Samsung Galaxy A15 5G Hands-On: First Impression

Samsung recently introduced the Galaxy A15 5G, their latest smartphone model in the popular low-cost segment. This product features notable upgrades in design, screen, camera, and performance, promising a comprehensive experience for users.

Samsung Galaxy A15 5G Hands-On: First Impression

Unboxing

The Galaxy A15 5G comes in a simple box design, featuring a product image and a color that matches the contents inside.

The packaging consists of recycled paper, which is both clean and easy to open. Samsung has recently made the switch to more environmentally friendly materials.

The box excludes a charger, as it requires separate purchase. However, users will find a white USB Type C cable and straightforward instructions.

Design

The Samsung A15 5G boasts a modern and sophisticated design, with a glossy plastic back. It is available in three color options: yellow, blue, and black. For this hands-on article, we will focus on the blue and yellow versions, which are particularly appealing to young and modern users.

Compared to its predecessor, the device has undergone notable design changes, resulting in an improved user experience. The shape is more square, the edges are flatter, and the curved edges from before are no longer present. This change gives the Galaxy A15 5G a sturdier and more attractive appearance, although it may not be as comfortable to hold.

In terms of size, the A15 is more compact than the previous Samsung A14 model. The screen has reduced from 6.6 inches to 6.5 inches, and the overall dimensions have also decreased from 167.7 x 78 x 9.1 mm to 160.1 x 76.8 x 8.4 mm. As a result, the device feels noticeably thinner. At 200g, it is quite lightweight, allowing for comfortable one-handed use.

However, the completely flat edges limit the touch sensation. Swiping from one edge to another does not feel seamless or smooth. Samsung introduced Key Island, which includes the volume control and power buttons that protrude from the right side of the device. This unique feature creates a distinct visual element in the device’s overall design.

Speaking of build quality, Samsung has made the Galaxy A15 5G remarkably solid and robust, especially considering its affordability. However, I find the buttons to be a bit unsatisfactory. They feel hard and heavy when pressed, and produce a loud clicking sound in darker environments. Overall, this can be quite annoying with repeated use.

Now turning to the back of the device, it is glossy. I would recommend choosing the blue version, as its back has a mirror-like finish that is incredibly eye-catching. However, it is quite slippery to hold and use, and easily attracts sweat and fingerprints. Please keep this in mind.

Overall, I am quite pleased with the design of the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G. Despite being a budget device, Samsung has paid meticulous attention to detail. Although there are a few points that leave room for improvement, overall it offers a practical and polished design that is comfortable to hold and visually appealing.

Display

Display ability is the highlight of the Samsung Galaxy A15 LTE. This year it uses a Super AMOLED panel so it is more optimized in terms of color quality. As I said, the 6.5-inch size is not too big or too small, just compact enough to use with one hand but still provides a spacious display area.

I’m not too surprised that Samsung still utilizes the 13 MP waterfall selfie camera design, which appears a bit outdated in 2024, but I eventually grew accustomed to it, initially feeling a bit “nervous” and then disregarding it.

Not only is the waterfall selfie camera, but the edges of the device are also quite thick, so the front of the Galaxy A15 LTE will be a bit rough, and not eye-catching. Looking at the price of about 4.9 million for cell phones, we will have many devices with thinner bezels, and punch-hole cameras like Redmi Note 12, Tecno Spark 20, and Tecno Pova 5, in general, a lot of devices. The front looks a lot better.

And then I also skipped it because the display ability of the Galaxy A15 LTE compensated a little for my feelings. The device features an AMOLED panel, Full HD + resolution (1,080 x 2,340 pixels). When discussing real-life experiences, the colors in movie and game content appear beautifully reproduced, with sharp, clear details, creating an extremely vivid look.

Galaxy A15 LTE has a 90Hz refresh rate screen that is not too prominent but just enough for users to swipe and surf the content displayed on the device as smoothly as possible, with 800 nits brightness, I can use it comfortably. Under sunlight, the content appears sharp.

Camera

The Galaxy A15 5G features a prominent rear camera setup consisting of three lenses: a 50MP wide-angle, 5MP super wide-angle, and 2MP macro. Unlike traditional camera modules, these lenses align in a straight line.

For reference, we captured some well-lit images using the main camera of the Galaxy A15 5G. This camera cluster delivers good quality and meets the basic needs of everyday users.

Samsung A15 specifications

• Display: 6.5-inch (1080×2340 pixels) FHD+ Infinity-U Super AMOLED display, 90Hz refresh rate, 800 nits peak brightness, Vision Booster
• CPU+GPU: Octa Core MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ 6nm processor (2x Cortex-A76 @ 2.2GHz 6x Cortex-A55 @ 2GHz) with Arm Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
• RAM+ROM: 8GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB, expandable memory up to 1TB via microSD
• Features: Side-mounted fingerprint scanner, 3.5mm audio jack, Dual SIM
• OS: One UI 6.0 based on Android 14
• Rear camera: 50MP Main camera, F1.8, AF; 5MP F2.2 Ultra-wide and 2MP F2.2 macro camera
• Front camera: 13MP F2.0 front camera
• Connectivity: 5G, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C Port
• Battery: 5000mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging
• Dimensions: 160.1 x 76.8 x 8.4mm
• Weight: 200g

In terms of performance, the Galaxy A15 5G carries an 8-core MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ processor, ensuring smooth handling of essential tasks and entertainment. The US version offers 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and support for up to 1TB of expandable memory.

Running on Android 14 with the latest One UI 6.0 interface, the Samsung A15 5G receives up to 4 versions of the operating system and 5 years of security updates. This ensures that the device remains up to date with the latest features and provides enhanced security.

The Samsung Galaxy A15 supports 25W charging. In our testing, we observed that the battery charged from 0% to 18% within approximately 10 minutes, and after 30 minutes, it reached 45%. It took a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes to fully charge the battery.

Samsung Galaxy A15 5G price and availability

Priced at just $199.99 on Amazon.com, the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G is an excellent choice for budget-conscious users seeking a smartphone with a Super AMOLED screen, a 50MP camera, and long-term update support. This product promises a comprehensive user experience that caters to all needs.

Updated on February 08, 2024: the Samsung A15 5G is now available on Amazon.co.uk for £243.61.