The Galaxy A34 (and A54) started shipping in India back in March with the 8/128GB A34 costing ₹ 31,000. But now that the Samsung Galaxy M34 has arrived on the scene fans have an alternative in front of them – the M34 pricing starts at just ₹ 17,000 for a 6/128GB unit and is ₹ 19,000 for 8GB of RAM. These prices are with a ₹ 2,000 discount you get with select bank cards, otherwise you're looking at ₹ 19,000 and ₹ 21,000, respectively. Despite being significantly cheaper than the A34, the M34 gets Samsung’s best Android support – 4 OS updates and 5 years of security patches. For comparison, a ₹ 44,000 Pixel 7a will only get 3 OS updates, while the ₹ 20,000 Nord CE 3 Lite from yesterday will get 2 OS updates and only 3 years of security patches.
The Galaxy M34 is an upgrade over the M33
from last year on several fronts. First, the update schedule normally reserved
for the S/A-series. Second, the cameras – the 50MP main module gains OIS, while
the ultra wide camera is upgraded to an 8MP sensor (up from 5MP) and the selfie
camera goes up to 13MP (up from 8MP). This might or might not be an upgrade
depending on where you stand in the LCD vs. OLED debate. The new model brings a
120Hz Super AMOLED, a 6.5” panel with a slightly taller aspect ratio – 1,080 x
2,400px for 20:9 compared to 19.5:9 for the M33’s 6.6” LCD. Gorilla Glass 5 is
once again called to guard against scratches and now there is an Always On
Display function.
Some things, however, stay the same – the
Galaxy M34 is still powered by the Exynos 1280 (would have been nice to see the
1330 at least). The RAM and storage options are the same and there is virtual
RAM and a microSD slot for more of both. Also, the battery is the same as
before and that’s a good thing – at 6,000mAh it is bigger than most. Charging
is done at 25W (wired only), but only flagship Samsungs go higher than that.
A quick comparison with Galaxy A34 is
worthwhile as well. The A-series phone is on the same excellent software update
track and features the slightly more powerful Dimensity 1080 with a similar
memory configuration (there is a 256GB option, though). The 6.6” 120Hz AMOLED
display is a bit bigger, but the 5,000mAh (25W) battery is smaller. And the
cameras are very comparable between the two. One key advantage of the A34 is
its IP67 dust and water resistance rating – both have plastic bodies, but the
A-phone is a bit more durable. Again, the Galaxy A34 starts at ₹ 31,000.
If you like what you’re seeing, the
Samsung Galaxy M34 will be available from Amazon India from July 15. If you’re
a Prime subscriber, you can pre-book the phone starting today. Either way, you
get a choice of three colors: Midnight Blue, Prism Silver and Waterfall Blue.
