Samsung Galaxy A55 5G Review: Premium Feel on a Budget

Cheap smartphones are no good? Hardly. The Samsung Galaxy A55 5G delivers above-average processing and photographic performance for its class, with three rear cameras that produce very good photos even in difficult light — and build quality that effortlessly reaches the next price bracket up.

Phones around the 300-euro mark now offer technology that was flagship-only a few years ago. Expensive models still lead on processors and storage, but fingerprint sensors, USB-C and high-resolution displays and cameras have become standard — and in one respect the affordable class actually beats the expensive one: storage can usually be expanded with a simple microSD card.

The Galaxy A55 5G launched in 2024 well above 400 euros; prices have since settled around 300 euros, where it thoroughly shakes up the class. It comes in Iceblue, Lilac, Lemon and Navy, with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage — the difference matters little, because a hybrid card slot accepts up to a terabyte of microSD storage if you forgo the second SIM (an eSIM is also built in).

The frame is aluminium, the back hard glass, and everything fits together seamlessly with a surface finish that feels far above this price class. The design clearly nods towards the iPhone, though an accent along the frame beside the buttons keeps it distinct. IP67 certification protects against dust and brief submersion to one metre.

The 6.6-inch OLED panel resolves a sharp 388ppi and delivers brilliant image quality with wide viewing angles. The refresh rate either adapts dynamically between 60 and 120Hz per app or can be pinned at 60Hz to spare the battery.

Battery life is excellent: tested at maximum refresh rate and 50 per cent brightness, the phone ran for a good 23 hours of continuous use. A USB-C cable is included but no charger, and there is no Qi wireless charging — though that remains uncommon in this class. At the time of testing the phone shipped with Android 14 and Samsung's One UI 6.0, so daily use barely differs from its expensive siblings. Samsung's own Exynos 1480 octa-core chipset with 8GB of RAM sets the benchmark bar clearly higher for the class.

Three cameras populate the back: a 50-megapixel wide-angle main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and a 5-megapixel macro for extreme close-ups, while the front camera offers a generous 32 megapixels. Samsung has long shown a fine touch in pairing camera hardware with photo software, and the A55 is no exception.

In night-time shooting of partially lit industrial architecture, the scene is rendered very authentically — individual letters of an illuminated sign remain distinguishable. The night mode brightens only subtly and is often not even necessary. Shooting straight into low evening sun, the Galaxy prioritises atmosphere over brightness: the foreground stays darker than on some rivals, but arguably looks more natural. Under controlled studio conditions the A55 jumps a full price class: at 30 lux, colours are natural and well saturated with noise visible only at heavy magnification, and in bright light there are no artificial double contours from over-sharpening. The portrait mode is more class-typical — faces are recognised but cut out somewhat roughly, with fine hairs lost to the algorithm; background blur strength is adjustable via a slider.

The only real wish is more in the box: there is no charger and no cover, so both must be bought separately — though Samsung is hardly alone in that, in this class or above it.

With the Galaxy A55 5G, Samsung offers a strong smartphone at an entry price. The combination of brisk chip technology and microSD expandability is a genuine strength, joined by a camera that delivers excellent photos even in low light and build quality from the class above. At around 300 euros, it ranks among the very best smartphones in its price bracket.