Samsung Galaxy A57 Review — Reliable Daily Driver

Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy A57

The Samsung Galaxy A57 has a noticeably different design for its packaging. In previous years, we see an illustration of the device alongside the brand name on top and the model name on the bottom. This time around, the model name is listed much bigger than before on the top-left corner, and the illustration highlights the triple camera system instead. Inside the box, there isn’t really much as we only got a SIM ejector pin, some documentation, a USB-C cable, and the smartphone itself.

Walkaround

Samsung has clearly leaned into design this year. At just 6.9mm thick, the Samsung Galaxy A57 feels impressively slim yet comfortable in hand. One-handed use is manageable thanks to One UI’s thoughtful optimisations. The Awesome Icyblue variant we tested exudes understated elegance. The frosted glass back with vertically aligned cameras keeps things clean and premium without being flashy.

On the front, the 6.7-inch FHD+ flat display is the star. Thin bezels, HDR10+, Vision Booster, and Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection make it immersive and durable. With a 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of 1,900 nits, outdoor visibility is excellent. Colors pop, streaming looks vibrant, and scrolling feels fluid. That said, a higher 1.5K resolution panel would have elevated the experience further. The in-display fingerprint sensor is well-placed but occasionally sluggish.

Specifications

Body	Dimensions: 161.5 x 76.8 x 6.9 mm (6.36 x 3.02 x 0.27 in) Weight: 179 g (6.31 oz) Build: Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame, glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+) SIM: Nano-SIM + eSIM / Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display	Type: Super AMOLED+, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1900 nits (peak) Size: 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm² (~88.8% screen-to-body ratio) Resolution: 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~385 ppi density) Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, Mohs level 5
Platform	OS: Android 16, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 8.5 Chipset: Exynos 1680 (4 nm) CPU: Octa-core (1×2.9 GHz Cortex-720 & 4×2.6 GHz Cortex-720 & 3×1.95 GHz Cortex-520) GPU: Xclipse 550
Memory	Card slot: No Internal: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM UFS 3.1
Main Camera	Triple: 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.06″, 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.4, (macro) Features: Best Face, LED flash, panorama, HDR Video: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS
Selfie Camera	Single: 12 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.2″, 1.12µm Video: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 10-bit HDR
Sound	Stereo speakers
Comms	WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band or tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth: 6.0, A2DP, LE Positioning: GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS NFC: Yes (market/region dependent) Radio: No USB: USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
Features	Sensors: Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery	Type: 5000 mAh Li-Ion Charging: 45W wired
Colors	Awesome Navy, Awesome Gray, Awesome Icyblue

Performance

Starting off with AnTuTu v10, it’s interesting to see that the Exynos 1680 managed to beat the Tensor G4 chip that powers the Google Pixel 9 series as well as the Pixel 10a. Unfortunately, it still lost out to the newer Tensor G5, and I say unfortunate because that chip was already very weak for a flagship-standard. Looking at the breakdown of the score, the Samsung Galaxy A57 has a lot going for it in every area with the exception of GPU. This is a clear indication that if you’re an avid mobile gamer, this might not be the best for you.

Moving on to Geekbench 6, we see a somewhat similar pattern as the previous benchmark, albeit the Tensor G4 and Exynos 1680’s performance is about on par in multi-core performance but the former takes a notable lead in single core. There’s also a marginal improvement over last year’s Exynos 1580. To me, it’s a reasonable amount of power for a midrange smartphone, but definitely something I can’t overlook if it’s a flagship-grade device.

As our earlier benchmarks have indicated, the Samsung Galaxy A57 won’t be strong when it comes to mobile games and 3D graphics. 3DMark helps to emphasize that point as the score is rather weak on all 3 tests. Sure, it’s a decent improvement over its predecessor but considering how much we complained about Google’s Tensor chips, we have to highlight it on this Exynos 1680 as well.

One strong point it has going for it is its stability rating as the Samsung Galaxy A57 achieved an 88.1% rating. This means that it rarely ever has thermal throttling issues, and performance is mostly consistent throughout. The device itself feels lukewarm at worst after the test.

Just in case you think that the Exynos 1680 chip is simply unoptimized for 3DMark, we have GPUScore Sacred Path to further showcase how it’s lagging behind in GPU prowess. The score isn’t entirely bad, but we’ve definitely seen better from midrange smartphones.

Lastly on PCMark’s Work 3.0 benchmark, the Samsung Galaxy A57 performed admirably as it managed to beat out the realme 15 with its Dimensity 7300+ chip as well as Google Pixel 10 Pro XL’s Tensor G5 chip. I genuinely expected it to lose to the latter chip when you consider the results we got from the other benchmarks but hey, it’s a plus point for Samsung’s newest midranger since it’s proved to be a solid daily driver.

On the subject of battery life, the Samsung Galaxy A57 performed pretty well as it lasted 16 hours and 17 minutes in PCMark’s endurance test. It did lose out to the Galaxy A56 by a small margin but it’s still a respectable figure nonetheless, so you can expect it to last all-day with ease. As for charging, it supports 45W fast charging, which is far from the fastest one around but it’s still pretty decent. Here’s what I managed to get with it, starting from 2% battery life:

• 15 minutes = 35% battery
• 30 minutes = 62% battery
• Full charge = 1 hour and 9 minutes

The Samsung Galaxy A57 doesn’t support wireless charging, in case you were wondering.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy A57’s quad‑camera setup is versatile, offering a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and a 12MP selfie camera. In daylight, shots come out vibrant with balanced contrast, though we have seen better details in a competing midranger. The ultrawide lens is competent but nothing particularly great to boast about. Selfies tend to lean toward natural tones, which is great but if you prefer the colors to look a bit different, editing is always an option. Portraits are handled well with good edge detection and blur.

Night mode is where the A57 impresses most, brightening scenes without overexposing, controlling noise effectively, and keeping realism intact. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A57’s cameras are dependable across scenarios, delivering consistent results that should satisfy most users. While it doesn’t always match the sharpness or versatility of higher‑end rivals, it holds its ground as a reliable everyday shooter. However, do keep in mind that it doesn’t have a telephoto camera, so zoom shots will look less detailed since it will be relying on digital zoom.

The Good

Slim, lightweight design with premium feel

The Galaxy A57’s 6.9mm profile and frosted glass finish make it comfortable to hold and visually appealing. It feels premium without being flashy, and the Awesome Icyblue colorway adds understated elegance. It’s a midrange device, yes, so we can’t expect it to be very premium, but the overall design and build certainly feels like it could match up with flagships.

Vibrant 120Hz OLED display with strong outdoor visibility

With HDR10+, Vision Booster, and up to 1,900 nits brightness, the display is excellent for streaming, browsing, and gaming. Colors are punchy, motion is fluid, and outdoor readability is among the best in its class. If there was anything I would complain about, it’s the relatively thick bezels, but that’s to be expected from a smartphone at this price range, and it’s not overly thick.

Good software with lengthy support

Running One UI 8.5 on Android 16, the Samsung Galaxy A57 inherits much of the flagship Galaxy S26’s polish. Samsung’s promise of 6 years of OS and security updates is a major selling point, ensuring longevity. Galaxy AI features like Object Eraser and Best Face add convenience without feeling gimmicky. One UI remains one of the most refined Android skins, offering smooth navigation and deep customisation.

The Bad

GPU performance is lacking

The Exynos 1680 chipset delivers smooth everyday performance that would make it a great daily driver. However, it falls short in raw numbers compared to Snapdragon and Dimensity competitors due to its GPU being weak. You can still play mobile games on it but you should definitely dial down the graphics settings for a more pleasant experience.

Fingerprint sensor can feel slow

The in‑display sensor is well‑placed but occasionally sluggish, which can be frustrating if you unlock your phone frequently throughout the day. It’s not slow enough that it will be a hindrance to use but for those who are used to near-instant unlocks, you will definitely notice a slight lag before the Samsung Galaxy A57 gets unlocked.

Samsung Galaxy A57 Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A57 is a well-rounded midrange smartphone that nails the essentials. It’s not built for gamers or benchmark chasers, but for users who value design, a polished UI, and long-term support, it’s a compelling choice. For most people, opting for this over a Samsung flagship still makes sense as you’re getting about 80% of the experience at roughly half the price. Unless you really need strong performance in your daily driver or you need a true flagship camera experience, it’s hard to say no to this smartphone.

At the end of our Samsung Galaxy A57 review, I award this midrange smartphone with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Samsung Malaysia for sending us this smartphone for the purpose of this review.