Samsung Galaxy M55 5G Review: An Upgrade, But Is It Enough?
Samsung’s Galaxy M series has always been known for offering great value in the mid-range segment, and the new Galaxy M55 5G seems to follow suit. This phone boasts several firsts for the M series, such as an in-display fingerprint scanner and a 50-megapixel front-facing camera, along with 45W fast charging. While it primarily functions as an upgrade to the Galaxy M54 5G from last year, does it offer enough to stand out in the crowded mid-range market? I’ve been using the phone for a week now, and here’s my take.
Samsung Galaxy M55 5G price in India
The Samsung Galaxy M55 5G is available in India with a starting price of Rs. 26,999 for the base 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. You can also get an 8GB + 256GB option priced at Rs. 29,999 and a 12GB RAM + 256GB option for Rs. 32,999. For our review, Samsung provided us with the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage variant.
The rear panel on the Galaxy M55 is made from plastic
The phone comes in Denim Black and Light Green color options. We have tested the Light Green variant.
The box includes the phone, some paperwork, a SIM ejector tool, and a USB Type-C to Type-C charging cable. Despite ample space in the box, there is no charger included.
Samsung Galaxy M55 5G Review: Design
The Samsung Galaxy M55 boasts a slim form factor, measuring just 7.8mm. This slim profile provides a comfortable and easy-to-hold feel in the hand. It’s even slimmer than last year’s Galaxy M54, and lighter at 180g. The phone sports a plastic frame with a plastic back, and there is no key island like we’ve seen on other mid-range Samsung phones. The key island usually elevates the volume and power buttons on a raised frame.
The phone is 7.8mm thin and is one of the slimmest phones in the M series
You’ll find rounded corners and tapered sides, and the phone doesn’t feel cheap despite the lack of metal or glass. The back panel features three individual rings housing the triple camera system positioned on the top left corner with an LED flash placed separately on the side. The camera rings protrude a little, causing the phone to wobble when laid flat on its back.
On the front, you have uniform left and right bezels with a slightly thicker chin. There’s a punch-hole cutout at the top for the front camera, and the display is covered by Dragontrail glass. Unfortunately, there’s no Gorilla Glass which is disappointing at this price. Additionally, the Galaxy M55 5G lacks an IP rating.
The Galaxy M55 5G lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack
The right side houses the volume and power buttons, the left side features a SIM card tray, the top has a microphone, and the bottom houses a USB Type-C port, another microphone, and a loudspeaker.
While the Samsung Galaxy M55 shares a similar look with the Galaxy M45 from both the front and the back, the main difference lies in its thickness. Overall, the phone presents a simple, minimal design that we’re accustomed to seeing from Samsung.
Samsung Galaxy M55 5G Review: Specifications and software
Now let’s delve into the specifications. The Samsung Galaxy M55 5G comes equipped with a 4nm octa-core Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC paired with the Adreno 644 GPU. It offers up to 12GB of RAM, a first for an M-series phone, and up to 256GB of onboard storage, with support for expansion via a microSD card.
The in-display fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy M55 works well
The phone includes a USB Type-C port, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, GPS, dual 5G SIM with dual standby, and dual-band Wi-Fi 6. The SIM card tray is of the hybrid variety, accommodating either two SIM cards or 1 SIM and a microSD card. Notably, there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack.
As mentioned earlier, the Samsung Galaxy M55 5G is the first M-series phone to feature an under-display fingerprint scanner. Its predecessor utilized a capacitive fingerprint reader below the Power button. The in-display fingerprint sensor is fast and functions well most of the time, with occasional misses.
Galaxy M55 5G runs Android 14-based One UI 6.1 and has minimal bloatware
Samsung has included a 5,000mAh battery, which is a downgrade compared to the 6,000mAh unit present in the Galaxy M54 5G. While you get 45W fast charging support, there’s no charger included in the box.
The Galaxy M55 5G ships with Android 14-based One UI 6.1, featuring minimal bloatware aside from a few pre-installed apps and lock screen ads. Samsung promises four years of OS updates and five years of security patches, which is commendable, as most phones in this price segment offer only around 2 years of major OS support.
The phone is confirmed to get 4 years of Android OS updates
Software-wise, you get features such as Always on Display, a one-handed mode, Quick Share, Live Caption, Kids Mode, Screen Recorder, Link to Windows, Multi-window support, and more. You benefit from most of the features introduced with One UI 6.1, excluding Samsung DeX or any of the AI features from Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite.
Samsung Galaxy M55 5G Review: Performance
In terms of performance, the Galaxy M55 delivers well for daily usage, including playing games and streaming content. Most users, including myself, will appreciate Samsung’s decision to include a Snapdragon chipset. While not a brand new chipset, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 outperforms the Exynos 1380 SoC found in the Galaxy M54. You might not notice a significant difference during normal phone usage, but the Snapdragon chipset performs better in demanding scenarios and is more efficient.
The phone did heat up a little while playing games for long periods of time
I conducted some benchmarks on the phone, and here’s how it performed. On AnTuTu, the phone scored 5,48,995 points, which falls slightly behind competitors such as the Nothing Phone 2a, Realme 12+, and the Realme 12 Pro. I did experience some lag while opening apps, in UI animations, and in the camera app when switching modes, but overall it provided a smooth experience.
The Galaxy M55 5G’s display also offers smooth performance thanks to its adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. It comes with a 6.7-inch AMOLED display featuring full-HD+ resolution and a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. I had no issues using the phone even under direct sunlight. The colors are vibrant, but there are no color modes for fine-tuning. The display also boasts excellent viewing angles.
The phone’s display offers an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate
Samsung has equipped the Galaxy M55 with a dual-speaker setup, a hybrid variety where the earpiece acts as the second speaker with a dedicated loudspeaker placed at the bottom. The sound gets loud but lacks bass. The phone has 2 microphones, and I found the call quality to be good.
The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC on the smartphone is a definite advantage. I was able to play BGMI with HDR graphics and Ultra frame rate settings. Touch sensitivity in the game was excellent as well. The phone did heat up slightly, but nothing overly concerning.
The Galaxy M55 5G comes with a 5,000mAh battery. In my battery test, where I ran a YouTube video continuously with 50 percent brightness, no audio, Wi-Fi on, and Airplane mode enabled, I achieved approximately 11 hours 30 minutes of screen-on time. In daily usage, the phone easily lasted more than 24 hours. With gaming, camera usage, YouTube/video streaming, and heavy usage, I only needed to charge the phone the next morning. However, the 45W fast charging support is not impressive. I attempted charging the phone with multiple chargers, including a 125W brick, but each time it took around 80 to 90 minutes to fully charge from zero. It seems that the 45W fast charging only kicks in after 90 percent.
Samsung Galaxy M55 5G Review: Cameras
The Galaxy M55 5G has a triple rear camera setup with two usable sensors. There’s a 50-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide, and a 2-megapixel macro unit. The camera app is user-friendly, offering a variety of modes, including a Pro mode. You also get a full 50-megapixel resolution option in the Photo mode. All the major modes and settings are readily accessible on the viewfinder.
The main rear camera takes good photos in daylight conditions
The photo quality from the main 50-megapixel camera was good in daylight conditions. You get excellent detail and accurate colors with a decent dynamic range. However, I noticed that the white balance can be off at times.
Daylight shots from the main 50-megapixel rear camera
In lowlight conditions, the main camera can capture detailed photos if you utilize Night mode. Otherwise, the photos lack detail.
Lowlight photos with Night mode (1, 2) Lowlight photos without Night mode (3, 4)
The ultra-wide camera also delivers good photos during the day but becomes less usable in lowlight conditions without Night mode. A color discrepancy exists between the two sensors.
Ultra-wide daylight photos (1, 2) Ultra-wide lowlight with Night mode (3) without Night mode (4)
Although there’s no dedicated zoom camera, a 2x digital zoom option is available. It captures adequate photos during the day but struggles at night. The camera system performs well under ample lighting conditions.
The front camera follows a similar pattern. You’ll get decent selfies in daylight conditions, but you’ll need good lighting for those low-light shots.
In terms of video performance, the Galaxy M55 5G allows you to shoot maximum 4K 30fps videos with the main rear camera. It comes with OIS support, but I found the stabilization to be merely average. Video quality is decent in daylight conditions with sufficient detail, but the white balance and dynamic range aren’t great. In low light, the videos become unusable due to excessive noise and artifacts.
Samsung Galaxy M55 5G Review: Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy M55 5G has a starting price of Rs. 26,999, with the top-end 12GB RAM variant selling for Rs. 32,999. At this price point, the phone faces stiff competition. There’s the newly launched Nothing Phone 2a with its distinct design and near stock software experience, offering both faster performance and a slightly better camera setup at a lower cost. You could also consider the Realme 12+ or the Realme 12 Pro at this price if you’re seeking a phone with a more attractive design. Lastly, the Poco X6 Pro, again cheaper, offers considerably better value for money and is significantly more powerful.
The Samsung Galaxy M55 5G is a tough recommendation, especially considering the superior options available at its price. While it undoubtedly is a good mid-range smartphone, it lacks a standout feature to differentiate itself. If you’re a fan of Samsung’s One UI and desire 4 years of Android OS updates, a decent camera setup, mid-range performance, good battery life, and a simple design, then the Galaxy M55 5G might be worth considering.
