With so many smartphone models getting released every year at varying prices, it can be quite daunting to choose just one. If you’re planning to upgrade your phone soon you should really ask yourself these questions: What kind of price is acceptable and do I really need a flagship? If you’re adamant about not spending $1000 on a premium handset, the Samsung Galaxy A20s, Galaxy A31, and Galaxy A51 are marvelous cheaper alternatives — and they’re all discounted in the B&H Photo 4th of July sales.
Samsung Galaxy A20s – $170, was $180
The Samsung Galaxy A20s may be one of the most watered-down models in Samsung’s current A-series lineup, but it still boasts enough workable features and a decent performance to make it really recommendable. This is the type of phone to get if you just need something for texting, calling, browsing the internet occasionally, and taking good photos – and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Right now, you can it for just $170 instead of $180 at B&H Photo.
This phone flaunts a 6.5-inch LCD Screen, a departure from its predecessor’s (the Galaxy A20) Super AMOLED display. The screen resolution is a mere 720 x 1,560 pixels, so don’t expect the most detailed picture, although brightness is quite good and contrasts are excellent. If you really want Samsung’s fantastic AMOLED display without breaking the bank, take a look at the Galaxy A31 and A51 below. The A20s is powered by an entry-level Snapdragon 450 processor that’s working alongside 3GB of RAM. It delivers a good enough performance to can handle daily tasks efficiently; just try to avoid multitasking or running graphically-heavy games. Finally, its camera performance is pretty good for the price. Armed with a 13MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 lens, an 8MP sensor with an ultra-wide lens, and a 5MP depth sensor, the vertical triple camera setup works together to capture great wide-angle photos with good color accuracy. Just like the screen, don’t expect it to be packed with details, though. The Samsung Galaxy A20s hits a sweet balance between performance and price. Get it for just $170 at B&H Photo.
Samsung Galaxy A31 – $250, was $280
The Galaxy A31 sits somewhere in the middle of Samsung’s A-Series lineup. The biggest reason to buy this phone is its high-resolution screen. Samsung’s Super AMOLED display never disappoints. Packed with 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, the A31’s 6.4-inch screen is almost as sharp as the Galaxy A51’s. Colors are rich, blacks are perfect, and the teardrop notch on top doesn’t obstruct your view too much. And with the Widevine L1 DRM video encryption support, you can watch HD content from Netflix, YouTube, and other streaming platforms.
This phone’s quad-camera system at the back is another delight, capable of capturing high-resolution images. There’s a primary 48-megapixel sensor, an 8-megapixel sensor with a wide-angle lens, a 5-megapixel depth camera, and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The depth lens in particular allows this phone to capture images with a dramatic bokeh effect, where the focal point remains pin-sharp while the background gradually blurs. This phone’s MediaTek Helio P65 processor is quite adept at running apps smoothly, although it’s significantly less powerful than the A51’s Exynos 9611. Probably the A31’s biggest strength is its stellar battery life. Its 5,000mAh battery managed to last an amazing 18 hours in our continuous video loop test. With light usage, this phone can last up to two days! Need a phone with a great screen that can last as long as you do? Opt for the Samsung Galaxy A31 for just $250 instead of $280 at B&H Photo.
Samsung Galaxy A51 – $285, was $330
The Samsung Galaxy A51 offers a slight upgrade over the already excellent Galaxy A50. Physically, the two are indistinguishable from each other, save for the punch-hole selfie camera of the A51 (the A50 flaunts a teardrop display). This model also happens to be slightly bigger than its predecessor with its 6.5-inch Super AMOLED screen, which is stunning. Packed with 2,340 x 1,080 pixels, this is one of the most beautiful midrange phone displays we’ve ever come across, perfect for watching movies. Aside from its great screen, the A51 also boasts plenty of near-flagship features that would make you seriously question why you ever wanted that Galaxy S20.
Underneath the hood, this phone is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9611 processor, coupled with 4GB of RAM. Although branded as a new chipset, it’s actually just a recycle of the A50’s Exynos 9610, which means it is sufficiently fast. Browsing through the interface, opening apps, and surfing the web was smooth with just a few occasional stutters. Samsung also equipped this phone with multiple lenses just like the rest of the A-Series. You’ll get a 48-megapixel main sensor, along with a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor, a 5-megapixel macro sensor, and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. The photos it captures are pretty impressive. Images boast a good amount of detail with vivid colors (albeit a little oversaturated). The ultra-wide lens here is a big deal, too — it makes for much better landscape shots and a generally more versatile camera experience. The Samsung Galaxy A50 is proof that Samsung can churn out quality phones regardless of the cost. Get our choice for the best cheap Samsung Galaxy phone for just $285 instead of $330 at B&H Photo today – a cool $45 worth of savings.
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