Galaxy A35 Vs Google Pixel 8

The Samsung Galaxy A35, released in March 2024, and the Google Pixel 8, launched in October 2023, are both Android smartphones offering distinct experiences. While the Galaxy A35 focuses on delivering a balanced feature set with a large display and robust battery life, the Pixel 8 emphasizes advanced camera capabilities, extensive software support, and integrated artificial intelligence features. Both devices run on the Android operating system, providing a familiar user interface with their respective customisations.

When considering the long-term usability of these devices, their release timelines and software support policies are key differentiators.

• Release Timeline & Software Support: The Google Pixel 8, released in October 2023, benefits from an industry-leading commitment of seven years of operating system, security, and feature updates. The Samsung Galaxy A35, launched in March 2024, offers four years of OS updates and five years of security updates. This means the Pixel 8 is designed to receive software enhancements for a significantly longer period. [1, 3, 5, 9, 14, 21, 28, 36]
• Durability & Protection: The Pixel 8 features an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, indicating a high level of protection against immersion. The Galaxy A35 comes with an IP67 rating, offering good protection against dust and temporary immersion. For screen protection, the Galaxy A35 uses Gorilla Glass Victus+, while the Pixel 8 is equipped with Gorilla Glass Victus. [5, 10, 14, 20, 42]
• Repairability: The Samsung Galaxy A35 generally shows a higher repairability score, often rated around 8.4 to 8.5 out of 10, suggesting easier access to spare parts and repair manuals. The Google Pixel 8 typically receives repairability scores ranging from 5.5 to 7 out of 10, indicating that while self-repairs are possible, they might be more challenging for inexperienced users due to factors like adhesive use and soldered components. [11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 24, 25, 30, 38]

The performance of a smartphone is crucial for daily tasks, app usage, and multitasking, with both devices offering capable internal components.

• Processing Power: The Google Pixel 8 is powered by a processor designed for advanced computational tasks and artificial intelligence features, resulting in smooth operation for demanding applications and efficient on-device AI processing. The Samsung Galaxy A35 features a processor that handles everyday applications and general multitasking effectively, providing a responsive user experience for typical smartphone activities. [3, 4, 9, 14, 26, 28, 37]
• Memory & Storage: The Pixel 8 comes with 8GB of RAM and uses faster UFS 3.1 storage, contributing to quicker app loading and data transfer speeds. The Galaxy A35 is available with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and utilises UFS 2.2 storage, which is suitable for most users but may offer slightly slower performance compared to the Pixel 8's storage technology. Neither device offers expandable storage via microSD card, though the Galaxy A35 does. [3, 4, 8, 14, 17, 28]
• Battery Behavior: The Galaxy A35 is equipped with a 5000mAh battery, often reported to last a full day or even up to 1.5 days with moderate use, providing extended usage times. The Pixel 8 has a 4575mAh battery, which typically offers reliable all-day power for most users, though heavy usage might require more frequent charging. The Galaxy A35 supports 25W wired charging, while the Pixel 8 supports 27W wired charging and also includes wireless charging capabilities. [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 14, 17, 22]

The visual experience is a significant aspect of smartphone usage, and both devices offer vibrant displays with distinct characteristics.

• Display Technology & Size: The Samsung Galaxy A35 features a larger 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display, known for its vibrant colors and deep blacks, providing an expansive viewing area. The Google Pixel 8 has a more compact 6.2-inch OLED display, referred to as an 'Actua display,' which also delivers rich colors and strong contrast. [1, 2, 3, 14, 15, 19, 26, 31, 42]
• Resolution & Clarity: Both smartphones offer Full HD+ resolution (1080x2340 pixels for the A35 and 2400x1080 pixels for the Pixel 8), ensuring sharp and clear visuals for everyday content consumption, web browsing, and app usage. [1, 2, 3, 14, 15, 17, 19, 26, 31, 42]
• Brightness & Refresh Rate: The Pixel 8's display can reach a peak brightness of up to 2000 nits, making it highly visible even in bright outdoor conditions. The Galaxy A35 offers a high brightness mode of 1000 nits, which provides good outdoor visibility. Both devices feature a 120Hz refresh rate, contributing to smoother scrolling and a more fluid visual experience. [1, 2, 4, 9, 14, 15, 17, 19, 31, 42]

For many users, the camera system is a primary consideration, and both the Galaxy A35 and Pixel 8 offer capable photography and videography features.

• Rear Camera System: The Google Pixel 8 features a dual-camera setup with a 50MP main sensor (f/1.68 aperture, OIS) and a 12MP ultrawide sensor (f/2.2 aperture, 125.8-degree field of view). The Samsung Galaxy A35 has a triple-camera system, including a 50MP main sensor (f/1.8 aperture, OIS), an 8MP ultrawide sensor (f/2.2 aperture), and a 5MP macro lens. The Pixel 8's main sensor is physically larger, which can contribute to better light gathering. [2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 17, 26, 28]
• Photography Performance: The Pixel 8 is known for its advanced computational photography and AI-driven features, which enhance image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions and for natural-looking photos. The Galaxy A35 delivers detailed images with vibrant, often saturated, colors, performing well in good lighting and offering decent low-light performance for its category. The A35's dedicated macro lens allows for close-up shots, while the Pixel 8 relies on its main camera for similar tasks. [1, 3, 5, 6, 29, 32]
• Video Recording & Front Camera: The Pixel 8 supports video recording up to 4K at 60 frames per second, providing smoother footage. The Galaxy A35 records video at up to 4K at 30 frames per second. Both devices feature capable front-facing cameras: a 10.5MP ultrawide on the Pixel 8 and a 13MP sensor on the Galaxy A35, both capable of 4K video recording. [1, 2, 4, 5, 12, 14, 15, 17, 28, 29]