Samsung Galaxy A31 review: Decent mid-range phone

Last month, Samsung released the new mid-range Galaxy A31 in India with prices starting at Rs 21,999.

Recently, the company launched an instant Rs 1,000 cash-back offer thus bringing the effective price to Rs 20,999. 

It is understood to be the successor of the A30s. On paper, it has a decent upgrade over the predecessor in terms of the processor, battery and also comes with an additional camera sensor for better pictures.

I have been using the Galaxy A31 for a little over a week and here are my thoughts about Samsung’s new phone.

Design, display and build quality:
The new Galaxy A31 flaunts smooth glossy shell with visually appealing geometric patterns and when looked from different angles, it reflects a dazzling array of vibrant colours similar to the premium flagship Galaxy S and Note series. Our Prism Crush Blue review unit looks stunning in the daylight condition and have to say, its an instant eye turner.

Despite the massive 5,000mAh battery capacity, the phone is light to hold, and it is probably due to the polycarbonate material used for the back-case. That being said, the phone when held in the hand, gives off sturdy feel. 

Samsung Galaxy A31. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

However, it is dirt magnet, as the glossy cover gets finger smudges within no-time. Thankfully, the company is offering a free transparent silicone case, which not only saves us the time to wipe the dirt, but also protects the device from getting damaged from accidental falls. Have to appreciate that the design of the protective case, as it protrudes a bit on the front, just enough to save the display from getting cracked when it falls on a flat surface.

On the front, the Galaxy A31 sports a 6.4-inch full HD+ super AMOLED Infinity-U display design. Despite the thick chin at the bottom, there is not much distraction and I really had a good time watching high-resolution videos on it. The screen is wide and tall and works out well to watch movies or attend video conference calls or online classes for long.

For people with small hands like me, may find a bit difficult to use the phone single-handedly in terms of reaching the apps on the top. But, the One UI interface has come tricks for such scenarios. It has screen edge shortcuts just near the volume rockers and you can assign shortcuts to 10 most-used apps and functionalities.

Samsung Galaxy A31. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

As far as the in-screen fingerprint sensor is concerned, it is a bit slow to respond to the finger imprints. It’s better to use the face unlock in the good lighting conditions and go for the former in the pitch darkness to open the phone.

One peculiar thing I noticed in the Galaxy A31 is the SIM+microSD tray. I never have seen such an oddly big thing on a phone. But, I am complaining, as it can slide in and out easily and most importantly, can accommodate two SIMs and a storage card so that consumers never have to compromise between the two, which is not the case in most phones in the market.

Performance:
Samsung Galaxy A31 houses  2.0GHz Mediatek 6768 octa-core CPU backed by Android 10-based One UI 2.1 OS, 6GB RAM and 128GB storage (expandable up to 512GB via microSD). It performs smoothly in terms of normal activities like launching the app, loading the camera or a game, or switching between the multiple apps.

As far as the battery is concerned, it comes with a 5,000mAh cell and easily lasts two days under mixed usage. Even if you go extreme in terms of long sessions of video chat or binge-watch on multimedia content on Over-The-Top (OTT) apps, it can get you through the day. 

Samsung Galaxy A31. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

However, it should be noted that the battery life will drain faster if you use mobile data for the aforementioned activities and it also applies to online gaming as well. It is advisable to switch to Wi-Fi if the activity involves high internet data consumption. In the box, it comes with Type-C 15W fast charger

Camera:
Samsung Galaxy A31 houses quad-camera module– 48MP main sensor +  8MP(Ultra Wide) + 5MP( for Macro)+ 5MP (depth) sensor on the back.

In natural bright sunny conditions, the Galaxy A31 takes good quality pictures with sharpness, but couldn’t help but notice, the camera software tends to go overdrive mode when the subject, particularly flowers with red/orange/pink colours and the resultant images tend to be saturated.

Samsung Galaxy A31’s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

It is better on switch on the Scene optimiser, which helps in adjusting the camera settings to take decent shots in various lighting conditions and there is less burden on the user. He/she can focus on capturing the moment rather than wasting time in tweaking camera modes.

Samsung Galaxy A31’s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

There is also ultra-wide angle mode and it works fine expanding the coverage area to capture the image.

But I am very disappointed that the Galaxy A31 doesn’t have a dedicated Night mode. During the low light condition, the user has to switch on the auto LED flash mode and as far as the picture quality is concerned, it is decent at best not great.

Samsung Galaxy A31’s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Also, it is strange that the Samsung phone doesn’t have 4K video recording. If it was two years ago, this would have been outrageous request, but we are in 2020, there are lesser priced phones in the market with 4K recording, but sadly missing in the Galaxy A31.

Samsung Galaxy A31’s camera sample taken in the night with LED flash on. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

But, this is not a deal-breaker, as the high-resolution 4K videos gobble up storage in no time and full HD video are good enough to view on the super AMOLED screen of the phone.
On the front, it houses a 20MP camera and takes good selfies. I couldn’t help but notice, there is slight smoothening of the skin and I am not complaining as it clears some of my acne scars and makes it more presentable on social media.

Samsung Galaxy A31 camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Also, there is AR (Augmented Reality) Zone, which offers tools to create personalised emoji, AR Doodles, GIFs, and fun stickers to share on social messenger apps. This is a really good value addition to the camera user-experience.

Samsung Galaxy A31’s camera sample taken in the night with LED flash on. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Final thoughts:
Over-all, Samsung Galaxy A31 is a decent mid-range phone and what I loved in the phone is its beautiful design language, delightfully great display, reliable camera, and long battery life. 

If you are looking for a phone for entertainment purposes like binge-watching multimedia content on OTT apps, the Galaxy A31 will serve you long. Also, it is a good option for the salaried class who do long hours of video chat for official work and even for children, who are now compelled to attend online classes at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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