Samsung has launched an amazing smartphone in the market – Galaxy F36 5G! And, let me come straight to the point. The price of this phone is just ₹16,499, and Samsung has put so much in it that you will be left thinking! It also has some flagship features, which no other brand offers in this budget. After using this phone for 7 days, I will tell you why this is an amazing deal, how great it is, and what is lacking.
Samsung Galaxy F36 Unboxing: What do you get in the box?
As soon as you open the box, you find slim-trim packaging, which is in Samsung’s usual style. We have the Violet coloured 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant. The front of the phone is visible on the box, and inside the phone you find a Type-C cable, SIM ejector pin, and some paperwork. Charger? Forget it, you will have to buy it separately! But one cool thing – the packaging is plastic-free, which is a good step for the environment.
Design: Extremely Premium Look!
There is a premium leather-finish back in Violet colour, which feels extremely different in the hand. There are other colours too, but this violet one looks very stylish. The shape of the phone is boxy and just 7.7mm thin – where can you find such a slim phone in this budget? It feels great to hold it in hand.
The camera setup on the left side looks like a flagship, reminding one of costly Samsung phones. Power button (with fingerprint sensor) on the right side, volume buttons and secondary mic on the top, USB-C port and speaker grill below and SIM tray on the left. The leather finish and slim design of the back make this one premium.
Camera: Triple Camera Setup
Let us talk about the camera first, as it is the hero of this phone! It has a triple camera setup of 50MP main sensor, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro. Photos from the main camera are absolutely stunning – colours are vibrant, details are sharp, and highlights remain clear too. It gave decent dynamic range even in the rainy weather of Delhi.
The ultra-wide lens is a big deal in this budget as brands often skip it. The colours of the main and ultra-wide remain almost the same, which is a big plus for consistency. Close-up shots from the macro are also okay. Skin tones and details are captured quite well in night photography, which is rare in this price range.
There is a 13MP selfie camera on the front, which gives slightly punchy photos. If you like vibrant selfies, then this one will win your heart. Both the cameras (front and back) support 4K@30fps video recording – this is a huge surprise in this budget!
What to say about AI! The camera has AI features like edit suggestions (auto-improves the photo), image clipper (separates subject from background), and object eraser (remove unwanted things from the photo). All these are available in flagship phones, and here for ₹16,499.
AI Features: A little magic!
AI is amazing apart from the camera too. The phone has features like Gemini Live and Circle to Search. Circle to Search is really cool – you can search on Google by circling anything on the screen. For example, if you see a plant, jacket, or food, you will immediately know what it is! These things look quite cool in daily use.
Display: Super AMOLED magic!
There is a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display on the front, with 120Hz refresh rate. Scrolling and animations are really buttery smooth! Colours are vibrant, contrast deep, and with Vision Booster tech, it looks clear even in sunlight (800 nits HBM).
The bezel is a little thin, and there is a drop notch on top, but there is no problem in watching movies or series. Full HD content can be played on Netflix and Prime as it has Widevine L1 support – a big deal in this budget!
Durability: Strong and Stylish
The display has Gorilla Glass Victus Plus which offers 2-meter drop and 4x better scratch resistance. No other brand offers such solid protection in this price range! The leather finish on the back also feels rugged, so the phone doesn’t slip from the hand. Overall, this phone is extremely strong and stylish.
Performance: Smooth and Stable
It has Exynos 1380 chip which gives 5-6 lakh AnTuTu score. With 8GB RAM and UFS 2.2 storage, there was no lag in daily tasks. I opened multiple apps, switched, and everything ran smoothly. It is solid in gaming too – BGMI runs at 60fps, and the phone doesn’t get too hot due to the vapor cooling chamber.
Talking about the software, it has One UI 7 (Android 15) – very clean and smooth. No bloatware, which is very good in this budget. You will get 6 years of major OS updates and 6 years of security updates, which makes this phone solid for the long term. There is also tap-to-pay (with Samsung Knox), so you can make direct payment from the card.
Battery: It lasts long!
It has a 5000mAh battery which gives 6-7 hours of screen-on time depending on use. YouTube, WhatsApp, or gaming, a day passes comfortably. There is 25W charging support, but the charger will have to be bought separately. The battery is quite optimised due to the display and chip efficiency.
Sound and Extras: Fine
There is a single speaker, which is loud and clear, but there is no stereo. The haptic motor is normal, nothing special. The fingerprint sensor is in the power button, which is fast and reliable. 5G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth all work smoothly.
Samsung Galaxy F36 5G Price
The 8GB+128GB variant is ₹16,499 (after offers). There are two other colours apart from violet. Samsung brand, One UI 7, solid camera, and Gorilla Glass Victus Plus at this price – this is an absolute steal deal!
Specifications
| Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Processor | Exynos 1380 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB UFS 2.2 |
| Display | 6.7-inch Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits |
| Camera | 50MP Main, 8MP Ultra-wide, 2MP Macro, 13MP Selfie |
| Battery | 5000mAh, 25W Charging |
| Operating System | One UI 7 (Android 15) |
| Build | Gorilla Glass Victus Plus, Leather Finish Back |
| Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Tap-to-Pay |
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- ₹16,499 in premium leather finish and slim 7.7mm design.
- 50MP+8MP ultra-wide camera, 4K video, and AI features.
- 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 120Hz and Widevine L1.
- Gorilla Glass Victus Plus – the best boot in this budget!
- One UI 7, 6+6 years of updates, and no bloatware.
Cons:
- Charger not in the box.
- Single speaker, no stereo sound.
- Normal haptic motor, a little basic.
- Drop notch feels a little old-school.
Conclusion
Samsung Galaxy F36 5G is a great money vasool phone! It offers premium design, great camera, great display, and a clean experience of One UI 7. All this for ₹16,499, and that too with Samsung brand – amazing!
If you are looking for a budget phone that is top in looks, camera, and performance, then you can buy this blind. Check the offers on Flipkart, and tell us in the comments how you liked this phone!
