Samsung Galaxy A90 5G signals 5G connectivity options coming to the affordable smartphone market. But what kind of a first impression does it make? Jon Devo got hands-on during IFA 2019.
Samsung Galaxy A90 5G – Key Specs
- 6.7in (1080 x 2400) FHD+ Super AMOLED display, 393 ppi
- Snapdragon 855 octa-core processor, Adreno 640 GPU
- 6GB RAM/ 8GB RAM, both 128GB storage + microSD slot
- Cameras: 32MP f2 (front facing), 48MP f2 (main), 8MP f2.2 (ultra-wide), 5MP f2.2
- 4,500mAh battery with 25W fast charge
- 5G NR Standard
Samsung is being hailed as helping to democratise the transition to 5G with the release of the Galaxy A90 5G, “affordable” at €749. Considering up until now 5G has only been available at closer to €1K, we’ll take sub-€800 5G phones…for now!
Samsung Galaxy A90 5G – Design and Features
A Snapdragon 855 chipset sits under the hood of the Samsung Galaxy A90 5G with either 6GB or 8GB RAM options available. It’s 6.7-inch screen looks and feels as big as it sounds, but that makes it great for viewing content and playing games. It does have slightly more bezel than Samsung’s flagships, and features an “Infinity-U” design, instead of a pinhole front-facing camera. Given the bold flip/pop-up camera style of the A80, this design choice feels a little conservative or dated. However, it still provides an immersive viewing experience.
Given the bold flip/pop-up camera style of the A80, this design choice feels a little conservative or dated. “Safe” would be the best way to describe the body design of the Samsung Galaxy A90 5G. It only comes in “black” or “white” at launch. With its dual-toned finish, plastic body and curved edges, it’s attractive, but it’s nothing special. One benefit to using lighter materials with such a physically large device, is that it doesn’t feel too hefty. But it’s also a sign of a company shaving costs. Another sign is the omission of wireless charging. It does have under-display fingerprint scanning though.
Samsung Galaxy A90 5G – Camera
As one would expect for this camera segment, Samsung went big on trying to highlight this phone’s image and video creation credentials during the launch. It’s likely their targeting customers who may have been scared away from devices like the Honor 20 Pro and Huawei P30 Pro, both of which have cracking cameras. We’ve only seen a pre-release version of the device, so we can’t draw firm conclusions. But with that said, the main 48MP camera of the Galaxy A90 5G opens quickly, focuses fairly well in moderate light, and offers a range of cool modes that take advantage of its lens options and processing power.
Samsung Galaxy A90 5G – First thoughts
It’s a typically Samsung experience to be had with the Galaxy A90 5G, no surprises here. It has a decent camera setup, and a large vibrant screen. When paired with its 4,500mAh battery (+ 25W charging) this device is well suited to mobile gamers, creatives and video streamers.
If you want 5G, this is currently one of the cheapest way in.
