Samsung Galaxy A15 5G Review: Budget smartphone with AMOLED screen and good battery life
Today, we’re taking a deep dive into the latest addition to Samsung’s budget smartphone lineup, the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G. As part of the Galaxy A series, Samsung has consistently delivered devices that strike a balance between performance and affordability.
Last year’s Galaxy A14 was well-received, offering impressive features at a competitive price point. With the Galaxy A15, Samsung has upped the ante, introducing several notable upgrades, including a vastly improved display, camera enhancements, and various other welcome changes.
Stay tuned as we delve into each aspect of the Galaxy A15 5G, uncovering its strengths, weaknesses, and everything in between to help you make an informed decision about whether this device is the right fit for your needs.
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G: Video Review
| Specs | Samsung Galaxy A15 5G |
| Display | 6.5 inches, Super AMOLED, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 90Hz, 800 nits (HBM), 19.5:9 ratio (~396 ppi density) |
| CPU | Mediatek Dimensity 6100+ (6 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 |
| Memory | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Memory Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Sensors | Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, compass, Virtual proximity sensing |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| OS | Android 14, One UI 6 |
| Rear Camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 5 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro) |
| Front Camera | 13 MP, f/2.0, (wide) |
| SIM | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| GPS | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes |
| Battery | 5000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 25W wired |
| Dimensions | 160.1 x 76.8 x 8.4 mm (6.30 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) |
| Weight | 200 g (7.05 oz) |
| Protection | No |
| Colors | Brave Black, Personality Yellow, Magical Blue, Optimistic Blue |
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G: Design
Despite being roughly the same size as the new Galaxy S24 Plus, the A15 sports a smaller 6.5-inch screen, mainly due to its chunkier bezels surrounding the display.
In terms of build quality, the A15 5G employs plastic materials throughout, which is expected for a device in its price range. The plastic edges and back panel contribute to its lightweight feel, yet it maintains a decent heft at 200 grams, avoiding the toy-like sensation often associated with lighter devices.
On the rear, the A15 features the typical Samsung camera arrangement, with camera lenses housed within a flat surface, eliminating the need for a camera bump.
Samsung maintains its trend of integrating the fingerprint sensor into the power button, ensuring reliable security. The presence of a dual SIM card tray on the side adds to the device’s practicality. Notably, the power button and volume rocker sport a subtle bump, adding tactile feedback for ease of use.
At the bottom there is a headphone jack, a Type-C port, a speaker grille and a microphone. The presence of the 3.5mm headphone jack on the Galaxy A15 highlights Samsung’s understanding of user preferences and ensures compatibility with a wide range of audio peripherals.
While the plastic construction may raise concerns about durability, the absence of official dust and water resistance certification implies that the device should be handled with care in moist or dusty environments. However, the lack of such certification doesn’t necessarily mean it’s fragile; Rather, users should exercise caution.
Display
The SAMSUNG Galaxy A15 5G has a 6.5-inch AMOLED panel, boasting a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. This upgrade to an AMOLED display from its predecessor’s LCD marks a significant improvement, providing high-contrast images with vivid colors and enhanced clarity. The inclusion of a refresh rate that can be set to a fixed 90 Hz ensures smooth animation and scrolling, contributing to seamless interaction with the device.
One of the standout features of the Galaxy A15’s display is its impressive brightness, reaching up to 800 nits. This high brightness level ensures excellent visibility even under direct sunlight, catering to users who frequently use their devices outdoors.
OS
The SAMSUNG Galaxy A15 5G comes equipped with the latest iteration of Google’s Android operating system, Android 14, providing users with access to the newest features and improvements. Paired with a slightly older Samsung launcher, One UI 6.0, the device offers a familiar user experience for those accustomed to Samsung smartphones.
Despite not featuring the latest One UI 6.1 found on flagship models, users will still find themselves in familiar territory with a wide array of Samsung’s own services and apps pre-installed on the device. These apps serve as alternative versions to Android’s native services, offering users a comprehensive ecosystem tailored to their needs.
From the Galaxy Shop for downloading apps to SmartThings for managing smart home devices, the Galaxy A15 5G ensures that users have access to essential tools and services right out of the box. Additionally, the device includes features like a virtual wallet and an internet browser, enhancing its versatility and functionality.
One notable absence on the Galaxy A15 5G is Samsung’s native virtual assistant, Bixby. Instead, users will find the Google Assistant, representing an upgrade in terms of virtual assistant capabilities.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G boasts a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chip at its core, featuring two performance cores, six efficiency cores, and an ARM G57 MC2 GPU. While this chipset might come as a surprise to some, given Samsung’s usual reliance on its own Exynos chipsets, it’s the choice made for this particular budget device.
However, the performance aspect of the Galaxy A15 5G smartphone could be considered its Achilles’ heel. Backed by a modest 4GB of RAM, the device struggles at times, leading to noticeable judders and stutters during use. Patience becomes a virtue when operating this smartphone, as apps may take a few seconds longer than expected to load.
The camera experience, in particular, suffers from the limitations of the chipset and RAM. Night photography and portrait shots can be especially slow, with the processor struggling to keep up with demands. Benchmark scores reflect this modest performance, indicating that the Galaxy A15 5G isn’t a powerhouse device by any means.
That said, the device can handle light gaming reasonably well, albeit on lower to medium graphic settings. Games like Call of Duty and PUBG are playable, with decent frame rates and responsive display. However, it’s evident that this device is not designed for intensive gaming sessions.
In terms of storage options, Samsung offers two variants of the Galaxy A15 5G. The base model comes with 128GB of internal storage paired with 4GB of RAM, while a higher-end model offers 256GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM. Opting for the higher-end model might alleviate some of the performance issues, but it’s clear that Samsung could have been more generous with RAM allocation, especially in a budget handset.
Camera
The SAMSUNG Galaxy A15 5G comes equipped with a versatile triple rear camera setup, headlined by a 50 MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture. This primary shooter lacks optical image stabilization, but it compensates with a range of shooting modes and features familiar to Samsung users. Alongside the main camera, you’ll find a 5 MP ultra-wide lens with an f/2.2 aperture for capturing expansive scenes, and a 2 MP macro sensor with an f/2.4 aperture for detailed close-up shots. On the front, the device features a 13 MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture, housed within the distinctive “nipple notch.”
The camera app on the Galaxy A15 5G offers a variety of shooting modes, including a portrait mode for stunning background blur effects and a night mode for enhanced low-light photography. There’s also a pro mode for users who want more control over their settings, as well as fun modes for those playful moments.
While the 50 MP main shooter performs adequately for everyday photography, it may struggle in softer lighting conditions, producing noisy or grainy results. The presence of a wide range of shooting modes helps to mitigate some of these issues, but users may still encounter limitations in challenging lighting situations. The ultra-wide and macro lenses offer additional versatility, though their lower resolutions may result in less detailed images.
Video recording capabilities on the Galaxy A15 5G are limited to full HD resolution at 30 frames per second, with no options for higher frame rates or 4K recording. While this may suffice for casual video recording, enthusiasts may find it lacking compared to higher-end devices.
Selfie enthusiasts will appreciate the 13 MP front-facing camera, which offers decent performance for capturing self-portraits and video calls. However, similar to the rear camera setup, low-light conditions may pose challenges, resulting in washed-out or less vibrant images.
Audio
The audio experience on the SAMSUNG Galaxy A15 5G leaves a bit to be desired, as it features a mono speaker setup. However, despite being mono, the speaker still packs a decent punch when it comes to volume. Cranking up the volume to the max reveals that it can get pretty loud, making it audible even in noisy environments. While the clarity of the sound isn’t bad, it’s disappointing that there’s no stereo speaker setup, especially considering that many budget rivals offer this feature. Nevertheless, Samsung deserves some credit for including a headphone jack, which is becoming increasingly rare in modern smartphones, allowing audio enthusiasts to plug in their favorite headphones and enjoy their music.
Battery life
On the battery front, the Galaxy A15 5G impresses with its sizable 5,000 mAh battery capacity. This capacity is even larger than what you’d find in Samsung’s flagship models like the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus, and matches that of the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Combined with the power-efficient Dimensity chipset, users can expect strong battery life from the device. A full day of use, even with heavy usage involving video calls, camera usage, and gaming, should be easily attainable. With screen-on time easily reaching 7 or 8 hours per charge, users can rely on the Galaxy A15 5G to keep up with their daily activities without needing frequent charges.
However, if you do find yourself running low on battery midday, the device supports 25-watt wired charging, allowing for quick top-ups when needed. Just plugging in for a quick 10 or 15 minutes can provide a noticeable boost in battery life. Unfortunately, there’s no support for wireless charging, which may disappoint some users who have become accustomed to the convenience of wireless charging technology.
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G: Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G, priced at $199, offers a compelling package with several improvements over its predecessor, the A14. Doubling the storage, featuring a brighter screen, and boasting significantly better battery life, the A15 5G stands out in its price segment.
While it may not match the performance of higher-end devices, it still delivers reliable and smooth operation for everyday tasks.
Samsung’s commitment to software upgrades further enhances the appeal of the Galaxy A15 5G. With a promise of ongoing support and updates, users can enjoy the latest features and improvements, ensuring a future-proof device.
With its competitive price point and essential features, the A15 5G offers excellent value for users seeking a reliable and affordable smartphone experience.
You can also check out the best-selling Cell Phones on Amazon:
