Samsung Galaxy A6 and A6+: first mid-range smartphone in two screen sizes

Screen and design

At 5.6 and 6 inches, the difference in screen size is not huge, but the image on the A6+ offers a far higher resolution: 1,080 x 2,220 pixels, i.e. Full HD+ quality, compared with 720 x 1,480 pixels. The Super AMOLED screen on the A6+ is not only sharper; it is also a touch brighter.

Both devices have a so-called Infinity Display with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. This is a little longer than the standard 16:9 screen and seems somewhat more comfortable to use. There is one slight downside: if you look at the display from an angle, some discoloration appears. White areas become a little blue, for example. In terms of design, the A6 strongly resembles the 5.6-inch Galaxy A8 although this time the metal frame is matte rather than glossy.

Cameras

The smartphones share the same 16-megapixel main camera. On the A6+, this is flanked by a second camera of 5 MP. The device uses a dual lens for the Live Focus function which means that you can adjust the depth of field and the bokeh effect both while taking the photo and afterwards. So you can create professional-looking portrait photos with a soft, blurred background, for instance.

With 24 MP, the selfie camera on the Galaxy A6+ is somewhat better than the 16 megapixels of the A6. Both devices have an LED flash front and back.

Processing power and memory

The A6+ is fitted with a Qualcomm 1.8 GHz octa-core processor, which is clearly more powerful than the Samsung 1.6 GHz octa-core power source in the A6. As regards graphics, the larger model performs as much as 30% better, which can make quite a difference for 3D games and augmented reality apps, etc. Neither of them is a powerhouse, but these devices are certainly fast enough for day-to-day tasks.

Also included: 3 GB working memory and 32 GB storage capacity that can be extended by a maximum of 256 GB via a microSD card.

Other specifications

Both phones have room for two SIM cards: handy if you want to keep your private and work numbers separate.

These features are worth noting, in particular: App Pair, a gadget that enables you to use two favorite apps side by side. Always on Display, which constantly shows the most important information such as notifications, date, time, etc. Fingerprint scanner and face recognition. And Secure Folder, an encoded space on the telephone to store photos and documents, which can only be unlocked by the smartphone owner.

The batteries have capacities of 3,500 and 3,000mAh respectively (A6+ and A6) and the operating system is Android 8.0 Oreo.

Availability and price

The Galaxy A6 costs € 256.19 excl. VAT and the A6+ goes for € 280.98 excl. VAT. Both Samsungs are available in Black, Gold and Purple.