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Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) Smartphone Review

Night and Day. With the Galaxy A6 (2018), Samsung brings a chic-looking, mid-range smartphone to the market, which scores major points with its 5.6-inch Super AMOLED display and two 16 MP cameras. In our review, the Android smartphone proves to be very capable, but it has a few weaknesses.

With the Galaxy A6 (2018), Samsung expands its line-up of mid-range smartphones. The 5.6-inch Android smartphone costs 309 Euros (~$362). For this money, you will get a Super AMOLED display with a native resolution of 1480x720, two 16 MP cameras and (optional) dual-SIM functionality. Those who need an even bigger display and a better camera should get the Galaxy A6+ (2018), which Samsung released at the same time as the Galaxy A6 (2018).

According to Samsung, our review device, the Galaxy A6 (2018), is intended for demanding users who want a reliable and stylish smartphone. But what does this mean in practice and who should get this phone? To learn this, we pitted the Galaxy A6 (2018) against other smartphones with a similar price tag, performance and specifications. The competing devices include: The BQ Aquaris X Pro, the Honor 7X, the Motorola Moto G6 Plus and the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus. Moreover, our review device will also have to compete with Samsung’s own Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy J7 (2017).

Samsung Galaxy A6 2018 (Galaxy Series)
Processor
Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa 8 x 1.6 GHz, A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
Display
5.60 inch 18.5:9, 1480 x 720 pixel 294 PPI, capacitive, Super AMOLED, 16 million colors, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 22.8 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm audio jack, Card Reader: MicroSD cards up to 256 GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: motion sensor, fingerprint sensor, proximity sensor, Wi-Fi Direct, USB OTG, Smart Ready, ANT+
Networking
802.11a/b/g/n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.2, GSM (850, ​900, ​1800, ​1900 MHz), UMTS (850, ​900, ​1900, ​2100 MHz), LTE Cat.6 (Band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 38, 40), Downloads up to 300 Mb/s, Uploads up to 50 Mb/s, head-SAR 0.467 W/kg, body-SAR 1.386 W/kg, Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.7 x 149.9 x 70.9 ( = 0.3 x 5.9 x 2.79 in)
Battery
3000 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 8.0 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 16 MPix f/1.7 aperture, 4608x3456 for photos, 1920x1080@30 FPS for video
Secondary Camera: 16 MPix f/1.9 aperture, 4608x3456 for photos, 1920x1080@30 FPS for video
Additional features
Speakers: one speaker on the left side near the top, Keyboard: virtual, modular charger, USB cable (USB Type-A to micro USB Type-B), headphones, SIM card removal tool, quick start guide, Samsung Experience 9.0, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
162 g ( = 5.71 oz / 0.36 pounds), Power Supply: 30 g ( = 1.06 oz / 0.07 pounds)
Price
309 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case - Galaxy A6 (2018) with a slim case

When compared to its “A-series” predecessor, the Galaxy A5 (2017), the Galaxy A6 (2018) features a brand-new case and a modern design. Thanks to its unusual 18.5:9 aspect ratio, the Galaxy A6 (2018) looks significantly slimmer. The bezels have also shrunk considerably. As before, the whole front is protected with a rounded glass sheet, which seamlessly melds with the aluminum sides of the device. All in all, the case is very rigid and very resistant to fingerprints, thanks to its aluminum back.

The fingerprint sensor of the Galaxy A6 (2018) is located on the back below the 16 MP main camera, which protrudes minimally from the case. This is why the smartphone wobbles when you tap on either side of it, especially when it is placed on a flat surface.

The Galaxy A6 (2018) comes in three color schemes: “Gold”, “Black” and “Lavender”. The smartphone is not IP-certified.

Size Comparison

160 mm / 6.3 inch 75.5 mm / 2.97 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 167 g0.3682 lbs158.5 mm / 6.24 inch 75.5 mm / 2.97 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 180 g0.3968 lbs156.5 mm / 6.16 inch 75.3 mm / 2.96 inch 7.6 mm / 0.2992 inch 165 g0.3638 lbs152.5 mm / 6 inch 74.8 mm / 2.94 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 181 g0.399 lbs149.9 mm / 5.9 inch 70.9 mm / 2.79 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 162 g0.3571 lbs146.5 mm / 5.77 inch 72.7 mm / 2.86 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 158 g0.3483 lbs146.1 mm / 5.75 inch 71.4 mm / 2.81 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 159 g0.3505 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity - Dual-SIM, but no USB-C

We use a dual-SIM version of the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) for our review. It has the following model number: SM-A600FN/DS. There are two slots on the left side of the device. The top slot takes a nano-SIM card, while the bottom slot can take a MicroSD card and a second SIM card. Samsung also offers a single-SIM version of the Galaxy A6 (2018) with the model number SM-A600FN.

On paper, the smartphone comes with 32 GB of internal storage, which, in reality, is reduced to 22 GB. However, the internal storage of the smartphone can be expanded with the help of a MicroSD card with a capacity of up to 256 GB. The SD card can be used as internal storage (after formatting), which means that not only media files but also applications can be stored on the SD card.

The USB port of the Galaxy A6 (2018) only supports USB 2.0 protocol, which is no big deal, because this port will mostly be used for charging the device and not for transferring huge amounts of data. In addition, it also supports USB OTG. What is definitely out of date is the Micro USB connector. The Galaxy A5 (2017), the Galaxy J7 (2017) and the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus also use the same connector. That a USB Type-C port is no longer a rarity in mid-range smartphones can be seen in such devices as the BQ Aquaris X Pro and the Motorola Moto G6 Plus.

Left side: volume buttons, SIM-card slot, SIM/MicroSD slot
Left side: volume buttons, SIM-card slot, SIM/MicroSD slot
Right side: power button, speaker
Right side: power button, speaker
Top side: no ports
Top side: no ports
Bottom side: Micro-USB 2.0 port, headphone jack
Bottom side: Micro-USB 2.0 port, headphone jack

Software - Samsung smartphone with up-to-date Android (8.0)

The Galaxy A6 (2018) comes with the current version of Android (8.0 Oreo). The manufacturer uses a proprietary launcher (Samsung Experience 9.0), which does not differ very much from stock Android. Those who are familiar with stock Android will have no problem acclimatizing to Samsung’s launcher. The security patches date back to April 1, which means that they are still quite current (this review was written at the end of June).

Communication and GPS

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) supports Category 6 LTE, NFC, wireless standards 802.11 a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.2. This means that the Galaxy A6 (2018) offers many communications options. That being said, it lacks support for more high-end communications features such as 802.11 ac and Bluetooth 5.0. The Wi-Fi performance is not great, either: Even though the smartphone operates in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz spectral bands, it is noticeably slower than the rest of the competition in our Wi-Fi tests. In combination with our reference-grade router Linksys EA8500, the Galaxy A6 (2018) achieves 123 Mb/s at best, which is only enough to beat the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus. The Motorola Moto G6 Plus is almost three times faster. Even other mid-range Samsung smartphones such as the Galaxy A5 (2017) and the Galaxy J7 (2017) leave the Galaxy A6 (2018) in the dust when it comes to Wi-Fi performance.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
Adreno 508, SD 630, 64 GB eMMC Flash
311 MBit/s +153%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
Mali-T830 MP1, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
280 MBit/s +128%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
Mali-T830 MP3, Exynos 7880, 32 GB eMMC Flash
167 MBit/s +36%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
Adreno 506, 626, 64 GB eMMC Flash
148 MBit/s +20%
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
Mali-T830 MP2, 7870 Octa, 32 GB eMMC Flash
123 MBit/s
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
Adreno 506, 625, 64 GB eMMC Flash
55.7 MBit/s -55%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +213%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
Adreno 508, SD 630, 64 GB eMMC Flash
310 MBit/s +158%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
Mali-T830 MP1, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
251 MBit/s +109%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
Adreno 506, 626, 64 GB eMMC Flash
242 MBit/s +102%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
Mali-T830 MP3, Exynos 7880, 32 GB eMMC Flash
214 MBit/s +78%
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
Mali-T830 MP2, 7870 Octa, 32 GB eMMC Flash
120 MBit/s
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
Adreno 506, 625, 64 GB eMMC Flash
53.9 MBit/s -55%
Geo-location indoors
Geo-location indoors
Geo-location outdoors
Geo-location outdoors

For geo-location, the Galaxy A6 (2018) relies on GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou. The device struggles to pinpoint the user’s location indoors. This is because 1): it takes a lot of time until the smartphone establishes a satellite connection and 2): it has a margin of error of 19 meters, which is not a very good result. However, outdoors, the smartphone works very differently: Here it determines your location very fast and has a margin of error of only seven meters.

In order to determine how accurate our review device is when it comes to geo-location, we take it with us on a bike ride. During this ride, we are also accompanied by the professional navigator Garmin Edge 500. At the end of our nine-kilometer ride, the Galaxy A6 (2018) and the Garmin Edge 500 deviate from each other by 30 meters. Here the Galaxy A6 (2018) and the Garmin Edge 500 deliver almost identical results.

Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018): Entire route
Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018): Entire route
Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018): Bridge
Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018): Bridge
Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018): Turning point
Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018): Turning point
Garmin Edge 500: Entire route
Garmin Edge 500: Entire route
Garmin Edge 500: Bridge
Garmin Edge 500: Bridge
Garmin Edge 500: Turning point
Garmin Edge 500: Turning point

Telephony and Call Quality

In addition to its MicroSD card slot, the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) also has two nano-SIM card slots. With two SIM cards, you can keep your business contacts on one SIM card and your private contacts on the other, or you can use one SIM card for phone calls and the other for Internet browsing. It is very practical that you can assign different functions, such as phone calls, notifications or mobile Internet access, to different SIM cards in the settings menu.

The phone app resembles the standard Android app and after it is launched the classic dial pad shows up. In addition, there are two tabs, one for recent calls and the other for contacts. The third tab called “places” helps you find places of interest in your immediate surroundings. In this tab, you can see and call local service providers, businesses and enterprises.

The call quality of the Galaxy A6 (2018) is pretty good. However, voices sound somewhat muffled on both ends. Thanks to Samsung’s noise reduction feature, it is easy to understand what people on both sides are saying even in noisy environments. We did not observe any abnormalities during our phone calls. 

Cameras - two 16 MP shooters, poor low-light performance

A photo taken with the main camera
A photo taken with the main camera

Both the front camera and the rear camera have the same resolution (16 MP). Photos have a resolution of 4608x3456 when shot with the 4:3 aspect ratio. However, photos shot with the 16:9 aspect ratio have a resolution of 3264x2448 (8 MP). Video can be recorded in Full HD at 30 FPS.

The 16 MP rear camera comes from Samsung and is designated as the Sensor-ID SLSI_S5K2P6. It features phase-detection autofocus and an LED flash for illuminating dark scenes. However, it forgoes optical image stabilization. 

If you swipe left in the camera app you will get access to the following eight picture modes: Auto, Pro, Panorama, Continuous shot, HDR, Night, Sports and Sound & shot. In Pro mode, you can adjust important camera settings manually. ISO sensitivity can also be adjusted (800 is the maximum value here). The maximum value for the ISO sensitivity could be a bit higher, because the f/1.7 aperture lets in more than enough light for that, at least on paper. The front-facing camera has only three modes: Selfie, Group selfie and Sound & shot.

A photo taken with the front-facing camera
A photo taken with the front-facing camera

In daylight, the main camera of the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) shoots well-detailed photos with natural-looking colors. Because of its limited dynamic range, the camera quickly reaches its limits in scenes with a lot of highlights, as can be seen in Image 1. In particular, bright areas become really overblown (look at the clouds in front of the light blue sky in Image 1). Therefore, the image quality is quite poor. Photos just do not look very realistic (take a look at Image 2). In low-light conditions, the pictures lose a whole lot of detail and look blurry even without zooming in.

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.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3

Under controlled lighting conditions, we use the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport to examine more closely the color reproduction of the Galaxy A6 (2018). We also use our test chart to evaluate sharpness.

Like with many other smartphones, the colors of the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) are oversaturated. However, the colors are not completely overblown. They still seem natural. The center of the chart is rendered very sharply. The camera also has no problems with color bleeding or color aberration. However, sharpness is lower at the edges than in the center (except in the upper left corner).

Shot of the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport. Original colors are displayed in the bottom half of each square.
Shot of the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport. Original colors are displayed in the bottom half of each square.
Snippet from the test chart
Snippet from the test chart
Shot of the test chart
Shot of the test chart

Accessories and Warranty - optional additional warranty for Samsung smartphones

The box includes: a modular (5V, 1.55A) charger, a USB cable (USB-A to Micro USB Type-B), headphones, a SIM card removal tool and a quick-start guide. Further accessories such as the Wallet Cover (€29.90/$34.99), a Dual Layer Cover (€19.90/$23.29) and an external battery pack can be purchased in Samsung’s online store.

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) comes with a 24-month manufacturer’s warranty. Samsung also offers additional warranty options such as Mobile Care. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices & Handling

The AMOLED screen of the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is silky-smooth. It can register up to five fingers at the same time and responds promptly to inputs, no matter from which side of the screen they come. The plastic buttons feel rather cheap: Not because they are made from low-grade plastic, but because they are prone to wobbling.

The fingerprint sensor exhibits no problems. It is located on the back of the device under the main camera and therefore is easy to reach when you are using the smartphone with one hand. The fingerprint reader works very reliably and also supports gesture functionality (it can be used to pull down or dismiss the notification shade). Face recognition also works well. It can be used to unlock the smartphone or to sign into apps. Other features include: One-handed mode, Quick Launch (double-tap the power button to launch the camera) and Multi-Window Mode, which allows several apps to be displayed on the screen at the same time.

Samsung Keyboard (version 3.0) serves as the default keyboard. It features predictive word suggestions and speech-to-text functionality. As per usual, you can download your favorite keyboard from the Google Play Store at any time.

Keyboard in landscape mode
Keyboard in landscape mode
Keyboard in portrait mode
Keyboard in portrait mode

Display - the crowning jewel of the Galaxy A6

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement

The Galaxy A6 (2018) comes with a Super AMOLED display with an unusual aspect ratio of 18.5:9 and a resolution of 1480x720. This is too low for a mid-range device, because these days most mid-range smartphones have a display with a Full HD resolution (BQ Aquaris X Pro, Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017), Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)) or higher (Motorola Moto G6 Plus, Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus).

When it comes to the picture quality, the display of the Galaxy A6 (2018) checks all the boxes. With an average brightness of 458.9 cd/m², the smartphone is bright enough to be usable outside. The display brightness is controlled automatically to prevent people from getting blinded in low-light environments. In our APL50 test pattern, which consists of evenly distributed black and white squares, the brightness is even higher (507 cd/m²). The display can only reach 298 cd/m² with the light sensor disabled.

The display has a brightness distribution of 93% and scores major points with its theoretically infinite contrast ratio (an “infinite” contrast ratio is a typical feature of OLED displays). Unlike with LCD screens, each pixel in OLED displays can be turned off on an individual basis, which means that the OLED screens can produce “true” blacks. The display also does well in other areas. With Delta E values of 2.6 for the colors and 1.6 for the grayscale, the display delivers ideal picture quality. The differences in color cannot be perceived with the naked eye. The color temperature of 6356 K is also close to the ideal value (6500 K).

One flaw: The Galaxy A6 (2018) uses PWM for brightness control. Because the pulse width modulation operates at a very low frequency of 238.1 Hz, it can cause susceptible individuals to experience headaches or eye strain.

445
cd/m²
455
cd/m²
476
cd/m²
447
cd/m²
453
cd/m²
481
cd/m²
447
cd/m²
450
cd/m²
476
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 481 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 458.9 cd/m² Minimum: 4.26 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 453 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.6 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
95.5% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.07
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
Super AMOLED, 1480x720, 5.60
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
Super AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.20
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
Super AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.50
BQ Aquaris X Pro
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
IPS, 2160x1080, 5.90
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
IPS, 2160x1080, 5.99
Screen
26%
9%
-131%
27%
-15%
Brightness middle
453
539
19%
454
0%
458
1%
761
68%
620
37%
Brightness
459
542
18%
463
1%
473
3%
723
58%
612
33%
Brightness Distribution
93
93
0%
86
-8%
88
-5%
90
-3%
96
3%
Black Level *
0.51
0.69
0.57
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.6
1.6
38%
2
23%
7.1
-173%
2.4
8%
3.46
-33%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.2
2.6
72%
5.3
42%
14.5
-58%
5.2
43%
7.88
14%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.6
1.5
6%
1.7
-6%
10.5
-556%
1.8
-13%
3.9
-144%
Gamma
2.07 106%
2.28 96%
2.1 105%
2.28 96%
2.21 100%
2.073 106%
CCT
6356 102%
6422 101%
6394 102%
8951 73%
6312 103%
7230 90%
Contrast
898
1103
1088

* ... smaller is better

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 detected 238.1 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 238.1 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 238.1 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

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
3.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 1.6 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 10 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 2 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 9 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

There are several color profiles in the display settings. The “Adaptive Display” profile is selected by default. It serves to optimize the color space, saturation and sharpness. There are also the “AMOLED cinema” profile and the “AMOLED photo” profile. These two profiles are meant to improve the reproduction of videos and photos. Finally, there is also the “Basic” profile, which does not utilize any optimization. We use a spectrophotometer and SpectraCal's CalMAN software to examine these color profiles more closely.

The result is clear: The “AMOLED cinema”, “AMOLED photo” and “Basic” profiles perform as well as the “Adaptive Display” profile.

Color accuracy (profile: Basic, color space: sRGB)
Color accuracy (profile: Basic, color space: sRGB)
Color-space coverage (profile: Basic, color space: sRGB)
Color-space coverage (profile: Basic, color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (profile: Basic, color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (profile: Basic, color space: sRGB)
Saturation (profile: Basic, color space: sRGB)
Saturation (profile: Basic, color space: sRGB)
Color accuracy (profile: AMOLED photo, color space: AdobeRGB)
Color accuracy (profile: AMOLED photo, color space: AdobeRGB)
Color-space coverage (profile: AMOLED photo, color space: AdobeRGB)
Color-space coverage (profile: AMOLED photo, color space: AdobeRGB)
Grayscale (profile: AMOLED photo, color space: AdobeRGB)
Grayscale (profile: AMOLED photo, color space: AdobeRGB)
Saturation (profile: AMOLED photo, color space: AdobeRGB)
Saturation (profile: AMOLED photo, color space: AdobeRGB)
Color accuracy (profile: AMOLED cinema, color space: P3)
Color accuracy (profile: AMOLED cinema, color space: P3)
Color-space coverage (profile: AMOLED cinema, color space: P3)
Color-space coverage (profile: AMOLED cinema, color space: P3)
Grayscale (profile: AMOLED cinema, color space: P3)
Grayscale (profile: AMOLED cinema, color space: P3)
Saturation (profile: AMOLED cinema, color space: P3)
Saturation (profile: AMOLED cinema, color space: P3)

Thanks to the high maximum brightness and good contrast ratio, the Super AMOLED display of the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is readable even in direct sunlight. However, reflections can occasionally hamper readability.

The display does very well when it comes to the viewing angles. It starts to suffer from typical OLED color shimmering at viewing angles of 45 degrees or wider. However, this effect is not especially pronounced and does not prove to be annoying at all.

Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - powerful enough for everyday use

The Galaxy A6 (2018) comes with the Samsung Exynos 7870 SoC, 3 GB of RAM and the ARM Mali-T830 MP2 graphics unit. This SoC for mid-range smartphones was first released in February 2016. This means that it is pretty old.

However, this SoC is not obsolete even in 2018. The smartphone is powerful enough to compete with other mid-range devices. The Galaxy A6 (2018) actually performs worse than its predecessor, the Galaxy A5 (2017). Our review device does not perform very well overall. All other competing devices, with the exception of the Galaxy J7 (2017), are significantly faster. All in all, the Galaxy A6 (2018) offers enough performance for daily tasks, but it quickly reaches its limits if you try to use it for gaming.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
46779 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
60603 Points +30%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
47339 Points +1%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
66226 Points +42%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
71635 Points +53%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
60490 Points +29%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (44191 - 47339, n=8)
45944 Points -2%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
61794 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
61811 Points 0%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
82343 Points +33%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
90347 Points +46%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
76178 Points +23%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (61794 - 62758, n=4)
62047 Points 0%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
4878 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
5035 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
4920 Points +1%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
5886 Points +21%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
5712 Points +17%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
5801 Points +19%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (3691 - 5006, n=8)
4746 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +209%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
3809 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
4060 Points +7%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3722 Points -2%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
4915 Points +29%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
4875 Points +28%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
4905 Points +29%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (3722 - 3889, n=6)
3800 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +185%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
985 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1408 Points +43%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
353 Points -64%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
1314 Points +33%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1535 Points +56%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
1229 Points +25%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (353 - 1022, n=8)
920 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +479%
System (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
2201 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
2593 Points +18%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
2368 Points +8%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3492 Points +59%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
3249 Points +48%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
3236 Points +47%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (2127 - 2368, n=8)
2236 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +337%
Memory (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
1096 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1508 Points +38%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1265 Points +15%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
1046 Points -5%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1213 Points +11%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
961 Points -12%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (1086 - 1362, n=8)
1231 Points +12%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +468%
Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
533 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1528 Points +187%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
533 Points 0%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
1012 Points +90%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1523 Points +186%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
1017 Points +91%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (511 - 534, n=8)
527 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +2508%
Web (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
732 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
659 Points -10%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
10 Points -99%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
806 Points +10%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
925 Points +26%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
722 Points -1%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (10 - 795, n=8)
618 Points -16%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +103%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
732 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
773 Points +6%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
736 Points +1%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
928 Points +27%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
822 Points +12%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
870 Points +19%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (726 - 736, n=5)
732 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +592%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
3741 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
4104 Points +10%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3777 Points +1%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
4369 Points +17%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
4011 Points +7%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
4292 Points +15%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (3704 - 3777, n=5)
3728 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +262%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
3002 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
2371 Points
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
3763 Points
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
3316 Points
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (2332 - 2371, n=3)
2357 Points
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
5537 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
13256 Points +139%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
8318 Points +50%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
13963 Points +152%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
16818 Points +204%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
13682 Points +147%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (5537 - 8550, n=8)
7787 Points +41%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
5376 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
13314 Points +148%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
7456 Points +39%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
13277 Points +147%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
18449 Points +243%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
13219 Points +146%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (5376 - 7793, n=8)
7092 Points +32%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
6184 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
13057 Points +111%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
12955 Points +109%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
17044 Points +176%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
12845 Points +108%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
15593 Points +152%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (6184 - 12955, n=8)
11907 Points +93%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
325 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1155 Points +255%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
340 Points +5%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
849 Points +161%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1348 Points +315%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
854 Points +163%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (301 - 490, n=8)
402 Points +24%
Average of class Smartphone (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3495 Points +975%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
264 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1053 Points +299%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
278 Points +5%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
725 Points +175%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1258 Points +377%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
732 Points +177%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (244 - 407, n=8)
331 Points +25%
Average of class Smartphone (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3845 Points +1356%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
1705 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1752 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1535 Points -10%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
2127 Points +25%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1802 Points +6%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
2058 Points +21%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (1522 - 1705, n=8)
1648 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
2989 Points +75%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
262 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
816 Points +211%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
247 Points -6%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
464 Points +77%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
833 Points +218%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
463 Points +77%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (231 - 312, n=8)
274 Points +5%
Average of class Smartphone (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2665 Points +917%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
211 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
710 Points +236%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
199 Points -6%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
379 Points +80%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
721 Points +242%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
379 Points +80%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (185 - 253, n=8)
221 Points +5%
Average of class Smartphone (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2655 Points +1158%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
1709 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1713 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1522 Points -11%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
2132 Points +25%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1822 Points +7%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
2038 Points +19%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (1522 - 1735, n=8)
1676 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3119 Points +83%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
19 fps
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
33 fps +74%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
12 fps -37%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
22 fps +16%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
28 fps +47%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
17 fps -11%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (11 - 20, n=8)
17.3 fps -9%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
83 fps +337%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
12 fps
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
34 fps +183%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
12 fps 0%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
23 fps +92%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
30 fps +150%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
23 fps +92%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (12 - 12, n=8)
12 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=178, last 2 years)
244 fps +1933%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
10 fps
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
15 fps +50%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
5.1 fps -49%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
9.6 fps -4%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
13 fps +30%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
9.4 fps -6%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (4.5 - 10, n=8)
8.5 fps -15%
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 165, n=179, last 2 years)
71 fps +610%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
5.4 fps
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
15 fps +178%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
5.1 fps -6%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
9.8 fps +81%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
14 fps +159%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
9.9 fps +83%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (4.9 - 5.4, n=8)
5.11 fps -5%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=179, last 2 years)
138 fps +2456%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
6.9 fps
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
9 fps +30%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3.2 fps -54%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
6.3 fps -9%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
9.4 fps +36%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
6.2 fps -10%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (2.8 - 7.4, n=8)
6.05 fps -12%
Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 158, n=179, last 2 years)
59.9 fps +768%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
3.2 fps
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
9.1 fps +184%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3.3 fps +3%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
6.4 fps +100%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
9.8 fps +206%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
6.5 fps +103%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (1.7 - 3.3, n=8)
3.03 fps -5%
Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 279, n=179, last 2 years)
96.7 fps +2922%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
4 fps
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
5.2 fps +30%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1.9 fps -52%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3.5 fps -12%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
5.3 fps +33%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
3.4 fps -15%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (1.7 - 4, n=8)
3.31 fps -17%
Average of class Smartphone (5 - 117, n=179, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +973%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
2 fps
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
5.2 fps +160%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1.9 fps -5%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3.5 fps +75%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
5.6 fps +180%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
3.5 fps +75%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (1.8 - 2, n=8)
1.913 fps -4%
Average of class Smartphone (2.9 - 166, n=179, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +2830%

Legend

 
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018 Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 Samsung Exynos 7880, ARM Mali-T830 MP3, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP1, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Honor 7X HiSilicon Kirin 659, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
BQ Aquaris X Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 626, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Motorola Moto G6 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, Qualcomm Adreno 508, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 64 GB eMMC Flash

We did not encounter any problems when surfing the web with the preinstalled Chrome browser.  HTML5 websites, like Ouigo (letsplay.ouigo.com), work well most of the time. However, the smartphone does not do very well in the browser benchmarks. It takes last place in both JetStream 1.1 and Octane 2.0. In Kraken 1.1, it finishes next to last. It manages to land a spot in the middle only in WebXPRT 2015.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 414, n=3, last 2 years)
194.9 Points +833%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 (Samsung Browser (Chrome 44))
32.22 Points +54%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus (Chrome 66)
27.97 Points +34%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
26.84 Points +29%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 (Samsung Browser 5.4)
25.97 Points +24%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (20.8 - 26.4, n=8)
23.9 Points +14%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus (Chrome 66)
23.1 Points +11%
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018 (Chrome 64.0.3282.137)
20.88 Points
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33525 Points +797%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 (Samsung Browser (Chrome 44))
5256 Points +41%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus (Chrome 66)
5011 Points +34%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 (Samsung Browser 5.4)
4560 Points +22%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
4424 Points +18%
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus (Chrome 66)
4424 Points +18%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (3721 - 4968, n=8)
4164 Points +11%
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018 (Chrome 64.0.3282.137)
3739 Points
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018 (Chrome 64.0.3282.137)
11808 ms *
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus (Chrome 66)
10895 ms * +8%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus (Chrome 66)
9797 ms * +17%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (6784 - 11916, n=8)
9156 ms * +22%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
8742 ms * +26%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 (Samsung Browser 5.4)
6821 ms * +42%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 (Samsung Browser (Chrome 44))
6442 ms * +45%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1653 ms * +86%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus (Chrome 66)
112 Points +26%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus (Chrome 66)
108 Points +21%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 (Samsung Browser (Chrome 44))
89 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018 (Chrome 64.0.3282.137)
89 Points
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
86 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 (Samsung Browser 5.4)
75 Points -16%
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa (64 - 91, n=8)
74.6 Points -16%

* ... smaller is better

The Galaxy A6 (2018) features 32 GB of eMMC flash memory. It is not very fast, but it is faster than the memory in both the Galaxy A5 (2017) and the Galaxy J7 (2017). However, it cannot keep up with much higher read and write rates of other competing devices. The Motorola Moto G6 Plus and the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus have the fastest memory here. 

We use our reference-grade MicroSD card, Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 (maximum read speed: 270 MB/s; maximum write speed: 150 MB/s), to test the performance of the built-in MicroSD card reader. Here the Galaxy A6 (2018) does better than most of the other competing devices. It even manages to come very close to the frontrunner, the Motorola Moto G6 Plus.

Samsung Galaxy A6 2018Samsung Galaxy A5 2017Samsung Galaxy J7 2017BQ Aquaris X ProMotorola Moto G6 PlusXiaomi Redmi 5 PlusAverage 32 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-9%
-10%
18%
130%
51%
29%
1210%
Sequential Read 256KB
208.4
182
-13%
198.5
-5%
270.5
30%
286.6
38%
270
30%
242 ?(25.8 - 452, n=247)
16%
1467 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
604%
Sequential Write 256KB
100.6
77.1
-23%
53
-47%
139.6
39%
216.1
115%
194.5
93%
100.5 ?(14.8 - 196, n=247)
0%
1077 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
971%
Random Read 4KB
24.54
22.41
-9%
25.86
5%
37.97
55%
58.4
138%
79.5
224%
43.2 ?(3.59 - 117.2, n=247)
76%
241 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
882%
Random Write 4KB
10.68
12.13
14%
10.54
-1%
12.07
13%
62.8
488%
7.1
-34%
22.4 ?(0.75 - 91, n=247)
110%
265 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
2381%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
81.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
73.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-9%
76.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-7%
78.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-3%
83.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
3%
84.4
4%
71.8 ?(8.2 - 96.5, n=178)
-12%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
65.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
56 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-15%
63.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-3%
49.77 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-24%
62.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-5%
59.5
-9%
52.9 ?(3.4 - 87.1, n=178)
-19%

Games - the Galaxy A6 2018 is not fit for gaming

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is not intended for gaming per se, but it can certainly be used to play video games: The motion sensor works well and the speaker is positioned very practically. It is located on the right side of the device. This is why it does not get covered even when the smartphone is used in landscape mode.

The Galaxy A6 (2018) can only run older or non-demanding games smoothly. If you want to play modern titles, then you will have to reduce graphics settings considerably. There are a few exceptions: Arena of Valor manages to achieve 26 FPS on the high settings. However, the game suffers from severe stuttering. PUBG Mobile is unplayable on any settings. At 13 frames per second, it is a veritable lag-fest. We cannot imagine anyone who would enjoy playing this game at such a low frame rate. We use GameBench to record frame rates in the games.

Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor
PUBG Mobile
PUBG Mobile
Arena of Valor
 SettingsValue
 high HD26 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!
PUBG Mobile
 SettingsValue
 Balanced13 fps

Emissions

Temperature

GFXBench battery test (Manhattan section)
GFXBench battery test (Manhattan section)

Under load, the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) reaches a maximum surface temperature of 29.3 °C (84.7 °F). When idle, the surface temperatures hover around the 25 °C (77 °F) mark. This means that the smartphone has almost the same temperature profile when it is under load as when it is idle. This is why there is no throttling under the hood, as the GFXBench benchmark shows. The Galaxy A6 (2018) manages to maintain its full performance in the T-Rex section of the GFXBench benchmark as well as in the more demanding Manhattan section.

Max. Load
 28.1 °C
83 F
28 °C
82 F
27.7 °C
82 F
 
 29.3 °C
85 F
28.4 °C
83 F
27.9 °C
82 F
 
 29 °C
84 F
27.9 °C
82 F
27.7 °C
82 F
 
Maximum: 29.3 °C = 85 F
Average: 28.2 °C = 83 F
27.5 °C
82 F
27.5 °C
82 F
27.1 °C
81 F
28.1 °C
83 F
28.2 °C
83 F
27.8 °C
82 F
27.6 °C
82 F
28 °C
82 F
28.1 °C
83 F
Maximum: 28.2 °C = 83 F
Average: 27.8 °C = 82 F
Power Supply (max.)  23.6 °C = 74 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 28.2 °C / 83 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 29.3 °C / 85 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 28.2 °C / 83 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.6 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

Sound signature
Sound signature

The speaker is very well positioned – it is located on the right side above the power button. Therefore, it does not get covered when you use the smartphone in either portrait or landscape mode or when the smartphone lies on a table (Samsung certainly put a lot of thought into this). It delivers a passable sound quality that is good enough for listening to music or watching video. The highs and other frequencies are quite well represented. For a better listening experience, you should get a pair of headphones with a more balanced sound reproduction.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.236.92532.938.73137.236.94031.737.95039.6376328.335.48027.332.910026.93212526.738.81602443.220020.947.225020.951.331519.556.240018.563.550017.566.863017.569.680015.772.8100015.872.4125016.675.6160015.872200015.471.9250015.574.231501671.2400015.880.750001679.9630016.372.8800016.372.71000016.271.41250016.465.51600016.463.2SPL28.687N1.167.8median 16.4median 71.2Delta2.26.831.641.125.44025.336.732.93633.635.631.630.628.432.92733.820.841.72244.421.348.420.850.521.256.619.462.519.566.217.766.117.974.217.877.317.374.317.473.816.771.817.269.318.269.517.966.517.661.417.755.817.854.517.959.918.152.218.249.530831.350.1median 17.9median 61.41.410.533.332.438.23534.145.534.934.343.336.928.627.925.825.524.224.32130.52141.520.150.119.955.818.260.417.964.517.667.916.472.916.572.715.875.315.474.715.174.115.273.815.274.615.177.715.17615.178.215.176.415.27115.267.315.360.715.144.427.986.9170median 15.4median 711.99.6hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy A6 2018Samsung Galaxy A5 2017Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 8% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 86% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 27% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 64% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 9.4% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 47% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 45% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 66% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 27% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 24% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 68% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 45% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 48% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life - 3000-mAh battery lasts for a long time

Energy Consumption

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is very energy-efficient. When idle, it has an average power draw of 1.26 watts. Under medium load, it draws 2.87 watts. Under full load, the power consumption reaches 4.82 watts, which is a very modest result. This is good news for the battery life.

Unfortunately, the smartphone takes a very long time to fully charge, because it does not support fast charging. The Galaxy A6 (2018) takes 2 h 45 m to fully charge with the included (5V, 1.55A) charger.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.27 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.81 / 1.26 / 1.3 Watt
Load midlight 2.87 / 4.82 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
3000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
3000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3600 mAh
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3100 mAh
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
3200 mAh
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
4000 mAh
Average Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
8%
31%
-28%
-13%
-73%
-18%
-43%
Idle Minimum *
0.81
0.64
21%
0.39
52%
0.67
17%
0.5
38%
0.7
14%
0.71 ?(0.37 - 1.18, n=8)
12%
0.891 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-10%
Idle Average *
1.26
1.36
-8%
1.06
16%
1.7
-35%
1.78
-41%
2.8
-122%
1.909 ?(0.78 - 4.65, n=8)
-52%
1.448 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
-15%
Idle Maximum *
1.3
1.4
-8%
1.08
17%
1.78
-37%
1.81
-39%
3.4
-162%
1.995 ?(0.84 - 4.74, n=8)
-53%
1.63 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
-25%
Load Average *
2.87
2.53
12%
1.82
37%
4.42
-54%
3.3
-15%
4.2
-46%
3.02 ?(1.52 - 5.75, n=8)
-5%
5.57 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-94%
Load Maximum *
4.82
3.63
25%
3.21
33%
6.3
-31%
5.14
-7%
7.2
-49%
4.42 ?(2.75 - 6.97, n=8)
8%
8.27 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-72%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Thanks to its low power draw, the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) delivers great battery life. In our Wi-Fi test, with the display brightness set to 150 cd/m², the smartphone achieves a battery run time of over 10 hours. In our video test, which is conducted under similar conditions, the Galaxy A6 (2018) lasts for more than 14 hours. Due to their lower energy consumption, both the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) and the Galaxy J7 (2017) manage to achieve longer battery life. However, the competing devices from BQ and Motorola also offer similar battery life.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
26h 56min
WiFi Websurfing
10h 08min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
14h 28min
Load (maximum brightness)
5h 01min
Samsung Galaxy A6 2018
3000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
3000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3600 mAh
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3100 mAh
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
3200 mAh
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
4000 mAh
Battery Runtime
39%
43%
-2%
6%
-18%
Reader / Idle
1616
2418
50%
1950
21%
1840
14%
1846
14%
H.264
868
984
13%
1096
26%
644
-26%
542
-38%
WiFi v1.3
608
843
39%
904
49%
730
20%
702
15%
497
-18%
Load
301
467
55%
525
74%
254
-16%
404
34%

Pros

+ chic design, comfortable to hold
+ expandable internal storage
+ Android 8.0
+ dual-SIM plus MicroSD
+ bright display with great color reproduction
+ stays cool while in operation
+ great battery life

Cons

- neither water nor dust-proof
- Micro-USB 2.0 instead of USB-C
- slow Wi-Fi
- PWM flickering
- does not support fast charging
- mediocre performance

Verdict - Advantages and disadvantages cancel each other out

In review: Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018). Review device provided courtesy of: notebooksbilliger.de
In review: Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018). Review device provided courtesy of: notebooksbilliger.de

With the Galaxy A6 (2018), Samsung offers a good mid-range smartphone, which has to compete with capable competitors. It has a number of advantages, but it also has just as many disadvantages.

The Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) is a good mid-range smartphone, which performs worse than its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017), in a number of areas.

The Galaxy A6 (2018) scores a lot of points with its good design, bright and well-calibrated display and long battery life. It also features up-to-date Android (8.0 Oreo), real dual-SIM functionality and expandable storage (the internal storage can be expanded with the help of a MicroSD card). The camera module does not perform very well: The 16 PM main camera produces “okay” photos in daylight but struggles in low-light conditions.

The 309-Euro (~$362) Galaxy A6 (2018) comes with a few disadvantages. The Micro-USB port is way out of date. Other drawbacks include: slow Wi-Fi, the lack of IP certification and long charging times. With its Exynos 7870 SoC and ARM Mali T830 MP2 graphics unit, the Galaxy A6 (2018) offers more than enough performance for day-to-day use. However, it is nowhere near powerful enough for gaming. All in all, the predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017), is a better choice, if you do not need dual-SIM functionality. It offers more performance at a lower price.

Samsung Galaxy A6 2018 - 06/28/2018 v6(old)
Manuel Masiero

Chassis
86%
Keyboard
68 / 75 → 91%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
42 / 60 → 69%
Weight
91%
Battery
94%
Display
87%
Games Performance
14 / 63 → 23%
Application Performance
46 / 70 → 65%
Temperature
96%
Noise
100%
Audio
72 / 91 → 79%
Camera
68%
Average
73%
83%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) Smartphone Review
Manuel Masiero, 2018-07- 1 (Update: 2019-03- 9)