Samsung Galaxy A Series vs Galaxy M Series: Which one is for you?

Samsung is one of the biggest smartphone brands in the world and it recaptured the top spot from Apple during the first quarter of 2024. According to Counterpoint, the South Korean giant shipped 20 per cent of all global smartphone sales during the quarter and also reached its highest-ever average selling price (ASP) during the quarter. Its strong performance was driven by the early refresh of the Galaxy A series and demand for the Galaxy S24 series.

One of the things about Samsung is that it was the original brand behind confusing smartphone lineups. The company offers five different smartphone series with the Galaxy S series being its flagship offering and the Galaxy Z being all about foldable smartphones. Apart from these two, Samsung also has the Galaxy A, Galaxy M, and Galaxy F series.

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If you are thinking that’s a lot of smartphone series to keep up with then you are not alone. Samsung understands that and has done its best to streamline its smartphone offering with its Galaxy A series and Galaxy M series aimed at a very targeted set of customers. Here is a look at how these two series compare with each other and which one suits you best.

Samsung M series vs A series: Key differences

Both the Samsung M series and Samsung A series were born out of the need to challenge the likes of Chinese smartphone makers. As Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and others began to eat into Samsung’s market share, the South Korean company wanted to not only challenge them but also meet the consumers where they were.

It launched the Galaxy A series as a mid-range offering and the first device in the lineup was the Galaxy Alpha announced in October 2014. However, the devices got renamed to Galaxy A in 2015, and Samsung hoped to sell as many as 20 million Galaxy A devices after the launch of refreshed models in 2017.

The Galaxy A series was aimed at consumers in markets like Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Now, the Galaxy A series acts as Samsung’s vehicle to make Galaxy innovation accessible to all. In other words, the Galaxy A series is Samsung’s idea of bringing features first seen on the Galaxy S lineup to a more affordable price point.

With the Galaxy A series, Samsung championed the idea of bringing premium features at a not-so-premium price and made the devices available via both online and offline retail channels. This was the time when some of its rivals were launching online exclusive devices, and in true Samsung fashion, the company launched a new series called the Galaxy M series.

Introduced in 2019, the Galaxy M series is a mid-range and low-end offering for the online retail channel. These devices feature all the essentials of an entry-level smartphone but differentiate themselves by offering some other advanced features.

Samsung A Series: List of models available in India

1. Samsung Galaxy A55 5G

2. Samsung Galaxy A35 5G

3. Samsung Galaxy A25 5G

4. Samsung Galaxy A15 5G

5. Samsung Galaxy A14 5G

6. Samsung Galaxy A05s

7. Samsung Galaxy A04

Samsung M Series: List of models available in India

1. Samsung Galaxy M55 5G

2. Samsung Galaxy M34 5G

3. Samsung Galaxy M15 5G

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy A35 5G review

4. Samsung Galaxy M14 5G

5. Samsung Galaxy M14

6. Samsung Galaxy M04

Samsung A Series vs M Series: Which suits you best

Samsung has made it easier than ever to differentiate between the two series and we can further understand their difference by comparing the Galaxy A55 5G with Galaxy M55 5G. For starters, they are both 5G capable devices and are both powered by a 4nm chipset. The Galaxy A55 5G has Samsung’s Exynos 1480 chipset under the hood while the M55 5G relies on Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset.

The Galaxy A55 5G has a 6.6-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display while the M55 5G has a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED+ display. The Galaxy A55 5G has a slightly better panel that is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+. Both the devices come in 8GB RAM and 12GB RAM options and internal storage up to 256GB.

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They both use the same primary 50MP rear camera with f/1.8 aperture and OIS. The Galaxy A55 5G gets a 12MP ultrawide camera and 5MP macro shooter while the M55 5G has an 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro cameras. The Galaxy A55 5G has a clear edge over Galaxy M55 5G in the rear camera department. As for front cameras, the A55 has a 32MP f/2.2 sensor while the M55 5G gets a 50MP f/2.4 sensor. They both also house a 5,000mAh battery.

The Galaxy A55 5G starts at Rs 39,999 while the Galaxy M55 5G starts at Rs 24,999. It is clear that the Galaxy A55 5G is all about delivering premium features, especially in the camera and display department. The Galaxy M55 5G tries to compete there but within the constraints of an affordable price tag.

If you are someone who is looking for some of the premium features seen on the Galaxy S series without shelling the top bucks then the Galaxy A series will suit you. However, if you are looking for a mid-range device that will challenge even a slightly premium device then the Galaxy M series is your option.