Samsung Galaxy M35 5G 8/128 GB with Top 120Hz AMOLED display for budget buyers

Official price is ₹18,499, though sales regularly bring it down to around ₹17,000. At that price, the display and battery alone make it a hard deal to argue with.

Moderate use — calls, social media, some streaming — gets you close to two days. Heavy users still make it through a full day without needing a top-up. Battery life is genuinely one of its strongest points.

It does get warm during charging and heavy gaming — noticeable, but not uncomfortable. The cooling chamber helps, though it's not a complete fix. Taking breaks during long sessions keeps it manageable.

Not the phone for high-end gaming. BGMI and COD run, but you'll want to drop graphics to low or medium — intense moments can stutter. Casual and light gaming is fine, but serious gamers should look elsewhere.

Decent in good light, average in low light — don't expect anything beyond that from the rear camera. The selfie camera is a pleasant surprise, though, and handles video calls well. Acceptable for the price, not flagship-level.

The 120Hz AMOLED makes binge-watching genuinely enjoyable — colors pop, motion is smooth, and it gets bright enough for outdoor viewing. One of the best screens you'll find at this price.

222 grams is on the heavier side — one-handed use for long stretches will tire your hand. Two-handed, it's fine. The big battery is the trade-off, and most people decide it's worth it.

Four years of OS updates and five years of security patches. Excellent support for the price — Samsung is among the best in the Android space for long-term commitment.

There's a hybrid SIM slot for a microSD card, but it shares the second SIM slot — so dual SIM and expandable storage can't run together. Worth knowing before you decide how you'll use it.

Quick, reliable, and rarely misses — even with slightly wet hands. Many people prefer side-mounted sensors over in-display ones, and this is a good example of why.

Dual SIM with 5G on both slots, Wi-Fi 6E, and NFC for payments. Well covered on connectivity and future-proofed for what's coming.

For browsing, social media, and streaming, it's close to ideal at this price. Display is great, battery lasts, and performance stays smooth. Only starts to show limits when you push into heavy multitasking or gaming.

Display, battery, and software support put it near the top of this segment. Some rivals have stronger processors — but for most people who aren't gaming hard, this is the more balanced package.