In the bustling market for budget and mid-range phones, options that are both affordable and capable have existed for some time now. Recently, the Nothing Phone (2a) added fuel to the fire, but Samsung has long been cyclically releasing cheaper equivalents of its flagships.
The latest addition to the brand’s portfolio this year is the Galaxy A25 5G, which is expected to impress not only with its new design but also with its innards. However, does it stand a chance against the year-old Galaxy A34 5G?
But the question is: is new always better?
Both phones promise a balance of performance, features and affordability, making the decision between the two difficult. Let’s look at a comparison to determine which affordable smartphone emerges as the better choice.
Differences between Galaxy A25 and Galaxy A34
The Galaxy A25 and Galaxy A34 share similarities in their largely plastic construction. Both take design inspiration from high-end Samsung models, resembling the Galaxy S24 series and the S23 line.
Both devices feel sturdy but are somewhat slippery and prone to scratches, prompting the recommendation of protective cases. Notably, the A34 features high-quality haptics, enhancing its more premium feel, while the A25’s vibration motor is weaker.
One key difference, although they look almost identical, is that the A25 has an imaginative patterned rear design, as you can see below, while the A34 has a more attractive plain matte finish.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
The Galaxy A25 5G and Galaxy A34 have roughly the same screen but with a minor alternation in size. They feature 6.5-inch and 6.6-inch AMOLED panels respectively, with Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.
These panels deliver vibrant colors, high detail, and impressive brightness of up to 1,000 nits, ensuring good visibility outdoors. However, they both lack adaptive switching between 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rates. There are also features like Eye Comfort Shield mode to reduce blue light.
Both phones come with stereo speakers, offering decent sound quality and good volume, although they lack some bass for music. Additionally, both devices have in-display fingerprint sensors, although the A25’s sensor reliability isn’t as reliable.
Overall, both phones offer compelling display and audio experiences suited to media consumption, but the Galaxy A34 takes a slight lead.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Both the Galaxy A25 and Galaxy A34 offer mid-range performance but with different chipsets. The A25 5G uses Samsung’s Exynos 1280 chipset, while the A34 uses a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 processor.
The Exynos 1280 chipset offers decent performance for everyday use but may struggle with advanced gaming or intensive tasks. Conversely, the A34’s Dimensity 1080 processor delivers responsive performance and smooth navigation, making it suitable for various tasks.
In our Geekbench 6 multi-core test, the Galaxy A25 scored 2074 points, while the Galaxy A34 maintained its lead with a score of 2491, or 20% higher.
Both devices come with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, expandable via a microSD card slot up to 1TB. While the A25 doesn’t offer any alternative storage configurations (at least at the time of writing ), the A34 potentially offers 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage variants as well.
Both phones also support 5G connectivity, along with standard features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC.
Overall, while the A25 offers decent performance for typical use, the A34 stands out once again with its powerful Dimensity 1080 chipset and smooth performance, making it suitable for a variety of tasks including including games.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Both the Galaxy A25 and A34 feature camera setups typical of budget phones in 2024, with a main sensor, an ultra-wide shooter, and a macro lens. The A25 includes 50MP main cameras with OIS, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro and 13MP selfie, while the A34 offers a very similar selection of sensors: 48MP main with OIS, 8 MP ultra-wide, 5 MP macro and 13 MP selfie cameras.
Both phones deliver good quality photos with saturated colors, although the A25’s main camera struggles in difficult lighting conditions. The A34’s main camera works well outdoors but can lack sharpness indoors without steady subjects.
Both cameras offer ultra-wide shots with consistent color reproduction, but macro lenses add little value due to their low resolution and fixed focus.
Jim Martin / Foundry
The A25’s selfie camera works well, especially in portrait mode, while the A34’s release may appeal to those looking for a softer appearance. Both phones integrate Snapchat-style filters into the camera app, with the A34 allowing you to adjust the field of view of the front camera.
Video recording defaults to 1080p at 30fps on both devices, delivering stable footage with reasonable audio quality. However, any deviation from these settings may result in decreased stabilization and audio quality.
Overall, even though the A34 offers a more modest sensor selection than the A25, both phones offer decent camera performance, suitable for budget-conscious users.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Both the Galaxy A25 and Galaxy A34 feature a 5,000mAh battery, providing extended usage times in typical conditions. The A25 5G offers an impressive two days of battery life, although heavy use may shorten this, while the A34 can last up to two days with light to moderate use.
Our PCMark battery tests for Android revealed similar performance for both devices, with the A25 lasting 10 hours and 34 minutes and the A34 lasting around 10 hours and 59 minutes, there so has very little difference here.
As mentioned, both phones feature AMOLED screens allowing customization of the always-on display, with options to save battery life.
Both phones support 25W wired charging, with the A25 matching the charging speed of the flagship Galaxy S24. The A34’s charging speed is slightly slower, delivering about 15 to 20 percent charge in 15 minutes, about a third in 30 minutes, and a full charge in about two hours. While the A25 only charged to 32% in 30 minutes with an available adapter.
They both lack wireless charging and neither phone includes a charging adapter in the box, requiring an additional purchase.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
The Galaxy A25 and A34 run Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6, providing a user-friendly experience with customizable features such as a sidebar for quick access to apps and notifications. Samsung also includes useful features such as Link to Windows, Smart Switch, Quick Share and Multi control on both devices.
Be aware, however, that both phones come with some apps pre-installed, so you may experience a slight inconvenience during installation with some of them, like TikTok and Disney+, automatically downloading, which can then be uninstalled.
Notably, both models benefit from significant software support with promises of up to four years of operating system updates and five years of security patches. Just be aware that the Galaxy A34 is a year late and therefore doesn’t offer the same longevity if you buy it now.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Pricing and availability
The Galaxy A25 offers a budget option priced at £249 in the UK, with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It’s available from several retailers, including Samsung, or through Amazon or Currys. In the US it costs $299.99 and is offered by Samsung, Amazon and BestBuy.
With no contract options, purchasing outright and bundling with a SIM-only deal is now a better choice.
In comparison, the Galaxy A34 costs £349 in the UK and is available from various retailers including Samsung, Amazon, Argos and Currys.
An extra £50 can see you upgrade to the 256GB model, with Samsung offering this option in all colors. Since it is a year old, you will often find it at a reduced price.
Should you buy the Galaxy A25 or the Galaxy A34?
Both phones offer interesting features and extremely similar spec sheets, making them solid choices in the budget and mid-range smartphone markets.
However, the Galaxy A34 is slightly ahead thanks to its more efficient Dimensity chipset, offering better performance. It also features a more attractive design with its plain matte back finish.
It costs more and will lack software support a year before the A25 due to its age, so keep these things in mind.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy A25:
- Android 14 with One UI 6
- 6.5-inch AMOLED, 2340 x 1080, 120 Hz, 19.5:9 aspect ratio
- Exynos 1280
- 6 GB of RAM
- 128 GB of storage (expandable via microSDXC)
- Cameras:
- 50Mp OIS main camera
- 8Mp ultra-wide
- 2Mp Macro
- 13Mp selfie camera
- Dual-SIM (microSDXC shares second slot)
- Stereo speakers
- NFC
- GPS
- Bluetooth5.3
- Wi-Fi 5
- Fingerprint sensor (in the power button)
- 5000mAh battery
- 25W wired charging
- USB-C charging port
- 161 x 76.5 x 8.3mm
- 197g
Samsung Galaxy A34:
- Android 14 with One UI 6
- 6.6-inch AMOLED, 2340 x 1080, 120 Hz, 19.5:9 aspect ratio
- Mediatek MT6877V Dimensity 1080 chipset
- 6/8 GB of RAM
- 128/256 GB storage (expandable via microSDXC)
- Cameras:
- Main camera 48Mp f/1.8 OIS
- 8Mp f/2.2 ultra-wide
- 5Mp f/2.4 macro
- 13Mp f/2.2 selfie camera
- Dual-SIM (microSDXC shares second slot)
- Stereo speakers
- NFC
- GPS
- Bluetooth5.3
- WiFi 6
- Fingerprint sensor under the screen
- 5000mAh battery
- 25W wired charging
- USB-C charging port
- 161.3 x 78.1 x 8.2mm
- 199g
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