Samsung Galaxy A36 vs. Samsung Galaxy A35

So, you have determined to get certainly one of Samsung’s fashionable A3X midrangers and are actually questioning whether or not to spring for the brand new Galaxy A36 mannequin or persist with final yr’s Galaxy A35? It is a honest query because the two telephones supply the same expertise.

Within the States, the Galaxy A36 prices as a lot because the A35 so getting the newer mannequin can be a no-brainer. Within the EU, the state of affairs is sort of the identical for those who store round, despite the fact that for those who go by the MSRP, the A36 needs to be round €50 costlier than the A35.

Within the UK, the A36 is simply out there in a 256GB tier, whereas the A35 is simply out there as a 128GB mannequin. Moreover, Samsung seemingly has significantly better management over the A36 retail pricing there so the present worth distinction between the previous and the brand new mannequin is a whopping £150. Ouch!

In any case, let’s verify how significantly better the A36 actually is.

Desk of Contents:

For starters, you possibly can examine the whole specs sheets or straight proceed with our editor’s evaluation within the following textual content.

Dimension comparability

The 2 telephones have the same general footprint. Nevertheless, the A35 is barely thicker and barely heavier than its successor.

All of the whereas, the show on the brand new Galaxy A36 has grown a tiny bit from 6.6 inches on the A35 to six.7 inches. It is a small distinction, hardly noticeable in follow, nevertheless it does translate to thinner show bezels on the brand new mannequin.

General, it is honest to say that the A36 provides a extra refined design.

Building-wise, each telephones really feel strong and really properly made, with virtually no flex to the chassis. They each make use of a plastic center body sandwiched between two glass sheets with Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the entrance.

The brand new addition to the A36 this yr is Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the again aspect as properly.

Each telephones supply the identical wonderful IP67 ingress safety ranking, which ought to enable them to outlive for as much as half-hour in as much as one meter of recent water.

That is pretty much as good a spot as any to debate controls and connectivity. Each telephones have a really commonplace button structure. Each use an under-display optical fingerprint reader, have the same hybrid stereo speaker setup and, sadly, use digital proximity sensors. Wi-fi connectivity is virtually similar throughout the 2, although the newer A36 does have a further eSIM card assist for a complete of two, in comparison with one on the A35 and Bluetooth 5.4 in comparison with Bluetooth 5.3.

Nevertheless, one probably huge distinction in favor of the Galaxy A35 is the presence of a microSD storage growth slot, which is lacking from the Galaxy A36.

Show comparability

The show on the Galaxy A36 is barely larger, although probably not noticeably so in follow. Each telephones supply the identical FullHD+ decision and 120Hz refresh fee with out LTPO or every other fancy adaptive switching.

What has modified quite noticeably for the higher is the max show brightness. The Galaxy A36 places out notably increased brightness numbers. Each telephones are usable in daylight, however the A36 is unquestionably extra snug.

Even with the newfound enhance in brightness, the Galaxy A36 nonetheless lacks any HDR video assist just like the A35 earlier than it.

Battery life

Each telephones have similar 5,000 mAh battery packs and fairly comparable general battery endurance. Nevertheless, final yr’s A35 has a noteworthy edge, notably on the subject of gaming. Apparently, the Exynos 1350 contained in the A35 can recreation for longer on a single cost than the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 contained in the A36.

Charging pace

The newer Galaxy A36 helps Samsung’s 45W PD charging, whereas the A35 is caught with the slower 25W variant.

In follow, the distinction in precise charging fee just isn’t colossal, however it’s there and favors the A36. In keeping with our assessments, the A36 prices sooner originally of the charging cycle, reaching a better proportion on the 15 and 30-minute marks, and it takes 12 minutes lower than the A35 to achieve 100%.

Neither cellphone comes with a charger, however for the A36, you’d additionally should get a 5 Amp cable too if you’d like the quickest charging attainable, because the one within the field is rated at 3 Amp solely.

Speaker check

The 2 telephones have a really comparable hybrid stereo speaker system, with a devoted bottom-firing speaker on one finish and an amplified earpiece on the opposite. This inevitably results in some output imbalance, nevertheless it’s not too dangerous in follow.

Our standardized testing revealed that the audio system on the 2 telephones are tuned very equally, with clear mids and dialogue and principally undistorted highs. The A36 maybe has a barely higher bass response, nevertheless it’s not one thing it is best to have the ability to truly hear and recognize in real-world use.

What is good and does come in useful in precise use is the GOOD loudness ranking that each telephones managed in our testing.

Efficiency

Whereas the 2 telephones technically use very totally different chipsets, the 2 chips are literally fairly comparable. The Exynos 1380 contained in the Galaxy A35 is made on a 5nm node and has an octa-core CPU configuration.

As for the Galaxy A36, it makes use of a Qualcomm chip – the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3. It’s made on a technically extra environment friendly 4nm node however has a remarkably comparable CPU configuration.

The Galaxy A35 is on the market in a trio of storage and reminiscence choices – 6GB/128GB, 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB. The speeds that storage benchmarks return counsel it makes use of UFS 2.1 chips.

The Galaxy A36 is extensively out there with 6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128GB UFS 2.2 storage, and 8GB + 256GB storage variations. There may be additionally a restricted higher-tier mannequin with 12GB RAM.

As soon as once more, we wish to point out the truth that the Galaxy A35 has expandable storage, whereas the A36 doesn’t.

By way of software program, the Galaxy A36 launched with the most recent One UI 7 and Android 15 combo, plus a whopping six main OS updates in its future. The Galaxy A35 continues to be operating One UI 6.1 and Android 14 as of penning this and solely has the promise of 4 main OS updates. So, software program and assist undoubtedly exit to the Galaxy A36.

Benchmark efficiency

The Galaxy A36 provides roughly the identical burst efficiency because the Galaxy A35, with solely a minor enhance in observable GPU scores.

Each telephones supply wonderful sustained efficiency and handle warmth fairly masterfully. It is not like their respective chipsets run notably scorching, to start with, besides, the floor of each telephones hardly ever will get greater than lukewarm, even after intense stress testing.

Digicam comparability

Samsung has switched across the digicam setup on the brand new Galaxy A36 a bit in comparison with its A35 predecessor. You might be nonetheless getting the identical primary setup because the A35 – a 50MP important cam, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 5MP devoted macro as a 3rd cam. There’s a new 12MP selfie digicam right here, changing the 13MP one which the A35 had.

Picture high quality

Trying on the important cameras of each telephones first, it’s onerous to identify any main variations in general high quality. Samsung has definitely tweaked some issues within the processing, however general, the cameras are actually neck-to-neck in high quality. Neither is what you’d name “flagship grade”, however the high quality is strong nonetheless, with loads of element, good dynamic vary and strong colour replica.

Concerning variations in processing, we’d say that the A36 tends to use a bit extra sharpening and distinction than the A35, which tends to favor a barely softer and extra pure aesthetic. The shadows within the Galaxy A36 images usually come out darker.

As talked about, the ultrawide digicam is identical throughout each telephones. Expectedly, so is the general high quality of the pictures it captures. As soon as once more, there are some small variations in processing. The Galaxy A36 appears to use much less aggressive processing and tends to go away a bit extra noise behind than the A35, however alongside that, usually, there is a little more positive element left as properly.

Samsung Galaxy A36: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x

Samsung Galaxy A35: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x

The cameras on the Galaxy A36 do barely higher in low-light circumstances. The distinction as soon as once more is not huge, however the A36 appears to have extra element. Its dynamic vary can be seemingly a bit higher, and so is the distinction.

Samsung Galaxy A36: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x

Samsung Galaxy A35: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 0.5x • 1x • 2x

Whereas the selfie digicam on the A36, we would give the nod to the Galaxy A35 selfie digicam. We like each the extent of element and the pores and skin tones and hair rendition higher. The distinction just isn’t huge nevertheless it’s there, particularly in case you are into pixel peeping.

Samsung Galaxy A36: selfies

Samsung Galaxy A35: selfies

As for the selfie cameras in low gentle, it is a bit of a toss-up. We have a tendency to love the element on the A35 a bit higher, however the A36 definitely has the higher colours and dynamic vary.

Video high quality

Each telephones can seize 4K video from their important cameras and might solely do 2x digital zoom and ultrawide video at 1080p. Truthfully, the general high quality throughout the samples we obtained could be very comparable. We won’t definitively level to one of many telephones and provides it even a slight edge over the opposite.

Beneath now we have a number of framegrabs from the movies taken by the 2 telephones at every focal size so it is simpler to match to 1 one other.

Samsung Galaxy A36: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • low-light

Samsung Galaxy A35: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • low-light

Verdict

The Galaxy A36 and the A35 are each wonderful, well-rounded mid-range units. Through the years, Samsung’s Galaxy A3X line has arguably positioned itself as one of the best worth proposition inside Samsung’s lineup.

The Galaxy A36 and A35 will not be drastically totally different in any significant approach. Samsung hasn’t tweaked the acquainted components that a lot this yr. By way of upgrades, you principally get a brighter show, which is definitely good however not game-changing. The improve from 25W to 45W charging is sensible however marginal at greatest. So is the change within the chipset, which solely provides barely higher GPU efficiency however at the price of gaming battery endurance. The longer software program assist for what it is price, can be on the aspect of the A36.

All in all, preserving the complicated pricing state of affairs in thoughts, our verdict can be the next. In markets the place the Galaxy A36 is priced carefully or equally to the A35, we would undoubtedly say – go for it, until you’re a die-hard microSD slot fan.

In markets the place there’s a large worth hole between the 2, the A35 will certainly be the higher deal because it provides just about the identical expertise and stage of efficiency for much less cash.