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Samsung Galaxy A03 Smartphone review - Inexpensive Galaxy with fast WLAN

Next-Gen inexpensive. The predecessor was a bit behind its time, but Samsung noticeably catches up in the low-priced phones segment with the Galaxy A03. Are the fast Wi-Fi and the new camera enough to really shake up the competition?
Samsung Galaxy A03
Samsung Galaxy A03 (Galaxy A00 Series)
Processor
UNISOC T606 8 x 1.6 GHz, Cortex-A75 / A55
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
Display
6.50 inch 20:9, 1600 x 720 pixel 270 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, PLS, 2.5D curved, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
64 GB eMMC Flash, 64 GB 
, 55 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5mm audio jack, Card Reader: microSD up to 1 TB, dedicated, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer, proximity
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, 2G (850/​900/​1800/​1900), 3G (B1/​B5/​B8), 4G (B1/​B3/​B5/​B7/​B8/​B20/​B28/​B38/​B40/​B41) , Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 9.2 x 166.6 x 75.9 ( = 0.36 x 6.56 x 2.99 in)
Battery
5000 mAh Lithium-Polymer, 7.8 Watt charging
Operating System
Android 11
Camera
Primary Camera: 48 MPix f/​1.8, phase comparison-AF, LED-flash, Videos @1080p/​30fps (Camera 1); 2.0MP, f/​2.4, depth of field (Camera 2)
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix f/2.2
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, charger, USB cable, SIM tool, 24 Months Warranty, SAR: 0.790W/​kg (head), 0.840W/​kg (body), fanless
Weight
196 g ( = 6.91 oz / 0.43 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
160 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible competitors in comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Best Price
74.6 %
06/2022
Samsung Galaxy A03
T606, Mali-G57 MP1
196 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720
73.6 %
12/2021
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320
196 g32 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720
75.1 %
05/2022
Motorola Moto G22
Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320
185 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720
77 %
04/2022
Nokia G11
T606, Mali-G57 MP1
190 g32 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720

Case and equipment - More memory and fast microSD reader

Samsung has several entry-level phones on offer, and the Galaxy A03 is currently one of the cheapest. Thus, it is not surprising that the Koreans can only offer a fairly simple plastic casing for a price of just under 160 Euros. Compared to the Galaxy A03s from last year, it offers a quite chic pattern of crossed lines. The casing's stability also feels high-quality, so the smartphone can hardly be twisted. Pressure on the front, however, gets through to the screen quite quickly.

Nothing has changed in terms of weight and dimensions compared to last year.

The Galaxy A03 offers more storage than its predecessor: it is available with 64 GB of mass storage and 4 GB of RAM, yet it has not become more expensive in Europe. Again, there is NFC, not necessarily a matter of course in this price range. However, there is a step backward in the USB port that seems a bit incomprehensible: instead of a USB-C port, a microUSB port is now installed again, whose plug cannot be inserted in every direction. It is about time for the manufacturers finally bury this outdated USB port in inexpensive phones as well.

The microSD reader is kept separate from the two SIM slots. It achieves very good rates in both the copy test and the CPDT benchmark, so microSD cards can be used quite well for memory expansion.

Samsung Galaxy A03
Samsung Galaxy A03
Samsung Galaxy A03
Samsung Galaxy A03
Samsung Galaxy A03

Size comparison

166.6 mm / 6.56 inch 75.9 mm / 2.99 inch 9.2 mm / 0.3622 inch 196 g0.4321 lbs166.5 mm / 6.56 inch 75.9 mm / 2.99 inch 9.2 mm / 0.3622 inch 196 g0.4321 lbs164.6 mm / 6.48 inch 75.9 mm / 2.99 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 190 g0.4189 lbs164 mm / 6.46 inch 75 mm / 2.95 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 185 g0.4079 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs
SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Samsung Galaxy A03
  (Angelbird V60)
54.5 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy A03s
  (Angelbird V60)
50 MB/s -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10.9 - 77, n=98, last 2 years)
27.5 MB/s -50%
Nokia G11
  (Angelbird V60)
25.3 MB/s -54%
Motorola Moto G22
  (Angelbird V60)
24.3 MB/s -55%

Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)

05101520253035404550556065707580Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy A03 Mali-G57 MP1, T606, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB: Ø29.5 (11.9-42)
Samsung Galaxy A03s PowerVR GE8320, Helio P35 MT6765, 32 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø31.4 (18.7-39.4)
Motorola Moto G22 PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø35.9 (20.7-46.1)
Nokia G11 Mali-G57 MP1, T606, 32 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø28 (9.9-43.7)
Samsung Galaxy A03 Mali-G57 MP1, T606, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB: Ø74.5 (32.2-81.8)
Samsung Galaxy A03s PowerVR GE8320, Helio P35 MT6765, 32 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø55.2 (10.2-58.9)
Motorola Moto G22 PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø72.5 (27.9-75.8)
Nokia G11 Mali-G57 MP1, T606, 32 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø73.1 (34.1-83.1)

Communication, software and operation - Finally WiFi 5

Had the Galaxy A03s only had WiFi 4 on board, the successor finally has WiFi 5, which is now common even in the inexpensive entry-level class. The Galaxy A03 performs well, but with two slight drops in transfer rates.

There are still not many LTE frequencies, so mobile Internet abroad becomes a gamble. The reception is overall decent during our test, but the Galaxy A03 does show signal weaknesses at individual moments.

Android 11 with Samsung OneUI 3.1 is preinstalled on the smartphone. During our test, we received an update with the very latest security patches from May. According to Samsung, Android 12 is still to come, but it should not be expected before the second half of the year. In addition, Android 13 will probably be released next year for this phone.

The 60 Hz touchscreen can be operated quickly. A fingerprint sensor is completely missing. Unlock is only possible via facial recognition, but it is only a somewhat insecure software solution that cannot be used for directly unlocking apps like online banking.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy A03s
802.11 b/g/n
52.5 (42min - 65max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Samsung Galaxy A03s
802.11 b/g/n
55.5 (50min - 63max) MBit/s
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
Motorola Moto G22
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
370 (351min - 376max) MBit/s +17%
Samsung Galaxy A03
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
317 (220min - 355max) MBit/s
Nokia G11
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
311 (219min - 345max) MBit/s -2%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
Motorola Moto G22
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
326 (305min - 332max) MBit/s +5%
Samsung Galaxy A03
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
311 (297min - 319max) MBit/s
Nokia G11
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
298 (283min - 313max) MBit/s -4%
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy A03; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø311 (297-319)
Samsung Galaxy A03; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø317 (220-355)

Cameras - No more macro camera

Front-facing camera sample
Front-facing camera sample

Is the camera system of the Galaxy A03 a step forward or a step backward compared to the one in the Galaxy A03s? This is an interesting question that is difficult to answer at first glance: on the one hand, the camera has a much higher resolution of 48 megapixels, but on the other hand, it usually only uses a quarter of the resolution, but with higher light sensitivity due to the larger pixels. In addition, the Galaxy A03 no longer has a dedicated macro camera.

Let's take a closer look at the image quality: in direct comparison, the pictures from both smartphones look very similar. The Galaxy A03 again offers decent dynamics, even in more difficult situations, but details are quickly blurred. The additional light sensitivity is hardly noticeable in the pictures. Compared with high-end phone cameras, the significantly lower image sharpness and pixelated areas are noticeable.

Videos can still be recorded with a maximum of 1080p and 30 fps. The speed of the autofocus and exposure compensation is pleasing, but the image sharpness quickly decreases in low light and the video starts to noise. Overall, both generations of the smartphone are on about the same level in terms of photography.

Pictures taken with the 5-megapixel front-facing camera are quite decent, but the dynamic range could be even higher and you should not enlarge the pictures too much because details will be lost. However, selfies are usable for social media.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Main cameraMain cameraLow Light
click to load images
ColorChecker
20 ∆E
13.8 ∆E
20 ∆E
17.8 ∆E
18.8 ∆E
11 ∆E
17.7 ∆E
22.5 ∆E
16.5 ∆E
12.9 ∆E
9.9 ∆E
13.1 ∆E
17.6 ∆E
12 ∆E
14.8 ∆E
6.6 ∆E
17.4 ∆E
16.5 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
7.4 ∆E
12 ∆E
13.9 ∆E
9.3 ∆E
3.4 ∆E
ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy A03: 13.64 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 22.52 ∆E
ColorChecker
28.6 ∆E
50.3 ∆E
38 ∆E
35.9 ∆E
43.7 ∆E
60.7 ∆E
50.1 ∆E
33.8 ∆E
38 ∆E
27.3 ∆E
61.1 ∆E
62 ∆E
28.8 ∆E
46.8 ∆E
33.9 ∆E
69.4 ∆E
40.8 ∆E
40.8 ∆E
66.4 ∆E
66.4 ∆E
50 ∆E
36.5 ∆E
23.3 ∆E
13.6 ∆E
ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy A03: 43.6 ∆E min: 13.55 - max: 69.39 ∆E

Display - Brighter, but with a blue cast

Subpixel structure
Subpixel structure

The screen of the Galaxy A03 has an expanded 720p resolution and is thus on a standard level for the price range of the phone.

The display is a bit brighter than in the predecessor, but with an average of 419 cd/m², the brightness still lags behind the screens in the Moto G22 and the Nokia G11 behind. We like the low black value, which actually makes dark areas appear quite deep and also achieves a good contrast.

The color reproduction is, as in all phones in the comparison field, quite inaccurate. There is also a heavy blue cast in the grayscale. On the other hand, we did not notice any PWM, so even those sensitive to flickering can use the phone's screen without any problems.

424
cd/m²
426
cd/m²
416
cd/m²
419
cd/m²
443
cd/m²
398
cd/m²
412
cd/m²
430
cd/m²
405
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 443 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 419.2 cd/m² Minimum: 14.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 443 cd/m²
Contrast: 1641:1 (Black: 0.27 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.99 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
96% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.174
Samsung Galaxy A03
PLS, 1600x720, 6.50
Samsung Galaxy A03s
PLS, 1600x720, 6.50
Motorola Moto G22
IPS LCD, 1600x720, 6.50
Nokia G11
IPS, 1600x720, 6.50
Response Times
4%
8%
6%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
58 ?(27, 31)
54 ?(27, 27)
7%
46 ?(25, 21)
21%
48 ?(27, 21)
17%
Response Time Black / White *
32 ?(19, 13)
32 ?(17, 15)
-0%
34 ?(19, 15)
-6%
34 ?(19, 15)
-6%
PWM Frequency
807 ?(10)
Screen
-12%
-15%
-16%
Brightness middle
443
383
-14%
451
2%
502
13%
Brightness
419
354
-16%
431
3%
486
16%
Brightness Distribution
90
88
-2%
90
0%
89
-1%
Black Level *
0.27
0.34
-26%
0.5
-85%
0.53
-96%
Contrast
1641
1126
-31%
902
-45%
947
-42%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.99
5.09
-2%
5.82
-17%
5.73
-15%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.01
9.25
-3%
9.3
-3%
8.72
3%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.4
6.5
-2%
5
22%
6.8
-6%
Gamma
2.174 101%
2.261 97%
2.776 79%
2.352 94%
CCT
8495 77%
8152 80%
7683 85%
8800 74%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-4% / -9%
-4% / -11%
-5% / -12%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
32 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 84 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
58 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 27 ms rise
↘ 31 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 93 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18071 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color space
CalMAN color space
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN Saturation

Performance, emissions and battery life - More power, more runtime

With the Unisoc T606 as SoC, Samsung makes a solid choice for the Galaxy A03, it means a clear performance plus compared to the Galaxy A03s. The smartphone is much more agile in everyday use and does not immediately drop to its knees during a somewhat more complex background app. Photos sometimes load quite quickly on websites, so browsing with the Galaxy A03 can also be quite nice.

Demanding gamers will have to look elsewhere, but those who only want to play simpler games like Angry Birds or Candy Crush will get enough performance.

The eMMC storage is also common in the price range, but it is still annoyingly slow and significantly prolongs loading times and data transfers compared to higher-end smartphones.

Prolonged high load leads to noticeable warming, but it still remains within acceptable limits.

The mono speaker on the bottom edge is very treble-heavy and cannot really provide good music quality over longer periods. A 3.5 mm audio jack and Bluetooth 5.0 are on board, and external audio devices can be connected easily via them. However, the latest aptX codecs are not available for Bluetooth.

The 5,000 mAh battery is sufficient for good runtimes, but they are much shorter than in the predecessor. Nevertheless, with 18:17 hours of WLAN surfing, you should also survive two workdays with a medium load on the phone. Charging is possible with a maximum of 7.8 watts, so you should not be in a hurry when the phone is empty: it can take up to 3 hours for a full charge.

Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
303 Points
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
172 Points -43%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
172 Points -43%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
311 Points +3%
Average UNISOC T606
  (273 - 313, n=14)
306 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 2138, n=214, last 2 years)
900 Points +197%
Multi-Core (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
1151 Points
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
883 Points -23%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
947 Points -18%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
1113 Points -3%
Average UNISOC T606
  (708 - 1324, n=14)
1188 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 6681, n=214, last 2 years)
2947 Points +156%
PCMark for Android - Work 3.0 (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
6721 Points
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
5059 Points -25%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
4922 Points -27%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
7912 Points +18%
Average UNISOC T606
  (6637 - 7912, n=14)
7216 Points +7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (4761 - 21385, n=209, last 2 years)
11643 Points +73%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
954 Points
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
457 Points -52%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
453 Points -53%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
962 Points +1%
Average UNISOC T606
  (361 - 974, n=13)
889 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=104, last 2 years)
2680 Points +181%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
813 Points
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
387 Points -52%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
383 Points -53%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
817 Points 0%
Average UNISOC T606
  (290 - 827, n=13)
753 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=104, last 2 years)
2667 Points +228%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
2438 Points
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1238 Points -49%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1265 Points -48%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
2535 Points +4%
Average UNISOC T606
  (2379 - 2577, n=13)
2490 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=104, last 2 years)
3126 Points +28%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
962 Points
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
522 Points -46%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
536 Points -44%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
969 Points +1%
Average UNISOC T606
  (959 - 989, n=13)
972 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=177, last 2 years)
6571 Points +583%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
818 Points
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
447 Points -45%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
460 Points -44%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
820 Points 0%
Average UNISOC T606
  (814 - 830, n=13)
823 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=176, last 2 years)
9383 Points +1047%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
2515 Points
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1259 Points -50%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1283 Points -49%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
2667 Points +6%
Average UNISOC T606
  (2484 - 2687, n=13)
2615 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=176, last 2 years)
4169 Points +66%
Wild Life Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
402 Points
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
Points -100%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
394 Points -2%
Average UNISOC T606
  (394 - 432, n=13)
412 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (395 - 9839, n=132, last 2 years)
2528 Points +529%
Wild Life Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
406 Points
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
392 Points -3%
Average UNISOC T606
  (392 - 424, n=13)
410 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (394 - 20068, n=197, last 2 years)
6135 Points +1411%
Wild Life Extreme (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
114 Points
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
112 Points -2%
Average UNISOC T606
  (85 - 114, n=13)
105.6 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 5226, n=202, last 2 years)
1647 Points +1345%
Wild Life Extreme Unlimited (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
109 Points
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
109 Points 0%
Average UNISOC T606
  (100 - 121, n=13)
108 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (110 - 5248, n=197, last 2 years)
1656 Points +1419%
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
9.9 fps
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
7.5 fps -24%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
7 fps -29%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
9.6 fps -3%
Average UNISOC T606
  (5.1 - 11, n=13)
8.58 fps -13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=221, last 2 years)
43.1 fps +335%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
1.9 fps
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
4.1 fps +116%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
4 fps +111%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
5.3 fps +179%
Average UNISOC T606
  (1.9 - 5.5, n=13)
5.12 fps +169%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=221, last 2 years)
63.1 fps +3221%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
6.2 fps
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
4.7 fps -24%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
5 fps -19%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
6 fps -3%
Average UNISOC T606
  (3.2 - 7.1, n=13)
5.45 fps -12%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=221, last 2 years)
32.1 fps +418%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A03
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
0.85 fps
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1.5 fps +76%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1.5 fps +76%
Nokia G11
UNISOC T606, Mali-G57 MP1, 3072
1.9 fps +124%
Average UNISOC T606
  (0.85 - 2.1, n=13)
1.896 fps +123%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=221, last 2 years)
25.1 fps +2853%
Samsung Galaxy A03Samsung Galaxy A03sMotorola Moto G22Nokia G11Average 64 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-16%
-42%
-7%
-14%
396%
Sequential Read 256KB
250
279.8
12%
215.45
-14%
252.7
1%
273 ?(95.6 - 704, n=201)
9%
1471 ?(215 - 4512, n=213, last 2 years)
488%
Sequential Write 256KB
188.3
86.8
-54%
112.78
-40%
187.6
0%
176.8 ?(40 - 274, n=201)
-6%
1084 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=213, last 2 years)
476%
Random Read 4KB
70.5
64
-9%
39.32
-44%
48.2
-32%
59.1 ?(9.58 - 148.5, n=201)
-16%
243 ?(22.2 - 543, n=213, last 2 years)
245%
Random Write 4KB
56.5
48.7
-14%
16.34
-71%
59
4%
31.7 ?(2.34 - 146.9, n=201)
-44%
267 ?(13 - 709, n=213, last 2 years)
373%

Temperature

Max. Load
 41 °C
106 F
35 °C
95 F
31.7 °C
89 F
 
 41.3 °C
106 F
34.9 °C
95 F
31.9 °C
89 F
 
 41 °C
106 F
35.6 °C
96 F
31.9 °C
89 F
 
Maximum: 41.3 °C = 106 F
Average: 36 °C = 97 F
33.6 °C
92 F
34.3 °C
94 F
37.7 °C
100 F
33 °C
91 F
34.7 °C
94 F
41.4 °C
107 F
31.7 °C
89 F
35 °C
95 F
41.9 °C
107 F
Maximum: 41.9 °C = 107 F
Average: 35.9 °C = 97 F
Power Supply (max.)  41 °C = 106 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.3 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 41.9 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.4 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.


Heatmap Front
Heatmap Front
Heatmap Back side
Heatmap Back side

Speaker

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2039.240.62533.935.63127304032.431.7503632.76330.928.98019.419.610019.919.912515.513.916015.914.920012.323.225012.93331512.940.44009.946.150010.251.563013.457.18001763.2100014.269.3125012.871.6160011.774.9200010.273250011.668.231501366.440001570.150001671630014.666.5800015.262.91000015.970.41250016.364.61600016.654.6SPL26.281.9N0.746.9median 14.2median 63.2Delta1.914.641.543.635.540.431.731.230.834.632.235.825.128.619.424.120.928.217.632.615.837.91338.211.738.610.646.710.550.611.957.313.868.615.474.612.774.11674.612.470.111.666.113.16613.168.713.77114.271.714.772.415.364.915.964.716.557.917.146.726.182.60.752.7median 13.8median 64.91.912.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy A03Nokia G11
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Samsung Galaxy A03 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 38.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 8.9% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (31.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 77% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 19% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 88% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Nokia G11 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7.6% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 50% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 42% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 69% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life

Samsung Galaxy A03
5000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A03s
5000 mAh
Motorola Moto G22
5000 mAh
Nokia G11
5050 mAh
Average of class Smartphone
 
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
1097
1193
9%
1101
0%
1053
-4%
912 ?(424 - 2844, n=224, last 2 years)
-17%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
18h 17min

Pros

+ decent system performance
+ long runtimes
+ fast, dedicated microSD slot
+ display without PWM

Cons

- microUSB port
- no fingerprint reader
- slow charging
- partly weak wireless signal

Verdict - Old problems go, new ones come

In review: Samsung Galaxy A03
In review: Samsung Galaxy A03

Samsung takes a step in the right direction with the Galaxy A03 and gets closer to the competition again. Although the Galaxy A03 is by no means the price-performance winner, it is a solid entry-level phone that finally also offers faster Internet, more memory, and reasonable performance rates.

The battery runtimes are also still convincing, but the predecessor Galaxy A03s still has the nose in front. You also get a fast microSD reader, a decent main camera for the price range, and a reasonably bright display without PWM.

Long runtimes and good system performance make the Galaxy A03 a decent entry-level phone. However, you should consider the smartphone's problem areas before buying it.

We are annoyed about the reintroduced microUSB port, slow charging, the few available LTE frequencies, and the missing fingerprint sensor. All in all, the inexpensive Galaxy phone offers some good and bad traits so you should carefully check whether you can live with the drawbacks before buying.

A bit more convincing is the Nokia G11: it enables unlocking via fingerprint and even offers a 90 Hz screen, but we do not like the camera as much. The inexpensive Xiaomi Redmi Phones are also a good alternative; some of them offer much more features.

Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy A03 is available on the Internet for about 137 Euros at the time of testing. Also, amazon.com and notebooksbilliger.de also have the device on offer.

Samsung Galaxy A03 - 06/03/2022 v7
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
78%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
91%
Connectivity
39 / 70 → 55%
Weight
88%
Battery
92%
Display
83%
Games Performance
12 / 64 → 18%
Application Performance
50 / 86 → 58%
Temperature
89%
Noise
100%
Audio
54 / 90 → 60%
Camera
46%
Average
68%
75%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Samsung Galaxy A03 Smartphone review - Inexpensive Galaxy with fast WLAN
Florian Schmitt, 2022-06- 6 (Update: 2022-06- 6)