Samsung Galaxy A15 5G review

The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G, serving as the successor to the highly acclaimed A14 model from the previous year, assumes the mantle atop our coveted list of the best budget phones. This designation places significant pressure on the A15 5G to maintain its dominance in the fiercely competitive budget smartphone market, where each passing year introduces a myriad of new contenders vying to incorporate increasingly advanced features into their affordable offerings.

Thankfully, the Galaxy A15 5G rises to the occasion admirably, excelling in nearly every aspect. It seamlessly blends sophisticated aesthetics with practical functionality, boasting a smooth 90Hz display, an enduring battery life, intuitive user-friendly software, and a robust main camera system.

The question then arises: how does the A15 5G fare in terms of value for money when compared to its mid-range and more expensive counterparts?

Samsung Galaxy A15 5G

Despite being labeled as a ‘budget’ device, the Galaxy A15 5G exudes an air of luxury that belies its modest price point. Beyond the iconic Samsung logo, the phone offers a tasteful selection of colors, each imbued with a unique shimmer and reflectivity that captivates the eye.

My evaluation unit, featuring the Personality Yellow hue, effortlessly distinguishes itself amidst a sea of uninspired budget smartphone designs. Its vibrant and modern appearance effortlessly conceals its affordable price tag, making it a standout choice for consumers seeking both style and substance without breaking the bank.

Build

Moreover, the A15 5G adopts the same sleek flat-edged design found in Samsung’s premium S24 lineup, enhancing both aesthetics and ergonomics. The inclusion of a neatly arranged triple-lens camera module on the rear further contributes to its uncluttered and refined appearance.

Despite its relatively large 6.5-inch screen, the phone remains remarkably lightweight at just 200g, ensuring comfortable handling and prolonged usage. However, it is worth noting that, at 8.4mm thickness, the A15 5G is slightly bulkier than its counterparts, such as the Galaxy S24 and the Motorola Moto G84 5G. Nevertheless, this minor discrepancy does not detract from the overall user experience, as the phone retains a comfortable and manageable feel in hand.

While the A15 5G boasts impressive aesthetics and functionality, it falls short in one aspect: durability. Lacking any IP rating for water and dust resistance, coupled with a standard glass screen, the device necessitates a degree of caution during handling to prevent damage.

Despite this drawback, the A15 5G remains an enticing option for budget-conscious consumers seeking a blend of style, performance, and affordability in their smartphone purchase.

Screen & Speakers

The Galaxy A15 5G steps up its game in the display department compared to its predecessor, offering a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel, a significant improvement over the A14’s LCD display. This upgrade enhances the viewing experience, providing crisp visuals with its high-definition 1080p resolution, perfect for enjoying videos and films.

While it may not match the standards of flagship models, the A15 5G impresses with its smooth 90Hz refresh rate, a notable improvement over the standard 60Hz rates found on many devices, including iPhones. However, the brightness levels fall slightly short, reaching just over 800 nits at maximum. While adaptive brightness helps in most situations, manual adjustment may be necessary outdoors in bright environments.

Compared to premium models, the A15’s display bezels are relatively thick, particularly at the bottom. Additionally, the teardrop selfie notch, though functional, may remind users of its budget-friendly status. Despite these minor drawbacks, the A15’s screen offers an overall pleasing visual experience, especially considering its price point.

Furthermore, the phone’s speakers deliver impressive sound quality, offering clear and well-balanced audio, even with dense music tracks. Though not stereo, the speakers provide a commendable performance that enhances the multimedia experience on the Galaxy A15 5G.

Specs & Performance

The Galaxy A15’s performance may not be its strongest suit, which is common for a budget-friendly device. It operates on a Mediatek Dimensity 6100+ chipset, tailored for 5G capabilities, akin to the Helio G99 processor found in the non-5G variant. Sporting 4GB of RAM, it falls on the lower end compared to some budget phones, like the Motorola Moto G84 5G with an impressive 12GB of RAM.

Expect occasional slowdowns and lags, particularly during app launches and routine tasks. While it can’t match the performance of flagship models like the Galaxy S24 or iPhone 15, it adequately handles everyday functions and web browsing once apps are running. Gaming enthusiasts may find high-end gaming challenging due to its limitations, but it handles less demanding games acceptably.

The device offers 128GB of internal storage, suitable for typical users engaged in calling, messaging, social networking, and photography. Additionally, there’s a microSDXC slot for expanding storage. However, benchmark tests reveal that the A15 5G falls behind its budget rivals, underscoring its modest processing power and RAM capacity.

Cameras

Samsung’s Galaxy A15 5G may not boast flagship camera capabilities, but it offers commendable camera features given its price point. The standout is its 50Mp main rear camera, delivering satisfactory results under favorable lighting conditions. While lacking optical image stabilization (OIS), its autofocus feature facilitates easy shooting and captures pleasing images with balanced, natural colors.

However, the additional lenses, including the 5Mp ultrawide and 2Mp macro, feel more like checkboxes than significant enhancements. While the ultrawide lens can produce useful panoramic shots with stability, some images suffer from blurred edges when zoomed in. Similarly, the macro lens tends to deliver images with noticeable rawness and blur upon closer inspection.

Users must exercise caution to maximize the potential of these additional lenses, as with the phone’s night mode, which can yield mixed results. On the bright side, the 13Mp front-facing camera performs better, offering forgiving and flattering selfies in various lighting conditions. While not flawless, it produces sufficient shots for social media and sharing purposes.

Battery Life & Charging

Equipped with a robust 5000mAh battery and efficient resource management, the Galaxy A15 5G ensures extended usage without frequent recharges. The PCMark for Android battery test yielded an impressive 15-hour endurance, with everyday usage easily lasting through a second day.

While continuous usage, especially with the 90Hz mode enabled, may accelerate battery depletion, the A15’s versatility caters to essential tasks, prolonging battery life. Although lacking a bundled charger, its compatibility with up to 25W chargers offers reasonable replenishment speed, achieving a commendable 55% charge in just half an hour.

Despite this limitation, the A15’s substantial battery capacity ensures reliability for users, alleviating concerns of premature battery depletion.

Software & Apps

The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G operates on Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6.0 overlay, providing users with a familiar and intuitive interface. While lacking features like an always-on display and DeX mode, it retains most functionalities found in premium Galaxy phones.

Despite occasional delays due to the phone’s slower performance, navigating menus and accessing settings is straightforward, thanks to the well-organized Quick Settings panel and larger icons.

Users can personalize their experience with ample customization options, including the ability to modify wallpapers and home screens. Additionally, the Modes and Routines features allow for convenient adjustments based on various factors such as time of day and location.

However, the absence of AI-based features, commonly found in higher-end models, may disappoint some users. Nonetheless, the device ensures a smooth and responsive user experience overall. In terms of software updates, the Galaxy A15 5G will receive three years of core Android updates, aligning with industry standards for devices in its price range.

While this may be shorter than some competitors, it remains reasonable considering the device’s affordability and performance capabilities.

Specs	Details
Operating System	Android 14, One UI 6
Display	6.5in Super AMOLED (2340×1080) 19.5:9, 90Hz
Processor	Mediatek Dimensity 6100+
RAM	4GB LPDDR4X
Storage	128GB UFS 2.2 internal storage
Cameras	– 50Mp main/wide sensor
	– 2Mp macro
	– 5Mp ultrawide
	– 13Mp front facing
Security	Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Connectivity	– Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz+5GHz, VHT80
	– Bluetooth 5.3
SIM	Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
Battery	5,000mAh with 25W wired charging
Dimensions	160.1 x 76.8 x 8.4mm
Weight	200g

Price & Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G debuted at £199 in the UK and is available for purchase from various retailers including Amazon, Very, and Currys. While the standard model offers 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, certain regions have the option to upgrade to 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.

However, in the US, the phone is priced at $199.99 and is offered in limited colors through the official store, with availability also on Amazon and BestBuy. For those considering alternatives, the 4G version of the A15 is available at a slightly lower price, while the Galaxy A25 offers enhanced features such as more RAM, a faster processor, and a brighter display with a smoother 120Hz refresh rate for a modest additional cost.

Additionally, the Motorola Moto G84 presents another compelling option with increased performance within a similar price range. Explore further alternatives in our comprehensive list of the best budget phones.