Samsung Galaxy A35 review: elegant, reliable and pocket-friendly

The Samsung Galaxy A35 stands out as an affordable smartphone (starting at Rs 30,999) in Samsung’s A series lineup for 2024, and yet there are a couple of noticeable features that make it a compelling option for those on a budget. Firstly, its design bears a striking resemblance to the pricier Galaxy A55 (review) and even the Galaxy S24 (review), therefore providing users with a sense of uniformity across different price points. You can expect a decent camera performance with the upgraded 50MP sensor, even though the phone lacks AI features from the latest Galaxy S-series.

There’s also an increased focus on durability thanks to Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ for the display and IP67 certification for dust and water resistance.

But despite these pros, some core Samsung issues linger. For instance, the Galaxy A35 (like most other Samsung smartphones) lacks fast(er) charging support. There’s also no charger in the box, and you get a Type-C to Type-C charging cable, which means your existing adapter needs to have the same port. The new Exynos 1380 SoC onboard offers modest power, if not the best. In that case, who should consider Galaxy A35? Let’s find out.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A35 is a great choice for those who prioritise reliable performance, crisp display, loud speakers, and all-day battery backup. The phone also exhibits good camera performance in daylight, though low-light performance needs improvement.

The Galaxy A35 even sets itself apart from most competitors by promising four years of major Android updates and five years of security updates. When it comes to fast charging, Samsung could take a leaf out of its competitors’ books.

Design and display

Despite its close resemblance to the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy S24, you can distinguish the build quality of the Galaxy A35. The smartphone mostly features a plastic body instead of metal, but the former does not feel substandard at all. I also quite like the Awesome Lilac colour, as it adds a bit of freshness to the overall segment. If you are not a fan of the purple shade, Samsung offers black and white options as well.

I even appreciate the flat edges and rounded corners of the Galaxy A35, which make the phone suitable for users across various age groups. The contours on the edges also blend style and function. Additionally, the rear panel boasts a minimalistic design with precisely aligned cutouts for the triple cameras. Overall, the phone feels ergonomic and comfortable to hold.

However, the Galaxy A35 measures 8.1mm in thickness and weighs 203 grams, which is above the standard competitors follow for their mid-range devices nowadays. The back panel can also attract a lot of fingerprint smudges. While Samsung promises better durability over Galaxy A34 with Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection of the display and IP67 certification dust and water resistance, a protective case in the box would’ve sweetened the deal.

Moving to the front, the display now features a circular cutout for the selfie camera. Samsung continues to utilise a Super AMOLED panel for vivid colours, and the display offers Full HD+ (1,080 x 2,340 pixels) resolution with 120Hz refresh rate. The viewing experience on the Galaxy A35 is sharp and vibrant, whether indoors or under bright lights.

To assess display performance, I watched Spider-Man: No Way Home on Netflix on both the Galaxy A35 and iPhone 14 Plus (review). Despite the significant price difference between the two phones, the viewing experience wasn’t drastically different. The iPhone 14 Plus offered slightly better colours, thanks to HDR support on Netflix, but both devices delivered a comparable experience overall.

The Galaxy A35 also includes stereo speakers, which offer loud output, but the bass levels could’ve been better.

Cameras

The Galaxy A35 continues to stack triple cameras on the back, similar to the Galaxy A55. The rear camera system is headlined by an upgraded 50MP primary camera alongside an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 5MP macro camera. The front panel houses a 13MP selfie shooter. Samsung is also promising improved photography with an upgraded NPU on SoC.

In daylight, images captured with the primary and ultra-wide cameras prioritise saturated colours, resulting in a warm hue (in a good way). The HDR processing is on point, and the NPU does an excellent job of processing edges and details in the scene, therefore maintaining a good dynamic range. Consistency between the wide and ultra-wide camera images is good, though the colour of the sky may appear different, which is a common issue with most smartphones in this range. The macro camera generally detects the subject well; however, details, even after post-processing, may appear a little sketchy.

But the Galaxy A35’s strength lies in taking portraits and photos with human subjects. It offers one of the best skin tone detections I’ve seen in the segment. The edge detection is also good, if not the best. The same applies to the 13MP selfie camera.

However, colours in low light look decent, but the details can be shaky. Enabling night mode helps with details to an extent, but Samsung may want to push an OTA update to improve low-light photography.

Performance and software

Samsung has opted to use its in-house Exynos SoC on the Galaxy A35 instead of a MediaTek chipset on last year’s Galaxy A34. The base variant now also offers 8GB RAM. Users can choose between 128GB storage (Rs 30,999) or 256GB storage configuration (Rs 33,999). The Galaxy A35 utilises LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 storage – common storage standards for most smartphones in the range. However, Samsung’s Chinese counterparts have started pushing the limit by offering LPDDR5 and USF 3.1 standards to offer fast load times and smooth performance.

In terms of benchmarks, the Galaxy A35 looks modest compared to its rivals (images below). At least the Exynos 1380 performs in Geekbench’s single and multi-core and AnTuTu’s overall tests. Beyond number, the Galaxy A35 exhibited reliable performance without too many stutters. You can play moderate titles seamlessly and heavy titles like BGMI with HD graphics. More demanding titles, like GTA San Andreas, require more juice.

Samsung promises to provide four years of major Android OS updates (Android 14-based UI out of the box), setting itself apart from most rival brands that adhere to a three-year Android update cycle. The company also guarantees security updates for five years, surpassing industry standards. While the Galaxy A35 may not deliver the cleanest Android experience, Samsung’s native apps prove highly useful and versatile, especially 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 synced up in perfect harmony.

You can also use Samsung Pay to enable digital transactions even without the internet, thanks to NFC support.

Battery

The Samsung Galaxy A35 packs a 5,000mAh battery with 25W charging. As mentioned, the box does not include a charger, and a separate unit with the same output is available on Samsung’s official website for Rs 1,299.

I used a 67W SuperVOOC charger (from OnePlus), and the phone took a little over an hour to fully charge. A compatible Samsung charger may fetch better results. When it comes to battery backup, the Galaxy A35 won’t disappoint. In our PC Mark battery test, the phone survived for nearly 13 hours in flight mode and 50 percent brightness, which is quite good considering the price and segment. You can expect an all-day battery even with 120Hz refresh rate enabled, 5G, and AOD on.

Final verdict

The Galaxy A35 proves that high-numbered specs always don’t matter. The phone can easily handle day-to-day tasks, features one of the best displays in the segment, and most importantly, looks good without appearing too masculine. Even for those focused on solid battery backup, the phone won’t disappoint.

Gaming-focused users may turn to the iQOO Neo 9 Pro (review) or OnePlus 12R (review), which are relatively more expensive. If you want to experience a curved display and similar Galaxy A35-like features (plus fast charging), the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (review) is a great choice. If you’re currently using a Samsung phone, considering an upgrade to the Galaxy A35 or even the Galaxy A55 could be an ideal choice. Not only do you get a dependable smartphone, but you also benefit from a comprehensive interconnectivity, (aka ecosystem), with other Samsung devices.

Editor’s rating: 8 / 10

Reasons to buy:

• The Galaxy A35 provides a brilliant viewing experience. The display also has Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection.
• The phone is also IP67 rated. The frame is also solid and the in-hand feeling is good.
• The Galaxy A35 is capable of taking sharp, vivid images in daylight. Its skin-tone detection is on point.
• The phone is promised to receive four years of Android OS updates, well above industry standards.

Reasons not to buy:

• The Galaxy A35, like most other Samsung smartphones, supports modest charging speeds. The box also skips the charger.
• The Galaxy A35’s low-light photography needs improvement.