Pros:
- The 6.4″ display is large and the display is fantastic for $350
- Performance is speedy and can be compared to the Samsung Galaxy S8
- The in-screen fingerprint scanner is a great feature for tech nerds everywhere
- A fantastic price compared to competitors like the Pixel 3a XL (the Galaxy A50 as a larger screen, and similar performance to the Pixel 3a XL)
- The 4,000 mAh battery will get nearly everyone through a full day of use, including your heaviest power users
Cons:
- The speaker quality isn’t very good at high volumes
- The in-screen fingerprint reader is cool for tech nerds, but it only works 75% of the time which is disappointing
- Software updates will be slower compared to the Google Pixel 3a and the 3a XL (Samsung is known to roll out software updates very slowly)
Review summary:
The Galaxy A50 is a bargain for $350. It has a bright vibrant display and very speedy performance. In day to day usage, I didn’t experience many hiccups in performance, and the battery life was fantastic. This phone is comparable in performance and size to the Google Pixel 3a XL, but it comes in over $100 cheaper than the Pixel 3a XL. This makes the Galaxy A50 a really good deal at $350.
Despite those positives, I did have issues with the in-screen fingerprint scanner. When the screen is off it is difficult to find where the fingerprint scanner is, and I only had about a 75% success rate unlocking my phone with the fingerprint scanner. The fingerprint sensor along with poor speaker quality are the only two issues I had with this phone.
Specs, design, and build quality
The Samsung Galaxy A50 has a Super AMOLED 6.4-inch display with a 2340 x 1080 resolution. The A50 is powered by an Exynos 9610 processor and 4 GB of RAM.
The A50 does have a headphone jack which is great to see, and the A50 is powered by a huge 4,000 mAh battery that will power most users through the day.
The power button is placed under the volume buttons, which might take some getting used to for some people, but overall the phone seems well built.
One thing you will notice is that this device does not have a traditional fingerprint scanner, instead, it has an in-screen fingerprint scanner. I am surprised to see this in a $350 phone, especially from Samsung, so tech nerds around the world can celebrate over this phone! Still, I had some issues with the fingerprint scanner, which I will share later in the review.
Screen and display quality
The Samsung Galaxy A50 has a phenomenal display. With a 2340 x 1080 resolution, the A50 did not disappoint.
The screen is very bright, and you won’t need to turn the brightness past 50% during most of your day.
As far as screen clarity, the screen is extremely clear which is great for reading books or watching movies or tv shows. The colors really pop off the screen and I was thrilled to see such a great display in a $350 device.
In fact, if you compare this phone to the $400 Google Pixel 3a, you will notice that this screen is brighter than the Pixel 3a, and I personally think the screen is a little more clear and crisp on the Galaxy A50.
A good display is one of the most important parts of a smartphone, and the Galaxy A50 really knocked it out of the park with this display.
Performance
Many people aren’t familiar with Samsung’s Exynos processors, so seeing an Exynos 9610 processor might be a worry for you.
Don’t worry about the performance of the Galaxy A50, it performs very smoothly in most tasks.
I used the Galaxy A50 for about a week, and I didn’t notice any lag or any stuttering. Even when I opened up multiple apps and did a lot of multi-tasking, the A50 kept up very well.
I compared benchmarks, and after some research, I can safely say you should expect the same performance from the Samsung Galaxy A50 that you experience with the Google Pixel 3a or the Pixel 3a XL.
You could also compare the performance of this phone to the Samsung Galaxy S8 or the Pixel 2. I am amazed that a phone this cheap can perform like flagship phones of just 1 or 2 years ago!
This is why the mid-range phone market is so important. I am tired of spending $1,000 on smartphones, so it is refreshing to see companies releasing fast and speedy devices for under $400.
Battery life
Battery life is another area where the Galaxy A50 shines. Many competitors only have a 3,000 mAh battery, but the Galaxy A50 has a 4,000 mAh battery.
You don’t have to be a tech whiz to understand that 4,000 is a lot bigger than 3,000.
Essentially, this phone has a 25% larger battery than the Google Pixel 3a, the Google Pixel 3, and even the Samsung Galaxy S9.
Yes, part of the reason that is, is because the phone has a larger screen. Larger screens need a little more battery power to power them.
Still, in my experience, even on days that I used my phone very often, I still found myself with around 20% of battery life at the end of the day.
On a normal day, I ended my day with about 30% or 40% battery life.
The battery life on this phone is great and is a huge plus for this device.
Camera overview
The camera on the Galaxy A50 isn’t as good as the Pixel 3 or the Pixel 3a, but it is still a pretty good camera. I was able to get some pretty good pictures from the camera, as long as my subjects were standing still.
I tried taking a few pictures of my cute baby, but she squirmed many times that I tried to take the picture, and the camera of the Galaxy A50 takes a little longer to take pictures than some other phones I used.
Simply put: you will get pretty good pictures with this camera if you can get your subjects to stay still!
Other features
The Galaxy A50 comes with fast-charging and NFC. Be warned though, some international models do NOT come with NFC, and there are a lot of models for sale on Amazon, so make sure to check the details of the phone before you buy it!
Bad luck with the fingerprint scanner
I didn’t have many issues with this device, which is great. For $350 I expected some compromises. I expected the display to be worse than it was, and I expected the performance to be worse than it was. So this is a great overall device.
I did have one issue, however, and that was with the in-screen fingerprint sensor.
It’s really cool that this device comes with new technology, unfortunately, this new technology doesn’t always work. I would say this fingerprint scanner worked about 75% of the time for me.
I went to use a public bathroom, washed my hands, and used hand sanitizer, and I went to use the fingerprint sensor and it wouldn’t read my fingerprint at all. I had to wait several hours before it would read my fingerprint at all. I understand hand-sanitizer can mess with your fingerprints, but I never had any issue with this on my Pixel 3a.
Even on a normal day, the fingerprint sensor will just randomly not work. I would say one out of every four times I would try to use it, it simply wouldn’t work.
One other annoying issue with an in-screen fingerprint reader is unlocking the device when the screen is black.
When the screen is black on a normal phone, you can still easily identify where the fingerprint sensor is simply by feeling it with your finger. With an in-screen fingerprint scanner, it is much harder to locate the exact place on your screen to place your finger. If you have issues with this, you may need to press the power button once (to wake up your screen) every time you need to see where to place your finger.
This is just a hassle and makes using this new technology less fun. When you combine this issue with the fingerprint sensor not always working, I personally found the inclusion of an in-screen fingerprint sensor to be more of a negative than a positive.
There is a work-around… sort of
There is one thing you can do to work around this issue.
Samsung allows you to scan up to three fingerprints in the device for security. Luckily, Samsung does allow you to scan the same finger three times, which should decrease your likelihood of having issues.
Some other phones will allow you to have up to five fingerprints saved on your phone, so it’s a bummer that you can’t save more fingerprints. Still, this workaround will help some users have more success with their fingerprint sensors.
Good bang for your buck?
Yes, this phone is a fantastic bang for your buck. The Pixel 3a XL is the device that compares the most to the Galaxy A50, and it is priced at $479.
The Galaxy A50 has a large 6.4″ screen, a great display, and very smooth performance. The A50 outshines most competitors in the $200 to $400 range by either having a much better display, a larger display, or a faster processor. The A50 is a great option if you want to find a phone under $400
Is the Galaxy A50 better than the Pixel 3a or the Pixel 3a XL?
If I had to choose between the two phones, without price being a factor, I would choose the Pixel 3a XL over the Galaxy A50. But those two phones are extremely comparable, and it is a very close race between them.
Here are some differences between phones:
- The Galaxy A50 has a larger battery
- The Galaxy A50 has a better display
- The Galaxy A50 has an in-screen fingerprint reader, while the Pixel 3a and 3a XL have a normal fingerprint scanner
- Both phones have headphone jacks
- The Pixel 3a and 3a XL both have better speaker quality
- The Pixel 3a and 3a XL have better software support
- The Galaxy A50 retails $50 cheaper than the Pixel 3a, and $130 cheaper than the Pixel 3a XL
Who should buy the Galaxy A50?
If you are looking for a fast phone, with great battery life, and a great price, the Galaxy A50 is right for you.
The Pixel 3a XL might be a slightly better phone overall (by a hair) but it costs over $130 more. The Galaxy A50 has a better screen than the Pixel 3a XL and better battery life. It performs equally with the Pixel 3a XL, and the Galaxy A50 still has a decent camera. This makes it a great buy at $350
Who shouldn’t buy the Galaxy A50?
If you really rely on your fingerprint scanner and you think you would be bothered by your fingerprint scanner not always working, I would avoid the Galaxy A50.
I would also avoid the Galaxy A50 if a great camera is the most important thing in your phone search. If you don’t mind a smaller screen, the Pixel 3a is only $50 more than the Galaxy A50, and the Pixel 3a arguably has the best smartphone camera on the market today.
If you really need a big screen, but you really need a reliable fingerprint scanner, I would recommend getting the Google Pixel 3a XL. It is a little more expensive, but the Pixel 3a XL has a great camera, great software support, and may fit your needs if you prefer a traditional fingerprint sensor.
Where to buy
Best Buy- Verizon version, Click here
Best Buy- Sprint version, Click here
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