- Home
- Cell Phone Reviews
- You are here
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Review
By Viktor Yankov
Apr 13, 2021, 11:49 AM
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Review
- Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Review
- Samsung Galaxy A32 specifications
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase from the links on this page.
So let's have a look at it!
Let's start this off by saying that this phone also has a 4G LTE variant. While it has slower connectivity speeds, it does have one better feature and that is its 90Hz 1080P AMOLED display which simply trashes the LCD one on the A32 5G version. Our guess is that Samsung needed to bring the cost down on the 5G model, which is why they skimped on the display and personally, we think that was a bad decision. For all else, the 5G and LTE versions are identical.
Design-wise, this device is actually a hipster. To put it into other words, the back is a glossy plastic one, which we're not a fan of but the camera bump is non-existent. Instead, what you get here are slight protrusions from each camera lens. Additionally, the fingerprint sensor is on the side here which we're fans of. We only wish Samsung had decided to either put a glass back or just own the plastic and make it matte, and possibly make the chin on the display slightly smaller.
Display-wise, Samsung decided to disappoint us here. The A32 5G variant comes equipped with a 720x1600 pixel display which is capped at 60Hz. Thats really not that amazing given the screen size of 6.4 inches.
The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set [area] of colors that a display can reproduce, with the sRGB colorspace [the highlighted triangle] serving as reference. The chart also provides a visual representation of a display's color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The 'x: CIE31' and 'y: CIE31' values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. 'Y' shows the luminance [in nits] of each measured color, while 'Target Y' is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, 'ΔE 2000' is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.
The Color accuracy chart gives an idea of how close a display's measured colors are to their referential values. The first line holds the measured [actual] colors, while the second line holds the reference [target] colors. The closer the actual colors are to the target ones, the better.
The Grayscale accuracy chart shows whether a display has a correct white balance [balance between red, green and blue] across different levels of grey [from dark to bright]. The closer the Actual colors are to the Target ones, the better.
The camera situation here is actually, pretty good for the money. The cameras are four on the back and one of them is a depth sensor. The main shooter is 48MP, the ultrawide we have here is 8MP and we have a macro camera at 5MP.
Now, since this phone is not exactly top of the line, we werent expecting much, but we were honestly surprised to see it do this good. It lacks a few key features such as optical stabilization but well get to that in a bit.
In almost every scenario, it looked OK in terms of color, but the main sensor was having a bit of difficulty with dynamic range from time to time.
Otherwise, pretty decent photos if you dont try and zoom in too much because quality starts to drop rapidly.
Then, we finally reach the macro camera. Its not the greatest but its close to what the A52 offers and it is there if you do ever decide to use it and, with the right conditions, it can produce a good image.
In terms of low light performance, we wouldnt exactly depend on this device. There is simply too much noise and colors are not really accurate. Night mode also doesnt seem to help much.
How about the front camera then? Honestly, pretty good for bright outdoor use.
In terms of performance, this device is actually not bad. This is not a device you come to if youre looking for speed, but its decent enough if youre aiming to watch some videos and play casual games.
In terms of battery life, this device is actually amazing. It comes equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, which should last you 2 days with normal usage, as it did for us. By the way, we're saying its amazing because this is the longest-lasting battery weve tried from Samsung. We did a battery test by browsing the web at 60Hz and it lasted around 18 hours and 40 minutes. To put that into perspective, the average phone lasts around 12 to 14 hours on this same test. Then we tried some YouTube at work and it managed to do 11 hours and 25 minutes which is amazing. We're assuming it lasts this much because the screen is 720p paired with this massive battery.
Charging speeds are kind of decent. Not the fastest weve seen, but with 15 watts, its better than nothing. So if you need a long-lasting phone with the Samsung ecosystem, this might be it.
Feature-wise, the Galaxy A32 is not exactly the best. It does include a Micro SD card slot at the cost of your second SIM card and it does preserve its headphone jack. You also have 5G support but its limited to sub6 speeds so dont expect blazing fast network speeds.
Honestly, the best thing about this phone is its monstrous battery and One UI 3.0 from Samsung. In any other scenario, saving up just a bit more for the Galaxy A52 would be a much better option, especially if you need a better camera, display and would want water resistance.
So the Samsung Galaxy A32 is a decent phone. It's not something we'd recommend because it would have been nice to have at least optical stabilization for making better videos and an OLED display, but we can certainly see how it can be useful if you need 5G and a big 2-day battery at a lower cost.
Samsung Galaxy A32
5G model, 64GB storage
$282
A32 5G vs A32 LTE: differences
Small yet bigDesign
Plastic glassView more + 3 images
View more + 3 images
Otherwise, in terms of thickness, this device is as thick as a brick and its probably one of the first things youll notice in hand. If we exclude that, though, this is a rather refreshing design.
- Front view
- Side view
Samsung Galaxy A32
Dimensions
6.46 x 3 x 0.36 inches
164.2 x 76.1 x 9.1 mm
Weight
7.23 oz [205 g]
Samsung Galaxy A52
Dimensions
6.3 x 2.96 x 0.33 inches
159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm
Weight
6.67 oz [189 g]
Motorola Moto G Power [2021]
Dimensions
6.51 x 2.99 x 0.37 inches
165.28 x 75.9 x 9.49 mm
Weight
7.28 oz [206 g]
Google Pixel 4a 5G
Dimensions
6.06 x 2.91 x 0.32 inches
153.9 x 74.0 x 8.2 mm
Weight
5.93 oz [168 g]
Samsung Galaxy A32
Dimensions
6.46 x 3 x 0.36 inches
164.2 x 76.1 x 9.1 mm
Weight
7.23 oz [205 g]
Samsung Galaxy A52
Dimensions
6.3 x 2.96 x 0.33 inches
159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm
Weight
6.67 oz [189 g]
Motorola Moto G Power [2021]
Dimensions
6.51 x 2.99 x 0.37 inches
165.28 x 75.9 x 9.49 mm
Weight
7.28 oz [206 g]
Google Pixel 4a 5G
Dimensions
6.06 x 2.91 x 0.32 inches
153.9 x 74.0 x 8.2 mm
Weight
5.93 oz [168 g]
Compare these and other phones using our Size Comparison tool.
Display
Could have been betterNot only that, but its also not AMOLED. Instead, youre getting a rather dull IPS LCD display with slight ghosting going on for it, so it couldve been better. Otherwise, colors are fine and brightness should do you good outside with a peak of 557 nits.
Display measurements and quality
- Screen measurements
- Color charts
| 557 [Excellent] | 4.8 [Excellent] | 1:1763 [Excellent] | 7806 [Average] | 2.25 | 3.46 [Good] | 5.56 [Average] |
| 715 [Excellent] | 1.4 [Excellent] | unmeasurable [Excellent] | 6918 [Excellent] | 2.1 | 2.32 [Good] | 4.26 [Average] |
| 451 [Good] | 2 [Excellent] | unmeasurable [Excellent] | 6846 [Excellent] | 2.27 | 1.38 [Excellent] | 4.44 [Average] |
View all
- Color gamut
- Color accuracy
- Grayscale accuracy
The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set [area] of colors that a display can reproduce, with the sRGB colorspace [the highlighted triangle] serving as reference. The chart also provides a visual representation of a display's color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The 'x: CIE31' and 'y: CIE31' values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. 'Y' shows the luminance [in nits] of each measured color, while 'Target Y' is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, 'ΔE 2000' is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.
These measurements are made using Portrait Displays' CalMAN calibration software.
- Samsung Galaxy A32
- Samsung Galaxy A52
- Google Pixel 4a
The Color accuracy chart gives an idea of how close a display's measured colors are to their referential values. The first line holds the measured [actual] colors, while the second line holds the reference [target] colors. The closer the actual colors are to the target ones, the better.
These measurements are made using Portrait Displays' CalMAN calibration software.
- Samsung Galaxy A32
- Samsung Galaxy A52
- Google Pixel 4a
The Grayscale accuracy chart shows whether a display has a correct white balance [balance between red, green and blue] across different levels of grey [from dark to bright]. The closer the Actual colors are to the Target ones, the better.
These measurements are made using Portrait Displays' CalMAN calibration software.
- Samsung Galaxy A32
- Samsung Galaxy A52
- Google Pixel 4a
View all
Camera
Surprisingly goodNow, since this phone is not exactly top of the line, we werent expecting much, but we were honestly surprised to see it do this good. It lacks a few key features such as optical stabilization but well get to that in a bit.
In almost every scenario, it looked OK in terms of color, but the main sensor was having a bit of difficulty with dynamic range from time to time.
Otherwise, pretty decent photos if you dont try and zoom in too much because quality starts to drop rapidly.
Zooming in at 10x produced paintings instead of photos, but we should add that the iPhone 12 cant even zoom as much and isnt that impressive, to begin with, so at least you get the option here.
How about portrait mode then? Well, well give it this one, it might not have the best camera but Samsungs processing does manage to save the day in most cases.
How about portrait mode then? Well, well give it this one, it might not have the best camera but Samsungs processing does manage to save the day in most cases.
Photos came out with a good amount of background blur and the subject, in this case, Vik, was well cut out.
The ultrawide camera is also pretty good. It has very good colors and decent dynamic range but it lacks in detail quite a lot.
The ultrawide camera is also pretty good. It has very good colors and decent dynamic range but it lacks in detail quite a lot.
Then, we finally reach the macro camera. Its not the greatest but its close to what the A52 offers and it is there if you do ever decide to use it and, with the right conditions, it can produce a good image.
In terms of low light performance, we wouldnt exactly depend on this device. There is simply too much noise and colors are not really accurate. Night mode also doesnt seem to help much.
How about the front camera then? Honestly, pretty good for bright outdoor use.
Its colors are spot on and its sharpness is pretty good. But if you turn off the lights, youll notice how noise creeps in quite a lot.
Night mode tries to redeem it, but it doesnt really help much.
Performance
As mid as mid-range can getThe Galaxy A32 5G comes equipped with a lower mid-range Mediatek Dimensity 720 chip. Its not really that slow but you will get the occasional stutter. Our GeekBench score came up with 474 points on a single core and a multi-core score of 1551 points, which is slightly behind the A52 4G. So expect acceptable performance in casual games and more than good enough behavior while youre looking up an Excel table.
If you're interested in more results, you can check them out here:
- Geekbench 5 single-core
- Geekbench 5 multi-core
- GFXBench Car Chase on-screen
- GFXBench Manhattan 3.1 on-screen
- Jetstream 2
- AnTuTu
name | Higher is better |
Samsung Galaxy A32 | 474 |
Samsung Galaxy A52 | 541 |
Google Pixel 4a | 532 |
name | Higher is better |
Samsung Galaxy A32 | 1551 |
Samsung Galaxy A52 | 1634 |
Google Pixel 4a | 1488 |
name | Higher is better |
Samsung Galaxy A52 | 15 |
Google Pixel 4a | 16 |
If the T-Rex HD component of GFXBench is demanding, then the Manhattan test is downright gruelling. It's a GPU-centric test that simulates an extremely graphically intensive gaming environment that is meant to push the GPU to the max. that simulates a graphically-intensive gaming environment on the screen. The results achieved are measured in frames per second, with more frames being better.
name | Higher is better |
Samsung Galaxy A52 | 27 |
Google Pixel 4a | 25 |
name | Higher is better |
Samsung Galaxy A52 | 59.413 |
Google Pixel 4a | 48.082 |
AnTuTu is a multi-layered, comprehensive mobile benchmark app that assesses various aspects of a device, including CPU, GPU, RAM, I/O, and UX performance. A higher score means an overall faster device.
name | Higher is better |
Samsung Galaxy A52 | 346465 |
Google Pixel 4a | 269197 |
View all
Battery Life
The bigger bonusCharging speeds are kind of decent. Not the fastest weve seen, but with 15 watts, its better than nothing. So if you need a long-lasting phone with the Samsung ecosystem, this might be it.
If you're interested in our battery life results, here they are:
| 18h 45 min | 11h 26 min | 10h 32 min | No data |
| 16h 48 min | 8h 30 min | 9h 42 min | 99 |
| 9h 27 min | 6h 48 min | 4h 51 min | 95 |
View all
Features
More to desireHonestly, the best thing about this phone is its monstrous battery and One UI 3.0 from Samsung. In any other scenario, saving up just a bit more for the Galaxy A52 would be a much better option, especially if you need a better camera, display and would want water resistance.
So the Samsung Galaxy A32 is a decent phone. It's not something we'd recommend because it would have been nice to have at least optical stabilization for making better videos and an OLED display, but we can certainly see how it can be useful if you need 5G and a big 2-day battery at a lower cost.
Samsung Galaxy A32
5G model, 64GB storage
$282
Pros
- The battery life is top notch
- The headphone jack is not extinct here
- There is a Micro SD card slot
- There is 5G support
- The main camera records up to 4K 30fps
- The front camera is decent
Cons
- The display is cheap and of older technology, its quality and resolution are bad
- The glossy plastic back is a scratch and fingerprint magnet
- Lack of optical image stabilization on the camera
- Night mode photos come out noisy
- The display does not get dim enough in low light
PhoneArena Rating:
6.5
How we rate
New reasons to get excited every week
Get the most important news, reviews and deals in mobile tech delivered straight to your inbox
sign up
More content with [Galaxy A32]
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G vs Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
FEATURED VIDEO
Latest News
2023's iPhone 15 Pro may not have a SIM card slot
Dec 24, 2021, by Anam Hamid, 0Telegram is anything but secure; even Facebook is safer, says Signal founder
1 hour ago, by Doroteya Borisova, 0Galaxy S22 Ultra could offer professional cinematography features
4 hours ago, by Anam Hamid, 2Grab a pair of free Galaxy Buds 2, official Samsung case, and a Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G for $100 less!
4 hours ago, by Aleksandar Anastasov, 0Foldable Motorola Razr 3 confirmed to offer a fresh design and better processor
6 hours ago, by Anam Hamid, 1Ivacy VPN: access worldwide content and get online security for just $1 per month!
6 hours ago, by Ivacy, 0Featured stories
2023's iPhone 15 Pro may not have a SIM card slot
Samsung's still-unreleased Galaxy S21 FE 5G with Android 12 stars in its first unboxing video
RIP: 2021's coolest phones that didn't make it! [And the ones that did]
Latest Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G leaks include a nice price and a full manual
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Popular stories
Safari 15.2 will be more colorful on iPhones, iPads
Galaxy S21 FE already up on Samsung's website, listed for more than predecessor
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra press materials leak online
Verizon notifies its customers about their default participation in Verizon's data collection program
This could be Samsung's final Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra color lineup
This poster will make the Galaxy S22 Ultra irresistible to Note fans
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Hot phones
Google Pixel 6 Pro
9.0
Apple iPhone 13
8.5
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
9.3
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
9.0
Sony Xperia 1 III
7.5
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
9.3
OnePlus 9
9.0
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
8.0
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
9.1
OnePlus 9 Pro
9.3
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra
8.3
Apple iPhone 13 mini
9.0