The Samsung Galaxy A36 impresses with its design and battery life but disappoints on performance, making it a hit-or-miss mid-ranger.
Head-turning design, long-lasting battery life, but a slow processor holds the Galaxy A36 back from achieving true greatness.
A Familiar Yet Fresh Face in the Galaxy A-Series
Samsung’s A-Series has been satisfying those in need of a Samsung smartphone experience on a budget for years now. The just-launched Samsung Galaxy A36 does so, falling neatly between the lower-end A26 and the more high-powered A56. Priced at retail for $549, it’s obvious Samsung is aiming at customers who prioritize design and durability over top-shelf performance.
Though it comes with premium-like features like a slender frame, high-refresh-rate screen, and six years of guaranteed security updates, Galaxy A36 fails to offer an overall silky smooth experience. In brief: a phone that’s durable, but not designed for velocity.
Display & Design – Slender, Bright, and Surprisingly Robust
The 6.7-inch screen is a joy to behold, with a 120Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling and gameplay buttery smooth. While the 1,200 nits brightness may not be the brightest out there, it’s plenty for everyday outdoor use. The screen’s vivid colors and sharp clarity enhance the user experience when viewing videos or perusing photos.
In appearance, the Galaxy A36 glows. Literally. The Awesome Lavender color finish gives a pearlescent beauty (although a fingerprint magnet), while its narrower 7.4mm frame and reduced weight make it easy to handle. Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Plus and IP67 water resistance enhance its toughness—easy to survive casual drops and splashes.
Performance – Mid-Range Power With Mid-Range Problems
Under the hood, the Galaxy A36 houses a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor and 6GB of RAM—the minimum for normal activities but hardly enough for much more. On booting up multiple apps or heavier games such as Genshin Impact, the phone warms up and begins to lag.
The greatest headache is multitasking. Frequent application switching tends to restart them, so you lose your game progress or interrupted music listening. If you’re an avid user or player, this lag will turn you off within no time. On the other hand, for light users, the performance is still mostly decent.
Battery Life – All-Day Stamina, Fast Charging (Sort Of)
Though it suffers from poor performance, the Galaxy A36 is a battery life champion. With a 5,000mAh battery, it has no problem lasting an entire day of use and can extend into the second day if used lightly. But heavy gaming sessions deplete it fast—be prepared for a 5% drop after just 10–15 minutes of gaming.
Though the phone supports 45W fast charging, there’s a caveat: you’ll need to buy the charger separately, as one isn’t included in the box. Still, the A36 charges to full in just over an hour, which is commendable for its price.
Camera – Good Enough, But a Bit Slow
The triple-camera rear setup—50MP primary, 8MP ultra-wide, and 5MP macro—works well in bright situations. It shoots natural, well-balanced colors without over-saturation. Low-light photography is surprisingly competent, although not on the same level as flagships.
The 12MP front camera snaps clean selfies, but shutter lag is an issue. Quick bursts tend to result in blurry, unusable shots, which may be a letdown for social media buffs.
Last Word – A Chic Survivor with Sacrifices
The Samsung Galaxy A36 presents excellent value in the design, screen, and software longevity departments. Its six-year security update cycle makes it a long-term reliable purchase. But performance straitjackets and insufficient smooth multitasking keep it from being a category leader.
If you’re a light user who prioritizes aesthetics, battery life, and brand assurance, the Galaxy A36 is a solid pick. But if speed and multitasking matter more to you, consider stretching your budget for the Galaxy A56.
Pros:
- Bright, high-refresh-rate display
- Attractive, lightweight design
- Long-lasting battery and updates
Cons:
- Laggy multitasking
- No wireless charging
- No charger included
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