Gadget Review - Samsung Galaxy Core LTE (G386F) ~LKR 46,000

As far as budget 4G phones go, the Samsung Galaxy Core LTE is a solid option. The Core LTE, is the latest in the Galaxy Core line, part of Samsung's strategy to saturate the entire spectrum with its range of Galaxy phones. Launched in May 2014, this is one of the newest Galaxy models but this does not mean that everything about it is new. The obvious attraction is the LTE feature and the 4.5" screen, apart from which the design and specs aren't entirely mind-blowing but rather mediocre.  

Pros

LTE (high speed LTE Cat4 wireless module)
Low Price (LKR 46,000 at Softlogic)
Reasonable performance
4.5" screen
Decent battery life

Cons

No KitKat pre-installed (Android 4.2.2)
Only 1.2 GHz processor and 1 GB RAM
Camera is only 5MP

Design and Display

The Galaxy Core LTE features a 4.5” 16:9, 960x540 pixel display, which is quite standard for this class.  Given its dimensions (mm) - 10 x 133 x 66 - it is somewhat bulkier than the premium range of Galaxy phones including the S3. Like other phones, Samsung uses a high-quality polycarbonate chassis for much of the exterior. The back features a rubber-coated and patterned design that makes it easier to hold. The Core LTE also features rounded edged and corners and a surrounding metal bezel, for a more stylish look. Of course, this also means that it is slightly heavier than comparative devices (137 grams).

Performance

Underneath the hood, the Galaxy Core LTE features a 1.2 GHz Renesas MP5232 dual-core SoC processor, supported by an integrated PowerVR SGx544 graphics chip and 1GB of RAM. It also features 8GB of internal memory, of which only about 5GB of memory is actually usable. There are moments of lag, but generally switching between apps and using app features is a generally quite easy and hassle free. Of course, there is a noticeable improvement when working on a premium Android, an iPhone or a the latest range of Windows phones.
Having download a plethora of apps including Chrome, Flip Board, Google News, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, One Drive, MS Office, Google Drive, Skype and Shazam, and all the relevant updates, I still have about 2.2 GB free. Nevertheless an SD card is almost certainly a necessity. The Galaxy Core LTE can support an SD card up to 64 GB.

Apart from this, the device also comes loaded with a variety of standard communication features and sensors including Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, 802.11/b/g/n, and NFC. There is also an integrated A-GPS sensor for relatively good navigation support.

Camera

The Galaxy Core LTE features an 5MP rear-facing with optical zoom including flash. The maximum resolution is 2560x1920 (4:3), which you will almost certainly never use. Instead, you are more likely going to use the 16:9 format pictures which are possible with a maximum resolution of 2560x1440. The front-facing camera can only shoot at VGA quality but that's just about good enough for some video chats on Skype or Google Hangouts. The quality isn't too bad and the lighting is pretty good.

Compared to premium devices, the Galaxy Core LTE camera suffers from a bit of lag between shots (unless you use sports or burst mode) and only has contrast issues. However, the camera does come loaded with  a variety of shooting options such as burst, panoramic, best photo, sports, and nigh time.

Battery

I'm actually quite pleased with the battery, which easily provides an entire working day (about 8 hours) of medium-heavy use (4G enabled, medium brightness, multiple chats, web browsing, and multiple short phone calls every hour). Based on more rigours tests, the Galaxy Core LTE features a run-time of about 10h on Wi-Fi surfing, 23 hours while idle and about only 4 hours on full load (maximum brightness and all wireless modules on). Unlike the premium models, there is no dedicated battery saving mode but this can be sorted with a standard Android battery saving app from Google Play store.

Software

Disappointingly, the Galaxy Core LTE does not feature Android 4.4. KitKat. Instead, it comes with 4.2.2, and there doesn't seem to be any indication of a pending upgrade anytime soon. Of course, there is also plenty of Samsung bloatware, which I recommend disabling ASAP. It does come loaded with the Samsung TocuhWiz interface and a few built-in apps such as S Voice, S translator, S Planner, TripAdvisor, and the default entertainment apps. I have disabled the native messaging and entertainment apps and integrated SMS with Google Hangouts. Moreover, I've completely disabled a few other native Samsung Apps because it seemed to be redundant in many ways.

Pricing

As mentioned earlier, one of the draws of the Galaxy Core LTE is the attractive pricing. Consumers in Sri Lanka can get their hands on one for about LKR 46,000 at Softlogic, the official Samsung store. IT comes with a 2 year warranty and set of headphones (which are no good), and the standard USB charging system. If you have a little more to splurge then it might be better to get an S4 instead of a Galaxy Core LTE.

Verdict

Given the budget I had for a new phone, I don't really have the right to be disappointed with the Galaxy Core LTE. Also, the 4G performance is something that makes me smile. However, this does not come close to the premium range of phones and the specs are great for the app environment right now but I don't know how things will look like in 2 years. So this phone could be obsolete very quickly.Moreover, keep in mind that this does note feature KitKat, which is lighter on the phone. However, having used the phone for about a month now (after my trusty Wildfire S succumbed to obsoletion) I think I've developed a rather favourable opinion of the device, despite having it continuously compared to premium devices such as the S3, S4 and S5. The bottom line, however, is that if you are looking for a decent mid-range 4G enabled phone, the Galaxy Core LTE is a good option.

By Navam Niles