Okay, let's dive into a detailed comparison of the Samsung Galaxy A03s and the Huawei Mate 50 Pro. We'll break down the specs, look at what they mean for you, and figure out which phone might be the better fit for your needs.
1. Specifications Breakdown
Here's a side-by-side comparison of the key specifications, along with what they mean for your day-to-day use:
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A03s | Huawei Mate 50 Pro | Real-World Implications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 164.2 x 75.9 x 9.1 mm | 162.1 x 75.5 x 8.5 mm | The Mate 50 Pro is slightly smaller and thinner, potentially feeling more comfortable in hand and pocket. |
| Weight | 196g | 205g | The A03s is a touch lighter, but the difference is minor; both are reasonably hefty phones. |
| Build | Plastic | Metal and glass | The Mate 50 Pro should feel more premium and durable, while the A03s is more basic. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.5" | 6.74" | The Mate 50 Pro offers a slightly larger viewing area, great for media consumption and gaming. |
| Resolution | 720x1600 | 1212x2616 | The Mate 50 Pro's display is much sharper, with significantly more detail, resulting in much less pixilation. |
| Pixel Density | 270 PPI | 428 PPI | Text and images will appear far crisper on the Mate 50 Pro. |
| Technology | PLS LCD | OLED | OLED on the Mate 50 Pro offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and better contrast compared to the A03s's LCD. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | The 120Hz refresh rate on the Mate 50 Pro makes scrolling and animations feel much smoother and more responsive. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 0 nits | Both have similar peak brightness levels which is odd because OLED is generally brighter, but we don't have official numbers for either. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Mediatek Helio P35 | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G | The Mate 50 Pro's chip is dramatically more powerful, translating to faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and superior gaming performance. |
| AnTuTu Score | 117,049 | 1,022,043 | The Mate 50 Pro is in a completely different performance class, scoring nearly 9x higher in benchmarks. |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8320 | Adreno 730 | The Adreno 730 on the Mate 50 Pro is significantly better for gaming and graphic-intensive tasks. |
| Camera | |||
| Main Camera | 13MP, f/2.2 | 50MP, f/1.4, 1/1.56", Sony IMX766 | The Mate 50 Pro's main camera captures far more detail, performs better in low light, and has a wider aperture for a shallower depth of field. |
| Selfie Camera | 5MP, f/2.0 | 13MP, f/2.4 | The Mate 50 Pro's selfie camera is higher resolution, though the A03s has a slightly wider aperture (not always an advantage). |
| Telephoto Lens | None | 64MP, f/3.5, 1/2", Omnivision OV64B | The Mate 50 Pro has a dedicated telephoto lens for optical zoom, a feature the A03s lacks completely. |
| Wide Angle Lens | None | 12MP, f/2.2, Sony IMX688 | The Mate 50 Pro has a dedicated wide-angle lens for capturing more in each shot, again lacking on the A03s. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.3 | None | The A03s has a basic macro lens for close-up shots, which is not present on the Mate 50 Pro. |
| Video Recording | 1080p@30fps | Up to 4K@60fps | The Mate 50 Pro offers much higher video resolution and frame rates and includes advanced features like HDR, EIS (electronic image stabilization). |
| DXOMARK Score | N/A | Mobile: 149 (Photo: 152, Video: 141), Selfie: 145 (Photo: 147, Video: 143) | The Huawei Mate 50 Pro has been extensively tested by DXOMARK, and achieves very high scores for it's photo and video quality |
| Features | Basic | Advanced features | The Mate 50 Pro has extra features such as OIS, Laser AF, Manual Focus, RAW capture, and Night Mode. |
| Battery Life | |||
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 4700mAh | The A03s has a slightly larger battery, but real-world battery life depends on many other factors. |
| Charging | Basic | 66W Fast Charging, 50W Wireless | The Mate 50 Pro supports significantly faster wired and wireless charging for more convenient charging. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 11 | Android 12 | Android 12 is a newer version of the operating system, but the Mate 50 Pro is without google services, making it far less desirable. |
| Connectivity | |||
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Wi-Fi 6 | The Mate 50 Pro supports faster Wi-Fi speeds and has more features for more stable connections. |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 LE | 5.2 | The Mate 50 Pro has a newer bluetooth version for better connectivity. |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | A-GPS, GLONASS, QZSS, GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BeiDou (B1), Galileo (E1+E5a), BeiDou (B2), NavIC System, QZSS (L1 + L5) | The Mate 50 Pro has significantly greater GPS coverage through using a variety of systems. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal Storage | 32/64 GB | 256/512 GB | The Mate 50 Pro offers significantly more storage, which is important for storing photos, videos and applications. |
| RAM | 3/4 GB | 8 GB | The Mate 50 Pro has significantly more RAM which is better for multitasking and gaming. |
| Audio | |||
| Quality | Basic | Stereo Speakers | The Mate 50 Pro has a much better audio system. |
2. Key Insights
Samsung Galaxy A03s: Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths:
- Slightly larger battery.
- More basic features for a basic user.
Weaknesses:
- Significantly weaker performance in all areas.
- Low-resolution display with a standard refresh rate.
- Basic camera system.
- Slow charging and limited connectivity features.
Huawei Mate 50 Pro: Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths:
- Exceptional performance.
- High-resolution OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
- Advanced camera system with multiple lenses and advanced video capabilities.
- Fast wired and wireless charging, plus reverse charging.
- Superior connectivity with Wi-Fi 6 and advanced GPS.
- Premium build quality.
- Weaknesses:
- More expensive.
- Slightly heavier.
- No expandable storage.
- Lacks Google services.
User Experience:
- The Samsung A03s will feel like a basic smartphone experience with slow performance, a low quality display and poor camera performance overall.
- The Huawei Mate 50 Pro provides a premium smartphone experience with much smoother performance, a vibrant display, exceptional camera quality, and features like rapid charging, as long as you are comfortable without google services.
3. User Profiles and Recommendations
Samsung Galaxy A03s is best for:
- Users on a very tight budget.
- Those who need a basic smartphone for calls, texts, and light browsing.
- People who don't prioritize performance, high-quality cameras, or advanced features.
Use Cases:
- A secondary phone for basic communication.
- A beginner's smartphone for children or elderly users.
- A phone for those who need very basic functionality.
Huawei Mate 50 Pro is best for:
- Tech enthusiasts who want the best performance and features.
- Photography enthusiasts who demand excellent camera quality.
- Users who consume a lot of media and want a high-quality display.
- Those who want a premium phone experience, and can live without google services.
Use Cases:
- High-quality photography and videography.
- Intense gaming.
- Power users who multitask frequently.
- Users who value a premium build and display.
4. Buying Decision Framework
Here are three questions to help you decide:
What is your budget? If budget is the most important concern, the A03s may be your only choice, but if you have room to play with, the Huawei is a much better phone.
How important are performance and camera quality to you? If you need high performance for gaming, multitasking and high quality photography, the Mate 50 Pro is the clear choice. If not, the A03s can handle basic tasks, but lacks any ability to do anything intense.
How important are google services? If you rely heavily on Google services like the Play Store, Gmail, or Google Maps, then you will probably be frustrated with the Huawei phone, otherwise the Mate 50 Pro is the far superior device.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Budget-Conscious User: Choose the Samsung Galaxy A03s. It gets the basics done, though be aware of its limitations and the performance issues that come with that.
- Scenario 2: Photography Enthusiast: Choose the Huawei Mate 50 Pro, it has a much more advanced camera and better photography features overall.
- Scenario 3: Performance-Oriented User: Choose the Huawei Mate 50 Pro. It offers significantly better performance in all regards.
- Scenario 4: Day-to-Day User: Choose the Huawei Mate 50 Pro. It offers a premium experience and high quality features that allow it to perform tasks well, but be wary of the lack of google services.
My Choice
If I had to choose between these two phones, I would pick the Huawei Mate 50 Pro without a doubt. The difference in performance, display quality, and camera capabilities is just too significant to ignore. I'm a tech enthusiast who values top-tier performance, and I also rely on a high quality camera for capturing photos. While I'm aware the Mate 50 Pro has some drawbacks with no Google services, the overall experience far surpasses the A03s to the point that it is worth the trade-off. The A03s is a phone that might be suitable for someone who has no other option, but if budget is not the primary concern, the Mate 50 Pro is the clear choice.
