Samsung Galaxy A18 launches with a new Exynos chip

Samsung has quietly launched the Galaxy A18 4G, and it looks identical to the Galaxy A17 4G.

The phone keeps the same 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a 5,000mAh battery with 25W charging, and a familiar triple-camera setup consisting of a 50MP main, 5MP ultrawide and 2MP macro camera. There's also 4GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage, with a microSD card slot supporting up to 2TB of additional storage.

The biggest change is inside. Samsung has replaced the Galaxy A17's MediaTek Helio G99 with its new Exynos 1610 chipset. Samsung says the new chip delivers improvements in CPU and GPU performance, although detailed real-world performance will have to wait until the phone is properly tested.

The A18 also gets an upgraded IP64 rating, compared with IP54 on the A17, providing improved protection against dust and water splashes.

Software is another strong point. The Galaxy A18 ships with Android 17 and One UI 9, with Samsung promising six generations of Android updates and six years of security updates.

So, while the Galaxy A18 isn't a major redesign, it does bring a newer processor and better durability while keeping the features that made the A17 appealing, including the Super AMOLED display, expandable storage and large battery.

For someone upgrading from an older Galaxy A-series phone, like the A14 or so, it could make sense. But if you already own the Galaxy A17, there isn't much here to justify an upgrade.

The Galaxy A18 4G is currently launching in select European markets, with the 4GB/128GB model listed at €279 in France.