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The Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 is a handset that helps to highlight Samsung's commitment to cover every aspect of the mobile market. It sits rather well between the lower-powered and lower-priced Samsung Galaxy Fame and the more expensive Galaxy S4 Mini and the full-fat Galaxy S4.
In terms of price the Galaxy Ace 3 is pitted against the newly released HTC Desire 500, as well as the Nokia Lumia 625 and Sony Xperia M, and with 4G on board it gives itself an immediate selling point. As 4G is already available across the globe, and becoming more accessible in the UK, this will only help.
We liked
4G is perhaps the biggest selling point and boost to the Galaxy Ace 3. It is good to see the technology make its way across devices, especially to the more wallet-friendly handsets.
The battery life was also impressive. It might not have an auto-brightness setting (something that is hard to explain), but the battery behind the Galaxy Ace 3 lasts long enough to get through the whole day, with power in reserve at the end of the day.
The inclusion of a microSD slot is also to be praised. The 8GB internal storage is a lot better than the HTC Desire 500 and Sony Xperia M, but it's good to know you can pack it with even more.
We disliked
While the Desire 500 might come with a lower internal storage, it does ship with a quad-core 1.2GHz processor. This might be the same speed as the dual-core insides of the Galaxy Ace 3, but the power of the extra cores is noticeable, as the Desire 500 felt generally smoother.
The Galaxy Ace 3 is also a little heavy. It is definitely noticeable in the hand and in the pocket. Despite being only 12g heavier than the Galaxy S4 Mini, it feels like it could be enough to cause a screen crack in the event of a drop.
The camera was also a little disappointing. Given Samsung's sensors are generally among the best, this is all the more disheartening. The dual-core insides also meant that it took a second to focus, which meant that the odd photo came out blurred.
Verdict
The Galaxy Ace range has traditionally been a lower-powered and lower-priced, and this has continued with the Galaxy Ace 3.
There are obviously going to be some trade-offs for the lower price, such as a smaller processor, smaller and lower-res screen, and smaller camera.
The Galaxy Ace 3 does come with 4G on board, though, and that is a big win for the handset. It brings the latest in mobile technology to the masses, and that alone will help the Ace 3 sell well.
It also comes with decent battery life, a bright screen and around 5GB of internal storage, which is a lot larger than the Xperia M and the Desire 500. It's hard to see why you wouldn't choose the Galaxy Ace 3 over those competitors.
First reviewed: December 2013
