Samsung Galaxy M35 5G review: Functionality over flair

Samsung Galaxy M series is quite popular when it comes to affordable and value for money smartphones. Although the Galaxy M series phones may not have a special feature that stands them apart from the rest, the devices are known to offer balanced performance in all the segments and cater to a wider audience who does not require flagship level features but a smooth experience. Recently, Samsung expanded its Galaxy M range with the addition of a new model, Samsung Galaxy M35 5G. Succeeding the Galaxy M34 5G launched last year, the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G gets few design tweaks and minor hardware upgrades. The company offers the Galaxy M35 5G in three RAM and storage configurations - 6GB/128GB, 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB. We got a chance to use the 8GB/256GB variant of the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G and here's what we think of the smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy M35 5G review: Design

Samsung Galaxy M35 5G is shipped in a conventional Samsung box. Along with the smartphone, the box includes type-C cable, safety guide and a SIM ejector tool. Coming to the smartphone, one can not help but notice the pattern on the rear panel. The Galaxy M35 5G's back is shiny but it doesn't have too much bling like other phones in the market. It also does not attract fingerprints but it can be pretty slippery at times. At the rear, the smartphone also features a minimalist badging that blends into the pattern, along with a vertically aligned triple camera setup and a small flashlight.

The polycarbonate material for the rear and the plastic used on the body makes the smartphone smooth to hold but unfortunately, it is quite bulky. You may find it tiring to use the phone with a single hand for an extended period of time due to its weight. it. The USB-C port and speaker grille are placed at the bottom edge of the smartphone. The left side sports the SIM tray while the right side gets the power button and volume rockers. The positioning of buttons make the Galaxy M35 5G secure to use with a single hand but the weight and thick edges take away the charm.

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Samsung Galaxy M35 5G review: Display

The front of the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G is occupied by a 6.6-inch full-HD+ display with a punch-hole cutout at the top that houses the selfie camera. The device gets quite thick bezels and curved edges which add to the bulky appeal of the device. The smartphone gets Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection at the front, which is quite rare when looking at the price point. The Galaxy M35 5G also comes with 120Hz refresh rate and support for Widevine L1 for full HD content. The overall display experience on the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G turned out to be quite decent.

Streaming videos on the Galaxy M35 5G is at par due to thick bezels but vibrant output. The OneUI 6.1 based on Android 14 allows you to tweak the settings to get the best out of Galaxy M35 5G's display. With around 1000 nits of peak brightness, the display is quite easy on the eyes even in harsh sunlight. We did not face any issues with the viewing angles either.

Samsung Galaxy M35 5G review: Camera

When it comes to camera, the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G features a triple-camera setup at the rear that consists of a 50MP primary sensor with OIS, 8MP ultra wide sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. The images that we clicked from the Galaxy M35 5G turned out to be pretty decent. Just like other Samsung phones, the Galaxy M35 5G does add saturation or enhance colours in the photo while processing. The camera provides good output under well-lit conditions however, the low-light photography of Galaxy M35 5G is at just at par.

Another thing worth appreciating about the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G's camera is the user interface. The UI of Galaxy M35's camera app is simple and feels like a breeze to use. It does not have needless modes that one rarely uses. We also tried our hand on the portrait photos that use the depth sensor. The image turned out to be surprisingly well and the edge detection was better than expected. At the front, the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G gets a 13MP camera. The punch-hole selfie camera is quite clear and produces decent photos to share on social media platforms.

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Samsung Galaxy M35 5G review: Performance

Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G is powered by Samsung's in-house Exynos 1380 chipset. The SoC is paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The smartphone offers smooth day-to-day performance but we were surprised to see some lag while moving from one app to another. The issue remained even after installing the latest update. To be clear, the lag was quite rare and one won't even notice it during regular usage.

The smartphone runs Android 14-based OneUI 6.1 OS out of the box making it quite customisable. Just like its other smartphones in this price segment, the Galaxy M35 5G does get some bloatware but their are a few decent pre-installed apps that make it really easy to setup the device The OS experience is quite similar to the other Samsung phones, which in our opinion is only for the better.

Gaming on the smartphone is pretty decent. The smartphone comes with a vapour-cooling chamber that keeps the device cool during extended gaming. The device didn't heat up while charging or while recording long videos or even after a couple of matches in Call of Duty. The wide viewing angles and responsive touch adds to the overall gaming experience. For daily usage, this device will easily cater to your needs without much hassle.

Samsung Galaxy M35 5G review: Battery

Samsung Galaxy M35 5G is backed by a 6,000 mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. Samsung Galaxy M35 5G can easily last around two days with mixed usage that includes light gaming, video streaming, social media and video calls, which is way more than we expected from the device. However, the charging speed of the smartphone is relatively slow.

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Samsung Galaxy M35 5G review: Verdict

Samsung Galaxy M35 5G is a pretty good pick for buyers who seek an affordable smartphone with balanced overall performance. While it lacks standout features, it delivers reliable performance with its Exynos 1380 chipset, 8GB of RAM, and a decent 6.6-inch display. The design, though bulky, is functional, and the camera setup captures good-quality images, particularly in well-lit conditions. Battery life impresses with around two days of use, though charging is slower than competitors. Overall, the Galaxy M35 5G offers value for its price, making it a practical option for users who prioritise functionality over flair.