Samsung has unveiled its latest smartphone, the Galaxy Alpha, which is simultaneously a more grown-up and more pared-back version of the Galaxy S5. This is all thanks to the fact that Samsung has finally chosen to incorporate some real metal into its design.
From the images we’ve seen so far, it looks like the Alpha is going to be the aesthetic success story that other premium Samsung devices have failed to be. Samsung describes the metal rim as “setting a new standard” in terms of its phone design strategy, which we can only hope means that it’s a trend set to continue. The rear panel looks as though it will be made from the same soft-touch plastic as the Galaxy S5, but our first impressions are that the Alpha has a touch more sophistication than many of its predecessors.
And so to the specs, which are also pleasingly impressive. Lift the lid on the Alpha and you’ll find 2GB of RAM and a quad-core 2.5GHz processor (or Samsung’s famous Octa-core processor in some markets). When it comes to photography, the 12-megapixel camera will no doubt deliver some top shots — particularly given Samsung’s excellent real-time HDR mode — and can also shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second.
On the front of the Alpha is a 4.7-inch Super Amoled screen with a 1,280×720-pixel resolution screen, with a 2.1-megapixel camera nestled just above it. It’s a tad disappointing not to see a Full HD display and higher-resolution forward-facing snapper given that many cheaper phones now sport cameras with 5- or 8-megapixel cameras. Similarly, the 1,860mAh battery isn’t going to leave you with any spare juice come the end of the day. Internal memory is capped at 32GB, and if that doesn’t sound like it’ll be enough for you then you better look elsewhere as there’s no microSD card slot.
Nevertheless, the phone packs a decent lineup of components and combined with the newly introduced design strategy, the Alpha promises to be one of the standout devices of Samsung’s frankly vast range of portable products.
The Galaxy Alpha will be available at the beginning of September, just before the company announces yet more new devices — hopefully also with metal trims — at IFA in Berlin. The phone will be available in black, white, gold, silver and blue, and while we don’t yet have prices available, both EE and Carphone Warehouse have announced that they will be offering it.
