Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) First Impressions: A Mix of Several Galaxy Models

Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) First Impressions: A Mix of Several Galaxy Models

We check out Samsung’s latest mid-range phone!

While the focus with Samsung for the 1H of 2018 involved the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus, the South Korean brand has introduced several new models under the Galaxy A and Galaxy J series. Earlier this year, we got the Galaxy A8 and A8+. This time around, we get a more affordable version in the form of the Galaxy A6 (2018) and A6+ (2018).

We got our hands on the Galaxy A6 (2018) prior to its official launch in India (and in the Philippines), and here’s our first impression of the phone. Before we get started, let’s talk about the specs:

Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) Specs

  • 1.6Ghz Exynos 7870 octa-core processor
  • 3GB RAM
  • 5.6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display
  • 32GB of expandable storage (Up to 256GB)
  • 16-megapixel f/1.7 rear camera with LED flash, PDAF
  • 16-megapixel f/1.9 front camera with LED flash
  • 3G, LTE
  • Dual SIM
  • WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0
  • GPS, A-GPS
  • Fingerprint sensor, Face recognition, Dolby Atmos
  • 3000mAh battery
  • Android 8.0 Oreo

 

First impressions: A mix of several Galaxy phones

Just like we said when the Galaxy A6 (2018) was in the rumor mill, we really thought that it will be the successor (at least) to last year’s Galaxy J7 Pro. Both have the same aluminum unibody and the same antenna band design. Even some of their specs (specifically the processor, RAM, and internal storage) are the same as well.

The major difference is with the camera module, where the Galaxy A6 (2018) borrows the same camera and fingerprint sensor layout with the more expensive Galaxy A8 (2018), Galaxy A8+ (2018), and Galaxy S9.

 

Moving along to the similarities with the Galaxy J7 Pro, the Galaxy A6 has the same AMOLED Infinity display with the A8, though you get only HD+ resolution with the A6. Staying in line with Samsung’s newer design DNA, there’s no Samsung branding in the front. On the top part of the phone, you have a 16-megapixel f/1.9 camera (the same camera used in the Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018)), your earpiece, a proximity sensor, and an LED flash.

 

Just like the Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018), the Galaxy A6 (2018) has two separate card trays: One holds the SIM 1, and the other holds the SIM 2 and MicroSD card. Unfortunately, you don’t get waterproofing with the Galaxy A6 (2018). One thing note worthing: While the Galaxy A6 (2018) sports an aluminum unibody shell, both SIM trays are made of plastic.

 

Let’s get into the ports: At the bottom, you have your antenna bands on both sides, along with a MicroUSB (sorry, no Type C here), microphone, and headphone jack.

 

On the left side, you have your volume controls and two SIM trays. There’s no Bixby button to be found here, though the Galaxy A6 (2018) comes with Bixby Vision and Bixby Reminder.

 

On the right side, you have your power button and loudspeaker. A good number of Galaxy A and Galaxy J models have been using this speaker placement since last year, so some might need to get used to the unconventional placement.

 

The lone camera module in the back is a 16-megapixel f/1.7 snapper, which is the same camera used in the Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018). Digging through the internals (using AIDA64), the Galaxy A6 (2018) uses a Samsung ISOCELL S5K2P6 sensor for both the front and rear cameras.

 

Powering the Galaxy A6 (2018) is an Exynos 7870 processor paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. We have seen this configuration with the Galaxy J7 Pro and Galaxy J7 Prime, so performance should be roughly the same. However, factors like the Galaxy A6 (2018) using Android Oreo can play a factor in its overall performance, and we will determine that as we will use it as our daily driver in the coming days.

 

That’s it for our first impressions of the Galaxy A6 (2018). Samsung has yet given an official pricing to it, though we’re hoping that the Galaxy A6 (2018) will have the same price (or lower) than that of the Galaxy J7 Pro. We will be putting the Galaxy A6 (2018) to the wringer and see if it is a step up from its doppelganger and a worthy contender in the stacked mid-range segment.

 

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