Buying a Samsung cell phone is it worth it? Is it a good brand?

The short answer is yes. Samsung is definitely a recommended brand when it comes to Android devices. And not because I say so. Just look at the number of Samsung devices on the market. Surely several of your acquaintances or people around you have a device of this brand, probably most of them. It is not only about good marketing, but also about the quality of the product that Samsung offers.

Samsung vs. the rest

I have personally tested various Android devices over the past seven years: Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, Motorola, BLU Y LG. All have had their advantages and disadvantages, but in general, with the brand that I have been the most satisfied and the one that has given me the least problems is Samsung. Samsung’s main strength is your software, which is what we interact with as users and depending on what we largely determine if a cell phone is “good” or “bad.” And I’m not just referring to its robust Android system itself, as we’ll see later.

Software

Functionalities

Samsung’s Android software is packed with features that guarantee you can do a lot of things, some that you can’t do in third-party Android software (unless you install apps). For example, on my Galaxy S7 with Android 8 I had a multi-window mode very easy to activate and the option to snooze notifications, things that I miss on my Huawei with Android 9. Huawei has its own too, things that I have not seen in Samsung , but this is not only a matter of software capabilities.

No consistent errors or failures

Another great strength of Samsung is how well done and guaranteed its software is. I mean errors or failures. In none of the Samsung devices that I have ever owned have I constantly had to deal with problems of applications closing, not responding, lost notifications, calls not ringing. Sporadically yes, accidental mistakes of one kind or another, but not frequently. I can’t say the same for Huawei. Huawei’s software needs to be improved to avoid several of the errors or bugs that your Android system has constantly and that damages the user experience.

Doesn’t it get slow?

The lack of fluidity or speed was a classic problem of Samsung cell phones. They got stuck and after a month or two of use they started to get slow on a general level. Even phones as expensive as the Galaxy S8 had this behavior. With the launch of the Galaxy Note 8 and an improved interface «Samsung Experience«, Samsung managed to overcome this problem notably (1, 2) and has greatly improved it since then with its current One UI interface, which he has moved and from which all his equipment has benefited, including the low-end ones.

Firmware

Lastly, the facility to repair Samsung Android system is very easy. For example, yes stays on the logo, won’t boot or any serious system problem, normally you should just flash the Android system again to get it back to normal with the help of Odin, something that is not difficult. Samsung firmware can be easily downloaded from Sammobile, with some PC programs and other resources on the internet. As they are devices for mass use, which cannot be said for «BLU» equipment and brands with little adoption, it is much easier to find ROMs with current Android systems, like Lineage OS, if your phone is already old and has become incompatible with the most modern apps. To flash this UNOFFICIAL software you don’t have to deal with complex bootloader unlocking processes, as happens with Motorola or even worse Xiaomi.

Hardware

Generally speaking, Samsung’s hardware or electronic components are the same as those offered by other brands. Neither better nor worse, leaving aside the terrible problem of explosive battery that had the Galaxy Note 7, whose manufacturing process has already been corrected and improved by Samsung, so it has not happened again. Depending on the range of Samsung you choose, you will have hardware similar to that offered by other brands in the same range, and practically at a similar price, with the exception of the high-end.

Price

A few years ago the prices of Samsung devices were very high compared to the competition, especially its old series Galaxy J. However, with the relaunch of its Galaxy A series and new Galaxy M series, Samsung has caught up with other brands such as Xiaomi or Motorola in the low range, offering a good product at competitive price. As I said, the exception here is Samsung’s high-end, which is much more expensive than other brands, although Samsung seems to be trying to fight the competition in this sector, launching the “FE” or “Fan Edition” product line. and a good example of this line is the recent Galaxy S20 FE.

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