Writing of technical review article (MAR Activity): Samsung Galaxy A31
Samsung Galaxy A31: Design and Build
Samsung is doing better than most other Android players when it comes to phone designs. The Galaxy A31 follows the brand’s unified design language for 2020.
There is the ‘Glasstic’ back with a subtle, elegant pattern and a rectangular camera module. The metal-finish side frame is also actually polycarbonate and that helps restrict the weight. The light and well-balanced profile coupled with ergonomic curves on the back makes the Galaxy A31 comfortable to hold and operate – even when there’s a massive 5000mAh battery residing within.
The phone has a USB Type-C port and retains the 3.5mm audio jack. There is an optical in-display fingerprint sensor that is working fast and reliable as of now.
Samsung Galaxy A31: Display
Samsung expectedly uses a high contrast AMOLED panel (6.4-inches) on the Galaxy A31 with Full HD+ resolution. Users can choose between 2 color profiles – Vivid and Natural. The Vivid mode is a tad bluish by default but comes with a color temperature adjustment toggle. The ‘Natural’ mode works better for us. The point being, users will be able to customize the colors to an extent based on their preferences.
The display was legible under direct sunlight and there are perks like thoughtfully designed dark theme and Always-On display widgets to take under consideration.
This is a great screen for watching multimedia content. The handset has DRM L1 certification and HD streaming works across popular apps like Netflix and Prime videos.
The screen does not come with a pre-installed screen protector and the display has a layer of Gorilla Glass protection (version unspecified). There’s also a good-quality oleophobic coating and the screen resists fingerprints rather well.
Samsung Galaxy A31: Performance and Software
The Samsung Galaxy A31 is powered by MediaTek’s Helio P65 chipset and our review unit has 6GB LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of storage. This is not a particularly lustrous chipset and the Galaxy A31 shouldn’t be very appealing to hardcore gamers. It’s still too soon to pass any verdict, but day-to-day performance has been smooth so far.
The SD card slot is separate and can be used to add another 512GB of storage.
The software is One UI 2.0 interface that’s based on Android 10. This is an intuitive interface that we quite like. If you ask us, this gives the A31 a solid edge over phones from Vivo, OPPO, Realme, and even Xiaomi.
Most of the pre-installed apps (Samsung and Third Party) can be uninstalled. The phone integrates Samsung Pay support (NFC) and you will be able to add your credit and debit cards for payments. Face Unlock is fast and reliable.
Samsung Galaxy A31: Battery and Audio
In the first few days, the 5000mAh battery has managed to last for 1.5 to 2 days. The 15W fast charging is actually quite slow by 2020 standards. It takes 1 hour for the battery to charge by 40 percent and a full charge takes more than 2.5 hours.
As for audio, there is a single loudspeaker at the bottom and it is quite loud and clear. Audio via headphones is quite decent. Dolby Atmos audio is also supported.
Samsung Galaxy A31: Camera
There are four cameras on the rear led by a 48MP primary camera. There’s also an 8MP wide-angle sensor, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 5MP portrait mode. On the front, there is 20MP sensor for selfies.
The camera app is easy to navigate, has AI smarts, and also a bunch of AR stickers that your kids should love.
Based on the initial testing, the camera performed better than our expectations in daylight and proper indoor lighting and should be a tough challenge to other best options available in the budget. Details are good in daylight scenes and HDR mode works quite well.
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