What's good
- All-day battery life
- microSD support
- NFC
- Voice quality
What's bad
- Camera lacks detail and light compensation
- Limited internal storage
- Plastic chassis offers questionable durability
- Screen hard to see in direct sunlight
With a name like the Galaxy Grand Prime, you might expect a lot of crazy features. However, the phone is one of Samsung’s entry level phones. With all the competition in the low end market, does this handset have what it takes to keep up?
Let’s see what the reviews are saying!
The curved edges, metallic accents and physical home button give the phone that premium Samsung appearance, reviews indicate that the plastic shell feels decidedly budget. NotebookCheck said, “The Grand Prime feels comfortable thanks to its rounded edges and the size is convenient as well.” Just don’t expect the phone to take too many drops or dings.
Coming around front, there’s a spacious 5-inch display. Unfortunately, to cut costs, Samsung went with a TFT display running at 960-by-540 pixels. If you’re hoping for that punch AMOLED experience, you’ll be disappointed. CNet noted, “Its comparatively low pixel density won't ruin basic text reading and social networking on the Galaxy Grand Prime, but it does render the screen especially dim in bright sunlight and makes fingerprint smudges harder to ignore.”
Powered by a 1.2Ghz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, reviews show that the phone handles basic web browsing, social media and daily task with minimal delays. While it might take time for the app to load, once it does you shouldn’t have too many issues. CNet put the phone through their benchmark testing and said, “Considering its hardware limitations, the Galaxy Grand Prime is a good little performer. It booted up in about 20 seconds and felt responsive throughout.” If you’re looking for a gaming phone, this one lacks the power to keep up with newer titles.
If you plan to use more than a few apps, you’ll likely need a microSD card. While the phone comes with 8GB of internal storage, reviews show that closer to 4GB is available to users. Fortunately, the ability to use cards up to 128GB in capacity makes fixing this easy. The phone runs Android 4.4.4, so moving some apps to your external card is possible.
One area where the phone did well was battery life. The 2600mAh battery made it through the day for most reviewers. PhoneScoop said, “I found the phone lasted from breakfast to bedtime consistently, though it was often at 15% around 11PM.” Should you need more battery life, the battery is removable for quick swapping.
As with most of the other sections, the camera performance was average. The 8MP rear camera offers auto-focus for faster, clearer shots but many reviews noted that performance in all but the best of lighting was so-so. NotebookCheck said, “All in all it takes decent pictures: The colors are good and even larger colored areas appear uniform, but a closer look reveals some slightly pixelated edges.”
One bonus to the phone is the inclusion of NFC--a feature hard to find in this price tier. Unfortunately, you won’t find a fingerprint scanner so most mobile payment options are still not an option.
Overall, reviews were positive with the assumption you’re looking for a budget device. The phoen appears to perform comparably to similar priced phones of the same age. PhoneScoop summed up the phone well, saying, “The Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime is perhaps not so grand as its name, but is still a good deal for price-sensitive shoppers.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- John V., PhoneArenaThe common stigma with entry-level phones is that they never seem to get any love. To a certain degree, that continues to be the case, but as we’ve seen this year, several low to mid-end smartphones have proven themselves to be attractive options thanks to their strong performances. Unfortunat...
- Rémi Jacquet, Digital VersusThe Samsung Galaxy Prime isn't bad by any means, but its results are pretty average across the board. It'll be perfect for anyone looking for a decent smartphone with good battery life, provided you aren't too bothered about screen resolution. One of the best things about this phone is its value for...
- Eric M. Zeman, Phone ScoopBargain seekers who prefer prepaid services to signing contracts would do well to pick up the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime.
- Jessica Dolcourt, CnetFeature-rich cameras and an attractive build help push Cricket's prepaid Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime past other budget rivals that also cost under $200.
- Florian Wimmer, NotebookcheckThe Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime is a solid smartphone in all sections, and the small drawbacks are more noticeable in comparison with the rivals than in practice.
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime user manual here.
Samsung backs up the Galaxy Grand Prime with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Galaxy Grand Prime has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Samsung support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Samsung's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
Ask the Community
Resources
Manuals / User Guides Helpful Links Share / Embed
Maybe one of your friends will find this review helpful? Please help us spread the word.