Samsung Galaxy A27 5G review: Classy but confusing

Price When Reviewed

309 Euro

Best Prices Today: Samsung Galaxy A27 5G

Samsung’s Galaxy A27 5G aligns with the company’s strategy of offering a device for every budget, sitting just below the Galaxy A37 for those wanting a large-screen phone without a hefty price tag.

Priced at £319/$349.99, the A27 is costlier than the Galaxy A26 and comes with reduced water resistance and a downgraded ultrawide camera. It does feature a newer chipset and Samsung’s latest One UI, alongside a large colorful display and leading software support.

For a similar price, alternatives like the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion offer more power, a better ultrawide camera, a larger battery, and faster charging, though its software and updates don’t match Samsung’s. Other options include the feature-rich Honor Magic 8 Lite and the slightly cheaper Nothing Phone (4b), or you could opt for the Galaxy A17.

Despite these incremental improvements and a higher cost, can the Galaxy A27 stand out amid fierce competition? I’ve tested it to find out.

Note: Our Galaxy A27 review unit was provided by AO, but the supplier had no influence on our evaluation.

Design & Build

• Subtle design improvements over predecessor
• But water resistance has been downgraded
• At 200g, it’s comfortable to hold one-handed

The Galaxy A27 features a slightly refined design compared to its predecessor, giving it a premium look. The teardrop selfie camera from the A26 is replaced with a punch-hole style, akin to the Galaxy A37 and Samsung’s premium S series.

Samsung has slightly reduced the screen bezels, shaving nearly 2mm off the height compared to the A26. Despite being a tad wider and thicker, the phone maintains its solid 200g weight without feeling cumbersome.

John McCann / Foundry

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The power button, located below the volume rocker on a slightly raised plinth called Key Island, is easy to find. The fingerprint scanner is integrated into the power button, making unlocking the A27 straightforward.

The rear cameras are recessed slightly into the phone’s back, protecting them from surface contact. However, the phone’s large screen and wide body might require two hands for comfortable use, especially for those with smaller hands.

The Galaxy A27’s microSD slot remains, allowing expansion of the 128GB internal storage by up to 2TB, a rare feature for 2026.

A downside is its downgraded IP64 rating, which offers good dust protection but no water submersion resistance. It can handle splashes and sweat but not full immersion.

Available in blue, black, and light pink, the A27’s color options are subtle and understated rather than flashy.

Screen & Speakers

• 6.7-inch, Super AMOLED display
• FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling
• Single speaker at the base

The Galaxy A27 is equipped with a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display that delivers vibrant colors and has an FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2340) and a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling.

The enhanced refresh rate makes social media browsing and messaging more fluid, while the screen size supports comfortable gaming and video streaming.

Improved viewing angles enhance the experience, though the screen’s brightness might struggle under intense sunlight, necessitating shade for clear visibility.

John McCann / Foundry

Whether you’re browsing the web, checking emails, playing games, or watching Netflix, the screen meets expectations for its price range, despite not offering flagship-level brightness or color.

The phone has a single speaker at the bottom, which while loud, can lose quality at higher volumes. The speaker’s placement may also cause it to be covered when holding the phone in landscape mode for gaming or videos.

Specs & Performance

• Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4nm) chipset
• 6GB/8GB of RAM
• 128GB/256GB of storage
• If you can, go for the 8GB/256GB model

The Galaxy A27 runs on a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, which is adequate but not cutting-edge, paired with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, and 128GB or 256GB of storage.

The phone’s performance is not its strong suit, and the 6GB RAM model shows sluggishness in app navigation and loading times.

John McCann / Foundry

While not the slowest phone, patience is necessary as it’s designed for budget-conscious users, meaning performance compromises exist.

Casual gaming is manageable, although heavier games like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile may show reduced frame rates, even on lower settings.

Social media apps like X, Instagram, and TikTok generally perform smoothly, aided by the adaptive refresh rate, though loading times may vary.

Consider the 256GB version for better performance due to its 8GB of RAM.

The Galaxy A27 supports Bluetooth 5.1, WiFi 5, NFC, GPS, 5G, and dual-SIM functionality, though using two SIMs precludes microSD card use as they share a slot.

Cameras

• 50Mp main camera
• With 5Mp ultrawide and 2Mp macro snappers
• Plus a 12Mp front camera

The Galaxy A27 features three rear cameras: a 50Mp main camera, a 5Mp ultrawide, and a 2Mp macro, with a 12Mp front camera for selfies.

While the camera count is impressive for a budget phone, the hardware is mostly unchanged from previous models, aside from the downgraded ultrawide camera.

John McCann / Foundry

The camera app can be slow to launch, and there’s a noticeable lag on the shutter, which might result in missed shots.

It struggles with motion, resulting in blurry photos of moving subjects. However, in stable conditions with good lighting, it can capture vibrant and well-exposed images.

The macro lens is capable of decent close-ups, though not quite at the level of true macro photography.

Images in overcast or dim conditions appear muddy, and the phone lacks strong low-light capabilities.

Zoom functionality is available, maintaining quality at 2x, but details degrade quickly beyond that. The ultrawide setting captures more of the scene but colors are muted and dark areas lack detail.

The 12Mp front camera provides satisfactory results for video calls and selfies.

Battery life & Charging

• 5000mAh battery
• 25W wired charging via USB-C port
• No wireless charging

The Galaxy A27’s 5000mAh battery matches its predecessors, offering up to 23 hours of video playback on a full charge.

With regular use, including emails, social media, news reading, and gaming, the phone can last a full day from around 7am to midnight, with 10%-20% battery left.

Lighter usage can leave 30%-40% by day’s end, possibly allowing overnight use without charging.

In battery tests, the A27 lasted 11 hours and 40 minutes, which is average.

John McCann / Foundry

Heavy gaming or prolonged video use drains the battery faster.

Charging retains the 25W speed of previous models, claiming 45% charge in 30 minutes, but tests showed even better results with a 100W charger, reaching 53% in 30 minutes and full charge in 76 minutes.

There’s no wireless or reverse charging available on this budget model.

Software & Apps

• Android 16 operating system
• With Samsung’s One UI 8.5 interface
• Six years of OS and security updates (until July 2032)

The Galaxy A27 runs on Android 16 with Samsung’s One UI 8.5, offering a familiar interface to other Samsung devices.

While heavier than some interfaces, it remains clean and user-friendly, even for those unfamiliar with Samsung.

John McCann / Foundry

Pre-installed apps include Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, and Netflix, along with Samsung apps, which can be uninstalled if not needed.

The A27 lacks some advanced features of Samsung’s flagship series but benefits from long-term software support, with updates promised until 2032.

Customization options allow for personalization, and One UI 8.5 offers a robust feature set.

Price & Availability

The Galaxy A27 is priced at £319/$349.99 for the 128GB/6GB RAM model, reflecting a price increase from the A26 in 2026.

In the UK, the 8GB/256GB version costs £379, though it isn’t available in the US.

It’s available from Samsung and retailers like Amazon, AO, and Currys.

For more options, see our top budget phones list.

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309,00 €

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Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy A27?

The Samsung Galaxy A27 is a well-crafted, stylish phone with an affordable price, featuring a large, vibrant screen ideal for gaming and video. However, it competes in a crowded market and has some drawbacks potential buyers should consider.

If you’re seeking fast performance and quick load times, the A27 may not be the best choice, and its camera performs best in good lighting conditions with still subjects.

The downgrade in water resistance also makes it less suitable for those prone to phone accidents or who use their phone in the bath.

For those who want a durable phone with a big screen and extended software support, the A27 is worth considering. The Galaxy A37 might be a better option if you can increase your budget.

Specs

• One UI 8.5, based on Android 16
• 6.7-inch, FHD+, Super AMOLED, 120Hz
• Fingerprint scanner
• Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4nm)
• 6GB
• 128GB
• Cameras:
• 50Mp main sensor
• 5Mp ultrawide
• 2Mp macro
• 12Mp selfie camera
• Up to 4K @ 30fps rear video
• SIM 1 + Hybrid (SIM or MicroSD)
• MicroSD (up to 2TB)
• Bluetooth 5.1
• 5,000mAh battery
• 25W wired charging
• 162.4 x 78.2 x 7.8 mm
• IP64 certified
• 200g
• Colours: Black, Blue, Light Pink