Even with the constantly increasing price of storage and RAM, Samsung has turned in a new phone that targets those on a strict budget without cutting too many corners, ensuring the experience factor stands out. The Galaxy A27 5G is a fairly large phone, with enough screen real estate to satisfy users.
The real beauty of the phone, though, is the use of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, paired with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. Samsung is known to use its own chipsets in this category, so this is a welcome exception. Further, the company is offering up to six years of Android and security updates. This is quite unheard of in the affordable segment and is bound to attract users who want to retain their phones for four to five years.
On top of this, there is a snazzy 120Hz Super AMOLED display, AI-powered software features and a camera system powered by a 50-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilisation.
These are details that easily beat many of the rival offerings in the category. Given Samsung’s wide range of service centres and accessories that complement its devices, this is an area where a company like Nothing falls behind, at least on paper.
All about endurance
The 6.7-inch screen comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection. It is bright and delivers vivid, well-saturated colours. There was no trouble using the device on sunny days, as the screen is quite bright. There is also an IP64 rating for dust and splash resistance. The 7.8mm chassis is reasonably slim for the category, and the 200g weight gives the device just about enough heft without making it uncomfortable to hold. Yes, the bottom bezel could have done with some slimming, but it does not compromise the overall experience.
The phone has all the Samsung design hallmarks — a beautiful rear panel and a centred punch-hole camera, instead of the dated raindrop-shaped cutout. Further, the phone comes in attractive colours.
In terms of performance, the phone feels responsive and fluid. Even though this is not a chip built for high-end gaming, it handles moderate gaming settings without breaking a sweat. Even with 8GB of RAM, the phone ran most apps and lightweight games smoothly, aided by One UI 8.5, based on Android 16.
In the few days spent with the device, scrolling felt smooth, colours had a punch to them without appearing oversaturated, and viewing angles were impressive.
What is impressive is the number of AI features Samsung has managed to include with the phone. There is support for Circle to Search, which now works across multiple objects — from tops to footwear and everything in between — all in one search. Users can circle an item, search it and find the look, all from wherever they are.
There is also an improvement to the already excellent Object Eraser feature. Further, there is Live Transcription, Google Gemini and Perplexity integration, and Bixby enhancements. What sets the AI department a few notches above rivals in the category is that the editing tools work natively on the device instead of relying on cloud processing.
Camera zone
On to the cameras. For photography, the device offers a 50-megapixel primary camera with OIS, a 5-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 2-megapixel macro camera. For selfies, there is a 12-megapixel HDR camera. Samsung has also added AI-powered editing features such as Edit Suggestions and My Filter.
The main camera is impressive because of the OIS support, and it can shoot 4K video at 30fps. Pictures come out sharp with good contrast and detail. Samsung’s image processing is quick enough that there is barely any wait for photos to turn out. In low light, the OIS technology moves into action, pulling out just about enough detail from the shadows. Photos do not hold up perfectly beyond 4x zoom, but up to that point, they are sharp enough for social media. Portraits, too, come out fine. One quibble: there is a slight colour shift when moving from the main to the ultra-wide camera. Overall, it is a phone with a solid set of cameras.
Galaxy A27 5G includes support for up to six OS upgrades, plus, you get up to six years of security and maintenance releases
Keeping the phone ticking is a 5,000mAh battery with support for 25W wired fast charging. Given the processor on the device, the battery will easily last over a day. It is definitely one of those devices that passes the battery endurance test, especially for users who use the phone lightly. Charging speeds, though, remain modest.
For those looking for a phone that offers robust performance and value for money at the same time, the Samsung Galaxy A27 5G could just be the device. It lives up to the company’s “awesome” tag.
At a glance
Device: Samsung Galaxy A27 5G
Price: Upwards of ₹28,999
High notes
Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset
Six years of Android and security updates
50MP main camera with OIS
Plenty of AI features
5,000mAh battery with solid endurance
Muffled notes
Bottom bezel could be slimmer
The macro camera could have been left out