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    Samsung Galaxy A37 vs A36: Expected differences

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    Samsung’s Galaxy A36 is almost old news by now, and the rumor mill is already spewing information on its successor.
    The Galaxy A37 is expected to arrive early next year, and following the success of the A36, we expect it to be at least just as successful, if not more. Hopefully, that means Samsung addressing some of the weak points of the previous generation to make its mid-range model competitive against the Pixel 9a, iPhone 16e, and Nothing Phone 3a.But what will Samsung improve exactly? How much better will the Galaxy A37 actually be, and does it fix the problems we identified in our Galaxy A36 review? With the first leaks circulating, we now have an early picture of what to expect.

    Galaxy A37 vs Galaxy A36 expected differences:

    Galaxy A37* Galaxy A36
    Slightly thinner and lighter design 7.4 mm, 195 g
    Same bright 6.7-inch 120 Hz AMOLED, but with an improved optical fingerprint scanner Same display, slower in-display optical fingerprint scanner
    New Exynos 1580 / 1480 chip; expected faster UI and better stability Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 with micro-stutters and slow app loading
    Same camera hardware but potential software improvements Same triple camera; oversharpening, warm tones, weak video dynamic range
    5,000 mAh battery 5,000 mAh battery
    45W — possible faster first-30-minutes charge (around 60%) 45W; 55% in 30 minutes
    Android 16 + One UI 8, same long software support or better Android 15 + One UI 7, 6-year support

    *rumored/expected

    Table of Contents:

    Design and Size

    Same design, but thinner

    The Galaxy A36 took a noticeable step forward in build quality. It was the first of the series to adopt Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both sides, which is a big deal for a phone that starts at $399.

    Unlike the Galaxy A5x series, however, the A36 still rocked a plastic frame instead of an aluminum one. Still, overall, its shape was slimmer, cleaner, and it weighed less than its predecessor. The Key Island (a protruding part where the volume and power keys are) remained part of the A-series identity, and while the color options were not the most exciting, the overall hardware felt a touch more premium than the A35.

    The Galaxy A37 is expected to also come with a plastic frame, Gorilla Glass Victus+ front and back, and the same IP67 water resistance that continues to be a major selling point in the mid-range segment. The phone should be slightly thinner and lighter than the A36, but the changes are expected to be minor, so don’t expect a major redesign.
    Galaxy A37* Galaxy A36
    Thickness
    ~7.1 mm    		 Thickness
    7.4 mm
    Dimensions
    152.8 x 72    		 Dimensions
    162.9 x 78.2
    Weight
    195 grams or lighter    		 Weight
    195 grams

    *rumored/expected

    Even though the A36 moved to a camera island reminiscent of older Samsung designs, it is still unclear whether Samsung plans to keep that look for the A37 or revert to the individual camera cutout style found on most A series phones. Based on Samsung’s broader lineup, sticking with the island seems more likely at this point.

    Display Differences

    The Galaxy A36 introduced a significant improvement when it came to display brightness. While Samsung advertised 1200 nits, our lab measurements showed that the A36 can peak at over 1700 nits at 20 percent APL, making it one of the brightest screens in its class.

    The Galaxy A37 is expected to feature the same 6.7-inch FHD+ 120 Hz Super AMOLED display. Samsung rarely changes A-series displays year over year unless it introduces a larger redesign, so we don’t expect any upgrades this year.

    Galaxy A37* Galaxy A36
    Size
    6.7″    		 Size
    6.7″
    Brightness
    1700 nits (peak)    		 Brightness
    1700 nits (peak)

    *rumored/expected

    Some good news, however, is that the fingerprint sensor is expected to improve this time. The A36 uses an optical in-display scanner that works fine, but is far from being fast. The A37 is rumored to get an improved optical fingerprint sensor with better speed and reliability, which would help the A37 feel snappier.

    Performance and Software

    Going back to the roots
    The Galaxy A36 switched to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3. We thought the phone’s performance was acceptable for regular daily tasks, but the experience was hardly smooth. We noticed micro stutters, slow app loading times, and overall performance that stayed behind rivals like the Pixel 8a and Nothing Phone 3a. GPU performance was only marginally improved over the A35, and the results we saw during gaming sessions reflected that.
    Galaxy A37* Galaxy A36
    Chip
    Exynos 1580 or 1480    		 Chip
    Snapdragon 6 Gen 3
    Process
    5nm    		 Process
    5nm
    RAM, Storage
    8/128 GB
    8/256 GB

    LPDDR5 RAM
    UFS 2.2

    		 RAM, Storage
    8/128 GB
    8/256 GB

    LPDDR5 RAM
    UFS 2.2

    *rumored/expected

    The Galaxy A37 is expected to revert to Exynos. The most likely candidates are the Exynos 1580 or 1480, both built on a 5 nm process. These chips should offer performance that is similar or slightly better than the A36. Early leaks suggest the A37 will have 8 GB of RAM by default, just like the A56 did in the US.As for software, the A36 launched with Android 15 and One UI 7, along with six years of support — this is one of the longest support windows in the mid-range phone market. The A37 is expected to match or exceed this commitment with Android 16 out of the box and One UI 8 likely onboard.Where we want to see improvement is stability and overall smoothness during regular use, i.e., in the UI in general. The A36’s chipset prevented it from feeling snappy, and so far, we can’t know whether the A37 will dramatically change this.

    Camera

    No telephoto camera on the horizon

    The Galaxy A36 did not bring any camera hardware upgrades over the A35. It used the same 50 MP main, 8 MP ultrawide, and 5 MP macro setup, and the results reflected that.

    In our testing, the A36 often produced oversharpened photos and warmer color temperatures than in reality. The video performance lagged behind both the Pixel 8a and even the Galaxy A35 when it came to dynamic range. The only improvement was a slightly different 12 MP selfie camera, but the results were not noticeably better.

    Galaxy A37* Galaxy A36
    Main
    50 MP, f/1.8
    1/1.96″ sensor size    		 Main
    50 MP, f/1.8
    1/1.56″
    Ultrawide
    8 MP, f/2.2
    13 mm
    1/4.0″ sensor size    		 Ultrawide
    8 MP, f/2.2
    13 mm
    1/4.0″ sensor size
    Macro
    5 MP    		 Macro
    5 MP

    *rumored/expected

    Unfortunately, for now it seems the Galaxy A37 will retain the same camera hardware, including a 50 MP main camera, 8 MP ultrawide, and a 5 MP macro. This suggests Samsung is not aiming for a photography overhaul. Any visible improvements would likely come from tuning rather than hardware.

    But here’s what we want Samsung to fix:

    • Less oversharpening and more natural texture
    • More accurate white balance, avoiding the warm shift seen on the A36
    • Better dynamic range during video recording
    • Ultrawide consistency, which remains a weak point across the A-series

    There have been no leaks yet about upgraded sensors or a new ISP on the A37, so improvements are unlikely at this point.

    Battery Life and Charging

    Only small differences
    The A37 is said to come with the same 5,000 mAh battery capacity as the A36.

    Battery life may improve indirectly if Samsung uses a more efficient Exynos chip, but it wouldn’t be by much. The A36 did not top the charts in our Battery Score, so there is room for meaningful improvement here.

    As for charging, the A36 finally introduced 45 W charging, which the A37 is expected to support as well. In our tests, we charged the A36 fully in 1 hour and 15 minutes, which is also what we expect from the upcoming model.

    Galaxy A37* Galaxy A36
    Battery size
    5,000 mAh    		 Battery size
    5,000 mAh

    Charging speeds
    45W wired

    No wireless charging

    USB-C 2.0

    Charging speeds

    45W wired
    No wireless charging
    USB-C 2.0

    *rumored/expected

    Rumors suggest Samsung might optimize the power delivery, which could make the A37 charge slightly faster during the first 30 minutes. That could mean around 60% in 30 minutes, compared to the A36’s 55%.

    However, there is still no indication of wireless charging, and given Samsung’s mid-range strategy, we do not expect that to change.

    Specs Comparison


    Samsung Galaxy A37 5G
    Samsung Galaxy A36 5G
    Samsung Galaxy A37 5G Samsung Galaxy A36 5G
    Dimensions
    162.9 x 78.2 x 7.4 mm (~8.7 mm with camera bump)
    Weight
    195.0 g
    Size
    6.7-inch 6.7-inch
    Type
    Super AMOLED, 120Hz Super AMOLED, 120Hz
    System chip
    Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4 nm)
    Memory
    128GB (UFS 2.2)
    8GB/128GB
    8GB/256GB
    12GB/256GB

    		 6GB (LPDDR4)/128GB (UFS 2.2)
    8GB/128GB
    8GB/256GB
    12GB/256GB
    Type
    5000 mAh 5000 mAh
    Charge speed
    Wired: 45.0W

    		 Wired: 45.0W
    Main camera
    50 MP (OIS, PDAF)
    Aperture size: F1.8
    Sensor size: 1/1.96″

    		 50 MP (OIS, PDAF)
    Aperture size: F1.8
    Sensor size: 1/1.96″
    Second camera
    8 MP (Ultra-wide)
    Aperture size: F2.2
    Sensor size: 1/4″
    Pixel size: 1.12 μm

    		 8 MP (Ultra-wide)
    Aperture size: F2.2
    Sensor size: 1/4″
    Pixel size: 1.12 μm
    Third camera
    5 MP (Macro)
    Aperture size: F2.4

    		 5 MP (Macro)
    Aperture size: F2.4
    Front
    12 MP 12 MP
    See the full

    Samsung Galaxy A37 5G vs Samsung Galaxy A36 5G specs comparison

    or compare them to other phones using our
    Phone Comparison tool

    Summary

    The Galaxy A37 is shaping up to be a small upgrade, and definitely not one you should feel tempted by if you already own a Galaxy A36. The most important change so far seems to be the chip, which might improve the overall user experience. That said, we won’t know for sure until the phone actually comes out, so we wouldn’t recommend pre-ordering it, considering the issues we experienced on the A36.

    But there is still no confirmation of upgrades in the areas where the A36 needs improvement most. Camera hardware is likely to remain unchanged, you still don’t get even slow wireless charging at this price point, and there is no sign of major battery life improvements.

    The A36 already offers a well-rounded experience for its price, with long software support and a very bright display. The A37 will need to address the performance hiccups and inconsistent image processing if it wants to stand out in Samsung’s crowded mid-range lineup.


    Aleksandar is a tech enthusiast with a broad range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets, and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Prior to joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, digitizing valuable artworks and gaining diverse perspectives on technology. When he’s not immersed in tech, Aleksandar is an outdoorsman who enjoys mountain hikes, wildlife photography, and nature conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running, and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.

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