When it comes to buying the right phone, the choice is not always clear with so many options in different price ranges.
The mid-range phone market in particular is filled with plenty of competing offerings, and the Samsung Galaxy A55 and OnePlus Nord 4 are two notable contenders.
Both phones offer premium features at an affordable price but cater to slightly different user needs.
Here you will find a comprehensive comparison of these two devices so you can decide which one suits your needs best.
Design and construction
The Galaxy A55 has a premium build with an aluminum frame and a glass back, closer to that of flagship models. It maintains IP67 water and dust resistance, making it a rugged choice for those who want durability without sacrificing style.
The phone comes in multiple colors such as Awesome Iceblue, Navy, Lilac and Yellow, offering a vibrant palette for consumers. However, the heavier weight of 213 grams and larger size may make it less comfortable for some users.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
The OnePlus Nord 4 has a relatively unique metal unibody design, which gives it a premium feel and keeps the weight relatively low at 199.5 grams. The striking two-tone design of the back – while striking – is prone to fingerprints and smudges.
It has an IP65 rating, which is slightly less rugged than the Galaxy A55’s IP67 certification, but still offers protection against dust and water. The aesthetics of the phone may also appeal more to those looking for a sleek and modern look, with some eye-catching design elements.
Chris Martin / Foundry
The Galaxy A55 offers a premium feel, with its aluminum frame and glass back, along with superior water and dust resistance. While the OnePlus Nord 4 has a lighter metal unibody and a unique design, it falls short in terms of durability.
The Galaxy A55 is also available in a wider range of finishes, which could appeal to those looking for more personal expression.
Screen and speakers
The Galaxy A55 comes with a 6.6-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display, with a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz. The panel features vibrant colors and solid brightness, although it’s not ideal for outdoor use in bright sunlight unless auto-brightness is enabled.
The stereo speakers deliver decent clarity but lack bass depth, making them suitable for casual listening but not for audiophiles.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
The Nord 4 offers a slightly larger 6.74-inch Full HD+ OLED display, with a higher resolution of 2772 x 1240. It also supports a peak refresh rate of 120Hz.
The screen performs well in different lighting conditions and the dual stereo speakers provide a satisfying audio experience, with more prominent bass compared to the Galaxy A55.
Chris Martin / Foundry
The Nord 4’s OLED display has a higher resolution and better performance in different lighting conditions, making it more versatile for outdoor use.
While both phones boast a 120Hz refresh rate, the Nord 4’s display offers sharper visuals.
Performance
The Galaxy A55 is powered by the Exynos 1480 chipset, paired with 8GB of RAM.
It offers smooth performance for daily tasks and handles moderate gaming well. However, it falls short when it comes to intensive gaming, where frame rates can drop at higher fidelity graphics settings.
The phone comes with 128GB or 256GB of storage, expandable via microSD, which is a bonus for those who need extra space.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
The Nord 4 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset, which is a step down from current flagship processors but still delivers excellent performance.
With 12GB or 16GB of RAM, multitasking is a breeze, and gaming performance is also solid, but not flawless for graphically demanding games.
Storage options are 256GB and 512GB, but unlike the Galaxy A55, there’s no microSD slot for expansion.
Chris Martin / Foundry
The Nord 4’s chipset, combined with higher RAM options, delivers better multitasking and gaming performance compared to the Galaxy A55.
This becomes even clearer in our Geekbench 6 multi-core test. While the Galaxy A55 achieved a score of 3447, the Nord 4 surpassed it with 3835 points.
So while neither phone is suitable for intensive gaming at the highest quality, the Nord 4 performs better overall.
Cameras
The Galaxy A55 features a versatile camera setup, with a 50 MP main camera, a 12 MP ultra-wide lens and a 5 MP macro sensor.
The main camera captures detailed images with vibrant colours, although low-light performance isn’t its strong point. The 12Mp ultrawide is useful, but suffers from a noticeable drop in quality compared to the main sensor.
Selfies from the 32MP front camera are sharp, making it a great option for social media enthusiasts.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
The Nord 4 has a 50Mp main camera, with a Sony Lytia sensor, which performs well in good lighting, offers lifelike colors and excellent dynamic range.
However, the 8Mp ultra-wide camera is a noticeable downgrade, producing less detailed and washed-out images. There is also a 16MP front camera, which delivers high-quality selfies.
Unfortunately, the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens limits its versatility compared to the Galaxy A55.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Overall, the Galaxy A55’s camera setup offers a more complete photographic experience.
The Nord 4 has a strong main camera, but lacks a dedicated telephoto lens, and has a less effective ultra-wide camera, making the A55 a better choice for those looking for photographic versatility.
Battery and charging
The Galaxy A55 has a 5000 mAh battery, which can comfortably last two days with moderate use.
However, the 25W charging speeds are a bit slow compared to the Nord 4. Wireless charging is also missing, which could be a drawback for some users.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
The Nord 4 excels in battery performance, with a 5500 mAh battery that provides long-lasting power even with heavy use.
It supports 100W fast charging, although there’s no charger in the box, meaning you’ll have to purchase one separately to take advantage of the maximum charging speeds. Wireless charging is also missing here.
Chris Martin / Foundry
With a larger battery and faster charging speeds, the Nord 4 offers superior battery life and faster charging times compared to the Galaxy A55.
Software and apps
The Galaxy A55 runs on Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6.1 overlay. It’s a versatile, highly customizable interface that some may find cluttered compared to stock Android.
Samsung promises four years of OS updates and five years of security patches for its mid-range devices, so that the phone remains current for years to come.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
The Nord 4 runs Oxygen OS 14.1, also based on Android 14. It offers a cleaner, more streamlined experience compared to One UI, but comes with some bloatware.
OnePlus guarantees four major OS updates and six years of security updates, thus offering slightly longer support than the Galaxy A55.
Chris Martin / Foundry
While both phones run Android 14, the Nord 4 offers a cleaner, more streamlined software experience with Oxygen OS, unlike Samsung’s One UI.
OnePlus’ slightly longer update promise also makes it a better choice for long-term software support, and in terms of overall value for money.
Price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy A55 starts at £439 for the 128GB model and goes up to £489 for the 256GB variant. You can buy it directly from Samsung.
It is also widely available through various retailers in the UK, but not in the US.
The OnePlus Nord 4 is slightly cheaper, starting £429 for the 12GB/256GB model, and £529 for the 16GB/512GB version.
It’s been sold directly through the OnePlus store and other online retailers, but – like the Galaxy A55 – is also not available in the US.
Should you buy the Galaxy A55 or Nord 4?
If you prefer a well-rounded device with good all-round performance, then the Galaxy A55 is a good choice.
However, if you’re looking for a more powerful device with excellent battery life and performance – especially at a lower price and with slightly longer security support – then the OnePlus Nord 4 is the winner in this mid-range phone battle.
