Friends+Design
- Decent looks and build quality - with a a unibody polycarbonate design, and glossy finish on the back panel - quite similar to the M30 - the only major visual difference is that the triple camera setup gets a wider, rectangular module to house the LED flash and "48 megapixel" branding
- The plastic body keeps the phone feeling relatively lightweight at 188 grams, which is mighty impressive for a phone packing a big 6000mAh battery
- It also feels great to hold with a seamless curved panel that meets the display up front
- Modern, Infinity-U front - bezels around the screen are slim, except for a slightly thick chin - you still get around 90 per cent screen-to-body ratio, which is great
- Fingerprint sensor at the back is easy to reach
- The power button and volumes are quite flush with the frame which means they lack that tactile, clicky feel
- Lacks the premium finish of some of its competitors
Display
- Gorgeous, 6.4-inch FHD+ (2340x1080) Super AMOLED Infinity-U display with excellent viewing angles, and brightness levels - easily one of the best displays in the price bracket
- It also comes with "Widevine L1" certification, which helps stream content in crisp HD resolution
- Blacks are deep on the AMOLED display, which looks good with Night mode enabled
Software
- Samsung's OneUI is today one of the more clean, refined Android UIs that's especially well optimized for large displays like this
- One UI also brings in other useful stuff, like a System-wide Night mode (which turns the background completely black, and looks great on the M30s' AMOLED display), and Always On Display option
Performance
- Good, strong performance with the Exynos 9611 at the core (similar to Snapdragon 665) - everyday performance to high-end gaming - everything is handled smoothly
Camera
- Decent rear camera setup - 48MP main sensor + 8MP wide-angle lens + 5MP depth sensor
- With the primary lens, you get bright and attractive photos in daylight conditions with vibrant colours and good contrast - dynamic range is also wide and noise is controlled
- Switching to the wide-angle lens will offer a new perspective, letting you click a wider area at close range to the subject (it is best used in daylight, however, as wide-angle captures look grainy and noise indoors or in low light)
- The dedicated Night mode can be used with the main camera - it comes in handy in low-light conditions, extending the shutter time to allow more light into the frame - making for some decent low-light photos
- Live Focus does a decent job at separating the subject from the background, and giving good bokeh shots
- The 16MP selfie camera too does a decent job when it comes to capturing selfies outdoors under bright light (though it starts to struggle indoors and in low light, offering softer selfies with a lot of grain)
- Overall, the cameras on the M30s are decent for the price bracket, even though they are not the best (that title is shared by Xiaomi and Realme phones)
- Focusing is slow at times
- Overall low light camera performance still feels lacking
Battery
- Monster 6000mAh battery delivers an incredible 2-3 days of usage easily, making for one of the largest battery life smartphones currently available
- Supports 15W fast charging
Verdict
- With the M-series performing well for Samsung, M30s is well-set to add to that success, delivering a good all-round package with one key differentiator - an incredible battery life - if that is one of your primary concerns in a phone, then the M30s is a no-brainer (if on the other hand you want the best camera or best performance for your buck, you can look at Xiaomi or Realme phones in this price bracket)
