Samsung’s Galaxy A-series phones in 2021 – the Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 – are not about specs but gratifying experiences. Samsung does things differently and tries to deliver phones that stand apart from the conventional.
Samsung Galaxy A72 is priced at INR 34,999 in India, which makes it a mid-range phone that will go against the likes of Oppo Reno5 Pro and OnePlus 9R. We will answer if it’s a success in our full review sometime later, but for now, here are a few initial thoughts.
Design
The Galaxy A72 is a scaled version of the Galaxy A52 (review). It has the same pleasant soft-touch finish on the back, a distinctive camera array that seems to seamlessly flow from the back, and comes in some striking pastel color options.
It’s not particularly light at 203 grams, in spite of polycarbonate being used as the primary construction material. It is still comfortable to wield and feels very substantial. Samsung has gone for official IP67 water and dust resistance rating which at the very least provides added assurance and peace of mind.
Display
On the front, there is a splendid Full HD+ AMOLED display with an option for a color-accurate sRGB profile. Keeping up with the current trends, this one supports a 90Hz high refresh rate.
It’s a great display to consume multimedia content. And to that end, the Galaxy A72 also benefits from DRM L1 certification, HDR10 compliance, and stereo speakers that make a difference.
Also Read: QD-OLED vs QLED vs Mini LED TVs: What’s the difference?
Software & Performance
At the heart of the device, you will find Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G which is certainly a little lackluster for the price. It’s still a capable chipset capable of handling the Android 11 based One UI and servicing the needs of most users, but perhaps not of hardcore gamers. The OneUI software is still one of our personal favorites and Samsung further sweetens the pot with the promise of three years of version updates.
The camera hardware is similar to that of the Galaxy A52. There is the same primary 64MP camera sensor with OIS, a 5MP macro camera, and a 12MP wide-angle camera. There’s further an 8MP telephoto camera that delivers 3x (hybrid) to 30x (digital) zoom.
Also Read: What is UWB technology used in Apple AirTags?
Camera
Based on our initial testing, the camera performance is fairly average. We will refrain from passing a verdict just yet, but here a few resized camera samples that should give you some idea.
The 5000mAh battery lasts long. Even with the display set to 90Hz, we could easily muster more than a day’s mileage. Samsung bundles a 25W charger in the box which can get faster-charging speeds.
Initial Thoughts
All said and done, the Galaxy A72 is an interesting mid-range phone that manages to distinguish itself. It looks amazing and feels durable, has a gorgeous 90Hz AMOLED display, a versatile camera system, and a long-lasting battery. We will need to test it some more to know how well the performance holds up and if the camera performance matches or surpasses what we usually get at the price point. If you don’t necessarily need a bigger display, you may as well consider the Galaxy A52 for the same goodness and save some money.
