Tech reviewers while going about their jobs often tend to run a magnet over iron filings, making most not-so-costly smartphones point in the same direction. It’s doing injustice to technology. They tend to forget the needs of the average user, who is not bothered by a 108MP camera sensor. Samsung has realised this early on and has quickly managed to broaden the definition of flagship devices. First, there are the aspirational devices that bring with it a certain degree of prestige. Then there are the flagship-inspired devices that are winning hearts over with power and innovation. The latter category comprises devices that can get most jobs done at a fraction of the cost of a flagship number. And the Samsung Galaxy A31 shines on this front.

Crisp display

Frankly, there has rarely been an occasion to doubt the display of a Samsung device — be it TVs or the smartphone. This company has never compromised on what is always the brightest, most vivid displays around, and the Infinity-U sAMOLED on the A31 is no exception. Be it streaming videos within the confines of your house or outside under the sun, the screen is bright.

Colour accuracy and contrast are far superior to its competition, ensuring photos look amazing while text appears crisp while reading articles on the web. It’s a roomy screen with a wide colour gamut. With remote working here to stay, technology is making a profound effect on how we stay in touch with colleagues and loved ones. Videoconferencing is nothing less than a lifeline. So a good display and camera set-up are must-haves in 2020. The phone comes with an optical in-display fingerprint sensor which is appreciatively faster than what the company has offered in last year’s mid-range devices. If there is one thing I would like to add on the screen front, it would be a higher refresh rate, which makes scrolling smoother.

No-nonsense camera set-up

Though we are looking forward to testing the company’s latest Exynos 850 powering the just-launched Galaxy A21, the device in hand has a Mediatek 6768 octa-core processor. It’s fast for most tasks and gaming — like World War Heroes: WW2 FPS and PUBG — is also efficient. Agreed that the processor is not something hardcore gamers would go for and one has to set graphics to a lower setting, Galaxy A31 delivers what’s needed — quick app load speeds and good battery life. Also, the phone runs One UI 2.1 and we are greeted with Quick Share, which is like an AirDrop feature. And it comes with Samsung Pay. One feature that’s missing — and frankly we don’t miss it — is Bixby, the voice assistant. Sorry Bixby!

How does it hold up on the camera front? The A31 comes with four cameras on the back — 48MP main, 5MP depth, 8MP ultra-wide and 5MP macro. It has most of the tricks one expects from smartphones these days. The main sensor captures pictures that are vivid under sunlight and the macro lens is a good addition for those who want to take close-up shots of things around the house or in the garden. Night photography is also good but with a dedicated night mode, things would have been slightly better. Yet, we got some good shots using the food mode on the camera front under uneven lighting. Video recording on the rear camera is FHD 1920x1080 @30fps. In other words, a no-nonsense camera set-up which is decent.

Who is it for?

Fitted with a 5,000mAh battery, the phone easily offers enough power for a day and a half after some video editing, streaming and browsing. The South Korean company has figured out what consumers want from a mid-range phone, especially a good display and long battery life at an affordable price. The stress is on ‘affordable’. As smartphone consumers globally are becoming increasingly price-sensitive, Samsung Galaxy A31 proves that one doesn’t need the priciest phone to enjoy a great experience.

Samsung Galaxy A31 The Telegraph

At a glance

• Device: Samsung Galaxy A31
• CPU: Octa-core, 2GHz, 1.7GHz
• Display: 6.4-inch Infinity-U sAMOLED
• Camera: Rear — 48MP+5MP+8MP+5MP; front – 20MP
• Memory: 6GB RAM/128GB (microSD — up to 512GB)
• SIM: Dual
• Price: Rs 21,999