Samsung Galaxy A72 Review: Premium Features at a Mid-Range Price

Samsung Galaxy A72 Review: Premium Features at a Mid-Range Price

Samsung has launched the Galaxy A72 as part of its premium mid-range lineup, joining the A52. The A72 boasts a range of high-end features typically found in flagship devices, such as an IP67 dust and water resistance rating, a telephoto camera lens, and SGS Low Blue Light certification. However, its performance is anchored by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset, which raises questions about its value for money.

Design and Build

The Galaxy A72 sports a glass front with a polycarbonate body, offering a premium feel despite the plastic back. The phone is available in four color options: Black, Blue, White, and Violet, all featuring a matte finish that resists fingerprints. It also carries an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, a feature uncommon in phones at this price point. Although the phone weighs 203 grams, its balanced weight distribution makes it comfortable to hold. However, the plastic back may show scuffs and scratches over time, so a protective case is recommended.

Display

The display is a standout feature, featuring a 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and a punch-hole cutout for the front camera. The screen delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks, with minimal bezels enhancing the viewing experience. The display is SGS Low Blue Light certified, reducing eye strain during prolonged use. The 90Hz refresh rate provides smoother scrolling and browsing, though it is not as fluid as the 120Hz screens found in higher-end devices.

Camera

The A72 features a quad-camera setup: a 64MP primary lens, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 5MP macro sensor. The telephoto lens is a significant highlight, offering optical zoom capabilities rare in mid-range phones. Image quality from the primary and ultra-wide lenses is strong, with good detail and dynamic range. The macro camera, while usable, benefits from patience due to its fixed focus. Night photography benefits from optical image stabilization (OIS), producing well-exposed photos with decent detail. Video recording is stable up to 4K/30fps thanks to OIS, a feature that sets it apart from competitors.

Battery

Equipped with a 5000mAh battery, the A72 offers solid battery life, typically lasting about a day and a half under normal use. The included 25W fast charger can fully charge the phone in approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. This battery capacity and charging speed make it a reliable choice for users who need a phone that can endure heavy use throughout the day.

Performance

On the performance front, the Galaxy A72 runs on Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.1, promising three generations of Android updates and four years of security patches. However, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset, an 8nm octacore processor, feels underpowered for a phone priced above NPR 50,000. The chipset is also found in more affordable devices, such as the Redmi Note 9 Pro, raising concerns about the A72’s value proposition. Gaming performance is particularly lacking, making it less suitable for gamers. The optical in-display fingerprint scanner is functional but not as fast as those found in competitors like the Realme X7 Pro.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A72 is a phone with many premium features, including a high-quality display, robust build with IP67 rating, and a versatile camera system. However, its performance is hampered by the Snapdragon 720G chipset, which detracts from the overall experience. When compared to the Galaxy A52, which offers similar specs at a lower price, the A72 struggles to justify its premium pricing. That said, for users prioritizing a large screen, long battery life, and advanced camera capabilities for multimedia consumption, the A72 remains a solid choice in the Nepali market, where competing options from brands like Vivo and Oppo are often overpriced or unavailable.