The Galaxy A34 (and A54) started shipping to India in March with the 8/128GB A34 costing ₹31,000. But now that the Samsung Galaxy M34 has hit the scene, fans have an alternative in front of them – the price of the M34 starts at just ₹17,000 for a 6/128GB unit and ₹19,000 for 8GB of RAM.
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 yesterday’s ₹20,000 Nord CE 3 Lite will get 2 OS updates and just 3 years of security patches.
Samsung Galaxy M34 in Midnight Blue, Prism Silver and Waterfall Blue
The Galaxy M34 is an upgrade over last year’s M33 on several fronts. First, the upgrade program normally reserved for the S/A series. Second, the cameras: The 50MP main module gets OIS, while the ultra-wide-angle camera gets upgraded to an 8MP sensor (up from 5MP), and the selfie camera jumps to 13MP (up from 8MP).
This may or may not be an update depending on where you stand in the LCD versus OLED debate. The new model offers a 120Hz Super AMOLED, 6.5″ panel with a slightly taller aspect ratio: 1,080 x 2,400px for 20:9 versus 19.5:9 for the 6.6″ LCD ” of the M33. Gorilla Glass 5 is once again called upon to defend against scratches and there is now an Always On Display feature.
Some things, however, remain the same: the Galaxy M34 is still powered by the Exynos 1280 (it would have been nice to see at least the 1330). The RAM and storage options are the same, and there’s 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’s bigger than most. Charging is done at 25W (wired only), but only flagship Samsungs go further.
A quick comparison to the Galaxy A34 is also worth doing. The A-series phone is on the same excellent software update track and features the slightly more powerful Dimension 1080 with a similar memory configuration (there’s a 256GB option though).
The 6.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED display is a bit larger, but the 5,000mAh (25W) battery is smaller. And the cameras are very similar between the two. A key advantage of the A34 is the its IP67 dust and water resistance rating – both have plastic bodies, but the A-phone is a bit tougher.Again, the Galaxy A34 starts at ₹31,000.
If you like what you are seeing, the Samsung Galaxy M34 will be available from Amazon India from July 15th. If you’re a Prime member, you can pre-order your phone starting today. Either way, you can choose from three colors: Midnight Blue, Prism Silver, and Waterfall Blue.
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