Because I'm pretty sure you missed that for fairly obvious reasons, I'm here today to highlight what makes the Galaxy A17 5G and Galaxy Tab A11+ special just as AT&T confirms its availability details for both new products and after Verizon seemingly began selling the ultra-affordable Android mid-rangers with no fanfare.
The A17 is one of the cheapest 5G-capable phones you can get in the US
Do you really need another reason to pick up the notched 6.7-incher? Fine, I'll give you one - a large Super AMOLED screen with awesome FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels) resolution and silky smooth 90Hz refresh rate technology.
Yes, the design is... outdated, but what's below the surface is equally as important. | Image Credit -- Samsung
The 5,000mAh battery is also pretty cool... for a $199.99 device, especially with 25W charging capabilities in tow. Then you've got an impressive-sounding 50MP primary camera with f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization... joined by an unremarkable 5MP secondary ultra-wide-angle lens and a completely pointless 2MP tertiary macro sensor on the back of the Galaxy A17 5G, as well as an ample 128 gigs of internal storage space.
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No, the 4GB RAM count is not great (by any 2026 standards), and the design is, well, an abomination between that outdated waterdrop-style screen cutout and a similarly old-fashioned bottom bezel. But did I mention this thing only costs $199.99 (or $5.55 a month for three years) at Verizon?
Are you buying the Galaxy A17 or Tab A11 Plus 5G?
Probably the A17
20.73%
Probably the Tab A11+
40.24%
Probably both
6.1%
Probably not
9.76%
Definitely not
23.17%
Even more impressively, AT&T promises to charge you just $2.99 a month for the Galaxy A17 5G starting Friday, January 9, on "any" unlimited plan with no trade-in required. Of course, you will need to be okay with a 36-month installment plan and bill credits over that entire period of time to get Ma Bell's A17 introductory deal, but those really don't sound like impossible compromises to make.
The Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G is much bigger and not that much pricier
Equipped with a large 11-inch display capable (just like the Galaxy A17) of refreshing your content at a 90Hz rate, the newest member of Samsung's Galaxy Tab A family costs $279.99 (or $7.77 a month for 36 months) at Verizon.
For its part, AT&T is weirdly mysterious about how much you'll have to pay for a 5G-enabled Galaxy Tab A11 Plus starting January 9, only revealing the slate's very intriguing launch promotion at the Verizon-rivaling operator.
The Galaxy Tab A11 Plus looks rather unremarkable, but at least it doesn't have a notch. | Image Credit -- Samsung
For a "limited time", "valued" AT&T customers will be able to buy the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-powered 11-incher at a 50 percent discount, which sounds amazing, but is likely to come with a bunch of strings attached and/or key restrictions.
It's worth pointing out that Verizon's official $279.99 price for the Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G is 30 bucks higher than what Samsung announced last week, which will probably apply to a Wi-Fi-only variant. Interestingly, the device manufacturer hasn't started selling the Tab A11 Plus or Galaxy A17 5G through its US website yet, although that's likely to change very soon.
How competitive are these products?
In my opinion, very competitive seeing as how the Galaxy A17's number one rival in the US is probably the $200 Moto G (2026). While that's an undeniably better-looking phone with a modern punch hole design and slim top and bottom screen bezels, Samsung's industry-leading software support might make a lot of cash-strapped buyers give Motorola the cold shoulder this year.
That's right, the super-cheap A17 5G is guaranteed to score an incredible six OS updates after running Android 16 out the box, while Moto G (2026) users will probably be lucky if they get two such timely promotions.
The Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G, meanwhile, has the likes of the iPad (A16) as its competition at carriers like Verizon and AT&T (and, soon enough, T-Mobile as well), and although Apple's latest "standard" iPad is undoubtedly more powerful, it's also way costlier than $279.99 with built-in 5G connectivity.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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