What are the differences between the Galaxy S devices and Samsung’s Galaxy A series? If you are about to buy a new Samsung cell phone, you should be aware of the differences. In addition, you will find a brief market overview below and finally find out what the letters really stand for.
Samsung made a good showing last year with devices like the Samsung Galaxy S21 or the mid-range hit, the Galaxy A72, before the S21 series was able to welcome another latecomer with the Galaxy S21 FE at the beginning of 2022. The two smartphone series are moving closer together in terms of their features. Premium features such as AMOLED displays with 120 Hertz can already be found in the Galaxy A52 5G, for example.
However, there are reasons why Samsung keeps its smartphone lines neatly separated. Below we tell you the most important differences between Galaxy S devices and models of the Galaxy A series. If you prefer to know which devices you can choose from, simply click on our market overview directly in front of this paragraph.
Table of Contents
- Galaxy A and Galaxy S: These are the differences
- These models appeared in the 2021 series
- That’s what the letters “A” and “S” actually stand for
These are the differences between “A” and “S”
The smartphone market is divided into segments such as “upper class”, “middle class” or “entry-level models”. With the S series, Samsung is more in the upper class and produces mid-range models for the A series. New technologies such as the powerful quad camera in the Galaxy S21 Ultra are usually only found in the more expensive models.
In terms of processing quality, you can also expect high-quality materials such as metal frames and glass elements in the S series. In the S21 series, Samsung uses shatterproof Gorilla Glass Victus in the Plus model and in the Ultra model, thus offering a particularly high-quality look and feel. In the standard model, however, polycarbonate is now also used in the S series.
Models like the Galaxy S21 Plus are characterized by a very high processing quality. / © NextPit
Even if the Galaxy S21 is an exception, the build quality is higher compared to the current models of the A series. The polycarbonate feels more valuable and you will find metal elements on the frame or on the cell phone’s camera.
In addition to new technologies and the processing quality, performance advantages await you with the S devices. In Europe, Samsung usually installs its own SoCs from the Exynos series here. You can find out more about Samsung’s latest smartphone processor in our SoC leaderboard.
In the middle class, Samsung also offers Snapdragon models from the chip manufacturer Qualcomm in Europe. These are usually dedicated mid-range SoCs that lag behind in mobile games or tasks such as video editing. However, the more powerful hardware also has a disadvantage that you have to accept with the models of the S series.
Because in Samsung’s upper class there are always problems with the battery life. The quite compact Galaxy S21 has a battery with only 4,000 mAh and cannot supply powerful components such as the SoC and the bright 120 Hertz AMOLED panel with power for very long. A problem that many smaller smartphones have. The manufacturer installs larger batteries in the new A series.
Surprisingly, you will also find a telephoto camera in the Galaxy A72! / © NextPit
However, since Samsung keeps blurring the lines between the A series and the S series, you should definitely take a look at the individual devices if you are interested! Therefore, below you will find an overview of the models that appeared in both series in 2021.
Samsung has also expanded the portfolio of its Galaxy A devices downwards. Models like the Galaxy A12 start at less than 200 euros and are therefore more in the entry-level class. Therefore, let’s take a look at which models appeared in 2021 in the “S” and “A” series.
These models appeared in 2021
Both the S series and Samsung’s A models have already received an upgrade in 2021. Three models have appeared in Germany, between which you have to decide. The S21 series was not completed until the beginning of 2022 with the presentation of the Galaxy S21 FE.
Galaxy A and Galaxy S: These devices were released in 2021
Clicking on the respective device name will take you to further information. These are links to our test reports, or – if we haven’t tested them yet – to the overview pages of the models. The test for the brand new Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is already in progress and will be available in a few days. Until then, you can take a look at our purchase guide article for the Galaxy S21 FE, where you can find the best deals for the device.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE with 128GB of storage for €749
The best Samsung smartphones in the price check
Is Samsung your favorite smartphone manufacturer? Then you should definitely check out our list of the best Samsung smartphones.
You can also find all cell phones from the top list in the following deal element from our partner Geizhals.de.
That’s what the letters “A” and “S” actually stand for
Of course, the two device classes at Samsung are part of a marketing strategy that the company has been pursuing for several years now. The first S model, simply called the Galaxy S, appeared in 2010. The “S” does not stand for the “Super AMOLED” displays used, as many assume, but for “Super Smart”.
The “A” in “Galaxy A”, on the other hand, stands for a somewhat less spectacular “Alpha”. There are other designations at Samsung with “Y” for “Young”, “C” for “China”, “M” for “Magic” and “J” for “Joy”. Well, if those aren’t some fun facts for the next game night!
Which device series at Samsung do you find more exciting? In 2021, were you more impressed by the models from the A series or the new S models? Which Samsung phones do you think will win the most in 2022?