Samsung’s new budget king
The Samsung Galaxy A57 sits at the top of the A series right now, boasting of a slimmer design, more powerful SoC, improved AI features, and an IP68 rating. It’s also $50 more expensive than its predecessor though.
Pros
- Slimmer and lighter than the A37
- Large 6.7-inch AMOLED display and IP68 waterproofing
- Fast wired charging speeds (up to 45W)
- Triple-camera setup for versatility
- Faster SoC and base 8GB of RAM
- Six generations of Android OS upgrades
Cons
- Still no telephoto camera
- No wireless charging support
- No change in battery capacity
A minor upgrade over Galaxy A36
The Galaxy A37 looks like a decent enough budget pick on paper but not a lot as changed compared to the A36, it costs $50 more, and still features a plastic chassis. The six Android OS upgrade commitment continues though and it’s now IP68 rated.
Pros
- Large and bright AMOLED display
- Up to six Android OS upgrades promised
- Same battery size and fast charging as A57
- IP68 dust and water protection
- Costs $100 less than the A57
Cons
- Only a minor refresh compared to the A36
- Plastic frame
- Weaker SoC and ultrawide camera vs. A57
- 6GB RAM in the base model
Samsung has refreshed two of its very popular budget models in the A series — the Galaxy A57 and the Galaxy A37. Both phones have gone up in price by $50 and feature improved waterproofing with an IP68 rating. Other changes involve a tweaked design, new colors, more AI features, and the same six-year Android OS upgrade promise that made their predecessors so popular to begin with.
Samsung Galaxy A57 vs. Galaxy A37: Pricing, colors, and availability
The Samsung Galaxy A57 starts at $549.99 for 128GB of storage and $609.99 for 256GB. The good news is that you get 8GB of RAM even on the base model. In the U.S., Samsung is restricting the color to just Awesome Navy, but you can get the A57 in Gray, Icyblue, and Lilac in global markets. The A57 is sold unlocked in the U.S., and you can grab some offers and discounts from Samsung since it just launched.
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The Galaxy A37 is sold unlocked or via Verizon, and prices start at $449.99 for the 128GB variant with 6GB of RAM. The 256GB variant costs $539.99, and this one gets 8GB of RAM. The A37 comes in Lavender and Charcoal in the U.S.
Samsung Galaxy A57 vs. Galaxy A37: Design and display
The Samsung Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37 look very similar at first glance, but the differences would only be noticeable once you actually hold both phones in each hand. The Galaxy A57 gets a more premium build with an aluminum frame and is also slimmer and lighter. The size and weight differences should be quite apparent as we’re talking 6.9mm vs. 7.4mm (A37) for thickness, and 179 grams vs. 196 grams (A37) for the weight.
Interestingly, both phones have Gorilla Glass Victus Plus for the front and back. You’d think that the plastic frame on the Galaxy A37 would result in lower weight, but that’s not the case. Another feature that both phones have in common is an upgraded IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. While the other dimensions of both phones are similar, the Galaxy A57 should offer better ergonomics.
The Galaxy A37 wins some points back in the display department as it has the same 6.7-inch screen size as the Galaxy A57. Both phones feature Super AMOLED panels with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 2,340 x 1,080 pixel resolution. Peak brightness is also the same at 1,900 nits. There is one big difference between the two displays, though, and that is that the Galaxy A57 supports HDR10+ playback while the Galaxy A37 doesn’t. This should matter mostly to users who consume a lot of streaming video content on their phones.
Samsung Galaxy A57 vs. Galaxy A37: Hardware, specs, and software
The processor used in both phones is different. The Samsung Galaxy A57 gets an upgraded Exynos 1680 chip, which launched in 2026, while the Galaxy A37 uses an Exynos 1480 processor from 2024. Needless to say, you should expect the Galaxy A57 to perform better in games and general AI tasks. It’s hard to know for sure what the exact real-world differences would be without testing them, but I think it’s safe to say that the A57 should perform better at gaming than the A37.
Another thing going against the Galaxy A37 is the lower 6GB of RAM in the base variant. While day-to-day performance should be similar to the A57, complex tasks like any on-device AI processing or gaming could have a negative impact here.
One hardware aspect that’s identical on both phones is the battery capacity. You get a 5,000mAh pack with 45W charging. Neither phone supports wireless charging.
|
Category |
Samsung Galaxy A57 |
Samsung Galaxy A37 |
|---|---|---|
|
Operating System |
One UI 8.5 (Android 16), six years of OS upgrades |
One UI 8.5 (Android 16), six years of OS upgrades |
|
Display |
6.7-inch Super AMOLED, 1,080 x 2,340 resolution, 120Hz, 1,900 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass Victus+, HDR10+ |
6.7-inch Super AMOLED, 1080 x 2340 resolution, 120Hz, 1900 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
|
Processor |
Exynos 1680 |
Exynos 1480 |
|
RAM |
8GB |
6GB, 8GB |
|
Storage |
128GB, 256GB |
128GB, 256GB |
|
Rear cameras |
50MP wide camera, 12MP ultrawide camera, 5MP macro |
50MP wide camera, 8MP ultrawide camera, 5MP macro |
|
Front camera |
12MP |
12MP |
|
Battery |
5,000mAh |
5,000mAh |
|
Charging |
45W wired, no wireless charging |
45W wired, no wireless charging |
|
Durability |
Aluminum frame, glass back |
Plastic frame, Glass back |
|
IP rating |
IP68 |
IP68 |
|
Weight |
179g |
196g |
|
Dimensions |
161.5 x 76.8 x 6.9 mm |
162.9 x 78.2 x 7.4 mm |
|
Colors |
Navy |
Lavender, Charcoal |
The Samsung Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37 should offer a similar software experience as both run One UI 8.5. There are also plenty of AI features to explore on both, like AI-powered text extraction, voice transcription in the recorder app, and better multitasking tools. You get improved versions of older tools like Object Eraser and Circle to Search. Some features, like Best Face in the camera app, are only available on the Galaxy A57.
Both models stand to receive up to six generations of Android OS upgrades and six years of security updates. It seems that Samsung has standardized its update policy now, even for budget offerings, while its flagship S series gets an extra year of updates.
Samsung Galaxy A57 vs. Galaxy A37: Cameras
The Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37 feature similar camera specs, except for the ultrawide sensor. The A57 has a 12MP sensor while the A37 uses an 8MP one. It’s not a big difference in resolution, but we could still see some differences in details and colors between the two. The rest of the camera specs are pretty similar. Both phones feature a 50MP main sensor and a 5MP macro camera. The front camera is a 12MP sensor with fixed focus.
We tested the Galaxy A56 and found the cameras to be average at best. This means while you can expect decent results from the main and selfie cameras, don’t expect much from the two auxiliary cameras on the back. One good thing is that the Galaxy A57 and A37 support 4K video recording with the main sensor.
Samsung Galaxy A57 vs. Galaxy A37: Which should you buy?
It’s clear that the Samsung Galaxy A57 is the better budget phone compared to the Galaxy A37. What I’m not convinced of, though, is that it’s worth buying either at full price. With a $50 price bump to $450, the Galaxy A37 is not a great value compared to phones like the Pixel 9a or even the Galaxy A56 that sell for that price (or less). I think we need a price reduction or a permanent discount of sorts for both the Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37 before I can give them a solid recommendation.
You’ll find plenty of great options under $500 today. It’s hard to ignore the sheer value that the Pixel 10a and Pixel 9a offer in this segment, and both feature wireless charging and bigger batteries than the A57 and A37. If you’re looking for something with a stand-out design, don’t forget the Nothing Phone 4a Pro, which starts at $499. The older Galaxy A36 is also a good value now that it’s a bit cheaper and is practically the same phone as the A37.
Samsung’s safe bet
The Galaxy A57 features decent improvements over the A56 and it’s the better pick over the A37. But wait for a price drop as it’s not the best value at full price.
Barely moves the needle
The Galaxy A37 is a very minor refresh over the Galaxy A36, which does not justify the $50 price bump. Get the Galaxy A36 instead.
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