Samsung’s Galaxy A series has built a reputation for sneaking flagship-like features into budget-friendly phones. In fact, the design—especially the back panel and camera module—has often borrowed more than a few cues from the premium Galaxy S series. But with the Galaxy A36, Samsung has decided to switch things up, giving the camera module a whole new look. And compared to its predecessor, this one is not only sleeker but also a tad more compact.
Samsung Galaxy A36
Rs 32,999
What Is Good?
- Sleek form factor, comfortable to hold
- Unique design, looks appealing
- Everyday performance is great
- Software is snappy, fluid
- Good images in daylight conditions
- Solid battery life
What Is Bad?
- Low-light camera performance could have been better
- Price could have been more aggresive
Samsung didn’t just stop at a design refresh—it also gave the internals a makeover by swapping out Exynos for Qualcomm. So, what does that mean for performance? Well, here’s my take on it.
Pricing and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy A36 is available in three variants on Samsung’s official website, Amazon, and Flipkart.
| Variant | Price |
| 8GB RAM + 128GB Storage | Rs 32,999 |
| 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage | Rs 32,999 |
| 12GB RAM + 256GB Storage | Rs 35,999 |
Design and Display
I got my hands on the Lavender variant of the Samsung Galaxy A36, and right away, it felt like a completely different device compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy A35. The revamped design creates a clearer distinction between a flagship and a premium mid-ranger, which I appreciate. Previously, the Galaxy A35 had its camera lenses floating separately, much like Samsung’s flagship S series. This time, however, they’re grouped together in a more structured module.
The Lavender colour has a smooth gradient that gleams under sunlight, effortlessly grabbing attention in a crowd. But there’s a downside—it collects a lot of smudges. If you’re someone who likes their phone looking pristine, slapping a case on it is the easiest way to avoid the constant wipe-down struggle.
| Design | Specifications |
| Weight | 195 grams |
| Thickness | 7.4mm |
| Colours | Lavender, Black, and White |
| IP Rating | IP67 dust and water resistant |
| Port and Button Placements | Bottom: Primary microphone, USB port, Speaker grille, SIM tray Top: Secondary microphone and secondary speaker Right Side: Volume buttons and power button |
As for the in-hand feel—wow. This phone is surprisingly lightweight and sleek. The A series typically leans toward a bulkier, more muscular build, but this one sheds seven grams off the A35 while maintaining a refined profile. Honestly, the in-hand experience is at least ten times better, especially in a market where brands are competing to make phones slimmer and more compact.
In terms of durability, the Galaxy A36 sticks with an IP67 rating, which isn’t bad. However, when competitors like the Vivo V50 and Redmi Note 14 Pro+ offer IP68 and even IP69 water and dust resistance, Samsung definitely could have stepped up its game here.
The bezels on this display are hard to miss—especially that chunky chin, which makes the overall bezel size not quite flagship-grade thin. As for brightness, the display remains mostly visible without requiring any adjustments. But the moment the sun got a little too aggressive, I had to move around to get a clearer view.
| Display | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Size | 6.7-inch |
| Type | Super AMOLED display |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
| Peak Brightness | Claimed: 1900 nits Tested: nits |
| Minimum Brightness | nits |
Now, on to the display quality—I had a blast watching It’s Okay to Not Be Okay on Netflix. The visuals were crisp, the colours popped, and the overall experience felt immersive. The phone does come with Widevine L1 certification, so streaming in high quality is possible. But, alas, no HDR. A little HDR magic would’ve definitely taken the multimedia experience up a notch.
That buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and swiping feel effortless, and thankfully, I didn’t have to deal with any ghost touches haunting my screen.
The audio starts to sound a little rough when cranking up the volume to max, and I also noticed vibrations on the back panel. But at a more reasonable 70–80 per cent volume, everything from the tone to the bass sounds pretty solid.
Hardware and Software
Samsung has swapped out the Exynos chipset, which powered the Galaxy A35, for a Qualcomm processor in the Galaxy A36. To gauge the performance shift, I ran an AnTuTu benchmark on this phone. However, the difference wasn’t particularly significant. Check out our AnTuTu score graph below to see how these phones—and others—stack up against each other.
In day-to-day use, this phone ran smoothly—well, most of the time. I did catch a few hiccups when turning it on or rapidly hopping between apps, but nothing that made me want to throw it across the room.
When put through a CPU throttling test, it held on to 75 per cent of its peak performance, which is quite decent. Even after pushing it with benchmarks, it stayed surprisingly cool.
I spent hours doom-scrolling through Instagram Reels, binge-watching Netflix, and chatting with friends, and honestly, it felt just like using any other smartphone these days—no unexpected lags or annoying stutters to kill the vibe.
Gaming, on the other hand, was a pleasant surprise. Call of Duty: Mobile ran well, and I didn’t have to fight the phone as much as my in-game opponents. There were some minor jitters during team deathmatches, but nothing too dramatic. Bonus points for solid thermal management, which I totally appreciate.
| Hardware | Specifications |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 |
| RAM | Up to 12GB |
| Storage | Up to 256GB |
| Storage Test | 638436 |
| CPU Throttling Test | 75 per cent of its max performance |
| Software Version | One UI 7, based on Android 15 Six years of major Android upgrades |
| Connectivity Details | Dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.4 |
The software experience on the Galaxy A36 is exactly what you’d expect from a Samsung phone—familiar and packed with features. I played around with some of the smart tools like Object Eraser, AI Select, and Read Aloud. Samsung’s Object Eraser is hands down the best in the game right now—seriously, no one else is even in the same league. Meanwhile, Read Aloud basically turned webpages into podcasts, which was a lifesaver when I needed to skim through multiple sources but didn’t have the patience to read them all.
On the longevity front, Samsung promises six years of Android updates, so if you buy this phone in 2025, you’re sorted until 2031.
As for pre-installed apps, the phone comes loaded with apps like PhonePe, Snapchat, Mappls, Spotify, Netflix, Dailyhunt, and Truecaller, along with a full suite of Samsung, Google, and Microsoft apps. Thankfully, none of them spammed me with annoying notifications, which is a win. That said, this is still an extensive list of pre-installed apps.
Cameras
This phone comes with a triple-camera setup on the back, and the primary sensor delivers sharp details with solid dynamic range—most of the time. In some shots, the white background merges a little too well with the leaves after processing, creating a strange effect. Image processing tends to have its ups and downs.
The ultra-wide lens captures decent details, but the edges tell a different story. They look warped, especially in low light, making objects appear stretched or distorted.
| Camera | Specifications |
| Primary Camera | 50-megapixel wide with OIS f/1.8 aperture |
| Secondary Camera | 8-megapixel ultra-wide f/2.2 aperture, 123-degree field of view |
| Tertiary Camera | 5-megapixel macro with f/2.4 aperture |
| Selfie Camera | 12-megapixel, f/2.2 aperture |
| Video Recording Capabilities | Up to 4K at 30fps |
Portrait mode can be unpredictable. A picture of my friend in a frill top ended up with the frills blurred out completely, making edge detection feel unreliable. On the plus side, the background blur and skin tones are handled well.
Low-light shots are a mixed bag. Overexposed areas introduce noticeable noise and distortion, especially when leaves are involved. However, with the right lighting, night shots maintain good details and solid processing.
Selfies turn out refreshingly natural. Sunlit shots bring out skin texture, pores, and blemishes without over-smoothing, making the front camera a strong performer.
Battery and Charging
The battery capacity remains unchanged from the Galaxy A35, so this department has nothing new. Plus, with no charger in the box, you’ll eventually have to spend extra to get one. That said, any PD charger should work just fine.
Charging from 0 to 100 per cent took a little over an hour—not exactly blazing fast, but not painfully slow either.
| Battery | Specifications |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
| Charging Adapter | 45W charging, no charger in the box |
| Charging Time | 1 hour and 10 minutes |
| PCMark Battery Test | NA |
As for battery life, the phone easily powered through a day with light to moderate use, so you won’t be scrambling for a charger before bedtime.
I also ran the PCMark Battery test on this phone, but it encountered an error twice. I’ll run it again to see how well it performs and update this space.
Verdict
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy A36? Well, Samsung has completely shaken things up this time. The phone now has a fresh design that finally gives it its own identity—no longer just a distant cousin of the flagship S series. Some might see this as a downgrade, but honestly, it’s about time the A-series stood out. Plus, the camera module is oddly charming in a “so unique it works” kind of way. And the sleeker form factor this year is a welcome change.
For everyday use, this phone handles things like a pro—smooth, reliable, and fuss-free. But if you’re all about gaming, you might want to steer towards the Realme GT 6 or the slightly older but still capable OnePlus 12R.
As for the cameras, they deliver sharp shots in both bright and low light. However, low light performance could have been slightly better.
All in all, if you want a phone that lasts, offers a solid software experience, and comes with a sleek form factor, the Galaxy A36 is a solid choice. But the pricing could have been more aggressive.
