Samsung Galaxy A73 review

I have been an introvert all my life. It is only recently that I have come to terms with living life on my own terms. While using the Galaxy A73 over the last few days, I was reminded of how everything you do does not need to be intended to please people. You might wonder how I got this life lesson from a smartphone of all things. My healing journey began a few months ago and while it’s an ongoing process, I feel anything, including a phone, that helps you to release pain and helps connect the dots is a source of light for me. Unintentionally, the Galaxy A73 helped me find some inner peace.
I am not a big fan of jumbo-sized phones but…
I have been vocal about my fondness for compact smartphones and those who read my stories know this very well. The Galaxy A73 is not a small phone, rather it’s an oversized monster with a 6.7-inch screen. Instead of avoiding it, I accepted that this phone is designed for people who want a big phone. I realised during my time with the device that sometimes a phone with an extra-large screen can be helpful.

The other day, I quickly typed my thoughts on the phone itself after an intense meditation session. I usually struggle to type fast on the iPhone 13 mini because of the limited screen real estate and smaller onscreen keyboard. In other scenarios as well… a bigger screen is helpful. I still don’t want to own a phone as big as this but I also acknowledge the fact that there are takers for devices like this and I should accept that. My hands aren’t huge but this phone doesn’t feel any bigger in my hand. It actually feels lightweight (in comparison to the iPhone 13 Pro Max) when holding it and lening to Alex Buta in the morning.
The Galaxy A73 is a big phone. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Galaxy A73 looks and feels exactly like the Galaxy A53 I reviewed recently. It’s made of plastic but has a matte finish with a cutout for its multi-lens camera. The camera bump has a smooth gradient rather than a sharp edge, something that impressed me. It’s far from being a one-handed phone, but fits so much better in my hands. And, yeah, it fits snug in my track pants as well. This thought makes me a little relaxed. I have been sent the cool mint colour to test and I really liked it.
The joy of using a 6.7-inch display and the speakers are actually good 
The 6.7-inch screen looks absolutely spectacular. This is a Super AMOLED display, colourful, rich and detailed. And it also supports a 120Hz refresh rate, so scrolling through apps and the interface feels responsive and buttery smooth. The screen is so good that I didn’t feel like turning on my TV at night and instead I rewatched a few episodes of Schitt’s Creek on the Galaxy A73. But I must say the display can be a bit difficult to see outdoors. I do a lot of content consumption outdoors, especially when I am in the park. It’s paired with stereo speakers that actually sound great, although a headphone jack is missing.
The screen’s refresh rate goes all the way up to 120Hz. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Some observations while testing the Galaxy A73

The phone ships with OneUI 4.1, which is based on the latest Android 12. The Galaxy A73, like Samsung’s recent smartphones, will receive at least five years of software updates from release.
IP67 waterproofing – the phone can survive underwater for half an hour
A microSD slot that will take up cards with a capacity of up to 1TB
No built-in wireless charging support
5G support is there but it’s useless for now

The phone lacks a flagship Snapdragon processor, but the performance is okay
The Galaxy A73 ships with a mid-tier Snapdragon 778G processor, and while the flagship Galaxy S22 Plus has a top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, I didn’t notice any performance difference in my day-to-day life. Everything about this phone is fast, it never keeps you waiting whether you are switching between apps, or playing games and watching videos. I could load up directions on Google Maps, was able to open the YouTube app, and run games like Asphalt 9 smoothly. Just for clarity, I used the Galaxy A73 with 256GB storage and 8GB RAM. A model with 128GB storage and 8GB RAM is also available.
Its 5000mAh battery is a life changer, especially when you spend a lot of your time outdoors. I was getting a day’s worth of battery life even with the display’s refresh rate set to high. It’s truly impressive. However, the device lacks a fast charger in the box and that to me is a bad idea. C’mon Samsung.
The extra real estate is the reason why people want a large screen-sized handset. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Expect detailed shots with the camera but falls flat in low light 
The Galaxy A73 has five cameras in total – four on the back and a 32MP snapper on the front. The rear camera system is headlined a 108-megapixel sensor alongside a 12-megapixel ultra-wide, a 5-megapixel depth sensor, and a 5-megapixel macro lens. During the day, the 108MP camera can capture detailed photos. Colours are oversaturated but that’s typically Samsung. I won’t say the Galaxy A73 delivers as good picture quality as you get on the iPhone 13 or Galaxy S22 Plus but the camera is versatile and that works for me. But where the Galaxy A73’s camera struggles is in low light. I feel the dedicated night mode is underwhelming and less reliable. Pictures captured at night had a lot of noise – and once the night mode is disabled, the phone struggles to capture a decent shot.
Samsung Galaxy A73 camera sample. Image resized for web.
Samsung Galaxy A73 camera sample. Image resized for web.
Samsung Galaxy A73 camera sample. Image resized for web.
Samsung Galaxy A73 camera sample. Image resized for web.
Samsung Galaxy A73 camera sample. Image resized for web.
Samsung Galaxy A73 camera sample. Image resized for web.
The Galaxy A73 is ‘authentic’
For me, authenticity means not being afraid of your “true” self and being real whether in the workplace or relationship. Right around the time, when I was trying to understand the true meaning of accepting myself, the Galaxy A73 showed a clear path. It’s a premium mid-range phone (starts at Rs 41,999) that never tries to project itself as an alternative or equivalent to the flagship Galaxy S22 Plus; instead, it pitches itself as an all-new device for someone who has never experienced the kind of features it got at this price point. It could be a big phone… it might lack the latest and most advanced Snapdragon chip… it might not come with a glass back… but these things don’t really matter when the product truly differentiates itself from the competition and tries to win over customers for what it offers. The Galaxy A73 is not bringing anything new or trying to fix something; it’s offering a choice to customers at a certain price point without overpromising anything. That’s a good thing. It’s a healthy practice making everyone clear what to expect and what not to expect.