Samsung Is Trying to Redefine the Midrange Smartphone Again

Image credits: Samsung

There is a moment, in the evolution of consumer technology, when categories begin to blur. In smartphones, that moment arrives when midrange devices start to look — and feel — like premium ones.

That is more or less where things stand with the new Samsung Galaxy A57 5G and Samsung Galaxy A37 5G, the latest additions to the lineup of Samsung. On paper, they do something straightforward: they bring features once reserved for high-end devices to a broader audience. But in doing so, they raise a more complicated question.

How far can the midrange stretch before it stops being midrange at all?

A Clear Strategy: Put Artificial Intelligence Everywhere

At the center of Samsung’s pitch is what it calls “Awesome Intelligence,” a suite of artificial intelligence features designed to feel less like novelties and more like everyday tools.

This is not a single headline feature, but a collection of small, practical improvements:

• automatic transcription and translation of voice recordings
• intelligent on-screen selection tools
• AI-assisted photo editing, including object removal and face optimization
• enhanced visual search through Google’s “circle to search”

Then there are the assistants. Bixby, Samsung’s in-house system, has been updated to better understand natural language and handle device-level tasks. Alongside it is Google Gemini, which attempts something more ambitious: coordinating actions across apps, including some third-party services.

The idea is familiar but increasingly important: artificial intelligence should not be something users consciously invoke. It should simply make the device feel faster, more responsive, and easier to use.

The A57 Is Where Samsung Pushes Furthest

If there is a flagship of this midrange pair, it is the Galaxy A57 5G — not because it breaks new ground, but because of what it tries to represent.

It is Samsung’s clearest attempt yet to narrow the gap between midrange and premium design.

The changes are immediately noticeable:

• a thinner profile (6.9 millimeters)
• a lighter body (179 grams)
• an aluminum frame paired with glass on both sides
• significantly reduced display bezels

In the hand, the difference is not abstract. It feels closer to a high-end device than previous models in the series.

The 6.7-inch Super AMOLED+ display reinforces that impression. With a 120 Hz refresh rate and peak brightness reaching up to 1900 nits in certain conditions, it is sharp, fluid and easily visible outdoors. Not groundbreaking, but undeniably refined.

Performance follows a similar pattern. The new Exynos 1680 processor offers improvements in everyday responsiveness and multitasking, but stops short of delivering a dramatic leap. It is an incremental upgrade — deliberate, controlled.

And that restraint may be the point.

The A37 Is More Familiar — and More Predictable

The Galaxy A37 5G, by contrast, is a more conventional device — and perhaps a more traditional expression of what the midrange has been.

It shares much of its foundation with the A57:

• the same 6.7-inch 120 Hz display
• the same 5000 mAh battery
• the same software experience and AI features
• a broadly similar design language

But the differences are telling:

• a plastic frame instead of aluminum
• a thicker and heavier body
• a less powerful processor (Exynos 1480)
• a simpler ultra-wide camera

It is not an underwhelming phone. On the contrary, it may be the more balanced of the two. But it is also the one least likely to draw attention.

Cameras: Reliable, but Not Transformative

Photography remains central to the smartphone experience, and Samsung has made incremental improvements here as well.

Both devices include:

• a 50-megapixel main sensor
• an ultra-wide lens (12 MP on the A57, 8 MP on the A37)
• a 5 MP macro lens
• a 12 MP front-facing camera

Software plays a larger role than hardware in this generation:

• improved Nightography for low-light photos and video
• AI-based scene recognition
• enhanced portrait processing
• smarter editing tools

The results are expected to be consistent and dependable across most scenarios. But what is notably absent is a sense of leap forward.

For some users, particularly at these prices, that may matter.

Battery Life and Everyday Use

On battery and endurance, Samsung takes a more conservative approach — and one that is likely to satisfy most users.

Both models offer:

• a 5000 mAh battery
• fast charging (about 60% in 30 minutes)
• up to two days of use under typical conditions

These are no longer standout specifications, but they are reassuring. They suggest stability rather than experimentation.

On the A57, a larger vapor chamber improves heat dissipation — a subtle but meaningful upgrade for sustained tasks like gaming or video recording.

Longevity as a Selling Point

One area where Samsung continues to distinguish itself is software support.

Both devices will receive:

• six generations of Android updates
• six years of security patches

That level of commitment is still relatively rare in the midrange market. And as consumers hold onto devices longer, it may matter more than incremental hardware gains.

The Price Question

Ultimately, the conversation returns to price.

• The Galaxy A57 5G starts at €549.90
• The Galaxy A37 5G starts at €449.90

These are figures that, not long ago, belonged to a different category.

The issue is not what these devices offer — they offer quite a lot — but the environment in which they arrive. Competition, particularly from Chinese manufacturers, is intense: faster charging, more powerful processors, more ambitious camera systems, often at comparable or lower prices.

Samsung’s response is different. It emphasizes design, software maturity, long-term support and ecosystem integration.

It is a calculated trade-off.

A Midrange That No Longer Feels Like One

In the end, the Galaxy A57 and A37 are not radical devices. They are careful ones.

They reflect a broader shift in the industry: the steady elevation of the midrange, both in capabilities and in expectations.

The result is a category that is increasingly difficult to define.

When a €550 phone offers premium design, advanced AI features and years of software support, the question is no longer what is missing.

It is how much consumers are willing to pay for something that feels, in many ways, like a flagship — but is not quite one.

The answer, as always, will come from the market.