New Tech Review
Mid-range Samsung phones have quietly become impressive contenders in the smartphone market, a revelation for those accustomed to flagships. We recently put the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G (2026) and Samsung Galaxy A37 5G (2026) through their paces, and while both offer compelling value, one clearly emerges as the superior choice. Let’s dive into the details to uncover which model truly stands out.
Design and Build Quality
Both the A37 and A57 share a similar aesthetic, particularly with their camera bumps featuring a translucent design. While this look might strike some as less premium, it aligns with their more accessible price point. The back of both phones is glossy glass, which, especially in the A57’s navy color, proves to be a significant fingerprint magnet. A case would certainly mitigate this, but it’s a factor to consider for those who prefer to go caseless.
A notable distinction lies in the frame material: the A37 sports a plastic frame, while the A57 features aluminum. Surprisingly, the plastic on the A37 offers a grippier feel and is more pleasant to the touch than the colder aluminum of the A57. Despite having the same display size, the A57 is marginally thinner at 6.9 millimeters and lighter, contributing to a more premium, sleek in-hand feel that belies its mid-range status. Both phones exhibit good weight distribution.
Tech Specs
- A37 Colors: Light Violet, other options available
- A57 Colors: Navy, other options available
- Back Material: Glass (both)
- Frame Material: Plastic (A37), Aluminum (A57)
- Thickness: 6.9mm (A57)
Display
Both models feature a 6.7-inch display. The A37 uses an AMOLED panel, while the A57 boasts an AMOLED Plus. In practical use, we observed no significant visual difference between the two. Both displays offer a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and an impressive 1900 nits of peak brightness, ensuring excellent visibility even in bright outdoor conditions. The bezels are a point of discussion; the A57 has noticeably smaller bezels compared to the A37, which has a thicker “chin.” While some users might find this distracting, we found that after initial observation, the mind tends to filter out the bezels, making it less of an issue during daily use.
Tech Specs
- Display Size: 6.7 inches (both)
- Display Type: AMOLED (A37), AMOLED Plus (A57)
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz (both)
- Peak Brightness: 1900 nits (both)
Performance and Software
Under the hood, both phones are powered by Samsung’s Exynos chipsets. The A37 features the Exynos 1480, while the A57 gets a slightly more capable Exynos 1680. This difference translates directly into performance. The A37 exhibits noticeable jitters and lags when opening apps and scrolling, a disappointing experience for a new 2026 phone. The A57, on the other hand, offers a much smoother experience. While neither phone crashed or froze during our testing, the A37’s lower-spec processor and GPU are evident. Despite the A37’s performance shortcomings, it handled multitasking well, running split-view apps and a picture-in-picture YouTube video without crashing. For gamers, the A57 is the clear choice due to its superior processor and GPU.
Both phones come with an IP68 rating, a welcome upgrade from previous A-series models, indicating improved water resistance. The optical in-display fingerprint scanner also shows a significant disparity. The A37’s scanner is unreliable, often requiring multiple attempts to unlock, whereas the A57’s scanner is much more consistent, usually working on the first or second try.
In terms of software, Samsung provides excellent support for its A-series, offering 6 years of security and OS updates. While we’re curious how the A37’s hardware will fare with Android updates 6 years down the line, the commitment to long-term support is commendable. Regarding bloatware, both models come with pre-installed apps like Tamu and Facebook, even if you opt out during setup. Fortunately, these apps are uninstallable, allowing users to declutter their devices.
Tech Specs
- Chipset: Exynos 1480 (A37), Exynos 1680 (A57)
- RAM (Base Model): 6GB (A37), 8GB (A57)
- Storage (Base Model): 128GB (both)
- Max Storage: 256GB (A37), 512GB (A57)
- IP Rating: IP68 (both)
- Software Updates: 6 years (both)
Camera Capabilities
The camera hardware system is largely identical across both phones, but image processing is where they diverge. The A57 demonstrates superior processing, particularly in low-light conditions and with a feature called “Best Face,” which intelligently selects the best facial expressions from multiple shots.
Our samples from the zoo highlighted these differences. In a dark cave setting, the A57 captured significantly more detail and clarity, making it appear as if there were lights present, which was not the case. The A37’s low-light performance was notably weaker, closer to what our eyes perceived. For selfies, neither phone truly impressed. The A57 tended to over-smooth faces, while the A37 often underexposed, though it sometimes offered a more natural look. In good lighting, however, both phones performed very similarly, producing decent, ordinary photos with little to distinguish between them. Daytime photography has become a solved problem for many mid-range devices, and these Samsungs are no exception.
When it comes to video, the A37 suffered from noticeable micro-jitters, making footage less stable. The A57, while not perfect, handled motion better. We also observed that the A57 tended to boost brightness, sometimes making scenes appear oversaturated, whereas the A37 offered more natural contrast and deeper blacks, albeit at the cost of lost detail in shadows. It’s clear that Samsung reserves its best camera technology for the S-series flagships.
Battery Life and Charging
Both the A37 and A57 are equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery and support 45W wired charging. Neither offers wireless charging, which, while a convenience, can contribute to faster battery degradation due to heat generation.
The A37 delivered an impressive battery performance, lasting two full days (48 hours) with 20% charge remaining under our mixed usage conditions (using two phones concurrently). This suggests it could easily be a 1.5 to 2-day phone for most users. The A57, despite having the same battery capacity, consumed power more rapidly, likely due to its more powerful processor and other components. It typically lasted about 1.5 days for us, translating to a comfortable full day of use for most people.
Tech Specs
- Battery Capacity: 5,000 mAh (both)
- Wired Charging: 45W (both)
- Wireless Charging: No (both)
Final Verdict
With a price difference of just $100 ($550 for the A57, $450 for the A37), the choice between these two Samsung mid-rangers is clear. The Samsung Galaxy A57 5G (2026) is the definitive winner. Its superior performance, more reliable fingerprint scanner, better low-light camera processing, and sleeker build quality make the extra investment entirely worthwhile. The A37’s performance jitters and lags are simply not acceptable for a modern smartphone.
While the A37’s impressive battery life and grippier plastic frame are notable, they don’t outweigh the A57’s overall smoother and more premium experience. We were so impressed with the A57 that we continued using it over a previous flagship. However, if camera performance is a top priority in this price bracket, we would lean towards the Google Pixel 10a. It offers a smoother experience, minimal UI, a more compact design, and a significantly better camera system with superior software processing for photos.
Products Mentioned:
===DISCLOSURES===
✅ Samsung lent us these products for free for review purposes.
✅ No one got input at any stage in the creation of this content. All opinions and bad jokes are strictly our own.
✅ Affiliate shopping and merchandise links above earn us commission.
