It can feel pretty daunting sometimes to attempt finding a budget-priced phone that doesn’t necessarily have that budget-price feel. For some, the answer might be the Samsung Galaxy A50. This phone, #2 on our list for the best dual sim phone, has a sizable battery and a pretty good camera, but perhaps the best thing about it is its gorgeous display. This phone’s performance won’t knock anyone’s socks off, but it’s more than capable of handling light to moderate tasks like streaming, texting, and calling. If you are looking for one of the best smartphones that will not cost you an arm and a leg then Samsung Galaxy A50 can be a great pic.
Why We Like It – Samsung Galaxy A50
Many budget phones are easily discernible as such at a glance; that’s not the case, however, with the Samsung Galaxy A50. The display is crisp, vibrant, and bright, the battery can last all day, and the camera can take some really stellar photos in the right conditions.
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- Solid battery life
- Decent camera
- Stunning AMOLED display
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- Finicky and slow in-display fingerprint sensor
- Often has noticeable lag or slowdown
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Overall Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A50 isn’t a performance powerhouse like the OnePlus 8 Pro, but it performs adequately during basic tasks and functions. For things like social media and web browsing, reading and sending messages, or, yes, even making phone calls, this phone performs swimmingly. With multiple apps running, however, reviewers notice significant slowdown and lag. Games are hit or miss; basic games should run fine, but anything that even mildly tests this phone’s power results in long load times and missing frames. If you are an avid gamer then you should check out the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, which offers a great gaming experience. Another minor frustration many people found is with the in-display fingerprint sensor, which makes the unlocking process feel laboriously slow. Camera-wise, the Galaxy A50 works well enough, but the primary 25MP lens is no match for a really great camera like that on the Google Pixel 5. Pictures look good in the right conditions, albeit not quite as vibrant and crisp as others, but low light photos look pretty terrible. If having the best camera or gaming machine is your top priority, the Galaxy A50 isn’t for you.
Battery Life
In individual power drain tests, people found the A50’s battery life to be good, but not great. While streaming HD video over wi-fi at full brightness, the Samsung Galaxy A50 can last about 9 hours. With more moderate usage like browsing the web or checking texts, this battery should make it the whole day. If you do find yourself in need of some extra juice, the A50 has a moderately fast charging battery. While this phone doesn’t have quite the “all-day” battery life Samsung claims for phones like the Samsung Galaxy S10, the A50 should last plenty long for moderate usage.
Display
Samsung phones are often lauded for their fantastic displays, and the Samsung Galaxy A50 is just as worthy of that praise. The 6.4” Super AMOLED display offers Full HD+ resolution that renders images beautifully: everything is bright, crisp, and vibrant here. Samsung also gave this phone a nearly bezel-less display, not counting the small teardrop notch, giving this mid-priced phone a premium look that’s sure to impress. The display on the A50 is quite the standout amongst some of its less ideal qualities, so if you’re looking for a budget phone that will make your next Netflix binge pop, this could be the phone for you.
Durability
When companies try to keep prices down, corners inevitably get cut, so it would be easy to assume the plastic casing on the Samsung Galaxy A50 isn’t durable. Despite the price, however, this phone can stand up to a decent beating, though you’ll still more than likely want to invest in a protective case. The screen is made with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and stands up to scratches as well as several other phones. The plastic body is more susceptible to scratches and scrapes, though probably not as much as one would expect. Because this is a budget phone, it’s not IP certified waterproof, which might be a dealbreaker for some.
Value
To say that the Samsung Galaxy A50 is a great phone might be a bit of an overstatement, but it is made substantially better thanks to the price. Nothing about this phone is new or exciting, but it solidly showcases what’s possible for under $400. It’s important to note that a protective case and screen protector should be used to keep this phone from excessive damage, so that should be factored into any budget as well. If you’re looking for a phone that doesn’t need to be the fastest or the best, or if you want to spend less and avoid a monthly payment plan with your service provider, you’ll likely be happy with the A50.
Samsung Galaxy A50 Wrap Up
Very little about the Samsung Galaxy A50 screams “the best,” but what it does, it does well enough. Given the price, it’s downright excellent. It’s not the fastest phone and the in-display fingerprint sensor is downright terrible, but, if you’re on a budget, neither should be a dealbreaker. The camera is fairly good, the battery life is solid, and the Full HD+ screen is superb.
