Makes the Galaxy A36 5G seem to be a nasty deal

Samsung’s Galaxy A sequence has lengthy been a go-to suggestion for anybody looking for a strong Android cellphone on a finances. These telephones not often push boundaries or chase traits, however they’ve constantly nailed the fundamentals, and that alone has saved them related yr after yr.

The Galaxy A26 5G continues that custom with out making an attempt to reinvent the wheel. In truth, it barely touches the wheel in any respect. However even with its modest upgrades, it nonetheless manages to carry its personal, delivering simply sufficient efficiency for day by day duties, simply sufficient digicam high quality for social media, and simply sufficient battery life to neglect your charger at house. The Galaxy A36 5G that I just lately examined didn’t clear the bar on just a few of these counts, however the cheaper Galaxy A26 5G does.

It could not wow you, however for a sure sort of purchaser, the Galaxy A26 5G may be precisely sufficient.

The Galaxy A26 5G is definitely probably the most well-built cellphone in Samsung’s A2x lineup thus far. For the primary time, Samsung has given it a glass again, and never simply any glass. It’s Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on each the entrance and the again. Simply a few years in the past, this degree of safety was reserved for flagship telephones. Now it’s right here on a $300 system, and that’s a giant win for sturdiness.

I had the pleasure of unintentionally testing that out throughout a really scientific drop take a look at (learn: forgetting the cellphone was in my lap whereas getting out of my automobile). It hit the street, bounced as soon as, and… survived. The again glass didn’t shatter or scratch, though the plastic body did chip barely. Nonetheless, it walked away from that fall in significantly better form than I anticipated. The cellphone additionally comes with IP67 water and dirt resistance, which suggests it might probably deal with rain, spills, and even a fast drop right into a pool.

Samsung hasn’t trimmed the A26 5G’s dimensions prefer it did with the A36 5G. This cellphone is barely longer, wider, and heavier than its predecessor, the Galaxy A25 5G, however that’s comprehensible given the glass again and water resistance. It’s not too cumbersome, however it’s nonetheless a giant cellphone, and one-handed use may be a stretch in case you have smaller arms.

Samsung remains to be adamant about sticking with a waterdrop notch for the selfie digicam right here, despite the fact that a lot of the business has moved on to punch holes. It’s a small element, however one which makes the cellphone really feel a step behind in design. Samsung has made one small change on the again: it has dropped the floating digicam ring design and reverted to a vertical, pill-shaped digicam island.

At present, the cellphone is just obtainable in a single Black colour possibility. It’s a shiny end that’s a nightmare to {photograph} and picks up smudges and pocket lint very simply. That mentioned, I really choose the deeper black tone right here over the Superior Black colorway on the Galaxy A36 5G, which seemed extra gray than black.

There’s a side-mounted fingerprint scanner constructed into the ability button, and it really works precisely the way in which it ought to. It’s quick, dependable, and simple to succeed in. I’m actually glad Samsung didn’t attempt to “improve” this to an in-display scanner, as a result of if it had been something just like the one on the Galaxy A36 5G, it could have been a relentless supply of frustration. The A26 5G constantly unlocked quicker and with fewer failed makes an attempt. You additionally get 2D face unlock if you need it, however it’s neither very quick nor very safe.

The SIM tray allows you to use each a bodily SIM and a reminiscence card for storage enlargement, which is one thing you received’t discover on the dearer Galaxy A36 5G or A56 5G that’s due for launch later this yr. On the flip facet, the A26 5G has additionally jettisoned the three.5mm headphone jack, following within the footsteps of its pricier siblings.

Samsung additionally made a questionable change to the audio setup, because the Galaxy A26 5G not has stereo audio system. Samsung merely selected to not use the earpiece as a secondary speaker, despite the fact that the {hardware} is able to getting loud sufficient. In consequence, sound comes from a single bottom-firing speaker, and it’s simply not nice. It’s high-quality for brief movies or social media, however it sounds small, flat, and lifeless for something past that.

If there’s one space the place Samsung constantly beats the competitors, it’s shows. That holds true right here, too. The 6.7-inch Tremendous AMOLED display on the Galaxy A26 5G is definitely the cellphone’s standout characteristic. It won’t be a class-leading panel by Samsung’s regular requirements, however it nonetheless appears nice for a cellphone on this value vary.

The colours are vivid, the distinction is deep, and viewing angles are wonderful — all of the stuff you’d anticipate from an AMOLED display. It’s adequate for having fun with movies or scrolling by means of images, even when the waterdrop notch makes the cellphone really feel a bit caught prior to now. Brightness could possibly be higher, although. It’s usable outside, however solely simply.

On vivid sunny days, I discovered myself squinting on the display extra usually than I’d like. For context, the Moto G Energy (2025)’s LCD display shouldn’t be too distant when it comes to real-world brightness (even when the image above may make it appear in any other case), however it struggles extra with off-angle viewing and lacks the punchier colours Samsung’s AMOLED delivers.

The show additionally helps a 120Hz refresh fee, which helps the cellphone really feel smoother when scrolling or navigating. Nonetheless, not like Samsung’s dearer fashions, there’s no adaptive refresh fee possibility right here. You both maintain it locked at 120Hz or drop it all the way down to 60Hz. I saved mine at 120Hz for a smoother expertise, although it comes at the price of some battery effectivity, which I’ll get into later.

Nonetheless strong the place it counts

Talking of smoothness, I got here into the Galaxy A26 5G with low expectations. I had simply completed reviewing the Galaxy A36 5G and was genuinely pissed off with how sluggish it felt in on a regular basis use. So naturally, I braced myself for one thing even worse with the cheaper A26 5G. To my shock, the expertise wasn’t worse in any respect. In truth, the Galaxy A26 5G feels way more snug in day by day use.

Whether or not scrolling by means of social media or switching between apps, the expertise feels smoother than it does on the dearer Galaxy A36 5G. The place the A36 5G struggled with fixed animation stutters, the Exynos 1380-powered A26 5G handles One UI extra simply. That’s particularly stunning on condition that each telephones are outfitted with the identical 6GB of RAM.

A have a look at benchmark scores backs this up, because the A26 5G constantly scores larger than the A36 5G in CPU efficiency exams. In fact, that doesn’t make this a high-performance cellphone by any requirements. It’s nonetheless a finances system, and also you’ll often run right into a pause when opening the digicam or launching an app you haven’t used shortly. However, I’ve examined just a few telephones at this value, and it’s not simple to seek out one which noticeably outpaces the A26 5G in day-to-day responsiveness.

Graphics efficiency is the one space the place the A36 5G pulls forward. Its MediaTek GPU is extra highly effective, which permits it to run video games like PUBG Cellular at 60fps on HD settings. The A26 5G, against this, tops out at 40fps on those self same graphics settings, though you will get 60fps for those who drop all the way down to the bottom “Easy” graphics mode.

That mentioned, the gaming expertise on the A26 5G remains to be respectable. It handles informal video games with out points and holds up pretty effectively with heavier titles as effectively. It doesn’t warmth up a lot throughout gameplay, and whereas I did discover some efficiency dip across the 30-minute mark, it by no means received dangerous sufficient to break the expertise. For the value, I’d name it acceptable.

Battery life falls into that very same class. The A26 5G features a 5,000mAh battery, which has been the norm for many finances Android telephones over the previous few years. I might have appreciated to see a barely bigger battery this time, particularly contemplating the cellphone’s dimension, however what you get remains to be sufficient for a full day of reasonable use. I usually noticed screen-on instances of round 5 to five.5 hours. I wouldn’t name it long-lasting, however it’s undoubtedly not a battery anxiety-inducing cellphone both.

Charging is dealt with through Samsung’s regular 25W quick charging with PPS assist, though a charger is not included within the field. In my testing, the cellphone charged from zero to full in about 90 minutes utilizing a suitable USB-PD charger. There’s no wi-fi charging assist, which isn’t stunning for a cellphone at this value, however it’s price noting that the Moto G Energy (2025) does supply it.

The Galaxy A26 5G ships with Android 15 and is working the most recent One UI 7. That’s one thing even Samsung’s flagships from final yr can’t say but. Samsung can be promising six main Android model updates and 6 years of safety patches for this cellphone. It’s a critically spectacular dedication for a finances system, and it deserves credit score.

However whereas the long-term software program promise appears nice on paper, I’m unsure the A26 5G will maintain up as anybody’s major cellphone for the total six years. I’d say you’ll begin to really feel its age in two to a few years, if not sooner, relying on how you employ it. Getting updates is nice, however ensuring your {hardware} can nonetheless run them effectively is a complete totally different problem.

However, as of now, there’s little or no to complain concerning the cellphone’s software program expertise. One UI 7 introduces a handful of design tweaks and considerate modifications all through the system. The Fast Settings and Notification panels at the moment are separated by swipe zones (Fast Settings on the appropriate, notifications on the left), though you’ll be able to nonetheless merge them again right into a single panel if that feels extra intuitive. The app drawer, Digicam app, and Settings menus have additionally been rearranged barely to carry key controls nearer to the underside half of the display, which undoubtedly helps with one-handed use on a giant cellphone like this.

You additionally get a handful of AI options by means of what Samsung now calls Superior Intelligence. This can be a trimmed-down model of Galaxy AI that brings a number of the key instruments from Samsung’s premium telephones to the finances phase. Circle to Search is genuinely helpful, and Object Eraser for enhancing images is the sort of AI characteristic you’ll really use at times.

In the event you’re extra into Google’s ecosystem than Samsung’s, you’ll be blissful to know which you can additionally use Google Gemini as your good assistant right here. It provides you full entry to Gemini’s rising listing of options, proper from your own home display or voice instructions.

One UI remains to be One UI, that means it’s a heavy pores and skin, and the A26 5G does often wrestle to maintain up. There’s a little bit of stutter right here and there, and a few app transitions can really feel gradual. Nonetheless, it’s not practically as irritating as what I skilled on the Galaxy A36 5G. It could possibly be as a result of Samsung has been utilizing the Exynos 1380 for a few years now, and has had time to optimize its software program for it. Both method, for this value level, the general software program expertise is sweet sufficient.

The A26 5G labored reliably with a T-Cellular SIM within the Bay Space, and community reception and name high quality had been each constant. You get NFC for contactless funds through Google Pay or Samsung Pay, which is at all times good to see on this value vary. Nonetheless, there’s no Wi-Fi 6 assist right here, and I observed that downloads and streaming speeds had been significantly slower than on the Galaxy A36 5G. Lastly, the vibration motor on the A26 5G is about what you’d anticipate: it’s uninteresting, rattly, and never very satisfying. That is one thing that the Moto G Energy (2025) does significantly better at once more.

An honest major digicam and never a lot else

The Galaxy A26 5G carries over practically the identical digicam setup as its predecessor. You get a 50MP major sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultrawide digicam, and a 13MP selfie digicam. Samsung can be nonetheless together with a 2MP macro digicam, which is functionally ineffective: it has a hard and fast focus, barely gathers any mild, and even whenever you line up a shot inside its slim 3- to 5-centimeter vary, the outcomes are muddy, noisy, and fully missing intimately. It doesn’t simply fail at being macro lens; it fails at being a purposeful one.

The Moto G Energy (2025), which doesn’t actually have a devoted macro lens, really produces significantly better close-up pictures utilizing a macro mode baked into its ultrawide digicam. That exhibits simply how little effort went into this 2MP sensor on the A26 5G. Truthfully, it could have been extra useful if Samsung had simply knocked 5 bucks off the cellphone’s value and skipped the macro digicam altogether.

Fortunately, the principle 50MP sensor is significantly better. It produces good leads to daylight with strong sharpness and pleasing colours. You possibly can shoot within the full 50MP decision, however the default 12MP binned pictures are greater than sufficient for most individuals. In just a few side-by-side comparisons with the Galaxy A36 5G, I might barely inform the distinction in picture high quality.

The A26 5G trades blows towards the Moto G Energy (2025), which is its direct competitor when it comes to value. It captures extra element in vivid circumstances, however its white stability usually leans too far into the cool zone. Heat indoor lighting, for instance, will get flattened out and rendered nearer to white mild, whereas the Moto manages to protect it significantly better.

Portrait mode and images of human topics prove effectively. The topic cutout is pretty clear, and the background blur isn’t too dangerous both. Each the principle and selfie cameras have a tendency to supply softer photos in indoor settings, however they bounce again properly in outside mild.

The ultrawide digicam is okay so long as there’s sufficient daylight. As soon as lighting circumstances drop even a bit, picture high quality takes a nosedive. Evening Mode is on the market, however don’t anticipate miracles. Low-light pictures from the principle digicam come out gentle and lose a whole lot of particulars. However then once more, the Moto doesn’t do significantly better right here both.

One space the place the A26 5G does stand out is video. You possibly can file 4K footage at 30fps utilizing the principle rear digicam, one thing the Moto G Energy (2025) doesn’t assist in any respect. The video high quality is a step up too, with higher colours and fewer noise. Nonetheless, when in comparison with the Galaxy A36 5G, the 4K video on the Galaxy A26 5G trails behind when it comes to stabilization and finer particulars. Each the selfie and ultrawide cameras are restricted to 1080p video.

The Galaxy A26 5G as soon as once more delivers all of the fundamentals for the value. You get a giant, vivid AMOLED show that works nice for watching content material, a major digicam that performs effectively in daylight, and a battery that simply lasts a full day. Samsung has additionally improved the construct high quality this yr by including a glass again and giving the cellphone an IP67 ranking, which protects it from mud and water. On high of that, the six years of promised software program updates make the A26 one of the crucial future-proof telephones you should purchase for beneath $300.

In fact, the cellphone cuts corners to succeed in this value. You received’t discover wi-fi charging. The display nonetheless has an outdated notch. The vibration motor feels weak and unsatisfying. The cameras, whereas serviceable, might use higher tuning or stronger {hardware}. Battery life is okay, however not superb.

The Moto G Energy 2025 ($299.99 at Amazon) provides the closest competitors to the A26 5G. It provides a nicer in-hand really feel with its vegan leather-based again and in addition retains the headphone jack, provides wi-fi charging, and contains an ultra-flagship-grade IP69 ranking. Its major digicam produces barely extra balanced images, and its macro mode really works. What the Moto lacks is an AMOLED show and long-term replace assist. It additionally has a barely weaker chipset, however its lighter UI makes it really feel simply as responsive because the A26 5G.

Usually, I’d let you know to only spend a bit extra and get the subsequent cellphone up within the sequence, however I can’t advocate that this yr. The Galaxy A36  5G ($399.99 at Amazon) gives you a thinner construct, a barely brighter show, quicker wired charging, and marginally higher cameras — however none of that makes up for the way sluggish and irritating the cellphone feels in on a regular basis use. If something, I’d advocate making an attempt to seize final yr’s Galaxy A35 5G on sale. You’ll get related efficiency and digicam high quality, although you’ll should accept shorter software program assist and an older model of One UI. Alternatively, you may wish to anticipate the Galaxy A56 5G to drop within the US later in 2025.

The opposite options are a bit extra sophisticated. The superb Google Pixel 8a ($499 at Amazon) has been changed by the Pixel 9a, however for those who’re fortunate you may a Pixel 8a discounted now it’s reached the top of its lifespan. The wildcard is the excellent CMF Telephone 2 Professional ($279 at Amazon), which is a implausible system for $20 lower than the Galaxy A26 5G, however there’s a catch — it’s solely obtainable within the US through a developer program and provider band assist is hit-and-miss at finest.

Total, there’s an extended listing of issues I want Samsung had completed higher on the Galaxy A26 5G. However Samsung is aware of precisely what it might probably get away with, given the present competitors, and it nonetheless manages to supply a compelling bundle at this value. The Galaxy A26 5G retains issues easy, performs it secure, and nonetheless walks away with a win.