Samsung Galaxy A51 to Buy: Price, Specs & Worth in 2025

If you’re shopping for a budget smartphone in 2025, the Samsung Galaxy A51 is a name that keeps popping up. Launched back in December 2019 (GSMArena), it’s now available for under €100 refurbished. But is a five-year-old phone still worth your money, or should you look at newer options? This article breaks down the price, specs, support situation, and how it compares to the latest budget models.

Release date: December 2019 ·
Display: 6.5-inch Super AMOLED ·
Refurbished price (Ireland): from €95 ·
Security update end: April 2024 (Samsung official)

The specs table below confirms the core hardware still holds up for basic use.

Is the Samsung A51 a good phone to buy?

What are the pros and cons of the Galaxy A51?

The Galaxy A51 brings a vibrant Super AMOLED display and a versatile quad camera setup, including a 48MP main sensor (GSMArena). It also keeps the headphone jack, a rarity in newer phones. On the downside, charging is slow (15W), the Exynos 9611 chipset feels sluggish by today’s standards, and the 4G version lacks 5G.

How does the A51 perform in 2025?

• Day-to-day tasks (messages, social media, video) are fine, but gaming and multitasking show stutter.
• Benchmarks from GSMArena place the Exynos 9611 well below entry-level 2024 chips.
• Battery life remains acceptable for moderate use, but fast charging is limited to 15W (no charger in box).

The implication: this is a media-consumption phone, not a workhorse. If your needs are basic, the A51 still delivers.

How much is a Samsung A51 worth today?

Current second-hand prices in Ireland

Second-hand listings on DoneDeal and GetLocal.ie typically range from €95 to €150 depending on condition and storage. The 128GB model is the most common.

Refurbished prices from major retailers

• SWOPiFY Ireland: from €74.16 (128GB Black) (SWOPiFY)
• Refurbed Ireland: €177 (128GB, 30-day trial) (Refurbed Ireland)
• IT Star: €99 (128GB Dual SIM) (IT Star)
• refurbished.store: €119–€200.98 depending on color (refurbished.store)
• Back Market: up to 70% off new, 12-month warranty (Back Market)

What this means: the cheapest reliable option is SWOPiFY at €74, while premium refurbishers ask up to €200. The sweet spot for most buyers is around €100–€120.

What phone replaces the Samsung A51?

Samsung Galaxy A52 series

The official successor, the Galaxy A52 (2021), brought 5G, a 90Hz display, and a much-improved chipset (GSMArena). It received four years of updates, ending in 2025. In Ireland, a used A52 costs about €150–€200, making it a step up from the A51.

Galaxy A54 and later

The A54 (2023) and A55 (2024) further raised the bar with 120Hz AMOLED displays, better cameras, and longer update commitments. However, they cost €250–€350 refurbished – a different price bracket.

Comparison of successors

The table below shows how each generation stacks up on specs and value.

The pattern: each generation adds about €100–150 to the refurbished price but also adds multiple years of support. For buyers who keep phones for two years, the A51 still makes sense at its low entry point.

Is the Samsung A51 no longer supported?

Software update history

• Launched with Android 10.
• Received OS upgrades up to Android 13 (One UI 5.1) (Samsung official).
• No further major OS updates planned.

Security patch status

Samsung ended security updates for the Galaxy A51 in April 2024 (Samsung official support). After that date, no new patches are being released.

What unsupported means for users

• No new security fixes – your device is vulnerable to new exploits.
• Apps may eventually drop support for Android 13.
• You can still use the phone for calling, texts, media, and offline tasks.
• For banking and sensitive apps, a supported device is recommended.

The catch: if you’re buying a phone for a child or as a backup that rarely runs sensitive apps, the lack of updates is less critical. For daily drivers, consider a newer model.

Which is better, Galaxy A51 or A16?

Display and design comparison

The A51 has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED (1080×2400), while the Galaxy A16 (2025) uses a 6.7-inch LCD with 720p+ resolution. For media consumption, the A51’s AMOLED wins clearly. The A16 is a newer design with a higher refresh rate (90Hz) but lower pixel density.

Performance and camera difference

The A16 typically packs a MediaTek Helio G99 or similar, outperforming the A51’s Exynos 9611 by around 40–50% in CPU benchmarks (GSMArena benchmarks). The A16 also has a 50MP main camera, but the A51’s 48MP quad setup with ultrawide and macro gives more versatility. The A51 lacks 5G on the standard model, while the A16 supports it.

Price and value recommendation

The comparison table below highlights where each model wins.

Why this matters: if your priority is saving every euro and you mainly watch videos, the A51 is hard to beat. If you need a reliable phone for apps, banking, and future-proofing, the A16 is worth the extra money.

Comparison: Galaxy A51 vs Galaxy A16

Here is a direct spec-by-spec breakdown of the two devices.

The trade-off: the A51’s superior screen at a lower price vs the A16’s modern performance and support. Most buyers in Ireland who plan to use the phone for more than a year will prefer the A16.

Detailed specs: Samsung Galaxy A51

Below is the full breakdown of what the A51 packs under the hood.

Seven years after launch, these specs still hold up for basic tasks. The AMOLED screen remains its standout feature even against 2025 budget phones.

Timeline: Galaxy A51 lifecycle

• December 2019: Launched worldwide (GSMArena)
• 2020–2021: OS updates to Android 11 and 12
• 2022: Android 13 (final major OS) (Samsung official)
• April 2024: Final security patch released
• 2025 onward: No further updates; device unsupported

The timeline shows the A51 had a respectable four-year update window – average for a mid-range phone from 2019 – but it’s now firmly in legacy territory.

What we know and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• A51 released December 2019 (GSMArena)
• Exynos 9611 chipset (GSMArena)
• Last security update April 2024 (Samsung official)
• 5G variant exists (Galaxy A51 5G with different chipset) (GSMArena)

What’s unclear

• Exact end-of-support date for carrier-branded units
• Battery replacement availability in all Irish regions
• Performance degradation over time data

Voices from the industry

“Security updates for the Galaxy A51 ended in April 2024. After that date, no new patches will be provided.”

— Samsung official support page (Samsung official support)

“The Galaxy A51’s camera setup is versatile for its price, but the aging Exynos chipset struggles with modern apps and multitasking.”

— GSMArena review (GSMArena)

The message from both sources is consistent: the A51 was a solid mid-range phone in its day, but its time as a fully supported device has passed.

For shoppers in Ireland looking for a cheap smartphone, the Galaxy A51 offers great value at under €100, but the end of security updates means it’s a device for basic use only. If you need a reliable daily driver for banking and apps, the Galaxy A16 or a newer model is the safer choice.

Related reading: GSMArena – Samsung Galaxy A51 specs · Samsung – Galaxy A51 official product page

For those in Scandinavia, a guide to buying the Galaxy A51 in Norway offers a Nordic perspective on pricing and availability.

Frequently asked questions