It’s been less than a week since I received the Samsung Galaxy A35 5G, introduced in March 2024. When I first took it out of the box, I knew instantly that it i The A35 is 209g compared to the A34 at 199g. s slightly heavier than my trusty A34 and in fact, it is. The A35 feels sturdier thanks to its more premium design than its predecessor. The A35 has a glass back while the A34 has a plastic back, this is what makes it feel more high-end than the A34.
With its 6.6″ Super AMOLED display (same dimensions as the A34), watching videos or playing games is very stress-free on the eyes. The Awesome Lilac colour is my favourite of the colours available, the others being Iceblue and Navy. The back of the phone is like a rainbow prism as under sunlight or even partial sunlight, you can see various colours on the back. I bought a casing for the A35 but I have yet to put it into the casing as I like looking at the rainbow colours whenever I am outdoors.
The design features a linear camera layout and a flat side frame for a sleek look and feel. The A35’s cameras have the same specs as the A34 other than the 50MP Main Camera on the A35 compared to the A34. While it has decent enough zoom features, one cannot compare it to the superior zoom features on the S24 series especially the S24 Ultra which I reviewed recently You do get what you pay for! The S series really are in a class of their own.
What really sets the A35 apart from the A34 is the addition of Samsung Knox Vault in the A35. Knox Vault was created to enhance the hacking defense mechanism (Trustzone) provided by existing Samsung devices. Originally, Samsung terminals protect sensitive information such as passwords, biometric recognition data, and encryption keys through a space called Trustzone. TrustZone has the ability to control and audit software that interacts with the Android system and makes it possible to control from bootloader to Android framework through the boot process. This control plays a key role in allowing IT administrators to monitor apps running on devices.
Although it is difficult to understand, Trustzone can be seen as a device that protects major information by utilizing a specific space in the AP. For example, if an OS is infected with malicious code, it detects it during runtime. In addition, various passwords or certificates are stored in a specific space to manage them safely. It checks whether the kernel or system software has been modified and detects any changes to keep your smartphone safe.
However, Trustzone is vulnerable to side channel attacks because it runs other operating systems along with Android on the same processor. On the other hand, Knox Vault can prevent side channel attacks because it works completely independently of the processor.
Smartphone APs are chips that do not have the function of increasing the HW security level, so they are vulnerable to HW supplementation, but Knox Vault stores information using secure ICs that are resistant to HW attacks. Therefore, Knox Vault provides a higher level of security from HW and SW hacking than the existing Trustzone.
In other words, you can think of the Secure IC used by Knox Vault as a chip that has enhanced resistance to HW attacks such as electrical contact, laser attack, light or power failure. The Secure IC is a separate space from the AP, so it can also prevent side channel attacks.
I get a lot of scam calls, there’s at least one every week, sometimes a few in a week and I always hang up before the caller can even tell me what they want. I have been blocking dozens of numbers. With Smart Call in the A35, this function gives a lot more security: Smart Call is a function that you can activate on your own discretion via settings.
- No more staring at your phone debating whether to pick up or not. Report or block spam calls with ease.
- The Smart Call function lets you know who’s calling even when the number isn’t on your contact list.
- Before or after you respond to a spam call, you can choose to block or report the number so you won’t be harassed twice.
The Galaxy A35 5G comes with an improved NPU and enhanced sensor that makes photos clear with detail even in the dark. From nightscapes to night portraits, you’ll get more detail in every shot.
The 6.6-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-O display has a 120Hz smooth high-refresh rate and 1,000 nits of brightness. Vision Booster can give you crystal-clear outdoor visibility even in direct sunlight. I have no problems reading emails or messages under direct sunlight. Also, the sound system is awesome (is there a better word?) for a phone not in the Galaxy premium range.
Let’s not forget the 5,000mAh (typical) battery designed to keep you connected for 2 days and recharge with Super Fast Charging. It charges super fast and the battery certainly lasts for over a day especially if you aren’t using the phone much.
For more information on the Galaxy A35 5G series, visit:
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