The Galaxy A51’s 6.5-inch display screen will not wash out in direct daylight.
Juan Garzon/CNET
How good can a $400 telephone actually be? When the machine in query is the Samsung Galaxy A51, the reply is easy: good. In truth, Samsung’s price range telephone (£329 within the UK and AU$599 in Australia) greater than holds its personal in opposition to Apple’s iPhone SE (which begins at $399, £419 and AU$749). Screen dimension and readability, telephone options, digital camera high quality and efficiency — it delivers in each key means however one.

Like6.5-inch display screen is detailed and vibrantWide-angle digital camera choiceHeadphone jack

Don’t LikeProcessor pace dragsNo water resistance

As the primary actual consultant of the Galaxy A household within the US, the A51 is a convincing effort that proves that Samsung could make a very good midprice telephone that individuals will wish to purchase. And they need to. By the way in which, the Galaxy A51 is offered at Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Amazon and as a part of a bundle bundle at Samsung.com. It’s the pace of its Samsung-made Exynos 9611 processor that is the Galaxy A51’s Achilles’ heel. Performance feels sluggish dealing with day-to-day actions resembling ready for a web site to load or for apps to refresh. Benchmarking exams assist that real-world commentary. 

Camera efficiency between these two rivals is nearer than you may suppose.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
The Galaxy A51 actually lags in comparison with top-tier telephones such because the Galaxy S20, but in addition when held up in opposition to the A51’s fundamental rival. That’s as a result of Apple gave the iPhone SE the identical A13 Bionic chipset as its most costly iPhone 11, so Apple’s price range machine strikes quick. The iPhone SE additionally leapfrogs the A51 in the case of water resistance and wi-fi charging, each options that Samsung’s cheaper telephone lacks. (For a full comparability of the Galaxy A51 and iPhone SE’s specs, see the desk on the finish of this assessment.)But the Galaxy A51 has its personal charms. It doubles the iPhone SE’s on-board storage for the SE’s beginning worth, providing you with 128GB out of the gate in comparison with the SE’s 64GB for its least expensive mannequin — and it helps exterior storage, too. The Samsung display screen is far bigger, with slim bezels that make the telephone really feel trendy and dedicated to little wasted area. Battery life can be on par between the 2 telephones. Both come to round 16 hours in a looping video take a look at in airplane mode, with extra lab exams on their means. The Galaxy A51 lasted about 20 minutes longer than the SE on this take a look at.The Galaxy A51 additionally stands its floor on the digital camera entrance within the typical ways in which Samsung telephones and iPhones examine: Galaxy photographs are extra saturated in comparison with the iPhone’s extra pure tones. The iPhone SE advantages from optical picture stabilization, however the A51’s 4 cameras additionally offer you extra taking pictures choices than the iPhone SE. Wide-angle lens is the one I care about most, which is absent from the SE. But in all different respects, picture high quality is pretty shut, with one edging the opposite on this or that situation. For extra, my colleague, Lexy Savvides, created this fantastic and in-depth Galaxy A51 versus iPhone SE digital camera comparability.

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iPhone SE or Galaxy A51: Battle of the $400 telephone cameras

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Galaxy A51 vs. Galaxy S20Take away the iPhone SE from the equation and the A51 is akin to the Galaxy S20 Plus for a 3rd of the value. Considering the A51 is considerably cheaper than any telephone within the Galaxy S20 household, it is a powerful total bundle.Side by aspect it is laborious to inform the 2 giant telephones aside at first look, besides that the A51’s front-facing digital camera is extra apparent and the A51 makes use of an optical in-screen fingerprint reader. Incidentally, the fingerprint reader’s been extra correct than the Galaxy S20’s ultrasonic sensor for me.  The A51 is barely lighter, too, because it has a plastic backing fairly than a glass one. When I put the 2 aspect by aspect and watched the identical Netflix present on the similar body, the A51’s display screen was virtually as vibrant, detailed and richly coloured because the Galaxy S20 Plus. Outdoor legibility within the midday solar was additionally fairly even.The Galaxy A51 did a fantastic job photographing this iris, shot open air in pure gentle.
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Photos and movies look a lot better on the Galaxy S20, principally as a result of picture decision is sharper on the pricier mannequin, and since it has OIS, which makes for smoother, steadier photos and video. You can make the most of core Samsung software program on the Galaxy A51’s digital camera, together with evening mode, and the telephone has settings resembling macro and HDR. You can shoot a 48-megapixel picture by choosing the digital camera setting. When I examine the identical zoomed-in photographs taken with each telephones on my laptop computer display screen, it is simple to see the place the Galaxy S20 is superior. In different photographs, photos of native flowers alongside my stroll or the dinner I made look simply pretty much as good.I recognize that the Galaxy A51 has macro pictures the place the Galaxy S20 blurs out while you get too shut. In some circumstances, it was too simple to get an out of focus macro with the A51. Selfies are a lot better on the Galaxy S20 however completely usable on the A51. Plus, you need to use portrait mode and sweetness mode to melt the scene.The 5-megapixel macro lens captured this shot.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
It’s disappointing that the Galaxy A51 lacks water resistance. Most trendy telephones have it, although it is typical for price range units to haven’t any waterproofing or just be “splash resistant.” All-day battery life will take the A51 from morning to nighttime, and the telephone lasted a median of 16 hours, 10 minutes after three looping video exams in airplane mode. I’ll replace this assessment with the outcomes of our steaming lab exams over Wi-Fi once they’re full. Luckily, the A51 additionally features a 15-watt quick charger within the field, however in contrast to the Galaxy S20 telephones, you may want to provide your individual headphones and any USB-C to USB-C cables you might have considered trying. It does include a USB-A to USB-C wire, nonetheless.Although telephone releases have slowed down, the Galaxy A51 is considered one of at the very least 16 telephones popping out in 2020. Samsung has additionally confirmed plans to make one other foldable telephone.Galaxy A51 vs iPhone SE

Samsung Galaxy A51 (4G)

Apple iPhone SE (2020)

Display dimension, decision

6.5-inch FHD AMOLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels

4.7-inch Retina HD; 1,334×750 pixels

Pixel density

405ppi

326ppi

Dimensions (Inches)

6.24×2.90×0.31 inches

5.45×2.65×0.29 inches

Dimensions (Millimeters)

158.5×73.6×7.9 mm

138.4×67.3×7.3 mm

Weight (Ounces, Grams)

6.07 oz; 172g

5.22 oz; 148g

Mobile software program

Android 10

iOS 13

Camera

48-megapizel (commonplace), 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 5-megapixel (macro), 5-megapixel (depth sensing)

12-megapixel

Front-facing digital camera

32-megapixel

7-megapixel

Video seize

4K

4K

Processor

Samsung Exynos 9611 processor (Octa-core)

Apple A13 Bionic

Storage

128GB

64GB, 128GB, 256GB

RAM

4GB

Not disclosed

Expandable storage

Up to 512GB

No

Battery

4,000 mAh

Not disclosed, however Apple claims it has the identical battery life as iPhone 8

Fingerprint sensor

In-screen optical reader

Home button

Connector

USB-C

Lightning

Headphone jack

Yes

No

Special options

15W quick charging

Water resistant (IP67); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wi-fi charging

Price off-contract (USD)

$400

$399 (64GB), $449 (128GB), $549 (256GB)

Price (GBP)

£329

£419 (64GB), £469 (128GB), £569 (256GB)

Price (AUD)

AU$599

AU$749 (64GB), AU$829 (128GB), AU$999 (256GB)