Does Samsung’s Affordable 5G Phone Deliver?

Check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G, a budget-friendly smartphone offering solid performance, a vibrant display, and 5G connectivity at a great price.

In the ever-evolving world of smartphones, Samsung has consistently held a significant position by offering devices that cater to a broad spectrum of consumers. The Galaxy M series is a testament to Samsung’s commitment to providing affordable yet powerful smartphones, particularly for the budget-conscious segment.

The Samsung Galaxy M35 5G is a recent addition to this lineup, aiming to deliver a blend of performance, 5G connectivity, and value for money. In this comprehensive review, we will delve deep into various aspects of the Galaxy M35 5G, including its design, display, performance, camera capabilities, battery life, software experience, and overall value proposition.

Design and Build Quality

The Samsung Galaxy M35 5G doesn’t stray far from the design philosophy that Samsung has established for its M series devices. It features a modern, minimalist design with a plastic back and frame, which is typical for smartphones in this price range. The back panel has a matte finish, which not only helps in reducing fingerprints and smudges but also provides a decent grip, making the phone comfortable to hold.

The camera module is neatly arranged in a rectangular bump on the back, housing a triple camera setup. The Samsung branding is subtle, positioned at the lower half of the rear panel. The right side of the device houses the power button, which also doubles as a fingerprint sensor, and the volume rockers. On the left, you’ll find the SIM tray, which supports dual SIM cards and a microSD card for expandable storage. The bottom of the phone includes a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a single speaker grille.

The overall build quality of the Galaxy M35 5G is solid for its price point. It doesn’t feel cheap, but it’s clear that Samsung has used plastic to keep the costs down. The phone is relatively lightweight, making it easy to carry around, and it’s available in multiple colors, including black, blue, and green, giving users some variety in terms of aesthetics.

Samsung Galaxy M35 5G Display

One of the standout features of the Galaxy M35 5G is its display. The device sports a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2408 pixels. Samsung has a reputation for delivering excellent displays, even in its budget and mid-range devices, and the M35 5G is no exception.

The Super AMOLED panel offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast ratios, making it a pleasure to use for multimedia consumption. Whether you’re watching videos on YouTube, streaming your favorite shows on Netflix, or just scrolling through social media, the display provides an immersive experience. The brightness levels are also commendable, allowing for comfortable outdoor usage even under direct sunlight.

The display supports a 90Hz refresh rate, which is a welcome addition in this price segment. The higher refresh rate ensures smoother scrolling and a more responsive touch experience, which enhances the overall user experience. While it may not be as fluid as the 120Hz displays found in more expensive smartphones, the 90Hz panel strikes a good balance between performance and battery efficiency.

One area where the display falls short is the bezels. While the side bezels are relatively slim, the chin is noticeably thicker, which slightly detracts from the otherwise modern design. However, this is a minor gripe and doesn’t significantly impact the overall experience.

Samsung Galaxy M35 5G Performance

Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset. This octa-core processor is built on a 6nm architecture and includes two high-performance Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.4GHz and six power-efficient Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 2.0GHz. The chipset is paired with the Mali-G68 MC4 GPU for handling graphical tasks.

The choice of the Dimensity 900 chipset is interesting, as it provides a good balance between performance and efficiency. In day-to-day usage, the Galaxy M35 5G performs admirably. Apps launch quickly, multitasking is smooth, and there’s no noticeable lag during regular usage. The phone handles social media apps, web browsing, and light gaming with ease.

For gaming enthusiasts, the M35 5G is capable of running popular titles like Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG Mobile at medium to high settings without any major hiccups. The Mali-G68 GPU does a decent job of maintaining stable frame rates, but it’s important to manage expectations, as this is not a flagship-level gaming device. Casual gamers will be satisfied with the performance, but hardcore gamers might find the experience lacking compared to more expensive smartphones with higher-end GPUs.

The phone comes with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on the variant, which is sufficient for most tasks. The 128GB of internal storage is also ample for storing apps, photos, and videos, and the option to expand storage via a microSD card is a nice touch for those who need more space.

Software Experience

The Samsung Galaxy M35 5G runs on One UI 4.1 based on Android 12 out of the box. Samsung’s One UI has evolved over the years into one of the more polished Android skins, offering a clean and intuitive user interface. The UI is user-friendly, with easy navigation, customizable features, and a range of pre-installed apps that are generally useful, though some might consider them bloatware.

One UI 4.1 brings several new features and improvements, including enhanced privacy controls, improved widgets, and better integration with Samsung’s ecosystem of devices and services. The software is well-optimized for the hardware, resulting in a smooth and responsive experience. The inclusion of features like a system-wide dark mode, customizable themes, and a well-organized settings menu further enhances usability.

Samsung has also committed to providing regular software updates for its devices, including those in the M series. While the M35 5G may not receive updates as quickly as Samsung’s flagship devices, users can expect timely security patches and at least two major Android version updates, which adds to the phone’s longevity.

Camera Performance

The camera setup on the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G is one of its key selling points. The device features a triple camera system on the rear, consisting of a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 5MP depth sensor. On the front, there’s a 16MP selfie camera housed in a small waterdrop notch.

The 64MP primary camera is the star of the show. It captures detailed and vibrant images, particularly in well-lit conditions. The color reproduction is typical of Samsung, with slightly saturated colors that make photos look more lively and appealing. The dynamic range is also impressive, with the camera managing to retain details in both the highlights and shadows in challenging lighting conditions.

In low-light situations, the primary camera holds its own, thanks to the inclusion of night mode. Night mode helps brighten up images taken in the dark, reducing noise and preserving details that would otherwise be lost. While it may not rival the low-light performance of flagship devices, the M35 5G does a commendable job for its price.

The 8MP ultra-wide camera provides a broader field of view, which is great for capturing landscapes, group photos, or architectural shots. However, the image quality is a step down from the primary camera, with less detail and more noise, especially in low light.

The 5MP depth sensor is primarily used for portrait shots, helping to create a pleasing bokeh effect by blurring the background while keeping the subject in focus. Portrait shots are generally good, with decent edge detection and a natural-looking blur.

The 16MP front camera captures sharp and detailed selfies in good lighting. The colors are accurate, and there’s a good balance between highlights and shadows. In low-light conditions, the performance of the front camera drops off, but the inclusion of a screen flash helps to some extent. The front camera also supports portrait mode, which works reasonably well, though edge detection isn’t as precise as on the rear camera.

The Galaxy M35 5G supports video recording at up to 4K resolution at 30fps. The video quality is decent, with good color reproduction and detail, especially in well-lit environments. The phone also offers electronic image stabilization (EIS), which helps to reduce shake and produce smoother videos. However, EIS is only available when recording at 1080p, so if you want to shoot in 4K, you’ll need a steady hand or a tripod.

Battery Life

Battery life is a crucial factor for many smartphone users, and the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G doesn’t disappoint in this department. The device is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, which is fairly standard for mid-range smartphones but still impressive given the power-hungry nature of 5G connectivity and the 90Hz display.

In real-world usage, the M35 5G easily lasts a full day on a single charge with moderate usage, which includes a mix of web browsing, social media, video streaming, and some gaming. Even with heavy usage, such as extended gaming sessions or prolonged 5G connectivity, the phone manages to hold up well, though you might need to top up the battery in the evening.

The phone supports 25W fast charging, which is a step up from the 15W charging that some of its predecessors offered. With the 25W charger, the M35 5G can go from 0 to 50% in about 30 minutes, which is convenient for users who need a quick top-up before heading out. However, it’s worth noting that Samsung does not include a charger in the box, which has become a trend in recent smartphone releases. This means you’ll need to purchase a compatible charger separately if you don’t already have one.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy M35 5G is a solid mid-range smartphone that delivers on multiple fronts. It’s a well-rounded device that offers good value for money, particularly for users who want to experience 5G connectivity without breaking the bank. Its strengths lie in its vibrant Super AMOLED display, reliable performance, decent camera system, and long-lasting battery life. While there are areas where it could improve, such as the build quality and the inclusion of a charger in the box, these are relatively minor drawbacks in the grand scheme of things.

Overall, the Galaxy M35 5G is a commendable option for anyone in the market for a budget-friendly 5G smartphone. It’s not a game-changer, but it’s a dependable device that gets the job done, making it a worthy addition to Samsung’s M series lineup.

Samsung Galaxy M35 5G FAQs

Q: What is the screen size and type of the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G?

A: The Samsung Galaxy M35 5G has a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display.

Q: Does the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G support 5G?

A: Yes, as the name suggests, the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G does support 5G connectivity.

Q: What processor powers the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G?

A: The Samsung Galaxy M35 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset.