Samsung Galaxy A34 5G initial review: One UI for the masses

pocket-lint.com:

Samsung's mid-range phones are popular with the Galaxy A making up a large chunk of the company's sales. The Galaxy A34 5G sits in the shadow of the Galaxy A54 5G, which is a slightly higher-spec model.

But when it comes to getting value for money — it costs from £349 in the UK — there's a lot that this lower-tier Galaxy A model has to offer. We got our hands on it prior to launch to see what it's all about.

The Samsung Galaxy A34 5G has a design that reflects the flagship Galaxy S, with attractive matte finishes. A great display sits on the front, although the Infinity-U notch looks a little dated. But this is all about giving you the Samsung experience and good value for money and for many, we expect it to do just that.

Samsung has shaken up the design of its Galaxy A devices, which from the rear at least now look pretty much the same as the Galaxy S23. That comes down to the design around the cameras, presenting each lens individually, rather than using an island as was the case on the previous generations of Galaxy A phones.

That lends a premium look to this phone and at first glance it looks just like the Galaxy S, which might appeal to those who want the flagship but can't quite afford it. It's not the same however — and in the rear of this phone is a plastic panel — or Glastic as Samsung refers to it. It's a slightly less premium finish than that Galaxy A54 5G and the Galaxy S models, but it still looks great because of the finish.

Samsung has opted for a matte finish in a choice of four colours — graphite, silver, lime and violet — but the matte finish isn't just flat, there's some depth to it, refracting light to give a nice shimmer — the Awesome Silver is especially eye-catching.

Elsewhere this phone offers an