Its foldable offerings might make more headlines lately, but Samsung hasn’t left the other segments. They might not get as much attention, but Samsung has been pushing its midrange devices in the market and the latest to join the Samsung army is the Galaxy M34. The M series has caused a stir in the budget segment since its introduction and the Galaxy M34 has the potential to continue that tradition.
Samsung Galaxy M34 Price, Specs
The smartphone brings some truly impressive specs and numbers, for its starting price of Rs 16,999.
The Samsung Galaxy M34 comes with a brilliant 6.5-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate on the table. This being a Samsung device, you can expect the screen to be vibrant and punchy. The phone is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 1280 in-house processor, comparable to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 695 chipset. This is paired with 6GB/8GB RAM variants with the option to expand storage to 1TB – a combo that should be more than capable of handling your day-to-day needs. One of the highlights of the device has to be its main camera. The phone comes with a 50MP main sensor with OIS which is rare in this segment. This main sensor is supported by an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 2-megapixel sensor. There’s also a 13-megapixel selfie camera on the front.
The device has a massive 6,000mAh battery, although it comes with relatively slow 25W charging support, meaning it would take a bit of time to recharge. There are also stereo speakers on board which, combined with that battery and screen, will easily satisfy your entertainment hunger. The phone runs on Android 13 out of the box and is topped with Samsung’s OneUI 5.1. Based on Samsung’s recent software update history, we’re sure the Galaxy M34 will be getting updates for some time.
All of this, however, lies in a design that looks a bit basic and could get lost in the sea of ​​smartphones available in the price segment right now. In this sea, here are the five phones that prove to be sharks for the all-new Samsung Galaxy M34:
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite: 20,000 Megapixel Sub-Rs Monster
Price: 19,999 rupees
OnePlus launched the Nord series to have a presence in the mid-segment, then introduced the CE and Lite variants to enter even more affordable segments. The Nord CE 3 Lite is the brand’s latest offering and if you’re impressed with the Galaxy M34’s 50-megapixel sensor, you’ll probably be blown away by the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite’s 108-megapixel primary sensor. This megapixel monster is backed up by two tiny 2-megapixel depth and macro sensors that aren’t very useful, to be honest. But that 108-megapixel main sensor is powerful enough to easily carry the smartphone’s photography performance on its own shoulders. There’s no OIS here, but the selfie camera here also has a 16-megapixel edge.
The phone comes with a slightly larger 6.72-inch IPS LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s unlikely to be on par with the Galaxy M34’s AMOLED display, but that refresh rate 120Hz will keep things at par here. The phone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor which is pretty close to the Exynos 1280 on the Galaxy M34 and comes with only 8GB RAM variants which should make it a master multitasker. It comes with a smaller 5,000mAh battery compared to the Galaxy M34, but brings much faster 67W fast charging support, which means it will charge much faster, which in our opinion , is a better option.
It also runs on Android 13 and comes with OnePlus’ acclaimed OxygenOS which promises to deliver a very clean and clutter-free UI experience. The phone has a higher price tag, but it also brings big numbers right off the bat.
iQoo Z7: A powerful option
Price: 18,999 rupees
If you have power in mind and the Galaxy M34 processor doesn’t seem powerful enough, you can consider the iQoo Z7 in a similar price range. The phone is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 920 processor which is paired with 6GB/8GB RAM variants. range and other power-hungry tasks than the Galaxy M34.
The phone also has the upper hand in the main camera department as it comes with a 64-megapixel sensor with OIS, but it comes with a rather nominal 2-megapixel camera. The front also features a 16-megapixel selfie snapper, which is a bit higher in megapixel count than that of the Galaxy M34. The device is powered by Android 13 out of the box, which is topped with FunTouchOS 13. It might seem slightly cluttered to some, but it is a feature-rich user interface nonetheless.
The iQoo Z7 has a smaller 6.38-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a smaller 4,800mAh battery, but the compact form factor may prove to be an advantage in good hands. The phone also comes with 44W fast charging support which is significantly better than the Galaxy M34.
Redmi Note 12: A worthy adversary
Price: 16,999 rupees
Whenever a phone is launched in the mid-segment, it inevitably has to face a Redmi device. After all, the Redmis have dominated the segment for quite some time. The Galaxy M34 is no exception. The phone faces competition from the Redmi Note 12, which is part of the iconic Note series. The Note 12 comes with a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor, which isn’t as powerful as the Exynos 1280 on the Galaxy M34, but which is effective. This is paired with 4GB and 6GB RAM options.
There is a triple camera installed on the rear of the device with a 48-megapixel sensor leading the pack while an 8-megapixel ultrawide and a 2-megapixel sensor are its followers. There is no OIS here, however. For selfies, there is a 13 megapixel sensor just like that of the Galaxy M34. The phone is still running on Android 12 out of the box which is a major disappointment, although MIUI 13 on top adds some very useful features to it and the phone should get an update soon. The Note 12 also has a smaller 5,000mAh battery compared to the Galaxy M34, but it comes with slightly faster 33W charging support.
Poco X5: Corresponding to these specification steps
Price: 16,999 rupees
The Poco X5 is another tough competitor to the Galaxy M34 that more than matches its spec steps into this smartphone ball. The phone comes with a slightly larger 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. Exynos 1280 powering the Galaxy M34.
The Poco X5 comes with 6GB/8GB RAM options and expandable storage up to 1TB, just like the Galaxy M34. The Poco X5’s triple-camera setup is slightly behind that of the Galaxy M34. It includes a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro lens. The lack of OIS makes a difference here, putting the X5 on a back foot.
That said, it also has a 13-megapixel front camera sensor. Android 12 on the phone with a smaller 5000mAh battery may bother many, but MIUI 13 adds a lot more features to the phone and the 33W fast charging is better than the 25W charging support on the Galaxy M34. The fact that the specs of the two phones are so similar means that their performance is also likely to be very similar, but the Poco X5 is more likely to stand out in the crowd with its design, especially if you get the bright yellow variant. .
Realme Narzo 60: ‘Look at me’
Price: 19,999 rupees
So far, the phones on the list have mostly fought over specs and numbers. But if you are looking for a device that stands out from the sub-Rs 20,000 crowd without much effort, the recently launched Realme Narzo 60 would be the phone to go for. The huge round camera with chrome highlights and the vegan leather back will grab everyone’s attention, even if the room is full of high-end smartphones. But a distinct design isn’t the only thing about the Narzo 60’s sleeve. The phone comes with a 6.43 inch AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate.
It runs on MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chipset which is backed by 8GB of RAM. There are two storage variants (128GB and 256GB), and the storage can also be expanded up to 1TB here. The processor might not be as powerful as the Exynos 1280, but the Narzo 60 is designed to easily perform your daily tasks.
There’s a dual camera installed on the back, and the main sensor on the Narzo 60 has more megapixels at 64MP than on the Galaxy M34 but lacks OIS. The secondary camera, however, is only a 2-megapixel camera, so it’s likely to be of limited use.
A 16-megapixel selfie sensor brings its megapixel count down again, however. The phone runs on Android 13 out of the box and is topped with Realme UI 4.0 which some might find a bit overwhelming.
There’s also a relatively smaller 5,000mAh battery on the Narzo 60, but the phone comes with 33W fast charging, which is a step up from the 25W charging support on the Galaxy M34. It’s the Realme for those who want people to “look at me” – something that probably won’t happen with the relatively routine Galaxy M34.