The cheapest 5G phone now comes with free earbuds

The Samsung Galaxy A90 5G is a strange beast. The A series is historically midrange, but here is a phone that (almost) matches the S10 spec for spec, and with one key advantage: it has 5G. And for a cheaper RRP, too.
 
Of course “cheaper” is not the same as “cheap”, and the phone will still set you back a difficult-to-swallow £669 SIM-free. But if you absolutely must have 5G this year – not my priority, but your call – then this is the cheapest way to get it.
 
And Samsung has found a way of sweetening the deal. If you buy the Galaxy A90 5G from select retailers, it’ll throw in a free pair of Galaxy Buds – Samsung’s decent true wireless earphones. Given they’re worth £139 on their own, that makes the £669 price the phone sells for everywhere a bit easier to take. Just buy the phone, and then email Samsung proof of purchase within 30 days following the instructions here. 
 
I haven’t used the Galaxy Buds myself, but Chris gave them a three-star review when he looked and listened. “They free you of the tyranny of cables, they’re incredibly comfortable and super convenient – and they sound better than a pair of AirPods to boot,” he wrote, before recommending better-sound alternates in the same price bracket.
 
I have used the Galaxy A90 5G, however, and my review has just gone live on the site today. It has the fastest Android processor on the market – the Snapdragon 855 – paired with a generous 6GB RAM and a fabulous screen. My only issues: ropey video recording, and the fact that 5G just isn’t that widely spread right now. Even in London, my experience was limited, and when I was in 5G areas I still only got speeds slightly faster than 4G+. Still three times faster than my home broadband speed, but not quite scraping what 5G promises in the long term. 
 
But if you want to get on board the future of mobile connectivity today, you won’t find a cheaper way of being an early adopter.
 
Buy now from Samsung