Samsung Galaxy M35 Challengers: CMF Phone 1, Poco X6, More
Samsung Galaxy M35 Alternatives: Oneplus Nord CE 4 Lite, iQoo Z9, and more smartphones to choose from.
Samsung Galaxy M35 Challengers: Samsung's Galaxy M series is incredibly popular in the mid-segment of the smartphone market, and the brand has now added another smartphone to the series, the Galaxy M35. It brings a tall 6.6 inch Super AMOLED full HD+ display with 120 Hz refresh rate, which in best Samsung tradition, is quite a punchy, vibrant display, and even comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection, a first in the M series.
Another M-series staple the Galaxy M35 brings along is a big battery - the phone is backed by a 6,000 mAh battery which will easily see you through more than a day’s usage and then some. That said, you get only up to 25W charging support and no charger in the box. The Galaxy M35 is powered by Samsung’s capable in-house Exynos 1380 processor, with up to 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.
Samsung Galaxy M35 brings a triple camera setup comprising a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, an 8-megapixel ultrawide and a 5-megapixel macro sensor, while a 13-megapixel sensor in front handles selfies and video calls. The phone runs on Android 14 with Samsung’s OneUI on top and also brings stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support, which combined with that display, makes it a very solid multimedia device. All of this makes the Galaxy M35 a very good option at its starting price of Rs 19,999.
However, the phone is in a segment loaded with competition. Here are five phones that can take on the latest phone on the Galaxy M block:
Oneplus Nord CE 4 Lite: An All-Round Spec Machine
Price: Rs 19,999 onwards
The OnePlus Nord CE Lite series has been wildly successful ever since it stepped into the market and has been a point of pain for all other smartphones in this price segment. The recently launched OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite carries this tradition forward with specs that not only match but even surpass the Galaxy M35 in some categories.
The phone comes with a bright 6.67-inch full HD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695G processor which is a relatively less powerful chip, paired with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage.
The phone only has a dual camera setup that comes with a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 sensor with OIS and a 2-megapixel depth assist sensor, and brings a 16-megapixel selfie sensor which is a notch above the 13-megapixel one on the Galaxy M35. The phone may have a comparatively smaller battery at 5,500mAh but it comes with 80W fast charging support and a charger in the box, both of which are a big edge over the Galaxy M35.
The phone runs on Android 14 with OnePlus OxygenOS on top. Along with all this, the phone not only brings stereo speakers but also a 3.5 mm audio jack which makes it a complete multimedia package.
Poco X6: Mid-Segment Spec Monster
Price: Rs 18,999 onwards
The Poco X6 comes with specs so impressive that most other devices start to look somewhat mediocre in front of it. The phone is powered by the very capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor which will not only surf through your daily chores with ease but will also give you a slight taste of high-end gaming. This is paired with up to a whopping 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, making the Poco X6, a multitasking master.
Top this off with a beautiful 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 1.5K resolution and 120 Hz refresh with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection, really good dual speakers and a 3.5 mm audio jack and all your multimedia and gaming needs get easily met with this device. The phone has a triple camera unit on the back which is spearheaded by a 64-megapixel main sensor with OIS followed by an 8-megapixel ultrawide and a 2-megapixel macro sensor.
It also has an upper hand over the Galaxy M35 in terms of selfie camera megapixels as it brings a 16-megapixel sensor to the table. While it has a relatively smaller (still big enough) 5,100 mAh battery on board, the phone comes with a much faster 67W fast charging support and brings a charger in the box too, something that is missing from the Galaxy M35. The only negative here perhaps is that the phone comes with Android 13 out of the box and MIUI 14 but it can has been since upgraded to HyperOS and Android 14.
iQoo Z9: Checking All The Right Boxes
Price: Rs 19,999 onwards
iQoo is a brand that has been working hard on making its presence felt in the mid-segment, and devices like the iQoo Z9 are helping it do just that. The phone comes with a solid spec sheet. It features a 6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED Display with 120 Hz refresh rate and a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 chipset, a very capable mid-segment processor, paired with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage, making the phone a decent multi-tasker.
In photography, the phone comes with a dual camera unit with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX882 OIS main sensor a nominal 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 16-megapixel selfie camera in front. It has a smaller battery in comparison at 5,000 mAh but what it lacks in mAhs, it makes up for in relatively fast charging support (44W) and helps its case with a charger in the box. The phone has stereo speakers but does not have a 3.5 mm audio jack that some devices in the list sport.
It runs on Android 14 which is topped with Vivo’s feature-loaded FunTouchOS UI. It is a good-looking device too and comes with a back that makes it look very distinct.
Redmi Note 13: Megapixel King Of Midsegment
Price: Rs 16,999 onwards
The Redmi Note 13 gets the basics right. The phone comes with a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate. It is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. It runs on a strictly mid-segment but efficient processor, the MediaTek Dimensity 6080 paired with 8 GB RAM and up to 256 GB storage - a combo that is more than enough to get you through your everyday smartphone chores effortlessly.
One of the biggest USPs of the phone is its triple-digit, 108-megapixel main sensor which is backed by an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor, while a 16-megapixel selfie sensor sits on the front.
With that 108-megapixel sensor, it is safe to say that the Note 13 is the camera king in the list in megapixel terms. The phone runs on a 5,000 mAh battery which is 1,000 mAh less than the one on the Galaxy M35 but comes with a slightly faster 33W charging support along with a charger, a major plus in this category.
It also has a 3.5 mm audio jack runs on Android 13 out of the box and comes with Xiaomi’s MIUI on top, but can be upgraded to Android 14 and HyperOS.
CMF Phone 1: A Totally Different Prospect
Price: Rs 15,999 onwards
Nothing has a sub-brand now, CMF, and it has launched its first phone in the Indian market, the CMF Phone 1. It goes up against mid-segment smartphones and comes with a very unique USP, which is its design. The phone comes with interchangeable backs, with very visible screws on its back which can be unscrewed with the help of a special screwdriver.
Apart from this design distinction, the phone also features a 6.67-inch full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and is powered by the dependable but mid-segment MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor. You can pair this with 6 GB or 8 GB RAM with 128 GB storage.
There is a dual camera set up on the back that consists of a 50-megapixel main sensor and a 2-megapixel sensor while there is a 16-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies and video calls. The phone has a substantially smaller 5,000 mAh battery as compared to the massive 6,000 mAh battery on the Galaxy M35 but has a relatively faster 33W charging support. However, like the Galaxy M35, this too lacks an adapter in the box.
The phone runs on Android 14 with Nothing’s stock Android-like NothingOS on top. Definitely the most different-looking phone in the list, and a very good performer too.
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