Poco X7 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

Poco X7 Pro

Poco

7.9

Good

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

Samsung

6.8

Decent

What Reviewers Agree On

Best gaming performance under $400 — Dimensity 8400-Ultra dominates the mid-range
Display quality with 3,200 nits brightness is flagship-level at a budget price
6,000mAh battery with 90W charging provides excellent all-day endurance
IP68 water resistance is a standout feature at this price point
Camera system is the weakest link — ultrawide and selfie are notably poor

Deal Breakers

Heavy bloatware including ~8 preinstalled games, TikTok, and ads in system UI
Selfie camera is upscaled from 5MP — among the worst at any price

Pros & Cons

Poco X7 Pro

Pros

Best gaming performance under $400 — Dimensity 8400-Ultra dominates the mid-range
Display quality with 3,200 nits brightness is flagship-level at a budget price
6,000mAh battery with 90W charging provides excellent all-day endurance
IP68 water resistance is a standout feature at this price point
Camera system is the weakest link — ultrawide and selfie are notably poor

Cons

Detailed Comparison

Design & Build

Poco X7 Pro

The first Poco phone with IP68 water resistance, featuring a flat frame design and Gorilla Glass 7i protection. The Yellow Signature Edition with eco-leather back stands out as premium-feeling, though standard models use plain plastic. At 195g and 8.3mm thick, it balances the large battery well.

First Poco phone with IP68 water resistance — unprecedented at under $400
Yellow Signature Edition with eco-leather back feels genuinely premium
Standard green and black models are plain plastic — less premium than the leather variant

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

The A36 5G punches above its weight in design, with a clean aesthetic that mirrors Samsung's flagship lineup. Build quality is solid for the price with a polycarbonate back that still manages to look sleek.

Clean, modern design that takes cues from the flagship S25 series — doesn't look like a budget phone
IP67 water resistance at $299 is impressive and increasingly expected at this price tier

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8MP ultrawide delivers muddy, low-detail results

Connectivity issues reported — mobile signal drops lasting up to 20 minutes

What Reviewers Agree On

Design looks more premium than the $299 price suggests
Super AMOLED display is excellent for this price bracket
Battery life is strong, easily lasting a full day and into the next
Performance is noticeably sluggish for anything beyond basic tasks
Samsung's long update commitment adds value over time

Deal Breakers

Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 delivers noticeably laggy performance in demanding apps
Camera quality falls well short of competitors like the Pixel 7a at similar prices
Only 25W charging with no wireless charging option

Heavy bloatware including ~8 preinstalled games, TikTok, and ads in system UI
Selfie camera is upscaled from 5MP — among the worst at any price
8MP ultrawide delivers muddy, low-detail results
Connectivity issues reported — mobile signal drops lasting up to 20 minutes

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

Pros

Design looks more premium than the $299 price suggests
Super AMOLED display is excellent for this price bracket
Battery life is strong, easily lasting a full day and into the next
Performance is noticeably sluggish for anything beyond basic tasks
Samsung's long update commitment adds value over time

Cons

Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 delivers noticeably laggy performance in demanding apps
Camera quality falls well short of competitors like the Pixel 7a at similar prices
Only 25W charging with no wireless charging option

Polycarbonate back keeps costs down but doesn't feel cheap in the hand

Color options are attractive and help differentiate it from the sea of black budget phones

Display

Poco X7 Pro

The 6.67-inch AMOLED display punches well above its price class with 1220x2712 resolution, 120Hz refresh, 12-bit color depth, and an astounding 3,200 nits peak brightness. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support make it excellent for media consumption.

3,200 nits peak brightness with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ — flagship-level at a budget price
1220x2712 resolution at 120Hz with 12-bit color depth — sharper than most phones in its class
No LTPO means limited refresh rate granularity — either 60Hz or 120Hz

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

The 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display is the A36's strongest feature. Samsung's AMOLED expertise trickles down effectively here, delivering punchy colors and smooth scrolling that outclass most budget competitors.

Super AMOLED display delivers rich, vibrant colors that punch well above the $299 price point
120Hz refresh rate makes the UI feel smoother than the processor sometimes allows
FHD+ resolution is sharp enough for the screen size — text and images look crisp

Battery Life

Poco X7 Pro

The 6,000mAh battery provides excellent all-day endurance with 6-9 hours of real-world screen-on time. 90W HyperCharge does 0-100% in about 46 minutes. Expert Reviews measured 21 hours 43 minutes in their looping video test. The charger is included in the box in some markets.

6,000mAh battery delivers 6-9 hours SOT depending on usage — excellent for the price class
90W HyperCharge goes from 0-100% in approximately 46 minutes — 90W charger included in some markets
Some users report battery drain issues with weak 5G or Wi-Fi signal

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

Battery life is one of the A36's genuine strengths. The 5,000mAh battery combined with the efficient (if slow) processor means the phone easily lasts a full day and often stretches into day two.

Excellent battery life — the combination of efficient chip and large battery means consistent two-day endurance for light users
Even heavy users will get through a full day without anxiety
25W charging is painfully slow by 2025 standards — a full charge takes well over an hour