1. Specifications Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison of the Samsung Galaxy A72 and Motorola ThinkPhone, focusing on their practical implications:
Design
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Dimensions | 165 × 77.4 × 8.4 mm | 158.8 × 74.4 × 8.3 mm | The A72 is slightly larger and may feel bulkier; the ThinkPhone is more compact and easier to handle |
| Weight | 203g | 188.5g | The ThinkPhone is noticeably lighter, which can improve comfort during extended use |
Display
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Size | 6.7" | 6.6" | The A72 has a slightly larger screen, better for media consumption |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1080x2400 | Both offer the same sharpness |
| PPI | 394 | 399 | Nearly identical pixel density, indistinguishable to the naked eye |
| Technology | AMOLED | P-OLED | Both offer similar vibrant colours and deep blacks; no significant real-world difference |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 144Hz | The ThinkPhone offers a noticeably smoother scrolling and gaming experience |
| Brightness | 800 nits | 1200 nits | The ThinkPhone has significantly better outdoor visibility in bright sunlight |
Performance
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G (8 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | The ThinkPhone's chip offers vastly superior app loading, multitasking, and gaming, and is more future-proof |
| AnTuTu Score | 285,000 | 1,232,700 | The ThinkPhone performs significantly better in all usage scenarios; much faster and smoother. |
| GPU | Adreno 618 | Adreno 730 | ThinkPhone provides much higher graphics processing power, which translates to better gaming and graphics-intensive applications. |
Battery
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 5000mAh | Both offer similar battery life in theory; real-world endurance will depend on usage patterns |
| Charging | 25W fast charging | 68W fast charging | The ThinkPhone charges much faster, reducing downtime |
| Features | 15W Fast Charger included | 15W wireless charging | The ThinkPhone has wireless charging convenience; A72 includes a charger in the box |
Camera
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Standard Camera | 64MP, f/1.8, 0.80µm pixel size | 50MP, f/1.8, 1/1.55" sensor, 1.00µm pixel size | The ThinkPhone's larger sensor and bigger pixels are better in low-light despite slightly lower MP |
| Telephoto + Portrait Camera | 8MP, f/2.4, 1/4.4", 1.00µm | Not available | The A72 has dedicated telephoto lens for optical zoom and portraits |
| Selfie Camera | 32MP, f/2.2, 0.80µm pixel size | 32MP, f/2.45, pixel size | The A72 has a slightly wider aperture, better for low-light selfies. The exact sensor of the Thinkphone selfie camera is unclear. |
| Wide Angle lens | 12MP, f/2.2, 1.12 µm | Not available | A72 provides more versatility for landscape photography |
| Portrait Mode (depth) | Not available | 2MP, f/2.4, pixel size | ThinkPhone offers a depth sensor for better portrait effects. The exact sensor is unclear. |
| Macro Lens | 5MP, f/2.4, 1.12 µm | Not available | A72 has a dedicated macro lens for close-up photography |
| Wide Angle + Macro | Not available | 13MP, f/2.4, pixel size | The ThinkPhone offers one lens to fulfil both needs |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps with EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@240fps with EIS and HDR | The ThinkPhone provides high resolution and HDR video recording and better stabilization |
| DxOMark | Main: 92, Photo: 100, Video: 78 | Not available | The A72's camera is rated quite well for photos specifically. |
| Features | Quadruple camera, OIS, manual focus, Night Mode | Triple camera, OIS, RAW | The A72 offers more camera features overall, while the ThinkPhone offers professional video features including 8K |
Software
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| OS | Android 11 (upgradable to 12) | Android 13 | The ThinkPhone has a newer OS with more features, and up-to-date security |
Connectivity
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| WiFi | 802.11ac | 802.11ax (WiFi 6) | The ThinkPhone supports Wi-Fi 6, offering faster speeds and better performance in crowded networks. |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 LE | ThinkPhone offers a newer standard, better power efficiency, and faster pairing |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, SUPL, Galileo | The ThinkPhone has extra positioning support, but no major practical differences. |
Storage
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Internal | 128 GB or 256 GB | 256 GB | Both offer the same maximum storage capacity |
| RAM | 6 GB or 8 GB | 8 GB | Both offer the same maximum RAM capacity |
| Expandable | No | No | Neither phone allows for memory expansion |
Audio
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Quality | Dolby Atmos, Stereo Speakers | Dolby Atmos, Stereo Speakers, 2 Microphones | The ThinkPhone has slightly superior audio capturing capabilities with dedicated microphones |
Security
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Features | Fingerprint sensor | Fingerprint sensor | Both offer similar biometric security |
Build Quality
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Screen Protection | Unknown | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | The ThinkPhone offers superior screen protection against scratches and drops |
Sensors
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Motorola ThinkPhone | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Gyroscope | A72 has a compass, which is useful for map navigation and gaming |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Advantages of Motorola ThinkPhone:
- Superior Performance: The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset provides much faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and significantly better gaming performance than the A72.
- Smoother Display: The 144Hz refresh rate makes the user experience feel noticeably more fluid, especially during scrolling and gaming.
- Brighter Display: The higher brightness of 1200 nits ensures better outdoor visibility in bright sunlight.
- Faster Charging: The 68W charging is much faster than the 25W in A72.
- Modern Software: The phone ships with Android 13, which is much more up-to-date.
- Better Video: The ThinkPhone has much more advanced video recording.
Advantages of Samsung Galaxy A72:
- Versatile Camera System: The A72 has dedicated telephoto, wide-angle, and macro lenses, which provides greater photographic flexibility, and a generally better photo rating.
- Compass sensor: Useful for maps and gaming.
- Lower Price: The A72 is likely to be more affordable now, making it a good value choice for budget-conscious buyers.
- Includes charger in the box: Thinkphone does not.
- More Camera features: The A72 has more camera features for photography overall.
Trade-offs:
- The ThinkPhone sacrifices the telephoto, wide-angle, and macro cameras for superior performance and video capabilities.
- The A72 offers a more traditional camera setup but lacks the high-end performance and faster charging of the ThinkPhone.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Samsung Galaxy A72 Ideal User:
- Casual users who prioritize a versatile camera system with multiple lenses.
- Budget-conscious buyers who want a reliable, well-rounded phone at a lower price point.
- Users who would like a compass.
- Users who value a charger included in the box.
Use Cases:
- Everyday photography of various subjects.
- Casual gaming and media consumption.
- Users looking for more photography features.
Motorola ThinkPhone Ideal User:
- Power users who demand top-tier performance for gaming, multitasking, and intensive applications.
- Video enthusiasts who want to take professional grade video.
- Outdoor users who need a bright display in sunlight.
- Users who want the fastest charging and a modern OS.
- Users who prefer wireless charging.
- Users who want superior durability.
Use Cases:
- Mobile gaming and running performance-heavy applications.
- Professional grade video recording.
- Working outdoors in bright sunlight.
- Users who need a more durable device.
4. Decision Framework
Here are key questions for potential buyers:
- Performance vs. Camera: Do you prioritize top-tier performance for gaming, intensive tasks and video, or do you value a more versatile camera system with multiple lenses?
- Price Sensitivity: Are you on a tight budget, or are you willing to spend more for significantly better performance, charging speed, and video?
- Durability and Display Brightness: Do you need a device with strong screen protection, and a bright screen for outdoor visibility?
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Budget-Conscious User: If budget is the primary concern and your camera is used primarily for casual everyday photos and videos, the Samsung Galaxy A72 is the better value option.
- Performance Enthusiast: If you want the best performance, fastest charging, wireless charging, high-resolution video recording and a smoother display, and the budget allows for it, the Motorola ThinkPhone is the clear choice.
- Mobile Photographer: If you value a versatile camera setup for different types of photography, the Samsung Galaxy A72 would be preferable.
- Outdoor User: If you need better outdoor visibility, the ThinkPhone has a much brighter display making it the better option.
My Choice
If I were choosing between these two phones, I would choose the Motorola ThinkPhone. While the Samsung Galaxy A72 has a more versatile camera setup with the telephoto, wide-angle, and macro lenses, the ThinkPhone’s superior performance, much faster charging and modern OS makes it the more attractive option for my needs. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a huge jump in power that makes it significantly faster, smoother, and more responsive for all everyday tasks. The Thinkphone has better long term value due to the more modern chipset and OS. The ThinkPhone’s higher refresh rate and brighter display will make the user experience much better, especially outdoors and when gaming. While the absence of a dedicated telephoto lens and macro may be a drawback for some, the higher-quality main sensor and 8K video capabilities of the ThinkPhone provide a better balance for my usage scenario.
