Samsung Galaxy A34 Review In addition to its larger size, the display on the A34 also boasts a faster refresh rate of 120Hz, providing smoother scrolling and more responsive touch controls. The aspect ratio has also changed to 19.5:9, making the display shorter and wider, with smaller bezels for a more immersive viewing experience.
.jpg "Impressive Camera Performance: A Closer Look at the Galaxy A34's Daylight and Low-Light Photography")
The A34 also inherits some features from its predecessor, such as 5G connectivity for faster download and streaming speeds, and a powerful processor for smooth performance in everyday tasks and gaming. It also retains the versatile quad-camera setup on the rear, offering a wide range of photography options, including ultra-wide, macro, and depth sensing capabilities. The front-facing camera has also been upgraded, promising improved selfie quality.
Samsung Galaxy A34 Review
Samsung has released the Galaxy A34, aiming to build on the success of its value-oriented smartphones. The A34 shares similarities with its predecessor, the A33 5G, but also introduces some notable differences.
.jpg "Impressive Camera Performance: A Closer Look at the Galaxy A34's Daylight and Low-Light Photography")
One noticeable change in the Galaxy A34 is its size. The screen has grown to 6.6 inches, up from 6.4 inches in the previous model, resulting in a larger and heavier body. In fact, the A34 is now even bigger than the current Galaxy A54.
One area where the A34 could be improved is its battery life, as the larger display and faster refresh rate may consume more power. However, Samsung has included a sizable 5000mAh battery, which should provide decent endurance for most users.
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A34 offers a larger display with faster refresh rate and improved camera capabilities compared to its predecessor, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a value-oriented smartphone with modern features. However, potential buyers should also consider the increased size and weight of the device, as well as its battery life, when making their decision.
Samsung Galaxy A34 Specs at a Glance:
- Body: 161.3x78.1x8.2mm, 199g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back; IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min).
- Display: 6.60" Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 390ppi.
- Chipset: Mediatek MT6877V Dimensity 1080 (6 nm): Octa-core (2x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G68 MC4.
- Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
- OS/Software: Android 13, One UI 5.1.
- Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree, 1/4.0", 1.12µm; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4.
- Front camera: 13 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm.
- Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps.
- Battery: 5000mAh; 25W wired.
- Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers; Virtual proximity sensing.
Samsung does not include a charger with the A34. That's not exactly a new development, but one that still deserves mention, especially in the midrange.
You do still get a USB Type-C to Type-C cable in the box inside the thin paper compartment. The cable is compatible with Samsung's 25W fast charging, so that bit is covered.
Design
Samsung is further unifying its Galaxy design language across its lineup, as seen in the restyling of the Galaxy S23 and S23+ to match the design of the Ultra. This design language is also being adopted by members of the A series, including the Galaxy A34.
One of the distinctive design elements of the Galaxy A34 is its camera arrangement. The phone features a separate trio of camera lenses, which creates a unique look. The rims of the lenses are color-matched with the back of the phone, adding a nice touch to the overall design.
However, the protrusion of the camera lenses on the back of the phone also creates an uneven surface, causing the A34 to wobble severely when placed on its back. This can be annoying, especially when typing on the phone in this position.
Build quality
The Samsung Galaxy A34 is predominantly made of plastic, including the back panel and the middle frame, which means it does not have the most premium bill of materials. Despite this, the phone feels solid with no noticeable flex in the chassis.
Controls
The controls on the Galaxy A34 are straightforward and easy to use. The left-hand side of the phone is empty, giving the middle frame a clean and uninterrupted look. Since the middle frame is made of plastic, there are no antenna lines needed.
The power button and volume rockers are located on the right side of the frame, and they are clicky and provide ample tactile feedback. Their positioning is also comfortable for easy operation.
Connectivity
The Galaxy A34 features a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer, but it only supports USB 2.0 data connection, with a theoretical maximum transfer speed of 480 Mbps. The phone does not have video output, a feature usually reserved for higher-end Samsung devices, but it does support USB Host/OTG.
The A34 comes with optional Dual SIM support for SA and NSA 5G. It also has a GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and BDS receiver on board, although it is a single-band unit and not particularly fancy. NFC is also available, but its availability may vary depending on the market, so it's best to check with local retailers. The phone also supports dual-band Wi-Fi ac and Bluetooth 5.3 with LE (Low Energy) support for local connectivity.
Bigger, faster AMOLED display
The Samsung Galaxy A34 boasts a large and spacious 6.6-inch display, making it bigger than its predecessor, the A33 (6.4 inches), as well as the Galaxy A54 (6.4 inches) and A53 (6.5 inches). The display is a Full HD+ panel with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, slightly lower than last year's model but with a new 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Samsung's choice of a slightly wider and less tall aspect ratio in this generation is a matter of personal taste, and some users may appreciate the change.
High refresh rate handling
The Galaxy A34 comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, an improvement from last year's 90Hz, which is great to see. However, the phone lacks automatic refresh rate handling. In the display settings, there are two options for refresh rate - Standard and High, but there are no automatic adjustments based on content or usage.
Battery life
The Galaxy A34 is equipped with a substantial 5,000 mAh battery, the same capacity as its predecessor. The performance of the Dimensity 1080 chipset, which powers the phone, has varied in our testing, with excellent scores in the Realme 10 Pro+ but disappointing results in both the Redmi Note 12 Pro and Pro+.
Fortunately, the Galaxy A34 delivers stellar battery life, lasting for 133 hours in our proprietary endurance test. It performed well in both on-screen and off-screen tests, making it a reliable choice for users who prioritize long-lasting battery life.
Charging
Update, Apr 12: We've updated the charging results below based on further testing.
The Galaxy A34 may not be the fastest charging device, but it keeps up with its peers adequately. With a Samsung 25W PD+PPS adapter, its charging speed is in line with what we have come to expect from recent Samsung devices. It's worth noting that the Galaxy A54, which we recently reviewed, charges noticeably faster for some reason.
The Galaxy A34 went from 0% to 27% in just 15 minutes, and reached 49% in 30 minutes. A full charge took just under an hour and a half.
Loudspeakers
The Galaxy A34 features a hybrid stereo speaker setup, with one dedicated speaker at the bottom of the phone and an amplified earpiece handling the other channel. This means that the balance between the two speakers may not be perfect, with the bottom speaker being louder and clearer. However, the stereo effect produced by both speakers together is convincing and enjoyable for multimedia consumption.
In terms of loudness, the A34 scored a "GOOD" rating in our proprietary test. The overall sound quality is also very good, with no noticeable distortion even at high volumes and a fairly rich sound stage. The mid-tones could be improved, but the highs sound great, and there is even some bass.
One UI 5.1 on top of Android 13
The Galaxy A34 comes with the latest One UI 5.1, which is based on Android 13. Samsung promises up to four generations of OS updates and up to five years of security updates for the A34, which is an ambitious goal but also vaguely worded. Nevertheless, it's a positive aspect for those who value software updates and security on their devices.
Performance and Benchmarks
Unlike some other Samsung devices that use their in-house developed chips, the Galaxy A34 is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset. This mid-range chipset is built on an efficient 6nm node and features an octa-core CPU configuration with two big Cortex-A78 cores clocked at up to 2.6 GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores working at up to 2.0 GHz. The GPU onboard is a Mali-G68 MC4. The Galaxy A34 also features a 5G NR Sub-6 onboard modem, capable of both SA (Standalone) and NSA (Non-Standalone) operation for network connectivity.
The Galaxy A34 is available in different memory and storage configurations, including 128GB of storage with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage with 8GB of RAM. It's worth noting that our review unit is a base model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage.
A Familiar Camera Setup
The camera setup on the Galaxy A34 is similar to its predecessor, the A33 5G. It features a 48MP main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), an 8MP ultrawide camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 13MP front-facing selfie camera. However, there is no depth sensor this time around, which is worth mentioning.
Daylight Photo Quality
The main 48MP camera on the Galaxy A34 uses a Quad-Bayer sensor, which captures 12MP stills by default. We tested this camera with both Scene Optimizer and Auto HDR turned on as intended by Samsung. While the Scene Optimizer option rarely made a noticeable difference, the Auto HDR did help in certain scenes, and the tonal extremes were generally well-developed.
The 12MP stills captured by the main camera are impressive for a mid-range device. Although they may not be exceptionally sharp when closely inspected, they exhibit good contrast and reasonable dynamic range.
The characteristic Samsung processing is evident in the photos, with saturated colors and a vibrant look. In fact, saturation is generally high in these shots. However, if you prefer more natural-looking images with less saturation, you can turn off the Scene Optimizer and Auto HDR options.
Selfies
Similar to many other Samsung phones, the A34 5G has a toggle for determining the width of the frame for selfies. However, annoyingly, this setting defaults to the narrower option, resulting in an approximately 8MP crop or close to 9MP. When shooting in the wider aspect, selfies come out just shy of 13MP.
The full-resolution 13MP selfies look great, with plenty of detail, accurate skin tones, and texture. The contrast is high, and the dynamic range is good without being overly exaggerated.
Video Quality
The Galaxy A34 can capture video on its main camera at up to 4K@30fps resolution, while the ultrawide camera is limited to 1080p@30fps, and interestingly, the 2x zoom mode on the main camera also maxes out at 1080p@30fps.
The video bitrate is generous at 48-49Mbps in 4K and 17Mbps in 1080p. Audio is captured in stereo with a 256Kbps bitrate, and the sound quality is good in all videos. Videos are recorded in a standard h.264 AVC stream with a 48kHz AAC audio stream inside an MP4 container.
4K video captured with the main camera looks impressive, with a lot of detail, wide dynamic range, and punchy colors. However, contrast and saturation may be slightly high, which is in line with Samsung's typical processing style. There is also some noticeable shimmering on very fine details in the frame, but it's not a significant issue.
Low-light Camera Quality
The main camera on the Galaxy A34 performs admirably in low-light conditions. It is able to capture ample detail with pleasing colors, despite the challenging lighting situations. The dynamic range is commendable as well, with some detail visible in the shadows and well-controlled light sources. Additionally, the camera effectively minimizes noise, resulting in clean and clear low-light photos.
Alternatives
The Galaxy A34 is priced reasonably at around €400/INR 30,999/KRW 499,400 for the base 128GB 6GB RAM variant. However, there are plenty of other options to consider in this price range.
One viable alternative is to look at other Samsung devices. While the Galaxy A52s 5G is still a good option due to its superior chipset, it is getting older and we would recommend considering the Galaxy A53 5G instead. However, this would only be a better choice if you find a good deal on it, as it doesn't offer significantly better specs compared to the A34. The A53 5G does have a higher-resolution camera setup with slightly improved electronic image stabilization (EIS), but that's about it. On the downside, you may have to settle for shorter software support as it is a 2022 model.
The vivo V27 is another compelling competitor to the Galaxy A34, priced similarly. It boasts a 10-bit, HDR10+ certified display, a more powerful Dimensity 7200 chipset with 8GB RAM in its base variant, and a more versatile camera setup, especially for video capture, with gyro-EIS and 4K@60fps recording. The V27 also stands out with its 50MP autofocus selfie camera and front-facing LED flash modules, making it a selfie powerhouse. Additionally, the vivo V27 has a smaller 4,600 mAh battery, but it supports much faster 66W charging. However, it's worth noting that the vivo V27 does not offer ingress protection, unlike the Galaxy A34.
In conclusion, the Galaxy A34 is a solid mid-range device with notable features like IP67 ingress protection, stereo speakers, and a large battery. However, the vivo V27 presents a compelling alternative with a superior display, more powerful chipset, versatile camera capabilities, and faster charging, albeit without ingress protection. Ultimately, the choice between the Galaxy A34 and vivo V27 would depend on individual priorities and preferences, such as the need for durability or emphasis on camera performance.
This year, the Galaxy A34 has seen significant growth, particularly in terms of size. With a 6.6-inch panel, it now surpasses both its predecessor and the Galaxy A54 in terms of screen size. The new display also boasts a higher refresh rate of 120Hz, an upgrade from last year's 90Hz, which contributes to a smoother experience, despite the lack of automatic refresh rate switching. Additionally, the A34's display offers excellent maximum brightness, nearly matching the A54's display in quality, albeit without HDR capabilities.
The chipset choice on the Galaxy A34 also seems to be working in its favor. While the Samsung Exynos 1380 on the A54 does offer slightly better performance, the Dimensity 1080 chipset inside the A34 holds its own and provides great power efficiency, contributing to the device's impressive battery life.
The Galaxy A34 boasts several other pros, including its IP67-rated design, which offers protection against dust and water, making it attractive and sturdy. The larger and brighter 120Hz AMOLED screen enhances the visual experience, while the stereo speakers deliver good quality audio. The device runs on the latest Android and One UI, and its performance in this price range is commendable with efficient thermal management. The A34 also excels in photo and video quality, featuring lossless 2x zoom and great selfie capabilities. Additionally, it offers 5G connectivity, NFC, and microSD expandability.
However, there are some cons to consider, such as the lack of a charger in the box, the absence of automatic refresh rate switching, and video stabilization only being available in 1080p resolution.
In conclusion, the Galaxy A34 offers several notable features and improvements over its predecessor, including a larger and brighter display, efficient performance, impressive battery life, and a sturdy design with IP67 rating. While there are some minor drawbacks, overall, the Galaxy A34 is a compelling mid-range option for those seeking a reliable and feature-rich smartphone.
The prices listed above are for general information purposes only and may be subject to change. Please note that while we strive to keep these prices up-to-date, they may not always reflect the current market prices. It is always recommended to shop around and compare prices before making a purchase.
If you decide to make a purchase, it is important to carefully review the listing to ensure that the hardware configuration, item condition, and price match your expectations. Additionally, be sure to check the warranty coverage for your country and be aware of any potential additional charges such as sales tax, shipping, or customs fees.
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