Samsung Galaxy Y Review

Introduction:

We’ll skip past the “Samsung, why?” jokes about the new entriest level Android handset from the Koreans, the Samsung Galaxy Y, since entry level doesn’t necessarily mean a subpar device, and such devices often sell by the boatload. The Y stands for “young”, and means an affordable handset for teens or emerging markets in the sub-$180 price bracket.

Some of the Galaxy Y’s specs are marginally better than the Galaxy Mini, for example, like a slightly faster 832MHz processor and less weight, but the camera is 2MP vs 3MP in the Mini. The biggest improvement actually seems to be the Android OS version – we are running Gingerbread on the Galaxy Y.

We also have a design that is not your typical cheap black plastic handset, but is this an event enough to earn big sales in the low-end Android range, considering it's always crowded down there? Read on the review to find out...

In the box:

• Samsung Galaxy Y handset
• 2GB microSD card
• Wall charger
• microUSB cable
• Warranty and instructions leaflets

Design:

The outer appearance of the Samsung Galaxy Y stand out  with a silvery back cover and chrome-like rim around the screen half – only the front is black. Alright, one for the design team here, since it found a cheap way to break away from the mould.



You can compare the Samsung Galaxy Y with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

Moreover, the battery cover has tapered edges and is dotted like snake skin, which make the phone easier to hold. The phone is very small, and gets lost in larger hands, but the 0.45” (11.5mm) thickness is just enough for a good grip. Needless to say, working it with one hand is not an issue, and your thumb reaches everywhere.

The basic 3” LCD display has 240x320 pixels of resolution, but it is fairly bright, and the viewing angles are decent. A slightly larger screen with better resolution would have managed to set it further apart, since now it sports a display equal to the previous lowest of the low from Samsung. Even at that small size, the interface still looks grainy due to the crappy resolution.

The power/lock button on the right, and the volume rocker on the left are easy to feel, and get pressed with soft but distinct travel. We have a microUSB port at the top covered with a protective flap.

Interface and Functionality:

Android 2.3 Gingerbread on the Galaxy Y is with the TouchWiz overlay on top of it, which is of the simplest variety – no bells, whistles or transparencies like on the more powerful brethren, a bit of fading is all you get when traveling around the interface. It behaves well while navigating, though, the 832MHz processor is enough to power Gingerbread in a decent manner sans stuttering or hiccups.

At this resolution both the interface elements and the apps themselves don't look pretty. While the UI might not look flashy, all of Android's functionality is in place, and that's all we can hope for in the marketing niche the Galaxy Y is targeting. As usual, we love the connectivity switches Samsung is integrating in the pull-down notification bar – a very quick way to turn off your Wi-Fi or GPS, for instance.

There is a version of QuickOffice preinstalled for viewing documents, and out of all Samsung Hubs you are only getting the Social Hub that integrates your communication venues, which is explicable, since the phone can hardly be considered a multimedia monster.

Messaging, Internet and Connectivity:

We'd lie if we say that typing on a virtual keyboard spread out on a 3” screen is easy, regardless of the display's orientation. The keyboard is well spaced, even in portrait mode, but unless you are in high school, you won't be spending your time typing on the Galaxy Y for too long, and will most likely keep your texts and emails short and to the point.


The updated Dolphin browser of Samsung supports Flash Lite 4.0, like the default one on Symbian handsets, for example, meaning that you'll be able to see the occasional Flash ad, but forget about rich content like Flash-based games. Otherwise the browser handles basics like text reflow, pinch-to-zoom and double-tap fine. The 832MHz is sufficient for a decent overall performance while browsing, too.


The Samsung Galaxy Y is well-connected with its support for 7.2Mpbs HSDPA, Bluetooth 3.0 HS, Wi-Fi, A-GPS and FM radio. Of note is the lack of DLNA support.

Camera:

The basic 2MP snapper sits lonely at the back of the Galaxy Y, unaccompanied by a flash, and again it's an eyebrow-raiser why Samsung didn't bother slapping at least the 3MP shooter that is on the Galaxy Mini, considering how fond people are of megapixel count. The interface sports a couple of shooting modes, including Panorama.


2MP or 3MP doesn’t make much difference rather than the actual quality of the snaps, and sadly the Galaxy Y doesn't shine. While exposure and colors come out fine (the photos are really taken in a gloomy day), detail is on the lower side. Still, the natural presentation makes the day photos usable in small internet-friendly sizes (for Facebook for example).  Inside the pictures turn out noisy, save for very well-lit objects, and we have no flash to illuminate darker scenes.

Video is shot in QVGA with 15fps, so it is basically unusable.

Multimedia:

The gallery app for watching said pics and video is of the same Android flavor we are used to since Froyo, while the music player has been slightly TouchWiz-ed and offers the usual rich set of equalizer presets we've come to expect from Samsung's smartphones lately, even the most basic ones. The loudspeaker on the Galaxy Y is of average quality – it is clear enough, but could pack some more punch in the volume department.


The Samsung Galaxy Y's 832MHz processor and accompanying silicon runs up to VGA videos in MPEG-4 format pretty well, but codecs like DivX/Xvid are a no-go with the default player.

Performance:

The Samsung Galaxy Y offers a pretty average call quality in the ear piece, with decent volume, but clarity leaves something to be desired. The receiving end said we sounded a bit hollow, otherwise they could hear us pretty well.

The handset has a 1200mAh battery, which is quoted by the manufacturer for 5 hours of talk time in 3G mode, which is below the average we’ve come to expect.
 

Conclusion:

There isn’t much that piqued our interest while handling the Samsung Galaxy Y, but it is a decent low-end Android handset from a brand name manufacturer. With the patterned silvery back cover and mirrored front we can even say it’s a looker, which usually evades handsets at this price point.

The specs are suspiciously close to phones like the Galaxy Mini that was outed back in February, though, with the only advantages being a slightly faster processor and newer Android version. Still, the Galaxy Y does its job fine, with about average call quality, while the interface moves well under your finger. For about $150 unlocked you can’t really expect much more from this one, but we can’t call it a great value for the money either.

A phone like the LG Optimus Net is direct competitor of the Galaxy Y with a slightly larger 3.2”screen, A smart thing would be to dig a retailer that offers phones like the Acer Liquid Metal ($170 at Expansys now) or the Sony Ericsson Xperia mini, which can be found sub-$200 unlocked now, too, but you get way better cameras and screens with them.

Software version of the previewed unit: 2.6.35.7

Samsung Galaxy Y Video Review: