A Blind Test That Flipped Camera Expectations
When GSMArena ran a selfie video blind test, the result stunned almost everyone: the Samsung Galaxy A37, the most affordable smartphone camera in the lineup, won by a clear margin. Voters judged footage from five different phones without knowing which device shot which clip, focusing purely on selfie video quality. Despite being the cheapest option in the comparison and sitting firmly in the budget phone camera tier, the Galaxy A37 received the most votes and comfortably outperformed three Ultra-class flagships. Even more surprising, the Galaxy S26 Ultra finished last. The test shows that once you strip away branding and price tags, people reward natural skin tones, stable exposure, and clear detail over big sensor specs and premium positioning. In real-world use, especially for social media video, perception of quality is driven by what you see on screen—not by how expensive the phone is supposed to be.
Why the Galaxy A37’s Selfie Video Wins in Real Life
On paper, the Galaxy A37 looks unremarkable: a 12MP front camera with a 1/3.2" sensor and an Exynos 1480 chipset. Yet it delivers outstanding 4K selfie video quality that voters preferred to the output from top-tier Ultra models in the camera comparison test. This highlights how software tuning, processing, and color science can matter more than raw hardware specs. Samsung appears to have dialed in the A-series processing to favor flattering, consistent selfies with strong detail retention and reliable exposure—exactly what everyday creators and social users want. The A37 doesn’t need headline-grabbing zoom or exotic sensors to shine; instead, it prioritizes the front camera experience most people use every day. For anyone looking for a budget phone camera that punches well above its class in selfie video, the Galaxy A37 review takeaway is clear: you no longer have to buy a flagship to get creator-ready front-facing footage.
Galaxy A57: The Mid-Range Sweet Spot of Screen, Camera, and Charging
Sitting above the A37 is the Galaxy A57, a mid-range phone that balances design, display, and charging with capable cameras. It features a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED+ display with a sharp 2340 x 1080 resolution, thin bezels, and a slim 6.9mm body, making it feel far more premium than its price segment suggests. Powered by the Exynos 1580 with 8GB or 12GB of RAM, it pairs everyday performance with a 5,000mAh battery and 45W wired fast charging. On the camera side, the A57 offers a 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro, and a 12MP selfie camera. Reviewers note that photos are vibrant, colorful, and social-media ready, with consistency between the main and wide cameras. Crucially, it also performed strongly in the selfie video blind test, taking second place behind the A37 and underscoring how mid-range phones now deliver balanced value across display, camera, and charging features.
Budget vs. Ultra: What Consumers Really See in Video Quality
The Galaxy A37’s decisive victory and the A57’s runner-up finish reveal a growing truth: the budget and mid-range segments now compete head-on with Ultra flagships in perceived video quality. In the blind test, three Ultra-class models lost out because viewers favored realistic exposure, pleasing skin tones, and stable 4K selfie video over luxury branding and spec sheets. Meanwhile, reviewers highlight that even expensive devices like the Galaxy S26 Ultra can suffer from detail loss and muddiness in certain scenarios, a problem also seen on the A57 but far more forgivable at its price point. Consumer perception simply does not track neatly with tiers anymore. For buyers, this means a sub-USD 600 (approx. RM2,760) mid-ranger like the Galaxy A57—or an even cheaper A37—can deliver selfie video quality that feels every bit as satisfying, and sometimes more flattering, than what you get from top-tier Ultra models.
Rethinking How We Choose Phones for Selfie Video
The Galaxy A37’s blind-test win is more than a fun trivia fact; it signals a shift in how we should shop for phones. If selfie video quality is a priority, traditional assumptions that “flagship equals best camera” no longer hold. Budget and mid-range devices like the A37 and A57 show that software optimization and thoughtful tuning can outpace brute-force hardware and premium marketing. Instead of using price as a proxy for quality, it makes more sense to look at real-world camera comparison tests, blind polls, and nuanced reviews. For many users, a budget phone camera that nails front-facing video is more valuable than an Ultra phone that excels in niche scenarios but disappoints in everyday selfies. The takeaway is simple: let your eyes, not the price tag, be the judge—and you may find your next selfie video upgrade costs far less than you expected.