The Galaxy A51 was a smashing success shortly after it got introduced in December 2019, becoming Samsung's best-selling phone in Q1 2020 and registering healthy sales figures throughout the year. But is the Galaxy A51 worth buying in 2021? Not really.
To be precise, it's worth having a Galaxy A51 if you already own one, as it remains a competent mid-range phone to this day. But buying a brand-new Galaxy A51 right now is another matter, and we wouldn't advise anyone to purchase it unless they find it on sale at an incredible discount.
This is true regardless of whether you're eyeing the Galaxy A51 LTE or the 5G model that debuted a few months after the 4G variant. Why? It's simple. The Galaxy A51 is too expensive, and there are other, newer, and better solutions out there, like the Galaxy A52.
As of this writing, the Galaxy A51 is not in stock at Samsung's online store in the USA, but once it returns, it will be priced at $399. More importantly, the Galaxy A51 5G is in stock, and surprisingly enough, it costs exactly the same as the Galaxy A52 5G, i.e., $499.
The Galaxy A51 is unofficially out of the game in 2021, unless you can find it at a massive discount
As mentioned before, if you're a Galaxy A51 owner, then you can definitely squeeze more life out of this device before you'll have to look for a replacement. But putting money down for the Galaxy A51 in mid-2021 isn't very wise unless — again — you can find it for around half the original price. Otherwise, we advise you to steer clear of the Galaxy A51 and check for alternatives.
If you're looking for 5G on a budget, then there are other Galaxy solutions for you out there. Most of them are cheaper, like the Galaxy A42 5G. And if you're looking for a solid, future-proof mid-range phone, then the Galaxy A52 5G is exactly that. It has better specs, better cameras with OIS, a high refresh rate display, an IP67 dust and water resistance rating, stereo speakers, and a battery with faster charging. Not to mention that the Galaxy A52 was released with a newer version of Android OS, which means it's going to enjoy better support.
So, to wrap this up, don't buy the Galaxy A51 LTE / 5G in 2021 unless you can find it for a really low price. It's just no longer worth a purchase at full price in the wake of so many 2021 Galaxy A phones that boast 5G and high refresh rate displays.
