Samsung Galaxy M36 5G First Impressions

Samsung Galaxy M-series has always been known for its performance-centric features and an aggressive pricing strategy. We have seen multiple models in this series that bring a good value-for-money proposition to the customers in different price segments. And with the all-new Samsung Galaxy M36 5G, the company is planning to further strengthen its position in the mid-range segment. I got the chance to spend some time with the device, and here's what you need to know.

The Galaxy M36 5G India price starts at Rs. 17,499 for 6GB RAM and 128GB storage option. The 8GB RAM and 128GB model is priced at Rs. 18,999, while the top-end model with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage has a price tag of Rs. 21,999.

The Samsung Galaxy M36 5G is available in three colour options: Velvet Black, Serene Green, and Orange Haze.

Starting with its major highlight, Samsung has made sure that the device stands out from the crowd with the new design language. You get a flat frame and a minimal aesthetic, which makes it look different from the rest of the Galaxy M-series smartphones. The model is also one of the slimmest Galaxy M-series phones, measuring just 7.7mm thick.

The handset is available in three colour options: Velvet Black, Serene Green, and Orange Haze. We got the Orange colour option for the review, and it sure looks different. The metallic finish at the rear panel does stand out to me, and the new camera module design now aligns with the company's flagship phones. The handset feels comfortable to hold in hand, though I feel the power and volume controls are slightly on the higher side, which is a bit of an hassle to reach. The front offers a water-drop notch, which I feel is a letdown The brand could have given a punch-hole cutout to make it look more premium.

The handset features a large 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U display.

Coming to the display, the Samsung Galaxy M36 5G features a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display that offers a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The panel offers a 120Hz screen refresh rate and gets Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection, which is a good addition. The display looks decent during initial testing and I found the colours to be punchy. That said, we will discuss more about this in our upcoming review.

Moving on, another important highlight of the device is the cameras. The Galaxy M36 5G is equipped with a triple-rear camera setup, which consists of a 50-megapixel primary sensor with OIS support, an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens, and a 2-megapixel macro shooter. On the front, the handset features a 13-megapixel shooter for selfies and video calling. Once again, we will test the cameras in our full review.

The smartphone runs on OneUI 7.0, which is based on Android 15 operating system.

Interestingly, the Samsung Galaxy M36 is also one of the few devices from the brand that happens to offer AI features in this price segment. The company has brought Circle to Search along with Gemini Live with the Galaxy model. Moreover, you also get features like AI Editing tools, AI Screen, AI Stereo Depth Map, and more with the new model. The handset also ships with OneUI 7.0, which is based on the Android 15 operating system. The good thing here is that the brand is offering six major OS upgrades and six years of security updates, which is a welcome move.

In terms of performance, the Samsung Galaxy M36 5G is powered by the Exynos 1380 processor, which offers four A78 cores clocked at 2.4GHz and four A55 cores clocked at 2.0GHz. The chipset also comes with a Mali-G68 MP5 GPU. The smartphone is available with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage.

The smartphone features a 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging support.

Lastly, the Samsung Galaxy M36 5G houses a 5,000mAh battery. The handset supports 25W of fast charging, which actually seems to be a bit low compared to the competition. Apart from this, you get an in-display fingerprint sensor. The phone offers 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS + GLONASS, and USB Type-C port for connectivity.

The Samsung Galaxy M36 5G sure seems to be an interesting device in this price segment. The handset offers a unique design, which surely stands out to me. It also features a decent display and an interesting set of AI features. That said, the phone still faces a lot of heat from the likes of CMF Phone 2 Pro, Realme P3 Pro, iQOO Z10x, and more.