Samsung Galaxy A55

Design

The Samsung Galaxy A55, released on March 15, 2024, presents a standard slab design with dimensions of 161.1 mm in height, 77.4 mm in width, and 8.2 mm in depth. It weighs 213 grams. The device is not foldable. Color options include Navy, Iceblue, Lilac, and Lemon. The phone utilizes Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for screen protection, featuring a 2.5D curved glass design. The screen is frameless with a hole-punch notch for the front-facing camera.

Display

The phone sports a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of approximately 390 ppi and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and a High Brightness Mode (HBM) of 1000 nits. The Super AMOLED panel provides rich contrast and vibrant colors. The display also has features such as Always-On Display, a typical brightness of 500 cd/m², capacitive multi-touch and is scratch-resistant.

Performance

The Galaxy A55 is powered by the Exynos 1480 chipset, built on a 4 nm process. The octa-core CPU configuration comprises four Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.75 GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores at 2.0 GHz. Graphics are handled by the Xclipse 530 GPU. The device provides different versions with 8 GB or 12 GB of LPDDR4X RAM. AnTuTu benchmark scores are around 713,393 (v10). The device also includes sensors such as a Fingerprint sensor (under display), Light sensor, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Barometer, Geomagnetic, and Ultrasonic proximity virtual sensor. The device incorporates Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio with Stereo Speakers. The internal storage comes at 128GB or 256GB but there's no microSD card slot available. The device does not include a cooling system or gaming buttons.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy A55 has a triple-lens rear camera system. The primary 50MP camera uses a Sony IMX906 sensor with a 1/1.56" sensor size, 1.00µm pixel size, an f/1.8 aperture, and supports 2x2 OCL and pixel binning (1-4). The secondary 13MP wide-angle camera features a Sony IMX258 sensor, 1/3.06" sensor size, 1.12µm pixel size and an f/2.2 aperture. The third is a 5MP macro lens with an f/2.4 aperture and a 1.12 µm pixel size. The front-facing 32MP selfie camera utilizes a Sony IMX616 sensor with a 1/2.8" sensor size, 0.80µm pixel size, and an f/2.2 aperture and includes 1-4 (2x2) pixel binning. Video recording capabilities include 4K@30fps with EIS, 1080p@30fps with EIS and 1080p@60fps with EIS. The camera setup also boasts features such as OIS, LED flash, digital zoom, AutoFraming, HDR, Night Mode, RAW 12 bits, and DOL HDR. The phone also supports slow-motion video recording at 240 fps.

Battery Life

The device is powered by a 5000mAh Li-Ion battery. It supports 25W fast charging and is non-removable. The device does not offer wireless charging.

Software

The phone operates on Android 14, with an upgrade path up to Android 18.

Pricing

The Samsung Galaxy A55 falls within the medium price range. Specific prices vary depending on configuration:

• 8GB RAM / 256GB Storage: Approximately between $299.99 and $345.67.
• 12GB RAM / 256GB Storage: Approximately between $311.50 and $624.52.

Connectivity

Connectivity features include Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC. It supports Dual SIM Dual Standby (Nano SIM + Nano SIM / eSIM). The USB Type-C port supports USB 2.0 and OTG. The device supports various 5G, 4G LTE, 3G and 2G network bands. GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, and Galileo are also included for navigation.

Overall Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A55 presents itself as a mid-range contender with a capable processor, a good Super AMOLED display, and a versatile camera system. The inclusion of a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and OIS contribute to a satisfactory user experience. The 5000mAh battery ensures adequate battery life, and 25W fast charging is a decent addition. However, a lack of wireless charging may be a miss for some users. The device is a solid choice for users seeking a balanced mid-range smartphone with capable features, provided the prices are within the buyer's expectation and region.