We are halfway through 2020, and the least expensive 5G phone currently available for purchase is still the $699 OnePlus 8 Thankfully, an affordable 5G solution is imminent, and it starts with the $599 Samsung Galaxy A71 5G

Sure, $600 for a phone is still pricey, but the Galaxy A71 5G is important because it breaks some of the barriers to entry that have kept 5G a proposition only for high-end flagship phones important in that it breaks down some of the barriers to entry that have so far limited 5G to high-end flagship devices only

Unlike the expensive Galaxy S20 series, which is powered by the Snapdragon 865 processor, the Galaxy A71 uses the slower but cheaper Snapdragon 765

The 765 combines two performance-oriented 22 GHz cores and six efficiency-oriented 18 GHz cores to achieve the right balance of speed and endurance The processor is also exclusive to the North American version of the Galaxy A71, while the international version will be powered by Samsung's Exynos 980 processor

The Snapdragon 765 is expected to usher in a wave of 5G phones available, ranging from the TCL 10 5G to Google's Pixel 5 The Galaxy A71 5G is the first of these, launched on T-Mobile and Sprint on June 19 July 16 on Verizon; the A71 5G is also available from AT&T and can be unlocked directly from Samsung

On the promotional front, T-Mobile is halving the price of the Galaxy A71 at launch for customers who add a line or switch to an uncarrier The device lands on AT&T on July 10, and in addition to the same $300 discount promotion as T-Mobile, AT&T buyers will receive a $100 Visa gift card for a limited time

In addition, Verizon has just announced its own variant of the Galaxy A71 customized for millimeter wave networks, called the Galaxy A71 5G UW, which adds a $50 premium for a total of $649 This is still one of the cheapest entry points to Verizon's 5G network, only the Moto 5G Mod is cheaper, but the A71 5G UW will have a newer, more powerful chipset and a better designed modem for $27, but Verizon is offering one of its unlimited plans for as low as $15 per month when purchased at the same time as a new line

5G sales pitches aside, the Galaxy A71 has 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a 67-inch Super AMOLED display with full HD resolution, a 4,500mAh battery, four primary, ultrawide, depth, and macro lenses on camera on the back, otherwise a well-equipped phone

In typical Samsung fashion, a microSD card can be used to upgrade the Galaxy A71's total storage up to 1TB; a 25-watt fast charger is included with the phone to back it up as quickly as possible, but the A 71 notably lacks wireless charging

It should be noted that the Galaxy A71 is not the only relatively inexpensive 5G phone expected to appear from Samsung this year Ironically, there is also a 5G variant of the Galaxy A51 - a phone we reviewed but were not necessarily attracted to due to its poor CPU Perhaps a 5G version of the same phone would offer enhanced performance as a result of Samsung having to slot in another chipset; there is no information yet on an ETA for the Galaxy A51 5G