Samsung's Galaxy A37 and A57 Midrange Phones See Price Bumps

Samsung is implementing a $50 price increase on its newly announced midrange smartphones, the Galaxy A37 5G and Galaxy A57 5G, despite offering only minor hardware enhancements over their predecessors. This move follows a $100 price hike on two of its flagship models last month and coincides with a reduction in the A-series lineup, with no immediate successor to the budget-friendly Galaxy A26.

These price adjustments arrive amidst a challenging economic landscape, characterized by rising tariffs, elevated oil prices attributed to geopolitical conflicts, and a significant global memory shortage that has driven up the cost of components like RAM and storage. Industry experts suggest this trend of price increases or 'down-speccing' could become the new norm for consumers.

The Galaxy A57 5G will now start at $550 for the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage configuration, climbing to $610 for 256 GB of storage. The Galaxy A37 5G begins at $450 with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, with an 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage option priced at $540. Both devices are slated for an official release on April 9.

Jitesh Ubrani, a research manager at IDC, emphasized the impact of memory availability, noting, "The biggest bottleneck for brands right now is memory, with suppliers facing tight availability and significantly higher costs than in past years." While geopolitical tensions haven't directly impacted hardware pricing yet, Ubrani warns they are fostering uncertainty that could lead to future cost escalations. Samsung, without directly commenting on the price drivers, stated that A-series buyers prioritize upgrades out of necessity and value for money, not necessarily advanced AI features, hoping the incremental improvements justify the higher cost.

Under the Hood: Processor and Battery

Processor upgrades represent the primary hardware improvements for these new models. The Galaxy A37 5G is powered by Samsung's Exynos 1480, promising a 14 percent boost in CPU performance, 24 percent faster graphics, and a remarkable 167 percent improvement in neural processing over the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip found in last year's A36. This substantial neural processing jump is particularly relevant for AI-centric tasks.

The Galaxy A57 5G features the Exynos 1680, which, while not a dramatic leap from the Exynos 1580 in the A56, still delivers a respectable 10 percent better CPU performance, 7 percent faster graphics, and 42 percent enhanced neural processing. Despite these chip advancements, both phones retain the same 5,000-mAh battery capacity and 45-watt Super Fast Charging 2.0 speeds. They notably lack wireless charging, a feature present in some competitors like the iPhone 17e and Google Pixel 10a.

Design, Display, and Durability Updates

Both the A37 and A57 maintain expansive 6.7-inch Super AMOLED displays, now boasting a 120 Hz refresh rate and an impressive peak brightness of 1,900 nits, ensuring visibility even in bright sunlight. The Galaxy A57 specifically benefits from slimmer bezels for a more contemporary aesthetic and a noticeable reduction in size and weight, being 0.5 mm thinner and 18 grams lighter than its predecessor. Both devices feature a glossy, ceramic-like finish with Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and back.

A significant upgrade across both models is their enhanced dust and water resistance, now achieving the gold-standard IP68 rating, a step up from the previous IP67. This improvement offers greater protection against elements, aligning them with more premium devices in terms of ruggedness.

Camera and Software Refinements

The camera systems also see targeted improvements. The Galaxy A37's 50-MP main sensor now incorporates larger pixels, leading to brighter, sharper images and enhanced HDR video capabilities. Samsung has refined its image signal processing (ISP) algorithms, enabling photos to be snapped twice as fast. Portrait mode benefits from AI segmentation for improved depth effects, and the Object Eraser feature is now quicker.

While the Galaxy A57's cameras maintain the same hardware as its predecessor, its ISP has been updated to deliver superior ultrawide and nighttime images and video with reduced noise. Connectivity is also bolstered for the A57, featuring Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6.0 support. On the software front, both phones receive the new Circle to Search “Find the Look” feature, allowing Google's AI to identify entire outfits from an image. The Samsung Voice Recorder app gains transcription and translation functionalities, and Bixby can now adjust device settings using natural language commands. Both phones are guaranteed six years of software updates.

Competitive Landscape and Value Proposition

Samsung's new midrange offerings face robust competition. Rivals include the forthcoming Motorola Moto G Stylus 2026, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro ($499) with its advanced triple-camera system including a telephoto lens, and the Google Pixel 10a, which offers superior software features, wireless charging, and a brighter 3,000-nit display. While the initial price points of the Galaxy A37 and A57 might appear less competitive, Samsung's devices frequently become more attractive through deep discounts during major sales events like Prime Day and various carrier promotions, which often prove to be key purchase drivers for consumers.

FAQ

Q: What are the starting prices for the new Galaxy A37 5G and A57 5G?

A: The Galaxy A37 5G starts at $450, and the Galaxy A57 5G starts at $550.

Q: What is the main reason for the price increases on these phones?

A: Samsung did not specify, but the price hikes are attributed to broader economic factors such as tariffs, higher oil prices, and a global memory shortage driving up component costs.

Q: Do the new Galaxy A37 and A57 support wireless charging?

A: No, despite some competitors offering it, neither the Galaxy A37 5G nor the Galaxy A57 5G supports wireless charging.