What you need to know
- Samsung today announced the Galaxy A33 5G and the A73 5G, expanding its lineup of affordable 5G phones.
- The Galaxy A33 is a modest upgrade from its predecessor, but it gets 4 years of Android OS updates.
- Both phones will be available in select markets starting April 22.
Samsung expanded 5G connectivity support from flagship devices to some of its best budget Android phones last year, and 2022 should see no shortage of affordable 5G devices from the company as well. Along with the Galaxy A53 5G, the company also unveiled the Galaxy A33 5G and Galaxy A73 5G today.
On the surface, the Galaxy A33 looks almost the same as the Galaxy A53, except for its slightly smaller display, a 6.4-inch FullHD+ Super AMOLED screen. Its display refresh rate is also limited to 90Hz, as opposed to 120Hz on its larger sibling.
The Galaxy A33 also uses different camera sensors. At the back, it includes a 48MP main sensor with optical image stabilization, coupled with an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, a 5MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. Selfies are handled by a 13MP front camera.
Otherwise, it shares generally the same specs as the Galaxy A53, including an IP67 rating, a 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging support, and 6GB or 8GB of RAM paired with 128GB/256GB of internal storage.
These specs are also found on last year's Galaxy A32 5G, making the latest version a modest upgrade.
Samsung's press release didn't specify the chipset powering the Galaxy A33, but 9to5Google reported that it uses the Exynos 1280 processor.
It runs One UI 4.1 based on Android 12 out of the box. Like the Galaxy A53, the smaller model will get 4 years of Android OS updates and 5 years of security support. This type of support period is already available on many of Samsung's best Android phones, and its extension to the latest Galaxy A-series devices bodes well for the future of this lineup.
Meanwhile, the tech giant didn't reveal much about the Galaxy A73 5G, save for its availability. That said, 9to5 revealed that it sports a 6.7-inch FullHD+ AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 778G chipset.
It also has the same internals as the Galaxy A33, including the battery. The camera is where it differs: the phone has a 108MP main shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 5MP macro shooter.
Both phones will be available in select markets beginning April 22, with Samsung presumably revealing their prices at a later date.
