Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Review: Specs, Features, Experience

Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime is an upper-budget range phone. In Nepal, it was launched at around $250. Now it is crawling its way toward the sub $200 price tag. It is a new addition to the series after Galaxy Grand 2. The series gets its name from the big phones in the family. So like other members, Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime also has a big body and a big screen at 5 inches. The design is more rectangular and boxy instead of curvy. One of our friends bought Samsung Grand Prime, and we want to share some experiences with you guys. This review should give you a good idea of the smartphone.

The Grand series is quite popular for a long time. This family has devices with big screens and bodies. They are quite powerful as well. But now, times are changing, and phones are getting even more powerful. However, smartphones are becoming smaller and compact too. People want both power and compactness. In such a world, Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime brings a big screen, a big battery, a faster processor, a boxy industrial design, and new features at a compact size. The new Galaxy Grand Prime is a bit different and has a lot to offer. So let us discuss more in detail about the phone.

Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Specifications and Overview

• Display: 5 Inches TFT LCD Screen
  • Resolution: 540×960
• SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 / Spreadtrum SC7730 (Quad-Core)
  • CPU Details: 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 (Snapdragon)/ 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 (Spreadtrum)
  • GPU: Adreno 306 (Snapdragon)/ Mali 400 (Spreadtrum)
• Memory: 1 GB RAM
• Storage: 8 GB eMMC 4.5 Internal, 64 GB micro SD card support
• Battery: 2600 mAh Lithium-Ion
• Back Camera: 8 Megapixels with f/2.4 Aperture
• Front Camera: 5 Megapixels with f/2.4 Aperture
• OS: Android 4.4.4 KitKat
• Connectivity and Sensors: micro USB 2.0, Accelerometer, Compass, Proximity

Design and Build

Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime has a plastic body with a rectangular, boxy design. It is more casual and industrial-looking. Mostly we see Samsung phones with curvy bodies. Those look modern and trendy, but some people also like the classic professional look. Personally, I prefer this design over the curved body. On the front of the phone, there is a big screen, a selfie camera, touch capacitive buttons, and a home button. The side rail is made up of plastic and has a chrome finish. The backside has a camera, LED flash, and a removable back. After removing the plastic cover, we can find a dual SIM card slot and a micro SD card slot.

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Internal Hardware

Under the hood, Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime has a quad-core processor. There are actually two variants of this phone. One version comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 CPU and Adreno 306 GPU. Similarly, another model comes with a Spreadtrum SC7730 processor and Mali 400 GPU. The model we are currently reviewing is the Snapdragon model. Both variants of the phone have 1 GB RAM and 8 GB storage. Out of 8 GB, only 4.8 GB is available for use. It supports storage expansion with a maximum of 64 GB micro SD card. In terms of performance, there is no upgrade over Galaxy Core Prime because the processor and memory are the same.

This means the excess price is for a bigger battery, bigger screen, better camera, and other additional features. In the battery section, we get a 2600 mAh removable battery. This is a good size for a phone with a big screen. According to Samsung’s website, Grand Prime can give 10 hours of internet usage on LTE, 10 hours of video playback, and 75 hours of audio playback time.

From a performance view, both Snapdragon 410 and Spreadtrum processors are entry-level. Their Adreno 306 and Mali 400 GPU are also basic and low-powered. So the phone can do day-to-day normal jobs, web browsing, YouTube watching, light gaming, and content consumption. These chipsets can do light gaming, and we have tested titles like GTA San Andreas and Asphalt 8.

Screen and Cameras

The Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime has a 5” TFT LCD display with a resolution of 540X960. This is a big display with a higher resolution. It is good for people who like to watch videos, movies, YouTube, browse the web, and indulge in social media. In terms of pixel density, it is about 220 PPI, which is in good territory. This is a big display, so we definitely recommend tempered glass to protect it. As we know, a replacement screen costs a lot.

Also Read: Samsung Mobile Price in Nepal

Looking at its cameras, there is noticeable development. On the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, we get an 8MP camera on the backside with LED Flash. The maximum supported picture resolution is 3264×2448, and the video recording resolution is 1920×1080 at 30fps. This is excellent because FHD video recording is a feature we want in budget-range phones. People like to take a lot of photos and videos from their phones. In such a case, this is a very fantastic feature to have.

On the front side of Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, there is a 5 MP camera that can also record 1080p videos at 30 fps. This is a very nice combination, and we appreciate how both sensors support 1080p video recording. The camera app also features modes like Panorama, Burst mode, and Wide Angle. These modes are quite useful for photography.

Software and Features

Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime comes with sensors like a compass, accelerometer, and NFC. In the 3G version, there is no NFC support. Only the models with 4G support have an NFC chip. This device also has a screen mirror feature. This is an expensive budget phone, but there is no Gyrosensor. This is one sensor we are actually missing. Otherwise, all hardware and features are quite standard.

On the software side, the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime is running Android 4.4.4 KitKat OS. Samsung has already launched both Android 5.0.2 and 5.1.1 Lolipop for this phone. It is in the rollout process, and we hope to get OTA soon in every country. As for this phone’s performance and power, we get regular experience as we get from the Snapdragon 410 processor. Normal work runs very smoothly, and light gaming is enjoyable. Asphalt 8 runs well in moderate settings, but Modern Combat 5 shows a little bit of lag.

Final Wrapping and Conclusion

In the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, we like the size, design, and form factor. Watching videos, and photos, and playing games on a 5″ screen is super fun. Many people love the simple rectangular design of Galaxy S2. Just like these models, Samsung should keep an idea of the design language people love. Design matters very much for grip and look. After all, a good look and design give the first impression.

Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime has a big screen, but we expected a 720p resolution. Besides that, this phone is great for the current price. It is a value smartphone with a quad-core processor, 1 GB RAM, and 8 GB storage. It is a good device to watch videos, play light games, and do all the daily work. We loved reading eBook short gaming sessions on this. The best part is the camera power at the price point. Selfies also come out nice with the 5 MP camera at the front.

At this range, we would highly recommend the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime over others just because of a slightly better camera. In terms of the price of this phone, it has decreased very rapidly. Prices have come down about $100 from its launch. Now at the current price, Galaxy Grand Prime is one of the best smartphones in the market. Camera power is the best part of this device. Having 1080p recording from both sides is really awesome. Also, the big screen is very immersive and entertaining.