In the bustling market of budget and mid-range phones, both affordable and high-performance options have been around for some time now. Recently, the oil was added to the fire by the Nothing Phone (2a), 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 likely to impress not only with its new design but also with its innards. However, does it stand a chance against the one-year-old Galaxy A34 5G?

But the question is, is the new always better?

Both phones promise a balance of performance, features, and affordability, making the decision between the two a challenging one. Let’s delve into a comparison to determine which affordable smartphone emerges as the superior choice.

Differences between the Galaxy A25 and the Galaxy A34

The Galaxy A25 and the Galaxy A34 share similarities in their largely plastic construction. Both draw design inspiration from higher-end Samsung models, resembling the Galaxy S24 series and the S23 range.

Both devices feel sturdy but are somewhat slippery and prone to scratches, prompting recommendations for protective cases. Notably, the A34 boasts high-quality haptics, enhancing its more premium feel, whereas the A25’s vibration motor is more on the weaker side.

One key difference despite them looking almost identical is that the A25 has a devisive patterned rear design as you can see below whereas the A34 has a more widely appealing plain matt finish.

Both the Galaxy A25 5G and Galaxy A34 boast pretty much the same display but with 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 offer vivid colours, high details, and impressive brightness of up to 1000 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 for reducing blue light.

Both phones come with stereo speakers, providing decent sound quality and good volume, although lacking some bass for music. Additionally, both devices feature in-screen fingerprint sensors, although the reliability of the A25’s sensor isn’t as reliable.

Overall, both phones offer compelling display and audio experiences suitable for multimedia consumption, but the Galaxy A34 takes the lead slightly.

Both the Galaxy A25 and Galaxy A34 offer mid-range level performance but with different chipsets. The A25 5G utilizes Samsung’s own Exynos 1280 chipset, while the A34 employs a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 processor.

The Exynos 1280 chipset provides decent performance for daily use but may struggle with advanced gaming or intensive tasks. Conversely, the Dimensity 1080 processor in the A34 delivers responsive performance and smooth navigation, making it suitable for various tasks.

In our Geekbench 6 multi-core test, the Galaxy A25 achieved a score of 2074 points, whereas the Galaxy A34 maintained a lead with a score of 2491 putting it 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 offers no alternative storage configurations (at least at the time of writing), the A34 potentially offers 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage variants too.

Both phones also support 5G connectivity, as well as standard features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC.

Overall, while the A25 offers decent performance for typical usage, the A34 stands out again with its powerful Dimensity 1080 chipset and smooth performance, making it suitable for a variety of tasks, including gaming.

Both the Galaxy A25 and A34 feature camera setups typical for budget phones in 2024, with a main sensor, ultrawide shooter, and macro lens. The A25 includes 50Mp main with OIS, 8Mp ultrawide, 2Mp macro and 13Mp selfie cameras, while the A34 offers a very similar selection of sensors – 48Mp main with OIS, 8Mp ultrawide, 5Mp macro and 13Mp selfie cameras.

Both phones offer good-quality photos with saturated colors, though the A25’s main camera struggles in challenging lighting conditions. The A34’s main camera performs well outdoors but may lack sharpness indoors without stable subjects.

Both devices offer ultrawide shots with consistent color reproduction but he macro lenses add little value due to low resolution and fixed focus.

The A25’s selfie camera performs well, especially in portrait mode, while the A34’s output may appeal to those seeking a softer appearance. Both phones integrate Snapchat-like filters into the camera app, with the A34 allowing adjustments to the front camera’s field of view.

Video recording defaults to 1080p at 30fps on both devices, providing stable footage with reasonable audio quality. However, deviation from these settings may result in decreased stabilization and audio quality.

Overall, while the A34 offers a more modest selection of sensors compared to the A25, both phones deliver decent camera performance suitable for budget-conscious users.

Both the Galaxy A25 and Galaxy A34 feature a 5000mAh battery, providing extended usage times under typical conditions. The A25 5G offers impressive two-day battery life, although heavy usage may shorten this duration, while the A34 can last up to two days under light to moderate usage.

Our PCMark for Android battery tests revealed similar performance for both devices, with the A25 lasting 10 hours and 34 minutes, and the A34 lasting approximately 10 hours and 59 minutes, so there’s very little difference here.

As mentioned, both phones feature AMOLED screens allowing for customization of the always-on display, with options to conserve battery life.

Both phones support 25W wired charging, with the A25 matching the flagship Galaxy S24’s charging speed. The A34’s charging speed is slightly slower, providing around 15-20% charge in 15 minutes, roughly a third in 30 minutes and a full charge in about two hours. While the A25 charged to only 32% in 30 minutes with an available adapter.

They both also lack wireless charging and neither phone includes a charging adapter in the box, necessitating an additional purchase.

Both 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 app access and notifications. Samsung also includes useful functionalities like Link to Windows, Smart Switch, Quick Share, and Multi control on both devices.

Be aware, however, that both phones come with some pre-installed apps, so you may experience a slight annoyance during set-up with the automatic downloading of some of them, such as TikTok and Disney+, which can later be uninstalled.

Notably, both models receive significant software support with promises of up to four years of OS updates and five years of security patches. Just be aware that the Galaxy A34 is a year behind so doesn’t offer the same longevity if purchasing now.

Price & Availability

The Galaxy A25 offers a budget-friendly option priced at £249 in the UK, featuring 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It is available from multiple retailers including , or via or Currys. In the US, it’s priced at $299.99 and offered by , and BestBuy.

With no contract options, purchasing outright and pairing with a SIM-only deal is a better choice now.

In comparison, the Galaxy A34 is priced at £349 in the UK and is available from various retailers such as , , Argos and Currys.

An additional £50 can upgrade you to the 256GB model, with Samsung offering this option in all colours. As it’s a year old, you will often find it at reduced prices.

Should you buy the Galaxy A25 or Galaxy A34?

Both phones offer compelling features and have extremely similar spec sheets, making them solid choices in the budget and mid-range smartphone markets.

However, the Galaxy A34 edges slightly ahead due to its more efficient Dimensity chipset, providing better performance. It also has a more widely appealing design with its plain matt rear finish.

It does cost more and will run out of software support a year before the A25 due to its age so bear these things in mind.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy A25:

• Android 14 with One UI 6
• 6.5in AMOLED, 2340 x 1080, 120Hz, 19.5:9 aspect ratio
• Exynos 1280
• 6GB RAM
• 128GB of storage (expandable via microSDXC)
• Cameras:
  • 50Mp OIS main camera
  • 8Mp ultrawide
  • 2Mp macro
  • 13Mp selfie camera
• Dual-SIM (microSDXC shares second slot)
• Stereo speakers
• NFC
• GPS
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Wi-Fi 5
• Fingerprint sensor (in power button)
• 5000mAh battery
• 25W wired charging
• USB-C charging port
• 161 x 76.5 x 8.3 mm
• 197g

Samsung Galaxy A34:

• Android 14 with One UI 6
• 6.6in AMOLED, 2340 x 1080, 120Hz, 19.5:9 aspect ratio
• Mediatek MT6877V Dimensity 1080 chipset
• 6/8GB RAM
• 128/256GB of storage (expandable via microSDXC)
• Cameras:
  • 48Mp f/1.8 OIS main camera
  • 8Mp f/2.2 ultrawide
  • 5Mp f/2.4 macro
  • 13Mp f/2.2 selfie camera
• Dual-SIM (microSDXC shares second slot)
• Stereo speakers
• NFC
• GPS
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Wi-Fi 6
• Under-display fingerprint sensor
• 5000mAh battery
• 25W wired charging
• USB-C charging port
• 161.3 x 78.1 x 8.2mm
• 199g