Samsung Galaxy M35 Review: Pros, Cons and Verdict | MySmartPrice (2024)

Samsung’s M-series typically sits comfortably under Rs 25,000, a space crowded with offerings from Realme, OnePlus, Nothing, Vivo and Redmi. In this competitive arena, Samsung is trying to stir things up with the Galaxy M35.

So, does this budget contender really stack up with features that users will rave about, or is it just another entry in a crowded market? Read my full review to see if the Galaxy M35 is a good choice for you.

Samsung Galaxy M35 Review: Pricing and Availability in India

The Samsung Galaxy M35 is available in three variants on Samsung eStore, Amazon and Flipkart.

Samsung Galaxy M35 Review: Design and Display

I got my hands on the Light Blue colourway, which reminds me of my math notebook from school—the design features grids on the back panel. The camera module resembles that of the Galaxy S24 series, and the glossy back panel had me anxious about scratches when used without a case.

Contrary to what most phones aim for, the Galaxy M35 feels quite chunky and heavy, nearly as weighty as my iPhone 14 Pro Max. The power button on the right side also functions as a fingerprint sensor and works reliably.

The display is good, but the bezels are noticeably thick. Since I’m not used to such wide bezels, my eyes keep drifting back to them.

The 120Hz refresh rate is a redeeming feature, providing smooth scrolling with no noticeable issues. I watched high-quality videos on YouTube, and the colours were vibrant and punchy, typical of Samsung displays.

The company stated that this phone has a brightness of 1,000 nits, but my testing showed it reached 1,364 nits, which is impressive.

On Netflix, the phone supports Widevine L1 but lacks HDR capabilities, which could have enhanced the overall experience. That said, watching shows like Emily in Paris was quite a fun affair because the display produces vibrant colours of the French capital very well. The stereo speakers are also good, providing you with a balanced phone for multimedia purposes.

Samsung Galaxy M35 Review: Performance and Software

The Samsung Galaxy M35 is powered by an in-house chipset, as listed in the table below. In synthetic benchmarks, it cannot catch up to similarly priced smartphones.

This smartphone does just fine with everyday tasks like scrolling through Instagram, binge-watching YouTube videos, and chatting or making calls. When it comes to gaming, though, it’s a bit like bringing a butter knife to a sword fight. I played Call of Duty: Mobile on it, and my experience wasn’t the best.

My hour-long gaming session was a mixed bag. On Low and Max graphics settings, the frame rate peaked at 60 fps and dipped to 51 fps. Thankfully, there were no major or constant frame drops, so the gameplay was decent—smooth enough not to make me rage quit.

However, when I cranked it up to High and Very High graphics settings, I got 60 fps at best and 56 fps at worst. While those numbers might look good on paper, the actual gameplay was about as smooth as a gravel road. Lag and stutter were frequent guests, and the upper part of the device turned into a mini heater, making the whole experience less enjoyable.

So, the Samsung Galaxy M35 is great for casual use and light gaming, but if you’re a hardcore gamer, you might want to look elsewhere—perhaps at the Infinix GT 20 Pro, OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite, or the Realme 13+.

This phone comes with One UI 6.1, based on Android 14, and includes some bloatware like Snapchat, PhonePe, Amazon, Spotify, and Netflix.

Overall, the software runs smoothly, offering features like Bixby, a Side Button to launch apps, Multi-window, and Labs. While the UI might not be the cleanest, it’s easy to use. And on the bright side, Samsung is offering a generous number of software updates—something that almost no other manufacturer offers in this price range.

Samsung Galaxy M35 Review: Cameras

The Galaxy M35 features a triple rear-camera setup with a 50-megapixel primary shooter leading the pack.

In daylight, the camera performs admirably, capturing vibrant shots. I took some landscape photos from my balcony and was pleased with how the greenery appeared. However, there were occasional issues with white balance, though these were rare, and most of the images were ready for social media.

Samsung Galaxy M35 Camera Samples

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On the downside, I wasn’t impressed with the ultra-wide shots. I noticed some graininess around the edges, even in bright conditions.

In low light, the performance isn’t as strong. The images often show noticeable noise, especially when photographing direct light sources.

Portrait mode is impressive, with well-executed background blur, and selfies look quite natural—I could see fine details like pores and blemishes in the final images. If you are into shooting videos, the Galaxy M35 can record videos at up to 4K 30fps using its back and front camera.

Samsung Galaxy M35 Review: Battery and Charging

Samsung no longer includes charging adapters with their devices, so you’ll need to budget extra for a charging adapter when purchasing this smartphone.

I charged this phone using a 68W PD charger, and it took nearly two hours to go from zero to full charge, which is quite slow.

On the bright side, this phone features a larger battery compared to most models available in 2024, which also makes it a bit thicker. However, during the PC Mark battery test, it didn’t last as long as I had hoped. I was expecting at least 17 to 18 hours.

In terms of every day battery performance, I managed to use the phone for nearly a day and a half with light to moderate usage. For heavy users, expect it to last a maximum of one day.

Samsung Galaxy M35 Review: Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy M35 delivers a solid multimedia experience, dependable battery life, and decent daylight photography. That said, the dated design and bulky build might deter some buyers.

While it may not perform brilliantly in the synthetic benchmarks, the phone manages to deal with almost everything thrown at it in daily usage. If top-notch gaming is what you’re after, you might want to look at alternatives like the Infinix GT 20 Pro and the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite.

But if you’re in the market for a compact phone with a curved display in this price range, the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion might just be your new best friend.

However, none of the above phones provide you with a long software update cycle like the Galaxy M35.