Should you buy Galaxy A32 5G or not? Learning about the pros and cons of A32 is the perfect way to make a purchase decision. This way, instead of relying on others’ reviews, you be the judge and decide on your future purchase.
Note: Galaxy A32 5G and Galaxy A32 are different phones.
Pros of Samsung Galaxy A32 5G:
These are the pros of Galaxy A32.
Expandable Storage:
Samsung Galaxy A32 has 64 GB to 128 GB internal storage options. Moreover, the A32 has an expandable memory slot, where you can insert a microSD card up to 1TB. It is very convenient because you don’t have to shell out hundreds of dollars for memory upgrades like Apple’s iPhone.
Here’s an example. The 64 GB iPhone 11 Pro costs $999, and the next storage version, 256 GB, costs $1149. There’s no 128GB version iPhone 11. So, Apple is charging you $150 for 192GB of memory. Now check this 512GB Samsung microSD card on Amazon. This is 85% cheaper than Apple’s storage expansion asking price. We hope you do realize the benefit of expandable storage space.
Galaxy A32 5G Supports MHL:
Most of the Samsung phones, including the Galaxy A32, supports MHL.
MHL is a fantastic piece of technology that many do not know. MHL stands for Mobile High Definition Link. Using the MHL-HDMI cable, you can mirror your phone screen to any projector, TV, or monitor. This feature helps you to give a presentation from the phone or watch a movie on the projector.
On Amazon, if you search “MHL to HDMI,” you will get thousands of results. This cable will help you transfer your phone’s display signal to an HDMI port. Before you buy your MHL to HDMI cable, please make sure which USB your phone supports, whether it is a micro USB, mini USB, or USB type C.
Buy a USB Type C MHL to HDMI cable for your Galaxy A32 5G, for example, similar to this one. Connect one end of the MHL cable to your phone, connect the other HDMI end to a TV or projector. After configuring your TV or projector to HDMI input, your phone screen will show up on your TV or projector. Now, enjoy movies, gameplay on your TV or projector. Moreover, you can give a presentation on office settings with your Galaxy A32 without laptops or computers. Isn’t it great?
Galaxy A32 has OTG Support:
OTG stands for on-the-go. As A32 supports OTG, we can buy various USB-C devices and add useful functionality to our Galaxy A32. Here are a few examples.
USB C keyboard:
You can purchase a USB-C keyboard from Amazon and use it to type faster on your phone.
USB C game controller:
If you use a USB C game controller with your A32 5G, it will tremendously improve your gameplay. For example, you can purchase this game controller from Amazon.
USB C microSD card reader:
You can buy a USB C MicroSD card reader and an SD card from Amazon and expand your phone memory on the go. OTG is mind-blowing.
USB C Flash Drive:
If you don’t want to buy a microSD card reader and SD card, you can purchase a USB C Flash Drive instead, similar to this one. Using a flash drive, you can transfer various files, photos, and videos between your Galaxy A32 phone and laptop.
USB C HUB:
A portable USB C HUB will allow you to connect a monitor, keyboard, mouse, speaker, hard disk, TV, SD card, projector, etc., with your Galaxy A32. Simply put, this type of HUB will transform your phone into a computer.
USB C to USB adapter:
This type of adapter has various uses. Here is one example. If you have a DSLR camera and want to backup pictures from your DSLR camera to your phone, you can do it with a USB C to USB adapter.
Ethernet Cable Connection:
You can use a USB C to Ethernet adapter, for example, like this one to connect the Galaxy A32 to an ethernet network. This way, you can get the internet on your A32 phone without WiFi.
3.5mm Headphone Jack:
Nowadays, most Samsung phones come without a 3.5mm headphone jack. Even the latest flagship Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra does not have a headphone jack. However, Galaxy A32 has a built-in 3.5mm headphone jack.
We never supported Samsung for getting rid of the 3.5mm jack. They only did it because Apple did it.
Fast Charging:
The Galaxy A32 5G has 15W fast charging technology. As a result, charging this phone does not take too much time.
However, fast charging degrades the battery quickly compared to slow charging. So, we suggest that if you purchase this phone, slow charge it overnight. It will improve your phone battery life.
Has a Fingerprint Sensor:
The Galaxy A32 has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. This sensor is superior to the in-display optical sensor.
SmartThings, Smart View:
If you have Samsung devices such as a Samsung smart fridge, TV, oven, dishwasher, Air conditioner, Samsung washing machine, Samsung dryer, etc., in your home. In that case, you can control those devices using your Galaxy A32 with SmartThings and SmartView app. For example, you can wirelessly cast your phone screen onto your Samsung TV through the SmartView app.
Samsung Find My Mobile:
Every Samsung phone has a handy feature named “Find My Mobile.” If someone steals your phone or you lose it, you can track your Galaxy phone online with the help of this feature.
Moreover, you can remotely lock it and delete personal data. You can even use “Find My Mobile” to unlock your phone if you forget your pattern, PIN, or password. To learn more, please visit https://findmymobile.samsung.com/.
Useful Apps and Features in Galaxy A32:
In Galaxy A32 5G, there are many useful apps. The following features in Galaxy A32 are beneficial.
Secure Folder:
Every Samsung phone, including the Galaxy A32, has the “Secure Folder” feature. You can use the secure folder to protect your private photos, messages, apps, contacts, files, etc., from being accessed by others. It’s a great way to save and protect sensitive data on your phone.
Scan QR Code:
A32 5G has a built-in QR code scanning feature. From the notification panel, you can activate this feature.
Game Launcher:
In Galaxy A32, there are many useful apps. Game Launcher is one of them. You can use the Game Launcher app to record your phone screen and system audio while you play an android game. A third-party screen recorder app can only record the phone screen, not system audio. So, this is very useful for YouTubers.
Built-in Screen Recorder:
The Galaxy A32 also has a built-in screen recorder app. So, you don’t need to install a 3rd party app to record your phone’s screen.
WiFi Direct Printing:
If you have a printer that supports WiFi, you can print anything from your A32 5G phone without a WiFi router.
Samsung Kids:
Galaxy A32 is perfect for kids. This phone has a parental control feature. While activated from settings, you can restrict access to apps and set their usage times. Moreover, you can also monitor daily usage time and activity history, including the history of frequently used contacts and browsing history. You need a PIN to deactivate “Samsung Kids” once it is enabled. So, don’t worry that your kid will disable it.
Data Usage Monitor:
The Galaxy A32 comes with a built-in data usage monitor. It is a useful feature to keep track of data usage.
Don’t be surprised to read that many apps use data in the background, even if the phone screen is off. To test in a Samsung phone, Goto Settings -> Connections -> Data Usage -> Data Saver. Now tap on “Allow unrestricted data usage.” Now in the top right corner, click on “⋮” and click on “Sort by allowed apps.” Now click again on “⋮” and “Show system apps.” You will get all the apps that use your phone’s internet data in the background. If necessary, you can turn off data permissions for apps individually by switching the toggle button.
Cons of Samsung Galaxy A32 5G:
These are the drawbacks of the Galaxy A32.
LCD Display:
First of all, this phone does not have an AMOLED display. The AMOLED screen is superior to an LCD in terms of better picture quality, color, and battery life.
Galaxy A32 has a 720p IPS LCD screen. Its screen resolution is 720 x 1600 pixels.
We don’t have any issue with LCD. Even up to a few years back, all the iPhones used to have LCD. But the problem with the A32 LCD is that it’s a new type of LCD Samsung is using. It’s specially engineered to lower cost. All Samsung’s new LCDs have a yellow tint that we have never seen before, such as in the J, Core, or Grand phones.
Therefore, a 720p display with 270 PPI density with this low-quality LCD screen will not give users the best experience.
Weak Processor:
Samsung is using the MediaTek MT6853 Dimensity 720 5G processor on this Galaxy A32. Compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, it’s performance is weak. Even Xiaomi uses Qualcomm processors on their mid-range phones.
Phones’ long term performance is essential. We don’t replace phones every few years. We generally want to use it for 3 to 4 years. However, after only two years, this processor performance will degrade, making the phone barely usable.
It’s also interesting to note that Samsung is not using their own Exynos processor in this phone. Therefore, we can assume that to save cost, Samsung compromised performance for this phone.
No eSIM Support:
Galaxy A32 does not support eSIM.
A32 5G Battery is Non-Removable:
The Galaxy A32 battery is non-removable. It is a disadvantage because the removable battery is useful in many scenarios. An old phone loses its battery capacity. So, it charges slowly but discharges rapidly, making the phone unusable for a practical purpose.
Moreover, if Samsung OS detects the battery has become weak, it will slow down the processor to protect the battery from further deterioration. The slow processor will make a Samsung phone laggy. It is why an old Samsung phone lags and hangs.
Replacing the old battery with a new one will solve all these problems. But, the A32 battery is non-removable. So, when your Galaxy A32 phone gets old and becomes slow, you have to replace the phone itself.
5G Battery Consumption:
Samsung claims that even on 5G, A32 will last for 24 hours. Unfortunately, we found that A32 does not last the whole day on 5G. It’s because 5G consumes a lot of power.
On the iPhone, iOS automatically switches between 5G and 4G depending on data usage. For example, if we are browsing a website, the iPhone will use a 4G network to save battery power. But when we initiate a large download, the iPhone will switch to 5G, download the file, and switch back to 4G. However, iOS will show the 5G logo all this time even though we are not on the 5G network. It’s a brilliant solution.
However, Samsung A32 does not have this type of intelligent 5G implementation. It’s similar to GPS. On the iPhone, we don’t need to turn off GPS. Depending on apps, iOS will turn off and turn on GPS. Whereas, Samsung A32 does not have this type of feature.
No Wireless Charging:
The Galaxy A32 does not have a wireless charging functionality.
No Dex Support:
The Galaxy A32 does not have dex support. This is a handy feature that Samsung decided not to include in this phone. Dex is beneficial because, with the help of the Dex software feature, we can turn our phone into a trackpad for TV or PC, connect to a monitor or TV for enhanced multitasking experience such as browsing the web like a PC, etc.
Samsung Phone Becomes Hot:
Samsung phones overheat quickly. For the last ten years, Samsung failed to fix the phone overheating issue. Samsung acts like this issue does not exist.
If you play any video game, run YouTube, Netflix, or run an app that uses a lot of processing power — such as a video editor — the phone would become so hot that it would be impossible to hold it in hand. When the phone overheats, your phone will become slow and laggy. Furthermore, your Galaxy A32 can also overheat while you record a 4k or 8k video with the phone cameras.
Samsung BloatWare:
Though I love Samsung Phones, I’m not too fond of their software. Samsung always ships its phone with a lot of bloatware pre-installed. Galaxy A32 is not different either. This Galaxy A32 comes with more than 50 preloaded apps. There are several duplicate apps too.
You may think it’s not a big deal for your A32 because you have plenty of remaining storage capacity left for you. But the problem with pre-installed bloatware is that those apps have some root permission to access your user data that 3rd party apps don’t have.
Moreover, A pre-installed app can run several processes in the background, which you will never be able to detect. For example, the Facebook app runs several processes in the background that consumes a lot of battery and processing power. It not only limits the battery but also prevents other apps from running smoothly, such as Maps. It is why Google maps crashes if you have Facebook installed.
Pre-installed Microsoft Bloatware:
Samsung preloads every Galaxy A32 5G with the following Microsoft apps.
- Office Mobile
- Microsoft One Drive
- Microsoft Outlook
3rd Party Bloatware:
Samsung ships every Galaxy A32 phone with the following 3rd party Apps. (varies depending on carrier and country)
- Booking.com
- Wego Flights & Hotels
- Spotify
- Netflix
Duplicate Apps in Galaxy A32:
Samsung is infamous for shipping its phone with duplicate apps. Galaxy A32 is not an exception, either. The following are similar apps in an A32 5G.
Duplicate App Store:
- Google Play Store
- Galaxy Store
Duplicate Music App:
- YT Music
- Spotify
Duplicate Browser:
- Google Chrome
- Google (Search)
- Samsung Internet
Duplicate Online Storage:
- Google Drive
- Microsoft OneDrive
Numerous Email Client:
- Gmail
- Samsung Email
- Microsoft Outlook
Duplicate Payment System:
- Google Pay
- Samsung Pay
Plastic Back:
This A32 has a plastic back. So, it does not feel premium at all. Moreover, a plastic back will chip its paint after a few years. At that point, this phone will look very ugly. However, if you use a phone case, you can avoid this issue.
Mediocre camera:
Though A32 has four main cameras, honestly, these cameras do not take great pictures. The pixel in cameras does not mean anything. A 12 MP DSLR camera takes far superior pictures than the 48 MP A32 camera.
No Extended Software Update:
Apple provides regular software updates to all of its iPhone. They never abandon their phones. But Samsung stops giving any software update after only 24 months of release. However, it’s only true for flagship phones.
Samsung never releases any OS update for mid-range phones. Therefore, you would never get an update for your Galaxy A32 after only 12 months.
Phones 4K video is awful:
The Galaxy A32 has good cameras and can record 4k video. However, a 4k video recorded on phones is inferior compared to 4k videos recorded in a DSLR camera.
Moreover, A32 cameras are gyro-stabilized. Though this gyro-stabilization is useful for taking pictures, it is terrible for capturing video while you walk. The mobile gyro will fail to stabilize the camera on every footstep, especially while recording in 4k. We have tested it, and we were disappointed.
Useless Bixby:
Samsung is terrible at software. Bixby is the prime example. Most of the time, it does not work. Moreover, Android Assistant is far superior to Bixby. Still, Samsung ships this unnecessary software with every phone.
Long Term Performance:
We all know that Samsung phones don’t last long. A new Galaxy A32 will operate smoothly. But after only a few years, this A32 will become very slow and laggy. From our experience, after 48 months, Samsung becomes entirely unusable.
Most of the tech reviewers don’t use phones for a long time. They review more than 20 phones a year, and they don’t use a smartphone continuously for more than a few months.
But as a user, we don’t replace our primary smartphone every few years. Sometimes, we use a phone for more than four years. The problem with the Samsung phone is, they become slow and laggy after 2 to 3 years. It’s disappointing.
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Pros vs. Cons:
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Expandable Storage | MediaTek processor |
3.5mm Headphone jack port | 720p LCD display |
Cheap Price | Non-removable battery |
Quad Camera | No wireless charging |
USB Type C 2.0 with OTG support | No eSIM support |
Fingerprint scanner | Samsung bloatware |
5000mAh battery | No long term software update |
15W fast charging | No Dex support |
Dual Sim model | Plastic build |
Conclusion:
It’s your money, your decision. We know everyone’s personal preferences are different. However, before you make your final buying decision, please compare this A32 5G with other phones from OnePlus, and Xiaomi.