For those who cannot afford a flagship smartphone or just do not want to spend north of $1,000 on a phone, Samsung has a series of mid-range Android devices with decent specs, good looks, and plenty of cameras. Today, the manufacturer refreshed the lineup with two new entries: the Galaxy A55 5G and the Galaxy A35 5G. Both smartphones promise to "democratize mobile experiences for all."
The new smartphone duo mainly focuses on improving cameras and security. Both smartphones can take better photos in poor light conditions and record 12-bit HDR video in Night Portrait mode with optical image stabilization. The camera set includes a 50MP main camera, a 5MP macro lens, and a 12MP ultra-wide in the A55 5G and 8MP in the A35 5G. The Galaxy A55 5G has a 32MP front-facing camera, and the A35 5G comes with a 13MP front camera.
As for security, the Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G feature Samsung Knox Vault, which are hardware-based security measures that keep you safe from hardware and software attacks. This is the first time Samsung has brought Knox Vault down from its flagship devices to mid-range models.
The cheaper Galaxy A35 5G also received an improved AMOLED display. It ditched a teardrop-shaped camera for a simple circular cutout, leaving that 2018-like design in the past. Size-wise, both smartphones are equipped with 6.1-inch AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rate and the Vision Booster feature that adapts the display to your surroundings.
Another difference between these two seemingly identical smartphones is storage. The Galaxy A55 5G will be available in three configurations: 8GB of RAM with 128GB or 256GB storage and 12GB with 256GB of built-in memory. Buyers of the Galaxy A35 5G will get to choose between 6GB of RAM with 128GB storage or 8GB of RAM with 128GB or 256GB storage.
As for the power, both smartphones feature a 5,000mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery (charger not included).
Samsung has not announced the US prices, but the Galaxy A55 5G will start at £439 (~$560), and its cheaper sibling will set you back from £339 (~$339) in the UK.