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Samsung Galaxy A72 announced: Nearly into Galaxy S21 territory, but no 5G
Today, Samsung announced a slew of Galaxy A devices. A-series phones are Sammy’s budget offerings with lower-grade specs but also very reasonable prices. Last year, the Galaxy A series did exceptionally well. At the top of this year’s heap is the Samsung Galaxy A72, shown above.
Although the Galaxy A72 offers a lot of higher-end specs as compared to the other phones in the Galaxy A family, it also lacks 5G support. This makes it the best Galaxy A device as far as cameras and power, but not the best for future-proofing.
You can see the full specs table below along with some notes on the primary features of the Galaxy A72.
Samsung Galaxy A72 specs and features
| Samsung Galaxy A72 | |
|---|---|
Display | 6.7-inch Super AMOLED FHD+ (2,400 x 1,080) Infinity-O (display cutout) 394ppi 90Hz refresh rate |
Processor | Unnamed octa-core CPU |
RAM | 6 or 8GB |
Storage | 128 or 256GB microSD support (up to 1TB) |
Power | 5,000mAh battery 25W fast wired charging No wireless charging |
Cameras | Rear: 1) 64MP main Optical image stabilization (OIS) Auto-focus (AF) 0.8µm, ƒ1.8 2) 12MP ultra-wide Fixed focus (FF) 1.12µm, ƒ2.2 3) 8MP telephoto 3x optical zoom, 30x digital OIS, AF 1.0µm, ƒ2.4 4) 5MP macro 1.12µm, ƒ2.4, FF Front: 1) 32MP main 0.8µm, ƒ2.2, FF |
Audio | Bluetooth 5.0 Stereo speakers 3.5mm headphone jack |
Connectivity | LTE only (no 5G support) Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 5.0 NFC support |
Security | In-display fingerprint sensor IP67-rated against water/dust Face unlock (insecure) |
Software | Android 11 One UI 3.0 |
Dimensions and weight | 165.0 x 77.4 x 8.4mm 203g |
Colors | Awesome Violet, Awesome Blue, Awesome White, Awesome Black |
The star of the show with the Samsung Galaxy A72 is its camera. It features the mobile trifecta: a great primary lens, an ultra-wide, and a telephoto. It also throws in a macro camera for a total of four lenses on the rear. This should net you some great image quality as well as give you the versatility of smartphones that are much more expensive than this.
Elsewhere, the phone’s massive 6.7-inch display has a 90Hz refresh rate. With lots of phones coming with 120Hz refresh rates — including the 5G variant of the Galaxy A52, ostensibly a “lower end” device — 90Hz might seem ho-hum. Still, a 90Hz refresh rate gives plenty of smoothness without needing to sacrifice battery life.
Related: The best Samsung phones: High-end, mid-range, and entry-level models
Regardless, with that 5,000mAh cell, battery longevity likely won’t be too much of an issue. The IP67 rating also protects your phone against dust and allows you to leave it in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes.
The biggest drawback, then, is the lack of 5G support. It’s possible Samsung could launch a 5G-capable Galaxy A72 down the line. However, if it did that, the Samsung Galaxy A72 would be treading dangerously close to the Galaxy S21, which costs a lot more than this. As such, Samsung is probably nerfing it on purpose.
Price and availability
The starting price for the Samsung Galaxy A72 is €449 in Europe and £419 in the UK. That equates to around $550 or so here in the United States. When you compare that to the $699 entry price for the Samsung Galaxy S21, you start to see the appeal of the Galaxy A72.
Samsung was mum on availability details related to the 2021 iterations of the Galaxy A series. We know the devices are coming to Europe and the UK, but there’s no word on US availability yet. We also don’t have a specific date for pre-orders or general sales. Stay tuned!