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On Thu, 27 Mar, 12:04 AM UTC
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Samsung's Galaxy A26 and A36 Are Available Now. Here Are My First Impressions
Named a Tech Media Trailblazer by the Consumer Technology Association in 2019, a winner of SPJ NorCal's Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2022 and has three times been a finalist in the LA Press Club's National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. After making their debut at Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, Samsung's Galaxy A26 and A36 phones are now available to buy in the US. The A26 starts at $300, while the A36 starts at $400. The company also unveiled the $500 A56 earlier this month, but that phone's slated to launch later this year. All three devices have larger displays, more powerful processors and, inevitably, new AI features. I got a first look at the phones during MWC, and my first impression was that they felt impressively more premium than their sticker price, thanks to their bright displays, glass backing and use of Samsung's latest One UI 7. Arriving on the heels of the $599 iPhone 16E, Apple's idea of an affordable phone that's far from cheap, all three new Samsung Galaxy A phones seem to prove a phone-maker can still make a cheap phone that's truly affordable and flexes new features like Android 15 and Google's Circle to Search tool. All the phones are built to last you a while, with six years of OS and security updates, Samsung's Knox Vault for device security and privacy and an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. Here's everything to know about the Galaxy A36, A26 and A56. Read more: MWC 2025: All the Phones, Wearables, Robots and AI Live From Barcelona At 8.2mm thick and 196 grams, the Galaxy A36 5G is thinner and lighter than last year's Galaxy A35 5G, which was 7.4mm thick and weighed 209 grams. Like last year, the phone packs a 5,000-mAh battery but now features 45-watt super fast charging, which Samsung says can charge the phone nearly 70% in 30 minutes. (CNET will test this once we get the devices in for review, so stay tuned.) Thinner bezels bump the display to 6.7 inches, compared to the A35's 6.6 inches. The A36 features a 120Hz refresh rate, and an increased peak brightness of 1,900 nits, ideally making it easier to see the screen even if you're in a brightly lit environment. Both the front and back feature Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus Plus, which Samsung says improves durability. The company says they're all "FHD+" resolution, which usually means 2,220x1,080 pixels. In person, the display looked nice and bright, and the bezels are still pretty noticeable, but not obtrusive. There's just enough heft to the phone to help it feel more premium than its price suggests, but it's still lightweight altogether. Cameras get an upgrade, too, with support for HDR video recording on the 50-megapixel main camera. Like last year's phone, the A36 also features an 8-megapixel ultrawide and 5-megapixel macro camera. The front camera goes from 13 to 12 megapixels, but supports 10-bit HDR video recording. It's worth noting that more megapixels doesn't automatically mean a better camera. HDR support can help images and videos have a wider dynamic range (the difference between the brightest parts of an image and the darkest parts) and look more detailed and colorful. For nighttime shots, Samsung says larger pixels serve up sharper, more vibrant images with minimal noise, even in extremely low light -- larger pixels can gather more light and have less image noise. Stay tuned to CNET's tests to see how the camera performs. You'll find AI features on the A36 like Google's Circle to Search, which can now also translate on-screen text and identify music. Samsung debuted these new capabilities on its flagship Galaxy S25 lineup in January. AI-powered photo editing tools include an enhanced Object Eraser that now lets you select multiple objects to be removed, and a Filter feature that lets you create a custom filter based on any photo. For example, if you have a shot of a sunset and you like the tone of the image, you can apply that filter to other photos, too. Edit Suggestion will use AI to analyze an image and serve up recommendations to improve it, like removing shadows or reflections. The A36 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, versus the Exynos 1380 featured on the Galaxy A35. It has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Samsung says there's also a larger cooling system to better dissipate heat and optimize for gameplay and streaming. The Galaxy A36 is available in black and lavender. An exclusive lime version is also available through Best Buy. Read more: Best Android Phone for 2025 The (even cheaper) Galaxy A26 is also thinner than its predecessor, measuring at 7.7mm compared to the Galaxy A25's 8.3mm. It also gets a bigger FHD+ display, thanks to reduced bezels, matching the A36's 6.5 inches. It shares a 120Hz refresh rate. The bezels on the A36 are more obvious than on the A26 and A56, especially along the bottom of the phone and around the camera. The display is also a bit dimmer. While last year's A25 featured a glass front and plastic back, the A26 steps things up with Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on both the front and back, just like the A36. The frame remains plastic. Despite the upgrade to a glass backing, the A26 doesn't have the same premium, heftier feel in hand as the A36 and A56. But it has a smooth interface and is highly responsive, just like its A series sisters. Like last year's model, the A26 features a 50-megapixel wide-angle camera, 8-megapixel ultrawide camera and 2-megapixel macro camera, as well as a 13-megapixel selfie camera. Despite the lower price, you'll still get AI features like Photo Edit Suggestion and Object Eraser, as well as Circle to Search. The A26 runs the Exynos 1380 chipset, and comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It also has expandable memory up to 2TB, and packs a 5,000 mAh battery. To complete the trio, the Galaxy A56 has a 6.7-inch display and a 5,000 mAh battery, which, like the A36, supports 45-watt charging. The A56 is powered by the Exynos 1580 chipset and also has a larger vapor chamber to help you play games and watch videos for longer. The A56 has a 50-megapixel wide camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The selfie camera has a 12-megapixel sensor compared to the Galaxy A55's 32-megapixel front-facing camera, which took either 12- or 8-megapixel images after pixel binning. The selfie camera also gets 10-bit HDR support, and a Low Noise Mode helps to take sharper low-light photos, Samsung says. A feature only available on the A56 is called Best Face, which can help you nail a group photo by choosing the best expressions on up to five people and then combining them into one image. This is similar -- in name and in execution -- to Google's Best Take feature on the Pixel series. The A56 also gets an enhanced Object Eraser and Filter capabilities. Samsung hasn't yet shared color options for the A56, but the version I got a quick look at was white. It feels similar to the A36 in terms of weight, thickness and feel, and the screen brightness is also comparable.
[2]
Samsung's Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A26 Both Offer Big, Bright Screens Under $500
The Galaxy A26 and A26 also run a truncated version of Samsung's AI magic called "Awesome Intelligence." Affordable smartphone season remains in full swing, with Samsung entering the ring with its own affordable set of Android devices. The budget-priced Galaxy A36 and A26 were teased earlier this month alongside a third device. The phones are now available online and through participating carriers, starting at $400 and $300, respectively. Both devices feature mid-range specifications and Samsung's "Awesome Intelligence" suiteâ€"essentially Galaxy AI, pared down for its affordable smartphones. If it's a bright, vibrant screen you want under $500, Samsung is the way to go. The Galaxy A36 and the Galaxy A26 both feature a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a maximum 1,200 nits of brightness. Both phones have Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processors with 6GB of RAM. They're both limited to a middling 128GB of storage, so you'll want an active cloud account if you're looking to hoard photos and files. The Samsung Galaxy A36 has a better-equipped camera system, with a triple-array rear camera with an 8-MP ultra-wide camera, a 50-MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, and a 5-MP macro camera. There's also a 12-MP front-facing camera for selfies. The Galaxy A26 has most of the same camera specs, save for a 2-MP macro camera on the rear and a 13-MP front-facing camera. If you're into artificial intelligence, the Galaxy A36 and A26 have some of Samsung's fancy AI features, though they had to be pared down for this particular set of specifications. That's why it's called Awesome Intelligence instead of Galaxy AI. The abilities you'll have access to through these devices include Circle to Search, which is mainly tied to Google's Gemini, and Samsung's AI-driven Object Eraser, which nixes distracting subjects from your photos. It's enough of a taste of Samsung's AI that maybe you'll spring for the full-priced thing. Samsung's Galaxy A36 is available in black, lavender, and a unique lime color at Best Buy starting at $400. Samsung's Galaxy A26 only comes in black and starts at $300. Samsung's Galaxy A-series devices aren't the best deal in the business. For instance, Google's Pixel 9a, which was announced but remains delayed, features two more gigs of RAM and more of Google's Gemini features, since it runs natively on Google's Tensor processors. But it's delayed and still technically $100 more than the Galaxy A36. With a Samsung phone, you should get a big, bright screen for a decent priceâ€"maybe free, if your carrier will subsidize it.
[3]
Updated Galaxy A Series Brings the AI
We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods. More info. Samsung updated its Galaxy A series this week, with the Galaxy A26 and Galaxy A36 being the highlights. Like its high-end devices, Samsung is putting emphasis on artificial intelligence, making the entry into AI more affordable for its customers. Starting at just $299, the Galaxy A26 features a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED FHD+ display, octa-core processor, triple rear camera system (50 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP), 128GB storage (with microSD slot with support up to 1TB), 6GB RAM, 5,000mAh battery, IP67 rating, and launches with Android 15 (One UI 7) with six years of OS updates down the road. Galaxy A36 is priced at $399, featuring a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED FHD+ display, octa-core processor, triple rear cameras (50 MP + 8 MP + 5 MP), 128GB storage, 6GB RAM, 5,000mAh battery, IP67 rating, and also comes with six years of OS upgrades. Notable is a color option only available for the A36, Awesome Lavender. It looks pretty hot. A few of the AI features buyers can expect are Circle to Search, Object Eraser, and Edit Suggestions. In the grand scheme of AI features, those are good ones to have, especially Object Eraser. Each of these new devices is available for purchase now on Samsung's website. Samsung has trade-in offers available, as well as a promotion that nets you 50% off Galaxy Buds FE and Galaxy Fit3 with purchase of either of these phones.
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Samsung launches new budget-friendly Galaxy A26 and A36 smartphones, featuring AI capabilities, improved displays, and enhanced cameras, starting at $300 and $400 respectively.
Samsung has unveiled its latest Galaxy A series smartphones, the A26 and A36, bringing artificial intelligence features to the budget-friendly segment. Announced at Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, these devices are now available for purchase in the US, with the A26 starting at $300 and the A36 at $400 12.
Both the Galaxy A26 and A36 feature 6.7-inch Super AMOLED displays with FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The A36 boasts a peak brightness of 1,900 nits, while the A26 offers 1,200 nits 13. Samsung has reduced bezels and incorporated Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on both the front and back of the devices, enhancing durability and premium feel 1.
The Galaxy A36 comes with a triple rear camera setup, including a 50-megapixel main camera with HDR video recording support, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The A26 features a similar configuration but with a 2-megapixel macro camera instead 12. Both devices offer improved low-light performance and various AI-powered photo editing tools 1.
Samsung has introduced a scaled-down version of its Galaxy AI suite, dubbed "Awesome Intelligence," for these budget devices 2. Key features include:
Both models are equipped with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The A36 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, while the A26 uses the Exynos 1380 chipset 13. Each device features a 5,000mAh battery, with the A36 supporting 45-watt super fast charging 1.
The Galaxy A26 and A36 run on Android 15 with Samsung's One UI 7. Samsung promises six years of OS and security updates for both devices, ensuring longevity and continued support 13. The phones also include Samsung's Knox Vault for enhanced device security and privacy 1.
The Galaxy A26 is available in black for $300, while the A36 comes in black, lavender, and an exclusive lime color at Best Buy, starting at $400 12. These competitive prices position the devices as attractive options in the budget smartphone market, especially when compared to alternatives like the delayed Google Pixel 9a 2.
Samsung's introduction of AI features to its budget lineup demonstrates the company's commitment to bringing advanced technology to a wider range of consumers. As the smartphone market continues to evolve, the integration of AI capabilities at lower price points may become a key differentiator for manufacturers competing in the affordable segment.
