Samsung Galaxy A71 Review: A Premium Mid-Range Smartphone That Delivers Almost Everything
Samsung has kicked off 2020 with another impressive addition to its Galaxy A lineup. The new Samsung Galaxy A71 arrives with a large display, capable cameras, solid performance, and an eye-catching design that closely resembles some of Samsung’s flagship devices.
The Galaxy A series has become one of Samsung’s most important smartphone lineups, offering premium features without the premium price tag. With the Galaxy A71, Samsung seems determined to prove that users no longer need to spend flagship money to enjoy a great smartphone experience.
But does the Samsung Galaxy A71 live up to the hype? Let’s take a closer look.
Samsung Galaxy A71 Design and Build Quality
The Samsung Galaxy A71 immediately catches attention with its sleek and modern design. It features a slim profile measuring just 7.7mm thick and weighs approximately 179 grams, making it surprisingly comfortable to hold despite its large display.
The back panel uses Samsung’s “Glasstic” finish, which is essentially high-quality plastic designed to resemble glass. It has a reflective prism pattern that changes appearance depending on how light hits it. The phone is available in attractive color options including Prism Crush Black, Silver, Blue, and Pink.
The camera module adopts Samsung’s rectangular design language, giving the device a premium appearance that resembles more expensive smartphones.
A Small Comparison with Samsung Galaxy A71 5G
Compared to the
Samsung Galaxy A71 5G, the standard Galaxy A71 is slightly lighter and thinner. Both phones share nearly identical dimensions and design aesthetics, including the Infinity-O display and prism-inspired rear finish. However, the Galaxy A71 5G feels marginally more premium due to its additional hardware components and stronger emphasis on future-proof connectivity.
Nevertheless, in terms of everyday handling and visual appeal, the standard Galaxy A71 holds its own remarkably well.
Stunning 6.7-Inch Super AMOLED Display
One of the biggest highlights of the Galaxy A71 is its gorgeous display.
The smartphone features a massive 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED Plus display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. Samsung has long been known for producing some of the best smartphone displays in the industry, and the Galaxy A71 continues that tradition.
Colors are vibrant, blacks are deep, and viewing angles are excellent. Whether you’re watching movies, browsing social media, or playing games, the display offers an immersive experience.
The Infinity-O punch-hole design also contributes to a modern appearance by minimizing bezels and maximizing screen space.
The large screen makes multitasking easy and provides plenty of room for gaming and media consumption. Despite its size, the display remains sharp and responsive.
Performance and Hardware
Powering the Samsung Galaxy A71 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor. Built on an efficient 8nm process, this chipset delivers a great balance between performance and power efficiency.
The processor is paired with:
- 6GB RAM or 8GB RAM
- 128GB internal storage
- Expandable storage via microSD card up to 512GB
For daily activities such as web browsing, social media, video streaming, and messaging, the Galaxy A71 performs smoothly.
Even demanding applications and modern mobile games run comfortably on the device. Popular games like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile can be played on high graphics settings with relatively stable frame rates.
The Snapdragon 730 may not compete directly with flagship processors, but it provides more than enough power for the vast majority of users.
Quad Rear Camera Setup
Samsung has equipped the Galaxy A71 with an impressive quad-camera system.
Main Camera
- 64MP primary sensor
- f/1.8 aperture
Ultra-Wide Camera
- 12MP sensor
- 123-degree field of view
Macro Camera
Depth Sensor
The 64MP primary camera captures detailed photos with good dynamic range and impressive color reproduction. Samsung’s image processing tends to produce vibrant and social-media-ready images.
The ultra-wide camera is excellent for landscapes, group photos, and architecture shots. It allows users to capture significantly more in a single frame.
The dedicated macro camera lets users get extremely close to subjects, revealing details that are often impossible to capture using standard lenses.
Meanwhile, the depth sensor assists with portrait photography by producing pleasing background blur effects.
Daylight Photography
In good lighting conditions, the Galaxy A71 produces impressive photographs. Images are sharp, colors are punchy, and exposure is generally accurate.
Low-Light Photography
Low-light performance is respectable for a mid-range smartphone. Samsung’s Night Mode helps improve brightness and reduce noise, although some detail loss is still noticeable in extremely dark environments.
Selfie Camera
The Galaxy A71 features a 32MP front-facing camera housed inside the centered punch-hole cutout.
Selfie enthusiasts will appreciate the amount of detail captured by the sensor. Images appear bright and sharp, with pleasing skin tones and good dynamic range.
The camera also supports Live Focus effects, allowing users to create portrait selfies with blurred backgrounds.
Video calls look clear, and the front camera is capable of recording 4K videos, which is a notable feature in this price category.
Video Recording Capabilities
The Samsung Galaxy A71 supports:
- 4K video recording at 30fps
- Super Steady mode
- Slow-motion recording
- Hyperlapse videos
The Super Steady feature is particularly useful for users who enjoy recording videos while walking or participating in outdoor activities.
Overall, the phone offers a versatile camera experience that caters to both casual users and content creators.
Software Experience
The Galaxy A71 ships with Android 10 and Samsung’s One UI 2.
Samsung’s One UI has matured significantly over the years and is now regarded as one of the best Android interfaces available.
Features include:
- Dark Mode
- Digital Wellbeing tools
- Improved gesture navigation
- Edge Panels
- Game Launcher
- Secure Folder
- One-handed mode
The software experience feels polished and optimized for large-screen smartphones.
Samsung has also reduced unnecessary clutter, making the interface cleaner and easier to navigate.
Battery Life and Charging
Battery performance is another area where the Galaxy A71 shines.
The smartphone packs a large 4,500mAh battery that comfortably lasts an entire day for most users.
Moderate users can even stretch the battery life into a second day.
Samsung includes support for 25W fast charging, which significantly reduces charging times.
Within approximately 30 minutes, users can recover a substantial amount of battery life, making the device convenient for busy lifestyles.
The combination of efficient hardware, AMOLED technology, and intelligent software optimization contributes to excellent endurance.
Connectivity Features
The Samsung Galaxy A71 offers a solid selection of connectivity options:
- Dual-SIM support
- 4G LTE
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth 5.0
- USB Type-C
- GPS
- NFC in selected markets
- 3.5mm headphone jack
The inclusion of the headphone jack will be welcomed by users who still prefer wired audio accessories.
Security Features
Samsung includes an in-display fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy A71.
The optical fingerprint sensor works reasonably well and provides a futuristic unlocking experience.
Users can also unlock the device using facial recognition via the front camera.
Both methods are fast enough for everyday use.
Samsung Galaxy A71 Release Price
At launch, the Samsung Galaxy A71 was priced at approximately:
- US Dollar: $399
- British Pound: £370
- Indian Rupee: ₹29,999
- Nigerian Naira: Approximately ₦145,000 (based on exchange rates around its release period)
Pricing may vary slightly depending on market taxes and regional availability.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Large and beautiful Super AMOLED Plus display
Attractive premium-looking design
Excellent battery life
Fast 25W charging support
Versatile quad-camera system
Good gaming and everyday performance
Expandable storage support
3.5mm headphone jack included
Excellent selfie camera
Cons
Plastic back instead of real glass
No official water resistance rating
No wireless charging
Fingerprint sensor can occasionally feel slow
Low-light photography could be better
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy A71 successfully bridges the gap between affordability and premium smartphone experiences. It offers an excellent display, dependable performance, capable cameras, impressive battery life, and modern design elements that make it feel more expensive than it actually is.
While it lacks some flagship features such as wireless charging and water resistance, these omissions are understandable considering its price point.
For users seeking a stylish, feature-packed smartphone without venturing into flagship territory, the Samsung Galaxy A71 stands out as one of the strongest mid-range Android smartphones available in 2020.
It is a phone that gets nearly everything right and demonstrates just how competitive Samsung’s Galaxy A series has become.
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