Samsung has launched new line of mid rangers with the A-series. We take the A72 for a test ride.
Hardware specifications
- Snapdragon 720G, Octa-core, Adreno 618 GPU
- 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Display with 2400 X 1080 (Full HD+) Resolution up to 90Hz refresh rate
- 8 GB RAM, 128/256 GB Storage
- 64 MP + 12 MP (ultra-wide) + 8 MP (telephoto) + 5 MP (macro) rear camera with LED Flash
- 32 MP Front camera
- 2 Mics for Audio Recording
- 2G/3G/4G-VoLTE/5G dual nano-SIM
- 5000 mAh battery
- In-display fingerprint sensor
- IP67 rating for water and dust resistance
Form factor
The measurements stand at 165 X 77 X 8.4 (in mm). The phone is quite big and the entire screen would not be reachable in one hand for people who don’t have large hands. The aspect ratio is 20:9, which makes the phone quiet long. Since it has Super AMOLED display, the visibility is excellent even in direct sunlight, with ample brightness.
The device is slim and the cameras on the backside of the device sits on top of the back panel and does protrude a bit similar to more or less most of the phones these days. The back side has a Samsung logo in the center towards the bottom part. The back panel carries a matt finish and it results in a better grip to hold the device. On the front side, there is punch hole on the top at the center, for the secondary camera.
On the bottom side of the phone, we have a mic and the 3.5mm headphone jack to the left, the USB C-type connector in the center, and a speaker grill to the right. On the top of the phone, you have the SIM tray, where you can insert 2 SIM cards OR 1 SIM and a microSD card (not dedicated, hybrid). Power and the volume buttons are in the right side towards the top from midway. Above the volume buttons. The top side also has a mic which would be used while recording audio for the videos.
Interface
It comes with Android 11, with Samsung One UI on top. One UI is one of the better android skins out there. It isn’t too flashy or cheesy and at the same time, not much bloatware to worry about either. It gives an overall good experience for the user. There is a specific gaming mode, where the device detects games and automatically disables the alerts, frees up memory etc, to have an interruption free gaming session.
Media
Watching videos in this phone is a great experience, owing to the wide aspect ratio of the phone. The display is crisp and makes it for a great watch. It is capable of playing 4K videos without any hassles due to the processor used. Audio quality is stellar and you would enjoy listening to your music. There are some audio settings which you can tweak around in the settings once you have connected your earphones. These settings are not available for the phone speaker though.
Connectivity
A72 supports the usual EDGE, 3G or 4G (with VoLTE). Wi-Fi (dual band) support is also there, and so is Bluetooth 5.0 for data transfer, it can also act as your personal Wi-Fi hotspot with the internet sharing feature, allowing you to tether other devices. Wi-Fi is also useful for sharing via DLNA. It also comes with dual VoLTE support. Bluetooth protocols like LE, A2DP. For location services, the device supports GPS, GLONASS, etc. For data transfers, there is a USB C-type connector. NFC is also there.
Camera
A72 comes with a 64 MP main camera and a 12 MP secondary wide-angle lens, 8 MP telephoto with 3X optical zoom and a 5 MP macro lens. The camera setup will snap good pictures, although not up there with flagship camera quality. There are few modes like Portrait, Auto, Night and HDR which is self-explanatory. There is also a Pro mode where in you can control all the settings manually, like shutter speed, ISO, white balance, exposure and also gives an option to manually control the focus of the main camera. The camera does have OIS on the main and telephoto lenses and stabilizes a bit. The camera takes great photos in daylight and decent photos in low light. The portrait mode works well and you get good looking photos here. The 32MP front camera takes decent photos, although nothing great to mention about, you can live with it. Overall, it takes great photos and offers good camera performance. Here are some sample photos and videos shot with A72
Video recording allows for capturing in 4K (at 30 fps), 1080p (60 and 30 fps) resolutions, and stabilization is good (4K does not get EIS stabilization). The device has a total of 2 mics for recording, which shows in its video recording abilities and do a good job at capturing the surrounding sounds properly. It also allows slow motion video capture.
Battery
A72 has a 5000 mAh capacity battery, which lasts easily around 1.5 to 2 days on moderate usage, which is great. With heavy usage it will still make it through a day and half. It packs a punch in terms of battery performance. There is a power saving mode which will limit the background app activities, disables email auto-sync and reduces visual effects. Also, there is a fast charger provided with the phone which charges the phone faster.
Price & Verdict
A72 has been launched at ₹ 34,999 (8 GB RAM, 128 GB Storage). It is also available in 8GB/256GB for ₹ 37,999. We had the 8GB/128GB variant as our review device. At this price, it definitely gives good value in terms of design, performance. It is not without its shortfalls though, like lack of dedicated storage expansion and flagship processor. A72 offers a very good value proposition for its price. With good performance, big battery and IP rating, you cannot go wrong with this device.
Pros
- Design, build quality
- Good camera.
- 5000 mAh battery and battery performance.
- Smooth performance, dedicated gaming chops
- UI is bloatware free and looks closer to stock Android
- Headphone jack
- IP rating for dust and water-proofing
Cons
- No dedicated micro-SD expansion
- No flagship processor