At a lookProfessional’s Score
Execs
- Modern design
- Stable most important digital camera
- Tireless battery life
- Easy 90Hz show
Cons
- Gradual efficiency
- No IP Score
- Middling charging velocity
Our Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G is among the finest price range Androids obtainable in the present day, combining premium appears and beneficiant battery life with an honest digital camera and user-friendly software program.
The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G is the successor to final 12 months’s A14, which sat atop our record of the most effective price range telephones. It subsequently has its work lower out if it needs to keep up its grip on the price range market, which yearly appears so as to add new entrants capable of squeeze extra invaluable options into reasonably priced frames.
Fortuitously, the A15 5G succeeds on virtually all fronts, combining deceptively fashionable appears with a 90Hz show, a long-lasting battery, user-friendly software program and a strong most important digital camera.
Simply how a lot value-for-money does it provide, and does it examine to extra mid-range and costly options?
Design & Construct
- Stylish color decisions
- Flat-edged plastic physique
- No IP score
It could carry the ‘price range’ tag, however the Galaxy A15 5G appears like a costlier telephone than it truly is. Except for the all-important Samsung emblem, it contains a very tasteful selection of colors, all of which shimmer and replicate otherwise as you flip the telephone in your fingers.
a laudably uncluttered design
My assessment mannequin sports activities the Character Yellow color, which lives as much as its title by giving the telephone some distinctiveness in a market saturated by uninspired price range telephone designs. It appears contemporary, vivid and trendy whereas serving to you disguise the truth that you haven’t spent £1,000 on a cell.
It additionally helps that the A15 5G has the identical type of flat-edged design because the S24 lineup, with its squared sides making it simpler to grip. There’s a neat triple-lens digital camera module on the rear of the telephone, arrayed in a vertical line within the top-left nook, with the Samsung emblem on the backside rounding off a laudably uncluttered design.
The telephone is comparatively light-weight, with its 200g making it comfy to hold and use for longer durations. With a 6.5in display screen onboard (extra about that under), it’s comparatively giant, though not too giant.
Simon Chandler / Foundry
It’s value mentioning that, at 8.4mm, it’s about 1mm thicker than the usual Galaxy S24, in addition to considered one of its most important rivals, the Motorola Moto G84 5G. This isn’t an excessive amount of of an issue, because it by no means feels significantly weighty or cumbersome in your fingers.
However as aesthetically pleasing because the A15 is, it lacks an IP score of any sort in any way. Mixed with a normal glass display screen, this implies chances are you’ll must take slightly extra care with it than you’d with one thing extra premium.
Display & Audio system
- 6.5in Tremendous AMOLED show
- Teardrop selfie notch
- 90Hz refresh charge
The Galaxy A15 5G represents one thing of an improve over its predecessor within the display screen division, that includes a 6.5in Tremendous AMOLED panel, versus the much less spectacular LCD show of the A14.
This makes the telephone nice for watching movies, TV and movies, with the high-definition 1080p decision making it greater than usable as a media system.
Whereas it doesn’t fairly examine to extra flagship fashions, the 90Hz refresh charge is tremendous easy, particularly when in comparison with the 60Hz charges you discover on customary iPhone fashions.
Brightness doesn’t fairly examine to those promising core specs, with its max topping out at simply over 800 nits. This isn’t an excessive amount of of an issue in most contexts, with the adaptive brightness usually filling within the gaps, however you’ll have to manually elevate the brightness to the restrict when taking the telephone to a sunny park or seaside.
In comparison with pricier fashions, the bezel surrounding the A15’s show is pretty thick, significantly on the backside. The telephone additionally homes a teardrop selfie notch, which is much less discreet than the pinhole cameras you discover on Galaxy S fashions, for example, and can in all probability reinforce the feeling of dealing with a less expensive system.
Nonetheless, the A15’s display screen does look fairly total, significantly for a telephone in its value vary.
Its audio system additionally punch slightly above their weight, even when they’re neither stereo nor spectacular, with music – even pretty dense music – sounding clear and properly layered.
Specs & Efficiency
- Mediatek Dimensity 6100+ chipset
- 4GB RAM and 128GB storage
- MicroSDXC slot
There’s little question that efficiency is the Galaxy A15’s weak level, which in all probability isn’t stunning for a price range telephone.
It runs on a Mediatek Dimensity 6100+ chipset, which is a 6nm processor constructed to deal with 5G. It’s in any other case similar in specs and efficiency to the Helio G99 processor discovered contained in the non-5G Galaxy A15.
As with the A15 4G mannequin, the A15 5G comes with 4GB of RAM. That is on the decrease finish of the RAM spectrum, even for some price range telephones, with the Motorola Moto G84 5G wielding a really spectacular 12GB of RAM for instance.
In apply, this implies you’ll expertise a good quantity of slowdown and lag, even when opening apps and pursuing among the extra mundane duties your telephone does for you.
In comparison with one thing like a Galaxy S24 or an iPhone 15, you’ll undoubtedly discover a palpable distinction after all, and anybody hoping to avoid wasting cash whereas having fun with 2024 efficiency can be disillusioned.
Simon Chandler / Foundry
It additionally implies that any type of high-end gaming is kind of unimaginable on the A15, whereas much less superior video games will even run into slowing points. Nonetheless, finishing on a regular basis duties and looking the online is mostly nice as soon as corresponding apps have opened, so much less formidable customers gained’t have too many points.
The A15 additionally gives 128GB of inside storage, which is completely nice for a ‘typical’ person who in all probability gained’t be utilizing it for far more than calling/messaging, social networking and taking photographs. There’s a microSDXC slot, so should you’re somebody who likes to take loads of photographs and movies, you’ve gotten the choice of increasing on what you obtain out of the field.
Lastly, the benchmarks under verify that the A15 5G is among the least-powered telephones launched by a significant producer this 12 months. With solely 4GB of RAM, it’s outperformed by a number of of its price range rivals.
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G benchmarks
Cameras
- 50Mp most important rear digital camera
- 5Mp ultrawide
- 2Mp macro lens
- 13Mp selfie digital camera
Samsung makes among the finest digital camera telephones round, and whereas the A15 5G isn’t considered one of them, it gives sufficient digital camera prowess for the worth.
The spotlight – the one actual spotlight – is the principle 50Mp vast lens, which might do an excellent job in the proper fingers and light-weight. It doesn’t characteristic optical picture stabilisation (OIS) like most mobiles in the present day, however its use of autofocus does nonetheless usually make it straightforward to make use of and to seize pleasing photographs.
In my expertise, the digital camera’s palette is well-balanced and naturalistic, with little of the oversaturation that used to bug earlier generations of Galaxy telephones. Skies aren’t overexposed, colors are vibrant with out being too vibrant, whereas the Portrait mode gives sufficient element whereas being flattering.
it gives sufficient digital camera prowess for the worth
Simon Chandler / Foundry
That is the place the excellent news ends, nevertheless, as a result of the extra two lenses really feel extra like box-ticking workout routines than real additions to the telephone’s arsenal.
The ultrawide lens can take pretty helpful panoramic photographs if used with a gentle hand, however a couple of of our pics ended up having blurred edges or traces, not less than if you zoomed in slightly. It’s the same story with the 2Mp macro lens, in that photos often look nice at first look, however a better inspection reveals slightly an excessive amount of rawness and blur.
As such, customers will have to be cautious to get probably the most out of the telephone’s extra cameras, one thing which will also be stated for its night time mode. The latter can be utilized nicely in some circumstances and scenes, however it may be hit or miss, so photographers must have some endurance.
The 13Mp front-facing lens does fare higher than the 2 additional rear lenses, in that it’s extra forgiving and might take flattering selfies in most lights. It’s not excellent and might lack a sure liveliness, however it’s going to definitely present sufficient usable photographs for social media and sharing.
Battery Life & Charging
- 5000mAh battery
- 25W wired charging
- No wi-fi charging
With a 5000mAh battery on board and relatively restricted drains on its assets, the Galaxy A15 5G is constructed to final customers by means of the day, if not significantly longer.
The PCMark for Android battery check returned a formidable results of simply over 15 hours, whereas my day-to-day use of the system discovered me simply making it by means of to a second day with no need to recharge.
Sure, the extent will drop extra shortly should you hold the 90Hz mode on on a regular basis and use the telephone for entire afternoons or evenings. However provided that the A15 isn’t actually lower out to be a devoted gaming telephone, for example, the standard person could discover themselves utilizing it for less than important functions, extending its battery life right into a second day.
As beneficiant because the telephone’s battery is, the A15 doesn’t include a charger out of the field. And it’s appropriate with chargers of a most of solely 25W, so replenishing the battery isn’t a very speedy affair although a results of 55% in half an hour isn’t unhealthy both, managing to match the 33W Redmi Word 13 5G with the identical battery capability.
my day-to-day use of the system discovered me simply making it by means of to a second day with no need to recharge
This doesn’t detract from the worth for cash supplied by the A15’s battery an excessive amount of. The telephone will show a dependable companion for many customers, saving them from worries that they could run out of juice earlier than they return house.
Software program & Apps
- Android 14
- One UI 6
- Three years of core updates
- No AI options
The Galaxy A15 5G runs on Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6.0 excessive, retaining many of the options One UI 6 brings to extra premium Galaxy telephones.
The one important omissions are the absence of an always-on show and DeX mode, which might be not stunning provided that the A15 isn’t marketed as a productiveness telephone and Samsung is inside its rights to maintain options for costlier fashions.
In any other case, the A15 affords a sometimes easy One UI expertise, even when the telephone’s gradual efficiency means you’ll have to attend a second longer than normal for apps to open. Menus such because the Fast Settings panel are straightforward to entry and laid out intuitively, with the bigger icons making issues easier.
Simon Chandler / Foundry
As with different Galaxy telephones, the A15 affords loads of customization choices, permitting customers to vary wallpapers, house and app screens to swimsuit. It additionally affords the Modes and Routines options first launched with One UI 5, permitting you to regulate settings based on the time of day, what you’re doing and/or the place you’re.
One slight, albeit totally unsurprising, draw back is that the A15 doesn’t include any of the neat AI-based options you could find with the Samsung Galaxy S24 collection. This can be a disgrace, however provided that these options don’t provide something actually game-changing (but), most customers in all probability gained’t discover.
Not like the equally reasonably priced Galaxy A25 5G, which Samsung will deal with to 4 years of core Android updates, the A15 5G will obtain three. This can be disappointing for some, however given how underpowered the A15 already is, it will not be real looking to anticipate Samsung to increase its software program life too far and that is typical for telephones of this value.
Worth & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G launched with a value of £199. UK prospects also can purchase it from Amazon, Very and Currys.
The A15 5G comes with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of reminiscence as customary, however sure areas have the chance to purchase the telephone with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage.
Sadly that’s not the case within the US the place the telephone is $199.99 and solely obtainable in two colors from the official retailer. You too can get it from Amazon and BestBuy.
So far as options go, there’s the 4G model of the A15, which can prevent £30 should you’re not too fussed about 5G. There’s additionally the Galaxy A25, which for about £50 additional provides extra RAM, a quicker processor and a brighter show with a fair smoother 120Hz refresh charge.
One other good possibility is the Motorola Moto G84, which is one other extra highly effective possibility in the identical value bracket. Discover extra choices in our greatest price range telephones chart.
Do you have to purchase the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G?
The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G is a really sturdy all-round price range telephone, with its solely actual weak point being its lack of computing energy.
Due to this fact don’t purchase it with gaming or different demanding duties in thoughts however other than this, it affords nice appears, an enormous fluid show, an honest most important digital camera, and spectacular battery life.
Sure, the extra digital camera lenses aren’t significantly helpful, and sure, three years of core Android updates isn’t something to jot down house about, however there are minor blemishes on a price range telephone that in any other case gives nice worth.
Specs
- Android 14, One UI 6
- 6.5in Tremendous AMOLED (2340×1080) 19.5:9, 90Hz
- Mediatek Dimensity 6100+ processor
- 4GB LPDDR4X RAM
- 128GB RAM UFS 2.2 inside storage
- Cameras:
- 50Mp most important/vast sensor
- 2Mp macro
- 5Mp ultrawide
- 13Mp entrance going through
- Aspect-mounted fingerprint scanner
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz+5GHz, VHT80
- Twin SIM (Nano-SIM, twin stand-by)
- Bluetooth 5.3
- 5,000mAh battery
- 25W wired charging
- 160.1 x 76.8 x 8.4mm
- 200g
