Between the Galaxy A36 and Nord CE 4, the Galaxy A36 comes out ahead in water resistance and promised os updates, while the Nord CE 4 wins on wired charging and front camera. Overall, the Galaxy A36 scores 61.5 and the Nord CE 4 scores 63.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (61.5 vs 63.2). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Galaxy A36 if you care most about water resistance and promised os updates. The biggest gaps in its favor are water resistance, promised os updates.
Pick the Nord CE 4 if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are wired charging, front camera, antutu, among others.
Both ship with comparable ram, main camera, screen size, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Samsung - Galaxy A36 wins
- ▲Water resistance: IP67 (vs IP54).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 3).
Why OnePlus - Nord CE 4 wins
- ▲Wired charging — 122.22% more. 100 W vs 45 W.
- ▲Front camera — 33.33% more. 16 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲AnTuTu — 12.50% more. 720000 vs 640000.
- ▲Battery capacity — 10.00% more. 5500 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
- ▲Weight — 9.00 g less. 186 vs 195.
- ▲Pixel density — 2.34% more. 394 ppi vs 385 ppi.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | OnePlus - Nord CE 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 195 g | 186 glead |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.2 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP67lead | IP54 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | OnePlus - Nord CE 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 " | 6.7 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 385 ppi | 394 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1900 nitslead | 1100 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | OnePlus - Nord CE 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 16 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | OnePlus - Nord CE 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 5500 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 W | 100 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | OnePlus - Nord CE 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | truelead |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | OnePlus - Nord CE 4 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy A36 or Nord CE 4?+
Nord CE 4 has 10.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 5500 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy A36 or Nord CE 4?+
Nord CE 4 is 9g lighter — 195g vs 186g.
Is Galaxy A36 waterproof?+
Galaxy A36 has an IP67 rating.
Does Nord CE 4 support 5G?+
Yes, Nord CE 4 supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy A36 or Nord CE 4?+
Nord CE 4 has a 50 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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