Samsung Galaxy A36 5G Review: a solid mid-ranger with stiff competition

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G officially launched in the US on March 26 and is the brand's most premium mid-range offering after the Galaxy A56.

Priced from $399, the Galaxy A36 aims to deliver a competitive package at a more accessible price point. With this strategy, Samsung is clearly targeting budget-conscious consumers who are also considering options like the Google Pixel 9a, iPhone 16e, or Nothing Phone 3a.

So, does the Galaxy A36 deliver enough value to stand out in this crowded segment?

Design & Display

The Galaxy A36 keeps Samsung’s mid-range design philosophy intact - clean, minimal, and functional. The phone features a flat plastic frame, but both the front and back are protected with Gorilla Glass Victus+, which is a notable upgrade over the all-plastic body of last year’s Galaxy A35.

The most significant design shift is on the rear, where the usual triple-lens alignment has been replaced by a vertical, pill-shaped camera island. It's a callback to design choices from earlier smartphone eras - whether that’s refreshing or outdated will depend on personal taste.

Dimensions are slightly improved, with the A36 being nearly a millimeter thinner than its predecessor. While that may seem minor, it’s an appreciated refinement, especially since battery capacity hasn't been compromised.

Samsung retains the “Key Island” design element, placing the power and volume buttons within a raised housing - a feature unique to the Galaxy A series. Color options include Lavender, Black, White, and Lime. While the choices are diverse, the finishes lack vibrancy and may feel a bit muted.

On the front, the display has been subtly enhanced. The Galaxy A36 sports a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen, up from 6.6 inches, with slightly thinner bezels. The panel delivers a Full HD+ resolution and supports a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and animations.

The biggest upgrade comes in brightness. The A36 now performs much better outdoors, thanks to a significantly higher peak brightness compared to the ~500 nits of the A35. Color reproduction is also accurate, with balanced gamma and contrast - overall, a very capable display for its price.

Biometric security is handled via an in-display optical fingerprint scanner. A basic Face Unlock option is available too, though it lacks robust security measures.

Camera

The Galaxy A36 features a triple-lens camera setup identical to the A35: a 50MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 5MP macro camera. The macro unit continues to be of limited use, and many would argue it could have been omitted. The only noticeable change is in the front camera - it’s now a 12MP sensor, replacing the previous 13MP.

So, what’s new? While the hardware hasn’t evolved much, Samsung has leaned into software enhancements powered by what it calls “Awesome Intelligence” - a suite of AI-based features. These include an object eraser tool, custom photo filters, and smart edit suggestions, all designed to make photo editing more accessible and intuitive.

Main Camera: Delivers warmer tones than the A35, with images often appearing oversharpened and processed. It’s not a major improvement, and in some cases, could be a step back for those preferring natural image rendering.

Ultra-wide Camera: Functional but uninspired. Image quality is serviceable but leans toward warmer tones compared to the A35.

Zoom: At 2X digital zoom - now a preset in the camera app - images are surprisingly usable and relatively detailed for a mid-ranger.

Performance & Benchmarks

The Galaxy A36 is powered by the 5nm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, a lateral move from the Exynos 1380 used in the A35. This marks the third consecutive year that Samsung has alternated between Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Exynos in its A3x lineup.

In real-world use and benchmark testing, performance is nearly identical to its predecessor. In fact, it scored slightly lower on Geekbench 6. That’s not a deal-breaker, but it does suggest that A35 and A34 owners may not find a compelling reason to upgrade.

The phone handles basic tasks well but isn’t meant for power users. Minor stutters, longer app loading times, and occasional lag are still part of the experience - acceptable in this segment, but something to be aware of.

On the bright side, graphical performance has improved modestly. The A36 outperforms its predecessor in 3DMark’s Extreme test, but it's still not enough to support demanding gaming. Casual use is fine, but don’t expect flagship-level performance.

The device comes with 8GB of RAM, which is standard for mid-range phones today, and it’s an upgrade from the base 6GB found in the A35. Storage options include 128GB and 256GB, but there's a major omission: no more microSD support. Expandable storage, once a hallmark of Samsung’s mid-range phones, is gone.

Software & Features

The Galaxy A36 ships with Android 15 and Samsung’s One UI 7 - a strong point, as even some 2024 flagships haven’t received the new UI yet. Samsung also promises six years of software support (major Android updates and security patches), aligning it with other long-term champions like the Pixel 9a.

The device features a streamlined version of Galaxy AI, marketed here as “Awesome Intelligence.” Highlighted features include:

• AI Select: Like Google’s Circle to Search, but accessed via a utility panel.
• Custom Filters: Create filters based on your own photos.
• Edit Suggestions: Gallery-based AI edits.
• Object Eraser: Remove unwanted elements from photos.
• Read Aloud: Converts web pages into spoken content via Samsung Internet.

Battery Life

The 5,000mAh battery is unchanged from the A35, which is good news given the slimmer body. Battery life is solid across the board. In web browsing, the A36 outperforms the A35 by about two hours. In video playback and gaming, the results are more or less the same - competent, but not groundbreaking.

Audio & Haptics

Audio quality is decent for the price. The stereo speakers get the job done, but they suffer from distortion at higher volumes and lack depth. The haptics remain one of the weaker points - mushy and imprecise.

Conclusion: Should You Buy It?

The Galaxy A36 5G isn’t trying to be the best phone on the market - and that’s okay. It’s designed for value, and at $399, it makes a strong case for itself. While performance and camera quality remain average, the device benefits from a better display, improved build, longer software support, and a few smart AI features.

If your budget is tight and you’re not expecting flagship capabilities, the Galaxy A36 5G is a solid pick in the sub-$400 category.