Samsung Galaxy A72 review: unboxing and first impression

After unpacking the A52 at the beginning of this week and describing my first impressions, I would also like to unpack the slightly better Samsung Galaxy A72 in this article and then report on my first impressions after a few days of use.

On paper, the A52 and A72 are very similar. They have the same display, the same processor and there are also some similarities in the camera, but also the first difference: The A72 has a telephoto camera that enables a 3x optical zoom. The battery in the A72 is also a bit larger at 5.000 mAh. You will find out in a few weeks in my detailed test report whether these advantages justify the high additional cost of around 100 euros and how the smartphone performed in everyday life. But for now, let's unpack the device.

Samsung Galaxy A72 unboxing

As you would expect from Samsung in the A series, the packaging for the A72 is also white and has the product name and the smartphone on the front. In addition to the Galaxy A72 itself, the delivery includes a 25 watt power adapter and a matching USB-C to USB-C cable. Otherwise, the usual paperwork and a SIM needle are also included. Unfortunately, Samsung does not supply headphones or a case to protect the smartphone. There is also no pre-installed protective film to protect the screen.

First impression of the Samsung Galaxy A72

I've been using the Samsung Galaxy A72 for a few days now and what becomes clear when I use it is its enormous size. With dimensions of an impressive 165 mm in height and 77,4 mm in width, it is definitely one of the largest smartphones on the market today. Those who prefer large smartphones will of course get their money's worth here, but I would recommend everyone to pick it up before making a purchase. Added to this are the weight of 203 grams and the thickness of 8,4 mm, which also make one-handed operation difficult.

So far, the display has made an excellent first impression, which shouldn't really surprise anyone, because Samsung has always been one of the best here. They install a 6,7 inch OLED panel with an FHD + resolution and a small punch hole in which the front camera can be found. In addition, the screen supports a smooth refresh rate of 90 Hertz, which is definitely noticeable in everyday life, whereby you could have expected 449 Hertz for an RRP of 52 euros and compared to the cheaper A5 120G.

Considering the price, you could have expected a little more in terms of performance. Under the hood there is only a Snapdragon 720G, supported by 6 GB of RAM. Don't get me wrong, the Snapdragon 720G is a good mid-range processor that does an excellent job in the Realme 8 Pro, for example, but Samsung always has minor stutters that are particularly noticeable in gesture control and in the camera app. For the price, I expect a little more, but it's still OK. The battery life and camera have made a very good first impression so far, especially the 3x optical zoom shots. Hardly anyone else in this price range offers that.

These were my first impressions of the Galaxy A72 after a few days of use. This will follow in a few weeks TechnikNews my detailed test report and then we will take a closer look at the A72 and compare it with other smartphones.