Introduction
The Samsung Galaxy Ace Style is an affordable Android phone running on KitKat, the newest version of Google’s operating system, and it also features the latest iteration of Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface. Having the latest version of Android on an affordable phone is definitely an advantage - and even more so given the specific optimizations that Google has made in 4.4 KitKat for phones like the Galaxy Ace Style with just 512MB of RAM.
Design
Being a 4-inch phone, the Galaxy Ace Style is very compact, fits comfortably in a hand and in pockets, plus it is great for single-handed usage. It is not among the thinnest phones out there (it’s 0.41” thick), but its compact size makes up for that, and it’s also fairly lightweight, tipping the scales at 4.34 ounces (123g).
Display
The Galaxy Ace Style features a 4-inch display with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels (WVGA), which works out to a pixel density of the quite decent 233ppi. For this class of an affordable device, this is satisfactory, and it results in a display that is not pixel-perfect, but neither is the slight pixelization on it too annoying.
In terms of colors, this is quite a middling display for its class. The issue here is that the screen looks very noticeably blueish, and it does not support 16 million colors - instead the color count stands at the quite antique 262k. Some colors are also way off. In terms of viewing angles, the display holds its ground okay, and colors wash out at an angle, but not hugely.
In terms of colors, this is quite a middling display for its class. The issue here is that the screen looks very noticeably blueish, and it does not support 16 million colors - instead the color count stands at the quite antique 262k. Some colors are also way off. In terms of viewing angles, the display holds its ground okay, and colors wash out at an angle, but not hugely.
Interface and Functionality
We’re happy to see the Galaxy Ace Style ship with the latest Android 4.4 KitKat, optimized specifically for such kind of affordable devices with just 512MB of RAM. The phone comes with the TouchWiz Essence UI on top of Android, a new version of Samsung’s custom skin that fits more affordable devices, borrowing design clues from the flagship Galaxy S5.
The skin is by no means that rich in function, but you can see familiar elements like the Tizen-inspired toggles in the notification shade, the re-designed app drawer and menus also re-styled to fit that new style.
The skin is by no means that rich in function, but you can see familiar elements like the Tizen-inspired toggles in the notification shade, the re-designed app drawer and menus also re-styled to fit that new style.
Processor and Memory
The Samsung Galaxy Ace Style is an affordable device, and as such, it cannot brag about having the latest and most powerful system chips. This takes a toll on performance - the device is not downright slow, but a lag here and there is definitely noticeable. We ought to mention that we might not have been so critical, if it wasn’t for other recent affordable phones like the Motorola Moto G and Moto E that manage to deliver buttery smooth performance in the same price tier. The Galaxy Ace Style, in contrast, feels just out of their league.
It is powered by a dual-core Broadcom BCM 21664T chip running at up to 1.2GHz (these are two Cortex A9-based CPU cores), working alongside 512MB of RAM. For games, you have the Broadcom VideoCore IV graphics chip. We tried some basic games, and if you’re into this type of casual gaming, the Ace Style definitely gets the job done okay, but the processor definitely goes out of breath on more graphically intense games.
Internal storage is set at the quite low 4GB (of which only around 1.5GB are actually available to the end user), but luckily you can expand this via microSD cards of up to 64 gigs.
It is powered by a dual-core Broadcom BCM 21664T chip running at up to 1.2GHz (these are two Cortex A9-based CPU cores), working alongside 512MB of RAM. For games, you have the Broadcom VideoCore IV graphics chip. We tried some basic games, and if you’re into this type of casual gaming, the Ace Style definitely gets the job done okay, but the processor definitely goes out of breath on more graphically intense games.
Internal storage is set at the quite low 4GB (of which only around 1.5GB are actually available to the end user), but luckily you can expand this via microSD cards of up to 64 gigs.
Camera
The Galaxy Ace Style comes with a 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with no flash, plus it also packs a basic front-facing shooter, something that can be considered as an advantage for such an affordable phone.
Multimedia
The 4-inch display is large enough for checking out videos on the go, but the bluish colors take some of the pleasure out of media consumption, as images and recordings do not look at their best. We managed to play back 720p videos in different codecs with no slowdown as well, so you can load up clips to check out, say, on a trip.
Interestingly, Samsung has not included its own music app, but only features Google’s Play Music. Google’s music player is pretty capable and features large album art, and plentiful options, including an equalizer, so it gets the job done admirably. Sound output via the loudspeaker is the average smartphone affair - tinny, and not particularly clean, but loud enough to play a tune or watch videos.
Interestingly, Samsung has not included its own music app, but only features Google’s Play Music. Google’s music player is pretty capable and features large album art, and plentiful options, including an equalizer, so it gets the job done admirably. Sound output via the loudspeaker is the average smartphone affair - tinny, and not particularly clean, but loud enough to play a tune or watch videos.
Call Quality
Call quality is actually pretty good on the Galaxy Ace Style, with no major issues. The earpiece is loud and save for the occasional slight digital undertone, sounds clear and intelligible enough. Voices on the other end of the line lack a bit in depth, but are again, perfectly audible, and you can recognize the natural tonality of callers voices.
Battery life
The Galaxy Ace Style ships with a 1500mAh battery with a talk time of up to 8 hours on 3G, and stand-by time of 12.9 days. In real-life use, we had no problem going through a full day without having to worry about re-charging the phone, but not much more.
You can also easily remove the back cover and swap the battery, an option that is neat for, say, travelers that don’t have access to a charger for longer periods of time.
For Video Review :- Samsung Galaxy Ace Review
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