- When you think about Samsung phones,
- When you think about Samsung phones,

you probably think about this one right here.
you probably think about this one right here.

This is the Galaxy S20, or maybe you think of the Note line,
This is the Galaxy S20, or maybe you think of the Note line,

if you like styluses.
if you like styluses.

Those are Samsung's Halo phones,
Those are Samsung's Halo phones,

but they're not actually the Samsung phones
but they're not actually the Samsung phones

that most people buy.
that most people buy.

You see the top two selling Android phones worldwide
You see the top two selling Android phones worldwide

last year, were not Samsung's S phones or Notes
last year, were not Samsung's S phones or Notes

or Huawei or anything else.
or Huawei or anything else.

They were Galaxy A series phones.
They were Galaxy A series phones.

That is what people buy,
That is what people buy,

and now Samsung's making a big push to get Americans
and now Samsung's making a big push to get Americans

in on buying those kinds of phones
in on buying those kinds of phones

with this thing right here, the Galaxy A51.
with this thing right here, the Galaxy A51.

In the U.S., it's available on AT&T, and Xfinity Mobile,
In the U.S., it's available on AT&T, and Xfinity Mobile,

Amazon.com and Samsung.com, but the big deal here is
Amazon.com and Samsung.com, but the big deal here is

that is costs 399 dollars.
that is costs 399 dollars.

So, how does Samsung do a 400 dollar phone?
So, how does Samsung do a 400 dollar phone?

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)

Every phone has compromises,
Every phone has compromises,

and 400 dollar phones have more compromises than most.
and 400 dollar phones have more compromises than most.

You have to pick what you care about, so just for an example
You have to pick what you care about, so just for an example

of those trade-offs, here is the iPhone SE from Apple,
of those trade-offs, here is the iPhone SE from Apple,

and Apple picked caring about the processor and the camera,
and Apple picked caring about the processor and the camera,

instead of caring about having a big screen and getting rid
instead of caring about having a big screen and getting rid

of these big dopey bezels.
of these big dopey bezels.

So, what are Samsung's priorities for the Galaxy A51?
So, what are Samsung's priorities for the Galaxy A51?

Well, Samsung will tell you that
Well, Samsung will tell you that

there are three things, their,
there are three things, their,

♪ Awesome screen, awesome camera, long lasting battery life ♪
♪ Awesome screen, awesome camera, long lasting battery life ♪

Okay sure, yes, that commercial's a banger.
Okay sure, yes, that commercial's a banger.

♪ Awesome screen, awesome camera, long lasting battery life ♪
♪ Awesome screen, awesome camera, long lasting battery life ♪

It's, it's a,
It's, it's a,

♪ Awesome screen, awesome camera, long lasting battery life ♪
♪ Awesome screen, awesome camera, long lasting battery life ♪

- Okay, stop, hang on, oh my God.
- Okay, stop, hang on, oh my God.

Screen, camera, battery life those are the priorities
Screen, camera, battery life those are the priorities

for the A51, and all three are good for a 400 dollar phone,
for the A51, and all three are good for a 400 dollar phone,

but none of them are awesome.
but none of them are awesome.

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)

Let's just start with the screen.
Let's just start with the screen.

It is 6.5 inches at 1080p and it's OLED, and it's good.
It is 6.5 inches at 1080p and it's OLED, and it's good.

It is a big screen, it gets pretty bright,
It is a big screen, it gets pretty bright,

and I'm not gonna pixel peep it.
and I'm not gonna pixel peep it.

I just like it.
I just like it.

I thin having a big screen is awesome, and I do not think
I thin having a big screen is awesome, and I do not think

there are going to be a lot of other 400 dollar phones
there are going to be a lot of other 400 dollar phones

this year, with screens that are this good.
this year, with screens that are this good.

Except, there's a hole-punch selfie camera, and that's fine.
Except, there's a hole-punch selfie camera, and that's fine.

I have no problem with hole-punch selfie cameras,
I have no problem with hole-punch selfie cameras,

but Samsung put a shiny chrome ring
but Samsung put a shiny chrome ring

around the selfie camera right in the middle of the screen,
around the selfie camera right in the middle of the screen,

and you see it all the time, and it is super distracting.
and you see it all the time, and it is super distracting.

Why?
Why?

why Samsung?
why Samsung?

Why?
Why?

The other thing about the screen is
The other thing about the screen is

that there's a fingerprint sensor underneath it
that there's a fingerprint sensor underneath it

which also should be fine, but y'all it's super slow.
which also should be fine, but y'all it's super slow.

It's an optical sensor which whatever, but you stare at it,
It's an optical sensor which whatever, but you stare at it,

and there's this little green circle thing,
and there's this little green circle thing,

and you kind of just hope it unlocks in under a second,
and you kind of just hope it unlocks in under a second,

and it never does.
and it never does.

So, screen, good.
So, screen, good.

Parts underneath the screen, not so much.
Parts underneath the screen, not so much.

Second thing, let's talk camera, well cameras.
Second thing, let's talk camera, well cameras.

There is a 48 megapixel main sensor
There is a 48 megapixel main sensor

that kicks out 12 megapixel images by default.
that kicks out 12 megapixel images by default.

There's a 12 megapixel ultra-wide sensor,
There's a 12 megapixel ultra-wide sensor,

a five megapixel macro sensor and a depth camera,
a five megapixel macro sensor and a depth camera,

and then the selfie camera inside
and then the selfie camera inside

that stupid chrome ring is 32 megapixels.
that stupid chrome ring is 32 megapixels.

And the photos are, well,
And the photos are, well,

you can tell it is a 400 dollar Samsung phone.
you can tell it is a 400 dollar Samsung phone.

White balances okay,
White balances okay,

but Samsung really, really, really hates shadows,
but Samsung really, really, really hates shadows,

so in light photos it tries to brighten them up too much,
so in light photos it tries to brighten them up too much,

and in the dark, it just freaks out
and in the dark, it just freaks out

and takes kind of terrible pictures.
and takes kind of terrible pictures.

The details when zoom in on anything are just kinda messy.
The details when zoom in on anything are just kinda messy.

The ultra-wide and the macro lenses, they're super fun.
The ultra-wide and the macro lenses, they're super fun.

I actually love using them,
I actually love using them,

but this like full resolution 48 megapixel mode
but this like full resolution 48 megapixel mode

that you can do, it really doesn't add much.
that you can do, it really doesn't add much.

And the selfies they're hit and miss,
And the selfies they're hit and miss,

and portrait mode is, well it's almost all this.
and portrait mode is, well it's almost all this.

I think that Samsung software
I think that Samsung software

for imaging processing is really starting to fall behind
for imaging processing is really starting to fall behind

in 2020, so when it doesn't have great camera hardware
in 2020, so when it doesn't have great camera hardware

to fall back on like it does with the Galaxy S20,
to fall back on like it does with the Galaxy S20,

you can really tell.
you can really tell.

Look, the Pixel 3a and the iPhone SE, they have cameras
Look, the Pixel 3a and the iPhone SE, they have cameras

that are like
that are like

whoa, I didn't think an inexpensive camera could do that.
whoa, I didn't think an inexpensive camera could do that.

This camera system is like
This camera system is like

yep that's a cheap phone all right.
yep that's a cheap phone all right.

(relaxing music)
(relaxing music)

Alright, the third thing is battery life,
Alright, the third thing is battery life,

and I have to be honest and say that testing battery life
and I have to be honest and say that testing battery life

when you're stuck at home all day isn't the easiest thing,
when you're stuck at home all day isn't the easiest thing,

but, I've been using it for a little bit less than a week,
but, I've been using it for a little bit less than a week,

and my takeaway is that you'll probably get more than a day,
and my takeaway is that you'll probably get more than a day,

but you're not gonna get two, so battery life is good,
but you're not gonna get two, so battery life is good,

but I expected awesome
but I expected awesome

because it has a 4000 milliamp battery,
because it has a 4000 milliamp battery,

so I'm trying to figure out what the disconnect is there,
so I'm trying to figure out what the disconnect is there,

and I think it might be the processor.
and I think it might be the processor.

This has Samsung's Exynos 9611
This has Samsung's Exynos 9611

which is an overclocked version
which is an overclocked version

of the last one, and so it should be fast, but it's not.
of the last one, and so it should be fast, but it's not.

You can definitely tell when it's trying hard,
You can definitely tell when it's trying hard,

and this only has four gigs of RAM on it,
and this only has four gigs of RAM on it,

and you can definitely tell that, too.
and you can definitely tell that, too.

It's just kind of slow.
It's just kind of slow.

When you're inside an app, it's okay,
When you're inside an app, it's okay,

but sometimes it just makes you wait.
but sometimes it just makes you wait.

Alright, what else?
Alright, what else?

Well, I still like Samsung's One UI software.
Well, I still like Samsung's One UI software.

I think it's really good for big screened phones,
I think it's really good for big screened phones,

but I don't like that I can't trust Samsung
but I don't like that I can't trust Samsung

to give me software updates for this thing after two
to give me software updates for this thing after two

or three years, and I've got the Verizon version here,
or three years, and I've got the Verizon version here,

and I hate, I mean I super hate,
and I hate, I mean I super hate,

how much crap they let Verizon put on this thing.
how much crap they let Verizon put on this thing.

There's nowhere else charging,
There's nowhere else charging,

but there's 128 gigs of storage,
but there's 128 gigs of storage,

and you can expand it with microSD,
and you can expand it with microSD,

and there's a headphone jack.
and there's a headphone jack.

The overall design and build quality
The overall design and build quality

of this phone is really nice.
of this phone is really nice.

Samsung calls this material glasstic.
Samsung calls this material glasstic.

(fingers tap)
(fingers tap)

And yeah, that's sort of like plasticky glass,
And yeah, that's sort of like plasticky glass,

but it's better than that sounds.
but it's better than that sounds.

It's actually alright.
It's actually alright.

I really like the design of this phone.
I really like the design of this phone.

So, that is the Galaxy A51.
So, that is the Galaxy A51.

Basically, it's not an overachiever.
Basically, it's not an overachiever.

It performs exactly as well as
It performs exactly as well as

you'd expect a 400 dollar Samsung phone to perform in 2020
you'd expect a 400 dollar Samsung phone to perform in 2020

which is better than it would've been a couple of years ago,
which is better than it would've been a couple of years ago,

but it's still not awesome.
but it's still not awesome.

You do get this really solid, really big 6.5 inch screen,
You do get this really solid, really big 6.5 inch screen,

and it is the best thing about this phone,
and it is the best thing about this phone,

and screens are really important on any phone,
and screens are really important on any phone,

but look, there are gonna be
but look, there are gonna be

a bunch of sub 500 dollar phones
a bunch of sub 500 dollar phones

with big screens this year,
with big screens this year,

and I think at least one of them is going to be awesome.
and I think at least one of them is going to be awesome.

It's just that this Galaxy A51, it doesn't quite get there.
It's just that this Galaxy A51, it doesn't quite get there.

Hey, thank you so much for watching,
Hey, thank you so much for watching,

if you wanna see another tech video,
if you wanna see another tech video,

Becca actually just reviewed the Pixel Buds
Becca actually just reviewed the Pixel Buds

which are way more interesting than you'd expect,
which are way more interesting than you'd expect,

so you should click on it to watch it.
so you should click on it to watch it.

I still don't know where to point.
I still don't know where to point.