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Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus (2018) Smartphone Review

Super AMOLED FHD+. Samsung's Galaxy A series is designed with a certain kind of customer in mind: those who want a smartphone with a simple look and high manufacturing quality. We thoroughly tested the 6-inch Galaxy A6+ and report in this review what buyers can expect. The smartphone is priced at around 370 Euros (~$425; international version ~$350).

The Samsung Galaxy A6+ is a mid-range smartphone whose specifications look attractive on paper—a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 and an Adreno 506 graphics unit are strong features, but at a recommended retail price of 370 Euros (~$425; international version ~$350), the device costs a little too much. With 32 GB of flash storage and 3 GB of RAM, at least buyers can expect the Android 8.1 system to run smoothly. Samsung's own Experience UI Version 9.0 serves as the smartphone's user interface. We tested the configuration of the A6+ available in Germany; there is also an international version on the market with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of flash storage.

Competition abounds in the 300-400 Euro (~$350-$465) price bracket, so we have whittled the devices for comparison down to just a few models. Although the Galaxy A6+ can already be purchased for less than 300 Euros (~$350) at various retailers, we have categorized the competition based on the recommended retail price of 370 Euros (~$430). Devices with a similar price-performance ratio include the Huawei P20 LiteHTC's U11 LifeSony's Xperia XA2, the BQ Aquaris X Pro and the Nokia 7 Plus, among others. It is also worth taking a look at the predecessor model, the Samsung Galaxy A5.

Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 (Galaxy Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 8 x 1.8 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
, 3GB
Display
6.00 inch 2:1, 2220 x 1080 pixel 411 PPI, capacitive, Super AMOLED, FHD+, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 23 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5mm, Card Reader: microSD, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer, proximity sensor, position sensor, g-sensor, digital compass, microUSB
Networking
802.11a/b/g/n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.2, GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), HSPA (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), LTE (Band:1/3/7/8/20/38/40), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.9 x 160.2 x 75.7 ( = 0.31 x 6.31 x 2.98 in)
Battery
3500 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 8.0 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 16 MPix dual camera: 16MP (f/1.7) + 5MP (f/1.9)
Secondary Camera: 24 MPix f/1.9
Additional features
Speakers: 1 speaker, Keyboard: virtual, Keyboard Light: yes, headset, SIM ejector tool, USB power supply, Samsung Experience 9.0, Microsoft Apps, Bixby, 24 Months Warranty, SAR head: 0.36 W/kg, SAR body: 1.39 W/kg, fanless
Weight
191 g ( = 6.74 oz / 0.42 pounds), Power Supply: 76 g ( = 2.68 oz / 0.17 pounds)
Price
0 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case - Samsung smartphone with a metal case

Samsung has given the Galaxy A6+'s display lots of space, but in so doing has left out the usual notch on the top edge. As a result, bars for the speaker, front camera and other elements are visible from the front on both the top and bottom of the device. The edges and back are made of sturdy metal, but various plastic trims along the covered antennae for wireless modules, GPS and NFC are designed to prevent the metal from inhibiting communication.

Two slots for the main SIM card and a second SIM and memory card are located on the left side of the device. This means that installing a microSD does not prevent the user from employing the dual SIM function. Both the power button and the volume rocker sit securely in their casing. A conventional 3.5-mm jack enables the user to connect a headset. The smartphone charges and transfers data via a micro USB connection.

Size Comparison

160.2 mm / 6.31 inch 75.7 mm / 2.98 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 191 g0.4211 lbs158.4 mm / 6.24 inch 75.64 mm / 2.98 inch 9.55 mm / 0.376 inch 186 g0.4101 lbs149.1 mm / 5.87 inch 72.9 mm / 2.87 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 142 g0.3131 lbs148.6 mm / 5.85 inch 71.2 mm / 2.8 inch 7.4 mm / 0.2913 inch 145 g0.3197 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 lbs142 mm / 5.59 inch 70 mm / 2.76 inch 9.7 mm / 0.3819 inch 171 g0.377 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity - Galaxy A6 Plus with dual SIM and memory expansion

The Galaxy A6+ runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 and an Adreno 506 graphics unit. This mid-range configuration is complemented by 32 GB of storage space and either 3 or 4 GB of RAM. Users who want to install two SIM cards in the Samsung smartphone do not have to go without memory expansion. Two slots on the left side of the device are equipped to house these cards.

top: no connections
top: no connections
right side: speaker, power button
right side: speaker, power button
bottom: 3.5mm jack, microUSB connection
bottom: 3.5mm jack, microUSB connection
left side: SIM/SD card slot, SIM card slot, volume rocker
left side: SIM/SD card slot, SIM card slot, volume rocker

Software - Microsoft apps on an Android smartphone

Android Oreo Version 8.0 and the manufacturer's Experience UI Version 9.0 run on the Samsung A6+. The security updates are dated from April 1st, 2018. The Samsung UI has no significant new features. Bixby is once again on board (though he/she still cannot speak with us in German).

Pre-installed programs include various Microsoft apps and Facebook, which can only be deactivated in the software menu. It is not possible to store apps on an SD card or format the card as internal memory, nor is there an option to set up more than one user on the Galaxy smartphone.

Communication and GPS - Accurate location services with the Samsung A6+

The Samsung Galaxy A6+ offers a variety of means by which to make contact with the outside world. In addition to supporting GSM and 3G, the smartphone can establish Cat. 6 LTE connections with a maximum download speed of up to 300 MBit/s and data uploads at up to 50 MBit/s.

Wireless connections according to the a/b/g standards can be established via the integrated WLAN module. In our tests, the Galaxy A6+'s transfer rates were below-average. Our test device received data at a speed of just over 120 MBit/s, landing it in the last place among the competitors.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Nokia 7 Plus
Adreno 512, SD 660, 64 GB eMMC Flash
307 MBit/s +172%
Sony Xperia XA2
Adreno 508, SD 630, 32 GB eMMC Flash
289 MBit/s +156%
HTC U11 Life
Adreno 508, SD 630, 32 GB eMMC Flash
274 MBit/s +142%
Huawei P20 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 64 GB eMMC Flash
233 MBit/s +106%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
Mali-T830 MP3, Exynos 7880, 32 GB eMMC Flash
167 MBit/s +48%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
Adreno 506, 626, 64 GB eMMC Flash
148 MBit/s +31%
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
Adreno 506, SD 450, 32 GB eMMC Flash
113 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +216%
Sony Xperia XA2
Adreno 508, SD 630, 32 GB eMMC Flash
309 MBit/s +160%
Nokia 7 Plus
Adreno 512, SD 660, 64 GB eMMC Flash
247 MBit/s +108%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
Adreno 506, 626, 64 GB eMMC Flash
242 MBit/s +103%
HTC U11 Life
Adreno 508, SD 630, 32 GB eMMC Flash
224 MBit/s +88%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
Mali-T830 MP3, Exynos 7880, 32 GB eMMC Flash
214 MBit/s +80%
Huawei P20 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 64 GB eMMC Flash
198 MBit/s +66%
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
Adreno 506, SD 450, 32 GB eMMC Flash
119 MBit/s
GPS Test outdoors
GPS Test outdoors
GPS Test indoors
GPS Test indoors

The Samsung smartphone relies on GPS, GLONASS and Beidu for navigation and location services. We used the GPS Test app to determine how accurately the Galaxy A6+ could position us. Outdoors, the smartphone pinpointed us to within three meters (~10 feet) of our actual location. Even indoors, the satellite connection remained stable although the accuracy reduced to 12 meters (~40 feet).

Our test device's precision in this respect was once again verified by our mandatory bike ride. The divergences compared to our Garmin Edge 500 reference device were small, and appeared mostly on curves and between close-set buildings. At the end of the bike ride, the data we collected from the two devices looked quite similar. Only the two records of change in altitude were somewhat disparate.

Samsung Galaxy A6+
Samsung Galaxy A6+
Samsung Galaxy A6+
Samsung Galaxy A6+
Samsung Galaxy A6+
Samsung Galaxy A6+
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500

Phone Function and Call Quality - Good connection with the A6 Plus

The Samsung Galaxy A6+'s phone app provides a lean user interface, designed for quick dialing with the number pad or searching for contacts. The "Places" tab is also available on our test device. If supported by the service provider, VoLTE can also be used to place phone calls. We could not find a VoWLAN option in the menu, however.

During conversations, participants are easy to understand, and voices are not accompanied by annoying background noise. The maximum volume is just loud enough for the person on the other end to remain audible in adverse sound environments, for example in windy weather. The speakerphone's volume is a little lower, which means that it can be difficult to hear the content of a conversation when the background noise is too loud. In quieter environments however, it is certainly possible to lay the phone on the table and have both hands free.

Cameras - Android smartphone with a good selfie camera

front camera shot
front camera shot

For snapshots and selfies, the Galaxy A6+ is equipped with a 16+5 MP dual camera and a 24 MP front camera. The latter enables the user to take very detailed and high-resolution photos. Two slide controls influence color temperature and image softness. These are joined by a wealth of AI stickers that are automatically pasted in the proper positions in portrait shots.

With its f/1.9 aperture, the Samsung A6+'s main camera takes photos that feel very warm and "sunny" when taken outdoors in bright daylight. Compared to our Canon EOS 70 D reference camera, the outdoor shot looks a little overexposed. Details appear very sharp, light and dark areas are clearly distinguished from each other, and color transitions are well-defined. The quality of close-ups is similarly good, although in the dark or in poor lighting, objects look washed out and blurry. Users who are unsatisfied with the automatic camera performance can set the ISO, white balance and brightness in Pro mode. Further modes include Night, Sport and Panorama, among others. In addition, Bixby always stands at the ready to identify objects within the camera's field of view and display information about them.

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
click to load images
ColorChecker Passport
ColorChecker Passport

A photograph of the ColorChecker Passport demonstrates how well the Samsung Galaxy A6+'s camera reproduces colors. Here we see that colors are generally too light, but black and dark gray tones look similar to their true colors.

In controlled lighting, the A6+ reproduces our test chart very well. Details remain clearly recognizable in every part of the image, and both fine lines and numbers are easily discernible. Only in the lower corners does the picture look somewhat pale.

Accessories and Warranty - Headset and charging cable for the Samsung smartphone

box contents
box contents

The Galaxy A6 Plus's box contains a USB power supply with matching cable, a SIM ejector tool, and a stereo headset. The power supply has a power rating of 7.75 watts. The USB cable plugs into the side of the power supply and connects to the Samsung smartphone via its microUSB port. The headset is well-suited not only for conducting conversations with good sound quality and at a high volume, it also generates a good enough sound for listening to music.

In addition to the accessories that come with the device, numerous cases, screen protectors, cables, headsets, charging devices and much more can be purchased from Samsung's online store.

The smartphone comes with a 24-month warranty, and the accessories are under warranty for 12 months. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices and Operation - Samsung keyboard and slow face-recognition

The Galaxy A6+ is equipped with Samsung's own keyboard app, which enables users to type texts quickly and easily. From the settings menu, the user can tailor the keyboard to his or her liking. It is possible to adjust the size of the individual keys, as well as the amount of display room the keyboard occupies. Users can also select preferred symbols to take up residence on certain keys. The touchscreen works perfectly for this use and reacts instantaneously. When executing drag-and-drop gestures, there is always a faint level of friction between the screen and the user's fingertips.

Our test device is equipped with numerous security features to prevent unauthorized persons from unlocking the smartphone. While the simple mechanisms—like PIN or lock screen pattern input—work well, the fingerprint reader also seamlessly unlocks the phone. The face-recognition, on the other hand, is somewhat slow. In our tests, it often took more than a second before the A6 Plus unlocked.

Display - Super AMOLED for great colors

subpixels
subpixels

Samsung has chosen a Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2220x1080 pixels for the new Galaxy A6+. The OLED technology is designed to offer better color reproduction and viewing angle stability while using less energy. The advantages and disadvantages of IPS vs. OLED panels on laptops are laid out in our Display Comparison: OLED vs. IPS article. Although the primary focus is on laptop displays, our findings apply to smartphone displays as well.

Devices with IPS panels in this price bracket do not reach higher average brightness levels than our test device. The display's brightness distribution is 93% similar across the screen, landing the Galaxy A6+ in a shared first place position alongside Sony's Xperia XA2 and the Galaxy A5 (2017). The average brightness level of 513 cd/m² was actually exceeded in our APL measurement and came instead to 659 cd/m². This test simulates everyday conditions with evenly distributed light and dark areas in all portions of the screen. Note: These brightness levels can only be reached when the ambient light sensor is active. If the sensor is deactivated, the brightness is limited to a maximum of 331 cd/m².

496
cd/m²
526
cd/m²
501
cd/m²
523
cd/m²
519
cd/m²
498
cd/m²
532
cd/m²
514
cd/m²
505
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 532 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 512.7 cd/m² Minimum: 1.98 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 519 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
95% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.06
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
Super AMOLED, 2220x1080, 6.00
Huawei P20 Lite
IPS, 2280x1080, 5.84
HTC U11 Life
SLCD, 1920x1080, 5.20
Sony Xperia XA2
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
Super AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.20
BQ Aquaris X Pro
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Nokia 7 Plus
IPS, 2160x1080, 6.00
Screen
-106%
-94%
-136%
8%
-204%
-77%
Brightness middle
519
528
2%
545
5%
513
-1%
539
4%
458
-12%
458
-12%
Brightness
513
525
2%
526
3%
506
-1%
542
6%
473
-8%
463
-10%
Brightness Distribution
93
89
-4%
87
-6%
93
0%
93
0%
88
-5%
92
-1%
Black Level *
0.51
0.42
0.42
0.51
0.22
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.8
4.7
-161%
4.9
-172%
5
-178%
1.6
11%
7.1
-294%
4
-122%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
3.6
8.9
-147%
8.5
-136%
11.4
-217%
2.6
28%
14.5
-303%
7.4
-106%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.5
6.4
-327%
5.4
-260%
7.8
-420%
1.5
-0%
10.5
-600%
4.7
-213%
Gamma
2.06 107%
2.22 99%
2.31 95%
2.2 100%
2.28 96%
2.28 96%
2.19 100%
CCT
6462 101%
7987 81%
7610 85%
7964 82%
6422 101%
8951 73%
7425 88%
Contrast
1035
1298
1221
898
2082

* ... 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 240 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 240 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 240 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.

OLED technology enables the reproduction of such a rich, true black that our measuring tools are incapable of generating a result. The same goes for the contrast ratio, which is equally unparalleled by other smartphones' IPS panels. These excellent results are tangible in use. For example, in a dark room, the Galaxy A6+ is invisible if an entirely black image is displayed on the screen. Even in daylight, dark areas of an image look very rich and hardly distinguishable from the dark border around the Samsung A6 Plus's screen.

In the color profile settings, the color reproduction can be manually customized, or the user can select from three presets. An analysis of these three profiles reveals that the "Simple" setting produces a balanced color profile in the sRGB color space. The Adobe RGB mode substantially enlarges said color space, and the "Cinema" profile shifts all the colors toward the warmer end of the scale.

CalMAN - color space (Simple)
CalMAN - color space (Simple)
CalMAN - color accuracy (Simple)
CalMAN - color accuracy (Simple)
CalMAN - saturation (Simple)
CalMAN - saturation (Simple)
CalMAN - grayscale (Simple)
CalMAN - grayscale (Simple)
CalMAN - color space (AdobeRGB)
CalMAN - color space (AdobeRGB)
CalMAN - color accuracy (AdobeRGB)
CalMAN - color accuracy (AdobeRGB)
CalMAN - saturation (AdobeRGB)
CalMAN - saturation (AdobeRGB)
CalMAN - grayscale (AdobeRGB)
CalMAN - grayscale (AdobeRGB)
CalMAN - color space (Cinema)
CalMAN - color space (Cinema)
CalMAN - color accuracy (Cinema)
CalMAN - color accuracy (Cinema)
CalMAN - saturation (Cinema)
CalMAN - saturation (Cinema)
CalMAN - grayscale (Cinema)
CalMAN - grayscale (Cinema)

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
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 0.1 (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
4.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2.4 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. » 10 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The A6+'s display brightness is sufficient for viewing the screen content outdoors without any trouble. On cloudy days, the screen reflections are also unproblematic. In direct sunlight, however, our test device cannot overcome the intense ambient light. As a result, anyone intending to use the smartphone for a prolonged period is better off finding a shady spot.

Samsung Galaxy A6+ in outdoor use
Samsung Galaxy A6+ in outdoor use

In terms of viewing angle stability, the Galaxy A6+'s OLED panel can hold its own against the competition. From any angle, the screen content looks accurate and easily recognizable. This means that the user always has a clear view of the smartphone's display content, even from less than ideal vantage points.

viewing angle stability
viewing angle stability

The Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus runs on two chips from Qualcomm: the Snapdragon 450 and the Adreno 506. Combined with 3 GB of RAM, this hardware configuration is very well-suited to a lower mid-range smartphone. In our test device's price bracket, other manufacturers offer faster components. The SoC has 8 cores that can process 8 threads and clocks at 1800 MHz. The chip, which is produced using 14 nm process technology, supports LPDDR3 RAM in single-channel mode. 

In our benchmark tests, the A6+'s performance is below average. The smartphone is consistently outdone by its own predecessor, the Galaxy A5 (2017). Compared to the rest of the competition, the A6+ comes in toward the bottom of the list regardless of whether the test is more targeted toward graphics or work performance. The Galaxy A6+ cannot keep up with similarly-priced smartphones here. However, given that its price has dropped to less than 300 Euros (~$350) in various online stores, perhaps the device deserves to be compared to smartphones under this price point.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
55332 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
68232 Points +23%
HTC U11 Life
73617 Points +33%
Sony Xperia XA2
71552 Points +29%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
60603 Points +10%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
66226 Points +20%
Nokia 7 Plus
117165 Points +112%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (54731 - 60077, n=10)
57703 Points +4%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
70016 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
88550 Points +26%
Sony Xperia XA2
89228 Points +27%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
82343 Points +18%
Nokia 7 Plus
141701 Points +102%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (56497 - 73468, n=11)
69869 Points 0%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
5199 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
5704 Points +10%
HTC U11 Life
5818 Points +12%
Sony Xperia XA2
5844 Points +12%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
5035 Points -3%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
5886 Points +13%
Nokia 7 Plus
6825 Points +31%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (4836 - 6062, n=14)
5364 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +190%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
4422 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
4793 Points +8%
HTC U11 Life
4835 Points +9%
Sony Xperia XA2
5006 Points +13%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
4060 Points -8%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
4915 Points +11%
Nokia 7 Plus
6077 Points +37%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (4171 - 4759, n=14)
4502 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +146%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
1165 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
1445 Points +24%
HTC U11 Life
1368 Points +17%
Sony Xperia XA2
1563 Points +34%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1408 Points +21%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
1314 Points +13%
Nokia 7 Plus
2369 Points +103%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (389 - 1337, n=14)
1083 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +390%
System (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
2560 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
3109 Points +21%
HTC U11 Life
3215 Points +26%
Sony Xperia XA2
3256 Points +27%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
2593 Points +1%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3492 Points +36%
Nokia 7 Plus
4976 Points +94%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (2560 - 2898, n=14)
2736 Points +7%
Average of class Smartphone (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +276%
Memory (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
914 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
1930 Points +111%
HTC U11 Life
838 Points -8%
Sony Xperia XA2
1328 Points +45%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1508 Points +65%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
1046 Points +14%
Nokia 7 Plus
2503 Points +174%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (770 - 1522, n=14)
1058 Points +16%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +582%
Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
968 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
848 Points -12%
HTC U11 Life
1515 Points +57%
Sony Xperia XA2
1500 Points +55%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1528 Points +58%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
1012 Points +5%
Nokia 7 Plus
2298 Points +137%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (943 - 984, n=14)
962 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +1336%
Web (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
814 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
858 Points +5%
HTC U11 Life
858 Points +5%
Sony Xperia XA2
921 Points +13%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
659 Points -19%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
806 Points -1%
Nokia 7 Plus
1101 Points +35%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (10 - 981, n=14)
671 Points -18%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +83%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
754 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
935 Points +24%
HTC U11 Life
877 Points +16%
Sony Xperia XA2
865 Points +15%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
773 Points +3%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
928 Points +23%
Nokia 7 Plus
1646 Points +118%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (741 - 787, n=13)
761 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +571%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
3912 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
3749 Points -4%
HTC U11 Life
4193 Points +7%
Sony Xperia XA2
4170 Points +7%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
4104 Points +5%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
4369 Points +12%
Nokia 7 Plus
5867 Points +50%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (3272 - 4022, n=13)
3862 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +246%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
3229 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
3116 Points -3%
HTC U11 Life
3956 Points +23%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
3002 Points -7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (2777 - 3374, n=10)
3146 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points +228%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
12825 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
12048 Points -6%
HTC U11 Life
16859 Points +31%
Sony Xperia XA2
16974 Points +32%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
13256 Points +3%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
13963 Points +9%
Nokia 7 Plus
26610 Points +107%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (12562 - 13203, n=12)
12801 Points 0%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
12527 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
11713 Points -6%
HTC U11 Life
18469 Points +47%
Sony Xperia XA2
18534 Points +48%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
13314 Points +6%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
13277 Points +6%
Nokia 7 Plus
29333 Points +134%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (12281 - 12736, n=12)
12470 Points 0%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
13988 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
13387 Points -4%
HTC U11 Life
12919 Points -8%
Sony Xperia XA2
13112 Points -6%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
13057 Points -7%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
17044 Points +22%
Nokia 7 Plus
20085 Points +44%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (13596 - 15273, n=12)
14216 Points +2%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
803 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
138 Points -83%
HTC U11 Life
1336 Points +66%
Sony Xperia XA2
1334 Points +66%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1155 Points +44%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
849 Points +6%
Nokia 7 Plus
2035 Points +153%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (800 - 829, n=14)
812 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3495 Points +335%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
692 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
109 Points -84%
HTC U11 Life
1257 Points +82%
Sony Xperia XA2
1251 Points +81%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1053 Points +52%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
725 Points +5%
Nokia 7 Plus
1895 Points +174%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (690 - 716, n=14)
701 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3845 Points +456%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
1832 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
1760 Points -4%
HTC U11 Life
1711 Points -7%
Sony Xperia XA2
1737 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1752 Points -4%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
2127 Points +16%
Nokia 7 Plus
2734 Points +49%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (1504 - 1901, n=14)
1785 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
2989 Points +63%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
445 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
257 Points -42%
HTC U11 Life
839 Points +89%
Sony Xperia XA2
811 Points +82%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
816 Points +83%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
464 Points +4%
Nokia 7 Plus
1332 Points +199%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (438 - 449, n=14)
443 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2665 Points +499%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
366 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
207 Points -43%
HTC U11 Life
729 Points +99%
Sony Xperia XA2
709 Points +94%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
710 Points +94%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
379 Points +4%
Nokia 7 Plus
1161 Points +217%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (349 - 382, n=14)
365 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2655 Points +625%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
1852 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
1757 Points -5%
HTC U11 Life
1779 Points -4%
Sony Xperia XA2
1631 Points -12%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
1713 Points -8%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
2132 Points +15%
Nokia 7 Plus
2749 Points +48%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (1521 - 1860, n=14)
1790 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3119 Points +68%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
20 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
19 fps -5%
HTC U11 Life
29 fps +45%
Sony Xperia XA2
31 fps +55%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
33 fps +65%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
22 fps +10%
Nokia 7 Plus
48 fps +140%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (20 - 34, n=13)
28.1 fps +41%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
83 fps +315%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
22 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
19 fps -14%
HTC U11 Life
30 fps +36%
Sony Xperia XA2
30 fps +36%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
34 fps +55%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
23 fps +5%
Nokia 7 Plus
50 fps +127%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (21 - 23, n=13)
21.8 fps -1%
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=178, last 2 years)
244 fps +1009%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
8.9 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
8.9 fps 0%
HTC U11 Life
14 fps +57%
Sony Xperia XA2
15 fps +69%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
15 fps +69%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
9.6 fps +8%
Nokia 7 Plus
22 fps +147%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (8.7 - 18, n=13)
13.9 fps +56%
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 165, n=179, last 2 years)
71 fps +698%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
9.3 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
8.7 fps -6%
HTC U11 Life
14 fps +51%
Sony Xperia XA2
14 fps +51%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
15 fps +61%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
9.8 fps +5%
Nokia 7 Plus
23 fps +147%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (9.2 - 9.4, n=13)
9.3 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=179, last 2 years)
138 fps +1384%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
5.8 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
5.6 fps -3%
HTC U11 Life
9.8 fps +69%
Sony Xperia XA2
10 fps +72%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
9 fps +55%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
6.3 fps +9%
Nokia 7 Plus
15 fps +159%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (5.7 - 13, n=13)
9.98 fps +72%
Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 158, n=179, last 2 years)
59.9 fps +933%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
6.1 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
5.2 fps -15%
HTC U11 Life
9.7 fps +59%
Sony Xperia XA2
9.7 fps +59%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
9.1 fps +49%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
6.4 fps +5%
Nokia 7 Plus
14 fps +130%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (6 - 6.9, n=13)
6.15 fps +1%
Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 279, n=179, last 2 years)
96.7 fps +1485%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
3.3 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
3.3 fps 0%
HTC U11 Life
5.4 fps +64%
Sony Xperia XA2
6 fps +82%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
5.2 fps +58%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3.5 fps +6%
Nokia 7 Plus
9.1 fps +176%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (3.3 - 7, n=13)
5.4 fps +64%
Average of class Smartphone (5 - 117, n=179, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +1200%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
3.5 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
3.1 fps -11%
HTC U11 Life
5.5 fps +57%
Sony Xperia XA2
5.5 fps +57%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
5.2 fps +49%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3.5 fps 0%
Nokia 7 Plus
8.3 fps +137%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (3.3 - 3.6, n=13)
3.44 fps -2%
Average of class Smartphone (2.9 - 166, n=179, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +1574%
Lightmark - 1920x1080 1080p (sort by value)
Nokia 7 Plus
15.07 fps
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (5.38 - 5.41, n=2)
5.4 fps
Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal - offscreen Overall Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
258 Points
Nokia 7 Plus
349 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (129 - 129, n=2)
129 Points
Average of class Smartphone (177 - 6114, n=61, last 2 years)
2145 Points

Legend

 
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei P20 Lite HiSilicon Kirin 659, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
HTC U11 Life Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, Qualcomm Adreno 508, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Sony Xperia XA2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, Qualcomm Adreno 508, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 Samsung Exynos 7880, ARM Mali-T830 MP3, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
BQ Aquaris X Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 626, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Nokia 7 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, Qualcomm Adreno 512, 64 GB eMMC Flash

The results in the browser benchmarks are not consistent enough to reach a decisive conclusion about the device's performance. While the Galaxy A6+ lands in last place in Jetstream 1.1 and Octane V2, it secures first place among the competition in Mozilla Kraken 1.1. In the WebXPRT2015 benchmark, our test device exhibits a solid performance and positions itself in the middle range between its competitors. In everyday use, surfing on the Samsung smartphone is quick and smooth. We did not notice any odd behavior during our tests.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 414, n=3, last 2 years)
194.9 Points +778%
Nokia 7 Plus (Chrome 60)
53.9 Points +143%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 (Samsung Browser (Chrome 44))
32.22 Points +45%
HTC U11 Life (Chrome 63)
28.99 Points +31%
Sony Xperia XA2 (Chrome 65.0.3325.109)
27.37 Points +23%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
26.84 Points +21%
Huawei P20 Lite (Chrome 63)
23.42 Points +6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (22 - 22.7, n=13)
22.4 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 (Chrome 67)
22.19 Points
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33525 Points +731%
Nokia 7 Plus (Chrome 60)
10945 Points +171%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 (Samsung Browser (Chrome 44))
5256 Points +30%
HTC U11 Life (Chrome 63)
4893 Points +21%
Sony Xperia XA2 (Chrome 65.0.3325.109)
4771 Points +18%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
4424 Points +10%
Huawei P20 Lite
4191 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 (Chrome 67)
4032 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (3470 - 4115, n=14)
3981 Points -1%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (11012 - 11863, n=14)
11506 ms * -0%
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 (Chrome 67)
11450 ms *
Huawei P20 Lite (Chrome 63)
10788 ms * +6%
Sony Xperia XA2 (Chrome 65.0.3325.109)
10236 ms * +11%
HTC U11 Life (Chrome 63)
9493 ms * +17%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
8742 ms * +24%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 (Samsung Browser (Chrome 44))
6442 ms * +44%
Nokia 7 Plus (Chrome 60)
3937 ms * +66%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1653 ms * +86%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Nokia 7 Plus (Chrome 60)
168 Points +81%
Sony Xperia XA2 (Chrome 65.0.3325.109)
106 Points +14%
HTC U11 Life (Chrome 63)
100 Points +8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (90 - 103, n=7)
97 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 (Chrome 67)
93 Points
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 (Samsung Browser (Chrome 44))
89 Points -4%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
86 Points -8%
Huawei P20 Lite (Chrome 63)
86 Points -8%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung has equipped the Galaxy A6+ with 32 GB of eMMC flash storage. This storage medium reads and writes data at average speeds and places our test device in the middle range compared to its competitors. The built-in SD card reader, on the other hand, performs above average. With our Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 reference memory card, the Samsung smartphone lands one of the better positions. 

Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018Huawei P20 LiteHTC U11 LifeSony Xperia XA2Samsung Galaxy A5 2017BQ Aquaris X ProNokia 7 PlusAverage 32 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
72%
30%
-4%
-29%
-10%
20%
-7%
821%
Sequential Read 256KB
298.8
293.9
-2%
268
-10%
271.5
-9%
182
-39%
270.5
-9%
283.1
-5%
242 ?(25.8 - 452, n=247)
-19%
1467 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
391%
Sequential Write 256KB
88.5
198.3
124%
120
36%
127.4
44%
77.1
-13%
139.6
58%
211.6
139%
100.5 ?(14.8 - 196, n=247)
14%
1077 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
1117%
Random Read 4KB
72.9
48.19
-34%
39.3
-46%
43.07
-41%
22.41
-69%
37.97
-48%
54.7
-25%
43.2 ?(3.59 - 117.2, n=247)
-41%
241 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
231%
Random Write 4KB
16.1
71.1
342%
50.2
212%
13.82
-14%
12.13
-25%
12.07
-25%
19.62
22%
22.4 ?(0.75 - 91, n=247)
39%
265 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
1546%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
83.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
83.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
0%
82.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-1%
86 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
3%
73.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-12%
78.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-6%
82.2
-1%
71.8 ?(8.2 - 96.5, n=178)
-14%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
67.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
69 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
2%
59.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-12%
64.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-4%
56 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-17%
49.77 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-27%
62.3
-8%
52.9 ?(3.4 - 87.1, n=178)
-22%

Games - Display with a lot of friction while gaming

The Adreno 506 GPU built into the Galaxy A6+ is a mid-range graphics card for smartphones that can easily handle most games in the app store. In our tests, the games “Dead Trigger 2” and “Temple Run 2” always ran smoothly, and programs that require use of the position sensor worked without much lag either. Over extended periods, the level of friction between the screen and the user's fingertips is a little too high and can become somewhat uncomfortable. We use the Gamebench tool to log frame rates. The tool is available as a smartphone app or desktop application.

Temple Run 2
Temple Run 2
Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2
 SettingsValue
 high30 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!
Temple Run 2
 SettingsValue
 default60 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!

Emissions - Cool head and good sound on the Galaxy A6+

Manhatten 3.1
Manhatten 3.1
T-Rex 2.0
T-Rex 2.0

The Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus hardly warms up at all in everyday use. Both in idle mode and under load, we did not measure any high temperatures. The smartphone never reached the 27°C (80.6°F) line, and the device's performance over long periods is not affected by temperature-related throttling. The demanding Manhattan 3.1 performance test recorded only minimal variances that have no noticeable effects. 

Max. Load
 26.4 °C
80 F
26.4 °C
80 F
25.9 °C
79 F
 
 26.8 °C
80 F
26.4 °C
80 F
26.7 °C
80 F
 
 26.9 °C
80 F
26.6 °C
80 F
26.2 °C
79 F
 
Maximum: 26.9 °C = 80 F
Average: 26.5 °C = 80 F
25.5 °C
78 F
25.3 °C
78 F
25.2 °C
77 F
25.3 °C
78 F
26.1 °C
79 F
25.7 °C
78 F
25.3 °C
78 F
26 °C
79 F
25.6 °C
78 F
Maximum: 26.1 °C = 79 F
Average: 25.6 °C = 78 F
Power Supply (max.)  24.2 °C = 76 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 26.5 °C / 80 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 26.9 °C / 80 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 26.1 °C / 79 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.1 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
heat development - front
heat development - front
heat development - back
heat development - back

Speaker

PinkNoise
PinkNoise

The Galaxy A6+'s speakers prove to be an attractive feature. They generate a good sound and can be relatively loud compared to the competition. Bass tones are present to a certain extent, but buzz a little at maximum volume. High tones, on the other hand, are balanced. This means that the Samsung A6 Plus is well-suited for the occasional listen, however, the ambient noise level in the room should be fairly low.

The stereo headset that comes with the smartphone is also good, and considerably louder. The headset's quality is sufficient in most circumstances and can be used both for phone calls and playing media content.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.241.72532.942.33137.239.94031.739.75039.640.86328.333.58027.32910026.929.512526.737.21602439.120020.947.825020.949.631519.551.240018.55950017.560.363017.563.880015.766.7100015.869.9125016.674.9160015.873.1200015.471.2250015.574.431501678.9400015.878.650001675.1630016.378.7800016.371.21000016.270.21250016.465.71600016.461SPL28.686.9N1.165.7median 16.4median 66.7Delta2.210.435.24232.941.837.230.431.736.639.641.828.331.427.331.526.934.226.731.42429.620.938.320.947.619.546.618.55417.562.817.559.415.758.915.86316.666.415.869.315.471.315.573.41674.815.875.91676.516.371.216.371.616.271.316.467.516.459.628.684.11.153.6median 16.4median 632.211.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018Huawei P20 Lite
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 8.6% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 37% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 56% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 37% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei P20 Lite audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 10.5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 57% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 75% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 20% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Samsung smartphone with long battery life

Another advantage of the OLED display is its low power draw, which is reflected in our measurements. The Galaxy A6+ is by far the most energy-saving device among the competitors. With an power draw of under a watt in idle, and only a little over 3 watts under load, the Samsung smartphone takes the lead in this respect. The ambient light sensor has no influence on the results here. When activated, the power usage in idle mode at maximum brightness comes to 1.24 watts.

The 7.75-watt power supply that comes with the smartphone charges the 3500 mAh battery in around 2.5 hours.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.01 / 0.22 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.62 / 0.96 / 0.99 Watt
Load midlight 1.85 / 3.04 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 Plus 2018
3500 mAh
Huawei P20 Lite
3000 mAh
HTC U11 Life
2600 mAh
Sony Xperia XA2
3300 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
3000 mAh
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3100 mAh
Nokia 7 Plus
3800 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-95%
-76%
-45%
-28%
-82%
-102%
-101%
-107%
Idle Minimum *
0.62
0.98
-58%
0.63
-2%
0.39
37%
0.64
-3%
0.67
-8%
0.65
-5%
0.794 ?(0.51 - 1.26, n=14)
-28%
0.891 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-44%
Idle Average *
0.96
2
-108%
2.1
-119%
1.61
-68%
1.36
-42%
1.7
-77%
1.76
-83%
2.27 ?(0.96 - 4.45, n=14)
-136%
1.448 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
-51%
Idle Maximum *
0.99
2.11
-113%
2.15
-117%
1.62
-64%
1.4
-41%
1.78
-80%
1.78
-80%
2.48 ?(0.99 - 4.51, n=14)
-151%
1.63 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
-65%
Load Average *
1.85
3.9
-111%
3.34
-81%
3.12
-69%
2.53
-37%
4.42
-139%
4.47
-142%
3.95 ?(1.85 - 7.1, n=14)
-114%
5.57 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-201%
Load Maximum *
3.04
5.62
-85%
4.83
-59%
4.92
-62%
3.63
-19%
6.3
-107%
9.13
-200%
5.38 ?(3.04 - 8.8, n=14)
-77%
8.27 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-172%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy A6+'s battery life is very good. In our WLAN test, which is designed to simulate everyday use, the smartphone runs at a brightness level of 150 cd/m² for a little over 14 hours. Here, too, this run time earns our test device first place among the competitors. 

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
30h 17min
WiFi Websurfing
14h 08min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
15h 16min
Load (maximum brightness)
5h 35min
Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018
3500 mAh
Huawei P20 Lite
3000 mAh
HTC U11 Life
2600 mAh
Sony Xperia XA2
3300 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
3000 mAh
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3100 mAh
Nokia 7 Plus
3800 mAh
Battery Runtime
-41%
-10%
4%
20%
-17%
-26%
Reader / Idle
1817
750
-59%
1820
0%
2503
38%
2418
33%
1840
1%
1703
-6%
H.264
916
470
-49%
798
-13%
766
-16%
984
7%
644
-30%
706
-23%
WiFi v1.3
848
582
-31%
725
-15%
886
4%
843
-1%
730
-14%
672
-21%
Load
335
247
-26%
303
-10%
298
-11%
467
39%
254
-24%
158
-53%

Pros

+ high-resolution selfie camera
+ precise GPS
+ long battery life
+ OLED display

Cons

- mediocre system performance
- slow face recognition
- no USB Type C

Verdict - Mid-range with long battery life and OLED display

In Review: Samsung Galaxy A6+. Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de.
In Review: Samsung Galaxy A6+. Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de.

In our tests, the Samsung Galaxy A6+ presents itself as a good mid-range smartphone. The mixed results in the benchmarks leave the A6 Plus in the lower mid-range among the competitors, but its good battery life sets it apart from the competition once again. The most significant selling point is the smartphone's Super AMOLED display. Conventional IPS panels cannot keep up with its display image performance.

The Samsung Galaxy A6+ stands out with its OLED display and long battery life. With its slim design and smooth system performance to boot, interested customers can expect a solid mid-range smartphone.

For the recommended retail price of 370 Euros (~$425; international version ~$350), the Galaxy A6+ would not be especially worthy of recommendation. However, because various online shops are already offering the device for less than 300 Euros (~$350), it is now one of the top-performing smartphones in the lower price bracket.

Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 - 06/26/2018 v6(old)
Mike Wobker

Chassis
89%
Keyboard
69 / 75 → 92%
Pointing Device
87%
Connectivity
41 / 60 → 69%
Weight
89%
Battery
97%
Display
92%
Games Performance
27 / 63 → 42%
Application Performance
48 / 70 → 69%
Temperature
96%
Noise
100%
Audio
61 / 91 → 67%
Camera
72%
Average
74%
84%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus (2018) Smartphone Review
Mike Wobker, 2018-07- 5 (Update: 2019-03- 9)