The "1-Minute" Review
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A72 gets many things right, including the display, colors, and design. But it also falls short when it comes to the unavailability of a 5G version, using an older chipset, and the faulty fingerprint scanner.What's good
- Long battery life
- IP67 dust- and water-resistance rating
- Long term Android support
- 90Hz display
What's bad
- No 5G option
- No 4K recording
- A lot of bloatware
The Samsung Galaxy A72 is the next in a line of budget Galaxy phones, featuring a bigger screen than the A52 and a few other improvements. Samsung’s built a reputation with its top-end models, but how is the experience on their more affordable options? Here’s what to expect.
Design
The A72 offers an interesting change to the standard Galaxy phone look -- pastel color options. While the chassis is made of polycarbonate (i.e. high-grade plastic), the matte texture camouflages fingerprints, keeping it looking posh. You’ll find a SIM tray is at the top, along with a headphone jack and speaker at the bottom on either side of the USB-C charging port. The camera bump is not too big or intrusive.
Display
The phone features an AMOLED display for rich colors and brightness. Reviewers stated that they never had issues seeing the screen -- even in direct sunlight. Color options are limited, but reviewers didn’t see this as a deal-breaker.
The 90Hz refresh rate helps it stand out in the budget market and provides smooth performance when switching between apps and giving the whole experience extra fluidity.
Protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, the screen should put up with travelling in your pocket next to your keys, bouncing around your bag, or even the occasional small fall with no issue.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A72 received decent performance marks from reviewers with a couple of caveats. While the Samsung Galaxy A72 technically has a slower chipset than last year's A71, reviewers reported faster performance from the newer. Still, there are other budget phones out there that blow away the A72 on raw speed.
The phone won’t play graphics-intensive games on the highest settings but does great with more casual games. Regular day-to-day use -- launching apps, checking email, scrolling through social media, etc. -- was just fine with no issues with stutters or crashing.
Unfortunately, the on-screen fingerprint scanner was unreliable for many reviewers, providing either prolonged scan times or failing to work at all. Most recommend using Samsung’s face recognition instead.
Software & Storage
Samsung’s Galaxy A72 runs their One UI 3.1 skin on top of Android, with a 3-year update guarantee. Storage starts at 128GB with the option for 256GB.
Cameras
In good lighting, the camera does well. Reviewers stated that photos using the 3x zoom were pretty decent, showing minimal artifacts or distortion. However, in low-light situations, the camera tends to produce underexposed photos that lack detail and are still noisy around the edges.
Battery Life
Battery life pleased reviewers. If you’re a light phone user, you’ll probably get multiple days out of a single charge. Love games or use your phone frequently? The phone should offer you just enough juice to make it back to a charger at the end of their day based on reviewers’ experiences.
Audio
Speakers on smartphones only sound so good. The Samsung Galaxy A72 isn’t going to wow you, but it’s more than enough for phone calls or casual listening. It uses the earpiece as a second speaker, and while that helps, it’s still not going to win any awards.
Specs at a Glance
- Plastic chassis
- 6.7-inch AMOLED display
- Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G processor
- 6 or 8GB of RAM
- One UI 1.3
- 128 or 256GB of storage
- 64+ MP main lens and 32+MP selfie camera
- 5,000mAh battery
Bottom Line
The Samsung Galaxy A72 gets many things right, including the display, the colors, and the design. But it also falls short when it comes to the unavailability of a 5G version, using an older chipset, and the faulty fingerprint scanner.
As with most budget phones, its ultimate value depends on what you’re looking for in a smartphone on a budget. Some of this might not matter to someone who isn’t heavy into high-end mobile gaming or who lives in an area that isn’t under the 5G area of coverage. If that’s the case, you’ll find the phone plenty reliable, and it looks and feels great for the price.
NextPit says, “The Galaxy A72 tops the trio of Galaxy A mid-range smartphones that were released in 2021. This smartphone carries an amalgamation of the best features in this range, although it disappoints in terms of display capability and fast charging. Still, it remains an excellent option for those who want a smartphone that will last them for a few years before making a new purchase.”
Android Central comments, “The Galaxy A72 nails the basics: you get a sublime 90Hz AMOLED display, minimal design with pastel hues, robust hardware, reliable cameras at the back, a 5000mAh battery, and long-term software updates. But the fact that there's no 5G here makes it a non-starter in global markets, and you also have to contend with a lot of bloatware.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Lynn Anderson, DxOMarkAlthough it overall behind the Oppo Reno6 5G and the Xiaomi 11T, which both offer a better charging experience, the Samsung Galaxy A72 battery has the best autonomy in its segment.
- Lars Rehm, DxOMarkWith a DXOMARK overall score of 105, the Samsung Galaxy A72 cannot compete with the very best in our ranking — which is to be expected for a device in its price segment — but does rather well among its similarly priced peers. It occupies a joint 5th position in our High-end segment ranking, tying th...
- Roydon Cerejo, Gadgets 360As it turns out, the Samsung Galaxy A72 is not too different from the Galaxy A52, and that's a problem. The telephoto camera is a nice addition but I didn't find it very useful since its image quality was average at best. Other than this, you're paying a premium over the Galaxy A52 for a slightly la...
- Akriti Rana, TechPPThe stark fact is that cameras (and the 25W charger) aside, there is not even too much of a difference between the performance of the A72 and the A52, which is available at a much lower price. The Galaxy A72 is a very good phone, but it does not stand out from the competition on any parameter other...
- Manuel Masiero, NotebookcheckWith its strong and further improved features, Samsung's Galaxy A72 has the best prerequisites to continue the success of its predecessor.
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
Samsung backs up the Galaxy A72 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Galaxy A72 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Samsung support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Samsung's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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