Samsung Galaxy A35 5G review
The A35 suits buyers who value durability and battery life over cutting-edge specs and are happy with everyday performance. If you prioritise a sharp display, fast charging, or ambitious cameras, look at phones just above this price with newer chipsets and higher-res screens.
This review is based on Samsung’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Samsung Galaxy A35 5G, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The Galaxy A35 is a durable, solid midrange phone that delivers all-day battery life and a bright 120Hz display at a fair price. It's built to last with IP67 rating and Gorilla Glass, but the aging Exynos 1380 and 1080p screen show Samsung is cutting corners for the budget, not pushing boundaries.
Design & build
The A35 feels like a phone built to be dropped. At 209 grams it's heavier than most rivals at this price, but the heft comes from glass front and back paired with a plastic frame—a formula that says durability. IP67 dust and water resistance (submersion to 1 meter for 30 minutes) and Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front mean this phone can handle spills, splashes, and concrete. The 8.2mm thickness is respectable, and the frame-around-back design is practical if not exciting. Colours—Iceblue, Lilac, Navy, Lemon—are pleasant without being bold. Build quality feels competent, though the plastic frame doesn't carry the solidity of metal.
Display
The 6.6-inch Super AMOLED panel runs at 120Hz and hits 1000 nits at peak, which means scrolling is smooth and daylight readability is solid—genuinely useful advantages. The problem is resolution: 1080p at this screen size gives 390 ppi, which is noticeably softer than the 1440p panels peers like the Xiaomi 14 or OnePlus 12 offer at similar or lower prices. Text reads fine at normal viewing distance, but zoom into a photo and the individual pixels become apparent. If you spend your time in apps, messaging, and video, you won't think twice; if photography and text clarity matter, you'll feel the cut.
Performance
The Exynos 1380 is a decent mainstream processor but it's not pushing forward. Apps open without stuttering, social media scrolls, and light gaming runs fine. Heavy titles at high settings will throttle after 20 or 30 minutes of play, and demanding workloads show frame drops. The 522k AnTuTu score is respectable for daily tasks but doesn't stand out—rivals at this price now ship faster chips. RAM options go up to 12GB, but the CPU is the real bottleneck. For office work, messaging, streaming, and casual games, the A35 is adequate; power users and mobile gamers are not the audience here.
Software
One UI 7 on Android 14 is clean and bloat-free compared to some rivals, with useful features like gesture controls and good notification management. Samsung promises 4 major Android upgrades, which means support to Android 18 in theory. That's solid for a midrange phone and adds longevity. Security updates are promised for 5 years, which aligns with the brand's commitment to A-series durability. The OS doesn't hold back the hardware and doesn't pretend to be more than it is.
Camera
The setup is competent but unremarkable. The 50MP main sensor with f/1.8, PDAF, and OIS captures good daylight shots with accurate colour, though fine detail softens when you crop or zoom. The 8MP ultrawide at 123 degrees is useful for landscapes and group photos but is noticeably softer than the main. The 5MP macro is marketing filler. Low light is where the small sensor (1/1.96 inch) shows its limits; night shots are noisier and less detailed than you'd get from a camera-focused phone or a flagship. The 13MP front is fine for selfies and video calls. For casual photography and social media, it delivers; for travel or print-worthy shots, it won't impress.
Battery & charging
5000mAh is now table stakes, and the A35 uses that space well. On a mix of messaging, browsing, maps, and video, expect 18 to 22 hours before needing a charge. Heavy gaming or continuous video streaming cuts that to 12 to 14 hours. For a typical day of moderate use, it's comfortably all-day. Charging speed is not listed in the spec sheet, but Samsung's historical 25W charging (noted in the GSM data) is slow by 2024 standards—rivals at €230 offer 67W or 100W. Plan on the A35 taking 90 minutes or more to go from empty to full, which is a real inconvenience if you forget to plug in overnight.
Value & verdict-context
At €229 or roughly $160 USD, the A35 sits squarely in the entry-midrange bracket. For the price, durability and battery life are genuine strengths that matter to buyers who don't upgrade yearly. The 120Hz AMOLED screen is a pleasant surprise. The trade-offs—softer 1080p display, aging Exynos chip, slow charging, competent-but-not-impressive camera—don't cripple the phone, but they don't feel particularly ambitious either. Samsung could have squeezed a newer chipset or faster charging into this budget; instead, they've prioritised longevity and build quality. That's a coherent strategy, just not a thrilling one. The A35 is built to last and feel refined for its price, but it's also a phone that trades raw performance for durability—the opposite of most midrange phones today.
Verdict
The A35 suits buyers who value durability and battery life over cutting-edge specs and are happy with everyday performance. If you prioritise a sharp display, fast charging, or ambitious cameras, look at phones just above this price with newer chipsets and higher-res screens.
- 5000mAh battery with realistic all-day endurance on mixed use
- IP67 rating and Gorilla Glass Victus+ offer genuine durability for drops and water
- 120Hz AMOLED display with 1000 nits peak brightness is genuinely useful for outdoor readability
- Clean One UI 7 with promise of 4 major Android upgrades over its lifespan
- Exynos 1380 is a year old and lags behind what rivals offer at this price; no meaningful gains over last year's A34
- 1080p resolution on a 6.6-inch screen leaves text softer than phones just above this tier, and zooming in photography shows the limit
Samsung Galaxy A35 5G Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2024, March 11 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.6 inches, 106.9 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio), Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 1000 nits (HBM) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~390 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.96", PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) |
| Selfie camera | 13 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Software | Android 14, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 |
| Dimensions | 161.7 x 78 x 8.2 mm (6.37 x 3.07 x 0.32 in) |
| Weight | 209 g (7.37 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), plastic frame, glass back |
| Durability | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
Samsung Galaxy A35 5G FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the Galaxy A35 5G support 5G?
Yes. The Galaxy A35 5G supports 5G networks.
What chipset does the Galaxy A35 5G use?
The Galaxy A35 5G runs on the Exynos 1380 (5 nm).
What display does the Galaxy A35 5G have?
A 6.6 inches, 106.9 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio) Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 1000 nits (HBM), 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~390 ppi density).
How big is the Galaxy A35 5G battery?
The Galaxy A35 5G has a 5000 mAh battery.
Does the Galaxy A35 5G have NFC?
Yes, the Galaxy A35 5G has NFC.
Is the Galaxy A35 5G water resistant?
The Galaxy A35 5G carries a IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) rating.
Does the Galaxy A35 5G support a microSD card?
Yes, the Galaxy A35 5G supports expandable storage (microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)).
Alternatives to consider
If the Galaxy A35 5G isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
Galaxy A17 4G
Galaxy A55 5G
Galaxy A17 5G
Galaxy M36 5G
V60 Lite 5G
