When I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy A54, I was impressed by the improvements Samsung made. It performed significantly better than the outgoing Galaxy A53 and featured a gorgeous display and pleasing form factor. It was a fantastic choice for One UI fans who wanted a reliable experience and solid performance at a reasonable price point. I was excited when the Galaxy A55 was announced, expecting it to be another solid improvement and a contender for the best midrange phone of the year.
No Thanks, Keep Reading
However, my enthusiasm was dashed when the company announced the Samsung Galaxy A55 wouldn’t be released in the US. It was an odd decision, but it made sense when I saw Samsung’s Galaxy lineup for the year. Still, what may benefit Samsung isn’t always good for us. The Galaxy A55 is the Fan Edition we should have gotten.
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Samsung Galaxy A55: Price, specs, news, and features
Samsung’s 2024 midrange entry isn’t coming to the US
Bigger and better than ever
The Galaxy A55 grew up a bit
Although Samsung didn’t make any radical design changes to the Galaxy A55, it supersized the device, giving it a 6.6-inch display instead of the 6.4-inch display of its predecessor. You’ll feel the difference in your hand, and the Galaxy A55 has moved closer to larger flagships. It’s also a high-quality panel. It’s a 1080p 120Hz Super AMOLED that is bright enough for outdoor viewing. It isn’t the most saturated display, but it’s crisp, and games and movies look amazing.
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The Galaxy A55 didn’t only get bigger. Samsung upgraded its top midrange phone to premium materials. It features Gorilla Glass Victus+ front and back and a brushed aluminum frame that feels wonderful in the hand. Samsung made it difficult to tell this phone is priced under $400. Samsung kept the MicroSD card slot for expandable storage. This feature has been removed from too many phones already, and it’s part of why I believe the Galaxy A55 makes a better Fan Edition device than the Galaxy S24 FE.
The smoothest A-series Samsung I’ve used
The Exynos 1480 makes the difference
I know some buyers will dismiss the Galaxy A55 as soon as they learn an Exynos chipset powers it, and I can’t tell you how wrong that is this year. The Exynos 1480 doesn’t deserve to be judged by the sins of previous SoCs, and Samsung did an excellent job dialing in Exynos for the Galaxy A55. It’s a smooth experience, and I have no problems multitasking. Gaming performance is also better than expected, as the Galaxy A55 makes me forget my painful experience with the Galaxy A53.
I’m most frustrated that the Galaxy A55 didn’t get a US release because I think Samsung artificially protected the Galaxy A35 and Galaxy S24 FE.
Any Fan Edition phone has to have excellent battery life, and the Galaxy A55 consistently provides over eight hours of screen time from its 5,000mAh battery. The Exynos 1480 is more power-efficient, leading to all-day battery life, something its predecessor, the Exynos 1380, couldn’t provide. Samsung saddled the Galaxy A55 with anemic 25W wired charging speeds, but at least you’re limited to one charge daily. If you’re hesitant about Exynos chipsets, you may have had overheating or battery issues with them, but the 1480 is a solid performer.
It’s a more affordable phone
Your wallet would have thanked you
I’m most frustrated that the Galaxy A55 didn’t get a US release because I think Samsung artificially protected the Galaxy A35 and Galaxy S24 FE. The Galaxy A35 is objectively worse than the A55, but it’s offered for around the same price. If Samsung released both in the US, the A55 would devour A35 sales, which I assume would be a problem for the company. Similarly, a strong Galaxy A55 would’ve eaten into Galaxy S24 FE sales. I reviewed the Galaxy S24 FE, and I like it, but given the capabilities of the A55, I wonder how many people would’ve opted to pay less.
Read our review
Software support for the Galaxy A55 is respectable, with Samsung promising four major Android upgrades and five years of security patches. It may not be the seven years of support we’re starting to see trickle down to midrange phones, but I don’t feel short-changed for the price I paid.
That’s what a new Fan Edition should be
The Galaxy S20 FE took flagship power and brought it down to a more affordable price point by giving it a lower-resolution display and plastic build. Samsung strayed from the philosophy behind the original. If I had to build a Fan Edition from scratch today, I’d construct it like the Galaxy A55. I’d give it a great display, excellent battery life, solid performance, and a MicroSD card slot at a fantastic price. The A55 even has a sprinkling of Galaxy AI for those who use it. It’s a shame we didn’t get the Fan Edition we deserved this year.
