Samsung launched the Galaxy A33 5G, A53 5G and A73 5G in Malaysia last March with several improvements to the A32, A52 and A72 designs launched the previous year. But this year Samsung did something quite controversial by removing the audio jack on the A73. Is the absence of audio jacks forgivable with other features on this device? This short comment tries to answer it on your behalf.
Specifications And Designs
Samsung Galaxy A73 5G
6.7 SAMOLED screen,
FHD+, 120Hz, HDR10+
Snapdragon 778G processor (6nm)
Chip 4 X 3.0 GHz Kryo 570 Gold
4 X 2.5 GHz Kryto 570 Silver
Adreno 642L Graphics Chip
RAM 8GB
256 UFS Internal Capacity (1TB micro SD)
Main Camera 108+12+5+5 Megapixel f/1.8+f/2.2+f/2.4+f/2.4, OIS
32 f/2.2 Megapixel Selfie Camera
5000 mAh battery
25W wired charging
SIM / Phone Dual SIM nano / 5G
NFC Yes
Audio Jack Missing
Waterproof IP67
Scanning System Finger scanner at the bottom of the screen
Selling Price RM 2099 (8/256GB)
The "face" of the device is still the same, which is a 6.7 ″ SAMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz and HDR10+support. The device is also equipped with a fingerprint scanner system under the screen as well as an Infinity-O camera hole located in the center line. The bezel is thin with only the bottom bezel being slightly thicker when compared to the other three sides. The screen design is also still kept flat with quite satisfactory color reproduction.
The device can support HDR10+ display on YouTube, Netflix and Disney+ apps. While using the device it does feel a little big but there is a one -handed mode for those with small hands.
The screen is not only bright but is able to offer vivid colors. The test was done in a room so we could not test whether the performance under the scorching sun was good. For those uncomfortable with the 120Hz refresh rate, there is an option to switch to 60Hz mode.
The body of the device is now more boxy and feels more plastic. It feels so light in the hand that it feels awkward we made it because the daily use device over the past few weeks is the heavy Xiaomi 12 Pro. The frame now has a flat side that is very comfortable in the hand. Similar to the flat design used on the Galaxy S22+ that we reviewed a few months ago. It is not only comfortable to hold but the device looks more sleek.
The power button and audio barrel are still retained on the right side with it being made of sturdy metal. A SIM tray that supports nano-SIM dual and a micro SD card is placed on the top. Users can add device storage up to 1TB using a micro SD card on the Galaxy A73.
"What is sad this year is that the device no longer comes with a 3.5mm audio jack"
Moving down there is a USB-C charging port and a lattice for speakers. What is sad this year is that the device no longer comes with a 3.5mm audio jack that has for so long made the Galaxy A series a fan favorite. Samsug is starting to see the use of TWS gaining popularity and keeping the audio jack on the Galaxy A series may no longer be of interest.
The good news is that the stereo audio system is still maintained with only one facing forward and the other facing downward. We don’t year why Samsung doesn’t want to follow in Xiaomi’s footsteps which offers devices with stereo speakers that are both side-facing for more balanced audio. As such the Galaxy A73’s audio is still less balanced with the louder bottom speakers. A Dolby Atmos audio system is included and it can be used on physical speakers when needed.
This year's camera hump, although still rectangular in shape, has a more sloping side as found on the Oppo Find X3 Pro. It is not very high but still does not allow the device to be placed flat on the table surface. The back panel is still from the polycarbonate material used last year. We know the use of polycarbonate on devices is an issue for some users. All we can say is that the back panel of the device still looks beautiful especially in Awesome Peach and Awesome Mint colors.
Panels from this material are also more durable than glass and do not trap dirt easily. There are pros and cons of using glass or polycarbonate panels but it depends on personal taste which one is better.
The Snapdragon 778G chip used is the same as that used on the Galaxy A52S 5G. This is the main difference between the Galaxy A73 with the Galaxy A33 and Galaxy A53 which uses the new Exynos 1280 chip.
The Snapdragon 778G is a mid-range eight-core 6nm chip with 2x Kryo 670 Gold cores and 6x Cortex-A670 cores matched to an Adreno 642L GPU. This is Qualcomm’s best chip for mid -range devices to date.
Model options in Malaysia only with 8GB RAM and 256GB UFS storage with micro SD card support. There is also RAM Plus system support which adds 2GB, 4GB and 6GB memory according to the needs of the owner. Then there should be no more issue of the device refreshing the app regularly while it is stored in the background.
The main camera matches a 108MP wide -angle lens, a 12MP ultra -wide -angle lens, a 5MP macro lens and a 5MP depth lens. The combination of a quad-camera system is different from the Galaxy A72 5G because a telephoto system with 3X optical zoom is no longer provided. Emphasis is given to wide -angle lens cameras only with very large sized sensors.
Power supply is a 5000 mAh battery with 25W fast charging support via USB-C port. With its large capacity Samsung is confident the device can be used for up to two days. The extent to which this is grounded in the real earth will only be able to be proven after the device is reviewed later. All we can say now is that this year the charger is not provided with every purchase just like there are no more 3.5mm audio jacks.
Complementing the device's specifications is that it supports WiFi 6 networks, Bluetooth 5.0, and all GPS systems on earth. The device also passes the IP67 waterproof standard which is rarely given on mid -range Android devices. Concluding the specifications is that the device supports the 5G Sub-6GHz network used in Malaysia with it can be used since 6 May.
Usage And Software
The device uses Android 12 with the launch of One UI 4.1 which is comparable to that used on the Galaxy S22 series. We are not allowed to take any screenshots on the model tested but we can confirm it is the same as the one we used on the Galaxy S22+. Then the screenshot of the Galaxy S22+ we use below instead.
What do you get with One UI 4.1? Minimalist interface with not many abrupt changes compared to stock Android. The interface is also easier to use with one hand because the position of the icons as well as easier access with some accessibility features.
In the early stages of use is quite smooth when matched with a 120Hz screen. There are no issues of screen frame rate choking due to failure to process the given input. Despite using the Snapdragon 778G chip, the user experience is on par with the more flagship Galaxy S22+. But after more and more apps were installed in the background and installed, the A73 started to get stuck.
This is weird because this issue we have never experienced on One UI devices. Then we realized the model reviewed only comes with 6GB of RAM instead of 8GB of RAM on the model sold to the public. From previous experience, One UI requires at least 8GB of RAM to operate smoothly.
We’ve reviewed the Galaxy A52s with 8GB of RAM and Snapdragon 778G before without any issues. So we can say most likely the A73 with 8GB of RAM won’t have this blocking issue. One more thing increasing the size of RAM Plus does not resolve this issue of devices not operating smoothly on the units reviewed.
Samsung confirmed the Galaxy A73, Galaxy A53 and Galaxy A33 will receive Android version support for four generations and security patches for five years. This makes the update support offered by Samsung is the best on the Android platform beyond what Google can afford to offer on the Pixel.
Among the interesting features on One UI 4.1 are as follows.
Edge Panels - Side panels for apps, compasses, Smart Select and more.
RAM Plus - Virtual RAM addition of up to 6GB.
Edge Lighting - Lights on the screen when receiving a notification.
AOD - The display is active even when the screen is off.
Easy Mode - Senior citizen friendly interface.
Secure Folder - Stores files in a locked container.
Live Captions - Real -time subtitles
Bench mark
The scores recorded by the Snapdragon 778G chip on the A73 in the Geekbench 5 and Antutu 3D benchmark tests are as below. It is among the highest in the category of premium mid -range devices.
Geekbench 5 - 736/2740 Marks
Antutu 3D - 477,570 Marks
The closest competitor processor is the Dimensity 920 which recorded 813/2314 marks in the Geekbench 5 test and 494,848 marks in the Geekbench 5 test. The difference in scores is quite noticeable in fact not very felt in daily use. The Snapdragon 778G is still a powerful SOC to use despite being quite old.
Running a primer like COD Mobile on a medium setting can be done quite comfortably. The device becomes a little lukewarm only. The advantage of the polycarbonate back panel is that it is a good thermal insulator. So the device doesn’t feel like it wants to turn into an iron after a long gaming session.
Telephones And GPS
We used a Digi SIM throughout the review which only supports 4G networks. Cellular calls are clear and bright depending on your area. In the most optimal situation with 4G shows 5 full bars of phone calls made clearly. For a better phone call experience enable VoLTE and VoWiFi. This is especially helpful if you live in control with an unsatisfactory 4G network.
GPS also worked well throughout the two -week review period. The Waze and Google Map apps instantly track the location of vehicles. While moving between two tall buildings around Kuala Lumpur the signal was not interrupted.
Camera
Here is a sample picture from the main camera 108MP wide angle, 12MP ultra wide angle, 5MP macro. and 5MP depth as well as a 32MP front camera. Overall the picture quality is good when using the main camera as it is equipped with OIS system.
On other cameras the quality is mixed. Ultra wide angle mode is simple as well as long as in bright situations. The macro lens is just a gimmick because of the 5MP quality. The bokeh system used is also not very consistent.
One thing that is consistent on all lenses is the reproduction of less vibrant colors. Not so lively or satisfying. Because of the 108MP sensor, the process takes longer. It is difficult to take many pictures in a row quickly because the camera will pause each time the camera button is pressed. It is better if a smaller sensor is used in this situation.
In the premium mid -range device category, we felt the better camera performance offered by the Realme 9 Pro+. This Realme device takes pictures with more vivid colors, sharper images and a more satisfying night mode.
Battery
The battery performance is very satisfactory because in heavy use the 5000 mAh battery is able to last up to almost 20 hours with an SOT of almost 8 hours. On lighter use the device can operate for up to 2 days with an SOT of around 7.5 hours.
This is to be expected as the large battery size is matched by a chip that is not very battery thirsty. Recharging the battery using a 25W charger (purchased separately) takes around 80 minutes, This is not the fastest charger on the market and further frustratingly the direct charger is not provided by Samsung in the box. Only wired charging via the USB-C port can be done by the A73.
Audio
The audio is satisfactory because Dolby Atmos can be used on the stereo physical speakers used. It is clear and loud. Doesn’t sound like an empty aluminum can even at the highest volume levels. But one lattice still shoots to the side and the other forward resulting in unbalanced stereo audio.
The lack of audio jacks is disappointing as Samsung’s Galaxy A series is so far the last line of devices that still support it along with stereo speakers, microSD card slot, OIS camera and waterproof capabilities. Many other devices in its class are also no longer equipped with 3.5mm audio jacks. Audio quality using bluetooth accessories is highly dependent on the equipment used. When used in conjunction with the Sony WH10000XM5 we were able to enjoy very satisfying audio due to the existence of LDAC support.
Competitors
Samsung Galaxy A73 5G Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE Realme 9 Pro+
6.71 SAMOLED, 1080 x 2400, 120Hz, (393 PPI), HDR10+
6.55 AMOLED, 1080 x 2400, 90Hz, (402 PPI), Dolby Vision 6.4 AMOLED, 1080 x 2400,
90Hz, (411 ppi)
Snapdragon 778G (6nm)
4 X 2.4 GHz Kryo 670 Gold
4 X 1.9 GHz Kryo 670 Silver Snapdragon 778G (6nm)
4 X 2.4 GHz Kryo 670 Gold
4 X 1.9 GHz Kryo 670 Silver Dimensity 920 (6nm)
2 X 2.5 GHz Cortex A78
6 X 2.0 GHz Coretx A55
Adreno 642L Adreno 642L Mali-G68 MC4
8 GB 8 GB 8 GB
256 GB UFS
(Micro SD 1TB) 256 GB UFS
256 GB UFS 2.1
Main Camera
108+12+5+5 Megapixel f/1.8+f/2.2+f/2.4+f/2.4 Main Camera
64+8+5 Megapixels (f/1.8+f/2.2+f/2.4) Main Camera
50+8+2 Megapixels (f/1.8+f/2.2+f/2.4+f/2.4)
Front Camera
32-Megapixel f/2.2
Front Camera
20-Megapixel f/2.2 Front Camera
16-Megapixel f/2.4
IP67 IP53 Not waterproof
No Audio Jack No Audio Jack Yes
Audio Stereo Audio Stereo Audio Stereo
5000 mAh (Wired 25W) 4250 mAh (Wired 33W) 4500 mAh (Wired 60W)
Price RM2099 Price RM1599 Price RM1599
In the box
Here is what is received with every purchase of a device in Malaysia.
1x Samsung Galaxy A73 5G
1x USB-C to USB-C charger cable
1x Manual
Conclusion
The strength of the Samsung Galaxy A73 5G lies in its attractive design, comfortable in hand, powerful processor, large battery and software support for up to five years of the best in the industry. It offers all the goodies of the Galaxy A72 except no longer the 3.5mm audio jack that yesterday made the Galaxy A series a pretty characterful device. The same can no longer be used this year.
There aren’t many negative things we can write about except the loss of the aforementioned audio features and charging that no longer deserves to be called fast. Nor is a charger provided with every purchase in the name of wanting to save the environment.
The performance of the camera is also just modest with colors that are not satisfactory at all. It’s hard to target the A73 if you want good camera capabilities. It is better to buy a more powerful Realme 9 Pro+ and a more lively camera because the sensor is the same as the one used on the Oppo Find X5 Pro.
Pro
More attractive body design.
The Snapdragon 778G is a powerful chip.
1TB micro SD card support.
RAM Plus adds up to 6GB of memory.
IP67 waterproof.
Large size battery.
Software support for five years.
Cons
No 3.5mm audio jack.
The camera's capabilities are not very satisfactory.
The charging system is still slow.
Charger is not provided with purchase.
Polycarbonate back panel.
