Samsung’s $400 Galaxy A35 5G is now available in the US

One of Samsung’s latest Android phones, the Galaxy A35 5G, is now available in the US after originally premiering overseas. The mid-range phone is equipped with features like an octa-core processor, a 6.6-inch FHD+ (1,080 x 2,220) Super AMOLED display, and screen refresh rates up to 120Hz.

It also sports a 5,000mAh battery, which Samsung claims will last up to two days on a single charge. Charging is wired-only, however, up to 25W using USB-C.

Camera features and Knox

Camera tech on the phone includes a 50-megapixel main shooter with an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization (OIS), accompanied by an 8-megapixel, f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, and a 5-megapixel f/2.4 macro option. As is common on other Samsung phones, night shooting is improved by the company’s “Nightography” tech, including a Night Portrait mode and 12-bit HDR (high dynamic range). You’ll only get “digital” (software) stabilization if you’re not using the main camera, so avoid using the ultra-wide in less than ideal lighting.

Significantly, the A35 5G the first Galaxy A-series phone to include Samsung Knox. That’s the company’s mobile security platform, which provides protected hardware and real-time threat detection. Typically it should be invisible in daily use, but there is a Security and Privacy Dashboard on the device, and a Private Sharing feature for the encrypted transfer of sensitive files. As needed you can limit expiration dates, access permissions, and even things like screenshots. You’re not limited to using Private Sharing of course — there are plenty of third-party Android apps that support encrypted file sharing, such as Google Drive.

What other features does it have?

Some other highlights include a microSD slot, supporting up to 1TB of additional card-based storage, and an IP67 rating against water and dust. In terms of waterproofing, that means the device can be submerged to a depth of 1 meter (about 3.3 feet) for 30 minutes. Samsung further promises four generations of Android and One UI updates, as well as five years of security updates. The device will come preloaded with Android 14 and One UI 6.1. Assuming the company sticks to its word, that means it should update to at least Android 18.

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The phone is available today for $400 through Samsung, cellular carriers, and retail stores. There are two color options — “Awesome Navy” and “Awesome Lilac” — but the only US memory configuration (at least, for now) includes 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. In other markets there are versions with 8GB of RAM and/or 256GB of storage.

Samsung tends to reserve most of its budget phones for markets outside the US. In fact, the only other budget Galaxy devices being sold directly to Americans are the A25 5G, A15 5G, and A03s. The Galaxy M and Galaxy F lineups are missing entirely, presumably because the company doesn’t expect meaningful sales of those devices. Samsung keeps older Galaxy S phones available at a discount for people who can’t spring for the absolute latest.