The Pros and Cons of Samsung Galaxy A04

The Samsung Galaxy A04 made its global debut on August 24, 2022. Serving as the follow-up to the Samsung Galaxy A03 released in February 2022, it's part of the budget-friendly Galaxy A0x series.

Despite their affordable price tag, phones in the Galaxy A0x series pack modest yet solid specifications, providing a satisfying Android experience.

Are you interested to know the strengths and weaknesses of this phone? Let's explore further in the table below.

Samsung Galaxy A04 Specifications

Pros of Samsung Galaxy A04

If you're on a tight budget, it's worth considering the Galaxy A04. Let's look at some of its strong points!

1. Strong Chipset Performance for Daily Use

The Samsung Galaxy A04, powered by the Unisoc SC9863A System on Chip (SoC), delivers high performance at an affordable price, a trademark of Unisoc in the smartphone industry.

The phone's Unisoc SC9863A chipset provides an advantage over other budget phones that utilize older chipsets like the Helio P25. This chipset ensures improved performance for daily activities, from browsing social media to watching YouTube or chatting on WhatsApp.

Built on 28 nm technology, the Unisoc SC9863A in the Galaxy A04 isn't the most power-efficient. But its eight-core CPU architecture, blending four high-performance Cortex A55 cores (1.6 GHz) and four power-saving Cortex A55 cores (1.2 GHz), offers reliability.

The chipset includes an IMG 8322 GPU to cater to light graphic needs. While it's not suited for high-end gaming, it handles lighter games like Candy Crush well, which is notable for a phone in this price range.

According to Nanoreview, the Unisoc SC9863A chipset scored 105,770 points in the AnTuTu v9 benchmark, exceeding the Helio G25's score of 92,438 and matching the Helio P35's score of 113,517.

Launched in the third quarter of 2022, the Samsung Galaxy A04 uses Android 12 with One UI Core 4.1. It's a good choice if you're looking for a cheap phone that can handle basic tasks.

2. Large RAM and Multiple Memory Options

A smartphone's performance isn't determined solely by its chipset. The size of the RAM is another significant factor to consider. While most entry-level phones typically come with 2 to 3 GB of RAM, the Samsung Galaxy A04 stands out with options of 3 GB, 4 GB, and even 8 GB of RAM.

Additionally, the Galaxy A04 offers a variety of storage options, including 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB. At present, it's unclear which of these variants will be available in the market, but it's hoped that the 64 GB variant will be included given that 32 GB storage is now considered outdated. Regardless of the variant, the lowest RAM option available is 4 GB.

If the internal storage isn't enough for you, the phone's eMMC 5.1 standard storage can be expanded with an external memory card. The phone features a Dual SIM Slot and an additional separate slot for a microSDXC card of up to 1 TB.

3. Large and Suitable Display

While an AMOLED screen may be too much to expect from an entry-level phone, the Samsung Galaxy A04 provides a 6.5 inch PLS LCD panel, Samsung's take on the IPS LCD, which is a decent size by current standards.

An engaging feature of the screen is its relatively thin bezels on the left, top, and right, making the screen appear larger. The bottom bezel is somewhat thicker, creating an asymmetrical look, but this is balanced by the expansive display on the other three sides.

The immersiveness of the screen is enhanced by the design of the front camera's waterdrop notch, which enables the phone to maintain a slim profile while offering a large display. The body-to-screen ratio stands at around 81.3%.

The Galaxy A04's PLS LCD panel features an HD+ (720 x 1600 pixels) resolution, which is typical for its price range. Other details include a 20:9 aspect ratio and a fairly high pixel density of 270 ppi (pixels per inch).

4. Improved Connectivity

A common issue with entry-level smartphones is their slow WiFi speed, largely because these devices typically only connect to the slower 2.4 GHz network band. Yet, the Samsung Galaxy A04 shines in this area.

The phone boasts Dual Band WiFi (Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), which allows it to connect not just to the 2.4 GHz band but also to the faster 5 GHz one. This Dual Band WiFi feature allows the Galaxy A04 to connect smoothly to public WiFi networks. As WiFi 5 provides higher speeds, it's ideal for connecting numerous devices at once.

In contrast, phones with WiFi 4 can't detect the SSID of a WiFi 5 router. Additionally, the phone includes advanced connectivity features such as Bluetooth 5.0, which backs the A2DP codec, and the energy-efficient Low Energy (LE) feature.

The Galaxy A04 is equipped with an accelerometer and proximity sensors and offers GPS in the form of A-GPS. The phone charges using a micro USB 2.0 port. Regrettably, the Galaxy A04 lacks infrared and NFC features.

5. Durable Battery for Daily Usage

The Samsung Galaxy A04 is designed to power you through the entire day without needing a recharge, thanks to its robust 5,000 mAh battery.

Usually, a smartphone equipped with a battery of this size can last up to two days on a single charging cycle if used in moderation.

It's worth noting that the phone's chipset, constructed using the larger 28 nm process, might diminish the battery life. On the upside, the phone employs an HD+ resolution screen, which conserves more energy than a Full HD+ screen.

Even though the Samsung device has a micro USB 2.0 charging port, it does not support fast charging feature. Considering its 10 W power capacity, it's estimated to take about three hours to charge the phone fully from 0% to 100%.

6. Sleek Body Design

The Samsung Galaxy A04 is crafted with a simple and appealing structure, giving an appealing look, in our opinion. Unlike most Android phones, it doesn't have the usual black camera island on the back. Instead, it showcases two equal-sized lenses positioned vertically on the body without a distinct camera module. Next to these lenses, there is an LED Flash.

The "SAMSUNG" logo can be seen on the bottom part of the body. Although this body design isn't much different from the Galaxy A03, it does stand out in terms of the camera layout.

On the Galaxy A03, you can still notice the camera module (camera island), which is now the same color as the rest of the body instead of black, giving it a unified and harmonious look.

The rear body seems to be formed of polycarbonate plastic commonly used in entry-level smartphones. The phone is available in Black, Green, White, and Copper to provide a variety of options.

The dimensions of the phone are 164.4 mm x 76.3 mm x 9.1 mm, and it weighs 192 grams. Thus, the Galaxy A04 is not the market's lightest smartphone. However, this is typical for smartphones within its price range.

7. Impressive Camera for its Price

What would you expect the camera of an entry-level phone to be like? You might assume a lens with a low resolution, such as 13 MP or 8 MP. But, you might be surprised.

Actually, the Samsung Galaxy A04 is equipped with a 50 MP high-resolution main camera. Just less than two years before this phone was launched, a 50 MP camera was exclusive to mid-range or flagship phones. The inclusion of a 50 MP camera in an entry-level phone like the Galaxy A04 is a significant feature.

This 50 MP camera is built with an f/1.8 aperture and supports wide-angle shots. It also has an autofocus feature for quickly focusing on the subject. To aid in low-light photography, there's an LED Flash that can also be used as a flashlight.

The 50 MP camera is a minor yet remarkable improvement over the Galaxy A03's 48 MP camera. However, the gap is insignificant.

You can expect slightly better photo quality from the Galaxy A03, but the difference won't be significant. The rear cameras of both the Galaxy A04 and A03 are equipped with a 2 MP (f/2.4) secondary camera for the bokeh (depth sensor) effect.

The Galaxy A04 also supports Full HD (1080p) video recording at 30 frames per second. It features a 5 MP (f/2.2) selfie camera, but the supported video recording resolutions are not specified.

Cons of Samsung Galaxy A04

Although the Samsung Galaxy A04 has many appealing features, it's not perfect. Here, we find a few disadvantages to consider before you decide to buy it.

1. Not Good Enough for Gaming

This phone has 4 GB of RAM, which is quite a bit for an entry-level device. However, this RAM amount may not be sufficient for modern gaming.

This device's chipset, Unisoc SC9863A, provides sufficient performance for daily tasks, but it is not optimized for demanding games such as PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, and similar titles. It can manage games such as Mobile Legends to a limited level.

If your main goal is playing PUBG Mobile on an entry-level phone, consider alternatives phone with the Unisoc Tiger, such as the realme Narzo 50i Prime or the realme C30.

2. Lacks a Fingerprint Scanner

The Samsung Galaxy A04 provides a face unlock feature, so you don't need to use a PIN or pattern to unlock the screen. However, there could be situations where face unlock struggles to recognize your face properly, such as in dim light or when you're wearing a mask.

In such scenarios, the Galaxy A04 falls behind its competitors. While several other entry-level phones like the Infinix Smart 6 Plus already come with a fingerprint scanner, unfortunately, the Galaxy A04 does not.

3. Missing Gyroscope and USB Type-C

A further limitation of the Galaxy A04, particularly for gaming, is its lack of a gyroscope sensor. This feature can sense gravitational changes and maintain consistent orientation.

Gyroscopes are often utilized in AR and VR games. A common application is the gyro aim in PUBG Mobile, which allows players to target their enemies by simply moving their phones.

Furthermore, the Samsung Galaxy A04 uses an outdated MicroUSB 2.0 port. This is surprising considering that many phones within the same price already utilize a Type-C port.

Conclusion

While the Samsung Galaxy A04 offers only minor improvements compared to its predecessor, the overall product makes it a worthy contender in the entry-level smartphone market.

Its camera boasts an impressive 50 MP resolution, which is a strong selling point. But keep in mind, resolution isn't the main factor determining the quality of the photos.

With a substantial 4 GB RAM, this phone can handle multi-tasking tasks more smoothly. It's less likely to experience unexpected shutdowns compared to phones with lower RAM.

Its large battery capacity is enough to support your daily activities from dawn to dusk. Just remember to charge your phone overnight to ensure it's at full capacity when you wake up. This practice effectively counters the phone's lack of a fast-charging feature.

The Samsung Galaxy A04 is available in Copper, Green, and Black color variants. Are you considering buying the Samsung Galaxy A04?