Samsung Galaxy M05 Review: A Budget Smartphone with Reliable Performance

The Samsung Galaxy M05 is designed to cater to budget-conscious consumers who need a reliable, entry-level smartphone without sacrificing essential features. As part of Samsung’s M-series lineup, which is known for offering great value, the Galaxy M05 focuses on providing solid performance, long battery life, and a user-friendly experience at an affordable price point. Here’s a detailed review of the Samsung Galaxy M05 based on its design, display, performance, camera, battery, and software.

Design and Build

The Samsung Galaxy M05 offers a simple, functional design aimed at keeping costs low while providing a comfortable in-hand feel. The phone is lightweight and has a smooth plastic back that reflects light subtly but can attract fingerprints over time. Its large 6.5-inch screen makes it a great option for media consumption or reading, but the bezels are relatively thick compared to higher-end devices. The phone comes in a few color options, such as black, blue, and white, giving users a variety of choices. The build quality is durable, although it lacks the premium materials found in more expensive devices.

Display

The Galaxy M05 sports a 6.5-inch PLS LCD display with HD+ resolution. While the screen resolution is lower than Full HD, it is acceptable for a budget smartphone, delivering adequate sharpness and clarity for day-to-day tasks like browsing, watching videos, and social media usage. The color reproduction is decent, and the brightness level is sufficient for indoor use, but you may struggle with visibility under direct sunlight. The 60Hz refresh rate is standard for a phone in this price range and ensures smooth enough interactions for casual users, though it may not be as fluid as more expensive models with higher refresh rates.

Performance

Powered by the MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, paired with 4GB of RAM, the Galaxy M05 provides sufficient power for basic tasks. This includes browsing the web, using social media apps, and streaming videos. While the Helio G85 is an older chipset, it still delivers solid performance for light-to-moderate use, but users might notice some lag or stuttering when running multiple apps or playing demanding games. The phone handles multitasking reasonably well, but heavy applications and games may not run smoothly at high settings. With the combination of Android 12 and Samsung’s One UI interface, the Galaxy M05 delivers a clean, simple user experience.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy M05 features a 13MP primary rear camera along with a 2MP depth sensor. The 13MP sensor captures decent quality photos in good lighting, producing sharp images with accurate colors. However, in low-light conditions, the camera struggles with noise and lack of detail, typical for budget smartphones. The 2MP depth sensor helps in portrait shots, offering a blurred background effect, but the overall quality is basic and lacks the fine detail seen in higher-end devices. The 5MP front camera does the job for selfies and video calls, delivering satisfactory results for casual use, though it won’t compete with higher-end phones in terms of sharpness and clarity.

Battery Life

One of the key selling points of the Samsung Galaxy M05 is its large 5,000mAh battery. This battery can easily last a full day on moderate usage, including web browsing, social media, and streaming videos. With light use, it can stretch even longer, making it an excellent choice for users who need a device with impressive endurance. The M05 supports 15W fast charging, which is a reasonable feature for a phone at this price point, though it is slower compared to more premium devices. It can charge from 0 to 100% in just under two hours, which is decent given the battery capacity.

Software and Additional Features

Running on One UI based on Android 12, the Galaxy M05 offers a simple and straightforward software experience. Samsung’s One UI is known for its user-friendly interface, with features like dark mode, app drawer, and customization options. While the M05 may not receive the same level of software updates as higher-end models, Samsung typically provides two years of software updates and security patches, which is commendable in this price range.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy M05 is an affordable, practical smartphone that delivers decent performance and features for users on a budget. While it doesn’t boast high-end specifications, it covers the basics well: a large display, reliable performance for everyday tasks, and impressive battery life. The camera is average, and the performance can lag in more demanding tasks, but for the price, the M05 is a solid entry-level phone. If you’re looking for a smartphone that offers great value for basic usage like calling, texting, browsing, and social media, the Samsung Galaxy M05 is a great option.