Samsung has announced its new attractive mid-ranger for 2024, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G. But how does it compare to his Samsung Galaxy A54 5G from last year?
The two look very similar on the surface, with broadly similar designs and many hardware similarities, but there are important upgrades from this year’s Samsung Galaxy A55 5G. This makes it a particularly attractive upgrade over its predecessor.
I haven’t spent any time with the Galaxy A55 5G yet, but I did spend a lot of time with last year’s Samsung Galaxy A54 5G. That being said, here are the new features of the new Samsung Galaxy A55 5G to help you decide what’s best for your needs.
Samsung Galaxy A55 5G has excellent night photography
In terms of hardware, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G retains a very familiar camera setup consisting of a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 5MP macro with OIS support. By very familiar, we mean exactly like last year’s Samsung Galaxy A54 5G.
This isn’t particularly bad considering we were pretty happy with last year’s Galaxy A54 5G’s performance in the camera department, but it still wasn’t the best available at its price point.
That said, Samsung has improved the ISP’s AI processing that drives the camera setup. Equipped with a new version of Nightgraphy technology, the company claims it can capture “clearer, more vivid photos, even in poor lighting conditions” compared to last year’s Midranger, while Night Portrait mode and 12-bit HDR video. This is my first time in the series.
Whether that allows the Galaxy A55 5G to compete with surprisingly well-equipped midrange competitors like the Google Pixel 7a remains to be seen, but on paper it looks capable.
Samsung Galaxy A55 5G has a new processor
Of course, you can’t upgrade it every year unless you use a new processor. And this year’s Galaxy A55 5G doesn’t disappoint in that regard, using the new Samsung Exynos 1480 chipset and paired with 8GB of RAM. 128 GB or 256 GB of storage depending on the variant selected.
The Galaxy A54 5G, on the other hand, is powered by the latest Exynos 1380 with the same 8GB of RAM and 128 or 256GB of storage. It would certainly be interesting to benchmark the new model, as we found that we occasionally noticed a bit of lag or stuttering when scrolling through social media or playing games using the Galaxy A54 5G.
Samsung Galaxy A55 5G boasts support for Samsung Knox
As more affordable smartphones become more powerful, flagship-level technology has a way of trickling down to the mid-range over time, and that seems to be the case with the Galaxy A55 5G and the introduction of Samsung Knox support.
This is the first time this has been featured on the Samsung A series, which is typically limited to high-end Samsung alternatives like the Galaxy S24 or foldable models like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5, which are essentially mid-sized Brings enhanced security to your models. Troops.
This is hardware-level security with a dedicated chipset, which Samsung says essentially creates a secure environment that is physically isolated from the main system, making it more susceptible to “both hardware and software attacks.” The company claims that it can provide “comprehensive protection against users” and retain data such as PIN codes and passwords. , credentials, and more from hackers.
Samsung Galaxy A55 5G boasts longer software support
A few years ago you were lucky to get multiple OS upgrades from your mid-range Android smartphone, but the industry has come a long way since then. These days, it’s not uncommon for even relatively inexpensive Android smartphones to receive multiple OS upgrades. That means Samsung had to beef up long-term software support with this year’s Galaxy A55 5G to stand out in a highly competitive field.
That said, the Galaxy A55 5G gets four OS upgrades, five years of security patches, and updates up to Android 18, along with the cheaper A35 5G. It’s not as extensive as a 7 year OS upgrade. This is also included in the flagship Galaxy S24 series and Google Pixel 8 series, but it’s a nice upgrade and means the Galaxy A55 5G will continue to gain new software features for years to come. .
For reference, last year’s Samsung Galaxy A54 5G came with three (still decent) OS upgrades and four years of security patches. This means that Samsung essentially extended the life of his Galaxy A55 by one year, completely free of charge.
Samsung Galaxy A55 5G is now more affordable
Despite the improved features, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G is slightly cheaper (MSRP) than last year’s Galaxy A54 5G.
The Galaxy A54 5G costs £449 or £499 depending on whether you choose 128GB or 256GB of storage, while this year’s Galaxy A55 5G costs slightly less at £439 and £489 for the same storage options. It will be.
Of course, the Galaxy A54 5G is a year old, so you can find it for much less than its £449 RRP, but it’s clear Samsung is at least trying to make it a more attractive option in the busy mid-range market. It’s great to see.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is available for purchase now, while Samsung Galaxy A55 5G will be released on March 20, 2024.
