The Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 smartphone is another device of the rather successful Galaxy A series, the models of which belong to the middle price segment. They are beautiful, made of quality materials, although they are inferior in many respects, surprisingly.
By the way, the Korean company is a vivid example of what a mobile device manufacturer should be like. For many, Samsung is associated with reliability and quality. At the same time, the company does not focus on the production of only top phones. A user with not the highest level of income can pick up a smartphone or tablet of this brand, knowing that a budget smartphone will not be inferior to the latest flagships of the brand in terms of quality and reliable operation. All this fully applies to our today's object of review - the Samsung A5 2017 phone.
The smartphone was introduced at the beginning of 2017 and immediately attracted attention with its pleasant appearance, good hardware and an adequate price.
Let's be honest - flagship smartphones are superior to many mid-range smartphones except for the latest generation of chipsets, cameras and fashionable innovations such as fast wireless charging, a heart rate sensor and more. Otherwise, the middle peasants can fully satisfy the needs of the most demanding user, but without frills.
Specifications of Samsung A 5 2017 look impressive for a device in the middle price segment:
| Display | Diagonal 5.2 inches, Super Amoled, support for 16 million colors. The display resolution is |
| CPU | Octa-core Samsung Exynos 7880 |
| Graphic arts | Mali T830MP3 |
| 3 GB | |
| 32 GB, expandable with microSD cards up to 256 GB | |
| Main camera | 16 MP |
| Front-camera | 16 MP |
| 3000 mAh, support fast charging function | |
| Operating system version | Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgradable to Android 7 |
| Interfaces | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac; GPS; Bluetooth v4.2; USB Type-C 1.0; NFC 3.5mm headphone jack; |
| Additionally | Fingerprint scanner, Samsung Pay support, IP68 protection |
| Size | 146.1 x 71.4 x 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 157 g |
| Body colors | Black, white, blue, golden |
One of the strengths of the smartphone is excellent autonomy. A screen with a small diagonal and not the highest resolution consumes energy economically. The Samsung A5 2017 is far superior in battery life to its top-end sibling, the Galaxy S7. At the same time, the manufacturer does not position the device as a device with a long-lasting battery.
In normal mode (calls, messages, Internet surfing, etc.), a smartphone with screen activity for 4-5 hours lives without recharging for two days. It is capable of playing continuously video in HD quality for about 19 hours. And this is really a great indicator.
If you use the Samsung A 5 2017 exclusively for calls, it may well last 4-5 days without recharging.
The 3000 mAh rechargeable battery, thanks to the fast charging function, can be charged up to 100% in about an hour.
Another feature of the smartphone is . The device without damage to it can be lowered into fresh water to a depth of one and a half meters. It withstands immersion for 30 minutes. He is not afraid of falling into the sand. The SIM card compartment is protected by rubber pads, and the speaker and microphone are membranes. Of course, washing a smartphone with soap under running water is not worth it, but falling into water does not scare him. By the way, in the price segment there are no analogues of the Galaxy A5 2017 with such protection.
As for the processor, it has become more productive compared to the previous model of the series, but inferior to the latest flagships of the company. Despite this, it is more than enough for hardware-demanding games. Slowdowns and hangs are not noticed. More than enough processor performance to work with applications. By the way, in the AnTuTu test, the smartphone scores about 60,000 points.
The amount of built-in memory is average. It should be borne in mind that out of 32 GB of ROM, about 23 GB is available to the user. For those who actively use the camera and install a lot of games and applications, this volume will not be enough. In this case, the possibility of expanding the memory up to 256 GB helps out. By the way, the microSD card slot is separate, which is good news. Now you do not need to sacrifice a second SIM card for the sake of increasing the phone's memory.
The device is supplied in a discreet white box, on which the name of the device is printed in large print. The package is quite modest:
In addition, the user receives a proprietary wired headset.
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017, the review of which we present to the attention of readers today, looks similar to last year's flagship Galaxy S7. It looks just as good as its premium counterpart. It is given out only by the smaller size of the main camera (it, like the Galaxy S7, does not protrude beyond the body) and the absence of a light indicator.
The front and back covers of the device are made of the latest generation of ultra-strong glass Gorilla Glass 4, which is resistant to falls on asphalt and concrete. The frame around the perimeter is aluminum. Antenna strips are located on the top and bottom of the case.
What Samsung always does flawlessly is the ergonomics of devices. The smartphone sits comfortably in the palm of your hand thanks to a small diagonal, although the glass panels make the device rather slippery. The protective glass of the case allows you to use the smartphone without a protective glass, but in this case you need to hold it in your hands with extreme caution.
The location of connectors and buttons on the case is standard, except for the speaker - it was moved to the right side.
The edges of the body of the device are slightly curved. A successful combination of glass and metal gives the smartphone a stylish, but not flashy look. The design of the Samsung A 5 2017 can be described as premium. And do not forget that this is not a flagship device of the company, but a mid-range smartphone, the quality of which once again indicates that Samsung is one of the best manufacturers of mobile devices.
The mechanical Home button has a traditional location - under the screen. It has a built-in fingerprint scanner. And here we are waiting for one of the shortcomings of the smartphone. Since the button is rather narrow, the scanner does not always work correctly. There are no complaints about the speed of recognition, but it is not always configured.
The smartphone, by tradition, is equipped with a bright Super Amoled display. The screen diagonal is 5.2 inches, which is a lot, but at the same time the device does not look bulky and it is convenient to hold it in your hand. The picture is bright and juicy, the viewing angles are wide, the display is perfectly readable in the sun. The oleophobic coating does its job perfectly - no traces remain on the display.
One of the nice features of the smartphone is support for the Always on display function, which finally got to Samsung models in the middle price segment. The user can now display the most up-to-date information on the screen: notifications, date, time and battery status. Is it more convenient than a traditional indicator light? Without a doubt, yes. To find out the time or check notifications, there is now no need to constantly turn on the screen. A useful feature that does not consume much battery.
It should be noted that this function has not yet been used en masse in smartphones of the middle price segment, which makes the Samsung A 5 2017 related to flagship devices.
For those who are worried about eye health, the fact that the screen of the Galaxy A5 2017 has a blue color filter will be important.
The minus of the display is support for not ten, but five simultaneous touches. Although, personally, we do not know such people who often poke at the screen of their mobile phone with both hands.
If in terms of battery life, the Galaxy A5 2017 can give odds to many flagships, take the same Galaxy S7, then the situation with photo quality is worse. The smartphone received a 16-megapixel rear and front cameras, both with f / 1.9 aperture. It must be remembered that for obtaining high-quality images, parameters such as:
A large number of matrix pixels alone will not provide a decent level of shooting.
During the day, the main camera of the device copes well, and the photos are of acceptable quality: bright, clear and saturated. Night shooting is just disappointing. There is no optical stabilization. Perhaps the algorithms for processing images taken in low light conditions are also to blame.
The front camera, on the contrary, will delight selfie lovers with decent photo quality.
Out of the box, the device runs , which can be upgraded to . On top of the operating system, as usual with Samsung smartphones, a proprietary Grace UI shell is installed, which replaced TouchWiz. It has a nice and easy to use interface with many branded software features, such as split screen into two parts, quick launch of the camera, one-hand operation.
Of the pre-installed applications, it is worth noting the built-in theme manager, document editor, S Health, S Voice, office suite, Samsung KNOX, which allows you to restrict access to certain files and Samsung Pay.
The price of the Samsung Galaxy A 5 2017 is one of the main reasons to buy a smartphone. A mobile phone with a premium design and almost flagship features in major electronics stores costs about 22,990 rubles. If you search carefully, you can find more pleasant options and become the owner of one of the best smartphones of the current year for 17,000-18,000 rubles.
You can compare the Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 in terms of features, performance and cost with Meizu Pro 6, Huawei P9, Honor 8, Huawei Nova, OnePlus 3 and. Yielding to some of them in hardware, it is definitely the leader in terms of battery life. In addition, none of the competitors offers dust and moisture protection.
In the vast majority of cases, user reviews of the smartphone are positive. Among the advantages of the device, its owners note the high build quality without a single backlash, premium design, the ideal screen size that allows you to comfortably hold your smartphone in your hand, excellent autonomy and an economical AMOLED display. Users highly appreciated the presence of IP68 dust and moisture protection, like in flagship devices, the always-on display function, and the Samsung KNOX security system, with which you can be calm for the safety of personal data.
Among the shortcomings, users note a problem when working with a fingerprint scanner, which does not always work correctly, the lack of optical stabilization and, as a result, not very good image quality in low light conditions. Not everyone liked the glass case either - because of it, the smartphone turned out to be slippery.
The Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 is undoubtedly one of the best smartphones in the popular Galaxy A series. It received a spectacular flagship design, a good screen, a 16-megapixel camera, excellent autonomy, and IP68 moisture and dust protection. The price of Samsung A 5 2017 is pleasantly pleasing. Now on the market in terms of price, performance and quality, this is one of the best options. For an amount of just over 20 thousand rubles, the user receives a well-assembled stylish device with almost flagship characteristics and branded accessories.
Disadvantages of the smartphone Samsung Galaxy A5 2017: no stabilization and . But compared to the above advantages, the disadvantages of the smartphone do not seem critical.
The A-series from Samsung was well established in the market in 2015 and became a real bestseller in 2016. In terms of the ratio of cost and offered features, buyers considered these devices the most attractive for themselves among the entire model range of devices from the Korean giant.
In the new year, the A5 model is seen as a clear favorite that can provide the company with big profits: the creators clearly planned to release a bestseller - a mid-range smartphone with a fashionable appearance and decent characteristics. But did they succeed?
Extremely comfortable and versatile dimensions, combined with price positioning, make the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) a direct competitor to many Android devices, not to mention the cheaper iPhone 6 and 6s. At a price of not about 25 thousand rubles, the device was clearly conceived as a "folk" - none of the representatives of the Samsung lineup is more suitable for this role than the hero of this review.
Characteristics:
The package includes the smartphone itself, a charger and a USB Type-C cable, a headset, instructions and a clip for installing a SIM card. Only the original unit will be able to provide fast charging of the device - the smartphone will receive a standard amount of current (about 0.5-0.7 amperes) from other power sources. The headset will not upset the unpretentious user, but it will not be able to impress with its chic sound.
Since 2015, when the first A5 went on sale, the smartphone has become more elegant, it got rid of extra lines and another significant drawback - the dubious ergonomics of the angular body. In terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) stands out from the mid-range cohort, offering not so much an original appearance as a simplified design of the recognizable Galaxy S7. The chronic disease associated with the body materials has remained: the device still slips in the hand, and its body is easily covered with scratches.
On the back surface is the main camera of the device and a single LED flash for shooting in the dark. The peephole does not protrude beyond the body line, which protects the optics from scratches.
The side edges are made of durable 6000-series aluminum, which only Apple's iPhone could boast of a couple of years ago. This ensures the strength of the frame and the solidity of the structure - in the hands of the A5 (2017) it does not creak and feels very pleasant.
Upon closer examination of the front panel, you can see the changed shape of the speaker grid - this is a consequence of the fact that the device received protection against water and dust according to the IP68 standard. Such a move is unique for this price segment. There is also a front camera, sensors, a screen and a fingerprint sensor (fingerprint scanner).
On the bottom, you can see the connectors for connecting a Type-C cable and headphones. There are no plugs there - the rubber gaskets that ensure tightness are located inside the case and are not conspicuous in any way. The main microphone is also located there.
The speaker is located on the right side face - an unusual solution, which, however, does not affect the comfort of using the device. On the same side, you can also find the power button: it is conveniently located, reaching out with your finger is not difficult.
The opposite left side has a tray for a SIM card and separate volume control buttons. They work out keystrokes well, it's easy to find them blindly.
The appearance of the device does not betray a representative of the middle price segment in it - it is a perfectly assembled and beautiful smartphone, the design of which resembles the flagship Galaxy S7.
The South Korean giant remains true to itself in the matter of choosing a matrix - even at the dawn of the existence of the series, branded SuperAMOLED screens were installed there. FullHD resolution on a 5.2-inch diagonal provides excellent detail in any usage scenario. For opponents of high contrast, it is possible to adjust the screen manually using preset profiles. 
It is possible to display notifications on the screen off - AlwaysOn.
In terms of behavior in the sun and viewing angles, the matrix can be called excellent - it has almost no analogues in this category of devices.
The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) is powered by an eight-core Exynos 7880 Octa processor, made according to the modern 14 nm process technology, as well as the competing Snapdragon 625. In direct comparison in synthetic tests, the device is not inferior to competitors, gaining 60 thousand points in the common Antutu benchmark.
The loss of the graphics accelerator in terms of performance can be considered a small minus: the Mali T860-MP3 installed here loses almost twice in computing power to the Adreno 506. However, there will be no noticeable difference in everyday tasks - only the superiority of the latter in terms of smoothness in heavy games is possible.
The RAM in the device is 3 GB, its new type is used - LPDDR4. The device has 32 GB of pre-installed memory, as well as a slot for microSD-cards.
The front camera boasts a non-trivial resolution of 16 megapixels. It has a decent set of built-in filters and features, but it does not reach the flagship level, although in general it produces excellent quality selfies.
Much more attention deserves the main matrix with the same resolution, which has a large number of settings hidden under the “PRO” icon. Compared to competitors, the device takes pictures a little better, especially at night (af / 1.9 aperture affects). Sample pictures:
The only drawback is the lack of video recording in 4K. The maximum video resolution is 1920x1080.
The speaker has a volume no higher than average and due to the location it can overlap when carrying a smartphone in your pocket, but only in rare cases. Moisture protection affects here - all devices with this option do not have the loudest sound. In headphones, the sound can also be called decent, but for many it may seem quiet. The sound in the headphones of the A5 is good, unless you compare it with smartphones with a dedicated audio chip.
The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A5 uses a 3,000 mAh battery and also supports fast charging – you can fill the battery up to 100% in 80 minutes. With everyday tasks, including listening to music, working in LTE networks and using social networks, the device confidently lives for a day.
The average operating time of the included screen is 4-5 hours. With heavy gaming loads, this figure can be reduced to 3 hours. There is an energy-saving mode that will allow the smartphone to hold out on the remaining few percent of the charge for a couple of hours in the “dialer” mode.
As a navigator, the device works well, except that a cold start could take less time - the A5 takes almost 10 seconds. The communication capabilities of the device are at the level: here is an NFC module, and dual-band Wi-Fi with support for the latest 802.11ac standard and 5 GHz bands, and an ANT + profile for connecting sports bracelets and peripherals.
Almost all available LTE frequencies are supported, including category 6. Both the distribution of the network Internet and the repeater function are possible - the existing Wi-Fi signal is repeated and received by other devices. For conservatives, the presence of FM radio will be a pleasant moment.
The Galaxy A5 2017 is going to be a very strong player in its price range, and it has everything for that: cool design, newfangled dust and moisture protection, good performance and a full range of communication options. The camera and autonomy are also at a decent level. We did a good job on the branded shell and its cleaning from unnecessary rubbish - it became much more pleasant to use.
| Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 71.4 mm (millimeters) 7.14 cm (centimeters) 0.23 ft 2.81in |
| Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 146.1 mm (millimeters) 14.61 cm (centimeters) 0.48 ft 5.75in |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 7.9 mm (millimeters) 0.79 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft 0.31in |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 159 g (grams) 0.35 lbs 5.61oz |
| Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 82.41 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Black Blue Golden Pink gold |
| Housing materials The materials used to make the body of the device. | Aluminium alloy Glass |
| Certification Information about the standards to which this device is certified. | IP68 |
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| UMTS UMTS is short for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency with W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1700/2100 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 700 MHz Class 17 LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1700/2100 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) LTE 700 MHz (B28) |
| SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 7880 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor. | 14 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors. | 64 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv8-A |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel. | 8 |
| Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1900 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc. | ARM Mali-T830 MP3 |
| Number of GPU cores Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications. | 3 |
| GPU clock speed Speed is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 950 MHz (megahertz) |
| The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted. | 3 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR4 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means higher data rates. | dual channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its speed, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data. | 1033 MHz (megahertz) |
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends. | Super AMOLED |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches. | 5.2in 132.08 mm (millimeters) 13.21 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate Screen Width | 2.55in 64.75 mm (millimeters) 6.48 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate Screen Height | 4.53in 115.12 mm (millimeters) 11.51 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail. | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail. | 424 ppi (pixels per inch) 166ppm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device. | 71.69% (percentage) |
| Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen. | capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistance |
| Corning Gorilla Glass 4 Always On Display |
| Sensor Model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera. | Samsung S5K3P8 |
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take pictures. The sensor, as well as the optics, is one of the main factors in the quality of a camera in a mobile device. | ISOCELL |
| Diaphragm | f/1.9 |
| Focal length | 3.6 mm (millimeters) |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile devices cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes give a softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. | LED |
| Image resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which indicates the number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical direction of an image. | 4608 x 3456 pixels 15.93 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording by the device. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard shooting and video playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30 fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | autofocus Burst shooting digital zoom geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode |
| Sensor size - 1/3.1" Pixel size - 1.0 µm |
| Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture is larger. | f/1.9 |
| Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. There is also an equivalent focal length that provides the same field of view with a full frame camera. | 3.6 mm (millimeters) |
| Image resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the secondary camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera. | 4608 x 3456 pixels 15.93 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum resolution supported when shooting video with the optional camera. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the optional camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution. | 30 fps (frames per second) |
| Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, making it easier to discover and connect devices. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device. | 4.2 |
| Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols for faster data transfer, power savings, better device discovery, and more. Some of these profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here. | A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) DIP (Device ID Profile) HFP (Hands Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) HOGP |
| Browser Information about some of the key features and standards supported by the device's browser. | HTML HTML5 CSS 3 |
| Video file formats/codecs A list of some of the main video file formats and codecs that are standardly supported by the device. | 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project, .3gp) 3GPP2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project 2, .3g2) AVI (Audio Video Interleaved, .avi) Flash Video (.flv, .f4v, .f4p, .f4a, .f4b) H.263 H.264 / MPEG-4 Part 10 / AVC video H.265 / MPEG-H Part 2 / HEVC MKV (Matroska Multimedia Container, .mkv .mk3d .mka .mks) MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14, .mp4, .m4a, .m4p, .m4b, .m4r, .m4v) VC-1 VP8 VP9 WebM WMV (Windows Media Video, .wmv) WMV7 (Windows Media Video 7, .wmv) WMV8 (Windows Media Video 8, .wmv) Xvid |
| Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours. | 3000 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Li-Ion) |
| Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 2G network. | 16 h (hours) 960 min (minutes) 0.7 days |
| 3G talk time Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network. | 16 h (hours) 960 min (minutes) 0.7 days |
| Adapter output power Information about the electrical current (measured in amps) and electrical voltage (measured in volts) supplied by the charger (power output). Higher power output ensures faster battery charging. | 5 V (volts) / 2 A (amps) 9 V (volts) / 1.67 A (amps) |
| Characteristics Information about some additional features of the device's battery. | fast charging Fixed |
| Head SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum allowable SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines. | 0.522 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum allowed SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards. | 1.39 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Head SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are controlled by the CTIA and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values. | 0.3 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest acceptable SAR value in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA controls whether mobile devices comply with this standard. | 0.55 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
As the review suggests, a very attractive metal and glass smartphone that combines premium flagship style with very powerful mid-range specs, an IP68 water and dust rating, and long battery life. However, if for one reason or another the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A5 isn't right for you, there are some handy options. For example, you could start with this year's junior model.
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)
—
You might consider the Galaxy A3 (2017) for its compactness, you just need to consider that it has a lower resolution (and lower pixel density) display, a much slower chip, less RAM and storage, and a worse camera. The smartphone offers important features such as a microSD slot (hybrid version), an IP68 rating, as well as an excellent display and battery life. The phone is also significantly cheaper.
—
Or you could step up and pick the 5.7-inch Galaxy A7 (2017) if it's already available near you. There are far fewer trade-offs here - the hardware is almost identical, but you'll have to pay a little more for the extra diagonal and battery (the phone might offer better battery life). One caveat - Samsung will not sell the A7 in Europe, which makes it not available to all Russian-speaking users.
Samsung Galaxy S7
—
There is another option that needs to be noted, and that is none other than the Galaxy S7. Sure, it's significantly more expensive at the moment, but it's going to be replaced by a new flagship in a few months, so if you're willing to wait, the Galaxy S7 certainly offers a lot more features. A5 (2017) does not offer flagship features - all the strengths in comparison with the Galaxy S7 are zero, it's on the market.
Sony Xperia X
—
The Sony Xperia X comes very close to the Galaxy A5 (2017) for the money. This is a model that is close to a year from the announcement, and half that time since the start of sales.
The Xperia X Performance is one of a select few devices that can offer an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, so the A5 leads the way in this area. You do not have to allocate battery life either - Sony was not close by. The phone boasts a Snapdragon 820 chipset, and its advantages in mobile gaming are undeniable - it is much better suited for this task than the Exynos 7880 in the A5.
—
Huawei offers several phones that can compete with the A5 (2017) for you to choose from. And we'll start with the flagship, although the P9 is a little more expensive, it boasts an excellent dual 12MP (color + monochrome) camera on the back and a slightly more powerful chipset (which still doesn't support 4K video recording). The A5 is protected from water and dust, however, its battery performs better than the 3000 mAh in Huawei P9.
—
Check out the Huawei Nova, which will save you some money, although you're getting a premium mid-range phone that's all metal. Unlike the P9, the Nova uses a single camera (like the A5), only the Nova can record 4K video. Battery life isn't half as bad, but it's not a marathon A5, the Samsung phone's display far outperforms the Chinese competitor. Did we mention the IP68 rating in A5 (2017)? Well, now you know everything.
—
Priced identically to the Galaxy A5 (2017), the OnePlus 3T deserves its place among the competition. Of course, you may not find it in a nearby store, and warranty repairs will require some hassle, it's hard to beat OnePlus smartphones in terms of price / quality. Packed with one of the most powerful chipsets available on the market, the 3T also comes with plenty of RAM and storage. The latest OnePlus 3T features dual 16MP cameras, each slightly better than the one you'll find in the A5, capable of capturing 2160p.
Against the backdrop of the latest OnePlus, our Galaxy A5 (2017) may offer its strengths - 32 GB of storage may look more modest than 64 / 128 GB OnePlus, but a 256 GB microSD card easily fixes this, and 3T does not provide room for expansion. You might be tired of reading about the Galaxy A5's water resistance as well as battery life, but that's only because no competitor can match the A5 2017's scores, most competitors can't come up with similar numbers either. OnePlus 3T can't either.
If you look at the numbers that accompany the new Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017), it's easy to highlight the negative aspects. No entry for 2160r. The price is 28.000 rubles. Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. Even his name does not have more - A5 (2017).
All of these numbers can easily be countered with a few other numbers that sound much prettier, but let's not get hung up on the numbers. The facts are: The Galaxy A5 (2017) is a beautifully designed phone; he will easily survive the downpour; it uses a screen that only Samsung's flagships can beat, and it offers battery life that's hard to beat. Of course, the phone is not perfect, and it is not a cheap smartphone, but you will not be easy to find something radically better among the competition. Well, unless you're ready to dig deeper into your pocket.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 is one of the best phones in the world, but it is not cheap, and for this reason alone, many refuse to buy it as a new smartphone. Because of this, Samsung has moved many of the features and design elements of the flagship S7 to its mid-range device, the Galaxy A5 (2017).
With a stylish design and good specifications, the 2017 Samsung A5 claims to be the best smartphone for those who want a flagship feature set for little money.
This model has a case with a thickness of 7.9 mm, which, by today's standards, is not a record, but is a comfortable parameter. With dimensions of 146.1 mm in height and 71.4 mm in width, the phone weighs 169 grams. Considering the fact that the insides of the A5 (2017) are completely protected from water and dust, its slightly increased dimensions are quite justified.
(banner_context_socialmart)
To be more precise, the phone is IP68 certified, which means that the device will work without problems after being submerged under water to a shallow depth and for a short time. Such functionality is rarely found on other smartphones in the same segment.
Looking at the live photos of the Samsung A5 (2017), you will notice that the speakerphone is now on the right side. How successful such a move is, we have yet to find out.
Another design improvement is the camera, which no longer protrudes from the back of the gadget. This allows it to lie flat on a table or similar surface without swaying when the user touches it. I believe that this bulge spoiled the neat look of modern Samsung smartphones.
The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) is equipped with a 5.2-inch Full HD Super AMOLED screen. Its pixel density is 424 dpi. There is an always-on screen function that allows you to display important data while the smartphone is in standby mode. That is, you do not need to unlock the device to see, for example, if there are any missed notifications.
The screen-to-body ratio is 72.27%, which is also good. At the top there is a light sensor and a proximity sensor, and at the bottom, a fingerprint scanner is built into the home button, which works by touch.
The updated A5 has 3 GB of RAM on board, as well as 32 GB of permanent memory. Considering the optimized Samsung Experience user interface, which consumes a minimum of RAM, this will be more than enough for most users. And if, nevertheless, 32 GB of internal memory is not enough for you, then you can always use a 256 GB memory card. By the way, out of 32 gigabytes, 23.1 will be available to you.
If you are a fan of listening to music, for example, while traveling, then the built-in power supply will be enough for 53 hours of uninterrupted audio playback. As for video playback, according to the figures on paper provided by Samsung, the device will be able to work in this mode for about 19 hours.
But how long does it take to charge? It will take a little over an hour to reach a charge of up to 100 percent, which is a very good indicator by today's standards.
The front lens, unfortunately, still has a fixed focus, and also lacks a flash. But still, this is one of the best quality selfie cameras at the moment.
This smartphone is equipped with a modern double-sided USB Type-C port, which is designed for synchronization with a computer, charging, and even connecting peripherals such as a mouse and keyboard. In Russia, the Galaxy A5 has support for the Samsung Pay mobile payment system. Naturally, this service requires an NFC module, which is present here.
The device is also equipped with a new fingerprint sensor built into the home button. It works by touch, meaning there is no longer a need to press a physical button to wake up the device and unlock it. To do this, now you just need to put your finger on the scanner and in a split second the phone will be ready for use.
It uses very precise technology, so you don't have to register the same finger multiple times as before.
(banner_context_socialmart)
The novelty is really able to surprise its owner. The company's latest software developments deserve special attention, as the inside of the phone is indistinguishable from the flagship of the S series.
