Samsung Galaxy A06 Review: A Budget-Friendly Option
Samsung’s Galaxy A series, particularly the A06, is gaining attention due to its affordability and practicality compared to the high-end S series. Despite the popularity of the Galaxy S series, the A series actually boasts higher sales volumes, making it an important focus for reviewers and consumers alike. The Galaxy A06 stands out as the cheapest smartphone in the A series, offering a budget-friendly option for those who find the S series out of reach or unnecessary.
- Samsung’s Galaxy A series, including the A06, is becoming increasingly popular for its affordability and practicality compared to the high-end S series.
- The A series has higher sales volumes than the S series, highlighting its importance for reviewers and consumers.
- The Galaxy A06 is the most budget-friendly option in the A series, catering to individuals who may find the S series too expensive or unnecessary.
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Samsung Galaxy A06 Review: Overview
The Galaxy A06 is quite similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy A05, with minimal changes. It features a basic plastic build without official water resistance, a 6.7-inch LCD display, a MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of expandable storage.
The camera setup remains the same, with a 50MP main camera, 2MP depth sensor at the back, and an 8MP front camera. The device also retains a 5,000 mAh battery and 25W charging capabilities from the previous model.
Key Features of Galaxy A06
01 – Similar design and build to Galaxy A05
02 – 6.7-inch LCD display, MediaTek Helio G85 chipset
03 – 4GB RAM, 64GB expandable storage
04 – 50MP main camera, 2MP depth sensor, 8MP front camera
05 – 5,000 mAh battery, 25W charging
Samsung Galaxy A06 Upgrades – Honestly, the main changes from the Galaxy A05 to the A06 are new color options and the addition of a side-mounted fingerprint reader. The A06 runs on Android 14 and is expected to receive two more major software updates, making it a newer device. Despite these upgrades, the A05 remains a similar phone available at a lower price point.
Exploring the Galaxy A06 – While the Galaxy A06 may seem like a minor upgrade, a closer look is needed to fully understand its features and improvements. As the Galaxy A05 was not reviewed previously, this presents an opportunity to assess the advancements in Samsung’s entry-level hardware.
Samsung Galaxy A06 Design and Build Quality
The Samsung Galaxy A06 features an unassuming design with slight refreshes from its predecessor, the A05. The device has rounded corners, a lightweight build at 195 grams, and a solid feel despite being mostly made of plastic. The back panel has a textured finish with a vertical stripe pattern, available in Blue, White, and Gold colors. The front glass offers better durability than simple plastic, and the phone is easy to keep clean with minimal dirt accumulation on the finish.
Button Placement and Controls
The Galaxy A06 has buttons on the right-hand side, including a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button for quick and accurate unlocking. The volume rocker provides good tactile feedback, and the left side houses a SIM/microSD card tray with two nano-SIM slots and a dedicated microSD slot. The phone features a 3.5mm audio jack, Type-C port, speaker, and main microphone at the bottom, with a secondary noise-canceling microphone at the top. The device’s budget appearance is evident from the teardrop selfie camera notch and slimmed-down bezels compared to its predecessor.
Front Design and Display
The Galaxy A06’s front design showcases a budget look with a teardrop notch and visible bezels, though slimmer than the previous model. The phone boasts an 83.8% screen-to-body ratio, an improvement from the Galaxy A05. Hidden sensors above the display contribute to a cleaner front aesthetic. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A06 offers a practical and functional design with user-friendly controls and a durable build suitable for everyday use.
Samsung Galaxy A06 Display, Battery, and Speaker Review
The display of the Samsung Galaxy A06 is described as basic, featuring a PLS LCD with a 720 x 1600 pixel resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. It lacks impressive brightness levels, with a maximum of 564 nits and a minimum of 7 nits. The display quality is criticized for being reflective, having poor pixel response rate, and lacking HDR support.
In terms of battery life, the Galaxy A06 is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery, providing a solid 13:50 hours of Active Use Score. The phone excelled in voice call testing but did not perform well in charging speed tests, as it failed to charge at more than 2W despite recognizing fast chargers. The expected charging speeds are similar to the Galaxy A05s.
The Galaxy A06 features a single bottom-firing speaker that offers decent volume but lacks bass and can distort at higher volume levels. While it includes features like Dolby Atmos and Bluetooth’s separate app sound, the speaker quality is not particularly impressive compared to other budget phones with stereo speakers.
Comparison of Samsung Galaxy A25 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G – The text provides a comparison between the Samsung Galaxy A25 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G in terms of loudness measurements and frequency response. The data includes measurements at various frequencies for both devices, indicating the loudness levels and how well they reproduce bass, treble, and mid frequencies.
The Galaxy A06 offers dual nano-SIM connectivity with LTE support but lacks 5G and eSIM capabilities. It supports GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and BDS for location services. Local connectivity includes dual-band Wi-Fi 5/ac, Bluetooth 5.2, and a 3.5mm audio jack. However, it does not have NFC and features a basic Type-C port with USB 2.0 data connection.
The Galaxy A06 features a limited set of sensors, including an accelerometer and light/proximity combo. Notably, it lacks a magnetometer, compass, gyroscope, and barometer. The device offers OTG/USB Host support but does not have video output capabilities.
Samsung Galaxy A06 Software / Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A06 runs on Samsung’s One UI 6.1 on top of Android 14, offering a feature-complete version of the software. While it lacks Samsung’s Galaxy AI and the seven-year software support reserved for flagships, it still provides two major Android upgrades and four years of security patches. Notable features of One UI 6 include a redesigned Quick Panel, improved camera app, and powerful gallery tools, similar to those found in the Galaxy S series.
In terms of performance, the Galaxy A06 features a MediaTek Helio G85 chip with basic CPU and GPU capabilities. It comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, expandable via a microSD card slot. However, the eMMC 5.1 storage may impact the device’s fluidity and responsiveness. Benchmarks show that the Galaxy A06 offers modest CPU and GPU performance compared to other smartphones in its price range, making it suitable for basic tasks but not high-performance usage.
The Mali-G52MC2 GPU in the Galaxy A06 provides decent performance for its price range, especially with its HD resolution. While the device may not excel in terms of raw performance, it offers a budget-friendly option for users looking for a smartphone that can handle everyday tasks. Overall, the Galaxy A06 is a budget device that prioritizes affordability and basic functionality over high-end performance.
Performance and Thermal-Throttling of Galaxy A06 – In terms of performance, the Galaxy A06 falls short with a modest chipset, limited RAM, and slow storage, resulting in a sluggish user experience that may not improve with software updates. Despite featuring the MediaTek Helio G85 processor, the phone struggles with speed and responsiveness, making it less than ideal for daily use.
The Galaxy A06, however, excels in thermal management, as the Helio G85 chipset maintains stability under prolonged stress without generating excessive heat. This prevents thermal throttling and ensures consistent performance over time, with the phone remaining comfortable to hold even during demanding tasks.
Graphics Benchmarking and User Experience – GFXBench graphics benchmarking has been discontinued due to restrictions on reviewed phones, but the 3D Mark performance ranking serves as a reliable alternative for assessing graphics capabilities. While the Galaxy A06 may not deliver top-tier performance, its thermal efficiency and lack of overheating issues contribute to a more consistent user experience.
Despite its limitations in processing power, the phone’s ability to handle stress loads without significant performance degradation sets it apart in terms of thermal management.Overall, the Galaxy A06 offers a mixed bag of performance, with subpar speed and responsiveness offset by efficient thermal control. Users seeking a budget-friendly device with stable performance under pressure may find the Galaxy A06 to be a suitable option, especially for tasks that do not require intensive processing power.
Samsung Galaxy A06 Camera: Photo/Video
The Samsung Galaxy A06 features a dual-camera setup with a 50MP main camera and a 2MP macro lens. The main camera captures 12.5MP binned stills by default, producing passable but unimpressive results with issues like noise and limited dynamic range. The phone offers a Pro mode on the main camera and night mode for both main and selfie cameras. Selfies from the 8MP front-facing camera are decent, with natural-looking faces and good skin tones.
In terms of low-light performance, the Galaxy A06 struggles with noise and softness in low-light conditions. The phone has a dedicated night mode that significantly improves image quality by reducing noise. However, low-light selfies still suffer from noise issues. Video capture is limited to 1080p resolution for both the main and selfie cameras, with mono audio recording. Unfortunately, the Galaxy A06 lacks stabilization features like OIS and EIS, impacting video quality.
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A06’s camera setup is modest, with the main camera offering better results in 50MP mode. While the phone’s camera app is standard for Samsung devices, the lack of stabilization and limited video resolution are notable drawbacks. Despite some shortcomings in low-light performance, the dedicated night mode helps improve image quality in challenging lighting conditions.
Camera Quality of Samsung Galaxy A06 – The camera quality of the Samsung Galaxy A06 is criticized for poor performance. The color rendition is inaccurate, and there is noticeable over sharpening in the images. Moreover, the device lacks video stabilization, leading to shaky footage.
Selfie videos taken with the Samsung Galaxy A06 exhibit washed-out colors, low contrast, and limited dynamic range. The overall color accuracy is also questioned, as the colors do not appear true to life in the captured images and videos.
The review of the Samsung Galaxy A06 highlights the subpar camera performance, emphasizing issues such as color accuracy, over sharpening, and the absence of video stabilization. Users are advised to consider these drawbacks when evaluating the device’s camera capabilities.
Samsung Galaxy A06 Review: Final Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A06 is currently available in the US and India, with pricing starting at $169 for the base model. It offers a budget-friendly option with different storage configurations. However, when comparing it to other devices within a similar price range, such as the Galaxy A15 or A25, the A06 falls short in terms of display quality, chipset performance, and software updates.
In the competitive market, alternatives like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G provide better features such as a brighter display, stereo speakers, and higher camera resolution. The Galaxy A06’s shortcomings include a mediocre display, sluggish performance, and limited RAM and storage options. Despite some positive aspects like solid battery life and a dedicated microSD card slot, the overall package of the A06 may not be compelling for users seeking a more refined experience.
In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy A06 disappoints with its lackluster display, performance issues, and limited features compared to other devices in its price range. While it offers some positives like a durable build and decent battery life, the overall user experience may not meet expectations. For those considering a Samsung device, alternatives like the Galaxy A15 or A25 may provide a better value proposition, or exploring options from different manufacturers could lead to a more satisfying purchase.
