Samsung Is Launching Yet Another Cheap 5G Phone In The US
The new Samsung Galaxy A23 5G adds a $300 option to the A-series phones in the lineup.
Because it mattersThe cheapest phone comes as inflation hits phone buyers looking for cheaper smartphone options.
Samsung is bringing its new $300 Galaxy A23 5G phone to the US, adding another model to the company's cheaper A-series phone. Inflation has also hurt the smartphone supply. The Galaxy A23 5G will be available from September 1st at Samsung, AT&T, T-Mobile and other retailers.
Samsung has already announced the Galaxy A23 5G, but is now only bringing it to the US market. At $300, the A23 is $400 cheaper than the Galaxy A42 5G, but slightly more expensive than the $250 Galaxy A13 5G and also the $300 OnePlus Nord N20 5G.
The Galaxy A23 5G has a 6.6-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, making it the same size as many other Samsung A-series phones. Unlike more expensive Samsung devices, there is a V-shaped notch on the front. Instead of a thin slit.
While the Galaxy A23 5G technically has four rear cameras, it's actually the 50-megapixel main camera that's worth a look. The ultra-wide camera only has a 5-megapixel sensor, which means the resolution might not be too sharp. In addition, there is a 2MP macro lens for telephoto shots and a 2MP lens for depth measurement. While those last three cameras have lower resolutions, at this price point it's common for only the main camera to have better specs. The front camera for selfies has a resolution of 8 MP.
Like many Samsung A-series phones, the Galaxy A23 5G has a 5,000mAh battery. Testing sub-$200 Samsung Galaxy A phones, my colleague Mike Sorrentino said it could last about two days with that much battery capacity. Note, however, that neither of these phones supports 5G, unlike the A23. It's also possible that the A23 5G's higher refresh rate, which allows for smoother scrolling, drains the battery faster.
The Galaxy A23 5G is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor, which is the same chip found in the similarly priced OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G and N20 5G. There's 64GB of storage on board, an improvement over the 32GB of storage found in sub-$200 Samsung phones like the Galaxy A03S and equivalent to the $250 Galaxy A13 5G. It has a microSD card slot that allows you to expand storage up to 1TB.
While Samsung Galaxy S phones and foldables get the most attention, the Galaxy A range is a hit. According to Counterpoint Research data provided by CNET, the Galaxy A series accounted for 58% of Samsung's total smartphone sales in 2021.
But Samsung is also facing more competition from rivals like Google and Apple. The $449 Pixel 6A was critically acclaimed and squarely competed with the $450 Galaxy A53 5G. In March, Apple also launched the third-generation iPhone SE for $429.
However, according to research firm Canalys Research, consumers want more affordable devices as inflation has hurt demand for smartphones. In a recent report, Brian Lynch, an analyst at Canalys Research, said devices like the iPhone SE, Galaxy A53 5G and Galaxy A33 are underperforming in the $250-$600 range. Meanwhile, demand for low-cost hardware remains strong, according to the Lynch report. The Galaxy A23 5G is part of Samsung's effort to appeal to US consumers willing to shell out under $500 for a new 5G phone.
