Samsung Galaxy A18

At the Rs. 70,000-85,000 estimated price, the Samsung Galaxy A18 is worth it mainly for buyers who want an AMOLED screen and very long software support from a trusted brand.

• Strengths: a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, six years of Android and security updates, an IP64 rating and an ultrawide camera.
• Weaknesses: a carried-over 5000 mAh battery, limited RAM, no headphone jack and few changes from the Galaxy A17.

Rivals such as the Redmi Note 15 and Infinix Hot 60 Pro cost more but give faster charging, more RAM and smoother screens. The A18's case rests on its screen and update promise. If you plan to keep a phone for four years or more, it is a sensible buy; if you want the most hardware for the money, look at those rivals.

The A18 has a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel at 1080 x 2340 (Full HD+) with a 90Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 3, the same type of screen as the A17.

AMOLED is the biggest everyday advantage over the A08's LCD: blacks are true black, colours are richer and videos look more vivid. Full HD+ keeps text sharp on this large screen. 90Hz makes scrolling smoother than older budget phones, though it is a step behind rivals that offer higher refresh rates.

There is a notch at the top for the selfie camera. Samsung has not published a brightness figure, and no independent outdoor test of the A18 is available yet, so sunlight visibility is still unverified.

Launch coverage and our database list the Samsung Exynos 1610 for the 4G model, an octa-core chip with two faster cores, paired with 4GB or 6GB of RAM.

• Everyday use: messaging, browsing, social media and streaming should be comfortable on a chip of this class.
• Multitasking: with 4GB of RAM, keeping many apps open will mean more reloads; the higher RAM variant is the safer pick.
• Gaming: no independent gaming or heating tests of the A18 have been published yet.

Samsung has shared very little about the Exynos 1610 itself, so its real-world speed and sustained performance still need hands-on testing before a firm verdict.

The A18 carries over a familiar triple setup: a 50-megapixel main camera with f/1.8 and autofocus, a 5-megapixel ultrawide and a 2-megapixel macro, plus a 13-megapixel selfie camera. Video goes up to 1080p at 30fps on both sides.

The ultrawide is the practical gain over the A08, useful for group photos, buildings and travel, though its low resolution means softer detail at the edges. The 2-megapixel macro adds little. Launch coverage says the main camera has no optical image stabilisation, so expect more blur in low light and shakier walking video.

No detailed photo or video tests of the A18 are available yet, so low-light and portrait quality cannot be judged reliably.

The Galaxy A18 keeps a 5000 mAh battery with 25W wired charging, which Samsung rates at about 50% in 30 minutes. This is the same capacity as the A17, and smaller than the battery in the cheaper Galaxy A08.

The efficient AMOLED screen helps, but no independent battery test of the A18 has been published yet, so a reliable screen-on time cannot be given. There is no wireless charging. Whether a charger comes in the box in Pakistan is not confirmed; check before buying.

The A18 runs Android 17 with One UI 9 out of the box. Samsung commits to six major Android upgrades and six years of security updates, with patches promised into 2032, the strongest point of this phone against Xiaomi and Infinix rivals that get fewer upgrades.

One UI is polished and easy to use, with good customisation. Samsung budget phones can come with extra preinstalled apps; we could not verify the exact list for this model. Advanced Galaxy AI features are not confirmed for this phone.