Samsung launched the online-only Galaxy M series in India last year in an effort to rejuvenate its flailing efforts in the budget and lower mid-range segments of the smartphone market, which were in danger of being overrun by Xiaomi and Realme's devices. The first phones to be launched were the Galaxy M20 and the Galaxy M10. They were followed by the Galaxy M30, the Galaxy M40, and the Galaxy M30s over the course of the year. In 2020, up until now, Samsung had refreshed the Galaxy M30s and the Galaxy M20 by launching the Galaxy M31 and the Galaxy M21 respectively. Now, the company has launched the Galaxy M11 and the Galaxy M01 in India. The Galaxy M11 was launched in the UAE earlier this year, while the Galaxy M01 is a new addition to the M-series portfolio.
Samsung Galaxy M01 and Galaxy M11 - Specifications
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Specifications |
Samsung Galaxy M11 |
Samsung Galaxy M01 |
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Dimensions & Weight |
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Display |
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SoC |
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RAM & Storage |
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Battery |
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Fingerprint Sensor |
Back-mounted fingerprint sensor |
No fingerprint sensor |
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Rear Cameras |
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Front Camera |
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Audio |
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Connectivity |
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Android Version |
One UI 2.0 on top of Android 10 |
One UI 2.0 on top of Android 10 |
The Galaxy M01 and the Galaxy M11 are entry-level phones designed to compete with the likes of the Xiaomi Redmi 8, the Realme C3, the Redmi Note 7 Pro, Realme Narzo 10A, etc. Their selling points is that they have small-bezel displays, as the Galaxy M11 uses a hole-punch display while the Galaxy M01 has a waterdrop notch. The M11 has triple rear cameras, while the M01 drops to dual cameras. Unfortunately, the rest of their specifications aren't anything to boast about.
Samsung Galaxy M01
The Galaxy M11 and the Galaxy M01 are both powered by old SoCs. The Galaxy M01's Snapdragon 439 SoC was launched in 2018, but it's only a minor increment over the older Snapdragon 430. The Snapdragon 450 was launched all the way back in June 2017, but it only received a successor in January 2020 in the form of the Snapdragon 460. The Snapdragon 460 isn't slated to arrive in phones until the end of 2020, so the Snapdragon 450 remains the SoC of choice in the Snapdragon 400 series. The other side of the argument is that MediaTek's Helio G70 SoC, found in the Realme C3 (gaming review), comes with significantly better specifications and leads to a much faster user experience thanks to having big CPU cores.
The Galaxy Mo1 also lacks a fingerprint sensor, which is disappointing to see. The Galaxy M11, on the other hand, does manage to redeem itself in one way by featuring a 5MP ultra-wide-angle camera, which, not too long ago, was an uncommon feature at this price point.
Pricing and availability
The Galaxy M11's price in India starts at ₹10,999 (~$146) for the 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant, while the 4GB RAM/64GB storage variant costs ₹12,999. The phone comes in Black, Metallic Blue, and Violet colors.
Buy Samsung Galaxy M11 from Amazon.in
On the other hand, the Galaxy M01 acts as a true entry-level device as it costs ₹8,999 (~$120) for the single 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant. The phone comes in Black, Blue, and Red colors.
Buy Samsung Galaxy M01 from Amazon.in
Both the Galaxy M11 and the Galaxy M01 are now available to buy in India via Amazon, Flipkart, Samsung India eStore, and other major e-retailers. They will also go on sale via offline stores.
In terms of the value proposition, the Galaxy M11 competes with phones such as the Realme Narzo 10 (review) and the year-old Redmi Note 7 Pro (review), while the entry-level Galaxy M01 competes with phones such as the Realme C3, Redmi 8A, and the Redmi 8. Once again, we see a pattern where Samsung still isn't willing to play on a level playing field with Xiaomi and Realme, as the two Chinese smartphone vendors consistently remain one step ahead when it comes to offering value. The new Galaxy M phones do indeed represent a significant improvement in value compared to past Samsung J series phones that used to be offered before 2019 in this price segment, but it's clear that Samsung will need to keep improving to reach Xiaomi and Realme's high standards in this cut-throat field of the smartphone market.