{"id":366052,"date":"2026-03-26T10:59:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T10:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/366052\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T10:59:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T10:59:09","slug":"only-one-samsung-phone-is-worth-buying-now-and-its-not-a-galaxy-s26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/366052\/","title":{"rendered":"Only one Samsung phone is worth buying now, and it’s not a Galaxy S26"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019re probably tired of hearing about it, but the AI-brought RAM crisis<\/a> is really affecting the entire smartphone landscape this year. Flagship upgrades are minor, if not inexistent, so far, while price hikes are looming for those that will land towards the second half of the year. Suffice it to say that 2026 is not the year to buy a new flagship phone from any company; you\u2019re better off putting less money into last year\u2019s models.<\/p>\n

But Samsung is a bit of a special case. Because of its early-in-the-year Galaxy S26 launch, the company has demonstrated the impact of the pricing crisis before anyone else \u2014 not that it was trying too much in years prior, mind you. The Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus are glorified copy-pastes of last year\u2019s S25 models, while the Ultra\u2019s Privacy Display is as fascinating<\/a> as it<\/a> is<\/a> problematic<\/a>. There\u2019s one phone in Samsung\u2019s line-up that eschews a bit of this mess, though, and that\u2019s the just-announced Galaxy A57. It is, on paper, the most \u201cbuyable\u201d Samsung phone right now.<\/p>\n

Samsung is doing things right with the Galaxy A57 5G<\/p>\n

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

Paul Jones \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

Unlike the phones in the Galaxy S26 series, which have received nothing but a rehash, Samsung has gone through the trouble of actually updating the Galaxy A57 5G<\/a> this year. Of course, there\u2019s an upgraded Exynos 1680 processor<\/a> that brings in a slightly more powerful CPU Cortex setup, a more efficient GPU, a Neural Processing Unit capable of better night photography, and an Image Signal Processor that can transition smoothly between different camera lenses. A processor upgrade is almost a given between two generations of a phone, so this one ticks the necessary box for that.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s what else is new in the Galaxy A57 5G that makes it an interesting buy this year for the right target user, in my opinion. The phone now features a higher-end metal frame instead of plastic, with a thinner and lighter body. Shaving 0.5mm off a smartphone (7.4mm vs 6.9mm on the A56 5G) without sacrificing the 5,000mAh battery capacity is a feat in itself, and reducing the weight by 19g (198g to 179g) is nothing to scoff at. This is Samsung using its engineering prowess to ensure this midranger feels good in the hand for longer periods of time. Oh, and the phone gets a more resistant IP68 rating compared to last year\u2019s A56 5G IP67, too.<\/p>\n

Samsung made the Galaxy A57 5G lighter, thinner, brighter, faster, and more resistant without getting stuck in the RAM\/AI craze.<\/p>\n

Plus, the 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display has been upgraded to a Super AMOLED Plus with smaller bezels and a brighter 1,900 nits panel compared to the relatively abysmal 1,200 nits on the A56 5G. If you buy a phone and you live anywhere that gets a modicum of sunlight, you need to be able to see its screen outdoors. The phone even packs the 45W fast USB-C charging that hasn\u2019t made it to the much more expensive Galaxy S26, six years of updates, and One UI 8.5<\/a> out of the box.<\/p>\n

More importantly, though, Samsung didn\u2019t fall for the AI trap with the Galaxy A57 5G. There are no unnecessary gimmicks here, so no need to bump up the RAM and cause ridiculous price changes. Yes, the phone is $50 more expensive than last year\u2019s model, but I think the upgrades justify that, especially given the smartphone pricing landscape we\u2019re entering in 2026.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the only new Samsung phone worth buying<\/p>\n

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

Paul Jones \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

\u2026 for the right audience, of course.<\/p>\n

If you care about power and performance, you won\u2019t care much about a midranger like the new Galaxy A57 5G. This is not a Snapdragon powerhouse for gaming and productivity, nor is it a telephoto or camera go-getter. But even if that\u2019s what you\u2019re looking for, the Galaxy S26 isn\u2019t your best buy, either, especially now that it\u2019s no longer on pre-order. Go for last year\u2019s Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, or S25 Ultra for much less, and you\u2019ll be getting the most value for your buck.<\/p>\n

The Samsung phones that will come later in 2026 are unlikely to be better investments. They\u2019ll either stifle development to meet an impossible price tag or raise the price through the roof to get a couple of decent upgrades in. Either way, buying them won\u2019t be a smart move.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s where the Galaxy A57 5G comes into play, in my opinion. It\u2019s been released early enough to avoid the brunt of the crisis, especially for mid-rangers. We expect worsening<\/a> specs<\/a>, from drops to 4-6GB of RAM to waterdrop displays. The Galaxy A57 5G escaped that. It also brings significant upgrades, doesn\u2019t attempt any AI gimmick, and it\u2019s not unrealistically priced. If you\u2019re the correct audience for this phone, and you\u2019re looking to buy a new, affordable Galaxy model that hits the sweet spot, the Galaxy A57 5G ticks a lot of correct boxes that few phones will tick later in the year.<\/p>\n

For this reason, it\u2019s the most buyable Samsung phone this year. Any other Galaxy model and I\u2019d recommend you look at last year\u2019s instead, or wait for a very decent deal on the more recent models.<\/p>\n

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