4G connectivity, expandable memory, decent camera
Specs don't compete with cheaper rivals
The Galaxy Ace 3 is Samsung's latest incarnation of its midrange warhorse, and comes with the expected upgrade in processor power and 4G network capability (though not a lot else). But with rivals like the Motorola Moto G offering a better spec for less cash, has the midrange game shifted too much for the Ace 3 to make its mark?
Design
The Ace 3 looks very similar to its predecessor with its all-plastic standard Samsung casing and flimsy rear cover. It also has the same single hard home button flanked by touch-sensitive back and menu buttons beneath the screen.
The screen too looks the same at first glance but at 4 inches its actually 0.2 inches bigger. Unfortunately it retains the same 800x480-pixel resolution, which means it's actually a little less sharp than the Ace 2, since the pixels are spread across a broader area. It looks okay in general use, though it suffers in comparison with HD screens like those of the high-enders or indeed, the Moto G -- it's not as vibrant, and while it doesn't look blurry, it lacks that eye-catching sharpness you get with good HD screens.
Processor and Android
The dual-core processor is backed by a single 1GB Ram -- a jump up from the 800MHz Ace 2 and while it's not bad, it's not outstanding either. Our AnTuTu benchmark test gave it a rating of 13,915, which puts it ahead of some other dual-core devices like the Galaxy Tab 3 or Sony Xperia L, but firmly behind quad-core machines like the Moto G. It's not slow, exactly, but there are occasional elements of lag when you're moving around the menus and opening apps.
It's running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Not quite the up-to-the-minute 4.4 KitKat but it certainly won't feel out of date. As usual, Samsung has imposed its TouchWiz interface over the top which gives it a slightly different look and a few extra widgets and apps to play with. Which is all well and good, but to be honest, none of them are really essential or superior to what you can find on Google Play.
For downloading, there's a mere 4GB of memory on board but unlike the Moto G you can boost it via microSD card -- up to 64GB.
Photography
The five-megapixel camera includes an LED flash and autofocus as well as macro and panorama settings. It also offers a few Samsung extras including Sound & Shot, which allows you to add a few seconds of sound to a pic, and Best Photo, which takes a series of rapid-fire shots and lets you pick the best. Picture quality is generally okay and within the limitations of its spec it's a pretty good snapper. There's also a VGA camera on the front for video calls.
It has the same 1500mAh battery as last time which delivers a reasonable return -- expect to get a bit over a day on a single charge.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 is a pretty decent midrange phone, with an okay screen, reasonably fast processor and better than average camera. But the game has changed with the Google-backed Motorola Moto G, and the midrange has shifted up in spec and down in price.
In that context, the Ace 3 doesn't quite cut it, though some may be swayed by the 4G network access and expandable memory.
Software: Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Processor: Dual-core 1GHz Cortex-A9
Memory slot: Yes
Display: 4 inch LCD, 800x480 pixels, 233 ppi
Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
Ports: microUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack
Camera: 5 megapixel with autofocus; VGA front-facing camera
Video playback: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, VC-1, WMV, VP8
Audio playback: MP3, OGG, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, FLAC, AMR-NB
Radio: Yes
Battery: 1500mAh
Size: 121x63x10mm
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
