In Short:
Samsung’s Galaxy M35 5G is a budget-friendly phone with notable upgrades over the M34 5G, including a powerful display and long software support. It features a 6,000mAh battery that lasts over two days but charges slowly, and a solid camera for its price. While it lacks a headphone jack and is heavier, its performance, battery life, and value make it a strong contender.
Samsung’s Galaxy M series has established a reputation for offering affordable smartphones that provide good value for money. The latest addition to this series, the Galaxy M35 5G, upholds this tradition with notable hardware upgrades and design changes compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy M34 5G. Moreover, it offers an impressive commitment to Android software upgrades within its segment. However, this new model carries a higher price tag. I have had the opportunity to extensively use the Galaxy M35 5G to evaluate whether it stands out as a competent all-rounder for its price. The details follow below.
Pricing
The base variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage is priced at Rs. 19,999. The higher variants, including 8GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB, are available for Rs. 21,499 and Rs. 24,299, respectively. For this review, I received the 8GB + 128GB variant in the Daybreak Blue color.
Samsung Galaxy M35 Design: Minor Changes
- Dimensions – 162.3 x 78.6 x 9.1
- Weight – 222g
- Colors – Dark Blue, Gray, Light Blue
The Galaxy M35 5G features a polycarbonate rear panel and frame. The familiar triple rear camera setup mirrors that of its predecessor, albeit with slightly more prominent camera rings. Additionally, the rear panel pattern and available color options have been updated.
The absence of a headphone jack, previously available in the earlier model, may disappoint some users.
This device tends to be thicker and heavier than most competitors in its price segment, including the M34. Although the rear panel has tapered edges, the front and sides are flat. While the back is somewhat slippery, it does not attract fingerprints easily, making it a two-handed device for most users.
On the left side, you will find the SIM tray slot, and the right side houses the volume and power/fingerprint scanner buttons. The top features a microphone, whereas the bottom includes a USB Type-C port, speaker, and an additional microphone. Notably, there is no IP rating on the phone, and the SIM tray lacks a gasket, indicating a precaution against water exposure.
Samsung Galaxy M35 Display: Ideal for Content Consumption
- Size – 6.6-inch full-HD+, 120Hz
- Type – Super AMOLED
- Display Protection – Gorilla Glass Victus+
The display reveals a large screen with uniformly thin bezels compared to the Galaxy M34 5G. Unlike the previous model’s water drop notch, it now features a hole-punch design. The display provides peak brightness of up to 1,000 nits, ensuring visibility both indoors and outdoors. Users can select between an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz or retain 60Hz, with color options of Vivid and Natural available to cater to personal preferences.
The upgraded Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection is a notable addition, which is rare in this price range. Overall, the display offers an excellent experience for watching videos and gaming, with vibrant color reproduction and Widevine L1 support for full HD streaming.
Samsung Galaxy M35 Software: Mostly Smooth
- UI – One UI 6.1
- OS Version – Android 14
- Latest Security Patch – July 1
Samsung’s One UI remains one of my preferred Android skins, with minimal bloatware present on the device. Although some pre-installed apps and the Glance lock screen are included, users can easily remove unwanted applications. The app drawer also features a Discover tab for app recommendations, but using the Play Store for direct downloads is more efficient.
Software features include the Edge panel for quick access to apps, Quick Share, Modes and Routines, and the popular Always on Display (AOD). Samsung has committed to providing four years of Android OS updates and five years of security patches, an outstanding offering in this segment.
Samsung Galaxy M35 Performance: Capable
- Processor – Exynos 1380 (5nm)
- RAM – Up to 8GB
- Storage – Up to 256GB
The Exynos 1380 SoC in the Galaxy M35 5G provides a slight performance upgrade over its predecessor. This budget-friendly chipset handles multitasking and gaming efficiently. The inclusion of a vapor-cooling chamber is particularly noteworthy for this category, effectively managing heat during extended gaming sessions.
Benchmark performance was impressive, as evidenced by various tests conducted against competitors.
| Benchmarks | Samsung Galaxy M35 5G | Moto G85 | CMF Phone 1 | OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu v10 | 610,913 | 450,865 | 639,355 | 448,127 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1014 | 935 | 1037 | 904 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2933 | 2102 | 2932 | 2015 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 12,879 | 11,757 | 12,398 | 9,850 |
| GFXB T-rex | 96 | 89 | 60 | 60 |
| GFXB Manhattan 3.1 | 46 | 33 | 50 | 30 |
| GFXB Car Chase | 25 | 19 | 29 | 17 |
| 3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL | 4710 | 3259 | 5177 | 3121 |
| 3DM Slingshot | 5868 | 4406 | 6690 | 4226 |
| 3DM Wild Life | 2813 | 1569 | 3122 | 1508 |
| 3DM Wild Life Unlimited | 2806 | 1578 | 3131 | 1507 |
As indicated by the benchmark data, the Galaxy M35 5G performs well against various competitors. While benchmark scores offer useful insights, they do not entirely reflect real-world usability. Throughout my experience, I encountered minimal lag and no significant app crashes, even during multitasking, gaming, and media consumption.
The device features a hybrid stereo speaker setup, with reasonable sound separation and volume levels. During calls, the microphone quality stood out, ensuring clear communication.
Samsung Galaxy M35 Cameras: Competent Performance
- Main Camera – 50-megapixel, f/1.8, OIS
- Ultra-wide + Depth – 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel
- Selfie – 13-megapixel, f/2.2
The triple rear camera setup delivers satisfactory results. The camera application provides a user-friendly experience, with easy access to all primary features.
The 50-megapixel primary camera produces good quality photographs in well-lit conditions, with decent detail. However, low-light images may exhibit noise, mitigated somewhat by the night mode. The auto HDR features offer commendable performance overall.
The 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera also performs satisfactorily in various lighting conditions, though it tends to produce noisier images in low light compared to the primary sensor. Color consistency between the two lenses is effectively maintained.
Portrait photos taken with the depth sensor are competent, with decent edge detection, although the Portrait mode does not allow zoom functionalities.
Selfies taken in well-lit conditions are acceptable, albeit with less accurate skin tones. Low-light selfies, however, tend to exhibit substantial noise.
In terms of video capabilities, the main rear camera can shoot in 4K at 30fps. Daylight footage is generally clean but may experience minor choppiness during movement. Nighttime footage is usable but shows signs of noise, while the Super Steady mode enhances stabilization at 1080p 30fps.
Samsung Galaxy M35 Battery: Exceptional Longevity
- Battery Capacity – 6,000mAh
- Fast Charging – 18W
- Charger – Not Included
The Galaxy M35’s battery life exceeded expectations, lasting an impressive 47 hours and 17 minutes in our HD video loop test—an exceptional feat not commonly reached by competitors in this price range. While daily usage may decrease this figure, the phone reliably lasts more than a day and a half under varied usage scenarios.
Charging does take some time, as no charger is included in the package. It is advisable to pair the device with at least a 20W charger. Using a 30W adapter resulted in a full charge in approximately two hours.
Samsung Galaxy M35 Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy M35 faces strong competition from devices such as the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite, CMF Phone 1, and Motorola G85. Based on benchmark results, it outperformed most competitors, only falling short to the Motorola G85. For those prioritizing design, alternatives like the CMF Phone 1 or Moto G85 might be preferable due to their lighter builds, although they do not match the Galaxy M35’s battery life and software support.
For individuals seeking a smartphone under Rs. 20,000 that excels in display quality, design simplicity, battery longevity, performance stability, decent camera capabilities, and exceptional software support, the Galaxy M35 5G emerges as an excellent option.
