Google Pixel 6avsSamsung Galaxy M35

Google Pixel 6a

Samsung Galaxy M35

Google Pixel 6a

The Google Pixel 6a is a mid-range smartphone that takes core elements of the Pixel 6 and repackages them into something more affordable while maintaining the look and vibe of Google's flagships. The device features a compact size, making it ideal for one-handed use, with a 6.1-inch OLED display offering full HD+ resolution and HDR content support. The Pixel 6a is powered by the first-generation Google Tensor chipset, which provides fast and powerful performance comparable to the Snapdragon 888. Despite initial reservations about gaming performance on the tensor chip, thermal management has improved significantly, resulting in a smooth gaming experience without throttling issues. Camera-wise, the Pixel 6a boasts dual 12.2-megapixel sensors for its main and ultrawide cameras, utilizing the same camera hardware seen in previous Google Pixels with incremental updates to the software. The results are consistently good daytime shots with excellent sharpness, accurate colors, and a wide dynamic range. The front-facing eight-megapixel selfie camera takes nice shots that are both sharp and flattering, while the Pixel 6a can record 4K video at up to 60 frames per second. However, the device loses out on the headphone jack and does not include a charger in the box. Despite some shortcomings, the Pixel 6a is a solid all-around smartphone with consistently good cameras, improved performance, and security updates from Google through 2027. At $449, it's a great value, making it a worthy recommendation for those seeking a well-equipped Pixel phone at an affordable price.

Samsung Galaxy M35

The Samsung Galaxy M35 is a budget-friendly smartphone that offers impressive performance, camera capabilities, and battery life, making it a solid choice for those looking for a Samsung phone under 20,000 rupees. Under the hood, the phone is powered by the Exynos 1380 chip, which was surprisingly effective in handling demanding tasks like gaming. The M35 handled games like BGMI, Call of Duty Mobile, and Genshin Impact with minimal lag, even after extended periods of playtime. However, it did struggle to maintain high frame rates in Genshin Impact, especially on high settings. The camera setup features three cameras, including a 50MP main lens, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro lens. While the photos taken by the main camera were decent with good detail and natural colors, they looked somewhat soft. The ultra-wide camera performed well in matching the color of the main camera, but portrait mode was not its strong point. The phone's battery life is where it truly shines, lasting a day and a half on regular use, even with heavy usage like gaming. However, charging was slower than expected, taking around 2 hours to fully charge from 0 to 100%. The Galaxy M35 also features a punch-hole display, side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and surprisingly good sound quality courtesy of the dual speakers. The display itself is bright and smooth, reaching up to 1,000 nits, and protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy M35 offers great value for its price, with impressive performance, camera capabilities, and battery life making it a solid choice for those in the market for a budget-friendly smartphone.