Samsung Galaxy A72 review: the best mid-range A-class smartphone

The Galaxy A line is incredibly important for Samsung - it accounts for the majority of sales of all the company's smartphones. It consists not only of budget devices, but also of practically the flagship – Samsung Galaxy A72.

The Korean manufacturer is constantly improving the quality of its gadgets. There are already so many Galaxy A smartphones that it seems like they appear every month. Samsung could easily split this lineup into several categories.

The Samsung Galaxy A72 I tested boasts a huge 6.7-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a 5,000mAh battery, and an 8MP telephoto lens, which the A52 doesn't have. But in many ways both models are very similar. What exactly? Find out from my review.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy A72

Performance and software

It so happens that the A52 and A72 models are based on the same platform, and this is not Exynos. Like last time, the smartphones received processors from Qualcomm, but with a different serial number: eight-core Snapdragon 720G with Adreno 618 video. But unlike the younger model, the A72 received more RAM in the basic configurations - 6 or 8 GB of RAM and storage with 128 or 256 GB. There is also space for a memory card. And if the A71 could install two SIM cards and a memory card at the same time, now one of the slots is universal. The smartphone supports LTE, Wi-Fi ac standard, Bluetooth 5.0, four navigation systems and has NFC.

There is no more performance than last year's model. The test results are very similar. Generally performance was sufficient, even in demanding games.

I liked that the processor did not show any throttling in both long-term tests and long gaming sessions, and the body only heats up a little. Game lovers will definitely appreciate this.

Well, another nice thing is Android 11 with OneUI 3.1. And if earlier some functions of the system were only available to flagships, then with the current lines, the capabilities of smartphones are almost the same (I only missed support for Dex). In addition, several years of updates will likely add something interesting to the user experience.

Unpacking and packaging

The set of accessories for the Samsung Galaxy A72 does not offer anything unusual. The cardboard box contains only a smartphone, a charger and documentation.

Unlike the Galaxy A52, which comes with a 15W charger, the A72 comes with a 25W charger in the box, including a white USB Type-C to Type-C cable. This is great news, you don't need to buy a compatible fast charger.

If you want a durable smartphone

The back of the Samsung Galaxy A72 is made of plastic. And this material should in no case be confused with plastic, as most people do.

Glastic is stronger than plastic - it is reinforced multilayer polycarbonate, and it is several times more scratch resistant. The front of the smartphone is made of Gorilla Glass 5, and it is also not so easy to scratch. In short, the Samsung Galaxy A72 can be safely carried without a case.

Samsung Galaxy A72 also has moisture protection according to the IP67 standard. You can lower it under water to a depth of up to a meter and keep it there for half an hour, and nothing will happen.

Design and appearance

The design of the Samsung Galaxy A72 is clearly aimed at a younger audience. The back cover has a pleasant and matte surface.

There are black, white, purple and blue versions to choose from. The colors are nice, and the module with the main cameras almost merges with the back cover. The design is clearly inspired by the Galaxy A51 and the Galaxy Note 20 series.

The body and side frames are made of plastic, when the dimensions of the Galaxy A72 became noticeably larger: 16.5 × 7.7 × 0.8 cm with a weight of 203 grams. The device is heavy, but for good reason – the battery capacity has increased from 4500 to 5000 mAh. It is worth noting the presence of IP67 protection, which appeared for the first time in the Galaxy A series; many have been waiting for this for a long time.

There is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom side, next to it is a USB 2.0 Type-C port that supports OTG. There is also a downward-firing speaker at the bottom, which forms a stereo pair with the speaker at the top. On the top edge there is a noise-canceling microphone and a hybrid slot for two nano-SIM cards, instead of one of them you can install microSD. The left side is empty, on the right are the power and volume keys.

The bezels around the screen are noticeable, although they do not seem wide. The hole for the front camera is located at the top, in the middle, and an optical fingerprint scanner is installed under the display. It's reliable, but a little slow. The only thing missing is an LED notification indicator.

Design and usability

The Galaxy A line consists of very similar devices in appearance, which in a global sense differ only in size. And so the A72, as the “senior” smartphone in the “family,” turned out to be the largest. With dimensions of 165x77.4x8.4 mm, the body weighs 203 grams, which does not fit into the frame of compact smartphones at all.

As usual, using a device with such dimensions is convenient only with two hands. And it needs a big pocket. If before this the user had a smaller smartphone, then you will have to get used to the body a little. But there is good news: the plastic case may not be strongly associated with the top segment, but it is not as slippery in use as metal or glass. Due to this, in situations where only one hand is free, the chances of dropping your smartphone while performing some simple actions (finding the desired contact in the phone book, for example), remain slightly less.

The body color can be black, white, purple and blue. All of them received the prefix “Awesome” in their names, although in practice these are ordinary matte back panels and glossy frames. The previous generation was designed a little more complexly, with lots of gloss and iridescent colors. This time the design turned out to be much more restrained. In addition, the matte cover is more resistant to scratches and abrasions. They, of course, will still appear over time, but the “scale” of damage may still be smaller.

The buttons on the sides and other working elements are located quite familiarly and, for example, I didn’t have to get used to them at all and look at what I was pressing or where the right port was. Which is not at all surprising; there have been no problems with the ergonomics of Samsung devices for a very long time. I was pleased with the presence of a headphone jack, which is also located in the right place - on the bottom end.

And one of the most pleasant aspects of the new model is protection against water and dust according to the IP67 standard. Not many gadgets in the average budget include such an item in the list of characteristics. Another advantage we can add is that the case is not at all easily soiled, and if hand marks remain on it, then removing them is not a problem at all. Unfortunately, this does not make using the device any easier. But there is a big screen.

Smartphone display

This year, the Galaxy A line pays special attention to displays, and an increased refresh rate of 90 Hz has appeared.

The Samsung Galaxy A72 smartphone has a large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display. The maximum brightness of 825 nits is sufficient for outdoor use during the day. As usual, there are two color profiles to choose from: Rich (default) and Natural.

The first has a white balance setting and a temperature slider. Natural covers the sRGB space, although the Galaxy A72 is inferior to the Galaxy A52 in this regard. The white balance is almost perfect, the only negative is that the shades are greener than usual. Overall the display is superb - especially with the Rich Color Profile, where the OLED matrix shows off in all its glory.

On the other hand, there is a lack of HDR support, although there is Widevine L1 certification. Samsung has added an eye protection feature to the A72, the shades gradually change throughout the day, and you can even set a schedule for this feature.

The 90Hz refresh rate is the lowest after 60Hz, but the fluidity of screen movements is noticeable, so there's nothing to complain about. In addition, the transition from 60 Hz to 90 Hz does not greatly affect battery life. There are only two frequency options: high (90 Hz) and standard (60 Hz), without smart or adaptive modes. At least you will be able to enjoy 90 fps in some games, of course, if the Adreno 618 GPU can handle it.

Galaxy A72 Cameras

At the back of the Samsung Galaxy A72 there is a set of four cameras: a 64-megapixel main camera with optical stabilization, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The front camera received a 32-megapixel sensor.

Samsung's photography app hasn't changed much. There is a wide selection of zoom levels: from 0.5x to 30x and familiar modes like AR Doodle and Single Take. The latter is especially interesting - you shoot a video of a certain moment, and the smartphone itself cuts the most interesting clips and photos from it.

The shooting quality of the main camera of the Galaxy A72 is quite standard for the price segment. The sensor is no different from other lenses with Quad Bayer technology. Among the advantages, I can only note the presence of optical stabilization. By default, photos are saved in 16-megapixel resolution, the dynamic range is wide for the middle segment, and the colors are pleasant.

The Auto HDR mode highlights dark areas well, I advise you to always leave it turned on, it certainly won’t harm the result. You can shoot 64-megapixel photos, and the detail does become higher, but the A72 is a little slow when shooting in this mode. No wonder - the final images are 15–20 MB in size, and sometimes artifacts appear.

The telephoto lens has an 8-megapixel resolution and produces excellent results in daylight. However, the shades differ from those obtained from the main camera - noticeably cooler. There is a 3x optical zoom, although digital zoom can reach 30x, after 10x zoom the quality drops significantly.

The color palette of the ultra-wide-angle lens is also different from the main one. The shades are as cool as those of a telephoto lens. Perhaps Samsung needed to adjust the main camera, where the colors are too warm. The lens also has distortion correction, which does its job well.

The quality of night photography is good for the mid-range segment, colors remain saturated and the dynamic range is wide. Alas, the separate Night mode is practically useless - it highlights the shadows a little.

For macro photography, the Galaxy A72 smartphone uses a 5-megapixel sensor. The photos come out surprisingly high quality. Although the focus is fixed, it is easy to find the desired distance; you do not need to bring the device close to the subject. Overall, the A72's macro lens is better than most of its competitors.

The front camera shoots in 8-megapixel resolution by default, the quality is pleasant, and there is almost no noise. There is no autofocus, but that won't be a problem. As for video shooting, a maximum resolution of 4K/30 fps is available on the three main cameras. Clips look detailed and rich, with natural colors. The 3x telephoto zoom and stabilization, which is only available in Full HD, helps here.

Cameras

This parameter has been the subject of most controversy. Back in the fall of last year, rumors appeared that the Samsung Galaxy A72 would be the first smartphone with more than 4 lenses. However, they were subsequently not confirmed. There were many more versions about the specification of the photo unit, but it is only now possible to talk about what cameras will be in the new Samsung Galaxy A72.

The main photo module consists of 4 lenses:

• main wide-angle 64 MP;
• super wide-angle 12 MP;
• 8 MP telephoto camera;
• 2 MP macro sensor.

There are unconfirmed rumors that the Samsung Galaxy A72 will finally receive an optical stabilization system. If this happens, we can say that the new product will be the best in its segment in terms of photography capabilities. The front camera will have a resolution of 32 megapixels.

Software

It's no secret that many people choose Samsung smartphones because of the software. One UI is one of the most popular Android skins in the world, because Samsung is constantly improving it.

The Galaxy A72 runs on Android 11 OS with One UI 3.1. The Korean company promises three years of support for major updates and four years of security updates. There are enough changes in version 3.1. A “digital well-being” widget has appeared on the home screen; you can see how much time you spend with your phone without unlocking it.

The always-on mode settings have been simplified. If you pull down the notification panel, the screen will go completely dark, even if you only have one message. Previously, part of the screen remained visible, but slightly darkened. Android 11 has introduced a convenient feature - Notification History, which can be opened through the settings. Although you won't be able to quickly view your history, it's a useful option if you accidentally swipe a message.

Playback controls have also changed; all the tunes and videos you play are located under the quick settings panel. They can be switched by swiping right and left, so the section does not take up much space on the screen. The Music Share function was initially only available on Samsung flagships, and has migrated to more affordable models. It allows you to share music to which the speaker is connected with your friends’ smartphones for playback via Bluetooth.

Another important Android update that came with One UI 3 is the ability to pin important apps to the Share menu. All that remains is to wait until they can be removed from this list. More importantly, the Galaxy A72 comes with a host of handy features from Samsung. These include Edge sidebars, Bixby assistant, and full integration with the SmartThings platform. There is also support for the Game Launcher application, where you can set various settings for games.

Component Performance

The Samsung Galaxy A72 uses the same Snapdragon 720G processor as the A52, although even in the budget model it seems to be underpowered by today's standards.

In this price segment, competing smartphones are powered by Snapdragon 765G or MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ when Poco F3 is equipped with Snapdragon 870 5G. The Snapdragon 720G has eight cores: two Kryo 465 Gold (2.3 GHz) and six Kryo 465 Silver (1.8 GHz), and the graphics chip is Adreno 618. The combination is not the most impressive, as performance tests also demonstrate.

Geekbench 5 gives only 537 points in single-core mode and 1627 in multi-core mode. Realme X7 Pro has 756/2997 points. The graphics capabilities are also not impressive. Although the screen refresh rate is 90 Hz, you will hardly see 90 fps in games. The GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 test (offscreen 1080p) shows a result of 39 fps, which is much lower than many competitors.

In general, hardware is one of the weakest points of the Galaxy A72. Of course, there is enough power to run basic applications smoothly and provide 90 Hz, however, the smartphone is not suitable for serious multitasking and gaming.

Sound quality

One of the main improvements of the Samsung Galaxy A72 compared to the previous model is the appearance of stereo speakers. However, there is no full-fledged stereo here – the main speaker from below is assisted by a conversational one. But we have access to a volumetric effect that changes the perception of music or video.

The sound of the A72 is not the loudest or clearest, but good for the mid-range segment; a pleasant bonus is the many Dolby Atmos settings. There are presets for movies, music and voices, as well as a mode for games, where sounds like opponents' footsteps become louder.

However, there is almost no difference with or without Dolby Atmos, only the sound of the lower frequencies changes slightly; if you turn it off, the volume will become higher.

Battery autonomy

Inside the Samsung Galaxy A72 there is a 5000 mAh battery, which is 500 mAh more than the A52 battery. Battery life is 15 hours for web surfing or 16.5 hours for video. For a smartphone with a Snapdragon 720G processor, this is quite a standard indicator.

The kit includes a 25 W charger, which restores 55% of the energy in half an hour, when a full charge takes 1 hour 15 minutes.

Cost of Samsung Galaxy A72 and alternatives

Samsung has greatly improved the quality of the Galaxy A series of smartphones, so the Galaxy A72 is very good in many aspects. The basic configuration of 6/128 GB of memory costs from 28 thousand rubles.

One of the alternative options is the Samsung Galaxy A52, without a telephoto lens, with a 6.5-inch screen. There is little difference between them, yes, the A52 has less battery life, but it also costs less.

You can take the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro with a 120Hz AMOLED display that supports HDR10. We'll also get stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an impressive 108MP camera.

If we talk about 108 MP cameras, the Realme 8 Pro comes to mind. The model costs less, but still offers truly impressive shooting quality. On the downside, you won't have stereo speakers, a high refresh rate screen, or a telephoto lens.

We can’t forget about the Poco F3 with its stunning 120Hz AMOLED display and powerful Snapdragon 870 processor. It is unrivaled in this price segment in terms of price-quality ratio.

Display and sound

The new product will receive a screen with an AMOLED matrix and a diagonal of 6.7 inches. Display proportions 20:9, resolution 1080x2400. Refresh rates will range from 90Hz on normal to 120Hz on maximum. Such parameters are no longer uncommon for smartphones in the mid-price category.

There is no information whether the Samsung Galaxy A72 will be equipped with stereo speakers, although most users hope so. But we know for sure that the model will still have an audio jack for a 3.5 mm wired headset.