Samsung Galaxy A35 review

Introduction

Samsung has unveiled the new members of the Galaxy A series hot on the heels of the Galaxy S24 premiere. The Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55 build on the positive reception of the previous models and bring updated designs, performance, and cameras. Today, we will explore the Galaxy A35 in detail.

The new Samsung Galaxy A35 looks a lot like the Galaxy A34. As you can imagine, there are only a handful of upgrades, and they were not meant to tempt the Galaxy A34 owners to switch but more to lure new or existing Samsung users with much older phones.

So, the Galaxy A35 starts with a new, updated dual-glass design and a more durable Gorilla Glass Victus+ front panel. The phone is IP67-rated for dust and water resistance and comes in a variety of catchy colors. The screen remains the same as on the Galaxy A34 - a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED of extended 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.

The Galaxy A35 brings the same chipset we saw on the Galaxy A54 - the Exynos 1380 5G, so in a way, it can be a good alternative to the A54.

The cameras haven't changed much since the Galaxy A34 - a high-res main camera, an 8MP ultrawide, a 5MP macro, and a 13MP selfie. There is a new primary, though, a 50MP OIS imager up from 48MP on the A34.

Another new feature available on the Galaxy A35 is the support for Wi-Fi 6 networks.

The Galaxy A34 is powered by a 5,000mAh with 25W fast charging support. It runs on Android 14 with One UI 6.1.

Samsung Galaxy A35 specs at a glance:

• Body: 161.7x78.0x8.2mm, 209g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), plastic frame, glass back; IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min).
• Display: 6.60" Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 1000 nits (HBM), 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 390ppi; Always-on display.
• Chipset: Exynos 1380 (5 nm): Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G68 MP5.
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• OS/Software: Android 14, One UI 6.1.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 1/1.96", PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree, 1/4.0", 1.12µm; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 13 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; 25W wired.
• Connectivity: 5G; Hybrid Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 6; BT 5.3; NFC.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers; Virtual proximity sensing.

The Galaxy A34 has a well-rounded specs sheet and no obvious omissions. However, it's very close to the Galaxy A54 feature set, so it remains to be seen if there is enough to set this new model apart.

Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy A35

The thin and lightweight cardboard retail box of the Galaxy A35 contains the phone and one basic passive 3A USB Type-C to Type-C cable. That's it. There are no plastics in sight, just cardboard.

The Galaxy A35 supports 25W fast wired charging, but if you don't own a compatible USB-PD power adapter, you will need to shop for one, as there is no charger in the box.