The budget and mid-range smartphone segment will have plenty of options to choose from!
There are so many options to choose from in these categories, with Xiaomi and the recent entrant, Realme, offering some of the best smartphones. And since there are many opportunities in these segments, earlier this year, Samsung announced its new Indian M series in India. We have seen three devices in this series so far: M10, M20 and M30 (revision).
While the Samsung Galaxy M10 is priced up to Rs 8,990, the Galaxy M20 is priced up to Rs 11,990, the price of the Galaxy M30 goes up to Rs 17,990.
Now, Samsung has announced the fourth smartphone in this series: the Galaxy M40.
The Samsung Galaxy M40 features a Snapdragon 675 SoC, 6GB of RAM, a triple camera setup on the rear, a 16MP selfie sensor, a 6.3-inch screen, and a 3,500mAh battery.
While on paper the Galaxy M40 has fantastic specs, it has a ton of competitors who are priced slightly above its own price. So in the sub-Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 segment, which is the best choice? Here is a detailed spec comparison of the Galaxy M40 with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro (review), Poco F1 (review), and the Nokia 8.1 (review).
| Smartphone | Samsung Galaxy M40 | Nokia 8.1 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro | Little f1 |
| Screen size (inch) | 6.3 | 6.18 | 6.3 | 6.1 |
| Resolution (pixels) | 1080 x 2340 | 1080 x 2280 | 1080 x 2340 | 1080 x 2246 |
| Pixel Density (PPI) | 409 | 408 | 409 | 403 |
| Display type | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD |
| Dimensions (mm) | 155.3 x 73.9 x 7.9 | 154.8 x 75.8 x 8 | 159.2 x 75.2 x 8.1 mm | 155.5 x 75.2 x 8.8 |
| Weight (gm) | 168 | 180 | 186 | 180 |
| SIM type | Dual nano SIM | Hybrid Dual SIM | Hybrid Dual SIM | Dual nano SIM |
| Types of connectivity | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSDPA / CDMA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / VoLTE |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 |
| CPU cores | Eight cores | Eight cores | Eight cores | Eight cores |
| CPU clock speed (GHz) | 2 × 2.0 GHz Kryo 460 Gold and 6 × 1.7 GHz Kryo 460 Silver | Kryo 360 Silver 2 × 2.2 GHz 360 Gold and 6 × 1.7 GHz | 2 × 2.0 GHz Kryo 460 Gold and 6 × 1.7 GHz Kryo 460 Silver | Kryo 385 Gold 4 × 2.8 GHz and Kryo 385 Silver 4 × 1.8 GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 612 | Adreno 616 | Adreno 612 | Adreno 630 |
| RAM | 6 GB | 4.6GB | 4.6GB | 6, 8 GB |
| Sturdiness | – | – | – | – |
| Onboard memory | 128 GB | 64 GB | 64, 128 GB | 64,128, 256GB |
| Expandable memory | Yes, up to 1 TB | Yes, up to 400 GB | Yes, up to 256GB | Yes, up to 512GB |
| Sensors | Face unlock, fingerprint (rear mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face unlock, Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass, |
| Primary camera | 32 MP, f / 1.7, 8 MP, f / 2.2, 5 MP, f / 2.2 | 12 MP, f / 1.8, 13 MP | 48 MP, f / 1.8, 5 MP, f / 2.4 | 12MP f / 1.9, 5 MP f / 2.0 |
| Optical image stabilization | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Camera array | Triple camera | Double chamber | Double chamber | Double chamber |
| Autofocus system | – | – | – | Phase detection autofocus |
| Secondary camera | 16 MP | 20 MP | 13 MP | 20 MP |
| Video capture | 2160p @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30fps | 2160p @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30fps (gyro-EIS) | 1080p at 30 fps | 2160p @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p @ 240fps |
| Flash | LED | double LED | Double led | Double led |
| Operating system version | Android 9 Pie | Android 9 Pie (Android One) | Android 9 Pie | Android 8.1 Oreo |
| AI (Intelligent Assistant) | Bixby, Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wifi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, dual band, Wi-Fi Direct, access point | Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, dual band, WiFi Direct, access point | Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, dual band, Wi-Fi Direct, access point | Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, dual band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE | v5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | No | Yes | No | TBC |
| Infrared | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes rear | Yes rear | Yes rear | Yes rear |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | FM Radio | FM Radio | FM Radio | No |
| USB type | Reversible connector type C 1.0 | Reversible connector type C 1.0 | Reversible connector type C 1.0 | Reversible connector type C 1.0 |
| Standard USB | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| Battery (mAh) | 3,500 | 3500 | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Fast charge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Colors | Mindnight Blue, Ocean Blue | Blue, silver, steel, copper, iron, steel | Red Nebula, Neptune Blue, Black Space | Rosso Red, Steel Blue, Graphite Black |
| Prices in india | Rs 19,990 | Rs 19,999 starting | Starting at Rs 13,999 | Starting at Rs 20,999 |
Verdict
Of the four phones we compared, the Galaxy M40 definitely stands out when it comes to the rear camera. In this lot, the Galaxy M40 is the only one to feature a triple-camera setup on the back. However, for selfies, Poco F1 and Nokia 8.1 have a better 20 MP sensor. Galaxy M40 and Poco F1 are also the only two devices that feature face unlock.
When we look at the combination of RAM and chipset, while the Galaxy M40 has a fantastic processor, Poco F1 can still steal the cake with the Snapdragon 845 and 8GB of RAM.
And when it comes to software, while all of these phones have the latest Android OS, Nokia 8.1 offers a better deal with Android.
Basically, for its design, performance, camera, and the excitement of the punch hole selfie camera, the Galaxy M40 is a great buy. But if you are still looking for a device with higher performance, then you can look at Poco F1 and Nokia 8.1 for the stock Android experience.
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