Samsung Galaxy M35 256GB

The Galaxy remains among the fewest smartphones in the segment to include three cameras on the back. That being said, the camera setup remains the same as last year. The triple camera setup is headlined by a 50MP primary camera with auto-focus but without OIS (optical image stabilisation) support. There's also an 8MP ultra-wide and a dedicated 2MP camera for macro shots. The front continues to include a 13MP, now in a hole-punch cutout.In summary, photos captured by Samsung Galaxy M35 5G feature vibrant colours, though details can be sketchy. The phone also tends to play with contrast and shadows for a dramatic approach, making its images more social media-ready. In low-light conditions, details aren't always the best, and you may notice noise in the final output.Images with human subjects can appear aesthetically pleasing, but it all depends on the ambient light. However, selfies, especially in dim conditions, need improvement. I've also compared its photos with iQOO Z9 and the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite, though their biggest camera setback is the lack of an ultra-wide lens. You can see the comparisons below.Daylight and low-lightIf you see these shots by the Galaxy M35 5G and OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite, you will notice a visible difference in the colour science. As mentioned, the Galaxy M35 5G offers vibrant colours, though the Nord CE4 Lite captures more readable signs in the background (images below). Samsung has also done a decent job with the dynamic range, though it can get inconsistent.Even colour science may not be consistent when switching to 2x mode. In the photo below, iQOO Z9's output looks more natural, whereas the colours in Samsung's image are slightly muted.In dim conditions, Samsung can capture aesthetically pleasing shots, but again, its details aren't always the best.Both low-light shots, taken with night mode enabled, show noticeable differences in brightness and sharpness.Portrait and selfiesAs mentioned, the Galaxy M35 5G can capture good images with human subjects, but it all depends on the lighting conditions. I like this shot with the Samsung phone much better, even though the iQOO Z9's output offers more brightness. The former was able to capture a near-accurate skin tone of the subject.Its selfies look decent, if not better than the iQOO Z9.However, in low light, the Galaxy M35 5G struggles with stabilisation and even colours to an extent.There's a significant difference between the two images above, with one being captured with the Nord CE4 Lite, despite enabling night mode on both smartphones.VideosIf you're considering content creation, the Galaxy M35 5G could be a solid option - provided you can manage extra lighting for your space. The phone struggles to minimise contrast, and the output may appear darker than usual in dim conditions. In low light, videos might feature muted colours, and the stabilisation isn't always the best.On the plus side, Samsung has thoughtfully included 4K recording support for both front and rear cameras, a feature that most rivals in this segment are yet to offers.

This year, Samsung has tweaked storage configurations. The base model continues to offer 6GB RAM and 128GB storage but for a slightly increased price of Rs 19,999. The 8GB RAM option with the same storage, which I am reviewing, costs Rs 21,999. The new storage variant with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage costs Rs 24,999.Another change includes the addition of Samsung's Exynos 1380 SoC for an improved performance.Samsung Galaxy M35 5GSamsung Galaxy M34 5GAnTuTu611292488166Geekbench (single and multi-core scores)1008, 2926953, 2000 Based on our benchmarks, the Galaxy M35 5G performed better than its predecessor in AnTuTu and Geekbench. Even compared to the OnePlus Nord CE4, its scores were better. However, the iQOO Z9 powered by MediaTek Dimensity 9200 SoC continues to dominate the sub-Rs 20K segment. If we move to the sub-Rs 25K segment, the Galaxy M35 5G does slightly better than rivals like Motorola Edge 50 Fusion and Realme P1 Pro, although it's behind performance-focused devices like Infinix GT 20 Pro (review) and OnePlus Nord CE 4 (review).In real-life use, the Galaxy M35 5G performed decently. You might notice some lag when switching between apps, but this is common among smartphones in this segment. The phone comes with Android 14-based One UI 6.1 and is promised four years of major Android OS updates, which is a fantastic offering. Additionally, with an extra year of security updates, you can comfortably use the device for up to five years.For the gaming test, I compared the Galaxy M35 5G against iQOO Z9 and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite. We checked the performance after 60 minutes of BGMI and COD playtime. The average battery drop at the end of the round stood at 6 percent across the three smartphones, though in absolute numbers, the Galaxy M35 5G consumed more battery (360mAh).Interestingly, it managed thermals more efficiently despite performing poorly in our CPU throttle test.Pre-installed appsOS UpdatesSamsung Galaxy M35 5G524 years OS + 5 years security updatesOnePlus Nord CE4 Lite502 years OS + 3 years security updatesiQOO Z9552 years OS + 3 years security updates The software experience was generally decent, though Samsung might want to consider turning off "Glance" by default. When enabled, users are subjected to ads on the lock screen, which can affect the usage experience. On the positive side, you can enjoy a smooth Android ecosystem with native Samsung apps. The Galaxy M35 5G also includes NFC support, which is particularly useful given India's growing emphasis on digital payments.

The Galaxy's M35 5G key highlight, like last year's Galaxy M34, is the battery. While it showcased decent performance in PCMark's battery test, lasting for nearly 14 hours.This was an hour longer than Galaxy M34's backup in the same test last year. This may not be the best performance, likely due to app optimisation, but its 6,000mAh battery can prove to be highly useful in real-life usage.In our tests, the phone easily lasted a full day with high settings enabled. However, the downside of the large battery is the slower charging speed, as Samsung has yet to match the rapid charging offered by its competitors.SmartphoneCharging Time (20-100 percent)Samsung Galaxy M35 5G (25W)96 minutesOnePlus Nord CE4 Lite (80W)50 minutesiQOO Z9 (44W)62 minutes Additionally, Samsung continues to exclude a charger from the box, providing only a Type-C to Type-C cable. This means your old adapter with a Type-A port won't be sufficient.