Introduction
The Galaxy A03s came as a bit of a surprise. S-branded Galaxy phones usually represent an upgrade over an existing model, but there was no Galaxy A03 before the A03s came along. It's technically a Galaxy A02s sequel with minor differences and some refreshed hardware.
Design
The Galaxy A03s looks similar to the Galaxy A02s. It has an Infinity-V display and the same back panel and camera housing design.
The phone has a unibody, meaning it doesn't have a frame separating the front and back panels. Instead, the polycarbonate back panel curves around all four edges and corners of the phone. The construction doesn't provide dust or water resistance.
Samsung launched the Galaxy A03s in three color options: black, blue, and white. Color availability can differ by market.
Specifications
Instead of a Qualcomm chipset, the Galaxy A03s employs the Helio P35 (MT6765) from MediaTek. It features eight CPU cores, four of which are clocked at 2.35GHz. The other four cores are tuned for efficiency and run at a frequency of up to 1.8GHz. The CPU is paired with a PowerVR GE8320 graphics chip.
The phone launched in two memory configurations: 3GB+32GB and 4GB+64GB. Once again, availability differs by market.
The device has dual SIM capabilities, a microSD card slot, a 3.5mm audio port, Bluetooth 5.0, and a USB-C 2.0 connector. It's equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It's powered by a 5,000mAh battery that has 15W charging. All things considered, the Galaxy A03s weighs around 196 grams.
Display
Samsung has equipped the Galaxy A03s with a 6.5-inch PLS LCD. It has the usual 20:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1600 by 720 pixels.
The panel has an Infinity-V notch and a fairly thin lower bezel, i.e., “chin.” These design cues are expected from the budget segment, though they do make the Galaxy A03s blend in with many other budget phones from Samsung.
Camera
The Galaxy A03s has three rear-facing cameras and an LED flash. The main sensor has a 13MP resolution and an f/2.2 aperture. It's accompanied by a couple of 2MP (f/2.4) cameras for depth and macro photography. The setup is capable of recording Full HD videos at 30 frames per second.
Inside the Infinity-V notch resides a 5MP selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture.
Software
The Galaxy A03s ships with Android 11 and One UI 3.1, though you won't be getting the same level of One UI as with a Galaxy flagship phone. Features like Samsung DeX and Pay are not included.
Availability and price
Samsung officially introduced the Galaxy A03s on August 18, 2021. The phone debuted in India where it was released for the starting price of INR 11,499 (~$155). The 4GB+64GB model went on sale for INR 12,499 (~$168).
The Galaxy A03s then became available for similar prices in Vietnam and other countries.