Samsung Galaxy A32 review
The Samsung Galaxy A32 is a mid-range device that packs more value than ever before in its higher-tier models. However, whether the same can be said about the Galaxy A32's lower-end variant remains to be seen. The phone's design is conservative and compact for a modern smartphone. The back panel features camera bumps for the four-camera setup, which includes a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a depth sensor. The display is a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED panel with a 1080p resolution and a fast 90Hz refresh rate. The A32's display is its most attractive feature, with excellent brightness levels and accurate color representation. However, it lacks official support for HDR video and the bezels are somewhat thick. The phone's performance is driven by a Mediatek Helio G80 chipset, which, while not slow, falls short of expectations in CPU and GPU benchmarks. Battery life is impressive, with an endurance rating of 119 hours, thanks to the large 5000mAh battery. However, charging speed is relatively slow, taking around half an hour to reach 25% charge. The phone's camera performance is decent, with good daylight photos from the primary sensor, but lacking in low-light shots and video recording. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A32 offers a great high-refresh-rate AMOLED display and solid software support, but falls short in its chipset performance and speaker quality. While it may not be the best option at this price point, it's still a decent choice for those who want a Samsung phone with these features.
Build Quality and Design
The Samsung Galaxy A32's build quality and design are worth noting. Despite its mid-range status, the phone feels sturdy in the hand, thanks to its plastic construction. Our unit is finished in a sleek black color that doesn't show any signs of being cheap. The overall design is conservative and minimalistic, which may not be everyone's cup of tea. One unique aspect of the A32's back is the camera bumps. Instead of having all four cameras clustered together on an island, each camera has its own individual bump, giving the phone a slightly more premium look. However, it's worth noting that these bumps are quite pronounced and may not appeal to those who prefer a more streamlined design. The phone's dimensions are relatively compact for a device in this price range, making it easy to slip into a pocket or purse. The 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display is a highlight of the A32, offering vibrant colors and excellent brightness levels. While the bezels may be slightly thicker than some other phones on the market, the overall design still looks modern and fresh. In terms of build quality, the plastic construction feels robust and doesn't creak or flex under pressure. The phone's weight is evenly distributed, making it comfortable to hold for extended periods. Overall, while the A32 may not be the most premium-looking phone on the market, its build quality and design are solid for a mid-range device.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy A32 boasts an impressive battery life, thanks in part to its large 5000mAh power pack. Our proprietary tests revealed excellent results, with the phone scoring an endurance rating of 119 hours. This means that you can expect a day and a half of moderate use from a single charge. While the fast 90Hz refresh rate on the Super AMOLED display does add some juice to the battery, it's not a significant concern here. The A32's modest Mediatek Helio G80 chipset also plays a role in its excellent battery life. This CPU and GPU performance may be below par for its class, but it doesn't hold back the phone's ability to deliver long-lasting power. The bundled 15W charger is not particularly fast, taking around half an hour to reach 25% charge from zero. However, the trade-off for this less-than-spectacular charging speed is a battery that lasts remarkably well. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A32's battery life is one of its standout features, making it an excellent choice for those who want a phone that can keep up with their daily needs without needing to be charged too frequently.
Display
One of the most impressive aspects of the Samsung Galaxy A32 is its display. The 6.4-inch Super AMOLED panel offers a proper viewing experience, with crisp details and vibrant colors. The high refresh rate of 90Hz makes scrolling and swiping through menus look smooth and seamless. The bezels may be a bit thick, and the U-shaped notch cut out takes up some screen space, but these minor drawbacks are easily overlooked in favor of the excellent display quality. Content looks great on this panel, with nice contrast and plenty of sharpness. Brightness is also an asset, reaching 400 nits maximum with the slider and up to around 815 nits in auto mode. HDR support may not be officially available on this panel, but that's a minor quibble given the overall display quality. Samsung has done a great job here, and it's clear that they've prioritized this aspect of the phone. In particular, the high refresh rate makes motion on the screen look fluid and natural. While some more expensive phones may adapt their refresh rates to save energy, the Galaxy A32 still manages to deliver excellent battery life despite its 90Hz display. Our proprietary tests scored an endurance rating of 119 hours, which is impressive given the device's modest chipset. Overall, the display on the Samsung Galaxy A32 is a standout feature that sets it apart from some of its competitors. While there may be minor drawbacks here and there, this panel delivers in terms of brightness, contrast, and overall visual quality. If you're looking for a great viewing experience at an affordable price point, the Galaxy A32's display should not be overlooked.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy A32 has four cameras on the back, a quad bay setup with face detection autofocus, an ultra-wide angle cam, a macro camera, and a depth sensor. While the phone takes decent photos, there are some issues that need to be addressed. Daylight shots from the main 64-megapixel camera are good overall, with plenty of detail and respectable dynamic range. However, fine details aren't the sharpest, and colors can sometimes be overdone. Portrait shots look okay for the most part, but subject detection can get tripped up by messy hair, and the lack of HDR in portrait mode means you may end up with a blown-out background. The ultra-wide angle camera takes decent 8-megapixel images, with okay detail and dynamic range. However, colors are less saturated than those from the main camera, and there's no distortion correction, so straight lines appear curved towards the edges of the frame. Close-up shots from the 5-megapixel macro camera are pretty good for this class, with a resolution advantage over many competitors. However, without autofocus, it can take trial and error to get a sharp result. Light photos from the main camera are unimpressive, generally soft and noisy, with a narrow dynamic range. The phone supports night mode on the main camera, but it was buggy for us, often causing the camera app to freeze or crash after taking a shot. Images captured in this way came out with messed-up processing. Nighttime shots from the ultra-wide angle camera are barely usable, quite noisy and dark, with clipped highlights. Selfies taken with the 20-megapixel front-facing camera come out at 12 megapixels, which is okay but not great. They have good enough detail and natural-looking colors, but dynamic range is wide due to HDR support. The lack of 4K video recording on the Galaxy A32 is a disappointment, especially given that footage from the main camera has below-average detail and some heavy-handed sharpening. Noise is low, but dynamic range is reasonably wide. Video from the ultra-wide angle cam has a heavily processed look that's not very appealing. Overall, while the Samsung Galaxy A32's cameras are decent for this price range, there are some issues with video recording and night mode functionality.
Price and Value
In today's competitive mid-range smartphone market, it's refreshing to find a device that genuinely offers value for money. The Samsung Galaxy A32 is one such phone, packing more features than ever before in its higher-tier models. But does this translate to the lower-end Galaxy A32? Let's dive into our review to find out. Priced affordably at around $300-$350, the Galaxy A32 offers a compact design with a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display, a snappy 90Hz refresh rate, and an impressive 5000mAh battery life. The screen itself is a proper Samsung Super AMOLED display, offering excellent brightness (up to 815 nits in auto mode) and accurate color reproduction. The Galaxy A32's modest Mediatek Helio G80 chipset may not be the most competitive in its class, but it still manages to deliver smooth performance. The phone's software support is also commendable, with Samsung committing to three major OS updates and four years of security patches. While the camera capabilities are decent, with a 64MP quad-camera setup, they don't quite live up to the expectations set by some competitors in this price range. However, the presence of features like night mode, macro camera, and ultra-wide angle camera is still a welcome addition. Ultimately, the Galaxy A32 offers an impressive combination of value for money, with its compact design, high-quality display, excellent battery life, and solid software support making it a compelling mid-range option. If you're in the market for a reliable smartphone without breaking the bank, the Samsung Galaxy A32 is definitely worth considering.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A32's performance is an area where it falls short compared to its competitors in the same price range. Despite being packed with a Mediatek Helio G80 chipset, the phone doesn't quite live up to expectations. In CPU and GPU benchmarks, the A32 scores towards the bottom of the charts, lagging behind other devices in its class. While it's not exactly slow, you may encounter occasional hiccups when navigating through menus or performing demanding tasks. The 90Hz refresh rate does add some smoothness to the interface, but it can't fully compensate for the underwhelming performance. One major issue is that the Helio G80 chipset doesn't provide sufficient processing power to handle demanding tasks efficiently. This leads to noticeable lag and stuttering when playing games or performing resource-intensive activities. In our tests, the A32 struggled to keep up with other devices in its price range, making it less suitable for gaming enthusiasts. Additionally, the phone's performance is also affected by its relatively modest storage options, which can slow down the device over time as more data is stored and apps are installed. While expandable storage via a dedicated card slot is available, this doesn't compensate for the overall performance shortfall. In conclusion, while the Samsung Galaxy A32 has some redeeming qualities, such as excellent battery life and solid software support from Samsung, its performance falls short of expectations. Unless you're specifically invested in the Samsung ecosystem, there are other options available that can offer better value and features at a similar price point. Overall, the A32's underwhelming performance is a major drawback, making it less competitive in today's market.
Pros
1. A great high refresh rate amoled display
2. Excellent battery life, scoring an endurance rating of 119 hours
3. Solid software support from Samsung, with updates to Android version and features like Bubbles for messaging apps
4. Compact design for a phone these days
5. Display has excellent brightness, up to around 815 nits in auto mode
6. Selfies are taken with a good enough detail and natural looking colors dynamic range is wide too thanks to HDR
7. Supports night mode on the main cam, although it was buggy for us
Cons
1. The chipset performance is not great and scores towards the bottom of the charts in CPU and GPU benchmarks
2. Speaker quality is below average, quieter than nearly all of the competition
3. Camera stills could be decent but camera video recording is lackluster
4. No support for HDR video on the display
5. Not as competitive with the class when it comes to CPU and GPU performance
6. Night mode was buggy for us in our testing, hopefully Samsung will address this issue
7. The phone's interface can be slow from time to time