1/7
Samsung Galaxy M32 has been launched in India at a starting price of Rs 14,999. At its price, the M32 will compete with Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S (and Redmi Note 10 Pro), Realme 8 (and upcoming Narzo 30) and Moto G40 Fusion. Samsung is playing to its strength here. Despite what may appear to be a far from appealing spec sheet next to competition, the M32 has a couple of things going for itself that make it stand out from the crowd, which is to say, it’s worth your attention. Whether or not, it’s also worth your money is something we will tell you in our full review, but for now, here’s a quick look at the Samsung Galaxy M32 and how it compares with competition. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
2/7
Samsung is launching the Galaxy M32 in two configurations. The base model with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage will sell for Rs 14,999. The top-end model of the phone with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage will sell for Rs 16,999. Samsung is partnering with ICICI to offer Rs 1,250 instant discount on purchase of M32 bringing the effective price of the phone down to Rs 13,749 (and Rs 15,749). The M32 will be available on Amazon, Samsung.com and physical retail stores pan India. For context, the Redmi Note 10S currently starts at Rs 14,999 for a version of 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. A version with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage costs Rs 15,999. Realme 8 is selling for Rs 14,499 (4GB/128GB), Rs 15,499 (6GB/128GB) and Rs 16,499 (8GB/128GB). Moto G40 Fusion is selling for Rs 14,499 (4GB/64GB) and Rs 16,499 (6GB/128GB). (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
3/7
Like the Redmi Note 10S, Realme 8 and Moto G40 Fusion, the M32 also has a plastic back. It’s glossy and expectedly, prone to smudge and fingerprints. Next to competition, the M32 is also a thick and chunky phone but it’s not uncomfortable to use or anything. Considering that it packs a 6,000mAh battery inside, fact is, Samsung has done well here. This is where it has used its years of experience and expertise to build a phone that surprises with its build and ergonomics – yet again. The M32 feels solid and confident in the hand. The only other phone to pack a 6,000mAh battery in the list is the Moto G40 Fusion but because it’s also got a bigger screen, a head-to-head comparison is moot. Both Realme 8 and Redmi Note 10S have a smaller 5,000mAh battery. For biometrics, the M32 has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, like the Redmi Note 10S. The Realme 8 has an in-display fingerprint reader while the Moto G40 Fusion has a rear-mounted scanner. Only the Redmi Note 10S has some sort of ingress protection – IP53 – in the list. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
4/7
Samsung is touting the display of the M32 as one of its marquee features. The phone comes with a 6.4-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display with a fast 90Hz refresh rate and 800nits peak brightness. The Realme 8 and Redmi Note 10S also come with a 6.4-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display but refresh rate in both phones is capped at 60Hz. The Realme 8 and Redmi Note 10S displays can get brighter though (up to 1100nits in the Note 10S) with the Realme phone also supporting HDR10. The Moto G40 Fusion has a larger 6.8-inch 1080p LCD display with a faster 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10 support. The M32 has the best screen protection in the list. This is Corning Gorilla Glass 5. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
5/7
The M32 has four cameras on the back. There is a 64MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and two 2MP cameras, one for depth and another for macros. On the front, it has a 20MP camera. The M32 can only go as high as 1080p@30fps video recording. The Realme 8 and Redmi Note 10S have a more or less identical rear camera setup but they can record 4K@30fps videos. The Moto G40 Fusion has three cameras: 64MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP depth. Among the lot, the M32 has the widest ultra-wide-angle lens (123-degree) if you’re into that sort of thing. Realme 8 and Moto G40 Fusion have a 16MP front camera while the Redmi Note 10S has a 13MP selfie shooter. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
6/7
Core hardware is where the M32 falls behind. It has the older MediaTek Helio G80 processor, while the Redmi Note 10S, Realme 8 and Moto G40 Fusion are powered by Helio G95 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G respectively. But Samsung makes strong comeback with software (though this can be subjective) in that it is the only phone in the list to come with the May Android security update out-of-the-box (with Android 11-based One UI version 3.1). Samsung has really upped its game when it comes to updates and its budget phones are also getting them fast and frequently now more than ever. No other phone in the list even comes close. However, if you’re looking for a stock and clean software experience, Moto G40 Fusion is the only phone in the list than can give you that. All Samsung budget phones, like Xiaomi Redmi and Realme phones come with a lot of bloat or unwanted apps, many of which can’t be uninstalled. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
7/7
The M32 supports 25W fast charging but Samsung is bundling a 15W fast charger in the box. Redmi Note 10S supports 33W, Realme 8 30W and the Moto G40 Fusion supports 20W fast charging with compliant chargers bundled in the box. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)