Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300 Specs Prices & More Revealed

Overview of Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300

The Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300 is a compact and budget-friendly smartphone that was released in April 2012. As part of Samsung's Galaxy series, this device was designed to offer essential smartphone features at an affordable price. It stands out with its small size and straightforward functionality, making it an ideal choice for users seeking a basic Android smartphone experience.

Design and Build

The design of the Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300 reflects its name, with dimensions measuring 103.7 x 57.5 x 12 mm and a weight of just 97 grams. This makes it one of the smallest and lightest smartphones in its class. The device sports a 2.8-inch TFT display with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, providing a pixel density of approximately 143 ppi. The screen-to-body ratio is around 40.7%, which gives the phone a compact footprint. The phone is available in classic black and features a comfortable grip for easy handling.

Constructed with a plastic body, the Galaxy Pocket presents a basic yet sturdy design. It includes a removable back cover for easy access to the battery, SIM card, and microSD card slot. It accepts a Mini-SIM and has a dedicated slot for microSDHC cards to expand its storage capabilities.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300 is equipped with a 2.8-inch TFT display. While the screen size is relatively small compared to modern smartphones, it serves well for basic functions such as calling, texting, and browsing. The display supports 256K colors, which was standard for entry-level smartphones of its time, but it may not deliver the vivid and vibrant visuals found in higher-end models.

The 240 x 320 pixel resolution offers adequate readability for text and basic graphics, although it might not provide the clarity required for high-definition content. The display's contrast ratio is measured at 753:1 (nominal) and 1.180:1 under sunlight, which suggests moderate visibility in direct sunlight but not optimal for users who require extensive outdoor usage.

Performance and Software

Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300 is powered by an 832 MHz ARM 11 processor, which is suitable for handling basic smartphone tasks such as making calls, sending texts, browsing the internet, and running simple applications. However, its performance may lag when running multiple applications simultaneously or processing high-resource-demand tasks.

The smartphone comes with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system, coupled with Samsung's TouchWiz UI. This combination provides a user-friendly interface suitable for new smartphone users. Although Android 2.3 is an outdated version, it was popular at the time of the phone's release and supported many essential apps and functions.

Memory and Storage

The Galaxy Pocket S5300 provides 3GB of internal storage, which can be a limiting factor for users looking to store large amounts of data. However, this device includes a dedicated microSDHC slot, allowing users to expand the storage capacity to a considerable extent, thus accommodating more apps, photos, and media files.

While the article does not specify the RAM, considering its entry-level category and time of release, it is likely equipped with a basic amount of RAM suitable for running essential applications and minimal multitasking.

Camera Features

A 2 MP camera serves as the primary shooter on the Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300. This is quite basic by today's standards and is sufficient for capturing simple photos and videos. The camera allows for video recording at 320p at 15 frames per second, which indicates low resolution and moderate smoothness for video playback.

The device lacks a front-facing camera, which precludes it from use for selfies or video calls, a common feature users have come to expect in subsequent generations of smartphones.

Battery Life

The Galaxy Pocket S5300 is powered by a removable Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery, which is consistent with the phone's size and weight. It offers a reasonable battery life for its hardware capabilities. The battery provides a standby time of up to 800 hours on a 2G network and up to 500 hours on a 3G network. Talk time extends to approximately 17 hours on 2G and around 5 hours and 40 minutes on 3G.

These battery endurance levels are suitable for users with moderate usage expectations, focusing on calls, texts, and occasional internet browsing.

Connectivity and Network

The Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300 supports GSM and HSPA technology with 2G bands (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) and 3G bands (HSDPA 900/2100). It offers a maximum data speed of 3.6/0.384 Mbps, which supports basic web browsing and data usage. Additional connectivity includes Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with hotspot capabilities, Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP, GPS with A-GPS for location services, stereo FM radio with RDS, and a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer.

Sound and Multimedia

The device includes a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm audio jack for connection to headphones or external speakers. The audio quality is adequate for phone calls and listening to music, with test results indicating a noise level of -87.6dB and crosstalk of -85.6dB, which are typical for entry-level devices.

The loudspeaker provides sound levels rated at 65dB for voice and noise, and 67dB for ringing, indicating moderate sound levels suitable for personal use.

Sensors and Additional Features

Among the sensor features, the Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300 includes an accelerometer and compass, which facilitate orientation and direction-based applications. However, it lacks more advanced sensors such as gyroscope, proximity, or ambient light sensors found in more recent smartphone models.

Price and Availability

At its launch, the Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300 was priced at approximately 80 EUR, making it an affordable entry-level smartphone. It targeted budget-conscious consumers and individuals seeking a simple, reliable device for basic communication and internet usage.

Though it has been discontinued since its release in 2012, the Galaxy Pocket S5300 served as a practical option for users during its availability, balancing cost with essential smartphone functionalities.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300 can be seen as a prominent example of a budget smartphone from the early 2010s. With its compact design, basic features, and affordability, it served the needs of many users who required a straightforward and dependable mobile device. While it may not meet the demands of tech-savvy consumers today, it remains a testament to Samsung's effort to make smartphone technology accessible to a broader audience.