Samsung has just announced its newest smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G. Offered as a mid-range option, the Samsung Galaxy A series promises upgraded security features and a more vivid viewing experience.
How does Samsung’s newest mid-range offering compare with the Google Pixel 7a? Launched in May 2023, the Pixel 7a is Google’s current mid-range smartphone offering.
Although we haven’t been able to review the Galaxy A55 5G just yet, we’ve compared its specs against the Google Pixel 7a to help you decide which one would better suit your needs.
The Galaxy A55 5G has a larger screen
Of the two handsets, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G has a slightly larger screen, at 6.6 inches, compared to the Pixel 7a’s 6.1-inch screen.
The Galaxy A55 also has a Super AMOLED display, which should be further enhanced thanks to Samsung’s Vision Booster, and the Pixel 7a has a similarly FHD+ OLED panel.
Screen aside, the Galaxy A55 also promises up to 120Hz refresh rate, which is higher than the Google Pixel 7a’s maximum refresh rate of 90Hz. Not only does the Galaxy A55 boast a higher refresh rate, but it matches higher-end smartphones including Samsung’s current flagship Galaxy S24 Ultra (albeit without the premium LTPO tech). For a mid-range option, this is nonetheless quite impressive.
The Galaxy A55 5G has a three rear-camera setup
The Galaxy A55 has three rear cameras, including a 50MP main lens, 12MP ultrawide lens and a 5MP macro lens, whereas the Google Pixel 7a features just two rear cameras: a 64MP main lens and a 13MP ultrawide.
Although we haven’t yet tested the quality of the A55’s lenses, Samsung promises that “with enhanced Nightography, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G takes clearer and more vibrant photos even in poor lighting conditions” compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy A54 5G.
While we haven’t tested the A55, we have tested the Pixel 7a’s camera and were thoroughly impressed by the picture quality. We concluded that the Pixel 7a’s primary camera is “reliable and doesn’t require endless tinkering to get good shots all the time.”
Similarly to Samsung’s Nightography, Google has Night Sight. Night Sight is a low-light shooting mode that combines multiple exposures to boost light. We were thoroughly impressed with this mode and even found the performance better, faster, and more reliable than on an iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The Galaxy A55 5G is secured by Knox Vault
The Galaxy A55, along with the slightly cheaper A35 5G, is secured by Samsung Knox – the first Samsung A series smartphones to do so. Samsung Knox is Samsung Galaxy’s multi-layer security platform designed to safeguard critical information and protect against vulnerabilities.
Similarly, the Google Pixel 7a comes equipped with VPN by Google One at no extra cost, which provides additional security and privacy for users. For extra security, there’s also anti-phishing and anti-malware protection included.
In addition, the Galaxy A55 promises four OS upgrades and five years of security updates, matching that of the Google Pixel 7a. However, as the Google Pixel 7a launched last year, it’ll stop getting updates a year ahead of the Galaxy A55.
The Galaxy A55 5G has a bigger battery
The A55 has a larger battery, with a typical 5,000mAh cell compared to the smaller 4,385mAh of the Pixel 7a. Although we haven’t tested the battery power, Samsung claims the A55 can support a two-day battery life.
When testing the Google Pixel 7a, we found that its battery felt “slightly antiquated,” and heavy phone users may struggle to get through a full day.
The Galaxy A55 5G is slightly cheaper
Although it’s a newer smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G actually has a slightly cheaper starting price. The A55 starts at £439 for 8GB memory and 128GB storage, whereas the Google Pixel 7a starts at £449 for the same memory and storage, making Samsung’s new mid-ranger slightly more affordable than Google’s offering.
The Google Pixel 7a is available to buy now, and the Samsung Galaxy A55 will be available to buy from 20 March 2024.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
