Samsung is expanding its A-series portfolio with additional models, beginning with the Galaxy A71 and Galaxy A51, both of which were launched earlier this month. This new smartphone iteratively upgrades the existing Galaxy A50s to keep the series fresh and relevant.
According to Samsung, the Galaxy A51 is just one of many phones in the series to have an Infinity-O display and a macro camera. Apart from these standout features, it shares many of its predecessor’s specifications, including its AMOLED display, CPU, and design aesthetic.
So, Is this new lower mid-tier product worth considering over the competition?
What you will see here?
Design
The Samsung Galaxy A50 succeeded well because Samsung developed it to perfection. Sure, it didn’t have a glass finish like some of its more expensive competitors, but the plastic frame and back offered a lightweight appeal that was sure to delight. The Galaxy A51 follows in the footsteps of its predecessors and is, in a word, stunning.
The Samsung Galaxy A51 features a stunning big display on the front and a distinct prism shape on the back. Extending on the display, Samsung looks to have abandoned the Infinity-U notched design and, for good measure, added an Infinity-O punch-hole cut-out originally seen on the Galaxy Note 10 line-up.
The device’s rim is made of metal and has a high-quality feel to it.
I enjoy the amazing color and pattern on the device’s back. It’s really unique, and I enjoy phones with vibrant colors. There are 3 models Prism Crush Black, Prism Crush Blue, and Prism Crush White, which, emit a rainbow-colored shine when illuminated from the appropriate angle.
Ports
A power button and volume rockers are on the right, with a USB-C connector, speakers, and a headphone jack on the bottom. The phone’s left side includes a dual-SIM card tray that can hold two SIM cards and an SD card up to 512GB. While most phones use the second slot for either a SIM card or a microSD card, the A51 includes two distinct SIM card slots as well as a separate microSD card tray. That’s encouraging.
Software
This is a point where the Samsung Galaxy A51 shines. Samsung has put One UI 2.0 on top of Android 10, and the Galaxy A51 is the first handset to ship with it preloaded. Normally, the Galaxy S Series would be the first to receive Samsung’s latest operating system; but, this year we see the company’s optimistic purpose with its A-Series devices, which will receive enhanced support for two next big Android upgrades.
Simply put, Samsung’s One UI 2.0 is an almost non-existent shell on top of Android 10, but it also has the intuitiveness and visually appealing design that the company has been striving for since last year. This iteration of One UI is far more comfortable than the previous generation, and you can readily see all of the advantages that Samsung has built into it.
With Android 10, you get Google’s navigation gestures, enhanced parental controls, extensive privacy and location enhancements, and Focus mode. You also get new Bixby Routines, Bixby voice, Edge screen, and app pairings. Unfortunately, you also lose crucial functionality like the built-in screen recorder and slow-motion selfie movies. Enhancements include an improved Dark Mode, Secure Folder, Game Launcher, Dual Messenger functionality, and more.
Battery life
Samsung has employed a 4000mAh battery again, this time with 15W fast-charging capabilities. This is the same technology that was utilized in the Galaxy A50s and its predecessor, the Galaxy A50. While we had anticipated that Samsung would have enhanced its fast-charging technology, we don’t have many complaints because you can easily charge the smartphone from 0 to 100 in around two hours. Furthermore, Samsung offers up to 32 hours of 3G call time and up to 87 hours of music playing, which is rather impressive.
Camera
The Galaxy A51 has an impressive camera setup. The phone has four sensors on the back: a 48MP wide-angle lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens, a 5MP depth lens, and another 5MP macro lens.
In daytime testing, virtually all of our images appeared sharp and had a good depth of field. Colors are a little oversaturated across the board, but this is typical of Samsung phones. Close inspection revealed some small edge distortion with the ultrawide lens, although it’s not noticeable with the naked eye. A 32MP wide-angle lens is located on the front. In most lighting conditions, the selfie camera performs admirably. Photographs seemed crisp and true in terms of color in excellent lighting. In a few images, wide-angle mode caused some edge blurring, but not consistently.
Price and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy A51 costs $399 / £329 / AU$599, making it a reasonably priced phone that competes with the OnePlus Nord at £379 (approximately $480, AU$680), the Moto G 5G Plus at £299 (approximately $375, AU$535), the 2020 model iPhone SE at $399 / £399 / AU$749, and the Google Pixel 4a at $349 / £349 /
It’s worth noting that the first two are 5G phones, however, the subsequent two, as well as the Galaxy A51, aren’t. The device we examined isn’t, however, Samsung has since produced a 5G variant for $500 / £429 (about AU$700). While it is more expensive than the 4G version, it is not prohibitively expensive in terms of 5G phones.
The prices we provided above are, of course, launch pricing, but if you look around, you can probably find the Samsung Galaxy A51 for less now. It was available for $372.50* / £299.00* at the time of writing.
Is the Samsung A51 water-resistant?
It’s fairly simple: the Samsung Galaxy A51 is waterproof, but it lacks an IP classification, thus it’s not technically waterproof for any underwater activities. However, if you drop it in the bath by mistake, the phone will very definitely be alright.
If your Samsung A51 becomes wet, what should you do?
If the gadget becomes wet, carefully dry it with a clean, soft towel. Do not submerge the gadget in salt or ionized water. Before using the gadget, let it air dry. Chips and cracks in your device’s surface can greatly diminish its capacity to withstand dust and water.
Is the Samsung Galaxy A51 a good buy?
The A51 comes with a fantastic screen, good build quality, adequate cameras, and even a headphone port. It also includes three years of guaranteed software upgrades, ensuring support until at least Android 12 is released.
Is wireless charging available on the Samsung A51?
Although the Samsung Galaxy A51 is a current Samsung phone (launched in early 2020), it does not support wireless charging. Many buyers were disappointed that Samsung did not add such a function.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy A51 is a perfectly fine Android phone for many customers for $400. It offers a large, brilliant AMOLED display, a long battery life, and excellent cameras. You’d notice a better score here if it had a quicker processor. If you’re not a hardcore Android lover and don’t tolerate a smaller display, the iPhone SE is a far more powerful phone that will receive software upgrades for years to come. Meanwhile, for Android lovers, the Pixel 3a provides more power and more dependable software updates, while the Moto G Power has better battery life than the A51 for $150 less.
