The US doesn't have quite as many Android smartphone vendors in the affordable market segment as other markets, including Europe and the Middle East. The lack of competition in this segment means that customers in the United States have fewer options and don't get the same bang for their buck as they would elsewhere.
A lot of it has to do with the inability of Chinese OEMs to openly compete in the US market. While you'd find Android OEMs like Oppo, Vivo, ZTE, Huawei, Xiaomi, Redmi, and many others in markets across the globe, you won't find them in the United States, at least not at the scale at which they operate in other places.
These OEMs are fiercely competitive in the affordable market segment, often indulging in a race to the bottom for pricing. Samsung has had to contend with their aggressive pricing strategies in its key markets across Asia and the Middle East, where these OEMs threatened to overtake the company's dominant market position.
Samsung has responded by diversifying its product lineup, making them more competitive, and offering best-in-class software support, all of which have enabled it to withstand the onslaught of this relentless Chinese competition. Both aspects of this have worked out well for customers. The aggressive pricing strategies have made more capable mid-range phones more affordable for a lot of customers. Samsung's revamped lineup in this segment also delivers exceptional value.
Customers in the US have at times felt that their market is a proverbial desert when it comes to affordable yet capable Android phones. Sure, you can get some devices for around $100, but they're hardly useful for anything more than just making phone calls and sending text messages. Then there are the premium mid-range phones, like the Galaxy A55, often costing more than $500 and out of range for a lot of customers. A middle-of-the-road option was needed and Samsung has provided that to US customers with the new Galaxy A35.
The device has been available elsewhere for a while now, but it has finally been launched in the United States last week. Customers can buy the Galaxy A35 from Samsung.com at the very attractive price of $399. In the desert that is the affordable phone market in the US, the Galaxy A35 stands out as an oasis.
Affordable phones aren't necessarily viewed as the most durable, but the Galaxy A35 challenges that perception. It feels every bit as well made as Samsung's more expensive devices. It also boasts Gorilla Glass Victus+ screen protection, a glass back panel, and an IP67 water and dust resistance rating.
Its display is in a league of its own in this segment. The 6.6-inch Super AMOLED panel boasts a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach up to 1,620 nits of brightness, unheard of for devices in this segment. It has the same Exynos 1380 chipset that last year's premium mid-range Galaxy A54 used and comes with 6GB of RAM.
We mentioned in our Galaxy A35 review that it has a solid camera, great battery life, and decent performance even for some light gaming. The fact that it ships with Android 14 and One UI 6.1 is just the cherry on top, as customers will receive major Android OS upgrades for several years.
There's no other phone in this price segment right now for customers in the United States that provides the kind of specs, performance, and software support that the Galaxy A35 does. It's also a 5G-enabled phone, so you can take full advantage of your carrier's 5G network on this device. It comprehensively ticks all of the boxes while also providing the peace of mind that comes with buying a Samsung device. The company's nationwide support network provides you with ease of repair and service whenever the need arises.
If you're looking for a phone under $400, it's a no-brainer to just go ahead and buy the Galaxy A35 5G from Samsung.com. There's not going to be another device in this price range that can match this phone's value for money.
