Samsung’s next affordable flagship is here, but it shockingly resembles its cheaper counterpart in several areas.
If the newly announced Galaxy S25 FE is Samsung’s best value phone in the upper mid-range segment, then the Galaxy A36 5G is its counterpart in the entry mid-range space.
At $399, the A36 might surprise you with how much it shares with the S25 FE. You’re still getting a big AMOLED screen, dependable battery life, and Samsung’s long-term software support promise. For many buyers, that’s already enough at this price.
The Galaxy S25 FE starts at $649, which is $250 more than the A36. What do you get for that extra cost?
As usual, the biggest differences are in the chipset and camera system. The FE line is meant to be a gateway into Samsung’s flagship experience without going all the way to Galaxy S25 pricing. It packs a faster processor, a more advanced camera setup, and a few extras the A-series still doesn’t offer.
So is it worth paying the extra $250–300 for the FE?
Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy A36 differences:
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Samsung saves a bit of production cost with the Galaxy A36 5G by sticking to a plastic frame. The phone also has that distinctive “Key Island” camera bump. That said, just like the S25 FE, it uses Gorilla Glass Victus+ for its front and back, and is just 7.4 mm thin, albeit a little taller and wider.
The Galaxy S25 FE is above using plastic as a material, instead equipped with an armored aluminum frame, giving it a more premium feel.
The Galaxy S25 FE carries an IP68 water and dust-resistance rating, while the Galaxy A36 is rated at IP67. The difference is minor: IP68 means the phone can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes, while IP67 drops that to 1 meter.
The Galaxy A36 colors are Black, White, Lavender, and Lime, while the S25 FE colors are Icy Blue, Jet Black, Navy, and White.
