Samsung Galaxy A35 is elegant, reliable and pocket-friendly

The Samsung Galaxy A35 stands out as an inexpensive smartphone (beginning at Rs 30,999) in Samsung’s A series portfolio for 2024, but there are a few notable characteristics that make it an appealing alternative for people on a tight budget. For starters, its look is strikingly similar to the more expensive Galaxy A55 (review) and even the Galaxy S24 (review), giving users a sense of consistency across price categories. Despite the lack of AI features from the current Galaxy S-series, the phone’s improved 50MP sensor should provide adequate camera performance.

There’s also a stronger emphasis on durability, due to Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ for the display and IP67 certification for dust and water resistance. But, despite these advantages, several fundamental Samsung flaws persist. For example, the Galaxy A35 (like the majority of other Samsung smartphones) lacks fast(er) charging capabilities. There is also no charger in the box, but you do get a Type-C to Type-C charging cable, which means your current adaptor must have the same port.

Price when reviewed: €416.47 | Check price at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy A35 KEY FEATURES

The new Samsung Galaxy A35 closely resembles the Galaxy A34. As you might expect, there are only a few changes, and they were designed to entice new or existing Samsung users with much older phones rather than encourage Galaxy A34 owners to convert.

So, the Galaxy A35 features a fresh, updated dual-glass design and a more durable Gorilla Glass Victus+ front panel. The phone is dust and water-resistant to IP67 standards and is available in a choice of eye-catching colors. The screen is the same as on the Galaxy A34: 6.6-inch Super AMOLED with enhanced 1080p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy A35 has the same chipset as the Galaxy A54, the Exynos 1380 5G, therefore it could be a decent alternative to the A54.

The cameras haven’t changed much since the Galaxy A34, with a high-resolution main camera, an 8MP ultrawide, a 5MP macro, and a 13MP selfie. There is, however, a new primary sensor, a 50MP OIS imager, up from 48MP on the A34. Another new feature on the Galaxy A35 is support for Wi-Fi 6 networks. The Galaxy A34 is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging capabilities. It runs on Android 14 with One UI 6.1.

SAMSUNG GALAXY A35 UNBOXING

The Galaxy A35 comes in a tiny and lightweight cardboard retail box, together with one basic passive 3A USB Type-C to Type-C connection. That is it. There are no plastics in sight; only cardboard.

The Galaxy A35 supports 25W rapid wired charging, but if you don’t already have a compatible USB-PD power adapter, you’ll need to buy one, as there isn’t one included.

CAMERA

Samsung has improved the main camera, which still has a 50MP resolution but now uses a new image sensor, as shown in the samples below. The 8MP ultra-wide and 5MP macro cameras are unaltered.

Keep in mind that, while the main camera is 50MP, the images it captures are 12.5MP. This is due to the phone’s use of pixel binning, which is the process of producing larger pixels from smaller ones, with the primary benefit of capturing more light. If you want to use the main snapper’s full resolution, there is a 50MP mode, but keep in mind that taking shots in that setting requires a lot of light.

In terms of video recording, unlike the more expensive Galaxy A55 5G, the Galaxy A35 5G is unable to switch between the main and ultrawide cameras while shooting at 4K 30fps or 1080p 60fps. However, recording at 1080p 30fps allows you to switch between the two.

The Galaxy A35 5G may be one of the top cheap phones for photography and overall camera performance. The photos appear clean, with no oversharpening. Colors are vibrant but not oversaturated; thankfully, Samsung toned things down with the 2024 phone generation.

The increased HDR performance comes out as the most notable and, in many ways, crucial enhancement. The amount of detail in shadowed areas is substantially higher, which makes them more appealing to the eye. Of course, in severe settings, such as those depicted in the third and fourth photographs, the ultra-wide camera cannot match the primary camera’s dynamic range, but it is still excellent for the price.

The A35 5G’s low-light camera performance is likely the finest in its class. There is a lot of detail, the noise reduction is done in a way that preserves sharpness, and the colors are nicely portrayed.

Portrait mode also appears fantastic, with the human subject accurately separated from the background. However, the blurred background looks a bit artificial. The selfie camera also works nicely; we have no issues there.

Finally, while the Galaxy A35 lacks a telephoto camera, its digital zoom is rather adequate. Even at 2x, the photograph appears usable, despite being in a low-light environment. However, at 5x and 10x, things become ugly. You’re probably better off shooting in a 50MP setting and cropping the image afterward.

As you can undoubtedly see, the video stabilization on the Galaxy A35 5G can be choppy, for lack of a better term. Given the price, we can ignore this shortcoming, especially given we’re talking about 4K 30fps video recording. Keep in mind that you cannot go beyond 4K 60fps.

DESIGN AND SCREEN

Despite its near appearance to the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy S24, the Galaxy A35 stands out for its build quality. The smartphone’s body is largely made of plastic rather than metal, although it does not feel subpar. I particularly enjoy the Awesome Lilac shade, which gives some freshness to the entire sector. If you don’t like the color purple, Samsung also provides black-and-white choices.

I enjoy the Galaxy A35’s flat edges and rounded corners, which make it appropriate for users of all ages. The curves along the edges combine design and utility. Furthermore, the rear panel has a simple design with perfectly matched holes for the three cameras. Overall, the phone is ergonomic and comfortable to hold.

However, the Galaxy A35 is 8.1mm thick and weighs 203 grams, which is more than the benchmark that competitors use for their mid-range devices nowadays. The back panel is also prone to fingerprint smudges.

While Samsung claims stronger durability than the Galaxy A34 with Gorilla Glass Victus+ display protection and IP67 certification for dust and water resistance, a protective case in the package would have improved the offer.

Moving to the front, the display now includes a circular cutout for the selfie camera. Samsung continues to use a Super AMOLED panel for vibrant colors, and the display has a Full HD+ (1,080 x 2,340 pixels) resolution with a refresh rate of 120Hz. The Galaxy A35 provides a vivid and vibrant viewing experience, whether indoors or under harsh lights.

To evaluate display performance, I watched Spider-Man: No Way Home on Netflix on the Galaxy A35 and iPhone 14 Plus (review). Despite the huge price difference between the two phones, the viewing experience was quite similar. The iPhone 14 Plus had significantly richer colors due to HDR compatibility on Netflix, but both devices provided a comparable overall experience.

The Galaxy A35 also has stereo speakers that produce powerful sound, however the bass levels should have been improved.

HOW’S THE PERFORMANCE?

Samsung chose to employ its in-house Exynos SoC in the Galaxy A35 rather than a MediaTek chipset on last year’s Galaxy A34. The base edition now includes 8GB of RAM. Users can select between 128GB storage (Rs 30,999) and 256GB storage configuration (Rs 33,999). The Galaxy A35 has LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 storage, which are popular storage specifications for most smartphones in the range. Samsung’s Chinese peers, on the other hand, have begun to push the envelope by offering LPDDR5 and USF 3.1 standards to ensure fast load times and smooth performance.

In terms of benchmarks, the Galaxy A35 appears modest when compared to its competitors (pictures below). At the very least, the Exynos 1380 performs well on Geekbench’s single and multi-core tests, as well as AnTuTu’s overall test. Beyond numbers, the Galaxy A35 delivered a consistent performance with little stutters. You may play both moderate and heavy titles, such as BGMI, with HD visuals. More demanding games, such as GTA San Andreas, require more power.

Samsung pledges to give four years of major Android OS updates (Android 14-based UI out of the box), distinguishing itself from most competitors that follow a three-year Android update cycle. The company also guarantees security updates for five years, which exceeds industry standards. While the Galaxy A35 may not provide the most streamlined Android experience, Samsung’s apps are quite helpful and versatile, particularly within the Samsung ecosystem. For example, I paired my Galaxy Fit 3 fitness band and Galaxy Buds 2 with the Galaxy A35, and all three devices worked seamlessly.

Buy it if...

• Durable construction with glass on both sides and IP67 ingress protection.
• High-quality 120Hz Super AMOLED display.
• The stereo speakers are of good quality.
• Good battery life.
• The most recent Android version with One UI.
• Good performance for the price, with excellent thermal behavior.
• Good photo and video quality.
• 5G, NFC, and microSD.

Don't buy it if…

• There was no charger in the box.
• No HDR video support.
• The virtual proximity sensor for shutting off the screen during calls is less effective than a physical one.