Samsung Galaxy A36 5G review: A great mid-range contender

In a market saturated with phones that blur the line between budget and premium, Samsung’s Galaxy A36 5G aims to find its footing in the mid-range category — and largely succeeds. But in 2025, “largely” may not cut it when competitor brands like Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Motorola are aggressively upping the ante.

Design and display: Familiar, but polished

Let’s start with what Samsung does best — the screen. The A36 sports a 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and brightness that can hit up to 1,200 nits. It’s bright, smooth, and makes scrolling through social media or watching Netflix feel premium. Still, this is par for the course in this price bracket. Devices like the OnePlus Nord 3 and Poco X6 Pro offer similarly fluid OLED displays, often at a slightly lower price point.

Aesthetically, the A36 keeps things clean. It borrows a lot from its more expensive cousins, with flat edges, Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection, and an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. The phone feels durable but light at 195g — although the plastic frame reminds you this isn't a flagship.

Performance: Dependable, not dazzling

Running on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, paired with up to 12GB of RAM, the A36 holds up well for everyday tasks. App switching, multitasking, and even light gaming are handled with ease. But push it harder — say, with graphic-intensive games or heavy camera use — and you’ll notice some throttling.

By comparison, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ and Nothing Phone (3a) offer similar, if not better, performance-per-dirham ratios. The latter even sneaks in a slightly more refined UI experience at a lower cost.

Cameras and AI: Good enough for the Gram, with a boost from software

The triple rear setup — 50MP main with OIS, 8MP ultra-wide, and a 5MP macro — delivers reliably solid shots in daylight, though night shots still leave room for improvement. The 12MP selfie camera is decent, with Samsung’s typical beauty filters and sharpening algorithms doing some heavy lifting.

This year, Samsung leans into generative AI under the “Awesome Intelligence” banner. Some of it is helpful — like AI photo editing that lets you remove objects or enhance images without diving into third-party apps. The A36 also supports Circle to Search with Google, a slick feature for instant lookups, and AI-generated summaries for web pages and notes, which might appeal to students or busy professionals.

It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s meaningful — especially in this price segment, where AI often gets left out or watered down.

Battery and software support

The 5,000mAh battery is a strength. With moderate use, expect a full day and then some. Charging is capped at 45W — speedy, but outpaced by the likes of Realme and Xiaomi, which have normalised 65W and even 100W charging in this range.

Running Android 15 with One UI 7.0, the A36 benefits from Samsung’s best-in-class promise: up to six years of security and OS updates. This might be the device’s most compelling long-term value proposition. Where other brands offer 2–3 years of support, Samsung's extended update policy gives the A36 real staying power.

Colours and prices in the UAE

The Samsung A36 5G comes in four colours - Awesome Lavender, Awesome Black, Awesome Lime, and Awesome White. The base version is priced at Dh1,249.

Specifications

Display: 6.7" Super AMOLED, 120Hz

Chipset: Snapdragon 6 Gen 3

Cameras: 50MP + 8MP + 5MP rear, 12MP front

Battery: 5,000mAh, 45W fast charging

Software: Android 15 + One UI 7, 6 years of updates

AI Features: Object removal, Circle to Search, AI summaries

Verdict: Good, but not game-changing

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is a dependable, polished phone that ticks most boxes for the mid-range buyer — especially if you're already in Samsung’s ecosystem. It’s got a great screen, respectable performance, and standout software support. The addition of light-touch AI features helps modernise the experience without veering into gimmick territory.

Still, in a space where rivals are getting bolder, the A36 plays it a bit safe. It’s a smart choice — just maybe not the most exciting one.

Buy it if you want a safe, reliable phone with long-term support and a few useful AI tricks. Skip it if you’re looking for bleeding-edge value, speed, or camera excellence in this price range.