Late last year, Samsung kicked off its latest generation of affordable A-series phones with the entry-level A17. Now, following the arrival of the flagship Galaxy S26 lineup, the company is rounding out its midrange portfolio. The new Galaxy A37 and Galaxy A57 arrive with some compelling upgrades—even when measured against their pricier siblings.
Core Specs and Features
Before diving into hands-on impressions, a quick rundown of specifications helps set expectations.
The Galaxy A37 is the more affordable of the two, starting at $450 for a 6GB RAM and 128GB storage configuration. A step-up model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage is available for $540. Notably, compared to the A17, the A37 features a much more recent and capable Exynos 1480 chip, delivering a significant boost in NPU performance that unlocks many of the phone’s new AI capabilities. It also sports a large 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a 5,000mAh battery, and a triple-camera array: a 50-megapixel main shooter, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 5MP macro sensor.
The Galaxy A57 starts at $550 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, or $610 for the 256GB variant. It steps up to an Exynos 1680 processor and a higher-resolution 12MP ultra-wide camera, but otherwise shares the same general camera setup and battery capacity. Connectivity sees a slight divergence: the A57 supports Bluetooth 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, while the A37 remains on Bluetooth 5.3 and standard Wi-Fi 6.
Both phones carry IP68 dust and water resistance ratings—an upgrade from the IP67 rating on the previous A36—and feature 120Hz refresh rate displays. Neither supports wireless charging, but both accept wired charging at up to 45W, which actually outpaces the base Galaxy S26’s 25W limit. Samsung is also extending six years of OS and security updates to both models, along with select AI features borrowed from the flagship lineup, including enhanced Circle to Search, Object Eraser, and improved transcription and translation tools within the Voice Recorder app.
Galaxy A37 Impressions
The A37 and A57 share nearly identical designs, from screen size to camera layout. The most tangible difference is build material: the A37 uses a plastic frame compared to the A57’s aluminum. In practice, it’s difficult to tell them apart at a glance. The aluminum chassis offers a slightly cooler feel to the touch, and a closer look reveals marginally thicker bezels around the A37’s display.
Performance-wise, the A37’s Exynos 1480 chip feels noticeably snappier than the A17, handling multitasking and AI-driven tasks—such as object removal in photos—with ease. For a $450 device, Samsung has done an admirable job minimizing the compromises between the two new models.
Galaxy A57 Impressions
The A57 is less compelling than its more affordable sibling, largely due to its higher price and modest feature differentiation. Its standout exclusive is Samsung’s Best Face camera tool, which analyzes facial expressions in group shots and lets users select the ideal reaction for each subject.
While the Exynos 1680 processor promises slightly faster performance, real-world use reveals little discernible difference. The A57 also comes in a more limited color palette—available only in navy—while the A37 offers four options: white, charcoal, lavender, and a gray-green hue depending on the retailer.
Early Verdict
The A37 shapes up as a worthy upgrade over the $200 A17. It delivers smoother performance, a more refined hole-punch selfie camera, and stereo speakers in place of a mono setup. At $450, it undercuts the Pixel 10a while offering a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED display compared to the Pixel’s 6.3-inch screen, along with a comparable suite of AI features. The broader color selection further suggests Samsung is placing significant bets on the A37’s market appeal. For anyone seeking an affordable Android phone with a large display, this new midrange contender deserves serious consideration.
The A57, while not a bad device, faces stiffer competition at its $550 starting price. The $500 Pixel 10a offers superior AI capabilities, a cleaner interface, wireless charging, a slightly larger battery, and class-leading camera performance. Perhaps more critically, the A57 competes directly with Samsung’s own Galaxy S25 FE. While the S25 FE carries a $650 MSRP, it regularly sells for under $600, delivering a more refined design, an additional year of software support (seven total), and a proper telephoto lens in place of a macro camera.
Regardless of which model appeals more, the expansion of affordable smartphone options is a welcome development—particularly as rising RAM costs continue to push prices upward across the industry.
The Galaxy A37 and A57 will be available starting April 9.
