Key Specs
| CPU | Exynos 1480 |
| Memory | 12GB LPDDR5 RAM 256GB Storage microSD card slot |
| Display | 6.6’’ 2K FHD+120Hz Super AMOLED |
| Camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide) PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP, f/2.4, (macro) 32 MP, f/2.2 26mm (selfie) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C 2.0, Up to WiFi 7 |
| OS | Android 14, OneUI 6.1 |
| Battery | 5000 mAh, 25W Fast Charging |
| Available Colors | Awesome Blue and Awesome Lilac |
| Retail Price | 12GB+256GB – RM 1999 |
What’s It Like To Use?
The Galaxy A55 is Samsung’s 2nd phone to follow a new design direction, as introduced on the Galaxy A54 latest year, showing itself up to be a phone with a metal frame and a unique glossy back. Why do I say it’s unique it’s simply because it doesn’t reflect light the same way a standard glossy finish does. Instead, it gives off a prismatic reflection, which means you’ll see a wide spectrum of colors that will bounce off the phone when you’re facing some light. Just a stylish move this is.
As I mentioned before, the frame itself is a brushed aluminum build of matching color, with a cool design quirk on the right side. While the rest of the frame is uniform, the right side has a chamfered section that mounds up by a little bit, giving more visibility to where the volume and power buttons are. Finishing that style off is the chamfered section having a matte finish that gives off a subtle contrast to the overall design.
It’s a very wieldly phone with a reasonably comfortable grip and offers its style through color and metallic accents that’s shadowed by a very glossy back panel. Finishing this combo would be the IP67 rating, making the Galaxy A55 capable of handling splashes and more.
The phone sizes up to 6.6-inches, running the same Super AMOLED panel tech as seen on the Galaxy A54, so it’s capable of running up to 120Hz in refresh rate. It’s also just 0.2-inches taller if anyone’s asking. As for colors, expect the same deep, inky blacks and wide coverage akin to the Gold Samsung Standard throughout its heritage.
The Works
As a daily driver, the Galaxy A55 excels on a mid-range level, and doesn’t try really hard to capture the essence of a balance between decent performance and power efficiency. The Galaxy A54 performed really well as a mid-ranger, offering good battery life, performance and image quality. The Galaxy A55 simply improves on top of those things. There’s more starting RAM now, coming it at 12GB, more than last year’s 8GB offering. Expandability via MicroSD is available, and will be using the 2nd sim-slot if you don’t plan on using a 2nd number on this device.
The chipset of choice is the 4nm Exynos 1480, with the same 8-core count as the Exynos 1380, but with a smaller footprint (4nm vs 5nm), a higher clock speed and new graphics chip. Handling all graphical tasks is a Samsung Xclipse 530 GPU, which is based on the AND RDNA2 architecture. This is probably the strongest GPU the A series has ever gotten, which is a positive sign for those looking to game on the Galaxy A55.
How it performs really depends on your game of choice.
| Game | Activity | Highest Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Eversoul (MAX) | Dimensional Labyrinth @ 60FPS | 43°C |
| RIPTIDE Renegade (Highest Settings | Solo Racing @ 119 – 120FPS | 39°C |
| COD Warzone (MEDIUM, Uncapped FPS, 90 FOV) | Battle Royale, Ranked Matchmaking @ 48 – 60FPS | 44°C |
As expected, the Galaxy A55 performed accordingly to mid-range standards, with simpler auto-RPG’s running at 60 FPS, supported high refresh rate games at 120FPS and the demanding COD Warzone between the high 40s to 60FPS. Temperatures are decent, reaching a maximum of 44 degrees, but at least the heat is spread out pretty well, barely causing any hot spots on the device, and cools off fast passively. Though I am not particularly impressed with the results from COD Warzone, it’s still what I expect from a RM 2000 smartphone, in which I’m more thankful for the fact that the heat dissipation is good even though the temperatures were high.
Battery life is above average, lasting a little over a day on medium intensity, while you can still get home with about 20% left in the tank if only gaming is involved. On average it can back about 7 hours of screen-on time which is pretty decent. Charging however takes a long time, taking about an hour to full charge, with 55% back in the tank by the 30-minute mark.
Knox Vault Makes Its Way To Galaxy A Series
The Samsung Galaxy A55 boasts a feature called Samsung Knox Vault, which is a highlight of the phone’s security system. Here’s what it offers:
- Isolated Secure Environment: Knox Vault creates a secure zone within the phone’s hardware that’s completely separate from the main operating system. This isolation helps protect your most critical data, like lock screen credentials (PINs, passwords, patterns) and encryption keys, from unauthorized access even if the phone is compromised by malware or a physical attack.
- Encryption for Data Protection: Knox Vault encrypts your sensitive data stored on the phone, adding another layer of security. Even if someone manages to access the raw data, they wouldn’t be able to decrypt it without the proper keys.
The Samsung Galaxy A55 also brings the Auto Blocker feature. This offers a multi-layered approach to protecting your device from various threats. Here’s a breakdown of what Auto Blocker does:
- Blocking Unauthorized App Installations: Auto Blocker acts as a gatekeeper, restricting app installations from untrusted sources. This helps prevent malware or potentially harmful apps from infiltrating your phone by only allowing installations from the official Google Play Store or approved app stores.
- App Security Scans: Auto Blocker doesn’t just stop unauthorized apps at the door; it also scans already installed apps for suspicious behavior. This proactive approach can identify potential malware before it can cause harm to your device or data.
- Defense Against Malicious USB Connections: Be wary of unknown cables and chargers! Auto Blocker can be configured to block potentially malicious commands sent through a USB connection. This safeguards your device from data theft or manipulation when connected to an untrusted computer or charging station.
- Optional Messaging App Protection (Advanced Setting): Take an extra step to secure your messages. Auto Blocker offers an advanced setting to enable Samsung Message Guard. This feature scans incoming images in messaging apps (including third-party apps) for potential malware or malicious content, adding an extra layer of protection for your communications.
Enabling Auto Blocker is easy. Just navigate to Settings > Security and Privacy > Auto Blocker and toggle it on. Remember to review and agree to the End User License and Privacy Policy before activating.
While the Galaxy A55 doesn’t have all the Knox features found in higher-end Samsung devices, Knox Vault provides a significant boost to the phone’s security. It’s important to note that Knox Vault’s specific features and hardware architecture may differ slightly from those found in Samsung’s flagship phones.
Triple Camera Setup
The camera system is probably where the Galaxy A55 does not bring any changes. It packs the same setup at the A54, which is the Galaxy S23’s system, with the same 23mm focal length and bright f/1.8 aperture.
The ultra wide is 12MP f/2.2 . We expect it to perform on par with its mid-range competitors with a slight edge as Samsung usually nails it with excellent distortion correction and dynamic range.
There’s a macro camera on board too, and it’s a 5MP sensor, a good move compared to following other brands in this price range that offer sub-par 2MP ones instead.
Main Sensor
The Galaxy A55 50-megapixel main camera impressed me with its versatility, particularly in bright daylight. The phone’s HDR processing shines here, preserving details in the bright blue sky with wispy clouds and avoiding any overexposure. Highlights are well-controlled too, revealing subtle variations in the bridge’s paint color without introducing unwanted noise.
Building windows appear distinct, thanks to balanced exposure that prevents glare from reflecting sunlight. The color palette leans towards a natural look, evident in the muted khaki tones of the surrounding buildings.
While wide-angle shots deliver clean, crisp images with slightly boosted colors, they lack the ultimate level of detail. However, considering the phone’s price point, the camera performs admirably, matching the quality we praised in last year’s model for its excellent value.
Zooms : Digital
While there’s no telephoto lens, I still want to comment about the digital zoom image quality the Galaxy A55 is able to produce. Frankly I think it’s just usable at best, as I see the crop struggling to retain details despite the enviroment had abundant lighting. The only thing it has going for it are the colors and contrast. They remain consistent with the main sensor, since it’s a crop from there anyway.
ULTRAWIDE
The ultrawide camera delivers consistent results with HDR performing well in most scenarios. Color balance remains consistent between the main and ultrawide cameras, creating a cohesive look in photos.
While highlight control is good on elements like pillars, it struggles a bit with very bright point sources like light bulbs. Lens distortion correction is impressive, preventing any unnatural warping in ultrawide images. Overall, this ultrawide camera proves reliable and versatile, handling even challenging lighting conditions.
Macro
The 5-megapixel sensor delivers decent close-up detail and color reproduction. However, the photos can appear oversaturated due to aggressive processing. While it can capture impressive results in bright light, shaky hands can lead to blurry photos. Despite the processing quirks, the camera offers surprising utility to those who need to use it.
Selfies
The 32-megapixel front camera captures detailed photos with a natural look, thanks to its 12-megapixel output that reduces oversaturation. This approach lets users adjust colors to their preference, rather than the camera applying a heavy filter. Hair appears sharp and well-defined, with a subtle background blur that avoids an overly artificial portrait effect.
For portraits, a slider allows you to adjust the intensity of background blur. We recommend a moderate setting between 50-60% for optimal results. Subject separation is improved compared to previous models, and skin tones are particularly flattering. While HDR effectively balances harsh lighting, it does allow some minor clipping in the sky. However, the camera impressively maintains sharpness throughout the frame, capturing details like your hoodie alongside your face, resulting in a more natural-looking portrait.
The Verdict
I feel that the Galaxy A55 may truly be for the budget conscious, specifically those who really can’t spend more than RM 2000. There are plenty of phones to choose from with that range, but the Galaxy A55 is still a good choice for those who prioritize consistently performing cameras, long battery life and a durability. 4 years of updates makes the offering a little more exciting too, for long termers. An additional feat the Galaxy A55 has going for it is that it has 12GB RAM, compared to the sea of 8GB RAM phones that Samsung’s been pushing out till last year, and that includes the Galaxy A54.
If you are flexible with your budget, the Galaxy S23 FE is about RM 500 – RM 700 away, which offers a far superior chipset, a telephoto lens and better IP68 rating.
It’s simply a good phone that’s surrounded by great ones