Cheap phones are getting good, and good phones are getting cheap, but does that mean you should get a cheap phone? Well, not necessarily. This is what I will be talking about in detail today.
I will be comparing a flagship phone and a midrange phone from the same brand: Samsung.
The phones in question are the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy A56. Why have I chosen only these two? Because they are priced within the same $400 mark. As for the specs, there is a huge difference between the two, and that is another reason for me to compare the two.
So, without further ado, let us talk about them in detail.
Midrange VS. Flagship: Which One is Right For You?
· First Things First: The Performance Battle
Well, the battle might be short-lived but let me throw some light on that.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is a flagship phone with a flagship processor of its time – Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. This Snapdragon was a beast of its time, and it is still very much a beast when compared to the underwhelming processor of the Galaxy A56 (which is Exynos 1580). Paired with 8 gigs of LPDDR5 RAM, the S22 gets even better. The performance is good specs-wise.
On the flip side, Exynos 1580, which powers the A56, is an upper midrange processor from Samsung. The RAM accompanying that processor is 8 gigs or 12 gigs. The 12 gigs of RAM option is not available in the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus.
Let’s leave specs aside and talk about the actual, real-life performance.
Starting with the Galaxy A56, the overall performance is smooth. I put it through multiple tests that included multitasking, gaming, and its AI-powered features. Let me hit the bottom line: everything was fine apart from the gaming.
The feature of A56 that impressed and helped me the most was its Gemini-powered assistant. I was preparing a meal the other day, and I had to call my internet provider, which is AT&T. My hands were not clean, so I just woke the assistant, and asked it to call AT&T customer service and put it on the loudspeaker. It did, and I was able to pay my bill without needing to touch the phone. It was really helpful.
On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S22 hasn’t yet been updated to the latest Gemini-powered assistant. However, it is still a pretty powerful phone. Even though it has an old Snapdragon processor, it does beat Samsung’s own Exynos processor, which powers the A56.
The conclusion is that if you want a phone that is great at performance, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is the way to go.
· Next Up: Cameras
Starting with the camera specs of Samsung Galaxy A56, it has a 50MP main shooter, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro lens. Samsung has finally ditched that no-use 2MP depth sensor, and that has helped save costs, and the phone looks sleeker without that.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus has a triple camera system at the back as well, with a 50MP main shooter, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP telephoto lens.
How do the cameras perform in real life?
It might come as a surprise, but Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus’s cameras are not that great when I see the end product. Maybe it’s because of the old camera lenses, but they do significantly lack when compared to the Galaxy A56.
I have compared the photos of both side-by-side, and A56’s photos are more vibrant, brighter, and overall look nice. But there is a segment where S22 takes the win in videography.
Videos from the Galaxy S22 Plus look significantly better. They have more details in them, and just look better overall. Oh, and another thing I love about the Galaxy S22 Plus’s cameras is their versatility. I mean, it has a lens that is missing on the A56, and that is a telephoto lens.
Since photography is the main thing here, I give the winning crown to A56 in the camera department.
Battery: Where I Will Conclude with My Verdict
Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus has a 4500mAh battery, and the A56 has a 5000mAh. The obvious winner is A56.
But it is not just about the numbers – let me explain.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is a three-year-old phone, and while every other part might just work fine, the battery won’t. When batteries are charged, they complete their cycle and get worn out over time.
S22 Plus, being an old phone, might have its battery worn out quite significantly. You might be lucky if you can get your hands on a good battery health phone. Having said that, you might need to charge it at least once a day to prevent it from dying.
On the other hand, A56 has more battery capacity along with better battery health. You would rarely need to charge it, and it can even last you for two days.
So, the final verdict here is that the midranger (A56) is definitely worth buying over the flagship (S22 Plus). It offers better battery, improved performance, and better cameras, so it might be worth it for most people reading this.
