Samsung Galaxy A50s Review! (Patreon)

Let me preface this review of the Samsung Galaxy A50s with an explanation for Samsung's A-series. If you haven't been keeping up with all things midrange or within a significant budget, then let me catch you up. Samsung has recently dropped its J series. When I say dropped, I mean they stopped adding more to the series. Insert dramatic gasp. I sadly didn't know this because I’ve been off the loop for a bit. Sorry, guys and gals.

As to why that is, I'm assuming Samsung just wanted to rally up and work on a line-up that fit the bill for consumers on a reasonable budget. For a lot of people, looking for a phone that racks up on specs and features that don't cost an arm or leg is a good deal--if not a steal. This is why this series is set to rock near-flagship features without wrecking your wallets as a flagship phone would.

The Samsung Galaxy A50s is a great phone from the get-go. When you open the box, you'll see uncanny similarities to its predecessor: the Samsung A50. Released not too long before the Galaxy A50s, the Samsung A50 seemed to be a very promising midrange release.

If you're into crystals and holographic, you're in for a treat

The Samsung Galaxy A50s comes in holographic colored design, and it needs more rep. So much of phones have been dabbling into more striking designs overall but the Samsung Galaxy A50s did not disappoint. It gives the phone an interesting profile and makes me think of unicorns vomiting rainbows. Don’t come at me. Sparkles may be tacky to some, but you’re never too old to believe in rainbow vomiting rainbows.

Jokes aside, I strangely prefer the sleek and futuristic design over the A50 since they added a touch of linear cuts almost similar to diamond cuts. The glossy finish and fresh, digitized pattern come with shades of Prism Crush Black, White, Violet or Green. It makes for a striking, bold, and futuristic look. The phone brags an immersive display. Like most phones on the market, it has a 6.4" inch FHD+ Super AMOLED near bezel-less Infinity U-display. It's more than just pretty though.

Samsung took it a step further

If you expected the Galaxy A50s to be not so different from the A50, you’ll be eating your words. We all know that the A50 was shockingly released equipped with a flagship-grade processor. This was a surprising move from Samsung earlier this year seeing as midrange phones normally sport a so-so processor that can disappoint some fans. They stepped up the processor from an Exynos 9610 to an Exynos 9611. Samsung’s home-baked processor then was delivering more than enough oomph with smooth performances. So, having the Samsung Galaxy A50s run smoothly was no surprise. On top of that, the phone has 6GB of RAM to help deliver efficient performance.

Before we get into the battery life, let’s talk camera

The Galaxy A50s cameras get an upgrade! It has the same four cameras: three at the back and one in the front. The phone’s rear cameras include a 48-megapixel f/2.0 main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide shooter, and a 5-megapixel depth sensor.

The rear cameras are similar to the A50, but instead of a 25-megapixel main shooter, the Galaxy A50s has a 48-megapixel shooter. Samsung didn’t skimp out on upgrading their front-facing camera either. From a 25-megapixel front casing camera, the Galaxy A50s gets a 32-megapixel f/2.0 main sensor.

The 48-megapixel main camera makes photos look bright, crisp, and clear. I took both day and night shots for comparison and the day shots are significantly sharper. The evening shots aren’t necessarily horrible, but the darker it is, the higher the chances for the photos to come out with a bit more noise.

An added feature for the camera is the super steady mode which gives you smooth live videos, even when your grip gets a bit rocky. Using the ultra-wide camera is always more fun outdoors. The quality is inferior to the main shooter, but the wider field of view gives it a different feel.

I also played with the camera’s live focus to see how the photos would turn out and they didn’t disappoint. Sometimes, it takes a few taps or two for the phone to focus on the right subject. But, overall, the photos turned out great. I mean, who can go wrong with photos of home-baked cookies though?

As for selfies, it’s great. It has a high-resolution sensor with a beauty mode available. Also, you can never go wrong with AR Emoji, a feature from Samsung’s flagship phones.

Long-lasting battery

I was checking how long the phone lasted and it took a good beating. I usually use my phone to play games, work, and go on social media. The fact that it survived a day of about three hours of Underlords, two hours of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and a full day of work and watching Youtube videos is pretty good. If you were to use the phone extensively, the phone gets to about 10% by the end of the day. The Galaxy A50s lives up to its promise of taking a full day use.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The Samsung Galaxy A50s is promising. It has near-flagship features that add to its charm. I think if there's anything to mull over with the phone, it’s how Samsung is catering this series for midrange budgets while attempting to bridge the gap between features that might cause phones to cost more. The phone is amazing if you consider it’s PhP 18,990 price tag. If you want a phone that holds up to quality photos, a striking design, a good processor, and a battery that can take a beating, get this phone.