Samsung Galaxy A33 in review: Fine mid-range phone - with one catch
27/5/2022
Translation: machine translated
The Samsung Galaxy A33 is the little brother of the Galaxy A53 and shares some features with this mid-range smartphone. And it is also the shadow of the A53 that covers the Galaxy A33. Whether you can still buy the Galaxy A33 with confidence and what we otherwise think of this inexpensive Samsung phone, you can find out in our review.
This is an article from our content partner "Nextpit". Here you can find the original article by Carsten Drees.
Pro
- Strong AMOLED display
*Decent performance in everyday use
- Great software support
- Useful main camera
Con
- A bit too expensive
- No wireless charging
- Quite slow quick charging
- No charger in the package
- No headphone jack
Short summary of the Galaxy A33
The Galaxy A33 is a worthy successor to last year's Galaxy A32. For an MSRP of 369 Euros you get a solid mid-range phone with a really strong display, IP67 certification, thick 5,000 mAh battery and 48 MP cam with optical image stabilization. The fact that the other camera sensors of the quad-cam are not as convincing, the Exynos 1280 is not a SoC for gamers and there is no charger in the box does not really hurt the overall package.
The device can also score with the software because a) Android 12 with OneUi 4.1 is available and b) the South Koreans' update promise applies here as well. The only real problem of the A33: The huge competition in this price range, including from Samsung.
Samsung Galaxy A33: Design and workmanship
Samsung does not dare to experiment wildly with the design language. However, that is not necessary, because the Galaxy A33 with its mix of plastic at the back and Gorilla Glass at the front is very appealing. Thanks to good workmanship, the phone feels high-quality, and the A33 also scores with an IP67 certification.
Likes:
- High-quality workmanship
- IP67 certification
- Fits well in the hand
- Matt finish
Dislikes:
- Wide bezel under the display
- No 3.5 mm headphone jack
Samsung will not win a Nobel Prize for innovation with the design of the Galaxy A33. But it is also not necessary to tinker too much with a good thing. The look including the camera island with its transition into the casing is based on other models from the South Koreans. However, the predecessor, the Galaxy A32 5G, still had the camera sensors without this island.
I also like the matte finish, but I have already immortalized myself there several times with my greasy fingers. On the front, it is noticeable that the chin is wider than the forehead. Thus, the edges around the display, which is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, are not symmetrical - and my inner Adrian Monk howls.
Source: NextPit
The back is made of plastic, but it does not feel cheap at all. In general, the device feels very good in the hand, but that may be different for people who don't have my huge paws. Interestingly, the A33 is minimally longer at 159.7 mm than the A53, which also has a minimally larger screen diagonal.
Regarding the IP67 certification, I appreciate that Samsung goes to this trouble every time or pays this price. Certifications are definitely a cost factor - those who complain about overly expensive Samsung models should keep that in mind! often save these costs even for flagships!
Perhaps some of you will be bothered by the fact that the headphone jack is missing. Personally, I have only used wireless headphones for years, but I at least wanted to point it out to you.
Display: Samsung's usual convincing
The display is once again Samsung's showpiece. Full HD+, AMOLED technology and 90 hertz refresh rate - that is a convincing bundle for this price range.
Likes:
- Great AMOLED display with crisp colors.
- 90 hertz
Dislikes:
Source: NextPit
Once again, applause to Samsung for a strong display. In contrast to the Galaxy A53, images are not repeated at 120 Hz, but 90 Hz is also acceptable in this price range. Unfortunately, they are not adaptive, but you can switch to 60 Hz. What else do you need to know about the display? That the screen diagonal is 6.4 inches and the FHD+ panel relies on Super AMOLED technology. I do not like the U-notch as much; I would have liked a punch hole better.
The display convinces with crisp, bright colors and high contrast. As is usually the case with Samsung, the colors are quite saturated, which might not be to some people's liking - I certainly like it! The fingerprint sensor in the lower display area responds quickly and reliably.
Performance and software:
The Exynos 1280 does a pretty decent job in everyday use. However, Samsung's own SoC with 5G support gets on its knees when it becomes more computationally intensive.
Likes:
- Quite acceptable performance
- 5G
- Long software updates
Dislikes:
- It stutters quite a bit in demanding games.
My colleague Rubens also dealt with the new Exynos 1280 in his review of the Galaxy A53. Unlike him, however, I had my difficulties when playing Genshin Impact. A clear (but not alarming) heat development was noticeable. And even on low graphics settings, it still jerks quite decently. High graphics settings make the game look like a flipbook.
Apart from that, the Exynos 1280 is an "okay" SoC that average users should not have any problems with in everyday use. Applications start quickly and run smoothly. However, I would not recommend the A33 as a gaming machine. A look at our table reveals the obvious: The performance of the Exynos 1280 in the A33 is very close to that of the Exynos 1280 in the A53.
The Galaxy A33 only comes in a variant with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. However, thanks to the hybrid slot, you can expand the storage if you do not need a second SIM card. As known from Samsung, this phone can also release virtual RAM. The A33 uses the 5G network, which is a matter of course for Samsung in 2022. In terms of connectivity, it should be mentioned that WiFi 6 is not yet supported, and "only" 5.1 is available instead of Bluetooth 5.2.
We can keep the software point short. Samsung's Galaxy A33 also comes with Android 12, OneUI 4.1 and the promise of long software updates. Thus, you should definitely take a look at our OneUi 4 review if you want to delve deeper into the matter. As for updates: Four major Android updates are promised and five years of support for security updates. This sets the course for you to still use this smartphone with Android 16.
Camera: Everything is fine during the day
The quad-cam is led by a 48 MP camera with optical image stabilization. The rest of the sensors fall a bit short, but that is not unusual in this price range. A 13 MP shooter is installed for selfies. Samsung also focuses on social media-savvy buyers. These are provided with filters and effects.
Likes:
- Decent main camera
- OIS in the main camera
- Many filter and effect gimmicks (for those who like it)
- Nice portrait mode
Dislikes:
- Beyond the main camera, the other sensors fall short
- Mediocre digital zoom
- No convincing night mode
The main camera offers 48 megapixels and allows really decent photos, especially during the day. Thanks to pixel binning, pictures with 12 MP are cobbled together in standard mode. The camera array offers a total of four cameras:
Main camera: 48 MP, f/1.8, OIS, AF Ultra-wide-angle: 8 MP, f/2.2 Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4 Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4
Source: NextPit
As usual, you have to look closely at what is hidden behind the sensors, especially in cheaper smartphones. The equipment is weaker than that of the A53. This is quite an exciting fact in times when the street prices of the two models hardly differ noticeably. The ultra-wide-angle cam still manages usable pictures during the day, although slight color differences to the main camera are noticeable. Overall, the ultra-wide-angle photos look a bit paler to me.
There is also a 5 MP camera for macros and a 2 MP sensor that is only responsible for depth information. You should not expect miracles from the macro sensor. Finally, there is a selfie shooter with 13 MP in the front. In general, the camera setup reads exactly like that of the predecessor on paper, except for the optical image stabilization. This also means that there is once again only a digital zoom. 2x magnification is absolutely fine, but you'd better save the 10x magnification.
Source: NextPit
Source: NextPit
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Source: NextPit
I didn't notice the night mode much in night photography. Yes, sometimes colors seem less overdrawn. But in general, the differences to the main camera without night mode are manageable.
Samsung also wants to score more with software features. There is the "Fun" option that provides you with Snapchat filters. In portrait mode, you can use different options for the background, and then there are the AR features. So Samsung is addressing the A33 more to social media-savvy people who upload their pictures to Insta with filters - and less to photo experts who want to pull their snaps up big on canvas.
Battery: The Galaxy A33 is a continuous runner
The battery capacity of 5,000 mAh is again quite high, and thus the battery lasts for a pleasantly long time. Frugal smartphone users can even manage two days. It is just a pity that neither a charger is included in the scope of delivery, nor a really fast Quick-Charging is supported.
Likes:
- Large battery with 5,000 mAh
- Very decent battery life
Disliked:
- "Quick charging" only with 25 watts
- No charger in the box
- No wireless charging
We also keep telling two identical stories about the battery: Once the one that "fast charging" is not really fast with a power of 25 watts. That is okay, absolutely - but when you look at what the competition from China shovels onto your smartphone within 10 minutes, that is quite a difference. And the other story is the "Oops, where is the charger" story. There is no charger in the packaging of the A33 either.
But to come to the positive things: Even though the PCMark battery benchmark only gives me a time of just over ten hours (the A53 achieves more than 13 hours!), the battery life convinces me. You have to do wild things with the Galaxy A33 to drain this 5,000 mAh battery within a day. I would even claim that average cell phone users can use the device for up to two days.
Other points that might be interesting for you before buying the Galaxy A33:
Sound: Dolby Atmos and stereo speakers on board. Volume is quite decent, but the sound gets a bit scratchy when you turn it up full. Four available colors: black, white, blue and peach. Samsung calls them Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Blue, and Awesome Peach. Included in the box are a USB-C to USB-C charging cable and a SIM card tool.
Conclusion
Yes, the Galaxy A33 is a really decent all-rounder for its price. The display is first-rate, good photos are taken at least during the day, the performance is generally decent, 5G is available, and the battery lasts for a long time. Do you notice how a big "but!" announces itself here? And yes, there is indeed a "but": What really hurts the Galaxy A33 is that the competition in this market segment is huge. And yes, that especially includes competition from our own company. The Galaxy A53 dangles like a sword of Damocles over the A33.
The A33, which started at 369 Euros, is currently available at a rock-bottom price of 317 Euros according to price portals like Geizhals. The more equipped A53 for 325 Euros! In return, you get the better camera and a slightly larger display with 120 instead of 90 Hertz refresh rate. It is then difficult for me to find arguments for the A33. The Galaxy A52s, which is partly more equipped than the A53 and comes with a charger in the box, is currently available for less than 280 Euros.
The differences are even more obvious when you look at a competitor like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro. Better performance, larger 120 Hertz AMOLED display, 108 MP cam and 67 watt fast charging.
However, that does not make the Galaxy A33 a bad smartphone by any means. On the contrary: The overall package is a real success, the device is a loyal companion in everyday use, and it is a real no-brainer when the street price settles at 250 Euros at the latest - not least because of the great software support.
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