Samsung Galaxy V Plus Specifications & Review – A Nostalgic Throwback

Samsung Galaxy V Plus really took me down memory lane, because the original Galaxy V was actually my first Android phone back in 2015. Talk about a throwback!

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KituTech — Sometimes, fixing an old phone brings back a flood of memories. That’s exactly what happened when I was repairing my dad’s Samsung Galaxy V Android phone.

To make sure I got the right parts, I bought two replacement devices—one was the standard Samsung Galaxy V (SM-G313HZ), and the other was the Galaxy V Plus (SM-G318HZ).

Turns out, my dad’s phone was the regular version. So, I bought the LCD screen for it and hey, now I have an extra device.

Samsung Galaxy V Plus Specs – A Quick Look Back

Note that my variants is the SM-G318HZ which was released on my country, there might be slight differences with other variants released for different countries.

A summary of the Galaxy V Plus, it was an entry-level Android phone with:

• A 4-inch TFT display (480x800 resolution)
• A 1.2 GHz dual-core processor
• 512MB RAM and 4GB storage (expandable via microSD)
• A 3.15 MP rear camera (yeah, cameras were… basic back then)
• A VGA front camera
• Android 4.4.4 KitKat out of the box
• 3G connectivity (which is now practically useless in my country since 3G networks are shut down by government, which is silly in my opinion)

For more detailed specifications, look at the boring table below.

Feature	Specification
Display	4.0 inches, TFT, 480 x 800 pixels (~233 ppi density)
Chipset	Spreadtrum SC7727S, dual-core@1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A7 CPU; ARM Mali-400 MP1 GPU@460 MHz.
RAM	512 MB
Storage	4 GB internal (Used 2 GB by system); expandable via microSD up to 64 GB
Rear Camera	3.15 MP with LED flash, video recording at 480p@30fps
Front Camera	VGA (0.3 MP)
Battery	Removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh
Operating System	Android 4.4.4 (KitKat)
Dimensions	121.4 x 62.9 x 10.7 mm; 123 g
SIM	Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by); CDMA (2G), GSM (3G) mobile network
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot; Bluetooth 4.0; GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS; FM radio; microUSB 2.0
Sensors	Accelerometer
Colors	White, Black
Other features	Front & back flashlights, headphone jack

How I Use It Now

I won’t lie—this phone isn’t exactly usable as a daily driver in 2025. But for me, it has found a new life as a retro media and gaming device.

1. Music and videos

I still use this phone occasionally for playing music with Pulsar music player and watching videos, mostly with VLC Media Player (thought MX Player performs better).

With a microSD card, it turns into a tiny media hub. No annoying notifications, no distractions—just pure entertainment.

2. Old school gaming – Where this phone shines in my daily life

The real fun begins with retro gaming. I use RetroArch for playing oldschool games like GameBoy (GB, GBC, GBA) and SNES games, and PPSSPP for PSP titles.

Surprisingly, some PSP games run decently if you tweak the settings. Of course, don’t expect miracles, this is a 2015 budget phone. For Nintendo DS games, DraStic emulator is irreplaceable.

But honestly? Playing classic 8-bit and 16-bit games on this tiny screen feels just right. Just connect your bluetooth controller, and nostalgia overload!

Can It Be Upgraded? Absolutely!

While the Samsung Galaxy V Plus originally came with Android KitKat (4.4.4), I managed to install a custom ROM to upgrade it all the way to Android 7.1.

This means:

• More app compatibility – Even WhatsApp, which no longer supports Android 4.4, works fine on it.
• Better UI and customization – You get a more modern look and feel.

Want to know how to install a custom ROM on this phone? Stay tuned to this blog!

Final Thoughts

The Samsung Galaxy V Plus is far from a powerhouse, but in 2025, it’s still a fun little device for retro gaming and media consumption. If you have one lying around, don’t throw it away—repurpose it! With a bit of tweaking, it can still serve a purpose.

Do you still have an old Android phone that you keep around for nostalgia? Let’s talk about it in the comments!