While the top end of smartphone ranges and especially flagship models get the most attention or shine, it is in the midrange category where the biggest battle for consumer mindshare and wallet share actually occurs, and for this vital segment of the local market Samsung has a really enticing offering in the Galaxy A55 5G.
Closer in size to a Galaxy S24+ (158.5 x 75.9 x 7.7mm) than the regular S24, the A55 5G (161.1 x 77.4 x 8.2mm) sports a premium looking and feeling design consisting of a stylish metallic frame (that does get cold in these winter mornings so clear case comes recommended) and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, making it tougher and more damage-resistant. Durability is also bolstered by the Galaxy A55 5G’s IP67 rating, which means it is dust/water resistant and can withstand up to 1 metre of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
The smartphone’s phablet-sized (213g) frame is still easy to hold in slip into your skinny jeans pocket and the centre piece of that expanded frame is ofcourse the gorgeous 6.6″ 1080 x 2340 (FHD+) Super AMOLED that makes consuming content a real treat and supports refresh rates up to 120 Hz meaning everything is buttery smooth especially your favourite mobile gaming titles.
Speaking of buttery smooth, performance is kept brisk and smooth under the hood and whilst navigating the OS or multitasking thanks to an Octa-Core processor clocked at 2GHz (can turbo boost up to 2.75GHz), along with 8 GB RAM and suitably snappy 256 GB worth of internal storage (around 235.5 GB available to the user).
Secure your data in a (security feature) Vault
In addition, opting for a trusted brand like Samsung means you get a lot of software optimisation and additional features liek Knox Vault that debuts on the Galaxy A range for the first time. This is a hardware-based and tamper-resistant security solution, offering comprehensive protection against both hardware- and software attacks by constructing a secure execution environment that is physically isolated from the system’s main processor and memory.
Basically, Samsung Knox Vault can help protect the most critical data on a device, including lock screen credentials, such as PIN codes, passwords and patterns. Furthermore, Samsung Knox Vault also protects device encryption keys, encrypting users’ private data stored in the device. Only a user who has the correct lock screen credentials can access their data, even if the device is lost or stolen.
Other notable features are 5G connectivity which midrangers can often skimp on, making the Galaxy A55 5G also futureproof, as well as dual-SIM connectivity for those who like to use two numbers for their work and personal lines, travellers, or those making use of different networks for data and voice. Further bolstering the lifetime usage viability of this smartphone is the fact that you get One UI upgrades and five years of security updates.
Capable camera for stills and video
In terms of optics, there is no skimping once again as you get a pretty capable camera array consisting of a 50.0 MP (wide angle) + 12.0 MP (ultra wide) + 5.0 MP (macro) rear-facing shooters. This allows for some gorgeous photos and tremendous versatility, in almost any conditions and lighting scenarious – one negative is that in bad lighting conditions, especially during night time shooting, noise can be introduced in some shots particularly in the shadow areas of the photo frame. Equally impressive are the video recording capabilities which can be limited to 1080p for rival offerings but not on the Galaxy A55 5G which allows for UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at a smooth 30fps. Video stabilisation when standing still while recording works a treat even with our shaky hands, but can be a little more temperamental if you are walking/jogging while recording a video. Selfie shooters will also love the beautiful shots taken from the 32 MP front facing snapper. Photos taken with this camera are sharp and very detailed, with the colours also looking really natural – which we prefer.
Last but not least is the battery life, with Samsung throwing in a 4900 MaH battery in this smartphone. For general users this can equate to two days worth of battery life, while power users will get just over a full day’s worth of usage, reaching for their USB-C charging cable around a day and a half into their usage like us during the two week review period.
All of this tech and features comes in at an RRP of R11999 (you can get it slightly cheaper at some local retailers if you put the work in to shop for deals), and this sees it costing around the same as rivals like a HUAWEI nova 12 SE, HONOR X9A 5G, iPhone 13, even Samsung’s own Galaxy S23 Fe. So, a lot of options but this is certainly one of the best feature packed offerings from the most popular Andriod brand of choice for most users, and is our favourite choice as well in this highly competitive segment of the smartphone market.
