Samsung Galaxy Galaxy Review

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G packs an 84th-percentile 120Hz AMOLED display into a $350 package, which is its main attraction. You trade that for below-average camera and battery life. Get it for the screen, skip it for photography or all-day endurance.

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is a solid mid-ranger that knows where to put its money. It scores in the 86th percentile for features and the 84th for its 6.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, which are frankly great numbers for a phone in this price bracket. That means you're getting a lot of the flagship experience where it counts for your eyes and your daily use.

But you're making some clear trade-offs to hit that $350-$395 price point. Its performance lands at the 60th percentile, which is perfectly fine for everyday tasks, but its camera and battery life scores are down in the 37th and 39th percentiles, respectively. This isn't an all-rounder, it's a phone that picks its battles.

Performance is a classic 'good enough' story. With its Snapdragon chip (clocked at 1.8GHz and 2.4GHz) and 6GB of RAM, it sits right at the 60th percentile in our database. That translates to smooth scrolling on that 120Hz screen and no real hiccups with social media or web browsing. Our gaming score of 47.5/100 tells you what you need to know, though. It'll handle casual games just fine, but demanding titles will require you to dial settings down. It's a competent daily driver, not a performance powerhouse.

Priced between $350 and $395, the A36 5G offers a compelling screen and feature package you'd typically pay more for. You're essentially trading camera quality and battery stamina for that beautiful 120Hz AMOLED panel and 5G connectivity. For someone who prioritizes a great viewing experience and modern features over photography chops, this is a smart buy. The price spread is small, so just grab the best deal you can find.

Stacked up, the competition is fierce. The Google Pixel 10 will demolish it in camera performance but costs significantly more. The OnePlus 15 in this range likely offers better raw performance and faster charging. The Motorola Moto G might undercut it on price but will almost certainly have a worse display. The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is the interesting one, it's a step up in performance and camera for not a huge leap in price if you find a sale. The A36's ace is its screen, if that's your top priority.

Skip the A36 5G if you're a photography enthusiast. Its camera performance is in the 37th percentile, which means most phones in its class will take better photos. Also, avoid it if you need all-day battery life without anxiety, as its 39th percentile score there is a genuine limitation. Power users and mobile gamers should look at phones with higher performance percentile rankings.

We recommend the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G if your budget is firm around $400 and your non-negotiable is a fantastic screen for streaming and scrolling. The 120Hz AMOLED is legitimately great. But if your phone is your main camera, or if you regularly push through a full day away from an outlet, its low percentile scores in those areas are real warnings. This is a focused device, not a jack-of-all-trades.