Samsung's new Galaxy A35 is very similar to your Galaxy A34 in many aspects but vastly different in others. Camera-wise, the 2024 model borrows almost every sensor from the Galaxy A34 but sports a different 50MP primary wide shooter instead of a 48MP unit. And here's how big a difference this new configuration makes, according to independent reviewer DxOMark.
The Galaxy A35 captures better photos and records higher-quality videos than the Galaxy A34 while offering improved capabilities in lowlight conditions.
The difference might not be like night and day in every area, but the Galaxy A35 is good enough to climb up DxOMark's budget camera phone rankings and claim 2nd place, whereas the Galaxy A34 stays 7th.
Galaxy A34 has better zoom but not much else
According to DxOMark's scores, the Galaxy A34 — the 136th camera phone in the global ranking and 7th in the $200-$400 price bracket — has better zoom than the Galaxy A35.
The 2023 model scores 76 points in the “Zoom” sub-category, while the 2024 sequel scores 71. However, that's where the Galaxy A34 stops winning over the A35.
Samsung's new A-series budget phone seems to take better photos and videos in a wider variety of conditions and low light, generates improved Bokeh blur effects, and records better videos. In fact, within the $200-$400 range, it looks like the A35's camera setup is bested only by the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G.
DxOMark's summary for the Galaxy A34 also mentions that the phone's microphones pick up finger noises too easily when recording videos, and audio playback from recordings has a “slight lack of bass.” These issues were not listed in the Galaxy A35 summary, so perhaps the new model no longer has them.
Nevertheless, the source still mentions that the new phone has limited performance in low-light conditions. It is better than the A34, but still not good enough to be deemed a phone geared for low-light photography and videography within the wider scope of the global ranking. Obviously, there are pricier phones that perform better than the A34 and A35 in many areas.
But should you leave the Galaxy A34 behind and buy a Galaxy A35 in hopes of getting more from its cameras? Maybe yes, assuming you can find a good trade-in deal and upgrade from the A34 to the A35 for pennies.
Otherwise, probably not, unless you also want an Exynos 1380 chip instead of the MediaTek Dimensity 1080, an Infinity-O display with better Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection instead of Infinity-U with Gorilla Glass 5 from almost a decade ago, Wi-Fi 6 capabilities, and newer firmware out of the box.
