Professional’s Ranking
Execs
Premium buildCheaper than beforeStrong staminaDecent software program help
Cons
Considerably bulkySlow chargingStill not pretty much as good worth because the competitors
Our Verdict
With a step up in construct high quality, a bigger show, and a quicker processor, the Galaxy A55 5G is a worthy development over the Galaxy A54 5G. It’s cheaper than earlier than too, although nonetheless not the excellent worth of a few of its rivals.
Value When Reviewed
Not launched in US
After getting again into its mid-range smartphone groove with the Galaxy A54 5G, Samsung returns with one other elegant sub-£500 providing within the Galaxy A55 5G.
With costs ranging from simply £439, the Galaxy A55 5G represents the type of value lower we don’t see a lot of lately. Regardless of being cheaper, it manages so as to add a bigger show and a quicker processor, all housed in a extra premium design than earlier than.
You possibly can maybe perceive why Samsung would really feel compelled to supply extra for much less, given the upward stress exerted by excellent-value telephones just like the Nothing Cellphone (2a) and the Motorola Edge 40 Neo, in addition to direct competitors from the Redmi Notice 13 Professional+.
So has Samsung carried out sufficient to compete?
Design & Construct
Comparable model to S24
Glass and steel improve
IP67 safety
The Samsung Galaxy A55 5G doesn’t look all that totally different to the Galaxy A54 5G. Apart from the latter’s subtly rounded edge being utterly flattened out, it’s spot the distinction stuff.
These flat edges in the end converse to the path of journey Samsung has taken with its flagship Galaxy S24. Nonetheless, the Galaxy A55 5G (along with its brother the Galaxy A35 5G) distinguishes itself with a novel raised housing for the ability and quantity buttons.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
Any lingering sense of familiarity vanishes the second you lay your arms on the A55 5G. This can be a considerably extra premium piece of labor, eschewing the plastic of its predecessor in favour of an aluminium body and a glass again.
The entrance of the Galaxy A55 5G additionally will get an improve to the newer, more durable Gorilla Glass Victus+ (up from GG5). You continue to get the identical IP67 water and dirt resistance as earlier than, however that continues to be a stable mid-range spec.
The Galaxy A55 5G’s step-up in supplies does come at the price of elevated weight. We already discovered the Galaxy A54 5G to be considerably unwieldy at 209g, and the A55 5G provides one other 4g on prime of that. The newer cellphone can be barely taller and wider, due to its bigger show so naked this in thoughts.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
With extra extreme edges and a bigger footprint, in addition to the change to a steel body, the Galaxy A55 5G is a much less comfy cellphone to carry than its predecessor. Nonetheless, it undoubtedly feels prefer it’s taken a big step in direction of flagship territory, which is spectacular given the cheaper price ticket.
I’m reviewing the Superior Iceblue possibility, which most individuals would merely name white. It’s also possible to get the Galaxy A55 in Superior Navy, Superior Lilac, and Superior Yellow. Which is… superior.
Display screen & Audio system
Bigger 6.6in AMOLED
120Hz refresh price
Stereo audio system
After reducing the scale of the Galaxy A54 54G’s show ever so barely to six.4in, Samsung has cranked issues proper as much as 6.6in with the Galaxy A55 5G.
Apart from an elevated canvas, that is in any other case a nigh-on equivalent display screen specification, with a 1080 x 2340 (Full HD+) decision and a 120Hz refresh price. It even will get to the identical 1000 nit brightness, when uncovered to shiny ambient lighting and with autobrightness left on.
You’ll need to ensure you do this, too, as I solely measured the brightness as barely scraping to 400 nits with autobrightness off. That’s fantastic for indoor utilization, however received’t stand as much as even a British summer season’s day.
Color accuracy is stable, in Samsung’s signature punchy style
Jon Mundy / Foundry
Color accuracy is stable, in Samsung’s signature punchy style. For those who like your image to be somewhat extra restrained, I’d suggest switching away from the default Vivid setting and choosing Pure as a substitute.
Utilizing this extra muted show mode, I recorded a 99.2% sRGB gamut protection and a median Delta E of 1.72. That’s first rate, with out ripping up any timber.
You don’t get a 3.5mm headphone jack right here, regardless of the scale of the cellphone, however you do get first rate readability from its stereo audio system. There’s the standard lack of bass, however you anticipate that from a mid-range cellphone.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
the Galaxy A55 5G’s Exynos 1480 chip permits it to stretch its legs
Specs & Efficiency
Exynos 1480
8GB RAM
128GB/256GB storage
After final 12 months’s Galaxy A54 5G with its Exynos 1380 introduced the mid-range sequence into easy working order, the Galaxy A55 5G’s Exynos 1480 chip permits it to stretch its legs.
This can be a higher-clocked chip made utilizing a extra energy-efficient 4nm course of, and it’s backed by 8GB of RAM as customary. Benchmark outcomes level to a wholesome, if not enormous enchancment over the Galaxy A54 5G.
In comparison with its contemporaries, the Galaxy A55 5G comfortably trumps the Nothing Cellphone (2a) and the Google Pixel 7a in our CPU benchmark checks, however falls somewhat wanting each in GPU phrases.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
This ends in buttery easy day after day efficiency, but additionally factors to a cellphone that shouldn’t be a main choose if gaming is your precedence. It’ll run the likes of Wreckfest on Excessive settings, however the body price might be removed from flawless. You’re in all probability higher off enjoying such advanced 3D fare at medium settings.
You possibly can choose between 128- and 256GB of inside storage, and there’s a microSD slot in case you really feel the necessity to increase the supply, although it’ll take up one of many two SIM card slots.
Because the identify suggests, you possibly can depend on 5G connectivity the place accessible, whereas the Galaxy A55 5G additionally provides Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6, and NFC for cellular funds. It’s all fairly updated on the connectivity entrance for a mid-ranger.
Cameras
50Mp predominant digital camera
12Mp ultrawide
5Mp macro
32Mp selfies
We’ve seen nothing however considerate evolution up to now, however the Galaxy A55 5G’s progress considerably flatlines with its digital camera system. Samsung appears to have fitted the cellphone with precisely the identical setup because the Galaxy A54 5G.
Meaning a reasonably typical displaying of a 50Mp predominant digital camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, a 12Mp ultra-wide, and a 5Mp macro digital camera. There’s the identical 32Mp selfie digital camera across the entrance, too.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
It ought to shock nobody that my impressions of the Galaxy A55 5G’s photographic abilities broadly fall in step with final 12 months’s mannequin, even with the standard enhancements to picture processing that include a brand new mannequin.
That predominant digital camera does a whole lot of the heavy lifting right here, turning out detailed photos packed filled with Samsung’s customary color – maybe even an excessive amount of for some tastes – when taking pictures in good lighting.
Night time photographs are much less assured, with a touch of grain and softness, and I noticed an odd inexperienced visible artefact in a single explicit occasion. They nonetheless look first rate, however if you’d like really sturdy night time photographs for lower than £500, look to the Pixel 7a.
The A55’s 12Mp ultra-wide is sweet to have for these panorama shot conditions, however the fall-off in high quality and inconsistency in tone in comparison with the principle sensor is sort of pronounced.
Samsung goes somewhat additional than most with its 5Mp macro digital camera, producing satisfactory close-up photographs. However it’s nonetheless a superfluous addition, and I favor the no-nonsense dual-lens strategy taken by the Nothing Cellphone (2a) and Pixel 7a.
As that means, there’s no devoted telephoto right here, however 2x photographs look fairly stable due to that stable predominant sensor and Samsung’s dependable cropping system. You’ll be dicing with growing quantities of blur as you stray into 4x and 10x territory, although.
As soon as once more, Samsung’s 32Mp entrance digital camera does a bang up job with selfies. Pores and skin tones are pure, topic definition is sweet, and there’s a pleasant diploma of background blur even with out the portrait mode activated.
It has a barely wider discipline of view than many, which is a greater choose for group photographs, with the default view cropping in for a extra common close-up with out a noticeable drop off intimately.
Video recording is first rate, stretching to 4K at 30fps or 1080p at 60fps. The supply of OIS retains issues suitably regular.
Battery Life & Charging
5000mAh battery
25W charging
No adapter included
Samsung caught with a well-recognized 5000mAh battery for the Galaxy A55 5G, which proves to be ample. Along with the brand new Exynos chip, it makes for an impressively environment friendly runner.
the Galaxy A55 5G might be good for a full two days of ‘regular’ utilization in between prices
In sensible use, I discovered the Galaxy A55 5G’s stamina to be sturdy. On a 15 hour day with 4 hours half-hour of display screen on time – what you would possibly time period reasonable utilization – it fell to only 63%. On an particularly intense day of seven hours and 50 minutes display screen on time, the Galaxy A55 5G nonetheless obtained by way of to bedtime with 22% remaining.
That’s a formidable degree of stamina and signifies that the Galaxy A55 5G might be good for a full two days of ‘regular’ utilization in between prices.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
In the meantime, a PC Mark Work 3.0 battery rating of 12 hours and 26 minutes falls a number of hours behind the Nothing Cellphone (2a), however comfortably beats the likes of the Pixel 7a and the Motorola Edge 40 Neo.
If there’s one weak spot right here, it’s that Samsung persists in supporting a reasonably mediocre charging pace. At simply 25W, you’ll solely get to only over half a tankful from empty in half-hour of charging. The Nothing Cellphone (2a) helps 45W, whereas the Redmi Notice 13 Professional+ 5G helps a whopping 120W, and the latter additionally offers you that speedy charger within the field.
There’s no wi-fi charging provision right here, which isn’t too shocking. You possibly can choose up a Pixel 7a with this function for comparable cash, nevertheless it’s one thing of a mid-range outlier.
Software program & Apps
Android 14
One UI 6.1
4 years of OS upgrades
Samsung provides the newest model of Android with the Galaxy A55 5G, which is Android 14, along with its personal newest customized UI, One UI 6.1. In that manner, it’s proper up there with the corporate’s flagship Galaxy S24 sequence, minus the AI methods.
One UI is an interface that you just’ll both be immediately comfy with, or else should develop accustomed to over time.
Samsung’s software program has been put in on hundreds of thousands upon hundreds of thousands of gadgets throughout greater than a decade, albeit underneath totally different names, which implies that it’s usually considered because the default Android OS by an terrible lot of individuals.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
It’s additionally a easy, versatile, vibrant and absolutely featured UI that proves to be a tinkerer’s delight.
For those who’ve ventured away from Samsung at any level over time, nevertheless, you’ll have skilled the cleaner, extra streamlined delights of inventory Android and people UIs that stick nearer to Google’s manner of doing issues. To somebody who’s acquired a style for such issues, One UI can really feel very busy certainly, and even somewhat clumsy, with a lot of preinstalled apps – a number of of which duplicate core Google providers.
Samsung is promising 4 years of main OS upgrades for the Galaxy A55 5G, and as much as 5 years of safety updates. That’s fairly sturdy for a mid-range cellphone.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
Value & Availability
Samsung is promoting the Galaxy A55 5G in two storage variants from its web site right here within the UK. The mannequin with 128GB, which I’m reviewing right here, prices £439, whereas the 256GB mannequin prices £489.
Amazon, John Lewis, Very, Argos, and Currys are all promoting the cellphone at an analogous value. Very was providing a £10 low cost on the time of writing, whereas John Lewis was providing a free set of Galaxy Buds FE headphones with the cellphone.
That £439 beginning value makes the Galaxy A55 5G £10 cheaper than final 12 months’s Galaxy A54 5G. We haven’t been too accustomed to seeing something get cheaper lately, not to mention a preferred smartphone vary, so that is welcome information.
Even so, I’m hesitant to label the Galaxy A55 5G a discount. Not when the Nothing Cellphone (2a) may be had for £319 and the Motorola Edge 40 Neo for £300 or much less.
One unfavourable is the truth that the Galaxy A55 5G doesn’t look like certain for US shores. Solely the Galaxy A35 5G is headed stateside on the time of writing for $399. It’s not too dissimilar, however remains to be an inferior product with a less expensive construct, inferior efficiency, and a lesser digital camera set-up.
Try our chart of the perfect mid-range telephones to see all the highest A55 options.
Must you purchase the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G?
Samsung has taken the great work carried out with the Galaxy A54 5G, and thoughtfully constructed upon it. That is one other all-round succesful mid-ranger with a a lot improved construct, a bigger show, and quicker efficiency.
Whereas it will have been good to see some extra enhancements within the digital camera and show departments, these have been stable parts final time round, and stay so in 2024. On condition that the cellphone prices rather less than its predecessor, it will really feel churlish to complain an excessive amount of, although cheaper rivals such because the Nothing Cellphone (2a) and the Motorola Edge 40 Neo imply that I nonetheless wouldn’t name it a full-on discount.
Samsung might nonetheless do with bettering its charging speeds, particularly in comparison with a few of its mid-range rivals, and the Galaxy A55 5G is greater and bulkier than ever. Nonetheless, it stays a simple advice for anybody with lower than £450 to burn on a smartphone.
Specs
Android 14 with One UI 6.1
6.6in, FHD+, OLED, 120Hz, flat show
In-display fingerprint sensor
Exynos 1480
8GB RAM
128GB/256GB storage with MicroSD
50Mp, f/1.8 predominant digital camera
12Mp ultra-wide digital camera
5Mp macro digital camera
As much as 4K @ 30fps rear video
32Mp front-facing digital camera
Stereo audio system
Twin-SIM
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6
Bluetooth 5.3
5000mAh battery
25W charging
161.1 x 77.4 x 8.2mm
213g
Launch colors: Meteorite Grey, Moonlight White, Celestial Blue