Samsung’s Galaxy A series has long been a favourite for those seeking a balance of affordability and performance, but the Galaxy A35 5G presents a mixed bag. It sits between budget-friendly options and more feature-rich smartphones. Let’s get straight into it!
First Impressions
The Samsung A35 5G 125GB arrives in its slimline box, and once taken out, it offers a premium feel, and is noticeably the same size as an iPhone 14 Pro Max, without the premium Price. At only R8 9999.00, The Galaxy A35 5G offers a sleek all-glass design available in “Awesome Navy” and “Awesome Lilac.” While the navy variant is quite subdued, the lilac option which I got has a bit of flair.
Set-up takes under 10min, unless you’re transferring data from a previous device, and once done, it asks you for gender and age information, which is different to other manufacturers. Once done, you’re free to download your apps of choice and kickoff your experience.
Design and Display
The 6.6-inch display is one of the standout features, offering sharp visuals and a 120-Hz refresh rate. This makes for a responsive and fluid experience, whether you’re scrolling through social media or watching videos. The display performs well in bright conditions, although colours can appear washed out at maximum brightness.
Performance and Battery Life
Powered by the Exynos 1380 chipset and up to 8 GB of RAM, the Galaxy A35 5G performs adequately for most everyday tasks. However, there are noticeable stutters and slowdowns, particularly when switching between apps or loading more demanding applications.
Battery life is a bit of a letdown. The 5,000-mAh battery usually lasts a full day with moderate use, but heavy usage, like GPS navigation, music streaming, and extensive browsing, can drain it by early evening. Charging the phone takes around 1 hour and 27 minutes with a 30-watt charger.
Camera System
The Galaxy A35 5G features a triple-camera setup: a 50-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide, and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The main sensor delivers good quality photos with balanced exposure, even in high-contrast scenarios. The Night mode is decent but requires subjects to remain still to avoid blurriness. Selfies taken with the 13-megapixel front camera are sharp and satisfying.
Software and Features
Running on Android 14, the Galaxy A35 5G benefits from Samsung’s solid software update policy, promising four years of Android OS updates and five years of security updates, making the longevity of the device a great advantage.
The phone also includes useful features like an optical in-display fingerprint scanner, is water resistance, and expandable storage up to 1TB via microSD. However, it lacks a headphone jack, which may be a drawback for some users.
Overall Thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy A35 5G is a competent mid-range smartphone with a few notable strengths. I lappreciated its impressive display, solid camera performance, and long-term software support. However, it is hampered by occasional performance issues and underwhelming battery life. For everyday South Africans, it offers a reasonable alternative in the mid-range market, especially considering its robust security features and the availability of expandable storage.
