Samsung recently launched smartphones in its budget segment dubbed Galaxy A56 5G and Galaxy A36 5G. I got my hands on the Galaxy A36 for the review, and hence the smartphone, building on the foundation of its predecessor, is offering several upgrades, especially in performance, software, and design. Nevertheless, the device also makes a few sacrifices. My detailed review will cover every aspect of the smartphone, including phone’s unboxing, design, display, performance, gaming capabilities, battery life, camera features, and software.
Design and Build Quality
Immediately after unboxing, the first thing that attract your attention is the design of the Galaxy A36 5G. Talking about the design, the smartphone is very similar to its predecessor with minor changes. The size of the display has grown slightly to 6.7 inches as compared to its predecessor A35 of 6.6 inches. However, the reason for this is the thinner bezels that are slightly noticeable, particularly at the bottom of the phone.
The company has managed to give it a somewhat premium feel with the help of metallic finish to Galaxy A36 5G, despite being plastic. The IP67 water and dust resistance rating means the phone can handle dust and submersion in water, which is a nice bonus for a mid-range device.
Camera:
While reviewing camera details of the Galaxy A36 5G, I noticed some of the shortcomings that I was not okay with. Smartphone in this price range at least should offer a decent setup, but it honestly felt like a déjà vu. If you are someone who used Galaxy A35 5G, then you will understand what I am saying and what o expect here.
Let’s start with the good stuff. The 50MP primary camera is actually fine wherein photos come out looking sharp and colorful. There are punchy colors that basically lean slightly into saturation without going overboard. Additionally, the results are vibrant and Instagram-ready. The dynamic range of the camera is decent and you will also notice that the detail holds up even in trickier lightning. Low light performance isn’t groundbreaking, but with Night Mode turned on, I did get some usable shots.
For selfies, I noticed a slight change as it is equipped with 12MP front camera instead of 13MP from last year. Irrespective of the fact that megapixels are dropped from last year, selfies still look great. The skin tones are pleasant and portrait shots turned put nicely. Though personally I did miss having a 2x zoom option for more flattering framing.
The 8MP ultrawide? Meh. It does the job in bright daylight, but it falls apart in anything less. And don’t even get me started on the 5MP macro lens — it’s just there to make up numbers. Focus is fixed, detail is soft, and it rarely adds value.
Talking about the video, the 4K 30fps both at the front and rear pleasantly surprised me for its stabilization and dynamic range. Buyers will also get a Super Steady mode too, but it lacks in performance and drops to 1080p and starts using ultrawide lens that typically hampers the quality. Overall, the camera section in Galaxy A36 5G isn’t a major leap forward and hence it looks good in daylight. But if you are someone who is more interested in the camera upgrade, then this smartphone probably won’t wow you.
Software and User Interface (One UI 7)
The Galaxy A36 5G runs One UI 7, Samsung’s custom skin on top of Android 15. One of the standout features that Samsung offered in this smartphone is the commitment to bring six years of OS and software updates which means users will receive support until 2031.
But it also has ots shortcomings as Samsung tends to double down on Android’s services by offering its own web browser, health tracking, smart home features, and more which seems a bit bloated and unnecessary. In addition, there are other bloatware too including Facebook, Pinterest that you will not be able to uninstall.
Despite these downsides, One UI includes useful features like Mods, Routines, and Split-Screen Support, allowing for automation of daily tasks and multitasking. Other standout feature that Samsung offers with Galaxy A36 5G is the eSIM support which proves to be a life saver for frequent travelers like me.
Display:
Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is equipped with a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel that still features a Full HD+ resolution. The contrast in the display is excellent as it offers deep blacks and punchy colors, especially when you set the display on the Vivid mode. Nevertheless, HDR streaming is not supported on platforms like Netflix, but it still has good outdoor visibility, even in direct sunlight.
Audio:
The audio performance is decent; However the stereo speakers are somewhat unbalanced. The earpiece speaker is weaker than the bottom-mounted speaker. That said, the overall audio volume is loud and sound quality is perfectly fine for me. I watched YouTube videos and streamed content on Netflix, and had the audio enjoyment.
Performance:
One thing that Samsung swapped this time is its processor from its in-house Exynos 1380 to Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 8GB of RAM. Unfortunately, I was not so happy with the performance as I was expecting from a smartphone that costs more than 30,000 bucks. Everyday tasks like media consumption, web browsing, and others are fine, but when it comes to demanding apps like camera processing, then it can be sluggish. Majorly, handling portrait mode takes several seconds to process which is actually a noticeable delay.
In terms of gaming, you cannot expect from it as it was struggling with the high graphics games like Genshin Impact and WWE. But lighter games like call of duty runs fine, expect a significant dip in frames. The phone doesn’t overheat during long gaming sessions, thanks to its vapor chamber cooling system, but it’s clear that this phone isn’t built for hardcore gaming.
Battery:
Battery life is amazing in Galaxy A36 5G as it offers 5,000mAh battery that comfortable last full day of use. You could also stretch it through to the weekend without needing a charge with light usage. The tech giant also increased the fast charging speed to 45W, which is quite impressive. The A36 5G can fully charge in about 70 minutes, which is competitive for its class. However, it lacks wireless charging, which might be a dealbreaker for some.
Final Thoughts
After reviewing for more than 20 days, I could say that Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is a solid mid-raneg smartphone with notable improvements over its predecessor. However, the smartphone is not without its flaws and hence it could be better, especially in gaming section and demanding applications. The camera offers an incremental improvement, with few weak spots in low-light.
The positive side is that the display offers a vibrant quality and the battery life is excellent. The design feels premium for the price range it belongs. If you are someone who is looking for a smartphone with reliable performance for everyday tasks, then this could be the best option. It offers good camera quality and solid software support and hence it is worth considering keeping the price range in mind.
Get latest Tech and Auto news from Techlusive on our WhatsApp Channel, Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and YouTube.
