Intro Samsung Galaxy A55
Samsung’s flagship mid-range device, the Samsung Galaxy A55, arrived this year, but one aspect seems to be limiting its potential. Aside from that, is it an improvement over the previous year’s version?
Design and build quality of Samsung Galaxy A55
The Galaxy A50 series smartphones rank among the most favored options in Samsung’s entire lineup, aside from the flagship models; however, the new Samsung Galaxy A55 will not be offered in the US market. The reason behind Samsung’s decision remains unclear, leaving consumers in the US with the choice of the entry-level Galaxy A35 or last year’s Galaxy A54, which are quite alike in many aspects.
While the differences are not drastic, there are some enhancements, including an updated chipset, a marginally larger display, double the RAM for the entry-level storage option and a refreshed design. In terms of appearance, there haven’t been significant changes; you still have a glossy flat glass back and distinct camera rings, but this edition features a flat aluminum frame instead of a plastic one. The device conveys a premium feel, reminiscent of the flagship Galaxy S24, and, as seen previously, it has an IP67 rating for protection against dust and water.
Samsung Galaxy A55 Display quality
The Samsung Galaxy A55 features a larger display than the previous year’s model, boasting a 6.6-inch OLED screen with a 1080p resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate, along with enhanced Gorilla Glass Victus Plus protection. While some competitors opt for slimmer bezels nowadays, this display remains appealing with its sharpness and contrast, plus it supports HDR10+ video.
In terms of brightness, the display’s performance remains consistent with last year’s model, reaching a maximum of nearly 450 nits using a manual slider, and exceeding 1,000 nits in auto mode when in bright lighting conditions. The refresh rate behavior is also reliable; you can enjoy a fluid 120 Hz experience while swiping and scrolling, which can drop to 60 Hz during idle moments to conserve energy.
Speaker quality of Samsung Galaxy A55
The Samsung Galaxy A55 features a duo of stereo speakers for audio, which are a bit louder than last year’s model. The sound quality has also improved, with enhanced bass and clearer vocals.
Under display fingerprint scanner & Storage options
Start your day by unlocking your phone using an under-display fingerprint scanner. To be quite honest, this feature is somewhat slower. The A55 is available with either 128 or 256 gigabytes of internal storage, which can be expanded via micro SD.
Android 14, One UI 6.1
The smartphone utilizes Samsung’s latest One UI 6.1, which is layered on top of Android 14. The Samsung Galaxy A55 includes most of Samsung’s software features, although it does not support all the new AI functionalities exclusive to the flagship models. If you’re interested in learning more, you can watch a specific video focused on One UI 6. Samsung has committed to providing the Galaxy A55 with up to four years of major operating system updates and five years of security updates.
Exynos 1480
The device is equipped with an Exynos 1480 chipset, which offers improved performance compared to the Exynos 1380 present in last year’s Galaxy A54. In terms of performance, the Exynos 1480 shows commendable results in benchmarking. The Samsung Galaxy A55 achieves solid scores in both CPU and GPU evaluations. In summary, this smartphone boasts sufficient power for seamless daily use and even some gaming activities.
Thermals chart
The thermal management performs exceptionally well during our extended stress tests. The A55 sustained consistent high performance without any throttling, and the phone remained cool throughout.
Battery life and charging speed test
The battery capacity remains unchanged this year, still sitting at 5,000 mAh. However, we observe a notable enhancement in battery life compared to the previous version, achieving an impressive active usage time of 13 hours and 27 minutes. The performance showed marked improvements in web browsing, call duration, and video streaming tests. The charging speed has not altered, remaining at 25 watts; a 30-minute charge raises the A55’s battery from 0 to 55%, while a complete charge takes 1 hour and 3 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy A55 Main cameras
The cameras remain unchanged from last year, featuring a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The main camera produces photos and videos that are generally pleasing, with clarity and a good level of detail. Although the camera hardware is the same, the processing has improved, resulting in photos that display extra sharpness and a more restrained color balance compared to the a54. The 2x digital zoom from the main camera disappoints, as images appear somewhat blurry and exhibit increased noise in low-light scenarios.
Typically, the main camera engages automatic night mode processing, yielding solid performance with natural-looking, detailed, and relatively sharp photos, along with well-managed contrast and colors. The 4K video captured with the main camera showcases vibrant colors, strong contrast, a wealth of fine detail, and an extensive dynamic range. There is, however, some excess sharpening visible in elements like foliage and grass.
The 4K video also includes effective stabilization, which is among the best available in this price category. Nighttime video quality is good as well, offering a clean image with rich contrast, attractive colors, and detail, even in shadowed areas, though highlights tend to be noticeably overexposed.
Ultrawide Camera
The Samsung Galaxy A55 excels in photo and video performance. Its ultrawide camera is impressive and surpasses many rivals, delivering excellent sharpness and detail. The colors are fairly accurate, and the contrast is also quite good. However, in low light conditions, even with the automatic night mode, the outcomes are not ideal; most images appear somewhat noisy and soft, although they still outperform many other mid-range ultrawide cameras. The 4K videos captured by the ultrawide camera are less sharp and detailed than those from the main cameras, and the dynamic range is somewhat limited.
Selfies Camera
the quality is quite impressive for this type of camera. Finally, selfies taken with the 32-megapixel front-facing camera are outstanding; they are detailed and fairly sharp, and the colors appear natural.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy A55 is generally a well-rounded mid-range device featuring a premium design, good performance from its chipset, impressive battery life, and reliable cameras. However, it does have a few drawbacks. Firstly, it is not sold in the U.S. market, which could significantly affect its sales.
Secondly, the price is somewhat high for its category, and rival phones are offering similar features at lower prices. Nonetheless, if and when the price decreases, the Samsung Galaxy A55 may be a worthwhile option.
