Samsung Galaxy M36 : The smartphone battlefield just got more interesting with Samsung’s latest announcement. The Galaxy M36 5G officially launched in India on June 27, 2025, and it’s already causing quite a stir in the budget segment. This isn’t just another incremental upgrade – Samsung has genuinely listened to what consumers want and delivered something that feels both familiar and refreshingly different.
Design Philosophy: Practicality Meets Modern Aesthetics
Walking into any electronics store these days, you’ll notice how similar most phones look. Samsung’s taken a slightly different approach with the M36, embracing what they’re calling a “refined minimalism” design language. The device comes in Orange Haze, Velvet Black, and Serene Green variants, each telling its own visual story while maintaining broad market appeal.
What really stands out is the attention to ergonomics. Weighing approximately 192 grams with dimensions of 165.70 x 76.30 x 8.19 mm, the M36 strikes that sweet spot between substantial feel and comfortable handling. The side-mounted fingerprint scanner feels natural under your thumb, and honestly, after using it for a few days, you’ll wonder why more manufacturers don’t place it there.
Display Excellence: Where Budget Meets Premium Experience
Here’s where Samsung really shows its display mastery. The 6.74-inch Super AMOLED screen delivers 1080×2340 resolution with a silky-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. What impressed me most during testing wasn’t just the vibrant colors – that’s expected from Samsung AMOLED panels – but how responsive everything feels during everyday interactions.
Peak brightness reaches 1500 nits, which means you can actually see your screen clearly even during those bright summer afternoons. The punch-hole design contributes to an impressive screen-to-body ratio, making content consumption genuinely enjoyable whether you’re binge-watching shows or scrolling through social media.
Performance Beast: Exynos Gets Its Moment to Shine
Let’s address the elephant in the room – the processor. Samsung’s equipped the M36 with their own Exynos 1380 chipset, and surprisingly, it performs much better than skeptics anticipated. Built on a 5nm fabrication process, this octa-core processor handles daily tasks with remarkable efficiency.
During real-world testing, multitasking between apps felt smooth, gaming performance exceeded expectations for this price point, and thermal management remained impressive even during extended usage sessions. Geekbench scores show 1004 points in single-core and 2886 points in multi-core tests, which translates to solid performance for the target audience.
Camera Capabilities: Practical Photography Made Simple
Samsung’s taken a refreshingly honest approach to the camera system. The triple rear setup features a 50MP main sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. Instead of cramming unnecessary megapixels, they’ve focused on making the primary camera genuinely useful.
The main camera with optical image stabilization produces sharp, well-detailed shots in good lighting conditions. Low-light performance shows room for improvement, but considering the price point, results remain quite acceptable for social media sharing and everyday photography needs. The 13MP front camera handles selfies and video calls competently, with natural skin tone reproduction.
Battery Endurance: Power That Actually Lasts
This is where the M36 truly excels. The massive 6,000mAh battery easily powers through full days of intensive usage. During testing, even with the 120Hz display enabled, social media browsing, video streaming, and moderate gaming, the device consistently delivered impressive endurance.
Fast charging support ensures you’re not tethered to wall outlets for extended periods, though Samsung hasn’t revealed exact charging speeds yet. Based on predecessor patterns, expect reasonable charging times that won’t leave you frustrated.
Software Experience: Android 15 with Long-Term Commitment
Perhaps the most compelling aspect is Samsung’s software commitment. The M36 launches with Android 15 and One UI 7, with Samsung promising six major OS updates extending support until Android 21. This level of long-term support was previously reserved for flagship devices, making the M36 an excellent long-term investment.
Samsung Galaxy M36 Value Proposition: Redefining Budget Expectations
Priced at ₹16,499 and positioned under ₹20,000, the Galaxy M36 5G delivers exceptional value in today’s competitive market. Available as an Amazon Special device, it directly competes with established players while offering Samsung’s build quality and software support advantages.
The Samsung Galaxy M36 5G represents a thoughtful evolution in budget smartphone design, proving that compromise doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality or features that actually matter to users.