Samsung Galaxy M31s hands-on. Rehashing a successful formula

 Samsung Galaxy M31s hands-on

The Galaxy M31s is the latest in Samsung's line of all too similar phones. It is the upgraded version of the Galaxy M31, which is similar to the M21 and is an upgraded version of the M30s. All of these phones look very similar, have nearly identical specifications with a few bits swapped around, and have all been released in the span of a year.

So what's the situation with the Galaxy M31s? Well, it seems despite the overwhelming similarity on paper, the Galaxy M31s seems to have a different body this time around, even though it oddly doesn't look all that different at first glance. Yet, there are enough changes here that need to go through a fine-toothed comb. These changes do subtly change the way you use the phone, so they aren't insignificant.

But as mentioned before, the Galaxy M31s is very similar to the other two phones, especially the M30s, in terms of hardware specifications. The display, the chipset, the memory and storage configuration, most of the cameras, and the battery are all identical across these models. This means if you already own a Galaxy M30s, then you really aren't missing out on much with the Galaxy M31s.

But for those who don't own any of these phones, the Galaxy M31s could be an attractive proposition. We have a large, relatively high-resolution AMOLED panel, lots of cameras of varying focal lengths, and an absolute behemoth of a battery. Sure, it lacks some of the niceties such as a higher resolution display or a more modern Snapdragon chipset, but the Galaxy M31s is cheaper than phones like the OnePlus Nord and the Google Pixel 4a.

Samsung Galaxy M31s: Design, Build, and Display

The Samsung Galaxy M31s marks a small upgrade in the design language that Samsung has employed in its M-series lineup so far. While the basic plastic look and feel of the device remain largely the same as its predecessors, the Galaxy M31s opts for a gradient coloring on the back which gives the device its own identity. The Mirage Black unit that we received starts off with a silver-chrome color towards the top and merges into a black color towards the bottom. The chrome color is a little difficult to capture on camera, and the gradient is a lot more gradual in the middle than what the device renders suggest. The back also has a glossy finish.

If you look closely, you’ll notice that the Samsung Galaxy M31s does not have a rear fingerprint sensor, as the sensor has been moved to the side which doubles as the power button. Samsung could have chosen to go with an in-display fingerprint sensor, but the speed and reliability are as good as a conventional rear fingerprint sensor, so I have no complaints. The placement is also good, though users with smaller hands might appreciate it being placed lower. All the buttons also click well.

 

The bottom of the Galaxy M31s houses the 3.5mm headphone jack, the USB Type-C port, and the speaker hole. Several phones in this segment have retained the 3.5mm headphone jack, and it’s good to see that Samsung has, too. The phone does not have any official claims on water or dust resistance, which also isn’t an uncommon omission at this price range.