The smartphone market is flooded with options, making it difficult to choose the right phone that fits your needs and budget. Two standout contenders in the mid-range segment are the Samsung Galaxy A55 and the OnePlus Nord 4. These phones offer premium features at an affordable price, but cater to slightly different user preferences.
### Design & Build
The Galaxy A55 boasts a premium build with an aluminium frame and a glass back, giving it a flagship-like look and feel. It also comes with IP67 water and dust resistance, making it durable and stylish. Available in vibrant colors like Awesome Iceblue, Navy, Lilac, and Yellow, the Galaxy A55 offers a variety of options. On the other hand, the OnePlus Nord 4 features a metal unibody design with a distinct two-tone rear design, although it is prone to fingerprints. While the Nord 4 has an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance, it falls short of the Galaxy A55 in terms of durability.
### Display & Speakers
The Galaxy A55 sports a 6.6-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a peak 120Hz refresh rate, delivering vivid colors and solid brightness. The stereo speakers offer decent clarity but lack bass depth. In comparison, the Nord 4 features a slightly larger 6.74-inch Full HD+ OLED display with a higher resolution and also supports a 120Hz peak refresh rate. The display performs well in various lighting conditions, and the dual stereo speakers provide a satisfactory audio experience with more prominent bass than the Galaxy A55.
### Performance
Powered by the Exynos 1480 chipset and 8GB of RAM, the Galaxy A55 delivers smooth performance for daily tasks and moderate gaming. It offers storage options of 128GB or 256GB, expandable via microSD. On the other hand, the Nord 4 is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset and 12GB or 16GB of RAM, providing excellent multitasking and gaming performance. The Nord 4 also offers storage options of 256GB and 512GB but lacks a microSD slot for expansion.
### Cameras
The Galaxy A55 features a versatile camera setup with a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro sensor. The main camera captures detailed images with vibrant colors, while the 12MP ultrawide lens suffers from a drop in quality. The Nord 4’s 50MP main camera with a Sony Lytia sensor performs well in good lighting, offering true-to-life colors and excellent dynamic range. However, the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens limits its versatility.
### Battery & Charging
The Galaxy A55 houses a 5000mAh battery that can last up to two days of moderate use, but its 25W charging speeds are slower compared to the Nord 4. The Nord 4 excels in battery performance with a 5500mAh battery offering long-lasting power and supports 100W fast charging.
### Software & Apps
The Galaxy A55 runs on Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6.1 overlay, offering a feature-rich and customizable interface. Samsung promises four years of OS updates and five years of security patches. The Nord 4 runs Oxygen OS 14.1 based on Android 14, providing a cleaner and more streamlined experience with some bloatware. OnePlus guarantees four major OS updates and six years of security updates.
### Price & Availability
The Galaxy A55 starts at £439 for the 128GB model and goes up to £489 for the 256GB variant, while the OnePlus Nord 4 starts at £429 for the 12GB/256GB model and £529 for the 16GB/512GB version. Both phones are available directly from their respective manufacturers and online retailers.
### Conclusion
If you prefer a well-rounded device with good all-around performance, the Galaxy A55 is a solid choice. However, if you prioritize powerful performance, excellent battery life, and longer security support at a lower price point, the OnePlus Nord 4 emerges as the winner in this mid-range phone battle.
