Samsung Galaxy Y review

Samsung's latest low cost Android smartphone

Samsung Galaxy Y
The Samsung Galaxy Y may be low cost, but it's low spec too.

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Samsung galaxy y review

There is no question about it the Samsung Galaxy Y is certainly a budget smartphone. It packs all the basic features but it will not blow you away.

We liked

For the price it is hard to knock. The Galaxy Y gives you Android, a camera, video camera, music player, web browser and even a sat-nav for around £100.

It is lightweight, pocket friendly, comfortable to hold and Samsung's TouchWiz interface makes it easy to use which will suit first time smartphone users who are likely to be drawn to this handset.

We disliked

Unfortunately the Samsung Galaxy Y does have its downfalls, from the small screen that makes browsing the web or watching video a less than enjoyable experience to the poor keyboard which had us pressing more wrong keys than right.

The camera is not as good as competitors' and the screen resolution is noticeably average. The value-brand processor also makes a noticeable difference when trying to perform demanding actions with slow down and lag a common occurrence.

Verdict

So is this the top budget phone around and should little Darren and Sharon be saving up their pocket money for a Galaxy Y? Sadly no.

Samsung has by no means done a bad job with the Galaxy Y, but there are better alternatives out there for the money. The HTC Wildfire S and Orange San Francisco 2 are both just a bit more polished and back beefier specs – nudging the Samsung Galaxy Y to the back of the class.

Thanks to Expansys for sending over our review model

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.