As a smartphone energy consumer, I naturally are likely to gravitate in direction of choosing a flagship as my every day driver. Excessive-end smartphones provide shows that compete with the perfect TVs, wonderful digital camera techniques, and sufficient processing energy to play console-quality video games — what’s to not like? However regardless that I’ve completely loved the corporate of my Pixel 8 Professional over the previous yr, I’ve come to comprehend that there are various eventualities the place proudly owning a flagship smartphone simply doesn’t make sense.

Carrying two telephones was as soon as the hallmark of enterprise executives juggling work and private lives — BlackBerry in a single pocket and a stylish private cellphone within the different. Whereas that will not be true lately, I nonetheless assume there’s a case to be made for proudly owning a cellphone that’s cheap, dependable, and versatile sufficient to deal with conditions the place taking out a thousand-dollar flagship appears like overkill or downright dangerous.

That’s the place the Samsung Galaxy A15 enters the image for me — it’s an unassuming system that will get the fundamentals proper and will function a invaluable addition to simply about anybody’s life. Right here’s why.

Primarily based on the Galaxy A15’s spec sheet alone, you’d be hard-pressed to inform that you just’re a price range smartphone. It has an enormous battery, a 3.5mm headphone jack (bear in mind these?), and even a 90Hz show AMOLED that manages to one-up the iPhone 16. However the perfect half may simply be the value level — the Galaxy A15 is sort of laughably low cost in comparison with what you’d pay for a flagship smartphone.

The Galaxy A15’s price range value level additionally means it doesn’t chase tendencies in the identical manner as its premium and flagship counterparts. Take the three.5mm headphone jack, for example — a uncommon discover in 2024. Whereas I’m pressured to succeed in for a pair of Bluetooth buds on my Pixel 8 Professional, the Galaxy A15 lets me plug in wired audio gear like the great previous days.

Shopping for a second cellphone for listening to music or podcasts definitely doesn’t save me a lot cash versus a pair of Bluetooth buds, however I drastically worth the consolation of wired earphones. Critically, dig up some earbuds and provides them a strive — the distinction in consolation may shock you. I merely haven’t discovered a pair of true wi-fi earbuds that I can get pleasure from for lengthy intervals of time. Plus, it’s an effective way to provide myself a digital detox after I exit for a stroll since I can go away my flagship cellphone and its notifications at house.

After all, I may’ve simply purchased an affordable dongle for my Pixel 8 Professional and referred to as it a day. However the Galaxy A15 presents a lot greater than only a headphone jack. Take battery life, for example — the huge 5,000mAh cell paired with a modest chip signifies that the Galaxy A15 comfortably outlasts even a few of the greatest Android telephones. So after I anticipate a busy day of being out and about, I sometimes relegate GPS duties and music streaming to it as an alternative of my predominant cellphone.

Dwelling in a hotter local weather, I’ve misplaced observe of the variety of instances my telephones have thrown up overheating warnings whereas navigating underneath direct daylight. Excessive display screen brightness and steady GPS utilization are additionally a recipe for speedy battery drain. And in case your first thought is to easily plug in a conveyable energy supply, that’s an excellent worse thought. Charging with an intensive app working and the display screen brightness cranked amplifies the warmth drawback and actively accelerates battery degradation. I are likely to improve each few years, so I worth the long-term battery well being of my flagship smartphone

For these causes, I might a lot somewhat use the Galaxy A15 for lengthy Google Maps periods — it weighs as a lot as an influence financial institution whereas delivering rather more utility. I don’t care if it will get scorching to the purpose of damaging its internals, nor am I fearful about strapping it to a bike handlebar on lengthy freeway rides.

The identical utility holds for a lot of different use instances, too. My motion digital camera, for instance, lacks a display screen however I can use any smartphone as a wi-fi show. And on that word, the Galaxy A15 additionally retains expandable storage help through a microSD card slot, in contrast to just about any mainstream flagship smartphone. This implies I can wirelessly offload footage from my cameras and drones after which have the cellphone add it to cloud storage. Shopping for a whole Galaxy A15 prices only a smidge greater than what Google and different manufacturers cost for a higher-storage capability flagship.

Even after I’m at house and don’t strictly want a second cellphone, I’ve discovered methods to make the Galaxy A15 helpful whereas eliminating single-use home equipment or devices that take up invaluable actual property. With a couple of cheap magnetic wall mounts and adapters I picked up on-line (consider it as a poor man’s Qi2 or MagSafe), I’ve turned the cellphone right into a mini sensible show that I can take round my house.

Within the kitchen, it’s excellent for pulling up recipes or streaming music whereas I prepare dinner. In contrast to a sensible speaker or show, it presents full interactivity — as a result of, let’s face it, utilizing Google Assistant for something extra complicated than setting a timer is borderline painful in 2024. In the meantime, the Galaxy A15 helps Gemini like some other Android cellphone, which makes the digital assistant expertise way more tolerable (however undoubtedly not excellent).

At my bedside, I exploit one other magnetic mount the place the cellphone serves as my secondary alarm clock and sensible house dashboard much like the one pictured above that lives in my lounge. I exploit an app referred to as Absolutely Kiosk, which boots mechanically when the cellphone is plugged in and linked to my house Wi-Fi. It brings up my Residence Assistant dashboard, giving me immediate entry to lights and local weather controls even when I’m doing one thing else on my predominant cellphone. The AMOLED show is simple on the eyes at midnight, and since it’s a secondary system, I’m not too involved about burn-in.

Now, I’m not saying the Galaxy A15 doesn’t have compromises. Look a little bit nearer and also you’ll discover loads of them, like its lackluster chip and cameras. And whereas the Galaxy A15 makes for an incredible companion cellphone in my house metropolis, I can’t say the identical for after I’m touring overseas.

The dearth of eSIM help is the primary main hurdle given the sheer comfort of shopping for a plan whereas taxiing to the runway. For that characteristic, you’ll need to shell out a large premium to get the Galaxy A35 as an alternative. When you can rating a bodily SIM at your locations or take care of roaming, although, the 5,000mAh battery will final you thru a day of hotspot use.

Nonetheless, most of my different complaints, like efficiency and picture high quality, don’t actually matter when you think about the Galaxy A15’s value level. It’s unrealistic to count on flagship-level outcomes from a cellphone that prices a fraction as a lot. Finally, then, the Galaxy A15 performs to its strengths and punches properly above its weight for the numerous use instances it’s possible you’ll not have even thought of.