Along with the Galaxy A55, Samsung also introduced the even more affordable Galaxy A35. Unlike its “big brother,” this smartphone has a much more impressive set of features compared to last year’s model. We’ll tell you in detail about the new product and its differences from its predecessor.
Specifications and comparison with predecessor
| Galaxy A35 | Galaxy A34 | |
| Display | 6.6 inches, AMOLED, 2340×1080, 120 Hz, 1650 nits | 6.6 inches, AMOLED, 2340×1080, 120 Hz, 1000 nits |
| CPU | 5nm, Exons 1380, Mali-G68 MP5 graphics | 6 nm, MediaTek Dimensity 1080, Mali-G68 MC4 graphics |
| RAM | 6/8 GB | 4/6/8 GB |
| Accumulator | 128/256 GB, microSD support up to 1 TB | 128/256 GB, microSD support up to 1 TB |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charger | Wired 25W | Wired 25W |
| Rear cameras | 50MP Wide Angle with OIS 8MP Ultra Wide Angle 5MP Macro Camera |
48MP Wide Angle with OIS 8MP Ultra Wide Angle 5MP Macro Camera |
| Front camera | 32 MP | 13 MP |
| Safety | In-screen fingerprint scanner + face scanning | In-screen fingerprint scanner + face scanning |
| Peculiarities | IP67 water protection, stereo speakers, NFC | IP67 water protection, stereo speakers, NFC |
| Dimensions and weight | 161.7×78×8.2 mm, 209 g | 161.3×78.1×8.2 mm, 199 g |
Course for status enhancement
Externally, the Galaxy A35 is very similar to the older Galaxy A55 model, and also to the flagship Galaxy S24. One of the most noticeable changes compared to its predecessor is the rejection of the teardrop-shaped cutout in the screen for the front camera in favor of a small hole. The side frames have also become completely flat, although a slight rounding at the edges prevents them from digging into the hand.
The side frame is still made of plastic, but the back cover is now made of glass (the A34 had plastic). The front and back are made of durable and scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass Victus+, a noticeable improvement over last year’s Gorilla Glass 5. The budget nature of the smartphone is still betrayed by the wide bezels around the display, although over time you will hardly notice them.
Like the Galaxy A55, the power and volume buttons are on the right side, on a small pedestal that Samsung calls an “island.” The left side is completely empty, with a USB Type-C port and speaker at the bottom and a hybrid dual-SIM slot at the top (one can be replaced with a microSD memory card up to 1 TB).
The smartphone has a full stereo, so when watching videos and playing games, the sound will be surround. And support for Dolby Atmos technology only enhances this effect. There is no headphone jack.
The Galaxy A35 is IP67 rated, meaning it can withstand short-term immersion in water up to one meter deep.
A good screen just got better
The large 6.6-inch display is represented by a Super AMOLED matrix with a resolution of 2340×1080 MP. In the settings, you can choose rich or natural color rendering (correspond to the DCI-P3 and sRGB color profiles). You can also adjust the temperature, making the picture warmer or colder.
The maximum screen brightness has increased from 1000 nits to 1650 nits compared to the Galaxy A34. The value is not a record, but even in sunny weather outside there should be no particular problems with the visibility of the picture, especially when the Vision Boost high brightness function is activated.
The smartphone supports a high refresh rate of 120 Hz, which makes the picture smoother when scrolling. Unlike last year’s model, where you could only choose between 60 and 120 Hz, the Galaxy A35 has adaptive adjustment, which allows you to maintain a balance between smoothness and energy efficiency.
Pumped up camera
The Galaxy A35 uses a new 50MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization, replacing the 48MP module in the Galaxy A34. Despite similar specifications to the Galaxy A55, it uses a slightly simpler sensor – Sony IMX 882 instead of IMX906. The other cameras remain unchanged: an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera with a 123° viewing angle, a 5MP macro camera with a fixed focal length of 4cm, and a 13MP front camera.
Photos from the main camera have become more detailed and sharp – something that the Galaxy A34 was slightly lacking. The colors are saturated, and thanks to the wide dynamic range, highlights are reduced to a minimum. There is also support for portrait mode with the addition of a blurred background. In low light, with the activation of the night mode, the Galaxy A35 is also capable of taking high-quality photos. The other cameras show themselves well during the day, but you shouldn’t expect much from them in low light.
Like other Samsung smartphones this year, the Galaxy A35 comes with AI-powered photo editing features that let you remove unwanted objects from existing photos, resize them, and apply automatic enhancements to them.
The power is enough even for games
The 2024 model replaces the 6-nanometer MediaTek Dimensity 1080 processor from the Galaxy A34 with a 5-nanometer Exynos 1380. The same chip was in last year’s Galaxy A54
In benchmarks, the Galaxy A35 outperforms its predecessor by 18% in CPU performance, 15% in graphics, and 81% in AI tasks. In practice, you can expect fast and smooth operation with regular applications. It will also be possible to run simple games and more demanding projects like Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG Mobile, and even Genshin Impact at medium settings. Thanks to the presence of an evaporation chamber, the smartphone heats up minimally and does not throttle under load.
The Galaxy A35 runs Android 14 with the company’s OneUI 6.1 user interface. Samsung promises four OS updates (that is, up to Android 18) and five years of regular security patches.
Works for a long time, charges quickly
According to Samsung, the 5000 mAh battery lasts up to 26 hours of continuous video playback. In more real-world usage scenarios, the energy-efficient processor means you can count on a solid day of battery life even with constant messaging, scrolling through social media feeds, and watching videos. In moderate mode, you can get up to two days.
Since there is no power adapter in the kit, you need to get one right away, preferably with a power of 25 W. This will allow you to charge the device to 50% in half an hour and to 100% in just over an hour. This model does not support wireless charging.
Summary
Unlike the Galaxy A55, which doesn’t have many differences from last year’s model, the Galaxy A35 has improvements in almost all areas. The screen has become brighter and has lost the “drop”, the processor is more powerful, the main and front cameras have been improved, and higher-quality materials have been used for the body. Of course, there are competitors with more powerful cameras, but the Galaxy A35 has water protection and support for updates and patches for up to 5 years
