Samsung recently launched its latest budget phone under PHP 20K, the Samsung Galaxy A27 5G, and we’ve been using it for almost a month. If you’re considering this phone, check out our in-depth review first.
Samsung Galaxy A27 5G Specifications
- Display: 6.7-inch Super AMOLED, FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate
- CPU: 2.4GHz 4nm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 octa-core processor
- GPU: Adreno 710
- RAM: 6GB, 8GB LPDDR5X RAM
- ROM: 128GB, 256GB UFS 3.1, expandable up to 2TB via microSD card slot
- Rear Camera: 50MP + 5MP ultra-wide lens +2MP macro lens + LED flash
- Front Camera: 12MP
- Battery: 5,000mAh, 25W wired charging
- OS: One UI 8.5, Android 16
- Connectivity: 2.4GHz & 5GHz WiFi, 5G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, Hybrid SIM (nano), NFC
- Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope
- Colors: Black, Blue, White, Pink
- Weight: 200g
- Dimensions: 162.4mm (H) × 78.2mm (W) x 7.8mm (D)
- Others: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, AI face unlock, USB-C, IP64, single speakers
Design and Build
The design of the Galaxy A27 is similar to its predecessor and other models in the series because of its camera island. It looks very simple and minimalist, perfect for users who don’t want a loud-looking phone.
This phone also has a glossy, glass-like plastic back that I’m not a fan of because I have sweaty hands, and it quickly gets smudged every time I hold the phone. Although my review unit is the black colorway, I suggest getting the white or pink colorway since the smudges are less visible. I think the blue colorway is the best-looking one because it resembles the Galaxy Z Fold7’s blue colorway.
This device has a slim design with a thickness of just 7.8mm, but you will still feel its good build quality when holding it since it has an aluminum frame. While other smartphones have higher IP ratings, the Galaxy A27 5G only has an IP64 dust and water resistance rating.
On its left side, there’s a hybrid SIM tray, while the volume rockers and power button/fingerprint scanner are on the right. There’s a microphone on the top, while another microphone, the USB-C port, and the speaker are located at the bottom.
Display
I love the display of the Samsung Galaxy A27 5G since it has a large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s good that Samsung now uses a punch-hole display on this phone compared to the waterdrop notch of its predecessor.
Since it uses an AMOLED panel, it delivers colorful and vibrant visuals. That said, it is enjoyable to watch videos or play games on this device. However, I found its display not that bright, but it is still usable outdoors.
While it has a good display, it only has a single-firing speaker, and it is a drawback if you rely on speakers. I suggest using earphones instead when listening to music or playing games.
Performance and Software
The Galaxy A27 5G is powered by the 4nm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 octa-core chipset with an Adreno 710 GPU. There are two available memory variants: 6GB LPDDR5X RAM + 128GB UFS 3.1 storage and 8GB LPDDR5X RAM + 256GB UFS 3.1 storage.
For casual use, its performance is more than enough since its chipset is already powerful. However, I encountered some lag even when opening apps or switching between apps. I suspect the bottleneck is the 6GB RAM since it is not enough by today’s standards. It’s better to get the 8GB variant instead to avoid performance issues.
I also enjoyed the One UI 8.5 based on Android 16 on this phone. It is optimized, though not that lightweight. This is my first time using One UI, and I’m glad that I like it. It even includes some AI features like Circle to Search, Voice Translation, and Object Eraser.
This phone also supports up to six OS upgrades and up to six years of security and maintenance updates. That makes it a phone for long-term use.
This phone also got decent benchmark scores. It scored 12,884 in PCMark 3.1 and 835,724 in AnTuTu Benchmark. Those scores are already good for its price, given that most phones today have experienced price hikes. In fact, it surpasses the benchmark scores of other recently released smartphones in this price category.
I also tried playing games on this phone, and we have a dedicated gaming review video that you can watch.
Cameras
Meanwhile, there’s no significant upgrade when it comes to its rear camera setup. The Galaxy A27 5G still features a 50MP main camera and a 2MP macro lens, but its ultra-wide camera has been downgraded from 8MP to 5MP. Its selfie camera is now 12MP, also lower than its predecessor, but it now supports HDR.
It produces decent photos, and its image quality is acceptable for its price. The photos we took are detailed and have a good amount of sharpness. However, it struggled a bit in balancing highlights and shadows. I also noticed some noise in the shadows even when shooting in daylight. The same goes for night shots, so it’s better to use its Night Mode for better results.
Its selfie camera also produces good images. Its colors are almost accurate and vibrant. There’s also slight skin enhancement even though I turned off the beautification feature. With that, expect selfies to have fewer blemishes and smoother-looking skin.
As for the video, I love its output because its main rear camera supports optical image stabilization (OIS). It can shoot up to 4K@30fps video resolution. I can recommend it if you love uploading videos on social media since it provides good and stable video quality.
Samsung Galaxy A27 5G Camera Samples
Battery Life
If I had to choose the weakest feature of this phone, I would say it is the battery. The Samsung Galaxy A27 5G only has a 5,000mAh battery capacity. It is considered small, especially since even budget-friendly ones now have larger battery capacities.
Based on my experience, its battery drains faster, especially since I do a lot of tasks on this phone. But I think it can still last a whole day if you only use it for communication, social media, and light entertainment.
Even its charging support should be upgraded since the Galaxy A27 5G only supports 25W charging. That’s slow by today’s standards. Samsung should at least use a 6,000mAh battery and 45W charging in its future lineup.
Final Thoughts
At first, I had some doubts about the Samsung Galaxy A27 5G since it was my first time reviewing a Samsung device. But given the price hikes in the smartphone industry today, I appreciate this device. It is one of the easiest phones to recommend for buyers with around a PHP 20K budget.
It already offers decent performance, a high-quality display, and long-term software support. Its camera and battery are acceptable, but there’s still room for improvement. Even with those drawbacks, I can still say that it is worth buying, especially when compared to other recently released phones.
Price and Availability
- 6GB/128GB – PHP 18,990 | Samsung Website
- 8GB/256GB – PHP 21,990 | Shopee | Lazada | Samsung Website
The new Samsung Galaxy A27 5G is now available in the market through Samsung authorized resellers and its official online stores on Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, and the website. You can also get PHP 1,500 off, a free travel adapter, and a free JisuLife fan when you purchase it until September 15, 2026, in Samsung authorized stores.
