I switched to Samsung’s $450 Galaxy phone from my OnePlus, and didn’t regret it

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Samsung’s Galaxy A37 is the company’s latest midrange smartphone and direct successor to the A36. It closely follows last year’s formula, sharing many of the same but reliable features. That may sound disappointing, but it doesn’t make for a bad mobile device — far from it.

Coming from my OnePlus, the new Galaxy A37 is a well-rounded, dependable phone that’s easy to recommend to anyone looking for a great value option. However, it might not be enough of an upgrade to warrant buying over the Galaxy A36 for some people. Here’s why.

Performance

The most notable change is in the internal hardware. Samsung’s latest midrange phone runs on the Exynos 1480 chipset, while the A36 uses the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3. I haven’t personally used the A36, but I am familiar with the Snapdragon 6 thanks to the Moto G Stylus, which also runs on it, and provides solid performance. So the question is, how does the Exynos chipset hold up?

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Well, brace yourself, but I’d say it’s about the same. In everyday use, the phone feels fast and fluid. Scrolling through websites, running multiple apps, and streaming videos all felt seamless. Performance stays consistent with no noticeable dips. When it comes to gaming, however, the phone isn’t as good.

During my time with the Galaxy A37, I tested two demanding titles, “Arknights Endfield” and “Honkai: Star Rail”. The former struggled to run on the phone. Gameplay was plagued by frequent stuttering, occasional freezes, and low resolution, even at the lowest graphical settings. Star Rail fared better. It ran more smoothly overall, although I still encountered some of the same issues.

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Even if you’re not a big gamer, just note that the Exynos 1480 may struggle with heavy multitasking. Another issue I ran into is heat. While downloading a large update for Arknights Endfield, the phone heated up to the point that holding it became uncomfortable. Overheating is not limited to gaming either, as the same thing happened while watching multiple YouTube livestreams.

The remaining hardware differences between the Galaxy A37 and A36 are relatively minor, but they go a long way toward enhancing the user experience. For instance, on the A37, you can opt for a higher-tier configuration with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, in addition to the base 6GB and 128GB setup. It also features an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor embedded under the display, adding an extra layer of security.

Point-and-shoot

The camera system on the Samsung Galaxy A37 is largely unchanged from the previous generation. It consists of a 50MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 5MP macro lens that is capable of up to 10x digital zoom. The biggest upgrade to the camera is the addition of optical image stabilization (OIS). And it makes a notable difference in achieving image clarity.

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For testing, I took the phone out for a walk in a nearby park, recording as I went. I wanted to see how well the camera handled motion. After both taking photos and videos, the results were great. I didn’t notice any discernible blur or focusing issues while recording. Even when I jumped up and down to mess with the sensors, photographs came out mostly clear.

Image quality is top-notch. Photos and videos come out super crisp, delivering a high amount of detail. Below is a photograph of my cat. The lighting might not be the best, but you can still clearly see the individual strands of fur. This is the type of clarity you’d expect from higher-end models.

You know what? Just for good measure, let me also throw in this photograph of a bunch of flowers I took the other day. I think it looks great and exemplifies the camera’s quality. Neither image was color corrected or edited in any significant way. All I did was change the aspect ratio to 16:9.

The camera system does have its flaws. First, the phone shifts its color balance depending on lighting conditions, leaning warmer in some shots and cooler in others. This shift can be very drastic, and moving the phone by a few feet can change the lighting from orange to blue, which can be frustrating when you have a great shot in place, then it changes.

Also, the 10x zoom isn’t the best. Zoomed-in objects appear blurry, and text written on signs looks like they’re melting. It’s a strange effect.

Design and battery

Regarding design, the Galaxy A37 is, as you can probably guess, identical to the A36. It shares the same dimensions, measuring 162.9 x 78.2 x 7.4 mm (6.41 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches), and weighing 196 grams. Even though Samsung didn’t change anything, it’s still a great form factor, thanks to the rounded edges. The phone is quite comfortable to hold.

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Up front, the A37 boasts a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen running at Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s excellent. Colors are vibrants, on-screen content looks sharp, and the high refresh rate makes everything scrolling through web pages incredibly smooth. 

The speakers are another major highlight. While it hasn’t been fine-tuned by a notable audio brand, its system still delivers great sound. Music sounds full with good instrument separation. Plus, everything comes through clearly, even at high volume.

Battery life is another strong point. Samsung’s Galaxy A37 packs a 5,000 mAh battery, providing solid endurance. During my continuous livestream tests, the smartphone lasted over 21 hours on a single charge — an impressive number by any standard. Recharging speeds are okay. Using my own charger, the mobile device went from 0 to 30% in about 30 minutes. That’s good for a quick top-up, though nothing class-leading.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Samsung Galaxy A37 starts at $450 for the 128GB model and $540 for the 256GB version. It comes in two colors: Awesome Charcoal (black) and Awesome Lavender (pinkish-purple). This phone is an easy recommendation for budget-conscious shoppers, offering a fun, easy-to-use camera, excellent battery life, and a vibrant display.

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That said, I have a hard time calling it an upgrade over the Galaxy A36. While additions like OIS and the fingerprint sensor are welcome, the overall experience remains very much the same. 

Many features are largely unchanged. What’s more, the A36 is currently $300 at Amazon. If you want those extra features and don’t mind spending a bit more, grab the A37. Otherwise, last year’s model is the more practical choice.