I switched to Samsung’s $450 Galaxy phone from my OnePlus, and didn’t regret it

Quick verdict: The Samsung Galaxy A37 5G nails the essentials for a midrange smartphone — a bright 6.7-inch AMOLED 120Hz display, a 5,000 mAh battery that easily lasts a full day (and then some), and a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization that lifts photo quality above its price. It’s a dependable, practical purchase at $450 (128GB), but gamers and anyone chasing raw sustained performance should weigh the trade-offs of Samsung’s Exynos 1480 chipset.

Key specs at a glance

• Price: $450 (128GB) / $540 (256GB)
• Display: 6.7-inch Super AMOLED, Full HD+, 120Hz
• SoC: Exynos 1480
• Memory / Storage: 6GB/128GB base; optional 8GB/256GB
• Cameras: 50MP main (with OIS) + 8MP ultra-wide + 5MP macro
• Battery: 5,000 mAh
• Biometrics: Under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor
• Dimensions / Weight: 162.9 x 78.2 x 7.4 mm; 196 g

Who this phone is for

• Practical buyers who want a large, vivid screen and long battery life without paying flagship prices.
• People who take everyday photos and value stable shots thanks to OIS.
• Anyone upgrading from older midrange phones or moving from a OnePlus and prioritizing reliability over headline specs.

Design and first impressions

The A37 looks and feels familiar — slim for a 6.7-inch phone and comfortable to hold despite the large display. The chassis is essentially an evolution of the A36, so if you’ve handled last year’s model it won’t surprise you. Build quality is solid for the price tier, and the phone’s 196 g mass balances well during one-handed use. The under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is responsive and gives a more premium unlock experience than capacitive or side-mounted sensors at this price.

Display and audio

The 6.7-inch Super AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate is the star of the show for daily use. Colors pop, blacks are deep, and UI animations feel fluid — an upgrade that makes scrolling and app interactions more pleasant than many cheaper LCD alternatives. Brightness is adequate for outdoor use, and the screen size makes streaming video, reading, and multitasking enjoyable.

Speakers offer clear, full sound with decent separation for a midrange device. They won’t replace earbuds for critical listening, but they handle conference calls and video streaming well without feeling tinny.

Performance: everyday snappiness, mixed gaming

Samsung’s Exynos 1480 keeps routine tasks smooth. Apps open quickly, switching between multiple apps is reliable, and the phone feels responsive for browsing, social apps, and productivity tasks. For most users that translates to a consistent, frustration-free experience.

Where the Exynos 1480 shows its limits is sustained heavy use. During large downloads, extended streaming, or graphically intense gaming sessions, the A37 can get noticeably warm and performance can dip. Testing with demanding titles highlights the trade-off: casual gamers will be fine, but marathon mobile sessions on graphically heavy games revealed stutters and occasional freezes.

“Performance felt consistent for everyday tasks, but the phone can run warm and drop frames during prolonged, demanding workloads.”

Gaming notes

• Arknights Endfield experienced stuttering, occasional freezes, and downscaling to lower detail during long sessions.
• Honkai: Star Rail ran more smoothly but still showed hiccups during extended play.

If gaming performance under long sessions matters most, phones with Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 silicon or higher-tier chips tend to hold frame rates and thermals a bit better. The A37 is fine for casual play and lighter 3D titles.

Camera: the meaningful upgrade

The camera system is one of the A37’s biggest practical wins. The 50MP main sensor now includes optical image stabilization (OIS), and that hardware addition makes a clear difference: low-light shots are less blurry, handheld video looks steadier, and overall usable shots increase in consistency.

Daylight images show good color and dynamic range for the price class. Ultra-wide photos are serviceable — useful for landscapes and group shots but not as sharp or detailed as the main camera. Zoom relies on digital scaling up to 10x, so expect noise and softness past the 2x–3x range.

“The Galaxy A37’s main camera is so consistent that it’s hard to take a bad photo in everyday conditions.”

Practical camera takeaways:

• OIS noticeably improves low-light shots and video stabilization compared with many peers.
• Ultra-wide is adequate for casual use; don’t expect flagship-grade edge-to-edge sharpness.
• Digital zoom is best kept conservative — 2x crops are fine; anything beyond is compromise territory.

Battery life and charging

Battery endurance is a standout. The 5,000 mAh cell easily delivers all-day uptime and then some — the device ran for over 21 hours in a continuous livestream test under typical streaming conditions. For travelers and heavy media consumers, that kind of endurance removes frequent charge anxiety.

Charging speed is adequate but not exceptional. Using the reviewer’s charger, the A37 reached roughly 30% from near-empty in 30 minutes. The takeaway: long battery life, acceptable recharge times. If rapid top-ups are a priority, some competitors offer faster wired charging in this price range.

Comparison: A37 vs A36 and Snapdragon rivals

Upgrading from the Galaxy A36 to the A37 is an incremental choice. The A37 brings OIS and an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, plus an Exynos 1480 configuration and a higher RAM/storage option (8GB/256GB). For many buyers, those features matter — but not enough to justify the price gap if the A36 is available at a steep discount.

At the time of review, the A36 can be found around $300 on retail sites, making it a strong value. Decide whether OIS and the newer biometric approach are worth an extra $150. Also factor in the Exynos-versus-Snapdragon question: several Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 phones in the midrange handle sustained gaming and thermals a bit more consistently, so power users may prefer those alternatives.

Software and extras

The A37 runs Samsung’s One UI layer. Expect the usual polish and feature set Samsung offers for midrange devices. Software update commitments matter for buyers — check Samsung’s current Android and security update policy for the A-series at time of purchase, as update cadence can be a deciding factor for long-term value.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Bright 6.7-inch AMOLED 120Hz display; impressive 5,000 mAh battery life; 50MP main camera with OIS; responsive under-display fingerprint sensor; clean One UI experience.
• Cons: Exynos 1480 can run warm and throttle under sustained heavy use; charging speeds aren’t class-leading; upgrades over A36 are incremental.

Should you buy it?

Is the Galaxy A37 a good phone for everyday users?
Yes. It offers dependable daily performance, a vivid 6.7-inch AMOLED 120Hz display, and long battery life from its 5,000 mAh cell.

Is it worth upgrading from the Galaxy A36?
Usually not. Improvements like OIS and an ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor are useful, but the A36’s current discounted price makes it a smarter value for many buyers.

How does the Exynos 1480 perform?
It keeps everyday tasks snappy and consistent, but under heavy gaming or prolonged workloads the phone can run warm and show performance dips.

How is the camera?
The 50MP main camera with OIS is a major positive — it produces reliable shots and better low-light stability. Ultra-wide and zoom are acceptable but not class-leading.

Does it handle demanding mobile games well?
Mixed results: casual titles run fine, but graphically intense games can stutter or downscale during long sessions.

Final thoughts

The Samsung Galaxy A37 5G is a pragmatic midrange smartphone that focuses on the everyday wins most people care about: a great-looking display, a battery that lasts, and a camera system that punches above its class thanks to OIS. It’s easy to recommend for most buyers at the $450 price point, especially those who prioritize reliability and battery life over peak gaming performance.

If you’re chasing maximum gaming endurance or the absolute best deal, compare the A37 against discounted A36 units and Snapdragon-equipped midrange contenders before deciding. For everyone else, the A37 is a comfortable, capable companion that won’t demand constant compromises.

How we tested

Battery endurance reflects a continuous livestream test under typical streaming conditions; charging observations used the reviewer’s standard charger and are described as relative results (roughly 0–30% in 30 minutes). Gaming tests involved extended sessions of demanding titles to observe frame drops, stutters, and thermal behavior. For mission‑critical buyers, consider checking independent benchmark suites and local retailer return policies before purchase.