Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Review: A Worthy Upgrade for Long-time Samsung Fans

Last year, Samsung released Canada’s first 5G smartphone in Canada. In 2021, the Galaxy A32 5G was Canada’s first low-end device that supports 5G networks. Given its affordability, this phone is much better than it has any right to be.

WhistleOut Canada compares cell phone plans, demystifies the mobile market, and conducts comprehensive reviews of popular mobile phones. Here, we’ll take a close look at the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G, help you decide if it’s the right phone for you, and find a great deal.

Editor's note: The Galaxy A32 5G is no longer Samsung's latest budget smartphone and may not be available from all carriers. That said, you can still find it at online retailers like Amazon.

Is the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G a Good Phone?

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What Are the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Specs?

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Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Performance

Quite simply, we were impressed with Galaxy A32 5G’s performance. Don’t get us wrong, it’s not going to replace a flagship phone like the iPhone 12, but we entered this review expecting far less than we got. The built-in MediaTek Dimensity 720 CPU prioritizes power efficiency while including premium capabilities such as 4K video recording and 5G network access. 

In benchmark testing, we found that it held up to midrange smartphones almost 2x more expensive, including Samsung’s more expensive midrange option, the Galaxy A52 5G. However, in real-world testing of 3D games, choppy framerates and occasional stuttering made gameplay difficult. Google Stadia game streaming and simpler 2D games ran smoothly without overheating in part thanks to a lower resolution 720x1600 display.

The low retail price is more visible in other trimmed-back features. This mobile phone includes just 4GB of RAM, limiting how quickly you can jump between apps. The Samsung Galaxy A32 5G also has just 64GB of onboard storage, which can quickly fill up after a year’s worth of photos and videos. Fortunately, expandable storage up to 1TB is available through an optional microSDXC card.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Cameras

The primary rear camera uses a 48 megapixel (MP) sensor, which might sound like overkill compared to your old phone. A hardware-accelerated technique called “pixel binning” uses that sensor to create high-quality, brighter 12MP photos. In our testing, we took several pictures with the main camera in quick succession, and the software quickly applied HDR post-processing effects. Shooting ultra-wide-angle pictures is also fast, but full-resolution 48MP photos take longer to process. 

Also on the back are is an 8MP ultrawide lens for landscape shots or just fitting your whole family in one picture. A 5MP macro lens takes highly detailed photos of close-up subjects. The selfie camera uses a 13MP sensor to catch high-resolution images.

The MediaTek hardware automatically applies (HDR) processing to eliminate dark or blown-out sections of a photo and quickly accomplishes the task, though not always accurately. Colour fidelity isn’t as accurate as seen on more expensive devices, which is a real shame as great photography is a hallmark of Samsung smartphones. 

While the Galaxy A32 5G may not compete with midrange or premium smartphones that cost far more, users upgrading from a three- or four-year-old device will appreciate the sharper images, multiple lenses, and fast real-time effects processing.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Display

The Samsung Galaxy A32 5G uses a 6.5” LCD TFT Infinity-V display with a wide HD+ resolution (720x1600). Samsung foregoes a premium AMOLED display to cut down costs, resulting in a lesser experience with respect to colour reproduction. Contrast levels are just okay, but the screen is bright enough to be visible outside on a sunny day. 

The one feature this display has going for it is size. The 6.5” display is large enough to see detail without squinting. The HD+ resolution is lower than the typical midrange smartphone but still high enough to make pixels almost invisible to the eye. The aspect ratio is 20:9, and it has a pretty fat frame, so if you’re upgrading from an older Galaxy smartphone, just be prepared for something with a bit more girth.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Battery Life

The benefit of a large frame on a smartphone is that there’s more room for a large battery. The Galaxy A32 5G packs a 5000 mAh battery, which is the kind of power you expect in a premium smartphone, not this cheap one. With typical use, there’s no trouble reaching a second day when you forget to plug it in overnight. 

Despite the power-efficient CPU, too much intensive use will demand a recharge in under two days. Although it supports 15W fast charging, the sheer size of the battery demands at least two hours for a full charge. If you’re in the habit of plugging in your phone to charge while it’s idle, you shouldn’t have any trouble. There’s no convenient wireless charging on this model, but that’s not surprising given the low price point.

Among Samsung’s many preinstalled apps is Samsung Global Goals, which shows ads while charging and allows you to choose which charity the money goes to from pre-selected organizations. It sounds wholesome, but we found running ads on-screen while charging effectively doubled the charge time. You only earn pennies per day, and it’s not clear who receives the taxable benefit for donations (although it’s clearly not you). While it’s a worthy endeavor, we recommend thinking twice about using Samsung Global Goals on this phone; without clearer information about the recipients or donation structure, the excessive power use may contribute more to climate change than to charities.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Connectivity

Although Samsung specializes in premium smartphones, they’ve successfully launched Canada’s cheapest 5G-capable smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy A32 5G connects to all 5G networks in Canada, namely Telus, Rogers, Bell, and Videotron. It’s also capable of high-speed connectivity on Canadian 4G LTE networks. In our tests, the difference between 4G LTE and 5G downloads was small, but it’s still nice to have a low-cost smartphone that will support next-generation networks for years to come.

Highlights include the 3.5mm analog headphone jack and the built-in NFC chip that works in conjunction with Samsung Knox security hardware so you can safely use the Galaxy A32 5G as your digital wallet. Other connectivity options built into the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G are not as impressive. Although older USB-C 2.0 and Bluetooth 5.0 are forgivable at this price point, Wi-Fi 6 is almost essential as more smart devices in the home go wireless. You’ll still be able to connect on Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) networks and enjoy fast download speeds. Still, Wi-Fi 6 manages multiple connections on the same network much more efficiently than older wireless network standards.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Additional Features

There aren’t a lot of extra bells and whistles on the Galaxy A32 5G. Like all Samsung smartphones, security features help make it an invaluable part of your everyday life. In addition to PINs or passwords, you can unlock the Galaxy A32 5G with your face or the side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Although many new phones opt for in-screen fingerprint readers, poor-quality scanners we’ve used on other phones result in slow response times or outright failure. The side-mounted scanner responds quickly with a high success rate, although you can only register three fingers.

Samsung includes many of its own apps in place of Google defaults. Like the Gallery app, some are smartly designed, integrate well with the One UI interface, and include cloud backup integration with Microsoft OneDrive. However, just like we found when we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, ads built into many preinstalled apps can spoil the experience. Consumers can disable targeted ads, but there’s no way to turn them off completely.

Verdict:

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The new Galaxy A32 5G may attract long-time Samsung smartphone users for good reason. The familiar interface permits a gentle learning curve when you’re upgrading from an old Samsung smartphone, though its performance will be about the same. The camera software is fast and good enough for taking staged photos outside, but indoor and fast-motion photos may be a challenge for the low-end hardware. 

A massive battery can last most consumers into the second day of use without charging, which is good because it takes over two hours to reach 100% even with “15W fast charging.” We do appreciate the security hardware, Samsung Knox, and three years of software updates, making this cheap smartphone an excellent upgrade for anyone still sporting a Galaxy S8 or older.

WhistleOut Canada Rating: 72/100