Samsung Galaxy A36 5G Review: An Interesting Fun Midrange

If you’re after a phone that nails the basics without burning a hole in your wallet, the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G might be worth a look. Sitting comfortably in the midrange tier, it’s built for people who want a big screen, dependable performance, and the perks of Samsung’s ecosystem—without going flagship.

The Galaxy A36 5G doesn’t try to be flashy. It sticks to what matters: a brilliant display, long-lasting battery, clean software, and enough power to handle your everyday apps. With a promise of six Android upgrades and security updates to match, it’s a phone that’s built to stay relevant—not just for now, but for years down the line.

First Look and Design

Clean, Familiar Aesthetic

Right out of the box, the Galaxy A36 gives off a familiar Samsung midrange vibe. If you’ve seen the A56 5G, this will look almost identical: sleek, minimal, with a clean rear camera layout. It’s not pushing design boundaries, but it doesn’t have to.

Weighing in at 195g and just 7.4mm thick, it feels nice and light in the hand. The flat back and glossy finish on our (Awesome) Lavender unit catch the light in subtle, aurora-like ways. It’s also available in Black, White, and Lime—each with its own subdued twist compared to the A35.

Build and Durability

The Galaxy A36 has a solid build for the price. You get Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and back, a plastic frame with a matte finish, and IP67 dust and water resistance. That’s a nice bonus for clumsy hands or rainy days.

That said, the phone does feel more “midrange” than premium when you pick it up. The plastic frame gives it away, and the camera bump on the back sticks out just enough to make it rock on flat surfaces. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s not exactly elegant either.

Display: Big, Bright, and Smooth

Samsung knows how to make a great screen, and the Galaxy A36 delivers. The 6.7-inch AMOLED panel boasts a crisp 1080 x 2340 resolution (385ppi), buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, and solid brightness numbers: 1,200 nits in high brightness mode and up to 1,900 nits peak.

It also has two refresh rate options—Standard (60Hz) for battery saving and Adaptive, which sticks to 120Hz most of the time. Whether you’re scrolling socials or binge-watching, this screen doesn’t disappoint. No HDR support, though, which is a bummer at this price point.

Performance and Daily Use

Smooth for Everyday Stuff

When it comes to daily use, the Galaxy A36 5G handles itself like a pro—as long as you’re not pushing it too hard. Under the hood, it’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip, which is built on an efficient 4nm process. This might not be the flashiest processor out there, but it’s a solid choice for a midrange device. You’re getting an 8-core setup (4x Cortex-A78 performance cores and 4x Cortex-A55 efficiency cores), which translates to reliable multitasking and snappy app performance.

In everyday use, it’s smooth sailing. Social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter run without a hitch. Switching between your browser, messages, and YouTube feels seamless, and One UI 7.0 adds a layer of polish with fluid animations and smart background memory management. It’s not just responsive—it feels clean and stable, like a phone that knows what it’s doing.

You’ve got options for RAM and storage, too. The base model ships with 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.x storage, while higher-tier versions go up to 8GB + 256GB, and there’s even a 12GB RAM model floating around in select markets. UFS 2.x isn’t the fastest storage tech anymore, but it’s quick enough for general use and keeps load times reasonable. The only catch? No microSD card support—so you’re stuck with whatever storage you choose.

Gaming is a mixed bag. Lighter games like Subway Surfers, Clash Royale, or Stumble Guys run great. But if you fire up something more demanding—like Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile—you’ll notice the limits of the Adreno 710 GPU. Frames can dip, textures might stutter on higher settings, and load times can stretch. It’s playable, just not buttery-smooth.

In short, the Galaxy A36 doesn’t pretend to be a gaming beast. What it does offer is consistent, everyday performance that most people will find more than enough for work, communication, entertainment, and a little fun. Benchmark scores are mid-level, with a total of 644,277 points on Antutu 3D and 3,445 points on 3DMark, are more than enough for some medium setting gaming. And because it’s running a well-optimized One UI version on top of Android 15, you get thoughtful features and AI enhancements without a clunky or bloated feel.

Battery and Charging

Samsung’s stuck with the reliable 5,000mAh battery we’ve seen across its A series, and that’s a good thing. You can easily get a full day (or more) on moderate use. Fast charging gets a boost to 45W, and while you won’t get insane charging speeds like some Chinese brands, it’s a noticeable improvement over the A35.

Software and Smart Features

One of the strongest selling points of the Galaxy A36 5G isn’t something you can see—it’s the software. Samsung has packed this midranger with the latest One UI 7.0, layered on top of Android 15, and the result is a smooth, clean, and smart experience that feels like it belongs on a more expensive phone.

Let’s talk longevity first: Samsung is promising six generations of Android OS updates and up to six years of security patches for the Galaxy A36. That’s unheard of in this price range. Most midrange Android phones get left behind after two or three years—this one’s built for the long haul. It’s perfect for users who don’t want to upgrade phones every year just to keep things secure and up-to-date.

Functionally, One UI 7.0 is polished and loaded with thoughtful additions. The interface is snappy, animations are smooth, and the layout is user-friendly—even if you’ve never used a Samsung phone before. Samsung’s customizations to Android are purposeful, not excessive. Menus are intuitive, settings are easy to navigate, and multitasking features like split-screen and pop-up views actually work well on the large display.

AI also plays a big role in the Galaxy A36’s software experience. Some of the AI-powered tools here used to be exclusive to Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S series—not anymore. You can grab text from photos, clip out objects, generate GIFs from videos on the fly, or even turn your favorite photo into a wallpaper with a couple of taps. It’s convenient and fun, and it all works without needing a third-party app.

One particularly cool feature is Circle to Search, powered by Google. See something interesting in a photo, video, or webpage? Just circle it with your finger and get instant search results. It’s surprisingly useful, especially for visually driven content like clothes, food, or travel ideas.

Samsung’s native Gallery app also comes with the Object Eraser, a tool that lets you remove unwanted items or people from photos. It’s not as refined as the one found on Samsung’s latest Galaxy S25 models—it can leave behind smudges or weird patches—but it’s decent for quick fixes and casual edits.

You also get some nice touches in day-to-day use: edge panels for quick shortcuts, customizable always-on display options, and Digital Wellbeing tools that help you manage screen time or wind down at night. The optical under-display fingerprint scanner works reliably (though not the fastest), and the stereo speakers, enhanced by Dolby Atmos, make watching videos or listening to music a much more immersive experience than you’d expect from a midrange phone.

Altogether, the Galaxy A36’s software makes it feel like a smarter, more useful device. It doesn’t just run Android—it makes Android better for everyday users. That, combined with long-term support, gives the Galaxy A36 a huge edge over most phones in its class.

Camera and Photography

Triple Camera Setup (Mostly for the Basics)

The Galaxy A36 carries over a familiar triple-lens setup:

• 50MP main
• 8MP ultrawide
• 5MP macro

On the front is a new 12MP selfie cam, replacing the 13MP unit from the A35.

Photos from the main cam are decent—plenty of detail, a wide dynamic range, and colors that “pop” a bit more than real life. They’re not wildly oversaturated, but they do lean toward the vibrant side. Where the camera struggles is consistency: exposure and color can vary shot to shot, especially in tricky lighting.

The ultrawide and macro are pretty much copy-paste from the A35. Serviceable in good light, but they don’t add much excitement.

Selfies and Video

Selfies look good, with sharp detail and natural skin tones, especially in well-lit conditions. Depending on the crop, they come out as either 12MP or about 7.6MP.

The Galaxy A36 shoots video at up to 4K @ 30fps from both the main and selfie cameras. The ultrawide tops out at 1080p. There’s solid always-on video stabilization, which helps smooth out those handheld clips, and the audio is recorded in stereo with 48kHz quality.

Night photography is where it stumbles a bit. Auto night mode exists, but it’s shy—it rarely kicks in on its own, even when it probably should. That means you might need to toggle it manually in low-light settings to get the best results.

Photo Samples

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G doesn’t reinvent the midrange wheel—but it absolutely refines it. It’s the kind of phone that feels thoughtfully designed for real-world use. You’re getting a sharp and vibrant 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate, excellent battery life with improved 45W fast charging, and a clean One UI experience backed by long-term software support. For anyone who just wants a phone that works well and keeps up with modern features—without paying flagship prices—this one checks a lot of boxes.

Where the Galaxy A36 shines is in the essentials. Daily performance is smooth, thanks to the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip, and the software experience is surprisingly premium for this tier. AI tools like Circle to Search, live text extraction, and Samsung’s editing tricks add useful layers to your routine without getting in the way. And the promise of six years of updates gives this phone a kind of future-proofing you rarely see outside the top-tier market.

That said, it’s not perfect. The camera system hasn’t seen much of an upgrade from its predecessor. While the main cam delivers solid shots in good lighting, its consistency is hit-or-miss, and low-light performance could use work. There’s also no microSD slot, no headphone jack, and no DeX support for productivity-minded users. These omissions may matter more to some than others.

But when you take the full package into account—sleek design, reliable performance, vibrant screen, and a mature software ecosystem—the Galaxy A36 5G stands out as one of the most balanced and dependable midrange phones of the year. It’s not flashy, but it doesn’t have to be. This is the phone for people who want stability, functionality, and just a bit of flair without the flagship fuss.

If you’re upgrading from an older A-series or switching from a budget phone, the Galaxy A36 will feel like a noticeable step up. And if you just want a daily driver that won’t let you down for the next several years, this might be one of the smartest buys in its price range.

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is retailing for RM1,499.00 at the moment from Samsung’s official online store.