Samsung Galaxy A36 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S25

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
• 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

Samsung Galaxy S25

The Galaxy S25 retains the same flat-edge design language as its predecessor with minimal visual changes. It's slightly lighter and thinner, but you'd be hard-pressed to tell them apart.

• I swear these are the new phones, even though they look exactly like last year