Samsung Galaxy A34 review

introduction

The Galaxy A34 is here and doing its best to continue building on a successful value formula. The A34 is no different from the previous A33 5G, but there are some notable differences.

The A34 has grown considerably. It now has a diagonal of 6.6 inches, up from 6.4 inches on last year’s model, and now has a larger and heavier body. This means that the A34 is now even bigger than the current Galaxy A54.

The display of the new A34 is not only bigger, but it is now also faster with a refresh rate of 120Hz. It’s also shorter and wider with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio with smaller bezels.

Another notable change is the chipset. Instead of relying on an in-house Exynos chipset like last year, Samsung has opted for a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chip this time around. This is an interesting development, given that the Galaxy A54 got a new Samsung Exynos 1380 chip.

The specifications of the Samsung Galaxy A34 at a glance:

• Body: 161.3×78.1×8.2mm, 199g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back; IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30min).
• Screen: 6.60″ Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 390ppi.
• chipsets: Mediatek MT6877V Dimensity 1080 (6 nm): Octa-core (2×2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 and 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G68 MC4.
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (uses a shared SIM slot).
• Operating system/software: Android 13, a 5.1 user interface.
• Rear camera: Broad (main): 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 123 degrees, 1/4.0″, 1.12µm; Macros: 5MP, 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.
• Drums: 5000mAh; 25W wired.
• Various: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers; Virtual proximity sensing.

Aside from these changes, the Galaxy A54 makes sure to stick closely to an already established formula with no major deviations. Some major spec highlights still include an IP67 ingress protection rating and a stereo speaker setup. The Galaxy A54 also retains its large 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging. Its camera looks mostly unchanged from last year, with a 48MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide, a 5MP macro cam MP and a 13MP selfie. No depth sensor this time, though.

So, this is the Galaxy A34 in a nutshell. The question now is whether it is as good as its predecessor and is it good value for money overall. Join us on the following pages as we try to find out.

Unpacking

The Galaxy A34 comes in a thin two-piece cardboard box like its predecessor.

Samsung does not include a charger with the A34. It’s not exactly a new development, but it still deserves a mention, especially in the midrange.

You still have 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.