Galaxy A55 vs Galaxy A54: how will Samsung improve its $450 mid-ranger?،
Introduction
This year we get the Galaxy A55, replacing last year's Galaxy A54 which brought a new design, a more powerful chipset and, above all, a new main camera. The question now is how the A55 will improve on its predecessor. So far it looks like it won't be a major upgrade, but some intriguing tweaks could be noteworthy.
Galaxy A55 against Galaxy A54 differences explained:
Galaxy A55 | Galaxy A54 |
---|---|
Mid-range Exynos 1480 (4nm) chipset | Previous generation, Exynos 1380 (5nm) |
Maybe 7 years of software updates | 4 years of software updates |
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
A new design element — Key Island | Same look, but without Key Island |
Samsung AI Features (Maybe) | No focus on AI |
Design and display quality
A new design element that could prove controversial
THE Galaxy A55 is supposed to feature a new design element in the form of a small bump where the volume and power keys are located, which leakers are calling “Key Island.” Here's a leaked rendering featuring what's called Key Island on the A55.
![A render of the Galaxy A55 in two of its possible colors, showcasing the new Key Island on its right side. - Galaxy A55 vs Galaxy A54: how will Samsung improve its $450 mid-ranger?](https://wikidollar.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Galaxy-A55-vs-Galaxy-A54-how-will-Samsung-improve-its.jpg)
A render of the Galaxy A55 in two of its possible colors, showcasing the new Key Island on its right side.
You'll probably notice that there's a steep slope on both ends of this Key Island, which blends into the rest of the aluminum frame.
We think this new look will elicit mixed opinions from Samsung fans and others, but we appreciate the manufacturer's attempt to break the formula, if only a little.
The Galaxy A54 is IP67 rated and will withstand submersion in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes, and we expect the Galaxy A55 to maintain the same level of water and dust resistance as its predecessor.
As for the displays, the A54 comes with a fairly large 6.4-inch display that has a 120Hz screen refresh rate (meaning it's very smooth to slide), with support for HDR10+ content. The A55, on the other hand, is said to have a slightly larger 6.5-inch screen in comparison, and we also expect it to be noticeably brighter than the A54's 1,000 nits.
Performance and software
Moving from 5nm to 4nm
The Galaxy A54 came with Samsung's in-house Exynos 1380 manufactured using the 5nm process. One of the main, and so far one of the few, improvements that the A55 would bring is the next generation of this chipset, namely the Exynos 1480, built using the 4nm process.
The Exynos 1480 is somewhere in the same ballpark as Qualcomm's mid-range silicon, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, found in phones like the Motorola Razr 40, for example. It is not yet clear to what extent the new chip will provide a performance improvement.
No matter how much better the Exynos 1480 is, it will likely still be a mid-range processor that isn't terribly impressive compared to the competition.
As for storage, both devices come with 128GB with the base version, which is a standard mid-range amount these days. We do, however, expect the A55 to feature a bit more RAM, up from 8GB to the A54's 6GB.
Camera
Macro camera persists
One of the biggest rumors about Samsung's upcoming A5x series is that it still uses a third macro camera, meaning you'll still have to go higher and buy at least a Galaxy S23FE to get a dedicated telephoto lens.
Audio and haptic quality
The Galaxy A54's speakers and the audio quality they produce left us a little disappointed in 2023, as they seemed to have very distorted low frequencies at higher volumes. And speaking of volume, it wasn't that high to begin with, with several other competing models from Samsung being much better in this segment.
Haptic feedback was decent on the Galaxy A54, and we don't expect any changes to this part of the phone with the A55.
Battery life and charging
Keep it strong
The Galaxy A54 had solid battery life thanks to its massive 5,000mAh battery and the power-efficient Exynos 1380. Galaxy A55 is supposed to come with the same battery size, so the hope here is that the new 4nm Exynos 1480 will be even more power efficient and allow the Samsung mid-ranger to last even longer.
Charging will likely remain the same as the Galaxy A54, at 25W maximum speed via cable. We don't expect Samsung to introduce wireless charging in the A5x series.
Summary and final verdict
So, at first glance, the Galaxy A55 is shaping up to be a rather minor upgrade over last year's Galaxy A54, so if you're using that 2023 model, there seems to be little potential reason for an upgrade.
Truth be told, it would be a bit disappointing if that's all there was to come with the Galaxy A55. What would really make the phone stand out and make it a little more interesting is if some of the Galaxy S24AI features are reflected in this. Of course, the possible 7 years of software updates is also a big win. can be a valid reason to choose the A55 over something like the OnePlus 12R, or even upgrade from the A54.