Samsung is no stranger to the budget and mid-range phone markets, with their popular Galaxy A series offering premium experiences at affordable prices. Their latest entry, the Galaxy A35 5G, aims to take things up a notch with a more premium design and capable specs. After spending some time with this new device, here’s what stuck out.
Premium-ish design and display
Right off the bat, the A35 makes a more premium first impression than past A-series models. Samsung has finally ditched the all-plastic build for this glass-backed beauty. The glass rear panel gives it a decidedly higher-end vibe, even if it does add some heft at 209 grams.
(Image: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)
The plastic frame doesn’t look or feel cheap though – in fact, it’s cleverly textured to feel like metal – and it almost fooled me. There’s also this new bump on the right side that improves grip and ease of finding the buttons. The flat sides with curved edges are reminiscent of Samsung’s pricier S24 lineup. They are not as hand-friendly as those flagships, though, thanks to thick bezels that make the A35 feel wider than other phones of the same 6.6-inch display size. Those sharp corners that dig into your palms don’t help either.
Still, this is undoubtedly a good-looking phone if you choose to ignore those atrocious bezels. I really dug the Awesome Lilac colourway too even though I felt it could do without that rainbow effect.
(Image: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)
Where Samsung really shines is the gorgeous 6.6-inch 1080p AMOLED display. This screen looks absolutely stunning, with rich colors, inky blacks, and a crisp picture that makes everything pop. Content consumption is a true delight.
Capable cameras at this price
Camera performance has also seen a nice boost from the previous generation. The main 50MP shooter packs a newer image sensor that captures clean, vivid shots with impressive dynamic range and shadow detail for this class. Low light performance is decent too, with well-preserved sharpness and color accuracy.
(Image: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)
The 8MP ultrawide and 5MP macro lenses are mostly there to take up the lens count but still get the job done respectably. The only knock here is the lack of 4K 60fps video recording.
(Image: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)
While there’s no dedicated telephoto lens, Samsung’s digital zoom holds up okay at 2x, with just minor detail softening in dim scenes. So between the versatile triple cams and solid image processing, the A35 can definitely handle your Instagram needs without breaking the bank.
Performance leaves some to be desired
Under the hood, you’ll find the same Exynos 1380 chip that powered last year’s A54 – a step up from the A34’s Dimensity silicon. This gives the A35 some extra graphics muscle for gaming, though I did experience the UI stutter when navigating around. It is not a total deal-breaker though.
(Image: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)
Samsung is also promising a pretty generous four years of software support for this affordable device, including Android version updates. Their refined One UI 6.1 skin looks sleek too, with useful touches like lock screen widgets and system theming tied to your wallpaper.
Decent battery life and audio
In the battery department, the 5000mAh cell keeps things chugging along all day with typical use. 25W wired charging is decent enough too, getting you from 0-100% in around 90 minutes with a compatible charger (no brick in the box though).
Another pleasant surprise was the stereo speaker setup, which offers pretty rich and full sound whether you’re streaming music or catching up on Netflix.
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows though. The A35 haptics aren’t crisp at all, lacking that satisfying sharpness you get from costlier phones especially when typing.
Verdict
(Image: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)
Overall, the Galaxy A35 is a compelling affordable option if you’ve been eyeing the S24 series but cannot stomach their price tags. There are a few minor niggles like the heavy build, massive bezels, and the occasional stuttering. But it’s still one of the better entry points into Samsung’s ever-growing ecosystem. Combine this with solid battery life and Samsung’s UI polish/update commitment, and you have a well-rounded device.
However, it’s an increasingly crowded market and there’s no shortage of alternatives. Check the Poco X6 Pro out if the Exynos 1380’s performance is too meek for you. Or the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ which we rated highly for its camera performance.
