The Galaxy A72 was officially unveiled today at Galaxy Awesome Unpacked, and needless to say, it's as promising as all the leaks so far have suggested. It certainly represents a leap in mobile technology over its predecessors and especially the Galaxy A70 series which is nearing its 2nd anniversary.
So, exactly how much has changed over the past couple of years? Samsung did learn a lot since the Galaxy A70 was introduced all the way back in May 2019, but has the company used that knowledge to improve the series two years down the line? It certainly looks like it has.
Galaxy A70 / A70s vs Galaxy A72: All the expected upgrades and then some
Although the Galaxy A70 / Galaxy A70s and the Galaxy A72 have very little in common, they do share a little bit of DNA. They each have a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution, and they offer similar RAM (6GB / 8GB) options. But beyond that, the Galaxy A72 is in a different class, even though it technically occupies the same market niche as its predecessors.
The Galaxy A72 brings a significant upgrade to the 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-O display in the form of high refresh rate support at 90Hz. The screen is driven by the newer Snapdragon 720G and it's protected by Gorilla Glass 5.
Storage options now include 256GB, and mobile camera tech has also gotten better over the past few years, allowing the Galaxy A72 to boast the same 3x telephoto sensor as the Galaxy S20 FE. It had to abandon the depth camera in its favor but it's a great bargain.
Galaxy A70 / A70s vs Galaxy A72: Build quality is on another level
Although a better chipset, a high refresh rate display, and a telephoto camera could be good-enough reasons for an upgrade in some cases, the Galaxy A72 offers so much more than just the usual improvements.
Samsung's new upper-mid-range phone boasts an IP67 rating, which the Galaxy A70 / A70s lacks. It means that the phone is protected against foreign objects like dust particles and sand, and it should be able to survive in up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes.
Other features that are missing from the older models but are present on the Galaxy A72 include OIS for the main camera, stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support, 25W fast charging for a larger battery (by 500mAh), Pro Video Mode, Fun Mode, and other One UI 3 features.
Granted, the Galaxy A70 is being updated to One UI 3.1 as we speak, but some features will be missing and the update won't offer the same-exact experience as the latest model. Besides, the Galaxy A72 is newer by two years, which means it will benefit from better firmware support in the future.
Galaxy A70 / A70s vs Galaxy A72: Conclusion
To wrap things up: a massively-improved 90Hz display with an Infinity-O design, a newer chipset, an IP67 rating, stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, faster charging for a larger battery, better cameras with telephoto capabilities, Pro Video Mode, a more appealing camera housing design, Gorilla Glass 5, and a better software experience are all part of the agreement when you decide to upgrade from the Galaxy A70 / A70s to the Galaxy A72.
The 2019 models are now showing their age, especially in an era of high refresh rate displays that are available even for budget phones such as the Galaxy A32. As for the Galaxy A72, it's so much better than the 2019 models in so many areas, so if you have been waiting for an opportunity to trade-in the Galaxy A70 / A70s for a proper sequel, the Galaxy A72 won't disappoint.
Of course, we won't know for sure just how good the Galaxy A72 is until we spend some time with the device in anticipation of our review, but on paper at least, the Galaxy A72 is shaping up to be a fantastic new addition to Samsung's portfolio and a great yearly sequel.
Samsung
Galaxy A70
Samsung
Galaxy A70s
Samsung
Galaxy A72
General Information
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Model Name
Galaxy A70
Galaxy A70s
Galaxy A72
-
Model type
Bar
Bar
Bar
-
Colors
Blue ()Black ()Coral ()White ()
Black (Prism Crush Black)Red (Prism Crush Red)White (Prism Crush White)
Black ()White ()Violet ()Blue ()
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Announced
2019, March
2019, September
2021, March
-
Released
2019, April
2019, September
2021, April
Physical specifications
-
Dimensions
Bar: 164.3 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm
Bar: 164.3 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm
Bar: 165 x 77.4 x 8.4 mm
-
Weights
183g
187g
203g
Operating system
-
Operating system
Android 10
Android 10
Android 11
-
One UI version
2.5
2.5
3.1
Networks
-
SIM
Dual SIM model
Dual SIM model
Dual SIM model
-
SIM card sizes
Nano-SIM (4FF)
Nano-SIM (4FF)
Nano-SIM (4FF)
-
Networks
2G3G4G
2G3G4G
2G3G4G
-
eSIM support
No
No
No
Display
-
Kind
Main Display
-
Name
Infinity-U Display
Infinity-U Display
Infinity-O Display
-
Technology
Super AMOLED Display
Super AMOLED Display
Super AMOLED Display
-
Size
6.7 inch / 170.18 mm
6.7 inch / 170.18 mm
6.7 inch / 170.18 mm
-
Resolution
FHD+ / 2400x1080 pixels
FHD+ / 2400x1080 pixels
FHD+ / 2400x1080 pixels
-
Pixel density
393 PPI
393 PPI
394 PPI
-
Screen to body ratio
~86.0%
~86.0%
-
Refresh rate
90Hz
