The Samsung Galaxy A73 may not be the most affordable mid-range phone with its RM2,099 price tag. But for that kind of money, you’re getting a relatively complete feature set, including water resistance, good build quality, as well as a bright and vibrant Super AMOLED Plus screen with a fast 120Hz refresh rate.
If you’re looking for a capable mid-ranger – that is also water-resistant – consider the Galaxy A73. While value for money is not its strong suit, this phone has some compelling qualities; here are six of our favourite features.
Bright, Vibrant 120Hz Super AMOLED Plus Screen
Let’s start with the Super AMOLED Plus display of the Galaxy A73. Now featuring a 120Hz refresh rate – an upgrade from 90Hz – the phone feels extra fluid and responsive. Mobile games that support this refresh rate will also run noticeably smoother.
As for the Galaxy A73’s 6.7-inch 1080p AMOLED panel itself, it’s very pleasant to look at. It has punchy colours, good brightness, and deep, true blacks; inherent characteristics of an AMOLED screen. In short, you won’t be disappointed with the screen quality of this mid-range phone.
Adequate Performance Level
Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset, the Galaxy A73 is more than fast enough to provide a smooth user experience in day-to-day use. That being said, it does struggle to run Genshin Impact at 60fps consistently, though the game is still very much playable.
Given that Genshin Impact is one of the most demanding games to run – even some flagship phones can’t play the game smoothly – it’s commendable that the A73 can run it as well as it does.
Good Build Quality
As for build quality, the Galaxy A73 feels solid in the hands. This is despite the fact that it has a plastic frame and rear panel; the phone doesn’t feel cheap by any means. I also like the fact that it has a “flatter” frame than its predecessor, which makes it easier to get a good grip on the phone.
Though not strictly related to build quality, it’s worth noting that the plastic back panel of the Galaxy A73 also has a matte finish. It’s very nice to the touch, which gives the phone a more…well, premium appeal.
Long Battery Life
When it comes to battery life, the Galaxy A73 is quite long-lasting. In our review, we managed to consistently get over six hours of screen on time out of the generous 5,000mAh battery. While this is not the best battery life we’ve seen on a mid-ranger, it’s certainly above average.
Do note that we got this figure by setting the refresh rate of the Galaxy A73’s display to 120Hz; the always on display was also enabled. If you want even better battery life, lowering the refresh rate and disabling the always on display should do the trick.
Polished Software Experience
Software is arguably more important than raw hardware power, and in this regard, the Galaxy A73 has a polished, responsive software experience. In fact, running on One UI 4.1 based on Android 12, it (essentially) has the same software experience as Samsung’s flagship phones.
A refined, fuss-free software experience is something that doesn’t apply to many, many other Android phones across all segments. Samsung really does offer one of the best – if not the best – software experiences in the Android space, and this remains true for the Galaxy A73.
IP67 Water Resistance
Last but certainly not least is the IP67 rating of the Galaxy A73. Yes, it’s not the most exciting feature, but it’s a unique selling point for this mid-range smartphone. After all, even most flagship-class phones are not water-resistant in 2022.
Basically, the IP67 rating of the Galaxy A73 allows it to be submerged up to 1m underwater for 30 minutes. This alone can be a huge selling point to certain folks, especially if you want the convenience of giving the phone a quick wash. You won’t have to worry (too much) about water damage either.
Priced at RM2,099, the Samsung Galaxy A73 is positioned as an upper mid-range phone, and it doesn’t offer particularly great value for money. But while its value proposition is not fantastic, this phone does offer water resistance, a bright, vibrant, and fast 120Hz Super AMOLED Plus screen, as well as solid build quality.
You will definitely find other phones with better value for money, but you’d be hard-pressed to look for another mid-ranger with a similar feature set as the Galaxy A73. If you want a mid-range smartphone with these qualities – along with a polished software experience – the Galaxy A73 should be in your shortlist.