Samsung Galaxy A36vsOppo Reno12 Pro
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Oppo Reno12 Pro wins
Verdict
Oppo Reno12 Pro wins 3 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Oppo Reno12 Pro is the overall winner, 3 / 5 — camera is its standout. It costs USD 499 — USD 150 more than the Samsung Galaxy A36. Pay the premium if camera is your priority.
- Oppo Reno12 Pro takes Performance — led by storage (512 GB).
- Too close to call between Oppo Reno12 Pro and Samsung Galaxy A36.
- Oppo Reno12 Pro takes Camera — led by telephoto (Yes).
- Oppo Reno12 Pro takes Battery — led by charging speed (80 W).
- Samsung Galaxy A36 takes Price — led by price (349 USD).
Scores follow our published methodology · v2026.09
In plain English
Choose Samsung Galaxy A36 if you want…
- Choose Samsung Galaxy A36 if you want a lower price — 349 USD vs 499 USD.
Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if you want…
- Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 650,000 pts vs 620,000 pts.
- Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if you want more apps open at once — 12 GB vs 6 GB.
- Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if you want more room for photos and apps — 512 GB vs 128 GB.
- Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if you want a sharper screen — 394 ppi vs 385 ppi.
- Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if you want sharper selfies — 50 MP vs 12 MP.
- Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if you want true optical zoom — Yes vs No.
- Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if you want better video quality — 88 pts vs 82 pts.
- Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if you want a better camera — 128 pts vs 116 pts.
- Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if you want faster charging — 80 W vs 45 W.
At a glance
- Samsung Galaxy A36
- Oppo Reno12 Pro
Click a label to jump to that section ↓
Best price now
The cheap alternative
Full record
Every spec, side by side — winners get a check and a proportional bar. Ties share the badge.
Performance score
Approximate benchmark score of the chipset — higher is faster for apps, games and AI.
Chipset
The processor inside — shown for reference, never decides a winner.
RAM
More RAM keeps more apps alive in the background.
Storage
Base onboard storage for photos, apps and media.
Screen size
Diagonal screen size — bigger is better for media, smaller is easier to hold.
Pixel density
Sharpness of the screen — above ~400 ppi looks crisp.
Refresh rate
How smooth scrolling and motion feel. 120 Hz is the modern standard.
Peak brightness
Peak brightness in sunlight — higher stays readable outdoors.
Main camera
Resolution of the primary rear camera — photo quality is judged by the Camera quality score, not megapixels.
Selfie camera
Resolution of the front camera.
Telephoto
A dedicated zoom lens for distant subjects without quality loss.
Video score
Composite video rating — stabilisation, 4K/8K support and colour.
Camera score
Composite camera quality from independent testing — how good the photos actually are.
Battery
Battery capacity — higher generally lasts longer.
Charging speed
Wired charging speed — higher refills faster.
Wireless charging
Whether the phone charges wirelessly.
Price
Typical MSRP in US dollars — lower is better value.
Which one should you buy?
Samsung Galaxy A36
Choose Samsung Galaxy A36 if price matters most. It costs USD 349, the lowest price in this group.
Oppo Reno12 Pro
Choose Oppo Reno12 Pro if camera matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 499.
Pros & cons
Samsung Galaxy A36
- 45 W charging
- 6 years of updates
- Good value
- Mid-range chipset
- No telephoto
- Plastic frame
Oppo Reno12 Pro
- 2x portrait zoom
- 80 W charging
- 512 GB storage
- Mid-range chipset
- Software bloat
- No wireless charging