Choosing your next mid-range phone

• 

  Samsung Galaxy A35

  Big screen beauty

  $360 $400 Save $40

  The Galaxy A35 leads Samsung’s Galaxy A-series in the US. It’s a midrange smartphone with the Exynos 1380 chip, a 6.6-inch display, and a 5,000mAh battery.

  Pros

  • Beautiful display
  • Long software support period
  • MicroSD card slot

  Cons

  • Performance can be sluggish at times

• 

  Google Pixel 7a

  Camera champ

  $420 $499 Save $79

  The Google Pixel 7a is a solid midrange smartphone powered by the company’s Tensor G2 chip. It packs a 6.1-inch screen and a 4,385mAh battery.

  Pros

  • Excellent camera performance
  • Wireless charging support
  • Clean software

  Cons

  • Will only get one more major Android update

The Samsung Galaxy A35 is part of the company’s popular Galaxy A-series, which has produced many excellent midrange and budget smartphones. Google’s Pixel A-series has also done great in the midrange segment, and its Pixel 7a is well-liked among camera enthusiasts and anyone looking for a well-rounded smartphone. So how does the new Samsung midranger stack up against Google’s Pixel 7a, which will only get cheaper now that the Pixel 8a has been revealed? Let’s find out.

Price, availability, and specs

The Samsung Galaxy A35, available in a single 128GB model in the US, is competitively priced at $400. It offers the flexibility of being purchased unlocked or in AT&T, T-Mobile, and US Cellular variants, all of which are widely available. This ensures you can easily find a model that suits your needs and budget.

On the other hand, the Google Pixel 7a was initially introduced at $499 in 2023 for the sub-6GHz 5G version (unlocked, AT&T, and Google Fi). However, it’s frequently discounted to $349, which will likely happen more often now that the Pixel 8a is available. It even comes in a mmWave 5G variant, exclusive to Verizon, with a list price of $549. The phone is also widely available in three color options. The fourth coral variant is slightly more challenging to find.

Here is a quick summary of the raw specifications of the two phones before we delve into the details.

• 	Samsung Galaxy A35	Google Pixel 7a
  SoC	Samsung Exynos 1380	Google Tensor G2
  Display type	Super AMOLED, 120Hz	OLED, 60-90Hz variable
  Display dimensions	6.6-inch	6.1″ 20:9
  Display resolution	1080 x 2340 pixels	2400 ×1080
  RAM	6GB, 8GB	8GB LPDDR5
  Storage	128GB, 256GB	128GB
  Battery	5,000mAh	4,385mAh
  Charge speed	25W wired	18W wired, 7.5W wireless
  Ports	USB Type-C	USB-C
  Operating System	Android 14, One UI 6.1	Android 13
  Front camera	13MP f/2.2	13MP, f/2.2
  Rear camera	50MP f/1.8 (primary), 8MP f/2.2 (ultrawide), 5MP f/2.4 (macro)	64MP, f/1.9 main with OIS; 13MP, f/2.2 ultrawide
  Wi-Fi connectivity	Wi-Fi 6	Wi-Fi 6E
  Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
  Dimensions	161.7 x 78.0 x 8.2mm	152.4 x 72.9 x 9mm
  Weight	209g	193g
  IP Rating	IP67	IP67
  Colors	Ice Blue, Lilac, Lime, Navy	Charcoal, Snow, Sea, Coral

Design and display

The Galaxy A35 and Pixel 7a have their own unique design language. While they share some similarities, especially on the front, the Samsung and Google offerings diverge in many aspects. For instance, the Pixel 7a is compact and features a distinctive camera bar on the rear. It proudly displays antenna lines on its curvy sides. In contrast, the Galaxy A35 opts for a sleeker look with flat sides and no visible antenna lines. These design choices reflect the aesthetic preferences of the two brands.

Moreover, the Galaxy A35 features a glass back for a more premium look, while Google has a plastic back to trim overall costs. That said, both phones are rated IP67 for dust and water resistance and can handle up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. The rest of the build quality is also excellent in the two phones, but the presence of an aluminum frame instead of a plastic one certainly goes in favor of the Pixel 7a. The Pixel 7a’s smaller size and plastic back also make it lighter than the Galaxy A35. This should help in the overall handling.

On the display front, the Galaxy A35 has a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a full-HD+ resolution. Although you also get a full-HD+ OLED screen on the Pixel 7a, it has a smaller 6.1-inch size and a lower 90Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy A35 display is also covered by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ compared to the Gorilla Glass 3 in the Pixel 7a.

Software

Software is a big part of any smartphone’s experience. So, while the underlying software on the Galaxy A35 is pretty good, the not-so-powerful processor lets it down. Otherwise, barring the bloatware, Samsung’s One UI has become quite refined and has some helpful customizations. Of course, you don’t get fancy features like Galaxy AI, like the more expensive Samsung phones, but the overall software is pretty neat. The company also promises to provide four major OS updates and five years of security updates, which is excellent for a midrange phone.

The Pixel 7a software is largely stock, except for the Pixel-specific customizations, such as the impressive call recorder app, various photo editing tools, call enhancement options, and the useful Now Playing lock screen widget. The phone was originally introduced with Android 13 but has since been updated to Android 14. However, it will only get two further major Android updates. The security updates will continue until May 2028, though.

Performance and battery life

Samsung and Google have opted for their own chips in the Galaxy A35 and the Pixel 7a, respectively. The A35 uses Exynos 1380, whereas the Pixel 7a has Tensor G2. While the Tensor may not have reached the level of refinement as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8-series chips, it’s still a flagship-grade chip, which shows in the Pixel 7a’s performance, barring a few odd issues.

Sadly, the Exynos 1380 is a midrange chipset and cannot match the snappiness of the Tensor G2. As we noted in our review, the A35 can sometimes feel sluggish, and while it’s not a massive problem, it’s still noticeable. Overheating is a problem with both the Galaxy A35 and the Pixel 7a, but it’s more prominent on the Samsung phone.

The Samsung phone may not have a flagship-grade chip, but it shines on the battery front. It not only has a larger battery than the Pixel 7a, but it also performs better. So you can expect more than a full day of battery backup with the Samsung offering, but the Pixel 7a will last you about a day with similar usage. You also get faster 25W wired charging on the A35 than 18W on the Pixel 7a. However, Google has included wireless charging support, though at only 7.5W.

In terms of connectivity, the phones have NFC and Bluetooth 5.3. Plus, the Pixel has Wi-Fi 6E, and the Samsung phone has Wi-Fi 6 support. However, Wi-Fi 6E is only beneficial if you have a compatible Wi-Fi router in your home. Google also gives you a faster USB 3.2 Gen 2 port than the Galaxy A35’s USB 2.0 port. The faster USB-C port on the Pixel will undoubtedly come in handy if you frequently transfer data to and from your computer.

Camera

The Pixel phones have long excelled on the camera front, thanks to the company’s impressive computational photography chops, and that’s not changing with the Pixel 7a. The 64MP primary shooter-led camera setup on the phone captures fantastic photos in both good and poor lighting conditions. Video recording is also good; the phone does an excellent job of removing any shakiness from your video when using the primary camera.

Although Samsung’s Galaxy A35 can’t match Pixel quality, it doesn’t have shabby cameras by any stretch. It takes respectable shots that are more than sufficient for daily photography. However, the camera performance depends on the lighting in the scene. So, while you won’t have any issues during daylight, you will have to be careful about your shots in less-than-ideal situations.

Which should you buy?

The Samsung Galaxy A35 and the Pixel 7a are both capable smartphones. However, the Pixel 7a has been on the market for an entire year now, and it is frequently discounted to $350, which is better value for money than the A35. But don’t pay the sticker price for it. It also packs impressive cameras, clean software, and a respectable display. Plus, you can get mmWave 5G support if you choose the Verizon variant. Remember that the Pixel 7a will only get two more major Android OS updates.

However, if you prefer a larger display or a bigger battery and want Samsung’s One UI customizations, the Galaxy A35 is a good alternative. Its 6.6-inch display looks beautiful, and it will receive four major Android upgrades and security updates until 2029. Moreover, the camera performance is respectable, the design looks sleek, and you get expandable storage.