While Samsung’s higher-end flagship telephones normally get many of the consideration, the corporate additionally makes some respectable budget-oriented gadgets. Those ultra-cheap telephones are a part of Samsung’s “A series,” and the newest mannequin is the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G. I’ve spent about two weeks utilizing the Galaxy A15 5G, and also you get lots of smartphone for $200 with this machine. The show, digital camera, battery life, and software program are all fairly good contemplating the value level.But it is uncommon that any cellphone in 2024 struggles with primary day-to-day utilization, like multitasking and utilizing apps. And the Galaxy A15 5G, utilizing a mediocre MediaTek processor, is downright sluggish. If you’ll be able to spend $100 or $200 extra on a smartphone, your expertise can be so much higher. With that being mentioned, the Galaxy A15 5G is nearly the perfect you may discover within the $200 value vary. Samsung Galaxy A15 5G: Price & availability(Image credit score: Brady Snyder / Android Central)Samsung launched the Galaxy A15 5G on the finish of 2023, and it retails for $200. You can get it at that value from Samsung and Best Buy now. You’ll discover the Galaxy A15 5G at Amazon as nicely, however many product listings are at larger costs and embody a bundled microSD card. Buyers may also buy the Galaxy A15 5G from choose mobile carriers, comparable to T-Mobile, Verizon, and UScellular. The Galaxy A15 5G has one configuration, and it options 128GB of storage and 4GB of reminiscence. However, it has an included microSD card slot, so you’ll be able to add as much as 1TB of extra storage. You can get it in two colours: Blue Black and Light Blue. My Galaxy A15 5G loaner overview unit, supplied by AT&T, got here in Blue Black. Samsung Galaxy A15 5G: What I like(Image credit score: Brady Snyder / Android Central)When you first choose up the Galaxy A15 5G, it’s going to really feel like Samsung’s extra premium smartphones. Aside from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the remainder of the corporate’s telephones characteristic a flat design with rounded corners. The Galaxy A15 5G additionally would not have a big digital camera bump, however every rear digital camera lens will barely protrude from the again casing. One distinctive factor concerning the Galaxy A15 5G is one thing generally known as the “Key Island.” The proper facet of the smartphone is the place you may discover the quantity rocker and energy button, however portion of the aluminum body that homes these buttons protrudes from the remaining. That makes it simpler to really feel round and discover the Key Island with out trying. However, it would not essentially make these buttons any simpler to press, particularly one-handed. (Image credit score: Brady Snyder / Android Central)Midrange telephones have a historical past of at all times getting the ports proper, and that is true of the Galaxy A15 5G. It has a USB-C port for knowledge and charging, in addition to a 3.5mm headphone jack. More importantly, the SIM card tray additionally has a spot for a microSD card. You can add as much as an additional 1TB card to the Galaxy A15 5G, utterly erasing any considerations concerning the 128GB inner storage.(Image credit score: Brady Snyder / Android Central)There are loads of issues concerning the Galaxy A15 5G that may make you extremely impressed that this cellphone solely prices $200. For me, nothing was extra paramount than the show. It’s a 6.5-inch, AMOLED panel that helps 90Hz refresh charges and 800 nits of peak brightness. Sure, there are issues concerning the Galaxy A15 5G’s show that could possibly be higher. The bezels are considerably massive, teardrop digital camera cutouts went out of favor some time in the past, and the glass is tremendous reflective. But total, I did not miss the show on my flagship telephones an excessive amount of whereas daily-driving the Galaxy A15 5G.Swipe to scroll horizontallySamsung Galaxy A15 5G specsCategorySamsung Galaxy A15 5GOSAndroid 14, 4 years of updatesDisplay6.5-inch AMOLED, 90Hz refresh rateChipsetMediatek Dimensity 6100+RAM4GBStorage128GBAudioSpeakers, 3.5mm headphone jackConnectivityBluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFCSecurityFingerprint sensorProtectionNo IP ratingBattery5,000 mAh Dimensions6.32 inches x 3.02 inches x 0.33 inchesWeight197 gramsColorBlue Black, Light BlueRear cameras50MP predominant digital camera, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP macroSelfie digital camera13MP extensive cameraSmartphone cameras have come a great distance, and you’ll see current developments in each the excessive and low ends of the market. There are completely telephones that may produce higher images than the Galaxy A15 5G, albeit at the next price. However, the Galaxy A15 5G has cameras that supply gorgeous high quality for $200. I’ve examined a handful of telephones dearer than the Galaxy A15 5G with worse cameras.You get a triple-camera system on the again of the Galaxy A15 5G, and the primary sensor is 50MP with an f/1.8 aperture and auto focus. Premiums like optical picture stabilization aren’t right here, and neither is optical zoom. The Galaxy A15 5G does provide as much as 10x digital zoom at “fine” high quality, however Samsung’s UI for altering zoom multipliers is clunky. On price range telephones like this one, the secondary and tertiary digital camera sensors are normally extra about filling up a spec sheet than providing nice high quality. That’s true of the 5MP ultrawide, which allows 0.5x zoom. Ultrawide pictures actually aren’t good on the Galaxy A15 5G for 2 causes. First, these older and cheaper digital camera sensors cannot present lots of picture element whereas zoomed out. Additionally, there is a noticeable fisheye impact that may distort the sides of ultrawide photographs in some situations. Overall, the digital camera high quality was greater than adequate on the Galaxy A15 5G, as you’ll be able to see within the above digital camera samples. I used to be notably impressed by the 2MP macro sensor. The specs will not soar out at you, however macro pictures captured Galaxy A15 5G turned out very nicely. The final good factor value mentioning concerning the Galaxy A15 5G is that it ships with Android 14 and Samsung is promising 4 years of software program help. However, due the cellphone’s efficiency points (which I’ll get to), I’m unsure you may really wish to use it for that lengthy. Samsung Galaxy A15 5G: What I do not like(Image credit score: Brady Snyder / Android Central)Samsung acquired two core parts of smartphone proper on the Galaxy A15 5G: the show and digital camera system. That leaves total efficiency as the very last thing the Galaxy A15 5G must be an incredible worth choose in 2024. However, I’m disillusioned to report that the MediaTek 6835 system-on-a-chip on this smartphone is just too sluggish. If you are utilizing a single software, the Galaxy A15 5G runs completely advantageous after it has loaded. It’s loading the applying, multitasking, and unlocking the cellphone that may trigger issues. In my testing, the Galaxy A15 5G is colossally sluggish for the primary 5-10 seconds after you unlock it after lengthy intervals of inactivity. Multitasking causes issues too, and you will want to shut out apps steadily to attempt to give the Galaxy A15 5G a break. Apps might want to reload from scratch typically because of the restricted quantity of system reminiscence, compounding the difficulty. For $200, you would possibly be capable to look previous these efficiency points, however the Galaxy A15 5G remains to be the slowest cellphone I’ve used shortly. Running Geekbench 6 benchmarks on the smartphone confirmed my anecdotal findings, and in addition present which you can get a a lot better expertise for simply $100 or $200 extra. Swipe to scroll horizontallyGeekbench 6 benchmark resultsSmartphonePriceSingle-coreMulti-coreSamsung Galaxy A15 5G$1996891,781Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2023)$3999102,692Samsung Galaxy S24$7992,2246,868The Galaxy A15 5G would possibly performer for $200, however the hole between the efficiency of $200 and $400 telephones is fairly vital. The Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) was practically a 3rd quicker than the Galaxy A15 5G, and in my testing, Motorola’s cellphone is significantly higher in day-to-day efficiency. The Galaxy A15 5G is not competing with the Galaxy S24, however for reference, the hole between Samsung’s price range and flagship choices is huge. For what it is value, the Galaxy A15 5G’s 5,000mAh battery lasts a full day, so the cellphone does have battery life going for it. (Image credit score: Brady Snyder / Android Central)This is a way more minor subject, however the construct high quality of the Galaxy A15 5G is simply advantageous as nicely. I’m not a fan of the Blue Black colorway; it is an especially reflective plastic end that makes the cellphone appear and feel cheaper than it’s. The Galaxy A15 5G additionally would not have an IP score, so maintain it away from mud and water. These are cheap concessions to satisfy the cellphone’s ultra-low pricing, although.Samsung Galaxy A15 5G: Competition(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)If you are firmly caught within the $200 value vary, the Galaxy A15 5G is the perfect there may be. The OnePlus Nord N30 is accessible for a slightly-higher $250, however that cellphone has its personal set of points. In our overview, we discovered that it has meager cameras, has poor gaming efficiency, and solely will get one OS replace. However, it’s going to in all probability be higher in day-to-day efficiency than the Galaxy A15 5G.The Google Pixel 6a can also be nonetheless hanging round, and you will discover it round $300 to $350 as we speak. Though it is a number of years previous now, the Pixel 6a is an all-around higher cellphone than the Galaxy A15 5G. There are loads of telephones within the $300 to $400 value vary that may run laps across the Galaxy A15 5G, too. All that is to say that the Galaxy A15 5G is the perfect on the $200 value level — however in the event you can spend an additional few hundred {dollars}, you completely ought to. Samsung Galaxy A15 5G: Should you purchase it?(Image credit score: Brady Snyder / Android Central)You can buy this if…You desire a price range Samsung cellphone with Android 14.You solely have round $200 to spend.You care extra about show and digital camera high quality than efficiency.You should not purchase this if…You can spend a number of hundred {dollars} extra for a greater cellphone.You desire a cellphone that may comfortably final a number of years.Day-to-day efficiency is most vital to you.There are two methods to have a look at the Galaxy A15 5G. On one hand, Samsung has managed to cram a strong show and digital camera system right into a 6.5-inch smartphone for simply $200. On the opposite, arguably a very powerful a part of a smartphone — informal, day-to-day efficiency — is notably missing right here.You needn’t spend flagship cash to get an incredible smartphone in 2024, however I believe that you just do have to spend greater than $200. With that mentioned, in the event you solely have $200 to spend, you will get by with the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G.
Solid specs for a $200 smartphone
With the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G, you may get an honest cellphone for just some hundred {dollars}. It has a strong show, battery, and digital camera system. You would possibly be capable to overlook its meager efficiency because of the low value.