Samsung Galaxy Core, in-depth analysis

The Korean firm Samsung again expands its catalog to present a device made to measure for those who want to get a good smartphone but do not want to spend all their savings on the effort. It is the Samsung Galaxy Core , a smartphone that is presented with the possibility of housing two SIM cards (Dual-SIM) and that has some of the most notable smart functions of Samsung . In fact, some were part of the first of great pieces such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 or the more current Samsung Galaxy S4 . Of the best smartphones of the Korean the Samsung Galaxy Coreinherits a practically identical design, with sinuous and rounded shapes and a surface that is pleasant to the touch, very comfortable and ergonomic in the grip .

As for its technical sheet, we have to talk about a good 4.3-inch multi-touch screen and a processor with dual-core architecture capable of operating at 1.2 GHz. It has a five-megapixel camera and has up to 8 GB internal memory, expandable with microSD cards. The most interesting thing about this proposal is, without a doubt, the fact that the terminal works with one of the latest versions of Google's operating system (Android 4.1 Jelly Bean) and that it has installed part of the smart functions that we have already seen in the large terminals of the firm. Below, we offer you a detailed analysis with photos and opinionson which it could be another candidate for best sellers in the Spanish market. Let's go there!

Design and display

The Samsung Galaxy Core is a mid-range mobile phone that nevertheless retains the design of the Galaxy family . It has a completely organic format with rounded edges and a pleasant texture to the touch that makes it very easy and comfortable to hold. Its dimensions are also quite reasonable. The device measures 129.3 x 67.6 x 8.95 mm and weighs about 124 grams battery included . This makes it practical to carry in your pocket with little hassle, something that lovers of light weight will like. For the rest, the most important part of the phone is occupied by the screen, reserving - yes - a  space at the top, for the speaker, sensors and front camera; and another at the bottom, for the classic central button (in this case physical) and access to the start and back menu (touch).

The Samsung Galaxy Core one enrolls capacitive multi - touch screen TFT LCD of 4.3 inches with a resolution WVGA 580 x 800 pixels , which will favor the display of high quality content, without reaching a high definition Full HD . In either case, the resulting pixel density is 217ppi. Within the touch keyboard, the user can make use of a virtual QWERTY keyboardWith which you can write messages and interact with the different services that require text input. It does not incorporate additional layers of protection, so it is highly recommended to add a screen protector to the panel when using it to avoid scratches and accidental bumps on the most delicate surface of the device. If Samsung does not indicate otherwise, at the moment the device has been designed in two different colors: blue and white.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy Core has a camera of five megapixels that will help us take pictures in a remarkable and particularly quality at a resolution of 2,592 x 1,944 pixels . Additionally, the user will be able to enjoy such important features as the LED Flash , essential for taking pictures in poorly lit scenes or even at night; autofocus, geotagging, touch focus and face and smile detector. The same camera is perfectly capable of capturing video, albeit in a fairly fair quality. The secondary VGA camera, located on the front of the device, offers content recording and will be especially useful when making video calls.

It must be said, however, that the main camera system also incorporates extra functions such as Best Photo , a way to select the best photo from a large number of snapshots taken at the same time; Continuous Shot , to capture different photos in one press; Panorama , useful for taking panoramic images; Share Shot , a system to quickly share the photos you have taken through the WiFi Direct system ; Smile Shot , the tool that will help you detect when a smile occurs and shoot at that precise moment or Cartoon, a good formula to directly apply the "drawing" effect on a photo we have just captured.

Memory and power

It is one of the most important sections of the phone, because it includes the most relevant information about the performance and potential of the device. To begin with, we have to indicate that as a good mid-range terminal , the Samsung Galaxy Core is presented with a dual-core processor operating at a clock frequency of 1.2 GHz . This potential, far from the latest smartphones with four and eight-core processors, will be enough to enjoy a more than comfortable performance, both when running simple applications , and when enjoying more complex programs or video games. . This engine is backed by1 GB of RAM more than necessary.

In the memory section, the user will have to settle for an internal capacity of 8 GB , although of course, they will have the opportunity to expand this memory with 64 GB microSD cards , at most.

Operating system and applications

All smartphones in the Galaxy family work through Google icons . This was not going to be less, although in this case, the Samsung Galaxy Core is planted with one of the latest editions of Android . We refer to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) , a version equipped with very important improvements and features such as Google Now , an intelligent search engine that offers us practical search results adapted to the needs of each user; a new system of Widgetsthat can be resized according to the size of the screen; a notification bar with direct access to some main functions. It is a pity that Samsung did not want to integrate Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) , the latest edition of this operating system. It is not ruled out, at all, that the phone may soon receive its relevant update to the higher edition . How could it be otherwise, this platform has the classic Samsung TouchWiz user interface integrated .

But this is not all. As a good Google terminal , the Samsung Galaxy Core has direct access to the main services offered by Mountain View . They are: Google Search, Google Maps, Google Latitude, Gmail, Google Play Store, Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Places, Google Navigation, Google Downloads and Voice Search . Additionally, the user can enjoy Samsung ChatON and Samsung WatchON , in addition to other smart functions such as Smart Stay , Smart Alert , Motion UI and S Voice , the most classic in the environment.Galaxy S .

Connectivity

Despite being a mid-range terminal, the Samsung Galaxy Core is a phone perfectly prepared for connectivity . We can say that it operates on HSUPA 5.76 900/2100 and EDGE / GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 networks . This means that the user will be able to access the Internet without any problem through 3G networks (HSDPA 21 Mbps / HSUPA 5.76 Mbps), as well as from any WiFi wireless network through the 802.11 a / b / g / n protocol . In this way, you will have the opportunity to save data on your contracted connection with your headend operator. But there is more. The device also incorporates with Bluetooth 3.0 technology andWiFi Hotspot , a tool that will help us connect different devices to the device's own 3G connection . The smartphone also incorporates GPS with aGPS support . In this way, it can be used as a GPS navigator for the car or for our walking routes, connected to the Google Maps map service .

In the field of physical connections, the Samsung Galaxy Core incorporates an output of 3.5 mm for connecting headphones; a microUSB 2.0 connection and a microSD card slot . The Dual edition of this device incorporates a double slot for two SIM cards and carry two numbers on the same phone.

Music, video, photos and multimedia

The Samsung Galaxy Core is a phone perfectly prepared for multimedia playback , so you can use it to enjoy your favorite music, video and photos . According to its data sheet, the following extensions can be played: MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAACï¼ ‹, AMR-N / WB, OGG, FLAC, WMA, 3GA, M4A, WAV, Mid, SP-midi, XMF and i- melody, MPEG4, H.263, H.264, VP8, WMV9 and VC1. Video can be played back and recorded at 480p @ 30fps. The device also has FM Radio with RDS so that the user can enjoy their favorite radio content. Logically, users will also be able to access streaming services. One of the most celebrated is, without a doubt, YouTube .

Autonomy

The Samsung Galaxy Core comes with a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 1,800 milliamps , equipped enough to withstand a whole day of intense work. However, it should be noted that the autonomy of the device will depend on the use made by each user of the device or on the state of the network. Only through a análisi staff s of the battery performance we can get accurate and useful conclusions for the end user. In any case and to enjoy more autonomy, the user can also configure the phone to save energy, disabling some functions that you do not use, lowering the screen brightness or reducing the activity time.

Feedback

Samsung bets again on the mid-range to advance the penetration of smartphones within the current large market and does so with a brand new proposal that complies with a very interesting technical sheet. We will highlight its 4.3-inch TFT LCD screen , in addition to its 8 GB of internal memory and its extensive list of intelligent functions, also present in the most advanced smartphones of the company. It would not have been bad if the phone had a processor with more than two cores , preferably four, and that it worked through the latest edition of Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) . Your camera stays in thefive megapixels, but there is a comprehensive package of advanced features built in that is worth considering. These cuts may have a direct impact on a lower price , which would also be good news for users looking to get a well-equipped but affordable phone.

Data sheet