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Samsung's gorgeous Galaxy A51 mid-ranger is finally available in a US unlocked variant

By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: May 04, 2020, 8:50 AM

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Samsung's gorgeous Galaxy A51 mid-ranger is finally available in a US unlocked variant

If you're in the market for a new mobile device priced around 400 bucks, you shouldn't be surprised to hear you'll need to make a few compromises. Of course, the key question you'll have to answer before deciding what budget-friendly phone to get is exactly what you are willing to give up in order to limit your spending.

If you can live with an occasionally stuttery processor and a versatile but overall mediocre camera setup, the Galaxy A51 has plenty of other great things going for it. Formally unveiled almost five months ago, Samsung's sequel to the incredibly popular Galaxy A50 mid-ranger was released on its first major US carrier in April, quickly expanding to its second and then third such wireless service provider.

Unsurprisingly, the big and beautiful 6.5-inch handset is now available in a US unlocked variant as well at a recommended price of $399.99. That just so happens to put the Samsung Galaxy A51 on even ground with Apple's second-gen iPhone SE, and if recent speculation is to be trusted, Google's fast-approaching Pixel 4a will also start at the exact same price.

Get the unlocked Galaxy A51 (with free Galaxy Buds) from Samsung

The A51's main claim to fame in this very crowded and almost shockingly competitive space is probably that aforementioned 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, which is not only large but also pretty sharp, at 2400 x 1080 pixels, while sporting minimal bezels and an unobtrusive centered hole punch housing a sweet 32MP selfie shooter.

Other solid features for that price tag include a 4,000mAh battery with fast charging capabilities, an in-screen fingerprint scanner... that's not as bad as you imagine, a headphone jack, as well as 4 gigs of memory and 128 gigs of internal storage space. The problems, especially in comparison with the insanely powerful new iPhone SE and the upcoming Pixel 4a imaging champion, are a decidedly unimpressive Exynos 9611 processor and a 48 + 12 + 5 + 5MP quad rear camera system that looks much better on paper than in reality.

For what it's worth, Samsung is currently throwing in a free pair of true wireless Galaxy Buds with the Galaxy A51 in both its unlocked and all carrier-specific models, as well as complimentary two-month YouTube Premium and six-month Spotify Premium subscriptions. You can also opt for a trade-in discount of up to $220, but if you want the free Buds too, that number will drop to no more than a measly 50 bucks.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.