Samsung Galaxy A36 5G – Complete Feature Breakdown and In-Depth Review
Samsung has expanded its Galaxy A series with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G, a sleek and performance-driven smartphone aimed at mid-range users seeking 5G connectivity, solid performance, and a feature-rich camera setup. The Galaxy A series has always been popular for delivering flagship-like features at a budget-friendly price, and the A36 5G is no exception. In this article, we will explore all aspects of the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G in detail, from design and display to processor performance, battery life, camera capabilities, and software experience.
Design and Build Quality
Samsung has maintained its premium design aesthetics with the Galaxy A36 5G. The phone features a sleek and minimalistic design, with a refined matte finish that feels luxurious in the hand. It comes in a range of attractive colors like Awesome Black, Awesome Blue, and Awesome Lime, appealing to a younger audience who value both looks and performance.
The frame is made of high-quality plastic, but it mimics the look and feel of metal, providing a sturdy grip. The back panel is smooth with slightly curved edges, making it comfortable to hold for extended periods. The device is slim, measuring approximately 8.1 mm in thickness, and weighs around 190 grams, making it neither too bulky nor too light—just the right balance for daily use.
Additionally, the IP67 water and dust resistance rating gives it a level of durability that’s rare in this price segment, allowing it to survive splashes and even short immersions in water.
Display – Super AMOLED Brilliance
One of the standout features of the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is its vibrant 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display. It delivers Full HD+ resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels) with a pixel density of around 405 PPI, ensuring crystal-clear visuals, deep blacks, and vibrant colors.
What makes it more impressive is the 120Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling smoother and enhances the overall user experience, especially for gaming and multimedia consumption. The peak brightness of 1000 nits ensures excellent visibility even under direct sunlight, and the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, offering added durability against scratches and accidental drops.
The Infinity-O punch-hole design provides an immersive viewing experience by housing the selfie camera in the center, with minimal bezels that maximize screen real estate.
Performance and Processor – Smooth Multitasking
Under the hood, the Galaxy A36 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, a reliable and efficient SoC built on a 4nm process. It includes an octa-core CPU (1×2.4 GHz Cortex-A710, 3×2.36 GHz Cortex-A710, and 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A510), paired with Adreno 644 GPU for smooth graphics rendering.
This configuration ensures a lag-free experience during multitasking, gaming, and intensive usage. Whether you’re playing games like Call of Duty: Mobile or multitasking between apps, the A36 5G handles it all with ease. Benchmark tests place this device in the upper mid-range category, with excellent scores in both single-core and multi-core tasks.
It comes with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, with support for RAM Plus, allowing up to 8GB of virtual RAM expansion. Storage options include 128GB and 256GB UFS 2.2, ensuring faster read/write speeds and app loading times. You also get a dedicated microSD card slot that supports up to 1TB of external storage, which is great for those who store a lot of media files.
Camera System – Triple-Lens Versatility
Samsung continues to prioritize camera performance in the Galaxy A36 5G, offering a versatile triple-camera setup that excels in both daylight and low-light conditions. Here’s a breakdown:
Main Camera: 50MP (f/1.8, PDAF, OIS)
This high-resolution primary camera delivers detailed, sharp, and vibrant images. Thanks to Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and a wide aperture, it performs well in low-light situations, reducing blur and enhancing clarity.
Ultra-Wide Camera: 8MP (f/2.2, 123° FoV)
Perfect for capturing landscapes and group shots, the ultra-wide lens adds creative flexibility. Though not as sharp as the main camera, it handles daylight scenes quite well.
Macro Camera: 2MP (f/2.4)
While basic in specs, the macro lens allows close-up shots with decent detail, useful for capturing textures and small objects.
Selfie Camera: 13MP (f/2.0)
The front-facing camera is great for selfies and video calls, offering AI beautification features and 1080p video recording.
The camera app is feature-rich, including Night Mode, Portrait Mode, Pro Mode, Panorama, Hyperlapse, and Super Slow-mo. Video recording supports up to 4K at 30fps for the rear camera and 1080p at 30fps for the front.
Battery Life – Long-Lasting Power
Powering the Galaxy A36 5G is a 5000mAh non-removable battery, which is more than capable of delivering a full day of heavy usage. Whether you’re streaming content, gaming, or working, this phone is built to last.
It supports 25W fast charging, which charges the phone from 0 to 50% in just under 30 minutes, and a full charge takes around 70-75 minutes. While it lacks wireless charging, the fast-charging capabilities make up for it.
Battery optimization in One UI 6 further enhances standby time and power efficiency, ensuring you’re not frequently reaching for the charger.
Connectivity and Network – 5G-Ready
As the name suggests, the Galaxy A36 5G supports 5G connectivity, ensuring ultra-fast download and upload speeds. It supports dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual standby), and both SIMs support 5G.
Other connectivity features include:
- Wi-Fi 6
- Bluetooth 5.3
- NFC
- GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
- USB Type-C 2.0
The phone also supports VoWiFi (Voice over Wi-Fi) and VoLTE, ensuring HD-quality calls even in low-signal areas.
Security Features
The Galaxy A36 5G offers multiple layers of security, including:
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor – fast and accurate.
- Face unlock – works well in daylight and moderate lighting.
- Samsung Knox Security – protects sensitive data with multi-layer protection.
Samsung Knox Vault also helps in safeguarding biometric data and secure files from malicious attacks.
Software and User Interface – One UI Experience
Out of the box, the A36 5G runs on Android 14 with One UI 6.1, Samsung’s custom skin that enhances user experience with a clean, intuitive interface. One UI is known for its customization features, smooth animations, and useful tools like:
- Edge Panels for quick access to apps
- Bixby Routines for automation
- Good Lock Modules for advanced customization
- Samsung DeX support (via wireless projection)
- Privacy Dashboard and Digital Wellbeing
Samsung promises 4 years of major Android updates and 5 years of security patches, making this phone a future-proof investment for users who plan to keep their device for the long term.
Audio and Multimedia
The Galaxy A36 5G features stereo speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos, delivering immersive sound quality that enhances movie watching and gaming. There’s no 3.5mm headphone jack, but USB Type-C audio and Bluetooth 5.3 offer high-quality audio output.
The audio is loud, clear, and balanced, with a dedicated game mode audio boost, perfect for gamers and binge-watchers.
Additional Features
- Always-On Display with customizable widgets.
- Samsung Pay (NFC) for contactless payments.
- Game Booster mode for optimizing gaming performance.
- Virtual Proximity Sensor and Gyroscope for enhanced gaming and AR experiences.
- Secure Folder to store private files and apps.
- Digital Car Key (UWB) support in select regions and models.
What’s in the Box?
Samsung keeps things simple with its eco-friendly packaging. Inside the box, you’ll get:
- Samsung Galaxy A36 5G handset
- USB Type-C to Type-C cable
- SIM ejector tool
- Quick start guide
Note: Charger is not included in the box, aligning with Samsung’s sustainability goals.
Pricing and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is priced competitively in the mid-range market. Expected pricing in India and global markets:
- 8GB + 128GB variant: ₹26,999 (approx.)
- 8GB + 256GB variant: ₹29,999 (approx.)
Available online via Samsung.com, Amazon, Flipkart, and major retail stores. It also comes with exchange offers, cashback, and no-cost EMI options in selected regions.
Final Verdict – Should You Buy It?
The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is a well-rounded smartphone that ticks most boxes for everyday users and power users alike. With a beautiful AMOLED display, strong performance, 5G connectivity, excellent software support, and a dependable camera, this phone justifies its price tag.
Whether you’re a student, gamer, photographer, or professional, the A36 5G delivers a balanced experience with Samsung’s trusted build quality and long-term software support.
Our Ratings:
- Design & Build: 8.5/10
- Display: 9/10
- Performance: 8/10
- Camera: 8/10
- Battery: 9/10
- Software & Updates: 9.5/10
- Overall: 8.7/10
FAQs
1. What is the price of the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G?
The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is priced around ₹26,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, and ₹29,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant in India. However, prices may vary depending on the region and any ongoing discounts or offers.
2. Does the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G support 5G networks?
Yes, the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is fully compatible with 5G networks. It supports both sub-6 GHz 5G bands, ensuring fast internet speeds and a future-proof network experience.
3. What is the camera setup like on the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G?
The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G features a 50MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera, and 2MP macro camera on the back. For selfies, it has a 13MP front camera. The camera system offers a variety of features such as Night Mode, Portrait Mode, Pro Mode, and 4K video recording.
4. How long does the battery last on the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G?
The 5000mAh battery on the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G easily lasts a full day of heavy use, including streaming, gaming, and multitasking. It supports 25W fast charging, which can charge the device from 0 to 50% in about 30 minutes.
5. What kind of display does the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G have?
The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G boasts a 6.5-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It delivers vibrant colors, sharp details, and smooth scrolling, making it perfect for media consumption and gaming.
6. Does the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G have expandable storage?
Yes, the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G comes with 128GB/256GB of internal storage and features a microSD card slot that supports up to 1TB of external storage, allowing you to expand the storage as needed.
7. Does the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G have a headphone jack?
No, the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G does not feature a 3.5mm headphone jack. However, it supports USB Type-C audio and Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless audio connections.
8. Is the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G water-resistant?
Yes, the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G has an IP67 rating, meaning it is dust and water-resistant and can withstand immersion in water up to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes.
9. What version of Android does the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G run?
The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G runs on Android 14 with One UI 6.1, providing an enhanced user experience with features like Edge Panels, Samsung DeX, and customizable UI elements.
10. How is the performance of the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G?
The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset and comes with 8GB of RAM, providing smooth performance for gaming, multitasking, and general use. The phone handles heavy apps, multitasking, and gaming quite well.
