The Samsung Galaxy A55 5G is the top-tier mid-range Android smartphone from the Samsung Galaxy line for 2024. It provides a balance between functionality and style at an accessible price point. Hence, this device is suited for individuals who need reliable performance without the price tag of flagship models like the Galaxy S24 FE and the entire Galaxy S24 lineup.
A Review of the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G: Performance Pros and Cons
1. Design
One of the best improvements to the Samsung Galaxy A55 is its design. It brings a fresher look to the Galaxy A Series line with its look and feel resembling flagship models. The front features a Gorilla Glass Victus Plus while the back is a standard Gorilla Glass. These materials guard against scratches and minor drops or bumps. These glasses are framed in aluminum.
It measures 6.23 x 3.02 x 0.32 inches or 158.2 x 76.7 x 8.2 mm. The weight is 10 grams heavier than the previous Samsung Galaxy A54. This extra weight comes from its aluminum frame. It is still negligible. The metal framing adds to its sturdiness. The entire device feels solid. It also looks more premium compared to its predecessor and the Samsung Galaxy A35.
Samsung provides four color options to choose from. These are Ice Blue, Lilac, Navy, and Lemon. The Navy option is the darkest. However, due to the glass backing, this color option is more prone to visible fingerprint smudges, especially in brighter settings. Some prospective consumers might not like the fact that this device does not come in a white or silver option.
The 6.6-inch Always-On OLED display with a 2400×1080 resolution and about 390 pixel density is another one of the pros of the Samsung Galaxy A55. It supports HDR10+ and an adaptive refresh rate that can go up to 120Hz. The drawback is that the screen only has a maximum brightness of 1000 nits. It struggles to be viewable when used in a bright outdoor environment.
2. Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A55 5G is powered by the Samsung Exynos 1480 system-on-a-chip. Tests from AnTuTu showed a CPU score of 233124. This is 18 percent higher than the 194288 CPU score of the previous Samsung Galaxy A54. It is also 12.75 percent higher than the 205213 score of the Xiaomi Poco X6 which is powered by Snapdragon 7s Gen 2.
Geekbench 6 revealed scores of 1168 and 3503 in single-core and multi-core testing. These are 12 percent and 16 percent higher than the scores of Xiaomi Poco X6. 3DMark Wildlife Performance showed a score of 3899 while PCMark 3.0 showed a score of 13111. These are about 25 percent higher but 5.57 lower than the average scores of Snapdragon 7s Gen 2.
The 8-core CPU with a maximum clock speed of 2.75 GHz and the 1.3Ghz GPU with about 332 GFLOPs of the Samsung Exynos 1480 bring in a balanced performance that can handle average use cases. The chip also does not have a problem handling above-average use cases like mobile gaming and running photo editing and video editing applications.
Actual tests based on titles like Genshin Impact and PUBG showed that the device can run these graphics-demanding game titles with decent frame rates on medium settings. League of Legends Wild Rift can run at 60 frames per second with no notable frame drops or overheating. However, when pushed to higher graphic settings, the device experiences lags and warming.
3. Camera
The Samsung Galaxy A55 5G offers a capable but modest camera setup. This consists of a triple camera system on the rear which includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and a 5-megapixel macro lens. The front-facing camera system is a 32-megapixel shooter. The entire camera setup is similar to the previous Samsung Galaxy A54.
Nevertheless, in terms of photo quality, the 50-megapixel camera produces good images. This is true in well-lit conditions. The colors are vibrant, and the level of detail is more than adequate for social media sharing. The image processing can be a bit aggressive in some cases. The device can produce photos with oversaturation in images like blue skies or green foliage.
It is worth underscoring the fact that the 5-megapixel macro lens is underwhelming. The overall quality is passable but it does not offer much beyond close-up shots. There are also a few use cases for this camera. The ultra-wide camera captures solid images. However, in several tests, there is some softness in the images, especially towards the edges of the frame.
The quality of the video is respectable. The main camera can record in 4K at 30 frames per second and 1080p at 60 frames per second while providing good stabilization and decent detail. The captured videos are good for social media sharing. A user can switch between the main camera and ultra-wide camera while recording at 4K but the transition is not seamless.
4. Software
This device ships with Android 14 overlaid with Samsung One UI 6.1 out of the box. The custom user interface from Samsung is known for its intuitive design and color palette customization based on the wallpaper on top of useful features like lock screen widgets, quick access to information and toggles, multi-windows and app window resizing for multi-tasking.
It is worth mentioning that the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G comes with severe pre-installed apps that others might find unnecessary. Most of them can be uninstalled. The biggest drawback is that the proprietary One UI can be taxing on system resources like the RAM. The resource usage increases with a higher degree of user customization and personalization.
Samsung has also equipped this device with several AI features. The most notable one is the Circle to Search with Google which allows a user to circle an area on the screen to get search results from Google Search. There is also an image enhancer and an object remover built within the Gallery app. The full Galaxy AI suite is expected to come in this device.
Another advantage of the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G is its long-term software support. Most manufacturers do not provide such. Samsung has committed to providing four years of Android updates and five years of security patches. This means that this device will sport the latest version of Android until 2028 and it will remain secure until at least 2029.
Takeaway: Summary of the Pros and Cons of the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G
The most notable advantages or pros of Samsung Galaxy A55 5G are its above-average Samsung Exynos 1480 chip with a performance befitting a mid-range device and its more-than-decent camera setup. This device also looks premium with its aluminum frame. The long-term software update is also one of its biggest selling points because it provides true value for bucks.
However, because it is still a mid-range device, its performance is not on par with flagship models. The price point is also a little bit higher compared to more affordable but capable mid-rangers from manufacturers like OnePlus, Huawei, and Xiaomi. This device can run popular game titles but prospective consumers should be mindful that this is not a gaming device.
The Samsung Galaxy A55 5G is a strong contender for those looking for a reliable mid-range Android smartphone that balances performance, design, and long-term support. It is still not ideal for some segments of the market. This is especially true for individuals who want better cameras on a mid-range device or want a proper mid-range gaming Android phone.