The Galaxy, created by Samsung, has recently added two new members to its A series – Samsung Galaxy A35 and Samsung Galaxy A55 (which we have already reviewed). Being the lower price variant when compared to the A55, the new A35, bears a close resemblance to the high-end models in terms of looks. Moreover, being a successor to the Samsung Galaxy A34, the new A35 offers some upgrades. The phone is powered by the Exynos 1380 chip, which we have seen in A54, diverting from a MediaTek processor. The camera department has also received some upgrades compared to the A34.

Design

The Galaxy A35 sports a familiar design language that Samsung has adopted for its recent A-series phones. It features a dual-glass construction with a plastic frame, which is an upgrade from the all-plastic build of its predecessor, the Galaxy A34. The device is available in three color options: Iceblue, Lilac, and Navy. The Lilac variant we reviewed has a pastel and understated look, with nice reflections under direct light.

While the polished plastic back panel gives the phone a premium feel, smudges and fingerprints are also apparent, which can be a downside for some users. On the front, Samsung has improved the display protection by using a Gorilla Glass Victus+ sheet. The device also features an under-display fingerprint sensor, which works reasonably fast and accurately.

Galaxy A35 design
| Photo Credit:
Haider Ali Khan

The frame is made of thick plastic, but it has a flat and matte finish, which should provide a decent grip. The Galaxy A35 also boasts an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, which is a welcome addition for added durability.

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The build quality of the Galaxy A35 is solid, and it feels secure in hand most of the time. The right side of the phone features an elevated bump that houses the power button and volume rockers, which is a design element carried over from the A55.

The top side of the device has a hybrid SIM tray that allows users to choose between using a second SIM or a microSD card for storage expansion. There is also a microphone on the top. The bottom side features two symmetrical microphones, a Type-C port, and a speaker.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy A35 features a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. Samsung has adopted a circular cutout for the selfie camera, a design choice that has become increasingly popular in recent times. The display offers vivid colors and sharp visuals, thanks to the Super AMOLED panel technology, which delivers an excellent viewing experience both indoors and under bright outdoor conditions. However, it’s worth noting that the Galaxy A35 lacks HDR10 support, which means popular streaming services like Netflix will only provide standard Full HD content rather than HDR.

OS

The Galaxy A35 runs on Samsung’s One UI 6.1 skin, which is based on the latest Android 14 operating system. This is the latest version of One UI offered by Samsung, and it’s the same software experience you’ll find on the company’s flagship S24 series, albeit with some features omitted.

Processor

The Samsung Galaxy A35 is powered by the Exynos 1380 chipset, which is the same processor that was used in last year’s Galaxy A54 and its variants, such as the Galaxy F54 and M54. This mid-range chip features a CPU setup with four Cortex-A78 cores clocked at up to 2.4GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores running at up to 2.0GHz. The graphics are handled by a Mali-G68 MP5 GPU, which is the same GPU used in the Galaxy A54.

In terms of performance, the Galaxy A35 offers decent capabilities for a mid-range device. In synthetic benchmarks like Geekbench, it scored 1014 in the single-core test and 2953 in the multi-core test, which is comparable to the scores achieved by the Moto Edge 50 Pro. The GPU scored 2999, which should be sufficient for casual gaming and basic graphics-intensive tasks.

The base variant of the Galaxy A35 comes with 8GB of RAM, which is a welcome upgrade over its predecessor. Users can choose between 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, and there’s also the option to expand the storage further using a microSD card.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy A35 comes with a refreshed camera setup compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy A34. The main highlight is the upgraded 50MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture, 1/1.96” sensor size, PDAF, and OIS. This main camera captures binned 12.5MP photos by default, offering great detail, natural-looking colors, and impressive dynamic range for its class.

The camera handles people and faces competently, with natural skin tones and textures. While the Portrait mode shots are decent, the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens means that zoom shots, although decent, are slightly softer than the primary camera’s 1x shots.

Galaxy A35 sample image
| Photo Credit:
Haider Ali Khan

The 8MP ultra-wide camera offers solid performance for its class, with good detail, contrast, and color matching with the main camera. Additionally, the Galaxy A35 features a dedicated 5MP macro camera, which aids in capturing detailed close-up shots.

Galaxy A35 sample image
| Photo Credit:
Haider Ali Khan

Low-light performance is also good, with the main camera capturing good detail and a wide dynamic range, thanks to the Night mode. Colors in low-light shots appear well-saturated and true to the original scene.

Galaxy A35 sample image
| Photo Credit:
Haider Ali Khan

The 13MP front-facing camera produces solid selfies, with the option to capture either 9MP or 13MP resolution photos. Faces appear sharp and detailed, with natural-looking skin tones and a hint of extra saturation, but nothing excessive.

Battery

The Galaxy A35 packs a 5,000mAh battery, which comfortably lasts for more than a day with moderate usage. As usual, Samsung doesn’t include a charger in the box, which may be an inconvenience for some users. When it comes to charging speeds, the Galaxy A35 supports 25W fast charging. It takes around 1:15 – 1:25 minutes to get fully charged.

Verdict

Starting at ₹27,999, the new Samsung Galaxy A35 may not break any performance records, but delivers a well-rounded experience with its shimmering design, IP67 rating, and a decent camera setup led by an upgraded 50MP main shooter. The Galaxy A35 positions itself as a worthy contender in the crowded mid-range smartphone market dominated by non-Exynos phones, taking on the likes of the latest Nothing’s Phone 2a and the OnePlus Nord CE 4.