Samsung Galaxy F05 review
The F05 is for buyers who prioritize battery life and simplicity over speed and sharpness, and who trust Samsung's track record enough to accept dated specs. Anyone who uses multiple apps at once, shoots creative photos, or charges during the day should look elsewhere — the budget rivals at the next tier now outgun it on the things that matter in real use.
This review is based on Samsung’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Samsung Galaxy F05, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The Galaxy F05 is a budget Android phone aimed squarely at light daily use, messaging, and basic browsing in 2024 — not a performance machine. At €90, it delivers the essentials (5000mAh battery, 50MP camera, microSD slot, headphone jack) but cuts corners on display clarity and processing power that buyers stepping up from older phones might notice.
Design & build
The F05 feels plasticky but competent. At 195g and 8.8mm thick, it sits between chunky and manageable — slim enough to carry easily but heavy enough to feel robust. The glass front scratches, the plastic frame collects fingerprints, and the eco-leather back is more marketing than luxury, but this is par for a €90 handset. Dual SIM flexibility and the retained 3.5mm jack count as genuine design choices at this price point; Samsung is not chasing thinness at the expense of practicality.
Display
The 6.7-inch PLS LCD is a weakness. At 262 ppi, a 720p panel this large shows visible pixelation if you sit closer than arm's length — reading small text requires zooming, and web pages feel grainy. PLS technology offers decent viewing angles and color accuracy is passable, but brightness lags in direct sun and the contrast cannot touch OLED. For €90, a 6.5-inch 1080p display has become the real baseline in budget segments; this feels like a two-year-old compromise squeezed into a 2024 body. It works for casual video and messaging, but anyone upgrading from a phone with a 1080p screen will immediately sense the step backward.
Performance
The Helio G85 with 4GB RAM is designed for survival, not speed. WhatsApp, email, and casual browsing run without stutter, but opening multiple apps causes visible lag, and switching between tasks is sluggish. Gaming is confined to Candy Crush level titles; anything 3D or demanding chokes. The Mali-G52 GPU is entry-level, and RAM pressure is real with just 4GB. For light duty only — if your day is messages, calls, photos, and streaming — it suffices. But if you download work apps, edit photos in-phone, or multitask at all, you will feel the ceiling quickly. By 2024 standards, this belongs in a €60 phone, not €90.
Software
Android 14 and One UI Core 6.0 provide a clean, light interface optimized for low specs — Samsung's learned that heavy UIs choke budget hardware. You get two major Android upgrades, which sounds skimpy (flagship standard is 5–7), but for a phone at this price point, two years of OS updates is typical. Security patches matter more here than new features; Samsung's track record on budget phones is patchy. The OS will not feel bloated, and daily use remains simple.
Camera
The 50MP f/1.8 main shooter is the surprise highlight. The wide aperture captures more light than the smaller sensors found in competing budget phones, so daylight shots are sharp and low-light performance is respectable — not good, but better than you'd expect at €90. There is no zoom, no ultrawide, no macro; you get one lens and one job, which is fine for a budget phone. The 8MP selfie handles video calls. Video caps at 1080p, and there is no stabilization, so pans and walks are jerky. For casual snapshots and social media, this camera punches above weight; it is not a creative tool.
Battery & charging
The 5000mAh battery is the F05's real strength. On light use (messaging, browsing, some streaming), expect 1.5–2 days between charges; moderate use lands around 1 day comfortably. The 262ppi LCD is power-efficient, and the Helio G85 does not drain aggressively. However, 25W charging is a stone around its neck. Filling the battery from empty takes 60–90 minutes, which was acceptable in 2022 but is now a lagging pace; rivals at €90–120 now ship 65W or 100W chargers that halve that time. If you charge overnight, this is moot; if you charge during the day, you will feel the wait.
Value & verdict
At €90, the Galaxy F05 is an honestly priced, no-fluff phone for people who text, call, and browse light news and social feeds. The 5000mAh battery and headphone jack are legitimate differentiators, and the 50MP camera does real work. But the 720p display and glacial charging are felt compromises in late 2024, when the budget tier has moved past them. Samsung is banking on its brand trust and battery endurance, not innovation. For strict budget buyers in regions where this ships, it is a safe, boring choice; for anyone with €120–140 to spend, a Chinese or Indian brand's €120 phone will outpace it on display, charging speed, and raw performance. The F05 suits people who replace phones every three years and demand durability over specs.
Verdict
The F05 is for buyers who prioritize battery life and simplicity over speed and sharpness, and who trust Samsung's track record enough to accept dated specs. Anyone who uses multiple apps at once, shoots creative photos, or charges during the day should look elsewhere — the budget rivals at the next tier now outgun it on the things that matter in real use.
- 5000mAh battery with modest display and processor means 1.5–2 days of real battery life on typical use
- 50MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture handles daylight and low-light shooting better than budget rivals with smaller sensors
- Dedicated microSD slot lets you expand storage up to 1TB without sacrificing the second SIM
- Headphone jack and 3.5mm audio jack intact, plus stereo loudspeaker for media and calls
- 720p display at 6.7 inches (262 ppi) is visibly soft and makes text reading less sharp than modern budget rivals at this screen size
- 25W charging is glacial by 2024 standards; rivals at this price now push 65–100W, cutting charge time in half
- Helio G85 and 4GB RAM struggle with any app multitasking or light gaming beyond puzzle titles
Samsung Galaxy F05 Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2024, September 17 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~82.1% screen-to-body ratio), PLS LCD |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~262 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Helio G85 (12 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 64GB 4GB RAM |
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), AF Auxiliary lens |
| Selfie camera | 8 MP, f/2.0 |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 25W wired |
| Software | Android 14, up to 2 major Android upgrades, One UI Core 6.0 |
| Dimensions | 168.8 x 78.2 x 8.8 mm (6.65 x 3.08 x 0.35 in) |
| Weight | 195 g (6.88 oz) |
| Build | Glass front, plastic frame, silicone polymer (eco leather) back |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| NFC | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
Samsung Galaxy F05 FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the Galaxy F05 support 5G?
No. The Galaxy F05 tops out at GSM / HSPA / LTE, without 5G.
What chipset does the Galaxy F05 use?
The Galaxy F05 runs on the Mediatek Helio G85 (12 nm).
What display does the Galaxy F05 have?
A 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~82.1% screen-to-body ratio) PLS LCD, 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~262 ppi density).
How big is the Galaxy F05 battery?
The Galaxy F05 has a 5000 mAh battery. Charging is rated at 25W wired.
Does the Galaxy F05 have NFC?
No, the Galaxy F05 does not list NFC support.
Does the Galaxy F05 support a microSD card?
Yes, the Galaxy F05 supports expandable storage (microSDXC (dedicated slot)).
Does the Galaxy F05 have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Galaxy F05 has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Alternatives to consider
If the Galaxy F05 isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
Galaxy A06
Galaxy F07
Galaxy XCover 7
Galaxy XCover 7 Pro
Y50 5G
