Samsung Galaxy A32 5G thread

[PythonFanPA]

As T-Mo is starting a promotion for free 5G phone upgrades using this model, starting a new thread for anyone interested.  Here's some reviews I've found from various sources on this model (or at least comparing it vs the other currents of the line and even one that throws in an S20 FE comparison):

 

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G review: There's more than just progress in the 5G smartphone - NotebookCheck.net Reviews

 

Galaxy A32 vs. Galaxy A42 vs. Galaxy A52 vs. Galaxy S20 FE: Samsung's 5G phones compared - CNET

 

Galaxy A52 5G vs. Galaxy A42 5G vs. Galaxy A32 5G: Which cheap phone should you buy? | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

 

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, A42 5G, A32 5G, A12, and A02s make US debut - The Verge

 

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G review - Digital Citizen

 

 

[PythonFanPA]

T-Mo Unboxing video:

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Unboxing | T-Mobile - YouTube

 

Also a few more review articles:

 

Samsung Galaxy A32 Review: Samsung Galaxy A32 Review & Rating - Gadgets Now

 

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G Review - PhoneArena

[IrwinshereAgain]

Does the A32 5G have standalone 5G out of the box or does it need an update like the S20 FE?

[BlueAngel]

2 hours ago, IrwinshereAgain said:

Does the A32 5G have standalone 5G out of the box or does it need an update like the S20 FE?

I'd imagine it's enabled out of the box, there is a dialer code which I forget atm to check.

 

It's *#2263#, go to NR Band Preferences and it should show any and all 5G bands enabled.

Edited April 30, 2021 by BlueAngel

[IrwinshereAgain]

8 minutes ago, BlueAngel said:

I'd imagine it's enabled out of the box, there is a dialer code which I forget atm to check.

 

It's *#2263#, go to NR Band Preferences and it should show and any all 5G bands enabled.

I forgot about that.  Will check it out when I get home.  Thanks.

[IrwinshereAgain]

Looks like the A32 5G might not have SA yet. 

On the *#2263# screens, my S20 FE seems to show SA as well as NSA.  My A32 does not seem to show those indicators.  I could be missing something or misreading something.

[BlueAngel]

17 hours ago, IrwinshereAgain said:

Looks like the A32 5G might not have SA yet. 

On the *#2263# screens, my S20 FE seems to show SA as well as NSA.  My A32 does not seem to show those indicators.  I could be missing something or misreading something.

Post a screenshot.

[IrwinshereAgain]

How do I shrink the screenshot file down to post it?

[BlueAngel]

1 hour ago, IrwinshereAgain said:

How do I shrink the screenshot file down to post it?

Upload to a free image site and post the link. 

[ingenium]

These are the NR CA combos that it supports

[PythonFanPA]

@mikejeep - Curious to hear your thoughts on this device after using it for a bit, whenever you get the chance to chime in.  Both just general impressions of the device as well as whatever distinction you perhaps can provide in terms of RF performance against others better known devices, both 4G & 5G alike.

[dkyeager]

Can bands be turned off?  How is SCP performance?

[Jeff68005]

On 5/3/2021 at 5:50 AM, PythonFanPA said:

@mikejeep - Curious to hear your thoughts on this device after using it for a bit, whenever you get the chance to chime in.  Both just general impressions of the device as well as whatever distinction you perhaps can provide in terms of RF performance against others better known devices, both 4G & 5G alike.

Just traded (June 14, 2021) in a HTC One M8 (4G top LTE) for the "Free" Samsung A32 5G when I converted from Sprint to T-Mobile.  From a reliable operation stand point, I wish that I kept the HTC One  By comparison, the Samsung is less stable than the the town drunk.

A32 5G (and S9 to a lesser degree)  Chrome autopopulates websites that nobody ever heard of.  When opening, it has more than a dozen screens. Page One (Home Page) does not change, but does not update each time you open it. Pages 2-12 are the garbage.  I cleaned it out all the ways the local T-Mobile and I can come up with.  Within a day or two, the problem children auto populate. 

It has a number of apps that I cannot uninstall.  Example:  Parental Control for example.  The list of that kind of crap apps is countless.

[IrwinshereAgain]

On 7/4/2021 at 1:36 AM, Jeff68005 said:

Just traded (June 14, 2021) in a HTC One M8 (4G top LTE) for the "Free" Samsung A32 5G when I converted from Sprint to T-Mobile.  From a reliable operation stand point, I wish that I kept the HTC One  By comparison, the Samsung is less stable than the the town drunk.

A32 5G (and S9 to a lesser degree)  Chrome autopopulates websites that nobody ever heard of.  When opening, it has more than a dozen screens. Page One (Home Page) does not change, but does not update each time you open it. Pages 2-12 are the garbage.  I cleaned it out all the ways the local T-Mobile and I can come up with.  Within a day or two, the problem children auto populate. 

It has a number of apps that I cannot uninstall.  Example:  Parental Control for example.  The list of that kind of crap apps is countless.

My wife had some issues with her A32 5G initially.  We disabled some apps and removed permission (background processing, etc) on some others that she was not going to use.  It seems to be working pretty good now.

 

I downloaded the "Open Camera" app from the playstore.  She seems to like it a lot better than the stock camera app.

 

Let me know if you are able to get it to work ok for you.

[Jeff68005]

I don't do many photos as I used to given the A32 5G has so little unused memory.  I killed (uninstalled) what thought I could get away with.  I did some tower hunting to get back in practice.  Just proved how much I forgot.  Often less than one Gig of available memory.  No sure it there is a slot for adding memory like my Gallaxy S9.  Turned out the S9 just teasing.  I put some more memory in the S9 and the S9  did not know what to do with it.

In less than a month, my A32 5G is garbage compared to my old HTC One M8.  T-Mobile is having to do a warranty replacement.  I know about buyers remorse, but the A32 5G earned it.

[IrwinshereAgain]

10 minutes ago, Jeff68005 said:

I don't do many photos as I used to given the A32 5G has so little unused memory.  I killed (uninstalled) what thought I could get away with.  I did some tower hunting to get back in practice.  Just proved how much I forgot.  Often less than one Gig of available memory.  No sure it there is a slot for adding memory like my Gallaxy S9.  Turned out the S9 just teasing.  I put some more memory in the S9 and the S9  did not know what to do with it.

In less than a month, my A32 5G is garbage compared to my old HTC One M8.  T-Mobile is having to do a warranty replacement.  I know about buyers remorse, but the A32 5G earned it.

Well the A32 is a budget phone.  In fact I think my old 2014 Nexus 6 is still a better phone except it cant do several of the new TMobile bands.

 

Your A32 does take a memory card, up to 1 terabyte I think.

 

Our A32 has 44GB of unused memory, so we dont need a memory card in it right now.

[Jeff68005]

3 hours ago, IrwinshereAgain said:

Our A32 has 44GB of unused memory, so we dont need a memory card in it right now.

 

My phone in the box did not include any specs.   The only memory info I have indicates 4G.  Nothing givrd info on the 64 supposed to be in it nor how much is in use.   Unheard of in my previous phone purchases over a few different brands of new phones over time..  I was stuck with the Samsung A32 5G she set me up with.

Unfortunately, that is what T-Mobile put in my hands when switching from Sprint > T-Mobile.  I did the "free trade-in".  I wish she had more integrity and told me there is a trade-in allowance toward several different phone choices. phone options.  I would have gladly paid something. She did not tell me the memory nor it was posible to add memory via a second SIM size memory crds just like my previous additional memory chip in the store, I didn  I did't know any of them from a Model T. Some of the folk,I know like Samsung as a brand.  My S9 only saw minimal use, so that was not a clue.  How much true memory?  I have no clue.

[IrwinshereAgain]

Finally got the May security update on the A32.  The S20 FE is already on June.  Difference between a budget phone and a mid to upper value phone I guess.

[PythonFanPA]

My wife has been on the A32 5G for a little over a month now, with no reported issues, at least thus far.  Not discounting Jeff's experience in any way, just offering a different perspective, and at least saying that, its possible you can get a lemon even with the best of brands.  Just ask anyone who's had a bad Honda for example.  End of the day, everything manufactured in some way/on some level still comes back to human error, and we're all capable of it.

Here's hoping Jeff's replacement ends up being a different story. 🤞

[IrwinshereAgain]

Finally got the July update on the A32 5G.

[comintel]

Could anyone tell me the correct Sprint sim card for the A32?

I have one coming and I am afraid it may come with only a T-Mobile sim.

Thanks.

 

[gr8nuguy]

1 hour ago, comintel said:

Could anyone tell me the correct Sprint sim card for the A32?

I have one coming and I am afraid it may come with only a T-Mobile sim.

Thanks.

 

Even with TMobile sim card, it will connect to Sprint towers

[comintel]

7 minutes ago, gr8nuguy said:

Even with TMobile sim card, it will connect to Sprint towers

But probably not to the Magic Box which is what I want.  At least that is what I found with a Sprint S20.   Do you think it would be different with this phone?

Edited November 24, 2021 by comintel

[gr8nuguy]

38 minutes ago, comintel said:

But probably not to the Magic Box which is what I want.  At least that is what I found with a Sprint S20.   Do you think it would be different with this phone?

Magic boxes no longer work. 

 

 

 

 

[comintel]

35 minutes ago, gr8nuguy said:

Magic boxes no longer work. 

Thanks I have updated that thread to reflect that Magic Box lifetime has been extended to March 1, 2022.

Obviously this is area dependent.

But all I am asking for is the Sprint sim needed for the A32.

 

Thanks.