9 Pros and Cons of Samsung Galaxy A55 5G

The Samsung Galaxy A5x Series has many fans around the world. Compared to other Samsung phones, the Galaxy A5x stands out for its design, features, performance, and price.

A report from analyst firm Omdia stated that the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G was one of the top 10 best-selling phones in the first quarter of 2023, selling 8.8 million units during that time.

The Samsung Galaxy A55 5G, the successor to the A54, aims to achieve similar success. It was officially launched globally in March 2023. One of the main highlights of the Galaxy A55 5G is its System on Chip (SoC).

It features the Exynos 1480 SoC, which includes an AMD technology GPU. This is the first time a Samsung mid-range phone has been equipped with an AMD GPU, making its graphics processing capabilities noteworthy.

However, the Galaxy A55 has more to offer beyond its SoC. Its design, camera, and other features also stand out. Let's take a look at the explanations below!

Pros of Samsung Galaxy A55 5G

Not everyone can afford the more expensive Galaxy S Series phones. However, the Galaxy A55 offers a more affordable option without compromising satisfaction. Here are some reasons why:

1. Premium Design with Metal Frame

The Galaxy A55's design is similar to the Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24. If you're not paying close attention to the screen bezel thickness, they look very much alike.

Both the front and back of the Galaxy A55 resemble these high-end models. The back cover is made of glass, while the frame is aluminum metal.

The aluminum frame gives the phone a solid and premium feel. This isn't the first Samsung mid-range phone to use an aluminum frame; the Galaxy A5 (2016) also had one.

The frame of the Galaxy A55 is flat, like the Galaxy A54, but now features a raised area around the power and volume buttons, called the Key Island, for easier access without looking.

This phone also has an IP67 rating, meaning it is dustproof and can withstand being submerged in fresh water up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes. You don’t need to worry if the phone gets caught in the rain or accidentally dropped in a bathtub.

2. Good Screen Display with Gorilla Glass Victus+

Samsung has equipped the Galaxy A55 5G with a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display. The Full HD+ (1080 x 2340 pixels) screen is slightly larger than the Galaxy A54’s screen by 0.02 inches.

In addition to the size increase, the Galaxy A55's screen is more resistant to scratches and impacts due to its Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection. This glass is stronger than the Gorilla Glass 5 used on the Galaxy A54.

Regarding display quality, the Galaxy A55's screen is similar to its predecessor. It features an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ video playback support, and Widevine L1 certification. You’ll also find the Always-on display and a fingerprint scanner.

The display, typical of AMOLED panels, is sharp with high contrast, making it ideal for gaming, watching videos, or simply navigating.

Tests by Jagat Review show that the Galaxy A55’s screen can reach a brightness level of 1048 nits in outdoor conditions. This high brightness makes the screen easily visible even in bright sunlight.

3. Stereo Speakers with Good Sound

The Galaxy A55 is equipped with two speakers, providing a stereo sound setup. The main speaker is near the USB port at the bottom, while the second speaker is integrated with the earpiece on the top bezel.

According to JM Chavaria of Yuga Tech, both speakers are equally loud. The bass and mid-range sounds are strong, making music listening enjoyable with the Galaxy A55's stereo speakers.

Additionally, the Galaxy A55 supports Dolby Atmos technology, allowing you to adjust the equalizer with Dolby presets for improved sound quality.

4. Fast and Efficient Exynos 1480 SoC

As I mentioned earlier, this phone uses the Exynos 1480 SoC, making it the first phone to feature this chip. Samsung claims that the Exynos 1480 has a 15% increase in CPU performance and a 32% improvement in GPU performance. These enhancements are due to several factors.

Firstly, the CPU clock speed has increased, despite retaining the Cortex A78 microarchitecture. The Exynos 1480's four performance cores now run at 2.75 GHz, up from 2.4 GHz in the Exynos 1380.

Secondly, the SoC includes the Xclipse 530 GPU with a clock speed of 1.3 GHz, higher than the Mali-G68 MP5 used in the Exynos 1380, which ran at 950 MHz. The Xclipse 530 is based on AMD RDNA architecture, although Samsung has not specified whether it uses RDNA2 or RDNA3.

Thirdly, the Exynos 1480 is manufactured using a 4 nm process, which is more efficient than the 5 nm process used for the Exynos 1380.

The Exynos 1480 is complemented by LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 internal storage. Samsung provides three memory configurations for the Galaxy A55: 8/128 GB, 8/256 GB, and 12/256 GB.

This SoC delivers fast performance for the Galaxy A55. In tests by Jagat Review, the demanding game Genshin Impact ran well on the ‘High 60 FPS’ graphics setting.

The average frame rate was 43 FPS without a cooling fan, rising to 45-50 FPS with one. Without a fan, the phone's front temperature reached 41-42°C, and the back reached 44-45°C. These temperatures are reasonable, likely due to the phone's cooling component, which is 74% larger than that of the Galaxy A54.

JM Chavaria also reported good performance with the Galaxy A55, especially when playing Mobile Legends. However, the graphics settings remained at ‘High’ with a ‘High’ frame rate (60 FPS). The Super 90 FPS and Ultra 120 FPS frame rate settings in Mobile Legends have not yet been unlocked.

Here are the Galaxy A55's synthetic benchmark scores from YugaTech and Jagat Review:

5. Impressive Camera Features

The Galaxy A55 comes with three rear cameras and one front camera to maintain the same setup as the Galaxy A54. The rear cameras include a 50MP main camera (f/1.8), a 12MP ultrawide camera (f/2.3), and a 5MP macro camera (f/2.4).

The front camera has a 32MP resolution with an f/2.2 aperture. The main camera stands out as it is the only one with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and autofocus.

For video recording, all cameras, except the macro, can record up to 4K at 30 FPS. Both the main and front cameras can also handle 1080p at 60 FPS.

Video stabilization (EIS) is active across all cameras and resolutions, and you can switch between cameras during recording at the same resolution. This feature is very handy.

In terms of photo quality, the Galaxy A55 delivers sharp, well-exposed images with a good dynamic range. The colors are quite natural, and the low-light performance is commendable with minimal noise.

Source: JM Chavaria/Yuga Tech

Source: JM Chavaria/Yuga Tech

Source: JM Chavaria/Yuga Tech

Source: JM Chavaria/Yuga Tech

While the main camera performs excellently, the front camera has some inconsistencies. According to JM Chavaria, it sometimes produces warm tones and other times cool ones, which could be fixed with a software update.

For video recording, the main camera excels, even in low-light conditions. Jagat Review noted that 1080p at 60 FPS video at night is more stable than 4K at 30 FPS, with less jitter.

This applies to both the main and front cameras. However, 4K videos are brighter and less noisy than 1080p. The ultrawide camera is not recommended for night video recording due to its lower quality.

6. Reliable Battery Life

The Galaxy A55 is equipped with a 5000 mAh battery, similar to the Galaxy A54. This battery offers good endurance thanks to the efficient Exynos 1480 SoC.

JM Chavaria reported a battery life of 22 hours and 46 minutes for local video playback. Jagat Review's tests showed the phone lasting 25 hours and 31 minutes for playing downloaded 1080p YouTube videos.

The 5000 mAh battery supports 25 Watt fast charging. Using a compatible charger, it takes about 1 hour and 23 minutes to fully charge from empty. This charging time is competitive, even compared to some phones with 33 Watt fast charging.

7. Four OS Upgrades

Samsung promises four operating system upgrades and five years of security patch updates for the Galaxy A55. This long-term software support is notable for a mid-range phone and is a strong selling point for those looking for longevity.

When released in March 2024, the Galaxy A55 came with Android 14 and the OneUI 6.1 interface. It will receive upgrades up to Android 18, with security patches continuing until 2029.

8. First Galaxy A Series with Knox Vault

The Galaxy A55 introduces several interesting features with OneUI 6.1, including Knox Vault, Separate App Sound, and Pause USB Delivery.

Knox Vault is a crucial addition for securing sensitive information like passwords and PINs. Alongside the Galaxy A35, the Galaxy A55 is the first in the Galaxy A Series to incorporate Knox Vault.

Knox Vault is distinct from standard Knox, as it has its own processor and storage, separate from the phone's operating system. This separation ensures that critical data such as passwords and PINs are stored securely.

By isolating important data, the risk of hacking is minimized. Knox Vault is integrated with the Secure Folder app, providing a place to hide confidential information.

Another feature is Separate App Sound, which allows you to play music through multiple audio outputs, like two different sets of TWS. Pause USB Delivery, commonly known as bypass charging, is particularly effective when playing games and activates only when the battery is above 20 percent.

Pause USB Delivery directs power straight to the hardware instead of the battery, reducing the phone's temperature during high workloads.

9. Supports eSIM

Source: choosers.club

What I personally like is that this phone includes a hybrid dual-SIM card slot. This enables you to install two SIM cards without a microSD or one SIM card with a microSD. This design is user-friendly, as it allows for storage expansion.

The Galaxy A55 also supports eSIM, letting you install two numbers without removing the microSD card. One number can use a physical SIM card while the other uses an eSIM.

Cons of the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G

While the Galaxy A55 has many strengths, there are some drawbacks to consider.

1. Heavy and Thick Body

The use of aluminum makes the Galaxy A55 heavier, weighing 213 grams, which is 11 grams more than its predecessor. The thickness is reasonable at 8.2mm, but the larger dimensions due to the bigger screen may make it uncomfortable to hold for long periods, especially for those with small hands.

2. Minimalist Sales Package

Continuing the trend of minimalist packaging seen with the Galaxy A54 and A53, the Galaxy A55 does not include a charger head or a soft case. The box contains only a SIM ejector, a USB-C cable, and some paperwork. This means you might need to purchase a charger separately unless you already have one.

3. No Telephoto Camera

The Galaxy A55 lacks a telephoto or periscope camera. In its price range, some phones now feature these types of cameras with optical zoom capabilities. While mid-range telephoto cameras may not match the quality of high-end ones, they are often more useful than macro cameras.

Conclusion

Samsung has not produced another standout mid-range phone since the Galaxy A52s. The 2021 release was widely praised for its design, performance, camera quality, and battery life, making it a well-rounded package.

If you own a Galaxy A52s, the Galaxy A55 is a recommended upgrade. It retains the strengths of the Galaxy A52s while adding new features.

The aluminum frame gives the phone a more premium feel, and its performance, powered by the Exynos 1480 with AMD RDNA technology, handles heavy games with ease.

The camera performance is also satisfactory, making it a good option for content creators on a budget. The phone’s IP67 rating adds to its appeal.

However, the ever-evolving standards of mid-range phones make the Galaxy A55 seem less appealing compared to competitors with telephoto or periscope cameras. But if you prioritize water resistance and long software support, the Galaxy A55 5G is a solid choice.