Short answer: yes, for most people who want a big, bright, durable screen and don't mind a mid-range chipset — but it's not a slam dunk, and there are two or three genuine trade-offs you should know about before you buy. The Samsung Galaxy A57 5G is a solidly built, IP68-rated mid-ranger with a very good display and a surprisingly capable main camera, let down by a processor that lags behind rivals at the same price and a charging experience that feels stingy for 2026. If you want the short version before we get into the detail: buy it for the screen, the build quality and the camera's low-light performance; look elsewhere if raw gaming performance or fast charging is what matters most to you.
This review focuses purely on whether the Galaxy A57 5G is worth buying and for whom, rather than repeating a full spec sheet — for the complete technical breakdown, storage tiers and colour options, see our Samsung Galaxy A57 5G buying guide, or check current availability on our A57 price & stock page.
How We Assessed This Phone
We haven't run our own lab benchmarks on the Galaxy A57 5G, so rather than inventing a star rating or an aggregate score — which would need structured testing data we can't responsibly claim to have — this review is built from a cross-section of independent outlets who have: Android Authority, Trusted Reviews, GSMArena, Expert Reviews, Notebookcheck, PhoneArena, Amateur Photographer and SamMobile, alongside Samsung's own published specifications and UK newsroom material. Where sources disagree slightly on a figure (battery screen-on time, for example), we've reported the range rather than picking whichever number sounds best. Anything we couldn't verify against a credible source has been left out rather than guessed at.
The Verdict, Up Front
The Galaxy A57 5G is the most complete Galaxy A-series phone Samsung has released in a while, and for the first time in the series it carries a full IP68 dust and water resistance rating — a genuine step up from the splash-resistant ratings on earlier A-series models. Pair that with a 6.7-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED Plus display, a metal-and-glass build, and a main camera that punches above its price bracket in daylight and low light, and you have a phone that feels far more premium in the hand than its position in Samsung's line-up suggests.
Where it stumbles is under the bonnet. The Exynos 1680 chipset is only a modest step up from the chip in last year's A56, and independent reviewers have consistently found rival mid-rangers at a similar price offering noticeably snappier performance, particularly in gaming and sustained workloads. Charging is capped in a way that feels conservative next to competitors, and there's no wireless charging at all. None of these are dealbreakers on their own — but stacked together, they mean the A57 5G is a phone for people who prioritise screen quality, durability and camera reliability over raw speed and charging convenience.
What's Good
Independent testing and reviews (see sources at the end of this article) consistently highlight the same strengths, which line up with what Samsung's own specifications promise:
- A genuinely excellent display. The 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus panel runs at a smooth 120Hz refresh rate with FHD+ resolution, and reviewers describe it as bright, vivid and one of the best screens in its class — a real strength for streaming, browsing and gaming.
- Full IP68 water and dust resistance — a first for this tier of A-series. Earlier Galaxy A-series phones typically shipped with lower-grade splash resistance rather than a full IP68 rating. The A57 5G closing that gap is a meaningful upgrade for anyone who's dropped a phone in the sink or been caught in the rain.
- A slim, premium-feeling build. At roughly 6.9mm thick and around 179g, reviewers note the A57 5G feels notably more premium than its predecessors, with an aluminium frame and Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front — properties usually reserved for pricier phones.
- A main camera that overdelivers for the price. The 50MP main sensor with OIS produces sharp, punchy, well-exposed photos in daylight, and — more unusually for this price bracket — genuinely strong low-light shots once Night mode kicks in, with reviewers praising the dynamic range and noise control.
- A capable selfie camera. The 12MP front camera is also called out as a highlight in independent reviews, which isn't always the case at this price point.
- Long-term software support. The A57 5G ships with Android and Samsung's One UI, and Samsung has committed the Galaxy A-series to multiple years of major OS upgrades and security updates — important if you plan to keep the phone for several years rather than upgrading annually.
- A large 5,000mAh battery. Reviewers report real-world screen-on time in the region of 11-12 hours of mixed use, comfortably covering a full day for most people.
What's Not So Good
A review with no criticism isn't a review — it's an advert. Here's what independent testers have flagged as genuine weak points, verified against multiple sources rather than invented for balance:
- The processor trails the competition at this price. The Exynos 1680 is only a modest upgrade over the previous generation's Exynos 1580, and multiple reviewers have found the A57 5G noticeably slower than rival mid-rangers in the same price bracket — particularly under sustained gaming load. If mobile gaming or heavy multitasking is a priority, this is the A57 5G's weakest point.
- Charging is capped and there's no wireless charging. Super Fast Charging 2.0 tops out at 45W wired, which Samsung says can reach roughly 60% in around 30 minutes under lab conditions — real-world results will vary with the charger used, and a mains adapter is not included in the box. There is no wireless charging on this model at all, which some rivals at a similar price now offer.
- The ultrawide camera is average, and the macro lens is close to pointless. The 12MP ultrawide holds up reasonably well in good light but softens noticeably in anything dimmer, with reduced sharpness towards the frame edges. The 5MP macro lens is widely described by reviewers as a "box-ticking" inclusion rather than a genuinely useful camera — most testers found that using the main camera's 2x zoom produced better close-up results than the dedicated macro lens.
- USB 2.0 speeds and limited Bluetooth codec support. The USB-C port only supports USB 2.0 transfer speeds, which several reviewers flagged as outdated for a 2026 device, and Samsung has also held back on some higher-quality Bluetooth audio codecs compared with rivals.
- UK RRP is on the high side for what you get. At its official UK launch pricing (reported around £489-£529 depending on storage), several reviewers questioned whether the A57 5G represents strong value against Android rivals offering faster chipsets at similar or lower prices. This is precisely why pricing on international-stock listings — like the ones on this site — can matter: check today's price on the product pages linked below.
None of these are hidden flaws or invented nitpicks — they're the same points raised consistently across independent outlets including Android Authority, Trusted Reviews, GSMArena, Expert Reviews and Notebookcheck (see Sources). Taken together, they paint a phone that's very good at the fundamentals — screen, durability, daylight and low-light photography, battery endurance — while being a step behind on raw speed, charging convenience and camera versatility.
Design and Build: What It's Actually Like to Hold
Photos rarely tell you how a mid-range phone actually feels day to day, so it's worth dwelling on this a little. Reviewers consistently describe the Galaxy A57 5G as feeling closer to a flagship than a budget device in the hand, thanks to its aluminium frame and Gorilla Glass Victus+ front panel — materials that are still relatively unusual at this price point, where plastic frames and lower-grade glass are more typical. At roughly 6.9mm thick and 179g, it's slim and light for a phone with a 6.7-inch display and a 5,000mAh battery, which is a genuine engineering achievement rather than a marketing line.
The four colourways stocked here — Awesome Grey, Awesome Icyblue, Awesome Lilac and Awesome Navy — follow Samsung's current naming convention across the A-series, and reviewers note the finishes look and feel more premium than the flatter, more plasticky colour options on some earlier A-series models. If colour matters to you as much as spec sheet, Icyblue and Lilac in particular have drawn positive comments for standing out from the sea of black and grey mid-rangers.
Performance: What the Benchmarks Actually Show
It's worth being specific here rather than just saying "it's a bit slow," because the gap is measurable rather than a subjective impression. Independent benchmark testing puts the Galaxy A57 5G's Exynos 1680 chipset at a Geekbench 6 single-core score of roughly 1,300 and a multi-core score of roughly 4,300, with AnTuTu scores clustering in the 1.1-1.4 million range depending on the benchmark version used. That's a meaningful improvement over the previous-generation Exynos 1580 in the Galaxy A56 — Samsung and independent testers both point to double-digit percentage gains in CPU and GPU performance, and a substantial NPU (AI processing) uplift — and thermal testing found minimal heat build-up and no throttling under sustained load, which matters for anyone using the phone for longer gaming or video sessions.
The catch is relative positioning, not absolute performance: at the Galaxy A57 5G's price bracket, several Android rivals ship with chipsets that post noticeably higher benchmark scores and feel snappier during actual gameplay, according to head-to-head reviews. In other words, the A57 5G is faster than its own predecessor by a comfortable margin, but it hasn't closed the gap with the fastest mid-rangers money can buy at a similar price. For messaging, social media, streaming, web browsing and casual gaming, none of this will be noticeable day to day. For anyone chasing frame rates in demanding 3D titles, it's the phone's clearest weak spot.
Software and Long-Term Support
The Galaxy A57 5G ships with Samsung's One UI 8.5 software layer on top of Android, and includes a selection of Samsung's Galaxy AI features such as Object Eraser (for removing unwanted elements from photos), Best Face (picking the best expression from a group shot), and Circle to Search. It's worth noting that some of these AI features require an active network connection and a signed-in Samsung account to function, and outputs from certain AI edits are watermarked — worth knowing if you were expecting fully offline AI processing.
Where the A57 5G scores well is longevity: Samsung has committed the Galaxy A-series to multiple years of major Android OS upgrades and security updates, which is genuinely competitive for a mid-range phone and means this isn't a device you should expect to fall out of support within a year or two. If you tend to keep phones for three, four or more years rather than upgrading annually, this is one of the more reassuring aspects of buying into the current A-series.
Value for Money: RRP vs International Stock Pricing
Value is where opinions genuinely diverge, and it's worth laying out both sides rather than picking one. At official UK RRP — reported around £489 for the 128GB model and £529 for the 256GB model at launch — several reviewers questioned whether the A57 5G represents strong value, given that rival Android phones at a similar price point ship with faster chipsets. That's a fair criticism if you're comparing spec-sheet-to-spec-sheet at full retail price.
What changes the calculation is the price you actually pay. On this site, the same brand new hardware is listed well below that reported UK RRP, because this is international stock rather than stock bought through the standard UK retail channel — which is also precisely why the warranty position needs to be read carefully rather than assumed. If you're comparing the A57 5G against faster rivals at full UK RRP, the value case is weaker. If you're comparing it against those same rivals at a similar discounted price, the A57 5G's display quality, build and camera performance make a considerably stronger case for itself.
Who Should Buy This
The Galaxy A57 5G makes the most sense if you recognise yourself in most of the following:
- You want a large, high-quality AMOLED display for streaming, social media and everyday browsing, and 120Hz smoothness matters to you.
- You've cracked a screen or dunked a phone before, and full IP68 water and dust resistance is a genuine priority rather than a nice-to-have.
- Your day-to-day use is messaging, social apps, streaming, web browsing, photography and light gaming — not demanding 3D mobile games or heavy video editing.
- You take a lot of photos in daylight or low light and want a camera that reliably delivers good results without fiddling with pro modes.
- You want a phone you can realistically keep for three-plus years and expect it to keep receiving Android updates and security patches.
- You'd rather pay a fair international-stock price for genuinely new hardware than pay full UK RRP for the same specification.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
The A57 5G isn't the right choice for everyone. Consider a different phone — including other models in the Galaxy A-series — if:
- Gaming performance is your priority. If you regularly play demanding mobile games, the Exynos 1680's benchmark results and reviewer feedback suggest rival chipsets at a similar price will feel noticeably snappier under load.
- You want the fastest possible charging or wireless charging. 45W wired with no wireless option is behind some competitors in 2026 — if topping up quickly or charging on a pad matters to you, look at models that explicitly offer it.
- You need a genuinely versatile camera system. The ultrawide is passable and the macro lens is close to redundant — if you regularly shoot wide landscapes or architecture and want consistently strong results across every lens, this isn't the strongest option in its price bracket.
- Budget is tight and you don't need the A57's extras. If IP68 resistance and the larger display aren't essential to you, a step-down model in the same family — such as the Galaxy A37 5G — costs less and covers most everyday needs; see the comparison below.
- You specifically require a confirmed UK manufacturer warranty from the outset. Please read the disclosure below carefully — it applies to every listing on this page.
🌍 International Stock & Warranty
This product is brand new international stock and may originate from Europe, the UAE or another international market. Manufacturer warranty coverage, eligibility and service arrangements can vary by region. Customers should not assume that the product includes a UK manufacturer warranty unless the listing explicitly confirms this.
We want to be upfront about this because it's a genuinely important part of deciding whether this phone is worth buying from us specifically, even where the phone itself is a strong buy in general. If a confirmed UK manufacturer warranty is a non-negotiable requirement for you, please check the individual product listing carefully, or contact us before ordering, rather than assuming standard UK coverage applies.
Current Availability
Galaxy A57 5G stock is live now at The Tech Gadgets — see our Samsung Galaxy A57 5G price & stock page for full pricing, or browse the range in the Samsung Galaxy A-series collection.
❓ FAQ
Q: Is the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G worth it in 2026?
A: For most everyday users, yes — the display, build quality, IP68 rating and camera performance (especially in low light) are genuinely strong for the price. It's a weaker choice specifically for mobile gamers or anyone who prioritises fast or wireless charging, where rival chipsets and charging setups pull ahead.
Q: How does the Galaxy A57 5G compare to the Galaxy A37 5G?
A: The A57 5G sits above the A37 5G in Samsung's line-up: independent comparisons report the A57 uses the faster Exynos 1680 chipset (versus the A37's Exynos 1480), a Super AMOLED Plus display versus the A37's regular Super AMOLED panel, an aluminium-and-glass build versus a thicker plastic frame on the A37, and a 12MP ultrawide camera versus an 8MP ultrawide on the A37. The A37 5G is the more affordable, more basic option; the A57 5G is the more premium, better-built and faster choice if your budget stretches to it.
Q: Does the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G support 5G?
A: Yes. 5G (sub-6GHz) connectivity is supported on this model, alongside Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC for contactless payments, and USB-C (USB 2.0 speeds).
Q: Is this phone brand new or used?
A: The stock on this site is brand new international stock — not used or refurbished. The 128GB listing separately offers an Open Box option, where original packaging has been opened but the unit is not previously owned or used; if you specifically want a sealed unit, choose the Brand New option at checkout. See the International Stock & Warranty section above for what "international stock" means for warranty purposes.
Q: What are the main Samsung A57 5G pros and cons?
A: Pros: excellent 120Hz AMOLED display, full IP68 water/dust resistance, premium slim build, strong main camera (especially low light), long software support commitment, large battery. Cons: Exynos 1680 chipset trails rivals at the same price, no wireless charging and capped 45W wired charging, mediocre ultrawide camera in low light, a largely pointless macro lens, and USB 2.0 transfer speeds.
Q: Should I buy the 128GB or 256GB Galaxy A57 5G?
A: The 128GB model pairs with 6GB RAM and is the more budget-friendly option, suiting people who mostly use apps, streaming and social media without storing huge photo or video libraries locally. The 256GB model pairs with 8GB RAM, giving noticeably more headroom for multitasking, apps and on-device storage — worth the difference if you shoot a lot of photos and video or keep a large app library. Check current prices for both on our price & stock page.
Q: Is the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G good for gaming?
A: It's adequate rather than strong. The Exynos 1680 handles casual and mid-weight games comfortably and runs cool under sustained use with no reported thermal throttling, but independent benchmarks and hands-on testing both show it trailing rival mid-range chipsets at a similar price when it comes to demanding 3D titles and frame-rate consistency. If gaming is your main use case, this is the area to weigh most carefully before buying.
Q: Does the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G have wireless charging?
A: No. It supports 45W wired Super Fast Charging 2.0 only, with no wireless charging option — worth knowing if you've grown used to charging pads on a previous phone. A mains charging plug is also not included in the box, only a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Sources: independent testing and reporting from Android Authority, Trusted Reviews, GSMArena, Expert Reviews, Notebookcheck, PhoneArena, SamMobile, Samsung Newsroom UK and Amateur Photographer informed the strengths and limitations discussed in this review. This article does not include star ratings or aggregate review scores, as we cannot independently verify structured review data at that level of precision — instead we've aimed for honest, qualitative verdict language throughout.