Hi! I’ve had the Samsung Galaxy A36 for the last few weeks, and today I’m going to tell you all about it. Samsung’s A-series has always been a personal favorite of mine. Not only does it fill the gap between their high-end S-series and the less expensive M/F-series, but it’s also one of the most selling series in India. The A36 is looking to continue this legacy, and I was keen to see if it justifies its price tag. So, come along with me on this adventure as we delve into all things Samsung Galaxy A36 from a user’s point of view.
Unboxing & First Impressions
The first thing that immediately grabs your attention when you open the box is its design. I own the ‘Awesome Lavender’ color model, and it actually looks stunning. It has a glass back, making it feel luxurious, although it does pick up fingerprints rather easily. The phone is slightly large in hand because of the 6.7-inch display, but it is actually light and thin. Samsung has revamped the design this time around; the camera modules are now placed inside a ‘linear floating island’ design. It does make the phone rock back slightly when set flat on a table, though.
The plastic frame doesn’t feel quite as upmarket as the metal one on the A56, but it does feel robust and assists in keeping the weight low. Overall, the initial impression of the design of the phone is nice and trendy. Within the box, apart from the phone, you receive a SIM ejector tool, some documents, and a USB-C to USB-C cable. Yes, there is no charger within the box, which has become a norm for Samsung nowadays.
Design & Build Quality
Moving on to the design, the Lavender color version has a light ‘radiance’ effect at the back that changes with light, which makes it very pleasing. Glass back (with Gorilla Glass Victus+ cover) contributes to the premium feel, but as noted, it’s a fingerprint magnet, so a case is recommended. The plastic frame may be a letdown, given that some companies provide metal frames at this range, but it’s decent quality and has a comfortable grip.
Button placement is typical – volume rocker and power button are on the right and are convenient to access. On the bottom, there is the SIM tray (presumably a hybrid slot, i.e., two SIMs or one SIM and microSD card), the USB Type-C port, and the speaker grille. There is a second microphone on the top. Lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack may disappoint some. No definitive word is given on an official IP rating, which would be a letdown, but A-series devices tend to get minimal water and dust resistance instead. The rest of the design is new, colors are good, and the build quality for the price point is good enough, with only the camera bump wobble and plastic frame detracting from this.
Display: Samsung’s Strong Suit
This is the area where Samsung always performs extremely well, and the A36 is no exception. The 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED screen is amazing. Colors are supremely vivid and punchy, just as from a Samsung panel. Blacks are rich, and the contrast is great. It’s a genuinely pleasurable experience watching videos or playing games on this screen.
The 120Hz adaptive refresh rate ensures scrolling and UI navigation are very smooth. It dynamically adjusts the refresh rate depending on the content, which also saves battery life. Samsung is said to have a peak brightness of up to 1200 nits, and in my usage, visibility in direct sunlight was very good. Text and images do not blur. Gorilla Glass Victus+ cover on the screen is a definite plus, which provides enhanced protection against scratches and small drops. Bezels are slim, and there is a punch-hole centered cutout for the front-facing camera, typical these days. Overall, the screen is among the strongest points of this device.
Performance: The New Snapdragon Chipset
The Samsung Galaxy A36 is driven by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor. I own the 8GB RAM model, and in regular usage, the phone feels like butter. Apps launch promptly, multitasking is seamless, and there is no discernible lag when scrolling through social media or surf the web.
In gaming, I attempted playing popular games like BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile. The games perform fairly well on medium to high settings, but it may not be the best phone for extremely high-end gaming or extended heavy sessions. It’s more than sufficient for light gaming or occasional play. The phone does heat up a bit during extended gaming, but not to a worrying degree. RAM is available in 6GB, 8GB, and 12GB, with storage up to 256GB. For my part, the 8GB RAM model would be enough for the majority. This chipset balances well for everyday use and moderate gaming.
Software & AI: The Promise of Updates
This phone has OneUI 7.0 from the most recent Android 15. Samsung’s OneUI UI is very clean and feature-sufficient. It has lots of customization features and is very intuitive. Yes, there are some preloaded Samsung and Microsoft programs, but most of them you can uninstall or disable.
The largest highlight Samsung is providing with this phone is the assurance of 6 years of OS updates and 6 years of security patches. This is a first in this category and makes the phone extremely future proof. It implies that you will keep getting new features and security updates for many years, which is an enormous plus point.
Samsung has also thrown in some Galaxy AI features, though not nearly as many as on the A56 or the S-series. Object Eraser, Edit Suggestion, and some camera-based AI tricks are probably included. I tested out the Object Eraser, and it worked well enough to eliminate small unwanted objects from images. These AI features do bring some convenience to normal use.
Camera: Dependable Performance
The Galaxy A36 features a triple camera setup on the back:
- 50MP Primary Sensor (with OIS, f/1.8 aperture)
- 8MP Ultra-wide Sensor
- 5MP Macro Sensor
- Front: There’s a 12MP front camera
- Primary Camera (50MP): In light conditions, the main camera takes great photos. Details are decent, colors are lively (typical Samsung style), and the dynamic range is very good. OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) is very beneficial in low-light and video recording situations, leading to fewer blurry photos and more stable videos. Portrait mode edge detection is proper most of the time.
- Ultra-wide Camera (8MP): The camera provides you with a broader view, great for landscapes or group shots. Compared to the main sensor, though, you can see that there’s a drop in detail, particularly on the edges of the frame. There’s a slight color shift as well. It’s middling but it does the trick.
- Macro Camera (5MP): Used for close-ups. You can take acceptable macro shots in favorable lighting, but the quality isn’t that spectacular. Focusing sometimes becomes difficult. I personally think it is largely a gimmick.
- Selfie Camera (12MP): The front camera captures decent selfies. Natural skin tones and sufficient details are delivered. The support for claimed 10-bit HDR aids in the delivery of improved dynamic range. Portrait selfies also turn out great.
As for video recording, the main camera allows you to take stable and high-quality videos, particularly thanks to OIS. The camera module overall is reliable. The main camera is reliable both in daylight and at night, and ultra-wide and macro are on a par. Selfie camera doesn’t let us down either.
Battery Life & Charging
The phone comes with a 5,000mAh battery, which is quite common in this category these days. With my average usage (social media, some web browsing, YouTube content, and a little gaming), the phone had no issues lasting a day. I was always able to get 6-7 hours of screen time, which is very decent. If you’re a light user, you may even make it a day and a half.
When it comes to charging, Samsung has upgraded here. The phone charges at 45W fast charging. But as noted above, the charger is not provided in the box, so you have to buy a 45W charger separately. I charged it with Samsung’s 45W charger, and it took around 30 minutes to go from 0% to 50% and took around an hour to fully charge, which is really fast. Samsung’s 29 hours of video playback claim may be exaggeration, but battery life is certainly impressive.
Audio & Connectivity
The device comes with a single speaker at the bottom. The audio does get loud enough, but the absence of stereo speakers is quite noticeable while watching videos or gaming. The quality of the audio is normal; don’t hope for much bass. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack for wired earphones, so Type-C earphones or wireless earbuds are what you’re stuck with. Call quality is acceptable; I experienced no network reception issues or difficulty hearing the other party. 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth are all normal.
Verdict: Should You Buy the Samsung Galaxy A36?
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A36 is a great buy for those seeking a dependable Samsung phone with an excellent screen, excellent battery life, a solid main camera, and, above all, industry-leading software support. If you don’t game excessively and can settle for the plastic body and mediocre secondary cameras, the phone won’t let you down. The 6 years of updates guarantee make it a sound future investment. For what it costs, it’s certainly worth looking into, particularly if you like the Samsung brand and their OneUI experience.
