fast all-rounder is still a bit too expensive

Every year a new device is released in the Galaxy A5X series and this year it is time for the Samsung Galaxy A55. On paper, the innovations compared to its predecessor are small, but what about in practice?

This is the Samsung Galaxy A55 review

In March, Samsung presented two new smartphones in the Galaxy A series. Our Samsung Galaxy A35 review is now online and now it is time for the more expensive Galaxy A55. This phone has a suggested retail price of 479 euros and Android Planet has tested it extensively for you.

We see a new design, larger screen and a faster processor. For the rest, it is actually Samsung that does the talking. But, does this mean you should consider the Galaxy A55 or not? You can read it in this Samsung Galaxy A55 review.

The review model of the Galaxy A55 was made available by Samsung.

The Samsung Galaxy A55 is (unfortunately) slightly larger than its predecessor. A large 6.6-inch screen was chosen, which means that one-handed operation is no longer an option. The large screen edges are striking, which are much too wide in 2024. They are also not symmetrical, because the beam at the bottom is thicker.

We see a glass back, from which the three cameras protrude and that is typical Samsung. We also see changes compared to the Galaxy A54. For example, the A55 has a metal frame that feels and looks more luxurious. The volume controls and on/off button on the right side are placed on a small bulge and that is also slightly different than we are used to. The buttons are located quite high in the housing.

The top accommodates the SIM card slot and the USB-C port and a speaker can be found at the bottom. We tested the light blue model, but the Galaxy A55 is also available in dark blue, yellow and lilac.

No major changes

As mentioned, the screen has grown from 6.4 inches to 6.6 inches. However, it is still a colorful AMOLED display with a resolution of 2340 by 1080 pixels. The clarity has improved on paper, but this is not visible in practice. Pixels refresh a maximum of 120 times per second, which ensures smooth images.

The screen is easy to read in direct sunlight, but as we wrote in our Galaxy A54 review: the display could use a little brighter. In this price range and even below, there are plenty of devices that do better in that area.

Nice upgrade in terms of processor

Samsung is one of the few manufacturers that makes its own processors. The Galaxy A55 is powered by the updated Exynos 1480 chip, which is a nice upgrade compared to the Exynos 1380 and 1280 that we saw in older devices. This Exynos chip offers much better performance in terms of both processing power and video performance, which means it can handle demanding tasks and games well.

That’s nice, because the Galaxy A54 regularly lacked computing power. The A55 has 8GB of RAM and versions are available with 128GB or 256GB of storage space. Expanding the memory is possible with a micro SD card. If you are not using a memory card, you can fit two physical SIM cards in the device. Support for an ESIM is also available.

The device is dust and waterproof thanks to the IP67 certification, which is a nice added bonus. The stereo speakers also do their job well, but at a higher volume they sound more shrill than desired.

Time for something new, Samsung

We could guess in advance which cameras the Galaxy A55 has. Samsung has a habit of using the same camera hardware for years and that is also the case here.

The main camera has a resolution of 50 megapixels and has optical image stabilization. There is a 12 megapixel lens for wide-angle photos, and you can take close-up photos with a maximum of 5 megapixels. Zooming is only possible digitally, because a separate telephoto lens is not available.

The main camera takes excellent snapshots, but we didn’t expect anything less. Details are captured well and the contrast is good. The Galaxy A55 sometimes enhances colors slightly, such as in the photos of the grass below. We have come to expect that from Samsung, but fortunately it was less than a few years ago.

It is striking that the final photos look much better than what you see in the viewfinder during the photography itself. Better than the other way around, of course, but worth mentioning.

Wide angle lens

The wide-angle lens has a much lower resolution and snapshots therefore look less beautiful. Details are disappointing and the photos are less sharp at the edges. It is nice that the colors of the snapshots taken are the same as those of the primary camera.

Below are some examples of photos taken with the wide-angle lens, main camera, with two times digital zoom and ten times digital zoom. As mentioned, no optical zoom is possible with the A55, which means that zoomed photos quickly look like watercolor paintings.

Macro mode

We have also seen a meager 5 megapixel macro camera from Samsung for years close-ups. The resolution is too low to take nice photos up close. We think Samsung can omit this lens from now on, because it hardly adds anything. It is also possible in software to have this function handled by the wide-angle lens.

Busy software, long support

Out of the box, the Galaxy A55 runs on Android 14 and with Samsung’s OneUI shell. In the future, you can expect four major Android updates and five years of security patches. Samsung is one of the forerunners when it comes to Android updates.

The One UI shell is and remains not our favorite. The software is very colorful, Samsung supplies all kinds of apps that you often don’t even use and there are many options. However, the personalization options are endless, so you can make the device completely your own. Still, we prefer a cleaner shell, such as from Google itself or Motorola.

By the way, there is no AI (artificial intelligence) on board as with the Galaxy S series. Perhaps AI functions will come to the A55 at a later date, but nothing is known about this yet.

Same capacity, better performance

The battery has the same capacity as the Galaxy A54 (5000 mAh), but the processor is slightly more energy efficient. On the other hand, the screen is a fraction larger, so we thought the battery life would be almost the same.

In practice, however, the battery life is better, so you can watch videos for longer, leave the device on standby or play a game. During our review period, it was rare that we had to charge it more than once every day and a half. Often we could even last two days with a full charge.

A charger is not included in the box, something that has been the case with Samsung for a long time. Charging is relatively slow. In half an hour the battery is slightly more than half full and it takes an hour to fully charge it. Wireless charging is not possible and other devices supplied with power via the A55 are also not included.

Conclusion Samsung Galaxy A55 review

The Galaxy A55 is again an excellent midrange phone. However, we do not think the larger screen is necessarily an improvement and at the time of writing it is simply too expensive compared to the Galaxy A54, which you can pick up for € 329. The A54 is therefore the better deal and the A55 will only become more interesting if it also drops in price.

The metal frame is nice, but not lifechanger and the same applies to the improved battery life. In terms of processor, we see some nice progress. However, it is time for Samsung to opt for new camera hardware and a brighter display, because these are two clear negatives.

Samsung Galaxy A55: price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy A55 is available in four colors and you can choose from two memory configurations. The entry-level model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage has a suggested retail price of 479 euros, the version with 8GB RAM and 256GB memory costs 529 euros. Of course, you can also choose to combine the Galaxy A55 with a subscription, which allows you to spread the costs. You can see the best prices in the comparator below.

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