Samsung’s Galaxy A55 has arrived as the successor to the Galaxy A54, promising a fresh design and a lower price. But is it worth upgrading from the A54 or choosing it over the older model? Let’s break down the key aspects to help you decide.
Design & Build
The Galaxy A54 boasts a sleek design with rounded corners and a unique camera setup. Its solid build features Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and IP67 dust and water resistance.
The Galaxy A55, though similar, introduces some notable changes. The power and volume controls are now located on the “Key Island,” an elevated section on the side, and the frame is made of aluminum, enhancing its durability and giving it a premium feel.
It also sports Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and Gorilla Glass on the back, maintaining the IP67 rating. The new black bezels around the cameras give it a look similar to the flagship Galaxy S24. For those who value a more robust and premium design, the Galaxy A55 is the better choice.
Screens & Speakers
The Galaxy A54 offers a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, delivering vibrant colors and excellent brightness.
It features an embedded fingerprint scanner, facial recognition, and an Always-on Display. Although it lacks a headphone jack, its stereo speakers provide satisfactory sound quality.
The Galaxy A55 has a slightly larger 6.6-inch AMOLED display with the same resolution and refresh rate. It also reaches up to 1000 nits of brightness in bright conditions. The larger screen makes it more suitable for media consumption. It, too, lacks a headphone jack but has decent stereo speakers.
Specs & Performance
The Galaxy A54 is powered by the Exynos 1380 processor, offering a smooth and reliable experience for everyday tasks and gaming. However, complex tasks can be slow. US customers get 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM, while other markets offer up to 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM.
The Galaxy A55, with its Exynos 1480 chip, provides a significant performance boost. It handles everyday tasks smoothly but isn’t the best for high-end gaming.
The A55 is available in 8/128GB and 8/256GB configurations, with some regions offering a 12/256GB variant. In performance tests, the A55 scored higher than the A54, making it a better choice for those needing more power.
Both phones support 5G, NFC, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, dual-SIM functionality, and expandable storage via microSD, although using the slot sacrifices one SIM slot.
Cameras
The Galaxy A54 features a 50Mp main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, a 12Mp ultra-wide camera, a 5Mp macro camera, and a 32Mp selfie camera. The main camera captures excellent images with good low-light performance.
The ultrawide lens offers wider framing, while the macro lens is fun for close-ups. The selfie camera is impressive with features like portrait mode and wider-angle options. Video recording supports up to 4K resolution.
The Galaxy A55 retains the same camera setup as the A54. The main camera delivers detailed, color-rich photos in good lighting but struggles in low light.
The ultrawide camera is versatile but suffers from quality drop-off. The macro camera feels unnecessary, and there’s no dedicated telephoto lens. The 32Mp selfie camera excels with natural skin tones and good detail. Video recording also supports 4K at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps with OIS.
Battery & Charging
Both the Galaxy A54 and A55 have a 5000mAh battery with 25W charging. The A54 charges up to 31% in 30 minutes with a 67W fast charger, offering impressive battery life. It can last a full day of mixed usage or up to two days for lighter users.
The A55 also offers excellent battery life, with moderate use lasting 15 hours and heavy use nearly 8 hours of screen-on time. However, neither phone supports wireless charging, and no charging brick is included in the box.
Software & Apps
Both phones run on Android 14 with One UI 6.1. Samsung’s OS skin is user-friendly and visually appealing, though it comes with many pre-installed apps. Samsung promises four major OS updates and five years of security patches, with the A55 supported for a year longer up to Android 18.
Price & Availability
The Galaxy A54 is available for $449/£449 with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and an 8GB/256GB variant for £499 in the UK. It’s available from various retailers, including Amazon and Currys.
The Galaxy A55 starts at £439 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, with a reduced price in the UK. It’s available from Amazon, John Lewis, Very, Argos, and Currys. However, the A55 is not currently available in the US, where customers can opt for the Galaxy A35.
Verdict
The Galaxy A55 wins on nearly every front against its predecessor. It offers a more modern and robust build, better performance, potentially faster charging, longer battery life, and great cameras, all for a slightly lower price in the UK. If you’re in the market for a new mid-range phone, the Galaxy A55 is the better buy.