Choices. You can buy a budget 4G phone and it will work well for a few years or opt for a 5G option in case you have to purchase a device right away, for the new technology may show up in India next year, if plans don’t get derailed further. Since Samsung has long perfected the strategy of offering a choice at every price point, it makes sense for the company to come in with Galaxy A22 5G. But what does the phone have for a user who has streaming and camera as the two big demands from a device?
Do you need it?
First, let’s talk about 5G. Unlike most phones with the 5G tag, this one makes no compromises when it comes to band support… there are 11 of them compared to the two-three on most other phones. What makes 5G rollout in India interesting is that device manufacturers are already churning out large number of 5G-enabled phones, so when the technology does arrive, chances are we will have a set to use it, which is unlike what happened with 3G and 4G. Also, as and when travel begins, you may land up in countries where there is 5G support. But if you have no plans to travel this year or don’t need a phone upgrade, carry on with your existing device.
An all-rounder
Besides 5G, the phone does have plenty of camera and display chops to reel in users. The 6.6-inch FHD+ display supports 90Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling comfortable to the eyes. Streaming is also not an issue while audio quality is acceptable. This is not an AMOLED display, yet, viewing angles are good and so is colour reproduction.
The camera module is also good with a set up of 48MP main snapper, 5MP ultra-wide and 2MP depth camera. Daylight photography is flawless, offering detailed shots with good high dynamic range and white balance. The final images are slightly oversaturated but that’s perfect for Instagram. Shots from the ultra-wide camera too come out well, with slight edge distortion. In way of low-light photography, the night mode brightens up shots while keeping noise low. The one thing I would have wanted is more control in the ‘Pro’ mode. For those who like selfies, keep the scene optimiser off to get a natural skin tone.
Is it for you?
When it comes to design, it has nothing out of the box while the fingerprint scanner on the power button is fast and effective. What is more impressive is the UI, which is clean and keeps long-term Samsung users happy.
Running the show is the MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset, which is a capable offering when it comes to handling all the ‘ing’ tasks — streaming, browsing, emailing and videoconferencing… things one would do every day. The chipset can handle gaming to a degree but this is not a device meant for gaming alone. With an efficient chip and the 5,000mAh battery, the phone easily works for a day and a half. In other words, Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is a capable, future-ready device for everyday usage.
At a glance
Sample shots taken using Samsung Galaxy A22 5G The Telegraph
Device: Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
Price: Rs 21,999 for 8GB+128GB
High notes
• Good camera performance
• Decent display
• Future-ready with 11 5G bands
• Effective UI
Muffled notes
• Bloatware (can be deleted)
• Slow charging speed
