Samsung Galaxy A32 5G review

Introduction

Samsung did an unquestionably great job with the latest batch of Galaxy A phones. The Korean giant clearly decided to focus its efforts on what is officially its best-selling line. The new “Awesome is for everyone” tagline fits like a glove. Devices like the Galaxy A32, A52 and even the slightly extraneous A72, with its extra telephoto, bring plenty of value to the table.

In its quest to be as trendy and appealing as possible, Samsung also went ahead and made 5G versions of the A52 and A32. These 5G variants tend to target roughly the same price point as their 4G counterparts, which inevitably means that some compromises are in place to accommodate the processor with 5G support. We already dug extensively into the matter of the Galaxy A52 5G and its slight yet still noticeable downgrades over the regular Galaxy A52 in those respective reviews. Now it’s time to do the same for the A32 5G, which, by all accounts, has suffered a much worse downgrade.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G specs at a glance:

• Body: 164.2×76.1×9.1mm, 205g; plastic body.
• Display: 6.50″ TFT, 720x1600px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 270ppi.
• Chipset: MediaTek MT6853 Dimensity 720 5G (7 nm): Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G57 MC3.
• Memory: 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• OS/Software: Android 11, One UI 3.1.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree, 1/4.0″, 1.12µm; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 13 MP, f/2.2, (wide).
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 15W.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); FM radio; 3.5mm jack.

In fact, we would go as far as to say that the Galaxy A32 5G is an entirely different device than the vanilla A32. The price point is roughly the same, which was clearly Samsung’s main goal, but for that to happen, the A32 5G comes with an LCD display instead of an OLED. A lower-res HD+ one, at that, stuck at 60Hz refresh rate. The panel is so different, in fact, that it even has a bigger diagonal at 6.5 inches. The entire A32 5G is bigger in every dimension, measuring 164.2 x 76.1 x 9.1 mm and tipping the scale at 205 grams. A whole 20, or so, grams more than the regular A32, yet still with the same 5,000 mAh battery.

The camera department has also experienced some changes, including a main camera swap to a lower-res 48MP unit. Interestingly enough, though, the A32 5G gets an extra 2MP depth sensor over its vanilla sibling. Also, it can do 4K@30fps video capture. That final intriguing bit comes courtesy of the MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G chipset found in the Galaxy A32 5G. An all-round upgrade over the MediaTek Helio G80 inside the regular A32.

So, it’s pretty clear how the budget was relocated to make the Galaxy A32 5G a reality. Now the question remains whether the downgrades were worth it to make room for a slightly better chipset, with 5G connectivity.

Unboxing

As a budget offer, the Galaxy A32 5G understandably comes in a rather plain box. It is a basic cardboard bottom piece, with a sleeve on top. You should definitely be careful about applying pressure to the top of said sleeve. Perhaps Samsung can do a bit better for protection during transit. On a more positive note, at least the A32 5G itself comes well wrapped in plastic all around, including thin layers stuck right on to the plastic frame, for extra protection.

Speaking of protection, or lack thereof, the Galaxy A32 5G does not have a pre-applied screen protector, nor is there a case in the box. Both common with budget phones from other manufacturers. What you do get is a basic 15W wall charger (9V@1.67A or 5V@2A) and a simple and fairly short USB Type-A to Type-C cable. At last, there is no proprietary charging scheme at play here, so you don’t necessarily need to stick to the included cable to get the full 15W.