Samsung Galaxy F36 5G: A Budget Phone with Premium Swagger Alright, you’re curious about the Samsung Galaxy F36 5G, and I don’t blame you—this phone’s a solid pick for anyone who wants a lot of features without dropping flagship-level cash. It hit the Indian market on July 19, 2025, and started selling on Flipkart and Samsung’s official India website from July 29. Priced under ₹20,000, it’s got some serious tricks up its sleeve, like a gorgeous display, long software support, and cameras that punch above their weight. With launch deals like a ₹1,000 bank discount and a ₹500 coupon, the base model could go as low as ₹15,999, which is a steal. Let’s tear it apart and see what makes this phone tick, from the screen to the battery to the little details that might make you go, “Yo, this is it!”
The Display: A Visual Treat
First things first, the 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display is a total standout. With a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, it’s crisp and vibrant, making everything from YouTube videos to your favorite Netflix series look amazing. The colors are punchy, the blacks are super deep (that’s the AMOLED magic), and it’s got a 120Hz refresh rate. That means scrolling through apps, swiping through your gallery, or playing fast-paced games feels incredibly smooth—like you’re gliding on ice. If you’ve ever used a 60Hz phone after a 120Hz one, you know it’s a game-changer.
The screen’s protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both the front and back, which is some of the toughest glass out there. Samsung says it can handle drops from up to 2 meters, so if you’re prone to dropping your phone (no shade, it happens), this thing’s built to survive. There’s also Vision Booster tech, which tweaks brightness and contrast for better visibility in bright sunlight. Whether you’re checking messages at the beach or snapping pics in broad daylight, you won’t be squinting at the screen.
Performance: Ready for Your Grind
Under the hood, the F36 5G rocks the Exynos 1380 processor (5nm). It’s an octa-core chip with four high-performance cores (2.4 GHz Cortex-A78) for heavy tasks and four efficiency cores (2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) to save power when you’re just chilling. Paired with a Mali-G68 MP5 GPU, it’s got enough muscle for most things you’d throw at it—gaming, multitasking, streaming, you name it. Want to play PUBG Mobile, edit photos, or keep a dozen apps open? This phone handles it without breaking a sweat. It’s not a flagship-level chip, but for a budget phone, it’s plenty snappy.
You’ve got three variants to pick from:
– 6GB RAM + 128GB storage: ₹17,499
– 8GB RAM + 128GB storage: ₹18,999
– 8GB RAM + 256GB storage: ₹21,999
If you’re someone who hoards photos, videos, or apps, you can slap in a microSD card for up to 512GB of extra storage. One thing to note: the slot is hybrid, so you’ll have to choose between a second SIM or the memory card. The phone also has a vapour cooling chamber, which sounds fancy but basically means it stays cool during marathon gaming sessions or when you’re pushing it with heavy apps. That’s a nice perk for a phone in this price range.
Cameras: Snap, Edit, Show Off
The camera setup is a big reason why this phone’s turning heads. It’s got a triple rear camera system:
– 50MP main sensor (f/1.8) with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). This keeps your shots steady, whether you’re snapping photos or recording 4K videos at 30fps. It even does slow-motion at 480fps for those epic cinematic moments—like capturing your dog’s slo-mo leap or water splashing.
– 8MP ultra-wide lens (f/2.2) for wide shots like group hangouts, landscapes, or city skylines.
– 2MP macro lens (f/2.4) for close-ups of tiny stuff like flowers, bugs, or your food. Honestly, macro cameras at this price can be hit-or-miss, but it’s there if you want to experiment.
The 13MP front camera (f/2.2) is great for selfies and video calls, and it can also shoot 4K video, which is pretty rare for a budget phone. Your Instagram stories or WhatsApp video chats are gonna look sharp and clear.
What really makes the cameras pop are the AI features. Samsung’s loaded this thing with some fun tools:
– Nightography for low-light shots that actually look good—no grainy, blurry messes when you’re snapping pics at a late-night party or a dimly lit café.
– Object Eraser to remove unwanted stuff from your photos, like that random person who wandered into your shot.
– Image Clipper lets you cut out objects to make stickers or memes—perfect for spamming your group chats.
– AI Stereo Depth Map for portrait shots with that pro-level blurry background (bokeh) that makes your subject stand out.
– Edit Suggestions to automatically tweak your pics for better lighting, colors, or contrast.
Whether you’re a casual shooter or love playing around with photo edits, these features make it easy to get shots that look way fancier than the phone’s price tag suggests.
Battery: Keeps You Going
The F36 5G packs a 5,000mAh battery, which is pretty standard but reliable. It’s big enough to get you through a full day of heavy use—think scrolling through social media, streaming videos, gaming, and texting non-stop. If you’re a lighter user, you might even squeeze out two days on a single charge. It supports 25W fast charging, so you can juice it up quickly when it’s running low. The catch? There’s no charger in the box, which is a bit of a pain. You’ll need to buy a 25W charger separately or use an old one if it’s compatible. It’s a trend more brands are following, but it still stings.
Software: Future-Proofed
The phone runs Android 15 with One UI 7, Samsung’s latest software combo. One UI is super user-friendly, with a clean look and tons of ways to customize it to your liking—think tweaking themes, icons, or layouts. It’s got some handy features like:
– Samsung Knox Vault, which locks down your sensitive data (like passwords or card info) to keep it safe from hackers.
– Voice Focus to cut out background noise during calls, so you sound clear even if you’re in a crowded place.
– Quick Share for sending files to other Samsung devices or nearby phones in a flash.
The best part? Samsung’s promising 6 years of OS upgrades and 6 years of security updates. That means this phone will stay up-to-date with new features and stay secure until at least 2031. For a budget phone, that’s practically unheard of—most phones in this range get maybe 2-3 years of updates if you’re lucky. This makes the F36 5G a smart long-term investment.
It also comes with some Google AI goodies, like Circle to Search (circle something on your screen to search it instantly) and Gemini Live for real-time AI chats to answer questions or help with tasks. These add some extra flair to the experience.
Design: Looks Good, Feels Tough
The F36 5G has a vegan leather finish, which gives it a premium, almost luxury vibe. It comes in three colors: Coral Red, Luxe Violet, and Onyx Black. At 197g and 7.7mm thick, it’s slim and light enough to slip into your pocket without feeling like you’re carrying a brick. The frame is plastic to keep costs down, but with Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both the front and back, it’s built to withstand some rough handling. Samsung says it can survive drops from 2 meters, so it’s got some durability chops.
Connectivity and Extras
This phone’s ready for the modern world with 5G support (works with both SA and NSA networks), so you’re set for super-fast internet where it’s available. It also has:
– Wi-Fi 6 for faster, more stable Wi-Fi connections.
– Bluetooth 5.4 for better pairing with your earbuds, smartwatch, or speakers.
– A side-mounted fingerprint scanner that’s quick and reliable for unlocking.
– Sensors like accelerometer, gyro, compass, and virtual proximity sensing.
– Dual Nano-SIM support, though the hybrid slot means you pick between a second SIM or a microSD card.
Pricing and Where to Grab It
You can get the F36 5G on Flipkart or Samsung’s India website. Here’s the pricing:
– 6GB RAM + 128GB storage: ₹17,499
– 8GB RAM + 128GB storage: ₹18,999
– 8GB RAM + 256GB storage: ₹21,999
At launch, they had some sweet deals—a ₹1,000 bank discount and a ₹500 coupon —that brought the base model down to around ₹15,999. Those offers might not still be active, so check the websites for the latest deals. The phone’s been out since July 29, 2025, so it’s easy to find.
