Samsung Galaxy M35 review
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.
Build Quality and Design
The Samsung Galaxy M35 has been making waves in the budget smartphone market, and its build quality and design are definitely worth noting. On first glance, the phone's sleek line pattern on the back catches the light beautifully, giving it a premium feel. One of the standout features of the M35 is its front punch display, which is a welcome upgrade from its predecessor, the Galaxy M34. The almost symmetrical bezels make it look great, especially considering this is an affordable Samsung phone. The side-mounted fingerprint scanner is quick and responsive, making biometric authentication a breeze. The build quality itself is sturdy, with the phone weighing 222 grams, mainly due to the large 6,000mAh battery. While it may feel heavier when gaming for extended periods, it still feels comfortable in hand. The inclusion of NFC for easy payments is also a nice touch. Unfortunately, the phone's weight and size can be a drawback for some users. However, this is offset by its compact dimensions, making it easy to slip into a pocket or bag. In terms of design, the M35 has a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a punchy 120Hz refresh rate. The screen gets super bright up to 1,000 nits, allowing for comfortable outdoor use without any issues. Unfortunately, it's not protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+, which is disappointing considering the phone's price point. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy M35's build quality and design are solid, with a premium feel that belies its affordable price tag. While there may be some minor drawbacks, this phone is definitely worth considering for anyone in the market for a reliable and feature-packed smartphone under 20,000 rupees.
Battery Life
One aspect where the Galaxy M35 truly shines is its battery life. The phone packs a 6,000mAh battery that easily gets me through a day and a half of regular use, even with heavy usage like constantly being on my phone. I also play games extensively, and after three straight hours, the battery dropped by around 30%. This is impressive considering the demands of gaming. The phone's battery life is further enhanced by its power-efficient Exynos 1380 chip, which helps to conserve energy when not in use. Additionally, the phone's software is optimized for battery life, ensuring that the battery lasts longer between charges. However, charging on the other hand could be better. It takes around 2 hours to fully charge the battery from 0 to 100% using a 25W wired charger, which isn't great considering the competition offers faster charging at this price point. Nevertheless, the phone's excellent battery life more than makes up for its relatively slow charging time. Overall, the Galaxy M35's battery life is one of its standout features, making it an attractive option for anyone looking for a phone that can last all day and then some.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy M35 boasts a punchy 6.6-inch Super AMOLED panel with an impressive 120Hz refresh rate. The screen gets remarkably bright, reaching up to 1,000 nits, making it easy to use outdoors without any issues. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+, which is a notable feature at this price point. The viewing angles on the Galaxy M35 are impressive, and the colors produced are vibrant and accurate. HDR content can be enjoyed on YouTube, although unfortunately not on Netflix. The 120Hz refresh rate ensures a silky-smooth experience while scrolling through menus or watching videos. In terms of display quality, the Galaxy M35 delivers top-notch performance. The screen's brightness, combined with its high refresh rate, makes it an excellent choice for users who want to enjoy their content on the go. While the display is not without its minor issues - occasional dropped frames while playing 4K videos on YouTube, and a slight tendency to dim in bright sunlight - these problems do not detract significantly from the overall experience. Overall, the Galaxy M35's display is one of its standout features. With its vibrant colors, high refresh rate, and robust build quality, it sets a new standard for displays at this price point.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy M35's camera setup is a notable aspect of this phone. With three cameras on the back, consisting of a 50 MP main lens with OIS, an 8 MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2 MP macro lens, users can expect decent photos with good detail and natural-looking colors. The main camera performs well, capturing clear images with good skin tones. One of the notable features is the ability to capture photos at 2X without any significant degradation in quality. However, the portrait mode sometimes struggles to accurately detect edges, resulting in slightly soft or unnatural-looking portraits. The ultra-wide camera matches the main camera's color profile well, and selfies from the 13 MP front camera turn out decent. The camera system can shoot 4K videos at 30 FPS, but the video colors appear slightly boosted. While it's not a bad camera system overall, it's worth noting that most phones in this price range have more capable main cameras that handle most of the heavy lifting. In comparison to other phones in its class, the Galaxy M35's camera is serviceable, if unremarkable. It gets the job done for casual users who want good-enough photos without breaking a sweat. However, enthusiasts and those who want exceptional camera performance may find themselves underwhelmed by this setup. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy M35's camera system is a mixed bag. While it's not bad per se, it doesn't particularly stand out in a crowded market where competitors are pushing the boundaries of what's possible with smartphone cameras. If you're looking for a phone that delivers solid, everyday photography, the M35 won't disappoint. But if you crave exceptional camera performance, you may want to look elsewhere.
Price and Value
The Samsung Galaxy M35 is an intriguing device that offers impressive value for its price tag of ₹15,999. This smartphone has been designed to cater to the needs of budget-conscious buyers who want a seamless experience without breaking the bank. One of the standout features of this phone is its camera performance. The 50MP main lens with OIS takes decent photos with good detail and natural colors. While it may not be as exceptional as some flagship devices, it's more than capable of handling everyday photography needs. The ultra-wide-angle lens and macro lens are useful additions that add to the overall versatility of the camera setup. Gaming is another area where the Galaxy M35 shines. Powered by the Exynos 1380 chip, this phone handled demanding games like BGMI, Call of Duty Mobile, and Genshin Impact with surprising ease. While it may not be able to maintain a silky-smooth experience in all scenarios, it's clear that Samsung has made an effort to ensure that this device is capable of handling modern gaming requirements. Battery life is another area where the Galaxy M35 truly excels. With a 6,000mAh battery, this phone easily gets me through a day and a half of regular use, with heavy usage like gaming and video streaming not putting too much strain on it. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy M35 offers impressive value for its price. It's a solid choice for anyone looking for a reliable smartphone that can handle everyday tasks without breaking the bank. While there may be some minor trade-offs in terms of performance and display quality compared to more expensive options, this device is certainly worth considering for those on a budget.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy M35 is a mid-range smartphone that packs a punch when it comes to performance. Powered by the Exynos 1380 chip, this phone exceeded my expectations in various benchmark tests. In daily use, the M35 handled basic tasks like checking emails, browsing the web, and texting smoothly without any lag or stutter. When it came to demanding games like BGMI, Call of Duty Mobile, and Genshin Impact, the phone performed admirably. I was able to play BGMI at 60 FPS without noticeable lag, even after 30 minutes of gameplay. The same goes for CODM, which maintained a steady 55-60 FPS. However, Genshin Impact, one of the most graphically intensive titles out there, proved to be a challenge. While it's playable at 60 FPS on low settings, expect frame drops when intense action ensues. Impressively, the phone stayed cool throughout these tests, with temperatures ranging from 38-40°C. Benchmark results were equally impressive, with the M35 scoring around 6 lakh on Antutu and a consistent performance in CPU throttling tests. Geekbench gave it a respectable score of 1013 (single core) and 2911 (multicore). The phone's processor stayed cool throughout all these tests, with no overheating issues. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy M35's Exynos 1380 chip delivers impressive performance for its price. While it may not be as powerful as some high-end flagships, it's more than capable of handling demanding tasks and games.
Pros
1. The Samsung Galaxy M35 offers surprisingly decent performance with its Exynos 1380 chip, handling basic tasks and demanding games like BGMI and CODM smoothly.
2. The phone's battery life is excellent, lasting up to a day and a half on regular use, and dropping by only 30% after three hours of heavy gaming.
3. The camera setup is decent, with good detail and natural colors in photos taken with the main 50MP lens, although portrait mode can struggle to detect edges.
4. The phone has a great display, featuring a punchy 6.6-inch Super AMOLED panel with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, super bright up to 1000 nits, and Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection.
5. The sound quality is surprisingly good thanks to the Stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos support.
6. The phone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that's quick and responsive.
7. Samsung's commitment to updates is solid, with 4 years of Android update and 5 years of security patches.
8. The phone has NFC for easy payments.
Cons
1. The Exynos chip may not be as powerful as a Snapdragon processor, which could affect gaming performance in graphically intensive titles like Genshin Impact.
2. The charging speed is relatively slow, taking around 2 hours to fully charge from 0 to 100% through 25W wireless charging.
3. There's no charger included in the box.
4. The phone can get warm after prolonged gaming sessions.
5. The camera system may not be as strong as some other phones at this price point.