Only this weekend! Samsung Discover deals! Galaxy S24 Ultra, Watch 6, Z Fold 5 or, Z Flip 5.

SamMobile has affiliate and sponsored partnerships. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn a commission.

Notifications
    News for you

    Galaxy A34 5G hands-on: The real 2023 mid-range hero for Samsung?

    Review
    By 

    Last updated: March 18th, 2023 at 01:14 UTC+01:00

    Last year, the Galaxy A3x lineup really came into its own with the launch of the Galaxy A33 5G. The A33 brought a major change to the lineup: it pretty much took over the position held previously by the Galaxy A5x series, both because of the features it offered and because the A53 5G was a little too costly compared to its predecessors.

    And with the Galaxy A54 5G costing more than the A53, the Galaxy A34 5G, which launched alongside the A54 5G, is even more important. Like the A33 5G from 2022, the A34 5G offers many of the same impressive specs that you get on the new A5x model, like a 120Hz AMOLED display, stereo speakers, IP67 dust and water resistance, 5,000 mAh battery with 25W charging support, and the latest software with a promise of four major OS upgrades.

    Galaxy A34 5G hands-on: A tough challenge for Samsung's own Galaxy A54

    However, it is also priced more reasonably, especially given the current global economic climate. Sure, it has some lower-end specs. It has a 6nm MediaTek Dimensity chip with fewer performance-focused processor cores instead of Samsung's spanking new 5nm Exynos 1380 SoC, slightly lower-resolution main and ultra-wide rear cameras, a lower-res selfie camera, an outdated front-facing design that uses a V-shaped notch to house that selfie camera, and a plastic back.

    But none of that will really be a matter of concern for most customers, especially when they look at the price difference between the A34 5G and the A54 5G. The A54 5G's price tag almost puts it in flagship-killer territory, and it's the A34 5G that could steal all the limelight as far as actual sales are concerned.

    Galaxy A34 5G hands-on

    And no, I'm not saying that just based on the spec sheet. I have had the chance to play with a Galaxy A34 5G for nearly half a day at the time of this writing, and while I need to test it more once I'm done with the Galaxy A54 5G, my initial experience suggests the A34 5G is the phone with the best specs-to-price ratio in Samsung's 2023 mid-range lineup (at least the lineup that has been revealed until March).

    My time with the device has been short, but even then, I feel like not having Samsung's Exynos chip is actually a good thing. The Galaxy A34 5G seems smoother — or rather, has less stutter than the A54 5G — out of the box.

    Once again, I'm presented with evidence that Samsung Exynos chips always seem the least optimized, whether they're going up against Qualcomm chips or MediaTek chips, especially when you consider general use that includes navigating through the user interface, switching between apps, app opening speed, browsing, etc.

    I do have a problem with the design, though. That Infinity-V display is surrounded by uneven bezels, with the bottom bezel larger than the other sides. The rear is quite similar to the Galaxy S23, which I believe is nice if design consistency is your thing. But the front side of the phone is what you'll spend most of your time looking at, and the Galaxy A34 5G looks too outdated in 2023. (Apologies for the lack of photos of the front of the phone in this hands-on; the weather was far from ideal when we captured these photos.)

    Again, I haven't used the A34 5G for long so I can't really offer any conclusive judgements right now. But it just feels like the more attractive proposition compared to the Galaxy A54 5G. Which of the two phones will come out on top as far as the overall experience and the value-for-money quotient are concerned? Well, watch out for our review of both phones to find out!

    PhoneReview Galaxy A34 5G

    You might also like

    Best Samsung Phones in February 2024 – Picked by experts

    Best Samsung Phones in February 2024 – Picked by experts

    Given the sheer number of devices that it releases every year, finding the best Samsung phones can often prove to be a challenge for most customers. It doesn't matter if you want a flagship or a budget device. Samsung offers plenty of options for all price ranges. To make it easier for you to find […]

    • By Adnan Farooqui
    • 1 month ago
    Best cheap Android phones 2024 by Samsung

    Best cheap Android phones 2024 by Samsung

    The search for the best cheap Android phones can often be daunting. There are just so many manufacturers to choose from. The cheapest phones aren't made alike, though. The budget options you choose should offer respectable specs, decent performance and good software support. This can often be lacking in devices from other manufacturers. However, Samsung […]

    • By Adnan Farooqui
    • 2 months ago
    Samsung launches loyalty program for Galaxy A phones in India

    Samsung launches loyalty program for Galaxy A phones in India

    Samsung has launched the Upgrade To Awesome loyalty program in India. It offers benefits to users who are upgrading from older Galaxy A, Galaxy J, and Galaxy On series smartphones (launched before 2020) to newer Galaxy A series smartphones with 5G capabilities. Benefits include a premium screen protection plan. When upgrading to the Galaxy A14 […]

    • By Asif Iqbal Shaik
    • 4 months ago
    Galaxy A34 5G gets updated with August 2023 security patch

    Galaxy A34 5G gets updated with August 2023 security patch

    Over the past week, Samsung has been rolling out the August 2023 security update to several mid-range and high-end phones. The Galaxy A34 5G is the latest phone to get the new security update, and the new software is now available on the device in Latin American countries. The latest Galaxy A34 5G software update […]

    • By Asif Iqbal Shaik
    • 7 months ago
    Galaxy A34 5G gets May 2023 security update

    Galaxy A34 5G gets May 2023 security update

    Samsung has released the May 2023 security update to one more mid-range smartphone released this year: Galaxy A34 5G. Two variants of the smartphone have started getting the new security update: SM-A346B and SM-A346E. The device is getting updated in African, Asian, and European countries. Where has Galaxy A34 5G received May 2023 security update? […]

    • By Asif Iqbal Shaik
    • 10 months ago
    Samsung brings Enterprise Editions of Galaxy A14, A34, and A54 to Australia

    Samsung brings Enterprise Editions of Galaxy A14, A34, and A54 to Australia

    Samsung has launched Enterprise Editions of the Galaxy A14 (4G), Galaxy A34 5G, and Galaxy A54 5G in Australia. These phones come with enhanced security, tools, applications, and support needed for enterprise businesses. They also come with one year of Samsung Knox Suite, which offers multi-layered protection against malware, hacking, and other cyber threats. Enterprise […]

    • By Asif Iqbal Shaik
    • 10 months ago