The Galaxy S24 may have taken the spotlight earlier this year, but Samsung hasn’t neglected its wallet-friendly A-series line. The new Galaxy A35 5G, which launches on April 18 in the US at $400, feels like a promising option for those seeking an Android phone with a large display and a big battery to back it up. The company previously announced the phone but only just confirmed the US release date.
The Galaxy A35 5G’s large 6.6-inch screen sets it apart from competing budget options made by Apple and Google. But Samsung’s phone compromises in other ways to achieve that $400 price. Unlike the $429 iPhone SE and $499 Pixel 7A, for example, the Galaxy A35 5G doesn’t run on the same processor as other premium phones that launched around the same time.
But for those who just want a simple and affordable Android phone with a large screen, it’ll likely do just fine. We’ll know for sure when we’ve had the chance to spend an extended period of time with the Galaxy A35 5G.
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Samsung’s Galaxy A35 5G
That includes the 6.1-inch Google Pixel 7A, which I praised last year for its excellent cameras and similarities to the Pixel 7. The third-generation iPhone SE is even smaller at 4.7 inches. The Galaxy A35 5G’s extra screen space could help Samsung stand out, especially as Google is expected to announce the Pixel 8A shortly. The screen also has a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling, a feature that was once considered premium but is now becoming available on cheaper phones.
The Galaxy A35 5G notably has a 5,000-mAh battery, which is the same size as the battery inside the top-of-the-line Galaxy S24 Ultra. It’s not uncommon for Samsung to put large batteries in its budget devices, as was the case with last year’s Galaxy A54 5G. Still, it’s reassuring to see such a large battery in a relatively affordable device — although it’s important to remember that software and power efficiency play a big role in battery life, too.
Where you’ll really notice the difference between the Galaxy A35 5G and pricier Samsung phones is in its cameras. The Galaxy A35 5G has a 50-megapixel main camera, but it lacks the dedicated telephoto camera you’ll find on phones in the Galaxy S line. The ultrawide camera is also a lower 8-megapixel resolution compared to the Galaxy S24’s 12-megapixel sensor. Like other A-series phones, the Galaxy A35 5G also has a 5-megapixel macro camera.
While I haven’t had the chance to really put the camera to the test, the few shots I captured in Samsung’s demo area looked crisp enough on the Galaxy A35 5G’s screen. Samsung also says the phone can take portrait mode photos in the dark, although I didn’t get to try this in the brightly lit demo area.
