Samsung Galaxy A Series: Cutting edge features without the hefty price tag
While the flagship S series is designed with performance as its primary focus, the Samsung Galaxy A series is more of a mid-range phone with focus on appeal and cutting edge features while keeping the price affordable. Here is what you need to know about the A series?
Samsung Galaxy A Series: A balance of performance, form and function
Samsung is eager to move users from the ultra budget J-series to the A-series as consumer’s appetite changes. The strategy is two fold. As markets are maturing and consumers are becoming more sophisticated, the ultra budget J-series no longer meet the users’ needs. Consumers want phones that not only keep up with them but is packed with new technology, better cameras, larger screens and longer battery life.
Secondly, increase in prices of their flagship S series also meant that a stronger middle segment is needed to cater to those who do not wish to pay over the odds for a device. Samsung understands that not everyone can afford the highest and the best. However, users still want a phone that are not too far behind in the advancing mobile tech race for their budget.
Enters, the A series. A natural upgrade for current J series users. It is designed to cater to the needs of many without burning a hole in their pockets. The A-series smartphones do not cost an arm or a leg but still pack enough features like good cameras, sufficiently powerful processors and cool designs to appeal to many.
The Frequently Asked Questions About Galaxy A Series
There are plenty on offer with the A series. So much so that It might even convince some upgrading from older generation Galaxy S series to covert, saving them money in the process.
So, to answer your questions:
What is the Samsung Galaxy A series?
They are budget to mid-range smartphones with a running dual digit numbering system from A10s to A90. Previous generation A series smartphone uses single digit numbering system. The bigger the number in the series, the higher the model. These phones incorporate some of the latest smartphone technologies including 5G, full display, rotating camera, triple lens main shooter, ultra wide lens, 3D depth camera, high capacity battery, fast charger and more (see below).
What are the features that make the Galaxy A series stand out?
The latest A-series smartphone, the Galaxy A90 5G comes with some serious technologies to rival even flagship devices. Depending on the model that you choose, the Galaxy A-series will have a combination of the features listed below:
- Camera: Dual Camera, Triple Camera, Rotating Camera, 3D Depth Camera, Depth Camera, Ultra Wide Camera
- Display Resolution: HD+, Full HD+
- Screen Size: 6.2-inch, 6.4-inch, 6.7-inch
- Battery Capacity: 3400mAh, 3700mAh, 4000mAh and 4500mAh
Is the Samsung A series Better Than the J Series?
In terms of the latest in mobile technology, the A-series is more superior than the J -series. You must remember that the J-series was designed to cater to the ultra budget segment. Handsets from the series are super affordable.
On the other hand, the A series balances between price and performance, it costs more than the J -series but you get faster processor, more memory, more storage, bigger and better display and some of the latest mobile features throw-in.
The Best Samsung Galaxy A-series Smartphones: The Galaxy A50, A70, A80 and A90 5G
Just like the J-series but with double digits, the A series starts from A10s to A90. Each increment in number comes with it higher specification, better cameras and bigger display. We look at four of the higher models, the Galaxy A50, Galaxy A70, Galaxy A80 and the chart topping Galaxy A90 5G.
1. Samsung Galaxy A50
The Samsung Galaxy A50 has the smallest display in the line-up but it is by no means a small phone. The 6.4-inch display comes with Full HD resolution and an Infinity U notch. It also has premium phone features like on screen fingerprint sensor, face recognition and triple lens main shooter. The Super AMOLED display is amazing, images appear sharp with deep black.
Being a big phone, it comes with a high capacity battery at 4000mAh with a quick 15W fast charger is supplied to top it up. Underneath the ‘hood’ you get a fast Octa-core processor with speeds at 2.3GHz and 1.7GHz paired with a sizeable 4GB of RAM. Only one storage option is available, 128GB but a microSD slot lets you add up to 512GB more space.
For the main shooter, you get a 5MP depth camera, a 25MP main camera and an 8MP ultra wide camera capable of 123 degrees field of vision. The triple shooter captures crisp images, day or night with complete with scene optimisers that recognises and enhances the captured image using AI.
2. Samsung Galaxy A70
Both Samsung Galaxy A70 and A80 shares the same display and chassis, the differences are in the cameras both front and back, processor, memory and design. The Galaxy A70 has a big 6.7-inch display with Full HD+ resolution and an Infinity U notch. It has premium features, those you get on high end phones like on-screen fingerprint sensor, super fast charging, face recognition and triple lens main shooter.
Again, the Super AMOLED panel delivers exceptionally good quality images with plenty of details, colour depth and contrast. With a bigger display and a bigger chassis comes with even more room for a high capacity battery. This time, a 4500mAh battery. Again, a Super Fast 25W charger is included to quickly top up the battery when it runs low. This powers a mid-range octa core processor clocking in at 2GHz and 1.7GHz. This is paired with a spacious 6GB RAM but there is still just the 128GB storage with option to add up to 512GB via microSD.
For the main shooter, you get a 5MP depth camera, a 32MP main camera and an 8MP ultra wide camera capable of 123 degrees field of vision. The triple shooter captures crisp images, day or night with complete with scene optimisers that recognises and enhances the captured image using AI. As you can probably tell, the main shooter is a step up from A50’s 25MP. The front shooter also receivers a bump up to 32GB while the A50 only has a 25MP camera.
3. Samsung Galaxy A80 – Rotating Camera
There is a twist (and a slide) to the Samsung Galaxy A80. Quite literally, the smartphone features a sliding mechanism to reveal a rotating main camera made up of three lenses that is both the front and back camera. This means 6.7-inch display with Full HD+ resolution is totally notch free, making it a true Infinity Display. It also features an on-screen fingerprint sensor, supports Super Fast Charging with 25W charger but comes with a not so high capacity 3700mAh battery.
The phone is powered by a faster octa-core processor compared to the A70, clocking in at 2.2GHz and 1.8GHz paired with a generous 8GB RAM. Like all the other A series phones we have seen so far, it only comes with one storage size at 128GB RAM but unlike the other A series phones, it does not have microSD card reader so you can’t expand the storage, a small price to pay for full display, sliding design and rotating camera.
For the latter, it has a big 8MP camera with ultra wide angle lens with 123 degrees field of vision, a 48MP main wide angle camera with 80 degrees field of vision and a third camera for 3D Depth sensor. The Galaxy A80 records video like a pro-level action camera utilising the Ultra Wide Camera and predictive software for a super steady and smooth live video.
4. Galaxy A90 5G – 5G Ready
Last but not least, the highest of the A-series, the Galaxy A90 5G comes with the super fast, next generation 5G network support. Being the top-of-the-line device in the series means it has the fastest quad-core processor clocking in at 2.8GHz and 2.4GHz paired with 6GB of RAM memory. For that, you get smooth and highly responsive graphics and ultra fast speed. However, the device comes with, you guessed it, 128GB of internal storage only like the rest here. You can top up the storage with microSD expansion up to 512GB.
With a 6.7-inch Full HD+ resolution Super AMOLED Infinity U display, it is not very different from the A70 given that it also uses the conventional touchscreen bar form factor. No slider or rotating camera like in the A80. As a result, you get a triple lens camera on the rear and a single 32MP selfie camera. The triple lens camera consists of a 48MP wide angle main camera, an 8MP ultra wide camera with 123 degrees field-of-vision and a 5MP Depth Camera, a reminder of the cameras used on A80’s rotating unit.
Elsewhere, the phone features a huge 4500mAh high capacity battery 25W fast charging, on-screen fingerprint sensor, facial recognition and backplate with holographic plaid patter and a slim minimalist design. This is definitely the phone to go for if you download and stream videos and games on the go especially over the new 5G network. Our only advice is to get yourself a sizeable microSD card to store all the downloaded content.
Comparison Table
We leave you with a table of comparison between the three phones we looked at above.
| Galaxy A90 5G | Galaxy A80 | Galaxy A70 | Galaxy A50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RRP | 669 | 579 | 369 | 309 |
| Display | 6.7” FHD+ Infinity U | 6.7” FHD+ Infinity U | 6.7” FHD+ Infinity U | 6.4″ FHD+ Infinity U |
| Rear Camera | 48/8/5MP Triple Camera | 48MP/8MP/3D Triple Camera | 32/5/8MP Dual Camera | 25/5/8MP Dual Camera |
| Front Camera | 32MP Single Camera | 48MP/8MP/3D Triple Camera | 32MP Single Camera | 25MP Single Camera |
| Battery | 4500mAH | 3700mAH | 4500mAH | 4000mAH |
| Storage | 128GB + MicroSD | 128GB | 128GB + MicroSD | 128GB + MicroSD |
| RAM | 6GB | 8GB | 6GB | 4GB |
