately, since Samsung doesn’t let you go through the settings box to make changes. Damage.
Underneath this display is a balanced configuration based on the Snapdragon 695. Samsung is ignoring its in-house Exynos chips to offer this Qualcomm SoC, we wouldn’t blame it. Indeed, the Snapdragon 695 brings with it 5G compatibility and good performance. Nothing transcendent or enough to blow benchmark counters, but enough power for most uses. Moreover, it is possible to play most titles from the Play Store in decent conditions.
On the other hand, Samsung is happy to add 4GB of RAM and it shows. Its smartphone isn’t the king of multitasking, and that tarnishes the experience somewhat. We’d be more comfortable with more than 2GB of RAM to support a processor up to the mark in this range. We will console ourselves with the ability to access 5G and the presence of a microSD slot (up to 1 TB).
Finally, this Galaxy A23 5G runs on Android 12 with One UI 4.1. Personal tastes aside, there’s no denying that Samsung’s interface has reached a noticeable level of maturity. This smartphone is a pleasure to navigate and access many customization options. Although Samsung has revised its update policy, this Galaxy A23 5G is not the best. It will have to make do with two years of system updates and therefore stop at Android 14. On the other hand, we benefit from 4 years of security updates, which is admirable.
We also received Android 13 and One UI 5.0 update during our testing.
The only downside on the software side is Samsung’s tendency to push you to install apps. From the first configuration, the brand encourages you to install various applications or enter its ecosystem. Some are even labeled as “essential apps” when they aren’t. Fortunately, you just have to be careful, because you can opt out of the installation… or delete them later.
And for the picture? Can be
One, two and three… and 4 sensors on the back! Samsung is not on the lace and offers the following configuration:
- 50 megapixel main sensor with optical stabilization, lens opening f / 1.8
- 5-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor (f/2.2)
- 2 megapixel (f/2.4) portrait sensor
- 2 megapixel (f/2.4) macro sensor
As we know, multiplying sensors is not always the best idea. We quickly understand that behind the “wow” effect created by the back of the Galaxy A23 5G, Samsung is trying to impress. In fact, there are two really usable sensors: the main and the ultra-wide angle.
The main sensor controls when the light conditions are good. It uses pixel stacking technology to combine pixels and deliver 12.5-megapixel shots. We’re not near the camera of the year, but we always get decent images with Samsung’s ‘claw’. The colors are flattering to the eye, even if they are slightly out of touch with reality. It is a fairly common practice among manufacturers, but it does not apply to all models. The ultra-wide angle doesn’t offer the same color temperature, but the results remain satisfactory.
As you probably guessed it, the shoe gets tight when the Galaxy A23 5G starts pushing it to its limits. The smartphone remains relatively comfortable indoors (on the main sensor), but the difficulties appear when the light ends. The main sensor tries to stay the course, but the ultra-wide angle struggles to offer decent shots.
Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to bet on the main sensor of 50 megapixels, which really does not disappoint. As always, the price position of the smartphone should be taken into account. On the front, the 8-megapixel sensor (f / 2.2) is satisfactory, although we can find better ones in this range.
For the price? Can be
Launched for 319 euros, Samsung benefits from its position in the market. You can find competing models that are better equipped for an equivalent or lower price. Nevertheless, fans of the Korean brand will not hesitate to apply for this model.
A very good point for others is that the price tends to come down and is now more affordable. It is well below the €300 price tag, which makes it even more competitive. In contrast, there’s still the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G floating under that bar. Option competitor with no assets.
