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The mid-range smartphone market is a battleground of innovation and affordability. In 2024, Samsung has thrown its hat into the ring with the Samsung M35 5G, a phone that promises impressive specs and features at a competitive price point. But does the M35 live up to the hype? Let's dive in and take a closer look to see if this is the new budget champion you've been waiting for.
Stunning Display and Design
The Samsung M35 boasts a gorgeous 6.6-inch FHD+ AMOLED display. AMOLED technology offers vibrant colours, deep blacks, and excellent viewing angles, making everything from watching videos to browsing the web a truly immersive experience. The display also boasts a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring buttery-smooth scrolling and animations. This is a significant upgrade from the M34's 90Hz refresh rate, offering a noticeable improvement in user experience.
The phone itself is crafted from plastic, which helps keep the weight down to a manageable 222 grams. While some users might prefer a more premium glass back, plastic does offer a good balance of affordability and durability. The M35 comes in a variety of colours, including a sleek black and a cool gradient blue, so you can choose the one that best suits your style.
Powerhouse Performance
Under the hood, the Samsung M35 is powered by Samsung's Exynos 1380 chipset, built on a 5nm process. This chipset offers a significant performance boost over the previous generation, making the M35 capable of handling even demanding tasks with ease. Whether you're gaming, multitasking, or editing photos, the M35 can handle it all without breaking a sweat.
The phone comes with various RAM and storage options, with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. This ensures you have plenty of space for your apps, games, photos, and videos. Additionally, the M35 runs on the latest Android 14 with Samsung's One UI 6.1 on top. One UI offers a clean, user-friendly interface with a focus on customisation. Samsung is also promising four years of Android updates and five years of security patches, ensuring your phone stays up-to-date and secure for years to come.
Camera Capabilities
The camera system on the Samsung M35 is decent for a mid-range phone. The rear setup consists of a triple-lens system: a 48MP main sensor, a 5MP ultrawide sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. The main sensor can capture good-quality photos in well-lit conditions, but low-light performance is a bit underwhelming. The ultrawide sensor is handy for capturing expansive landscapes, while the depth sensor helps with portrait mode shots.
The front-facing camera is a 16MP sensor, which is perfectly adequate for video calls and selfies. Overall, the camera system on the M35 won't win any awards, but it's more than capable of capturing everyday moments.
Long-Lasting Battery Life
One of the hallmarks of the Samsung M series has always been its massive batteries, and the M35 is no exception. The phone packs a whopping 6,000mAh battery, which can easily last you a full day, or even two, on a single charge. With moderate usage, you can expect to get up to 1.5 to 2 days of battery life out of the M35. This is a major selling point for users who are tired of constantly reaching for their charger.
The M35 also supports 25W fast charging, which allows you to quickly top up your battery when you're running low. While not the fastest charging solution on the market, 25W is still plenty fast for most users.
Verdict: Is the Samsung M35 Right for You?
So, is the Samsung M35 the new budget champion? It's certainly a strong contender. The phone offers a stunning display, powerful performance, long-lasting battery life, and a decent camera system, all at a competitive price point.
Here's a quick breakdown of the pros and cons to help you decide:
Pros:
- Stunning 6.6-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Powerful Exynos 1380 chipset
- Up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
- Latest Android 14 with One UI 6.1
- Long-lasting 6,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging
Cons:
- Plastic build quality (might feel less premium