Samsung Galaxy A36 5G (128GB / 6GB RAM) specifications and in-depth review

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G (128GB / 6GB RAM)

Manufacturer: Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is a mid-range smartphone running Android 15, built around a 6.7″ OLED/AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, 385 ppi pixel density, and a peak brightness of 1200 nits. The display carries Gorilla Glass Victus protection and supports both HDR10 and HDR10+, with an Always-On Display mode rounding out the panel's feature set. On the outside, the device measures 162.9 × 78.2 × 7.4 mm and weighs 195 g, with an IP67 rating providing certified water and dust resistance.

Inside, the A36 5G is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip built on a 4 nm process, paired with 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM running at 2750 MHz and 128GB of internal storage. Benchmark figures sit at 619,557 on AnTuTu and 2,917 on Geekbench 6 multi-core. The camera system consists of a triple rear setup — 50 MP, 8 MP, and 5 MP lenses with apertures of f/1.8, f/2.2, and f/2.4 respectively — alongside a 12 MP front camera, with the main sensor supporting OIS and 4K video at 30 fps. A 5000 mAh battery with 45W wired fast charging handles power duties, while connectivity includes 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, and USB Type-C.

Pros
  • The 6.7-inch OLED display runs at 120Hz with a 1200-nit typical brightness and supports both HDR10 and HDR10+, making it well-suited for media consumption in varied lighting conditions
  • IP67 certification provides genuine waterproofing, offering meaningful protection against water ingress during everyday use
  • The 5000 mAh battery paired with 45W wired fast charging allows for relatively quick top-ups without sacrificing capacity
  • Gorilla Glass Victus protection adds a meaningful layer of durability to the display surface
  • The triple rear camera system includes optical image stabilization on the main sensor and supports 4K video recording at 30 fps
  • Wi-Fi 6 support, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, and flexible SIM options including dual physical SIM and dual eSIM provide broad connectivity coverage
Cons
  • Wireless charging is absent, limiting charging flexibility compared to devices that support it
  • The USB Type-C port is limited to USB 2.0 speeds, restricting wired data transfer rates
  • There is no 3.5 mm headphone jack, so wired audio requires an adapter or USB-C headphones
  • No charger is included in the box, requiring a separate purchase to take advantage of the 45W charging speed
  • External memory expansion is not supported, making the 128GB internal storage the fixed ceiling for local file storage
  • The single rear flash LED with no dual-tone or RGB option may limit flash quality in mixed lighting conditions
Who is this for?

This device is a solid fit for everyday users who want a large-screen experience for media consumption, as the 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display with HDR10+ support and 1200-nit brightness handles streaming and browsing comfortably in most lighting conditions. The IP67 rating and Gorilla Glass Victus make it a practical choice for users who need day-to-day durability without carrying a purpose-built rugged device. Those who travel frequently or switch between networks will also appreciate the flexible SIM setup with dual physical SIM and dual eSIM support alongside 5G connectivity, while the 5000 mAh battery with 45W wired charging suits users who need reliable battery life through a full day of moderate use.

Who is this NOT for?

Users who rely on heavy multitasking or demanding mobile gaming may find the 6GB of RAM and mid-range Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset limiting under sustained workloads, as the AnTuTu score of 619,557 reflects a performance tier better suited to everyday tasks than intensive processing. The absence of wireless charging and the lack of an included charger in the box make it a poor fit for users who prioritize charging convenience. Photography enthusiasts looking for advanced manual control will be constrained by the lack of RAW output and manual shutter speed, and those who depend on wired audio will find no 3.5 mm headphone jack available, making this device less accommodating for users with an existing collection of wired headphones or audio accessories.

Design:

water resistance Waterproof
weight 195 g
thickness 7.4 mm
width 78.2 mm
height 162.9 mm
volume 94.266972 cm³
Ingress Protection (IP) rating IP67
has a rugged build
can be folded

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G has a non-folding, standard-form design measuring 162.9 × 78.2 mm with a thickness of 7.4 mm and a total volume of 94.27 cm³, weighing in at 195 g. It carries an IP67 rating, classifying it as waterproof against submersion under defined conditions. The device does not feature a rugged build, keeping it within the conventional smartphone form factor.

Display:

Display type OLED/AMOLED
screen size 6.7"
pixel density 385 ppi
resolution 1080 x 2340 px
refresh rate 120Hz
brightness (typical) 1200 nits
has branded damage-resistant glass
Gorilla Glass version Gorilla Glass Victus
supports HDR10
supports HDR10+
Always-On Display
supports Dolby Vision
Has a secondary screen
has a touch screen

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G features a 6.7″ OLED/AMOLED touchscreen with a 1080 x 2340 px resolution and a pixel density of 385 ppi, backed by a 120Hz refresh rate and a typical brightness of 1200 nits. The panel supports both HDR10 and HDR10+, and includes an Always-On Display mode, though Dolby Vision is not supported. Screen protection is handled by Gorilla Glass Victus, and there is no secondary screen on the device.

Performance:

internal storage 128GB
RAM 6GB
AnTuTu benchmark score 619557
Chipset (SoC) name Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3
GPU name Adreno 710
CPU speed 4 x 2.4 & 4 x 1.8 GHz
Geekbench 6 result (multi) 2917
Geekbench 6 result (single) 1007
GPU clock speed 800 MHz
Has integrated LTE
RAM speed 2750 MHz
semiconductor size 4 nm
Supports 64-bit
DirectX version DirectX 12
Has integrated graphics
OpenGL version 3.2
OpenGL ES version 3.2
Uses big.LITTLE technology
CPU threads 8 threads
Has NX bit
Uses HMP
Has TrustZone
maximum memory bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
OpenCL version 2
memory channels 2
eMMC version 5.1
maximum memory amount 12GB
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 7W
DDR memory version 5
supported displays 1

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is driven by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 system-on-chip, built on a 4 nm process with an octa-core CPU arranged in a big.LITTLE configuration running at 4 × 2.4 GHz and 4 × 1.8 GHz across 8 threads, with a TDP of 7W. Graphics are handled by an integrated Adreno 710 GPU clocked at 800 MHz, supporting DirectX 12, OpenGL 3.2, OpenGL ES 3.2, and OpenCL 2, with output limited to one display. The chip also integrates LTE, TrustZone security, NX bit support, and HMP scheduling. The device comes with 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM running at 2750 MHz across two memory channels, offering a maximum memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s and a maximum supported memory amount of 12GB, paired with 128GB of eMMC 5.1 internal storage. Benchmark results include an AnTuTu score of 619,557, a Geekbench 6 single-core score of 1,007, and a multi-core score of 2,917, with full 64-bit support throughout.

Cameras:

megapixels (main camera) 50 & 8 & 5 MP
wide aperture (main camera) 1.8 & 2.2 & 2.4f
Has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) main camera
megapixels (front camera) 12MP
has built-in optical image stabilization
video recording (main camera) 2160 x 30 fps
Has a dual-tone LED flash
number of flash LEDs 1
has a BSI sensor
has a CMOS sensor
has continuous autofocus when recording movies
Has phase-detection autofocus for photos
supports slow-motion video recording
has a built-in HDR mode
has manual exposure
has a flash
optical zoom 0x
has manual ISO
has a serial shot mode
has manual focus
has a front camera
Has laser autofocus
Shoots 360° panorama
has manual white balance
shoots raw
has touch autofocus
has manual shutter speed
can create panoramas in-camera
wide aperture (front camera) 2.2f
Has timelapse function
Has a front-facing LED flash
has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) front camera
supports HDR10 recording
supports Dolby Vision recording
has a front-facing camera under the display
Has a RGB LED flash
has 3D photo/video recording capabilities

The rear camera system on the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G consists of three lenses — a 50 MP primary sensor at f/1.8, an 8 MP lens at f/2.2, and a 5 MP lens at f/2.4 — all built on a CMOS sensor without back-side illumination, and supported by optical image stabilization. Autofocus options include phase-detection and touch autofocus for stills, as well as continuous autofocus during video, though laser autofocus is absent. The main camera captures video at up to 2160p at 30 fps, with slow-motion recording also available, while HDR10 and Dolby Vision recording are not supported. Manual controls extend to exposure, ISO, focus, and white balance, though manual shutter speed is not available; additional shooting modes include burst, panorama, and timelapse. Flash is provided by a single LED unit — dual-tone and RGB flash are not included. The front camera offers a 12 MP single-lens sensor at f/2.2, positioned above the display rather than underneath it, with no accompanying flash, and optical zoom is absent across the entire camera system, which also does not support RAW output or 3D capture.

Operating system:

Android version Android 15
has clipboard warnings
has location privacy options
has camera/microphone privacy options
has Mail Privacy Protection
has theme customization
can block app tracking
blocks cross-site tracking
has on-device machine learning
has notification permissions
has media picker
Can play games while they download
has dark mode
has Wi-Fi password sharing
has battery health check
has an extra dim mode
has focus modes
has dynamic theming
can offload apps
Has customizable notifications
has Live Text
has full-page screenshots
supports split screen
gets direct OS updates
has PiP
Can be used as a PC
Has sharing intents
has a child lock
Supports widgets
Is free and open source
Has offline voice recognition
has voice commands
Tracks the current position of a mobile device
is a multi-user system
has Quick Start

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G runs Android 15, an open-source platform that supports multiple user accounts, on-device machine learning, offline voice recognition, and voice commands. Privacy features are fairly broad, covering location controls, camera and microphone access management, clipboard warnings, and app tracking blocking, though cross-site tracking blocking and Mail Privacy Protection are not available. On the usability side, the OS includes dark mode, dynamic and manual theme customization, customizable notifications with a media picker, full-page scrolling screenshots, split-screen multitasking, Picture-in-Picture, widgets, sharing intents, a child lock, and the ability to play games while they download. Extra dim mode, battery health check, app offloading, phone tracking, and Live Text for selecting text in images are also present, while Wi-Fi password sharing, focus modes, Quick Start, and the ability to function as a PC are not supported. OS updates are not delivered directly by the vendor, meaning software updates are distributed through the manufacturer rather than via a direct platform channel.

Battery:

battery power 5000 mAh
has wireless charging
Supports fast charging
charging speed 45W
comes with a charger
has a removable battery
has a battery level indicator
has a rechargeable battery

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G houses a 5000 mAh rechargeable, non-removable battery with a built-in level indicator. It supports wired fast charging at 45W, though wireless charging is not available. No charger is included in the box.

Audio:

has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
has stereo speakers
has LDAC
has aptX Lossless
Has a radio

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G includes stereo speakers but omits a 3.5 mm headphone jack, leaving wired audio reliant on an adapter or USB-C connection. High-resolution Bluetooth codecs LDAC and aptX Lossless are not supported, and there is no built-in radio tuner.

Connectivity & Features:

has 5G support
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
SIM cards 1 SIM, 1 eSIM, 2 SIM, 2 eSIM
Bluetooth version 5.3
has an external memory slot
Has USB Type-C
USB version 2
has NFC
download speed 2900 MBits/s
upload speed 1600 MBits/s
Has a fingerprint scanner
has emergency SOS via satellite
has crash detection
is DLNA-certified
has a gyroscope
supports ANT+
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has a compass
supports Wi-Fi
Has an infrared sensor
has an accelerometer
has a cellular module
Has a barometer
has an HDMI output
Uses 3D facial recognition
Has an iris scanner
Stylus included
supports Galileo
Has motion tracking
Has optical tracking
Has a built-in projector

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G supports 5G cellular connectivity alongside Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 6, with maximum download and upload speeds of 2900 Mbits/s and 1600 Mbits/s respectively. SIM flexibility covers single and dual physical SIM configurations as well as single and dual eSIM options. Bluetooth 5.3 and NFC are both present, while the USB Type-C port operates at USB 2.0 speeds, and there is no HDMI output or external memory slot. Location and motion sensing is handled by GPS with Galileo support, a gyroscope, accelerometer, and compass, though a barometer is absent. Biometric security is provided by a fingerprint scanner, while 3D facial recognition and an iris scanner are not included, and no stylus ships with the device. Features such as ANT+, a heart rate monitor, infrared sensor, crash detection, satellite SOS, DLNA certification, motion tracking, optical tracking, and a built-in projector are all absent.

Miscellaneous:

has a video light
Has sapphire glass display
Has a curved display
Has an e-paper display

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G includes a video light for use during video recording, while the display is flat rather than curved and uses neither sapphire glass nor an e-paper panel.

Final Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G presents a well-rounded mid-range package built around a capable display and practical everyday features. Its 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED screen with IP67 protection and Gorilla Glass Victus gives it a durable, media-friendly profile that holds up across a wide range of daily scenarios, while the 5000 mAh battery and 45W wired charging keep it functional through extended use. That said, users with demanding performance needs or a preference for wireless charging and expanded audio connectivity will find certain gaps in the specification sheet. For mainstream users seeking a reliable, feature-complete Android 15 device with solid display quality and genuine water resistance, the Galaxy A36 5G delivers a coherent and capable experience within its intended scope.

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