Samsung Galaxy A55 vs A35 vs A25 vs A15: Budget phone brawl

Samsung has dropped the details on its latest set of A series smartphones, with the new Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55 due to arrive at the end of March.

These handsets round out the Galaxy A15 5G and Galaxy A25 5G, which were both stealth-dropped earlier this year. While this year's crop of Galaxy A devices all feature both 5G and eSIM, it's still easy to get caught up on the details. Which model has the best camera? What features do the cheaper models miss out on?

We've got the answers to those and other questions so let's break down the differences between your midrange Galaxy options in 2024. 

With the introduction of two new models this week, there are now four Galaxy A Series phones on offer in Australia in 2024 (that we know of); the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G, Galaxy A35 5G, Galaxy A25 5G and Galaxy A15 5G.

While there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind when it comes to this year's Galaxy A handsets, the broad strokes haven't changed that much. From top to bottom, the story here is all about pairing up semi-premium features with a more affordable price.

Across the range, every model includes 5G, eSIM and a 5000mAh battery. Not one includes support for wireless charging.

Let's start with the cheapest of the lot, the Galaxy A15 5G costs $349 and comes kitted out with a 6.5-inch Full HD+ display and a 90Hz refresh rate. The camera on the back of the device is hardly a slacker, offering up 50MP (and an F1.8 aperture) on the main lens, as well as a 5MP Ultra-wide lens, a 2MP Macro lens and a 13MP front-facing camera. Those camera specs are pretty close to what last year's Galaxy A14 4G offered. However, key differences here include a more powerful Mediatek Dimensity 6100+ processor and the doubling of on-board storage to 128GB.

The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G and Galaxy A25 5G have a lot in common. Priced at $499, the more expensive of the two features a Super AMOLED screen that's roughly the same size but a little brighter. It's also got a faster 120Hz refresh rate compared to the 90Hz one found on the Galaxy A15. Under the hood, the Galaxy A25 runs on an Exynos 1280 processor instead of a MediaTek one. It's also got 2GB of additional RAM. Aside from a few more megapixels on the ultrawide lens, the camera setup here isn't all that different. That said, the Galaxy A25 can record video content in 4K at 30FPS while the A15 caps out at 1080p.

At $549, the Galaxy A35 isn't that much more expensive than the Galaxy A25. However, that premium scores you a whole bunch of additional perks like IP67 water and dust resistance and a slightly larger screen. Where the Galaxy A25 and Galaxy A15 opt for a physical fingerprint reader built into the side of handset, the Galaxy A35 (and Galaxy A55) up the ante by squeezing one underneath the screen.

The Galaxy A35 also comes with a bunch of other camera upgrades including the introduction of a select handful of the Galaxy AI features found in the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus and Galaxy S24 Ultra. Under the hood, the Galaxy A35 runs on an Exynos 1380 processor and 6GB of RAM.

The Galaxy A55 builds on these strengths. Priced at $699, it features a larger 12MP ultrawide lens, a beefier 5MP macro lens and a significantly better 32MP selfie camera. Under the hood, this handset is powered by an Exynos 1480 processor and 8GB of RAM. The most expensive A-Series device also feels different, thanks to an aluminum frame. While this is exclusive to the Galaxy A55, both it and the Galaxy A35 feature Gorilla Glass Victus.

To sum things up:

• The Samsung Galaxy A15 is the cheapest model, but the camera and processor specs reflect that thriftiness.
• The Samsung Galaxy A25 improves on those fronts at a cost. It's got a faster processor and a better camera setup, but that's about it.
• The Samsung Galaxy A35 is where you'll want to start your search for an affordable Galaxy handset if you want water and dust resistance and any of the AI camera features. It's also got a bigger screen, a better processor and an in-display fingerprint sensor.
• The Samsung Galaxy A55 shares a screen with the next model down, but ups the ante with a slew of camera upgrades, a faster processor and more RAM.

Aussies looking at acquiring either the Galaxy A35 or Galaxy A55 have three colors to choose from. In other words, there are two options on offer for each device.

If you're angling for the cheaper Galaxy A35, you get the choice between Navy and Ice Blue. Ready to upsell yourself to the Galaxy A55 instead? Your options are Navy or Lilac. To recap, here are the colour options for each 2024 Galaxy A Series variant in Australia:

• Galaxy A55: Navy and Lilac
• Galaxy A35: Navy and Ice Blue