Samsung's new Galaxy A phones drop on April 9 starting at $499

Samsung today took the wraps of its midrange smartphone line-up for 2021, revealing the Galaxy A32, Galaxy A32 5G, Galaxy A52, Galaxy A52 5G, and Galaxy A72. The quint of new devices will be available from April 9, with prices starting at $499 for the Galaxy A32 and Galaxy A32 5G.

While Samsung isn't taking pre-orders, everyone who picks up any of the new devices before April 23 will receive a bonus pair of Galaxy Buds Live at no extra cost. The Galaxy Buds Live are valued at $319 outright.

At this stage we're not 100% sure as to which retailers will be ranging which models, but from what we understand, Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone should all have the 5G models available on a plan.

Notably, all five phones have headphone jacks, expandable storage, and still include a charger in the box - unlike the Galaxy S21 family.

Samsung Galaxy A32 and Galaxy A32 5G

The Galaxy A32 and Galaxy A32 5G are the most affordable options from Samsung's new devices, both retailing for $499 outright. This does however mean there is a difference in specs between the pair. The 4G-only Galaxy A32 has a higher resolution primary camera, faster refresh rate display, more RAM, and an in-screen fingerprint reader. On the other hand, the Galaxy A32 5G benefits from 5G connectivity. It essentially becomes a choice of whether you want a beefier phone or 5G.

The Galaxy A32 5G will be one of the cheapest 5G phones you can buy in Australia, sitting alongside the Moto G 5G Plus and Realme 7 5G. Both also retail for $499.

Here's how the pair compare:

Honestly, we're not sure why they have the same name.

Both are available in a choice of blue, black, or purple. The back is glossy polycarbonate.

The Galaxy A32 5G is available on a plan through Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone.

Samsung Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A52 5G

The Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A52 5G represent a step up from the Galaxy A32 family, featuring IP67 as a major feature addition. Unlike the Galaxy A32 range, the Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A52 5G are a lot more similar, sharing the majority of their key specifications. Outside of 5G connectivity, the biggest difference is that the Galaxy A52 features a 90Hz refresh rate display, while the Galaxy A52 5G has an even higher 120Hz refresh rate. In addition, the Galaxy A52 has 8GB of RAM out of the box, while the Galaxy A52 5G only has 6GB unless you go for the 256GB model.

Here's how the pair compare:

Pricing for the Galaxy A52 family is as follows:

• Galaxy A52 (128GB): $599
• Galaxy A52 5G (128GB): $649
• Galaxy A52 5G (256GB): $749

These all are available in a choice of blue, black, or purple. The phone's backs are matte polycarbonate.

Samsung Galaxy A72

The Galaxy A72 stands alone, and won't be available in a 5G version locally - at least initially. It's a little bit larger than the Galaxy A52 featuring a 6.7-inch display, up from 6.5, and trades in the depth lens for a 3x telephoto zoom lens. This is also capable of 30x space zoom.

Here are the full specs for the Galaxy A72:

Just one Galaxy A72 variant will be available locally, and it will set you back $749. Once again, you can pick from blue, black, and purple. Like the A52s, the Galaxy A72 has a matte polycarbonate back.

Read more about the difference between the Galaxy A52 and the Galaxy A72 here. 

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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