Galaxy A35 5G
Exceptional audio and excellent entertainment phone. Around two years later, this long-term review looks beyond launch-day specifications to long-term performance, aging, everyday usability and potential issues after extended use.
Rejected after navigation failures and sudden restarts.
Poor
Confirmed navigation failure and spontaneous restarts make it unsafe as a dependable travel Pal.
๐ Why it entered the Trash Bin
During ordinary navigation, the phone repeatedly lost dependable positioning, jumped to incorrect routes, sent the driver in circles and at times became unusable for the task. Spontaneous restarts were also observed. Public evidence independently confirms A35-specific GPS accuracy problems and multiple restart reports.
Score Range
What Matters Most Complete practical evaluation
Long-term Test Timeline
- 0โ3 MonthsExcellent display, stereo sound and premium daily experience
- 3โ6 MonthsStrong entertainment use; navigation concerns became noticeable
- 6โ9 MonthsRepeated route jumps, loops and unreliable positioning
- Service VisitAuthorised workshop reported no unusual fault
- Final DecisionSpontaneous restart plus navigation failures confirmed Trash Bin decision
Used For Rating out of 5
Key Specifications European SM-A356B/DS configuration
With a supported eSIM active, the physical hybrid tray can hold one Nano-SIM and a microSD card simultaneously. Exact eSIM availability depends on country, carrier and model variant.
Specifications and eSIM availability may vary by region. This page follows the European SM-A356B/DS configuration and the tested owner's setup.
Critical Issues
- Repeated navigation jumps, loops and wrong routing
- Spontaneous restart during ordinary use
- Only fair cellular/GPS reception in difficult conditions
Rejected as Pal Phone
Service note: The phone was inspected by an authorised workshop, which found no unusual fault. This does not negate the documented long-term failures observed in ordinary use.
User Reports
Entertainment Experience
- Excellent 6.6-inch 120 Hz Super AMOLED display
- Exceptional and powerful stereo sound
- Music remains enjoyable for hours without becoming tiring
- Excellent glass back and premium hand feel
- Strong for films, series, music and general media
โ โ โ โ โ Exceptional Entertainment Phone
Practical Use Summary
Exceptional for music, excellent for films and very pleasant to hold because of its display, stereo speakers and glass construction.
Not suitable as a critical navigation phone because route instability, fair reception and sudden restarts can make it unreliable when travelling.
Final Verdict
The Galaxy A35 5G combines an excellent 120 Hz Super AMOLED display, exceptional stereo speakers, glass construction, IP67 protection, eSIM and microSD support. It is one of the most enjoyable mid-range phones for music and films.
After two years, the long-term assessment places greater emphasis on sustained performance, usability and how the device behaves well beyond launch.
However, Phone RelyScore long-term ownership confirmed unreliable navigation and spontaneous restart behaviour. The internet investigation independently found an A35-specific GPS accuracy issue acknowledged on Samsung Members, plus repeated restart reports across different periods and software versions. For entertainment: exceptional. For a dependable travel Pal: rejected.
Recommendation
Editor's Note
The internet evidence and the nine-month ownership test point in the same direction: excellent hardware and entertainment quality cannot compensate for failures in navigation and system stability when the phone is needed for travel.