The Galaxy A37 5G looks pretty generic and familiar, but at $0, it's hard to turn down. | Image by Samsung
Were you disappointed to see the "new" Galaxy A37 5G mid-ranger unveiled with the exact same design as last year's Galaxy A36 5G, as well as incredibly similar specifications, and shockingly enough, a higher price last month?
Did Amazon fail to convince you this can be the best budget 5G phone option for you right now with its always handy but rather modest $50 gift card? What if I were to tell you there's now a way to score the AI-enriched 6.7-incher totally free of charge, and it doesn't even involve a pesky trade-in process? It sounds too good to be true, I know, but it's what T-Mobile does best.
So what's the catch?
Simple: you need a new line of service on a "qualifying" plan. As carrier "catches" go, that's probably the easiest kind of hoop to jump through, especially when eligible plans include everything from Experience Beyond and Experience More to Better Value, Essentials, and even legacy Go5G Next and Go5G Plus options.
You know what's awesome? T-Mobile's introductory Galaxy A37 5G offer. | Image by Samsung
Naturally, that's only for existing T-Mobile subscribers, while new users will have to get an Experience Beyond, Experience More, or Essentials plan with at least one line of service or a Better Value plan with a minimum of three lines to reduce the price of the Galaxy A37 5G from $449.99 to $0.
That will only happen if you also agree to a monthly installment plan, in which case Magenta would normally charge you $18.75 a month for two years. After bill credits, that goes down to... nothing, which seems like an excellent price to pay for a handset that might not blow your mind with its raw power, nonetheless packing a respectable Exynos 1480 processor and 6GB RAM in combination with 128GB internal storage space (among others).
Are there any other deals to consider?
Yes, there are, but just like Amazon's aforementioned Galaxy A37 5G launch promotion, they're not as good as a 100 percent discount with no trade-in.
For starters, T-Mo itself offers an alternative money-saving path, slashing up to $300 off the new phone's $449.99 list price with an "eligible" device trade-in. A $150 Galaxy A37 sounds pretty compelling, but giving up an iPhone 14, 15, Samsung Galaxy S20, S22, Google Pixel 8, Pixel 9, or OnePlus 10 Pro (to name just a few possibilities) in "good" condition for $300 may not be the top deal some of you are searching for... or can realistically fulfill at the time of this writing.
Is the Galaxy A37 5G the best budget phone you can get right now?
That brings me to Verizon's own Galaxy A37 introductory offer, which seems to have been kicked off with zero fanfare at some point this week too. While Big Red can't quite give you the device for free without a trade-in, a new line on an Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plan will save you a grand total of 400 bucks and leave you on the hook for ultra-low monthly payments of $1.38 (which is basically nothing) for a period of three years.
Finally, AT&T has also released Samsung's latest Android mid-ranger without much noise, but the best the carrier can do is a $200 discount with a new line of service, which is... a pretty terrible deal in comparison with what T-Mobile and Verizon are offering.
Is the Galaxy A37 5G worth your time?
If it doesn't cost you any money, why not? After all, the specs are really not that bad (if you ignore their striking similarities with the Galaxy A36's list of features), the AI skills are (slowly) getting better and more useful in more real-life usage scenarios, and the long-term software support is virtually unrivaled in the A37's price bracket, as Samsung guarantees the budget-friendly phone will receive six (hopefully timely) OS upgrades.
That's pretty great software support... for a free phone. | Image by Samsung
Of course, the same is also true for the slightly higher-end (and better-looking) Galaxy A57 5G, but for some reason, that particular model is not yet sold by any US carriers while fetching $549.99 through Samsung's official regional website.
If you're ready to consider a Galaxy A37 5G alternative from a different brand, my top recommendation would probably be either Google's Pixel 9a or Pixel 10a, both of which are (coincidentally or not) also available at T-Mobile for free with monthly installment plans and "qualifying" new lines right now.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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