In addition, Samsung’s OLED tech compounds the issue. Up-close, the screen looks fuzzier than an LCD of similar resolution, making small text more difficult to read. The general clarity is further reduced. A's and 'J's, unite! We have for review the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) which takes the A8's camera and rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and fits them in a J5 (2017)-like aluminum body. Mind you, there's also the J6 (no year) which is a lot like the A6 (2018), but minus the A's cameras and with a plastic body. As if Samsung's lineup could get any more confusing.

Charging may take longer when using adapters, charging wirelessly, or charging the phone or tablet through another device like a PC. The Samsung Galaxy A6 runs Android 8.0, with the familiar Samsung UI on top. As such, it looks just like the software in a Galaxy S9. However, Samsung has put more work into its software than just about any other phone company. The Samsung Galaxy A6 has a bunch of extra Samsung apps too.

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The Samsung Galaxy A6 feels responsive, in a completely different league to the Honor 7C. However, it isn’t distinctly better than the light UI used by the Moto G6 family.

Some parts of the screen are very strong, others fall behind standard at the price. The strong elements are those usually associated with OLED. The display is significantly less sharp than that of the Moto G6 or Honor 9 Lite; its closer to those of the much cheaper Moto G6 Play and Honor 7S. Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 6,840mAh(Rated battery capacity). Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors. Contrast is excellent and color very punchy, if you want it to be. Like other Samsung phones, you can choose between color profiles that dramatically alter the look. Display Size: Measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners.

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There are no A-series goodies like water and dust protection, or fast charging. You wouldn't expect them from a more affordable J-series phone, but with the A in the name comes a much higher price tag, and we start asking for things. And is a USB-C port too much to ask for? The compromises here are similar to those seen in the Moto G6 Play, a significantly cheaper phone. However, the core camera hardware here is a little better. The Samsung Galaxy A6 has a 16MP f/1.7 lens rear camera and a 16MP f/1.9 one for selfies. That’s a good thing, for the most part. The Samsung Experience UI is visually coherent and while there are some pretty distinctive elements, such as the “sci-fi rune” soft keys, nothing is too off-putting. At an angle, the Samsung Galaxy A6’s screen whites take on a slightly blue tint, more so than Samsung’s flagship phones. But, to some extent, you’ll see this effect in all OLED phones.

The A8 (2018) lends its primary camera - the 16MP f/1.7 shooter replaces the J5 (2017)'s 13MP one. It's the same thing on the front - 16MP f/1.9 selfie cam is lifted off the A8 (2018), only there it was joined by a secondary 5MP module for depth detection. No such thing here, though, just the 16MP camera. And a flash, there's a front-facing flash. There's also a front-facing display - a rather orthodox arrangement. It's a 5.6-inch SuperAMOLED panel, just like on the A8 (2018). Oh, but it isn't - while the one on the A8 has a 1080p resolution, the A6 gets 720p, in a tall 18.5:9 aspect, of course. Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) specs Like other elements of Bixby, which is Samsung’s digital assistant alternative to an iPhone’s Siri or Google’s own digital assistant, it comes across a slightly desperate way to crowbar-in features for the sake of it.Memory size: User memory is less than the total memory due to storage of the operating system and software used to operate the phones features. Actual user memory will vary depending on the mobile phone operator and may change after software upgrades are performed. Low resolution characterises the display’s look, but the other benefits of OLED are present. Contrast is great and, similar to a higher-end Samsung phone, you can choose for colours to be super-bold, natural-looking or somewhere in-between. Make sure your phone or tablet doesn't overheat. Keep it in a cool location, especially while charging. The Samsung Galaxy A6 has a 5.6-inch Super AMOLED screen with an 18.5:9 shape. More of the front is taken up by screen than in mid-range phones of 2016-2017. Don't let your battery completely drain. With new lithium-ion batteries being used, it is better to keep the battery partially charged, instead of letting it run out completely. When possible, charge your device in small amounts to keep the battery from depleting. If the power has been depleted, the battery charging indicator may take up to 10 minutes to appear on the phone or tablet's screen while charging.

Any other compromises? The Samsung Galaxy A6’s side buttons are plastic rather than metal, and its SIM tray design is less clean than Samsung’s higher-end phones. When using wireless charging accessories, please be aware that any metal or magnetic materials (e.g., coins, magnetic cards) placed between the device and the wireless charger may decrease charging efficiency or cause damage to the phone or tablet and charger. The Samsung Galaxy A6’s build doesn’t seem higher-end than a Moto G6 or Honor 9 Lite, but it’s easy on the eye in a plain way, and not too large. Unfortunately, the Galaxy A6 is beaten by other phones at the price. Slow charging, a fizzy screen and dated camera processing mean it isn’t a match for the cheaper Moto G6.

Micro USB can support fast charging, but this phone does not. You get a standard adaptor in the box and we didn’t see a ‘fast charge’ pop-up when we tried a Samsung Adaptive fast charger either. You can get the phone in 32GB and 64GB variants, but we’re looking at the 32GB version here. Design Display: 5.6" Super AMOLED display, HD+ 1,480x720px resolution Infinity display (18.5:9 aspect ratio), 294ppi pixel density.