Another budget-friendly phone, pick the 8 GB RAM variant! | Image by Samsung
The Galaxy A27 5G by Samsung is now official. It launches with a big screen, AI promises and, most importantly, a Snapdragon chipset under the hood. This is your go-to alternative to the Galaxy A37 and to the iPhone 17e, which is Apple's only budget-friendly option until we see the iPhone 18e in early 2027.
Many users have complained about Samsung's budget Exynos chipsets in the Galaxy A series devices. Some say these chips aren't as efficient, are prone to overheating or simply stutter too much; well, if you love the Galaxy experience, but you absolutely need a Snapdragon chipset, today is your lucky day.
Specs overview:
Display: 6.7" FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120hz refresh rate.
Processor: Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 octa-core CPU with 4 2.4Ghz cores and 4 1.8GHz cores for background tasks.
Memory: Either 6 or 8 GB of RAM + 128 GB of storage or 8GB combined with 256GB, with a Micro SD card slot.
Battery: 5000mAh capacity with 25W fast charging.
OS: Android 16 running One UI 8.5 out of the box with 6 years of software support.
Protection: IP64 rating, meaning it's dust-tight, but can't take a dunk in water.
Another great display
It's a 6.7-inch screen with slimmer, more symmetrical bezels. | Image by Samsung
Samsung phones come with amazing displays and the Galaxy A27 5G is not an exception to the rule. Here we have a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display that comes with a 120 Hz refresh rate. This means animations will be buttery smooth.
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The phone also features an improved Infinity-O display that reduces the visual impact of the front-facing camera with a subtle punch-hole cutout. Combined with slimmer, more symmetrical bezels, the design maximizes screen real estate and helps keep the focus on what's displayed on the screen.
Speaking of design, the Galaxy A27 5G comes with the following dimensions: 162.4 x 78.2 x 7.8mm. It's neither ultralight nor heavy at 200 g. It's got a 7.8 mm chassis, so it'll fit nicely in the palm of your hand, if you've got big hands.
For a more literal comparison, check out this image from our Size Comparison tool:
The A27, S26 and Pixel 10a's sizes compared. | Image by PhoneArena
Since the release is pretty fresh, we're still updating the precise size, but even if not 100% accurate, it will still give you a solid idea of what the size is. If you are curious to check a more detailed and accurate breakdown, you can click here to get straight to the comparison.
Performance and cameras
The A27's CPU vs a more esteemed opponent, but hear me out. | Image by Versus
The Galaxy A27 5G utilizes the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, which was released in 2024. True, this one can't rival a high-end chip like the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. But nobody expects it to do so, given we're dealing with a Galaxy A series device, which is meant to give you a great experience at a non-flagship price.
For a detailed look between the two chipsets' performance, you can click here. But let me save you the trouble: of course, the 8 Gen 5 outperforms the 6 Gen 3: that much was obvious. However, few will use the A27 as a flagship-grade phone, which is where the differences start to stack in its favor:
You will still be able to run most apps and games, just not at max settings
Since the chip is older, the phone will be more fine-tuned, offering better battery life in the long run
The 6 Gen 3 is still nothing to scoff at: plenty of powerful for day-to-day tasks, AI usage and, of course, supporting a smooth browsing experience
I'm glad to see the Exynos 1380 from the Galaxy A26 5G gone. The new Snapdragon chip should certainly make users feel the difference (and in a good way) when multitasking with lots of apps.
Samsung will let you pick between a 6GB and 8GB version of the phone, so if you know you won't be using it for AI or gaming all the time, the 6GB will do you right. If you want to push into the more advanced territory, however, the 8GB will be a must.
In terms of storage, you can choose between 128 or 256 GB. The good news is that there's a MicroSD slot that supports cards up to 2 TB – that's a feature that not even the Galaxy S26 Ultra nor the iPhone 17 Pro Max support.
We've got a pretty standard 5,000 mAh battery on board with 25W charging speeds – wish that was at least 45W, but… c'est la vie.
Despite that, the phone is bound to offer at least a full day's worth of use with that capacity, and probably a bit more. If you are a lite user the A27 may very well be a two-day phone for you, especially while the battery is still fresh and new.
What's the best Galaxy A27 feature?
In terms of cameras, the Galaxy A27 5G offers the following:
50 MP OIS main camera
5 MP ultra-wide camera
2 MP macro camera
12 MP front camera
I've already argued that 2 MP macro cameras have no place on a 2026 phone of any price category – and I'd much rather see a dedicated telephoto on board, even with a small sensor.
Despite this, Samsung has had years to develop its post-processing technology to an extent where its A-series phones take some really admirable photos. For day-to-day needs, this will absolutely get the job done.
The devil will be in the details if you start comparing your results to a flagship release: blurring, detail, processing artifacts, but most people who pick A-series phones don't really care about that.
If you are in the peculiar situation where you have a tight budget and a need for higher-quality photo performance, consider the Pixel 10a instead.
The AI promise
Even at a budget, AI is still here. | Image by Samsung
The Galaxy A27 5G is not so much about hardcore hardware specs as it makes a claim for a place in the AI race.
Samsung has expanded the Galaxy A27 5G's AI capabilities to make everyday tasks easier and more intuitive. Circle to Search with Google now recognizes multiple objects in a single image, allowing users to identify and search for items such as clothing and accessories at the same time, while also supporting virtual outfit try-ons directly from search results.
Object Eraser has been improved to deliver cleaner and more natural-looking edits when removing unwanted elements from photos. Meanwhile, the Voice Recorder app can now translate speech as it transcribes, helping users create notes in up to 22 languages. This one is very helpful, folks!
The phone also supports multiple AI assistants, including Google Gemini and Perplexity, with deeper integration across Samsung apps for a smoother experience. In addition, Bixby has evolved into a more conversational assistant capable of controlling device settings and features through natural language commands.
Overall, while the phone won't be able to compete with AI-powerhouse giants like the Galaxy S26 Ultra or the Pixel 10 Pro, it offers a comprehensive package that is more so about what AI should be: ways to help you in everyday tasks.
Support, price, colors and availability
Samsung is backing the Galaxy A27 5G with up to six generations of Android and One UI updates, along with six years of security support. Security is further enhanced through Samsung Knox and Knox Vault, which provide hardware-level protection for sensitive data.
The new phone will be available starting July 3 in select markets in the following colors:
Black
Blue
Light green
Light pink
Samsung hasn't shared the exact price yet, but we'll find it pretty soon and we'll keep you posted. Presently, its predecsaror — the Galaxy A26 - is selling for about $230, and we're expecting the A27 to be priced somewhere in the same ballpark.
When directly looking at the Galaxy A27 as a potential step-up from the A26, it seems like the Snapdragon CPU will feel like the most notable upgrade. To make that trade, Samsung has decreased the phone's IP rating from the A26's IP67 to an IP64 on the A27, which impacts the model's resistance to water.
Despite the rest of the specs feeling pretty similar, the stability improvements to One UI should overall make the A27 feel more stable and enduring, but we'll tell you more when we get our hands on the phone itself.
What we can say right now is that the Galaxy A27 will effortlessly join the ranks of some of the best Budget Android phones around, thanks to Samsung's mature software experience and the smartphone's well-rounded feature set.
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Sebastian is one of PhoneArena’s senior opinionators. A veteran news writer with almost 20 years of experience in media and technology, he not only covers all the hot news about Galaxies and iPhones, but often provides hot takes on industry trends. He’s fascinated with camera-focused flagships from the likes of Oppo and Vivo, as well as foldable phones.
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