As expected, every year the Samsung Galaxy A Series (as well as other Series) gets an upgrade. This year, the A36 5G looks more stylish as it looks and feels slimmer. The cameras that are grouped together at the back also look better thanks to the clean, linear grouped camera layout with a premium glass back. The screen is 1-inch bigger than its predecessor at 6.7-inch compared to 6.6-inch for the A35. Where appearance is concerned, the grouped camera layout in the A36 is the most marked difference when compared to the A35.

You know that with some phones, you can’t read anything on the screen under bright sunlight? The A36 has a 120 Hz refresh rate and increased brightness of 1,200 nits, so enjoy smooth scrolling and better visibility, even when outdoors. The phone feels sturdier than its predecessor. I’ve dropped it (accidentally of course) from my bed numerous times and it has nary a scratch or dent, thank goodness. Or rather thanks to the scratch-resistant glass (Corning Gorilla Glass Victus). With IP67 protection, the A36 is safe from dirt and splashes.

There’s no doubting how fast the battery charges. You can stay connected throughout the day with the 5,000 mAh (typical) battery, giving you up to 29 hours of uninterrupted video playtime. Then, when it’s time to power up, quickly recharge with 45 W Super Fast Charge (compared to 25 W on the A35). Rest assured with 6 generations of OS upgrades and 6 years of security updates to keep your Galaxy A36 secure and performing at its best. The A35 offered 4 generations of OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates. Also, no data leaks here as your sensitive data is safeguarded with EAL5+ certified Samsung Knox Vault for advanced protection.

I am often very concerned when a new phone heats up when I watch videos or Netflix but that hasn’t happened with the A36.  This phone has an Octa-core processor with a robust CPU, GPU and NPU, made to multitask, play games and stream your favorite shows. Galaxy A36 5G comes with an 15% larger vapor chamber to stay cool while handling tasks with ease.

One might think the camera specs on the A36 aren’t that much different from the A35 as both have a 50MP Wide Angle camera. Then you might think there’s a downgrade for the A36 front camera as it’s 12MP compared to 13MP on the A35 but the bonus is that the A36 comes with Super HDR as images are more crisp.

If you would like to set a limit on charging, this is possible as the software allows you to put a stop to charging above 80%. I discovered this quite by accident. I didn’t set this but after a few rounds of charging above 80%, the phone stopped charging and I looked at the settings and discovered this option.

The sound system quality is rather good, I have been using the phone to listen to the radio almost every day. The sound is clear and strong. One of the features I like most is that I can see which radio channel I am tuned into on the bottom of the main screen.

Visit Samsung’s official website for more information.