Samsung Galaxy A34 Full Review: You Shouldn’t Miss

Samsung’s mid-range phones offer a compelling combination of affordability and quality. These devices provide a great alternative for individuals who don’t want to spend on flagship models but still desire a reliable and feature-rich smartphone experience.

Samsung’s mid-range lineup, such as the Galaxy A series, showcases impressive design aesthetics, powerful performance, and advanced features typically found in higher-end devices. They often feature vibrant displays, capable cameras, and long-lasting batteries to cater to various user needs.

Here is a Samsung Galaxy A34 full review, which comes with a decent 120Hz display protected by Gorilla Glass 5, plastic framed, and packed with a MediaTek Dimesity processor. Let’s walk together through the detailed review.

Design And Build

• 161.3 x 78.1 x 8.2 mm
• 199g weight
• Gorilla Glass 5 (front), plastic back, plastic frame

The A34 is a phone that falls into the category of larger devices, which has become commonplace for many mid-range phones nowadays. While it is slightly bigger than the Galaxy A54, measuring 161.3 x 78.1 x 8.2mm, it weighs slightly less, just under 200g.

Despite its plastic construction, the A34 feels comfortable to hold and gives off the impression of being more expensive than it is. Its resemblance to the S23 adds to its appeal, as most people would assume you are carrying Samsung’s latest and most advanced model at first glance. This aspect might be appealing to you if you value such appearances.

The frame of the phone features a curved design, the edges can feel slightly sharp. However, the primary criticism lies in the back panel, which can be depressed a little, giving it a flimsy sensation instead of a solid one. Also with the color choice, I find it fine, especially with the purple one.

The pleasing aspect is that the black bezel surrounding the screen maintains a nearly consistent thickness on all sides, and the front-facing camera is centrally positioned for symmetry. The phone gives the vibe of being a much more premium phone.

Display

• 6.6 inches
• Super AMOLED display
• 1080 X 2340 pixels resolution

The screen of this phone is 6.6 inches big and comes with AMOLED technology. This makes scrolling very smooth and the colors look bright and lively because the screen refreshes 120 times per second.

Additionally, the screen is very bright. Samsung says it can be as bright as 1000 nits, which means it is easier to see the screen when you are outside, especially compared to other phones that cost about the same. The screen resolution is not the highest available, but it is still good enough as it is Full HD+.

The phone has a special fingerprint sensor under the screen. When I tested it, sometimes it didn’t work perfectly. It had trouble recognizing a finger that was just registered. However, most of the time it worked well, although it had a few small problems here and there. It is important to know that other ways of unlocking the phone, like using your face, are not as secure. Using a PIN, password, or pattern to unlock the phone is also not as easy.

Performance

• Mediatek MT6877V Dimensity 1080
• Mali-G68 MC4 GPU

In an unusual move, Samsung has chosen to use a MediaTek processor (MediaTek Dimesity 1080) instead of its own Exynos chipsets for the Galaxy A34.

However, this decision proves to be a good one, as the Dimensity 1080 processor delivers ample power, resulting in a fast and responsive experience when using the A34. You won’t experience any lag when swiping between home screens or navigating through menus. Additionally, the Galaxy A34 supports 5G connectivity, just like the Galaxy A54.

While it may not be a gaming powerhouse, the device still offers sufficient performance for most games, even if you need to lower the detail settings a bit to achieve smooth frame rates.To further assess its performance, we conducted synthetic benchmark tests. In Geekbench 6, the device achieved a single-core score of 973 and a multi-core score of 2001.

In 3D marks wildlife test, it ranks above 77% score.

The high-refresh-rate display makes scrolling through social media feeds feel smooth and fast. The model of the A34 that comes in Nepal is with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage.

Located on the top edge of the phone, there is a dual-SIM tray. One of the slots can be used to expand the storage capacity up to 1TB. If you prefer to use two SIM cards, both slots support 5G connectivity.

OS and UI

• Android 13
• One UI 5.1
• 4 Years OS Update & 5 Years Security Update

The Galaxy A34 comes with Android 13 pre-installed, accompanied by Samsung’s One UI 5.1 interface. The interface is visually appealing and user-friendly.

The notification system is organized and convenient, while the quick settings tray provides shortcuts for managing Media Output (choosing audio and video destinations) and Device Control, which includes handy shortcuts to Samsung SmartThings.

On a positive note, the A34 receives the same software update treatment as Samsung’s flagship phones. The company guarantees four years of OS updates (up to Android 16) and five years of security updates. This is a significant advantage compared to many other phones that usually offer only two or three Android updates at most.

Camera

• 48MP, wide, PDAF, OIS
• 8MP, ultrawide
• 5MP, macro
• 13MP selfie

Talking about the camera and the main camera delivers the best photo quality. When outdoors in bright lighting conditions, the photos exhibit remarkable detail and sharpness. However, when capturing indoor shots, the sharpness diminishes, and it becomes crucial for subjects such as kids or pets to remain still to avoid blurry results.

In low-light or dimly lit situations, the A34 cameras face challenges compared to the top-tier phones available. Unless the phone is stabilized as it comes with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on a solid surface and there is no movement in the scene, one should not expect outstanding results during nighttime photography.

The third camera on the phone is a macro lens. It is included just to add to the number of cameras, but you probably won’t use it much after trying it out when you first get the phone.

The selfie camera automatically applies a beautifying effect, but you can turn it off if you prefer a more natural look. The 13MP camera doesn’t capture a lot of fine details, which can be helpful if you want to hide some wrinkles. It’s also fun that the selfie mode includes built-in Snapchat filters.

By default, the video resolution on the phone is set to 1080p at 30 frames per second (fps). Videos recorded using this setting are of good quality, featuring effective stabilization and reasonable audio. It can capture in 4K resolution too but that doesn’t come with stabilization. However, I loved the default setting.

Battery

• 5000mAh battery 
• 25W charging 
• No adapter included 

The Galaxy A34 comes with a 5000mAh battery, which is typical for Samsung phones. Due to the power-efficient Dimensity chipset, this phone can last up to two days if not heavily used.

Even with regular usage, you should be able to get through a full day without needing to charge. However, running battery-draining apps like Google Maps for a long time or playing intensive games will deplete the A34’s battery faster. Conveniently, when you plug in the phone, it will display an estimate of the time remaining for a full charge. This feature allows you to know how long it will take to complete the charging process.

Other Features

Let’s talk about other features, like its loudspeaker or connectivity. The device features Stereo speakers but a headphone jack is not provided. The speaker located at the top of the phone is barely noticeable. However, these speakers deliver a well-balanced and loud sound at maximum volume, making them excellent for watching videos or listening to podcasts.

In terms of connectivity, the Galaxy A34 offers optional Dual SIM support with SA and NSA 5G compatibility. It also includes a GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and BDS receiver. While it is a basic single-band unit, it provides the necessary positioning services. Additionally, the A34 features NFC functionality, although its availability may vary depending on the market. For local wireless connectivity, the phone supports dual-band Wi-Fi ac and Bluetooth 5.3 with LE support.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

The Galaxy A34 is an excellent choice for a mid-range phone, especially if you prefer a Samsung device at a more affordable price compared to their S-series models. Additionally, you may explore our selection of the best mid-range phones, which includes options from Chinese manufacturers at similar price points.

It’s worth noting that you can find phones with faster processors or bundled with chargers (that are also faster) and cases for a similar or even lower price. However, there may be compromises in other areas.

Overall, the Galaxy A34 offers great value and meets the requirements of most users. It provides better value than the Galaxy A54 unless you specifically desire slightly improved cameras and performance.