Samsung Galaxy A71 review

Design

A large phone with an ample screen and slim profile - that's what the Galaxy A71 is all about. Indeed, it has the biggest screen a modern Galaxy can offer these days, and the minimum of notches - the punch-hole kind.

The Samsung Galaxy A71 is yet another "Glasstic" phone and that's easy to decipher - it's made of both glass and plastic that looks like glass. The 6.7" Super AMOLED has Gorilla Glass 3 protection - hence the glass part, while the thin frame and dazzling back are made of nicely polished plastic.

The AMOLED panel is probably the same we saw on the Galaxy A70 - a 6.7" in diagonal with extended 1080p resolution and rounder corners. But instead of droplet-shaped cutout for the front camera, the 32MP selfie shooter now sits into a punch-hole.

The Gorilla Glass 3 is mostly flat though it ends very subtly on a cool 2.5D edge and thus avoids feeling sharp when handled. The ambient light sensor is behind the screen, while the earpiece grille is so thin - etched between the frame and the screen, so it's almost invisible.

There is no notification LED around, but the Galaxy A71 supports Always-On Display. The cost is reduced battery life, of course.

An optical fingerprint sensor placed under the screen takes care of your security and privacy. It's neither the fastest around nor the more accurate. And on top of these - the software implementation is far from peachy. Sure, usable it is, but far, far from perfect.

The back is where you will find trendy curves, but also the must-have originality that by today's standards means unique hues and patterns mostly. Oh, and camera decks, of course - ever since Apple went completely asymmetrical with the iPhone 11s - all bets are off now and Samsung seems to be very comfortable with that.

So, the Prism Crush Black model we have here is, well, crushingly beautiful. The rear panel looks like glass, feels like glass, and shines like glass, meaning it can certainly fool everyone. It has this subtle stripe pattern that's disturbed only by a few diagonal lines. So far, so good. But wait until it captures some light and then you'll be treated to a captivating blast of colors and shades. It's a stunning view for sure!

The rear camera design is new to this generation and apparently once you go in berserk camera mode - you can get away with anything. All four snappers - main, ultrawide, macro, and depth - are placed on this black deck, as well as the LED flash. The setup is bulging a little bit, and it is also the only exterior element you'll find metal on - a tiny aluminum frame keeps the camera glass safe.

The Galaxy A71 has a glossy plastic frame, quite thin and somewhat grippy despite the excessive polish. On its left you will find a tri-card tray for two SIMs and a memory card, on the right are the volume and power keys, and the bottom has the audio jack, USB-C port, the mouthpiece and the speaker.

The new Galaxy A71 is indeed a big smartphone but it manages to stay quite slim and lightweight (by today's standards). The A71 is just 7mm thin and weighs 179g, making it a hair thinner and lighter than the A70!

It is a pleasure to hold, handle, and use as a daily driver - its frame provides just enough grip to make it secure in hand, while the slim profile helps in keeping it pocket and one-hand friendly, believe it or not. It lacks ingress protection, but other than that - the A71 is a very well-built smartphone, beautiful and easily likable.