Samsung, the renowned tech giant, has recently expanded its product portfolio in India with the launch of the Galaxy M34 5G smartphone. The base variant of this new addition to the Galaxy series is priced at Rs. 16,999, while the higher variant, which boasts 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, is priced at Rs. 18,999. The Galaxy M34 5G is packed with a host of impressive features, including a 6.6-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 50MP triple rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), 5G connectivity, and a robust 6,000mAh battery that supports 25W charging. 

The Galaxy M34 5G showcases a sleek and familiar design, with a plastic back that houses three circular camera lenses. The glossy back gives the device a premium, glass-like feel. Despite housing a 6,000mAh battery, the device does feel slightly heavy in hand, but this is a small trade-off for the extended battery life. The device features a USB-C type port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a mono speaker that supports Dolby Atmos at the bottom. The right side of the smartphone houses the volume buttons that double as the power button, while the left side features a hybrid nano sim card tray. The display is characterized by thick bezels, a teardrop notch, and a broader chin. Samsung offers the Galaxy M34 5G in three color options: Midnight Blue, Prism Silver, and Waterfall Blue, allowing users to choose a variant that suits their style.

The Galaxy M34 5G features a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, providing users with smooth scrolling and an immersive visual experience. The Full HD+ resolution ensures vibrant colors, while the Gorilla Glass 5 protection offers resistance against scratches. The display boasts 1000 nits of brightness, providing excellent visibility even under harsh sunlight.

Under the hood, the Galaxy M34 5G is powered by the 5nm Exynos 1280 SoC, coupled with up to 8GB of RAM. The device runs on the latest Android 13-based One UI 5, Samsung's custom user interface. During testing, the device performed well in day-to-day operations, with smooth scrolling and seamless toggling between multiple apps. Gaming performance was also satisfactory, with no noticeable lag or frame drops, even when playing high-end games on medium to high settings. However, the device did warm up slightly during extended gaming sessions. It's worth noting that the Galaxy M34 5G comes with some pre-installed apps and bloatware, which some users might find unnecessary.

The Galaxy M34 5G impresses with its camera capabilities. The triple rear camera setup is led by a 50-megapixel primary camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), delivering clear and steady shots. The setup also includes an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2-megapixel macro shooter. On the front, a 13-megapixel camera ensures sharp and vibrant selfies. The camera performs well in good lighting conditions, capturing detailed photos with vibrant colors and a decent dynamic range. However, it tends to overexpose the brightest areas in some instances. The 8MP ultrawide camera captures good photos with similar colors as the primary camera sensor, while the macro lens manages to take usable shots despite its lower resolution.

Equipped with a 6,000mAh battery, the Galaxy M34 5G delivers long battery life. During testing, the device lasted over 14 hours despite heavy gaming of up to two hours. Moreover, with normal day-to-day usage, it lasted for almost 30 hours. However, it's worth noting that the device does not come with a charger in the box, which might come as a surprise to some customers.

The Samsung Galaxy M34 5G offers a lot of great features for its price. It comes with smooth scrolling, a bright display, long-lasting battery, and a decent camera. Under the 20,000 segment, it is a value-for-money device. If you are fine with a slightly heavy device in your pocket, no charger in the box, and some pre-installed third-party apps, then the Samsung Galaxy M34 5G is definitely worth considering.