Samsung Galaxy F55 review: fresh design, but the same experience

Updated May 27, 2024, 3:00 PM ET

The Samsung Galaxy F55 has a decent camera and design, but the chipset and battery aren’t top-notch. It’s a good mid-range option, but the Samsung Galaxy M55 offers a similar experience for less.

Samsung has launched another ’55’ themed phone in the Indian market. The Galaxy F55 follows the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy M55 in completing this year’s Samsung mid-range lineup. Specs-wise, it’s very similar to the Galaxy M55, but it has a leather back – which is a step in the right direction. We haven’t seen a leather phone from Samsung in the past, and the F55 is definitely different from the rest of the line.

While we often see some improvements in Samsung’s flagship S-series phones every year, the rest of the Galaxy A, M, and F-series models have been following an identical design pattern lately. But now everything has changed with the F55.

Interestingly, the phone falls in the sub-Rs 30,000 price segment where it will compete with Motorola Edge 50 Pro, OnePlus Nord CE 4, Nothing Phone (2a) and Vivo V30e, among others. I have been using the Samsung Galaxy F55 for a few days now and here is my take on this new Samsung ’55’ phone.

Samsung Galaxy F55 performance

The Galaxy F55 is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, which was also used in the Galaxy M55, and the latter is priced at just Rs 24,999. The other phones in this segment have the better Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset. While the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is not a bad chip and will be suitable for most users, it does have its limitations when it comes to gaming. Furthermore, if there are newer chipsets available in the market, Samsung should ideally opt for them.

The benchmark results are decent for this segment, but are almost the same as those achieved by the Samsung Galaxy M55.

The F55 lags behind the OnePlus Nord CE4 5G (820886) and the Motorola Edge 50 Pro (846724) on AnTuTu. However, the best in this segment is Realme GT 6T, which scored 1,317,833 in AnTuTu. However, in the real world, I did not encounter any problems when using the phone to watch videos, click photos or simply browse the Internet or switch between multiple applications. Daily tasks run smoothly, but app loading was a bit slow.

For gaming, I played Asphalt 9, Genshin Impact and BGMI and they all ran smoothly for about 30-45 minutes before the phone started getting warm.

The device runs on OneUI 6.1 with Android 14, offering a clean interface with minimal bloatware. Despite this, the user interface is still better than many Chinese phones on the market (yes, I’m looking at you Xiaomi and Realme). Additionally, the F55 will receive four generations of Android updates and five years of security patches.

Coming back to the battery part, copying and pasting the same specs from the Galaxy M55, this ‘new’ F55 smartphone also comes with a 5000mAh battery and supports 45W charging. On the other hand, the competition OnePlus Nord CE 4 offers a large 5500mAh battery mAh that supports 100W fast charging (for just Rs 26,999).

Samsung Galaxy F55 camera

Now let’s talk about the camera. Samsung Galaxy F55 is equipped with a triple rear camera, including a 50-megapixel main camera with OIS, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2-megapixel macro module. There is also a 50-megapixel front camera for video calls and selfies. And yes, you guessed it right – the same camera specs as the Galaxy M55.

While the camera’s performance is almost similar to the M55, the results are impressive considering the price segment. The device captures detailed and sharp photos in daylight. Although there are a few cases of oversaturated images, overall it works well.

Portrait photos are also good, but sometimes lack consistency. Night mode on the F55 also works well. Selfie camera performance was also average. Photos taken with the front camera were devoid of sharpness and detail. Overall, the Galaxy F55’s camera is decent, but there are good camera phones in the market in the same price category.

Samsung Galaxy F55 display and appearance

Like the Samsung Galaxy M55 5G, this new mid-range F-series phone also features a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,000 nits peak brightness. It has a small hole-shaped cutout. The display isn’t the sharpest, but it does the job. While watching movies and IPL matches on JioCinema, the experience was good and the colors looked nice on the screen.

The auto brightness feature works well in low light conditions. The display performed well even in direct sunlight. The in-display fingerprint sensor works smoothly and the phone is IP67 rated for water and dust resistance, which is great at this price point. Overall, the display meets most of my expectations.

Finally, the project. Samsung Galaxy F55 has a different style compared to other Samsung phones available on the market. On the back panel, there are three single rings for the triple camera system placed in the top left corner with the LED flash placed separately on the side, but what makes it unique is the use of artificial leather.

This adds a premium feel and makes the device look good. Another big advantage of the leather finish is that it prevents fingerprints and smudges. Leather construction provides good hand feel. The phone is very light, I had no problems using it with one hand while eating a long meal and watching Demon Slayer on Netflix. You also get rounded corners and a polycarbonate frame. overall, the design meets most of the right criteria here.

Verdict on the Samsung Galaxy F55

After testing the Samsung Galaxy F55, I find that it has both strengths and weaknesses. While the camera performance, display, and unique design are good, it lacks an outdated chipset and average battery life. Overall, it’s a decent mid-range option, but those looking for a mid-range phone may want to consider alternatives in the same price range for a more balanced experience. OnePlus Nord CE 4 may be the right choice for people who prioritize the quality of the chipset, battery and camera.