Galaxy A55: Samsung’s “Key Island” - not the key to challenging the mighty iPhone SE 4, Pixel 7a

But what could possibly be my problem with the Galaxy A55 then? Well, to answer this question, I should probably go back to the Galaxy A54, which I criticized for having very thick display borders. That aside, the bigger problem with the A54 was stuttery performance during normal use we discovered while reviewing the phone. It goes without saying, this is unacceptable in any $400-$500 phone, let alone in a popular device from a brand with Samsung’s reputation and stature.

Now, both the thick, throwback bezels and budget Exynos SoC (the likely reason for the lag in the Galaxy A54) are making a comeback with the new Galaxy A55. In other news, Samsung is committed to this formula despite the fact the much older Galaxy A52 (with its Snapdragon chip) didn’t experience the same lag issues as the newer models, and the more modern design of the Galaxy A51 from all the way back in 2019.

And while Samsung’s been getting away with it in the past couple of years, I’m afraid 2024 might be the year Samsung could finally pay the price for failing to make the default mid-range Android phone.

Galaxy A55: Samsung’s 2024 mid-range phone could bend in the face of iPhone and Android competition

As I said, I appreciate (and like) the subtle design changes in the Galaxy A55 but I still think Samsung’s mid-ranger might be in trouble this year.

The 2024 smartphone scene is expected to feature more and better $400-600 offers than ever before. This time, the big surprise is that even those looking for an affordable Apple device might get blessed by the rumored iPhone SE 4 (expected to debut around the same time as the Galaxy A55).

2024 mid-range phones will give the Galaxy A55 a hard time: Did Samsung pick the wrong time to be lazy?

iPhone SE 4 - Apple’s long-awaited mid-range iPhone could be some $100 more expensive than the Galaxy A55 but, this time, it’s expected to dominate Samsung’s affordable phone in virtually every category but display refresh rate; the iPhone SE 4 will inevitably attract those who’ve always wanted an affordable iPhone, which doesn’t look like the iPhone 8

The Google Pixel 7a also happens to be a more compelling offer than the Pixel 6a, and it won’t be surprising if Google’s mid-range champ dominates the Galaxy A55 in the camera department, software support, and performance (with focus on fluidity rather than benchmarks) - just like it does when compared to the Galaxy A54

The Nothing Phone 2 and the upcoming Nothing Phone 2a will be the most eye-catching alternatives to the Galaxy A55, with Nothing’s flagship gradually falling down in price (now $550); the Phone 2 packs a flagship chip, a good camera, and a unique aesthetic, making it a hard-to-resist alternative not just to the Galaxy A55 but any other phone in this price range

The Motorola Edge (2023) / Edge 40 might be the value challenger in the mid-range space, now going for $350 - a remarkable price considering the premium features it brings (wireless charging, water-resistance, a class-leading display, and a super comfortable design); bear in mind, the cameras in this phone are nothing to write home about - the Galaxy A55 should easily outperform it in that one area

If you are out for something really, really different, $500 now gets you a Motorola Razr (2023), which… folds; the rest of the specs in the Motorola Razr are pretty fitting for the $500 price point but the fact that this is a clamshell folding phone is already impressive enough

Samsung’s “Key Island” isn’t the key to challenging the mighty Pixel 7a, iPhone SE 4, and Samsung’s older flagships

So, yes… I like the Galaxy A55… I really do. But that’s the case until I start looking at the alternatives in the $400-600 price segment. And that’s when the A55 starts making less sense for anybody but the most hardcore Samsung user who wouldn’t even consider a phone from a different brand (whether that’s Apple, Google, Nothing, Motorola, OnePlus, etc.)

But even with the external competition aside, and assuming you’re a diehard Galaxy user, Samsung’s own portfolio of phones makes the Galaxy A55 look even more questionable.

• For example, a Renewed/Refurbished Galaxy S23 is now $500 on Amazon, which is right in line with the expected $450-500 price of the far less promising Galaxy A55 - especially in the design, performance, and camera departments.

• Then, a refurbished Galaxy S22+ goes for just $400 now, and the only major drawback about it is that it won’t get the same number of software upgrades as the newer A55; even then, it’ll most likely stay faster for longer thanks to its flagship SoC.

• The $600 Galaxy S23 FE is another flagship Galaxy that will inevitably come down in price by the time the Galaxy A55 is out; this one looks identical to the A55 but with flagship-grade cameras and SoC

Galaxy S24 will be the default Android flagship once again, but the same might not be true for the mid-range Galaxy A55

With mid-range phones like the Galaxy A53 and Galaxy A54 (especially the latter), Samsung’s been getting away with murder in the past couple of years.

Sure, these are $400-500 devices that won’t look and feel just like the $800 Galaxy S24 but this doesn’t mean they should have display borders that belong in 2018 and chips/performance that doesn’t belong in any $400-500 phone, let alone a Samsung Galaxy.

But who knows… Maybe One UI 6 and the new Exynos 1480 will finally take care of the performance issues with Samsung’s mid-range phone, making up for the dated front design? Perhaps the camera will be a nice surprise, challenging the Pixel 7a? And maybe Samsung will give the A55 wireless charging?

If all of the above pans out, then the Galaxy A55 would easily be a real mid-range challenger. But if it doesn’t… Then Samsung would once again fail to deliver the “default” mid-range phone I can recommend to those who don’t want to spend flagship money for great performance.

Which is a shame since the Galaxy S24 series is still very much the default Android flagship everyone has to respect and fear, but the same can’t be said about Samsung’s mid-range phones.

Galaxy S24 Ultra with 512GB is now 12% off on Amazon

The S24 Ultra finally sells at discounted prices on Amazon. You can now save $175 on the model with 512GB of storage.

$175 off (12%)

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Galaxy S24+: get at Amazon with a $150 Gift Card

The Galaxy S24+ is also available on Amazon. At the moment, no model retails at lower prices, but Amazon offers a $150 Gift Card with your purchase.

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Galaxy S24 is available on Amazon

The S24 arrives on Amazon at its standard price on Amazon. On the bright side, you get a $50 Gift Card with your purchase.

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