Samsung is still adding to its popular M-series with the release of the Samsung Galaxy M36 5G. This budget-friendly smartphone has a modern design, strong performance, and 5G connectivity at a great price. This device came out in India on June 27, 2025, and it is meant to compete in the sub-₹20,000 range. It has a lot of improvements over the Galaxy M35 5G, but it is still affordable. This article goes into great detail about the Samsung Galaxy M36 5G, including its specs, features, design, and overall value.
Design and Build: Sleek and Strong
The Samsung Galaxy M36 5G has a new look that focuses on how long it will last and how good it looks. The phone is only 7.7mm thick, so it is thin and light, which makes it easy to hold and put in your pocket. It has a flat screen and back panel, which gives it a modern, simple look. The back has a matte finish that hides fingerprints, and the device comes in three bright colors: Orange Haze, Serene Green, and Velvet Black.
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ protects the phone’s screen from scratches and small drops. Some sources say that it has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, but not all reports agree on this, so buyers should check this feature before buying. The power button and volume rockers are on the right side of the device, and a fingerprint sensor on the side lets you get in quickly and safely. Some people who like wired audio solutions may be disappointed that there isn’t a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Display: AMOLED with a lot of color Experience
The Galaxy M36 5G has a Full HD+ Super AMOLED screen that is 6.7 inches wide and has a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and a refresh rate of 120Hz. This makes scrolling smooth, animations smooth, and the viewing experience immersive, which is great for gaming, streaming, and browsing. The display has bright colors and deep blacks, which is typical of Samsung’s AMOLED panels. It can get as bright as 1,900 nits, which makes it easy to see in bright light.
One thing that people don’t agree on is the waterdrop notch for the front camera. This design choice seems old-fashioned compared to the Galaxy M35 5G’s punch-hole display. Some tech fans on sites like X have criticized this, saying it makes things worse. Even so, the overall quality of the display is still a big reason to buy it for watching movies and TV shows.
How well it works: With an Exynos 1380 chip
The Galaxy M36 5G has Samsung’s Exynos 1380 SoC inside, which is made on a 5nm process. This octa-core chipset has four performance cores running at 2.4GHz and four efficiency cores running at 2.0GHz. It works well for everyday tasks, multitasking, and moderate gaming. When used with the Mali-G68 GPU, it can run popular games like Free Fire and PUBG Mobile well, but it might not be able to handle the highest graphics settings for more demanding games.
The phone has two versions: one with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and another with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You can add more storage up to 1TB with a microSD slot. It has Android 15 and One UI 7, which makes for a smooth and customizable user experience. Samsung has promised six years of software updates, which is a great feature in this price range because it means long-term support and security patches.
Camera: A flexible triple-camera setup
The Galaxy M36 5G has three cameras on the back, with the main one being a 50MP sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS) that keeps photos sharp and steady, even in low light. An 8MP ultra-wide lens is also included for taking pictures of large scenes, and a 2MP or 5MP macro sensor (different sources give different specs) is included for taking pictures up close. The camera system can record 4K video at 30 frames per second with gyro-EIS, so it’s good for casual videography.
The front-facing camera is 13MP (or 12MP in some reports) and takes good selfies. It also lets you record 4K video, which isn’t something you see often in this price range. The camera’s versatility is improved by AI-based features like Circle to Search and Google Gemini integration, which let users use smart search and editing tools. Some reviewers call the macro sensor “useless” because it doesn’t have many real-world uses, but the main and ultra-wide cameras work very well for the price.
Charging and battery life: a mixed bag
The Galaxy M36 5G has a 5,000mAh battery, which is less powerful than the Galaxy M35 5G’s 6,000mAh battery. Users on X have been unhappy with this change because the bigger battery was one of the best things about the previous model. The 5,000mAh capacity, on the other hand, still gives you good battery life and can last a full day or more with normal use. The phone can charge quickly at 25W, so you can get a quick boost, but depending on where you live, the box may not come with a charger.
Features and Connectivity
The Galaxy M36 5G is a 5G-enabled device that supports dual-SIM 5G connectivity. This means that streaming, gaming, and browsing will be fast. You can also connect to Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and a USB-C port. Some reports say that the phone has a fingerprint sensor on the display, while others say that it is on the side. This may depend on the region or model. There are also an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, and a compass. Some users may not like that the device doesn’t have FM radio.
Prices and availability
The Samsung Galaxy M36 5G is a good deal, with the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model starting at ₹16,499 and the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model costing ₹19,990 or ₹22,999 (prices vary slightly based on discounts and stores). You can buy it from Amazon India, the official Samsung India website, and some offline stores. The first sale will start on July 12, 2025. The phone is a good choice in the budget 5G category because it is cheap and Samsung is known for making reliable products and providing long-term software support.
Is the Galaxy M36 5G Worth It?
The Samsung Galaxy M36 5G is a strong competitor in the budget 5G smartphone market. It has a bright AMOLED screen, dependable performance, and a good camera system, all at a reasonable price. The addition of 6 years of software updates and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ makes it a great choice for people on a budget because it will last for a long time. However, some people have criticized the change to a waterdrop notch and a smaller battery compared to the Galaxy M35 5G, as seen in posts on X.
The Galaxy M36 5G is a great choice for people who want a reliable 5G phone that can handle a lot of multimedia and will get software updates for a long time. If you want a bigger battery or a more modern display design, you might want to look into other options like the Galaxy M35 5G (which is cheaper) or competitors like the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite or CMF Phone 2 Pro. In the end, the Galaxy M36 5G is a great choice for both Samsung fans and people on a budget because it has a good balance of performance, features, and price.
