For the first time, the A-series of smartphones became known at the end of 2014. It consisted of three devices, A3, A5 and A7, which went on sale at the beginning of 2015. The larger the number, the larger the diagonal of the smartphone - from 4.5 to 5.5 inches.

In 2016, the developers decided not to change the concept of the series, but to update the filling of the gadgets themselves.

As a result, A3, A5 and A7 were born, with a small number 6 added to their number, which indicated the 16th year of production of the series.

Devices have become more interesting and faster. Moreover, in 2016 the diagonal on the A3 models increased to 4.7 inches and the A5 2016 to 5.2 inches.

Today we will talk about model range Samsung A is already 2017. What distinguishes them from last year’s devices?

The first is Always On Display, which can display the clock, calendar and other service information on a locked device.

Until 2017, this function was available on flagship smartphones from Samsung: the cost of which started at approximately 50 thousand rubles.

The second feature is IP68 water protection, which allows any of the three devices of the new A series to lie under water for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters without compromising performance.

The third point is the Samsung Pay service, which allows you to pay with a smartphone instead of a bank card, including simulating a magnetic stripe using MST technology. If we compare the cost of devices that can make payments, then these are the cheapest smartphones that replace your bank cards, especially A3

All three devices received a body in the form of a glass sandwich made of protected Gorilla Glass 4 polymer, with an aluminum frame around the perimeter. Weight, of course, increases with the size of the screen - A3 weighs 138 grams, A5 - 159, and A7 as much as 186 grams.

A design feature of the entire trio is the unusual place for the built-in speaker on the right side under the grille. Underneath it is a special membrane that combines the need for protection from water with loud and clear sound.

The HOME button is located in a place familiar to Samsung and serves as a fingerprint scanner. There are currently 3 color options for the case – gold, blue and black.

In my opinion, the latter is the most impressive, since when the display is turned off, the border between the screen and the body is practically invisible.

Amoled matrix on all three smartphones.
A3 received a display with a diagonal of 4.7 inches and HD resolution with a pixel density of 312 PPI.
The A5 has a diagonal of 5.2 inches FullHD and excellent 424PPI.
A7 5.7 inches. Resolution FullHD, 386PPI

In the A3, the combined card slot forces you to choose between a second SIM card and a memory card.
The A5 and A7 Samsung have 2 full trays. One or two nano SIM cards can live in one of them, and a separate memory card in the second.

The A3 received only 2 gigabytes of RAM and 16 gigabytes of storage memory. For those who use 2 SIM cards, there is no way to overclock the memory. A5 and A7 are much more balanced in this sense - they have 3 gigabytes of RAM and 32 gigabytes of permanent memory, + an independent microSD slot.

The cameras do not protrude from the body, but have different characteristics: the younger brother Frontalka has 8, up to 13 megapixels. The Sony IMX258 sensor is familiar to us from the Sony Xperia XA and One Plus X - the shooting quality on a 10-point scale is somewhere around 5-6 maximum...

Here are examples of shooting in various modes(best pictures selected):

HDR work pulls out the dark parts of the photo, but makes it look lifeless and flat:

Same effect:

On the A5 and A7, the front and rear cameras have the same 16-megapixel sensors with fairly bright F1.9 optics. On the same 10-point scale, this is already closer to 7 points out of 10. But even to the level of last year’s Galaxy S6, with the same shooting resolution, they are far away, and, unfortunately, I did not find accurate information about the sensor model. Interestingly, the quality of shooting is practically the same, with the exception of higher resolution:

A5 on automatic:

A5 “tries” to blur the background, but is not very successful:

The night turns out to be quite soapy:

But if you freeze, close the aperture and lower the ISO, it comes out more or less:

And here is the video on the A5 and the machine:

The new Samsung Exynos 7880 processor debuted in all 2017 models. An 8-core, 64-bit chipset built using modern technology. 14nm FinFET process with MALI T830 graphics.

It supports LPDDR4 memory and can work with screens up to QuadHD resolution.

This is a mid-range chipset, the performance of which is about half that of flagships. The operating frequency on the A5 and A7 models is 1.9 GHz, and the A3 model is again unlucky, there is a version of the same stone cut down to 1.6 GHz under the number 7860. In the Antutu test, the older brothers score around 60,000 parrots, while the younger one barely reaches 45,000, and it’s difficult to call him particularly efficient.

The batteries are charged via a USB Type C connector and have the following parameters:
A3 – only 2350mAh without fast charging,
A5 – 3000 mAh,
A7 – 3600mAh. Both have fast charging included, and with the same hardware, it turns out that the largest one with the most capacious battery will last the longest.

When purchased, all models come with Android 6.0.1 with a planned update to 7 in the coming months.
And the most important thing is the retail price at the start of sales
A3 – 22990 RUR,
A5 – 27990 rub.
A7 – 32990 rub.

Now our verdict on the pros and cons. First, traditionally, what I liked:

1. Samsung Pay, including MST
2.Always On Display
3. Rfxtcndj assembly and execution + black version
4. IP 68 protection
5. separate SD slot
6.fm radio

What I didn't like:

1. Android 6 at the start of sales
2. Performance for the A3 is borderline reasonable. For such money it is critical.
3. Mid-range cameras
4. Wide screen frames
5. Strange color scheme

Below we offer you to watch the videos that we recorded live. At the end of the review there will be a discussion of new products and answers to your questions:

Smartphones for review were kindly provided by the company

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) is trying its best to be like the flagship Galaxy S7 edge, and it succeeds. A thick metal frame surrounds the perimeter of the smartphone, and the back side is covered with glass curved on the sides.

It's comfortable to hold and operate the phone with one hand, but the materials are slippery. You need to be especially careful if you need to take a gadget out of your pocket in the cold, and you are wearing knitted gloves. Glass is a fragile thing, even a small fall can lead to the appearance of a web of cracks both on the screen and on the back panel.

Galaxy A5 (2016)

Galaxy A5 (2017)

Move the slider to compare appearance Galaxy A5 (2016) and A5 (2017).

A5 (2016) was square, A5 (2017), on the contrary, became very rounded. Judging by the first reviews on the Internet, not everyone likes it. Some even tease with the word “remnant”. In my opinion, nothing terrible, although the back panel looks a little empty. The main thing is that the build quality is still fine. By the way, the camera lens no longer sticks out.

The speaker has moved to the upper part of the right side of the smartphone. Convenient solution. Now it cannot be closed by hand either in horizontal or vertical orientation. The sound from it is a little muffled, but overall everything is within the bounds of decency.

Galaxy A5 (2017) is protected according to the IP68 standard. The case is dust-proof, the smartphone can be kept for half an hour under water at a depth of up to 1.5 meters.

The main feature of the entire Samsung A-series of 2017 is protection according to the IP68 standard. Those. The devices are dustproof and can be submerged under water to a depth of 1.5 meters and kept there for 30 minutes.

The fingerprint scanner built into the mechanical Home button miraculously works much more accurately than in the A3 (2017). Well, the reading speed is equally good in both models. You don’t need to press a key to unlock, which is great – it’s more convenient.

One of the best Full HD screens

A cool display is one of the key advantages of the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017). The Super AMOLED matrix used here has many strengths: high brightness, deep blacks, very wide viewing angles. Plus, the most important thing is reduced energy consumption.

Many people like saturated (the Koreans have not gone overboard with this for a long time) AMOLED colors. If this is not your case, then in the settings you can choose a more discreet profile or adjust the color balance manually.

The Galaxy A5 (2017) has a stunning AMOLED screen with Full HD resolution.

Unlike A3 (2017), on the A5 (2017) screen the picture does not fall apart into individual pixels. The point is the resolution - for AMOLED panels you need at least Full HD, and here it is 1920x1080. Density: 424 dpi. It’s comfortable to read texts, look at pictures, correspond in instant messengers and by mail.

The LED indicating incoming messages on the front panel has disappeared. Instead, there is now an Always On function. When the smartphone is locked, the black screen displays the clock, calendar, information about the remaining charge and notifications about SMS, calls and other events. Convenient, but not economical. In an hour, when Always On is turned on, it consumes from 1.5 to 3% of the battery charge, per day we lose an average of a quarter of the capacity.

Not all games run at maximum, but that's not a problem

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) is not a cheap toy, and the hardware is mediocre. Although maybe it’s just the budget and powerful Chinese smartphones that have spoiled us. All games run, but not every one can be played at high graphics settings. For example, in World of Tanks Blitz, in the hottest moments of battles, even at medium settings, the frame rate drops below a comfortable 30 fps - the image twitches.

Average performance is also confirmed by numbers from synthetic tests. However, 60,000 points in AnTuTu (A5 (2017) scores exactly that much) is exactly the threshold from which smartphones begin to cope with the vast majority of tasks without delays and glitches.

Performance of the A5 (2017) in comparison with competitors and the Samsung flagship. The more points the better.

Well, you will drive “tanks” without beautifully swaying grass and shoot zombies without special effects from explosions, and so what? Another question is that many competitors offer much more for the same money. But more on that later.

The A5 (2017) is powered by an eight-core Samsung Exynos 7880 chipset with a frequency of 1.9 GHz. RAM 3 gigabytes. The beautiful but greedy Grace UX shell installed on top of Android 6.0 usually leaves no more than half of them. However, it is enough for normal multitasking.

In the A5 (2016), the Koreans offered users only a measly 16 GB of internal memory, but the “five” from 2017 is already equipped with 32 GB, and you can live with that.

Now one more “cherry”. The gods heard the prayers of users, gave the developers a strong kick, and they finally made a separate slot for microSD with a capacity of up to 256 GB. So A5 (2017) and A7 (2017) are full-fledged dual-SIM smartphones with memory expansion. Hurray, comrades!

The A5 (2017) has three full-fledged card compartments: two for nanoSIM and one for microSD with a capacity of up to 256 GB inclusive.

The front camera was a success, but the main module was deprived of stabilization

The main disappointment from the A5 (2017) camera is that the optical stabilization that was in the A5 (2016) is no longer there. And this greatly spoils the positive impressions of the new 16-megapixel main module.

During the day, the automation perfectly copes with determining sensitivity, white balance and accurately sets the exposure the first time. The detail is high. However, you will only feel this if you hold the smartphone firmly and confidently in your hands. This is the only way to compensate for the lack of stabilization.

If you take pictures on the A5 (2017) carelessly, then it’s easy to get blurry even with good lighting. Another nuance follows from this: photographing moving objects (children and cats, for example) is very difficult.

HDR mode is the strong point of all Samsung A-series smartphones in 2017. It works very neatly without burning out the colors. See for yourself:

No HDR

With HDR

At dusk and in normal artificial light, shooting is still more or less comfortable, but just in case, it’s worth doing several takes - at least half will almost certainly be blurred.

It's hardest at night. Here the automation begins to malfunction, increasing sensitivity (noise) and exposure (overexposure), although autofocus and white balance are still fine. There is only one way to partially compensate for the shortcomings: by setting the required ISO and EV values ​​in manual mode yourself. The matter is quite simple, because in this mode you only allow three parameters to be changed, but it can be intimidating for beginners at first.

The selfie camera has the same resolution as the main one – 16 megapixels. And she's beautiful. In daylight, you get very sharp self-portraits with excellent detail, and in the dark a soft virtual “flash” comes to the rescue. The screen turns bright white and gently illuminates the user's face.

photos

photos

photos

The maximum video resolution is Full HD at 30 frames per second. The frequency clearly could have been made higher, but there is no need to be sad about the lack of 4K - a weak processor would still have difficulty running such a function. During the day, the quality is quite decent, provided that you move the camera smoothly and do not shoot while moving. There is a “hyperlapse” mode: we put the camera on the window, it takes one frame every few seconds, and then combines it into an accelerated video.

Fast charging and slightly above average battery life

Galaxy A5 (2017) has a battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh. On average, the gadget works for a full day, although it may run out earlier if you get carried away mobile games. If the main usage scenarios are mail, the Internet, instant messengers, reading books and a little video, like mine, then in the evening there is from 10 to 25% of the charge left.

Operating time of A5 (2017) in cyclic monotests in comparison with competitors and standards. Specified in minutes.

In mono tests the performance is quite outstanding. Watching Full HD video at maximum brightness will drain the battery in 17 hours. Fans of TV series and long flights should take note. The simple arcade game Subway Surfers (also at maximum brightness) drained the A5 6 hours and 15 minutes after start.

A USB Type-C port instead of the outdated microUSB is correct and progressive, I fully approve. Fast charging supported. There was no native adapter, but from someone else’s with an output voltage of 5 Volts / 3 Amps, the gadget was charged in just 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Meizu Pro 6

The old flagship has fallen greatly in price Moto X Force with unbreakable screen. One of the mobile operators sells it even cheaper than the A5 (2017) - for 27,000 rubles.

Well, if an official guarantee for you is not an argument in favor of overpayment, then for 29-30 thousand rubles gray suppliers offer Samsung Galaxy S7, which is better than A5 (2017) in the vast majority of key parameters.

This is an item for those who choose a smartphone not by price and characteristics, but by brand. It is logical that with this approach, Samsung has only one competitor - Apple. With a budget of 30,000, the iPhone 7 will not be enough even if purchased from unofficial sources. But iPhone 6S with 16 GB of memory you can get it from gray suppliers for 32,000 rubles.

But is it worth it? In my opinion, no. Apple's flagship from last year is more powerful, but it has a worse screen, absolutely no selfie camera, a slot for only one SIM and no memory expansion options. With the built-in 16 GB you will suffer so much - it’s very little.

There is also a 4-inch iPhone SE for the official 33,000 rubles, but it is appropriate to compare it with the A3 (2017) rather than with the A5 (2017).

Opinion site

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) is a very controversial gadget. On the one hand, 28,000 rubles is expensive. On the other hand, the smartphone has advantages that competitors have not yet matched: a cool screen, water protection, support for Samsung Pay, an excellent selfie camera.

In my personal opinion, the last three points are good things, but secondary, and the IPS displays of competitors are inferior in terms of autonomy rather than picture quality. I would focus on OnePlus 3 or Honor 8. However, there are many buyers who are looking for exactly the same “chips” as in the A5 (2017), are closely “sit” on Samsung Pay, or choose the Korean company solely because of the brand.

Replacing the A5 (2016) with the A5 (2017) is also a controversial issue, because optical stabilization was removed from the smartphone, although a bunch of other goodies were added. If you often take photographs, then you should think carefully. If not, then you can safely go to the store for a new model.

Pros:

• Dust and water protection (IP68)
• Convenient housing
• High build quality
• AMOLED screen with Full HD
• Great selfie camera
• USB Type-C and fast charging
• Separate slots for two SIM and microSD
• There will be an update to Android 7.0
• Samsung Pay support
• Commendable battery life

Cons:

• Very high price
• Average hardware
• Slippery body
• No optical stabilization
• No notification light

Samsung Galaxy A (2017) – choose correct size

One of the most frequently asked questions The question that I get asked in my work is which phone to choose. The selection criteria differ from person to person, some want a large phone with a good camera, some want a compact model with a long battery life, others focus on the little things that concern a small number of people. Smartphone manufacturers face approximately the same questions when they design their devices; they need to anticipate the desires of customers and implement them in their devices.

Two years ago, Samsung created the Galaxy A series; these are smartphones in the mid- and high-price segment, characterized by a good price/quality ratio, case materials similar to flagships and different display diagonals - as a result, their size is also different. The series turned out to be so successful that by the third generation in 2017, it began to be perceived on the market as one of the key ones; many are considering the A-series as a potential purchase. Why did this happen? The answer should be sought in precisely hitting the target audience - Samsung offered customers not just individual models, but a kind of ideology that helps you choose the right smartphone and then not regret your decision. Typically, manufacturers create their smartphones backwards, looking at what components they have, how they can be combined and what the output will be. In the A-series, Samsung takes a slightly different approach; it is based on the need and demand for functions, making them, plus or minus, the same in the Galaxy A3/A5/A7 (2017). For example, it doesn’t matter what size the battery is in your smartphone; they all provide at least two days of operation in mixed mode, when you do not deny yourself anything. If you play games, then it will be one day of work. Don't use your screen much, just make calls? You can easily charge your smartphone once every 4-5 days, or even less often. The manufacturer has tried to ensure that the operating time on each device is comparable, regardless of its size, screen diagonal and battery capacity. Here the user and his scenarios for using the smartphone are at the forefront, and not anything else. Let's take a look at the 2017 A-series together and try to explain which smartphone is suitable for whom and why such a choice would be the right one.

Choosing the right smartphone Galaxy A (2017)

If you look at the three A-series smartphones of 2017, we will see that there is a lot in common between them - Corning Gorilla Glass 4 is used equally on the front and back surfaces, the same colors, IP68 water and dust protection, the same type is supported The same LTE category, SuperAMOLED screens with AlwaysOn Display technology are used everywhere. Of course, the sizes of all models differ, A3 is the smallest, A7 is the largest. But, looking at the plate, you will also see that the Galaxy A3 (2017) is simplified compared to its older brothers.

The Galaxy A3 (2017) has an eight-core processor with a maximum clock speed of 1.6 GHz, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory (in older models 3 GB and 32 GB, respectively), there is no fast charging for the battery, and the screen resolution is HD. There is an explanation for this, and it is very simple - the idea of ​​a smartphone is implemented in a compact, small device, which to a greater extent used for calls, social networks and messengers than for some complex work and “heavy” applications. This does not mean at all that you cannot play tanks or run some kind of arcade game on a smartphone, everything will work fine, but the screen size is less comfortable than on older devices, and people who choose a compact size use their smartphones a little differently. For Galaxy A3 (2017) buyers, the size of the smartphone comes to the fore - it easily fits in a child's room or adult hand, will suit any person who is not used to large models. There are not many modern compact smartphones on the market; manufacturers have abandoned this segment and are producing almost nothing. The Galaxy A3 (2017) offers long battery life, a compact design, and all the modern features you could ever need.

For example, this smartphone is not afraid of water, it has IP68 protection, which allows you to drop it into water, and it will calmly survive it. Exactly the same protection in all 2017 A-Series models. It wouldn't hurt to say what this means quiet work smartphones in all conditions high humidity, be it some exotic country or just a summer downpour, when it pours like buckets. Such protection gives additional confidence that nothing will happen to your smartphone.

The case materials are taken from Samsung flagships, they have been well known for several years and have proven their strength - these are 6000 series aluminum and Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Usually people drop their phones from waist height, the A-series will survive most of these drops without damage, it is designed with an emphasis for increased strength. You can watch the video in which we break down the Galaxy S6 EDGE, it was the flagship two years ago, and today body technologies and materials have come to the mid-price segment, and they are the ones used in the 2017 A-series.

It is impossible to find fault with the case materials and the performance of the A-series, this is the best that is available on modern market smartphones. Now I would like to draw your attention to another unique feature: an always-on screen. You can set a screensaver with a clock or a picture, which will be displayed on the screen all the time; you will not need to turn on the phone. This feature is called AlwaysOn Display, and it is possible due to the fact that SuperAMOLED screens consume a small amount of energy.

Notice how lifeless the phone seems without AlwaysOn Display enabled. Most of those who have tried this opportunity can no longer refuse it; you get used to good things instantly.

Of course, a modern smartphone cannot exist without a fingerprint sensor; in the A-series it was placed on a key on the front surface. The sensor works fine, there are no errors. If we touch on the topic of security, smartphones have the KNOX system; it allows you to protect any data, be it a program or files, with additional encryption. It is almost impossible to hack a KNOX partition, so you can be sure that your data will not fall into the wrong hands, even if your phone is suddenly stolen.

Having listed only part of the capabilities of the A-series smartphones in 2017, I want to return to the most compact representative of the series - the A3. This model is perfect for young people, both girls and boys, as well as those adults who primarily call, send and receive messages in instant messengers, and use the network. In fact, these are people who perform operations that are familiar to everyone, but do not spend hours on the Internet. Very often, A3 models are bought as a second phone for calls, buyers of these models from previous years spoke about this. The 2017 A3 is ideal as a second phone - it lasts a long time on a single charge, has an excellent screen, water protection and other features. But as a main phone, the A3 (2017) is excellent; it’s worth choosing for anyone who doesn’t want a large screen diagonal.

It remains to be said that the model, like other devices in the series, is presented on store shelves in three colors – black, blue and gold. This is what these colors look like in the picture, and below I will give photographs of the devices in real life.

But the most popular size on the market and in the A-series of 2017, of course, is a 5-inch smartphone; to be precise, the Galaxy A5 (2017) has a 5.2-inch screen diagonal. This is an absolute bestseller, since the main focus is on such smartphones; buyers consider them the most convenient in size, but at the same time quite compact. To please young people, the A5 and A7 2017 added a 16-megapixel front camera, in which you can take your own selfies, correct skin color, and thanks to a wide selection of filters, the possibilities for experimentation are enormous. But they didn’t forget the main camera, it was also made 16-megapixel with autofocus, and it allows you to take good pictures, however, take a look for yourself.

The Galaxy A5 and A7 (2017) have the ability to simultaneously use two SIM cards, as well as install a memory card, so these phones are suitable for anyone who wants to use the services of two telecom operators at the same time and not have restrictions on the amount of memory, which is always at your disposal hand.

In my opinion, the 2017 A5 is an excellent primary smartphone and worth considering for anyone who doesn't want to overpay for flagship technology (for example, doesn't need built-in wireless charging or a higher screen resolution). A very pleasant model in every sense that evokes positive emotions. Of course, it has everything that we discussed in relation to the Galaxy A3 (2017). The main difference is fast battery charging, higher screen resolution and a 5.2-inch diagonal.

The older model of the Galaxy A7 (2017) line is very similar to the A5 in everything, except that the screen diagonal is 5.7 inches, and in order to maintain the same operating time, a 3600 mAh battery was installed in the device. If A5 2017 – universal solution, then the A7 can be safely recommended to anyone who is used to watching video on the screen of their phone (each model plays video for 19 hours at maximum brightness!) or playing. The phablet is also suitable for those who want to greatly scale texts so as not to wear glasses, but here you need to understand that you will pay for this with the size of the case, you should think about how much this will suit you.

Each of the listed 2017 A-series smartphones performs well in the sun, with maximum screen readability, even in very bright sun. And the number of settings for displays is such that you can easily customize them to suit you and your preferences.

When choosing the 2017 A-Series, you get the same high quality in each of the models, and the choice must be made based on what you do on your smartphone. To watch videos, it is better to choose older models, if you play often, then A7, if you call and write more, then A3. In this line of smartphones, everyone can find their ideal companion.

Ecosystem from Samsung – payment service Samsung Pay and S Health

Samsung has long stopped creating just smartphones, as you can see, this integrated approach, when the same series presents models for different people and use cases. But the company is also building an ecosystem that includes additional services, for example, it could be Samsung Pay, that is, a payment service from your smartphone. All 2017 A-series models support Samsung Pay, and you can pay for purchases at any terminal that accepts regular cards, since both NFC technology and MST (magnetic stripe emulation of a bank card) are supported. The company constantly offers discounts on purchases from certain partners, which makes Samsung Pay not just another way to pay for purchases, but provides real savings; you just have to keep an eye on the offers.

For example, as part of a promotion running from March 1 to April 30, users of the Samsung Pay service receive the right to free travel on the MCC on weekends when paying with a Mastercard card.

Another example is the huge number of different accessories for both home and sports that can be connected to Galaxy smartphones. If you are into fitness or sports, then you can choose a sports watch or a training bracelet; it will track your heart rate, calories burned and other parameters. Naturally, both Gear fit 2 and Gear S3 are compatible with smartphones.

But if you are not yet ready to buy a separate accessory, then you can simply use the S Health service on your phone, it will start counting your steps, activity and will allow you to compete with your friends and acquaintances, no matter what phone they have.

This is what is called an ecosystem, when by purchasing a Galaxy smartphone, you get access to the latest services and accessories, many of which have no direct analogues from any manufacturer. It’s not a fact that you will need these services on the first day, but I can say for sure that it is better to have these features in your smartphone than to regret not having them. Samsung's ecosystem today is one of the most developed on the market; you can find services, applications, and accessories for every taste, but that's a story for another story.

Summing up the story about choosing the A-series in 2017, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that these are devices that, in all aspects, were created in the image and likeness of flagships; they are reliable, pleasant in the hand and very functional. Each of the 2017 A-series devices lasts a long time on a single charge, which can be considered a big plus. They have unique opportunities that competitors do not have are Samsung Pay, full IP68 water protection, and a constantly working AlwaysOn Display screen. You can choose a bright or calm body color. Which Galaxy A (2017) would you choose?

As we remember, on the eve of the last New Year, Samsung presented the world with its newest mid-budget smartphone Galaxy A5 (2017). This device, traditionally, is based on the flagship Galaxy S7. We decided to find out what is common and different between the A5 model and its older “sister”.

As we mentioned above, the design for the A5 (2017) was borrowed from the Galaxy S7, which suggests that there are a number of similarities. The dimensions of both smartphones are very similar: 146.1 x 71.4 x 7.9 mm for the A5, which is slightly larger than the S7 - 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm.

The heroes of our review look great. The Galaxy S7 model is slightly smaller than the A5 in size, which is quite standard for flagship devices, and in this regard, the A-line device is clearly perceived as a representative of the mid-budget segment. Regarding exterior finishing devices in question, then in both cases it high quality, and we're glad to see that Samsung is trying to raise the bar even higher for its mid-range models.

The layout of the keys and microSD card slot is the same on both smartphones, although there is still a slight difference: the speaker on the bottom of the S7 has been moved to the right side of the case in the A5. But why? The answer is simple: to make it more convenient for users when watching videos and games. If the sound comes from the bottom of the device, it can be easily muffled with the palm of your hand when the device is in it.

In both the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy A5, the fingerprint scanner is built into the Home key, and at the bottom you can see a mini-jack connector. Unlike the flagship device, the A5 also has a Type-C USB port. Another common point for these smartphones is IP68 certification – that is, both of them are perfectly protected from dust and water.

Display

At 5.2 inches, the A5 (2017) display is slightly larger than its big brother's 5.1 inches. As before, Samsung used Super AMOLED technology for these screens. Since the Galaxy S7 is a premium device, its screen resolution is higher - 1400 x 2560 pixels, while the A5 model has a panel Full format HD (1080 x 1920). Note that such indicators will be more than enough for everyday use.

As for “traditional” use, for example, sending messages, watching videos, playing games, etc., in this case, both of our smartphones have very good displays with a decent level of maximum brightness, thanks to which users can read content even in bright conditions sunlight. If you want to use your device for virtual reality, you should prefer the flagship S7.

Despite the fact that the devices in question run different versions of Android, each of them has a “Night” mode. This feature is convenient for using the screen without straining your eyes. Always On Display mode is also present in each of the devices.

Software

The Galaxy S7 was originally released with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. After many months, the Nougat version finally made it onto this smartphone. It's a pity, but the Galaxy A5 does not have this version of Android, but version 6.0.1. It is likely that Samsuhg did not want to overload the device in the mid-budget segment, but, in any case, this does not do it any credit.

Let's move on. In both smartphones you can see the proprietary TouchWiz interface, which functions without any particular complaints. Personally, we don't particularly like the combination of white and blue colors, but this is a matter of everyone's taste. Each of the above devices has pre-installed applications, although they are mainly represented by Samsung, Google and Microsoft. It's worth noting that the S7 and A5 include Samsung's gaming system called Game Launcher. In our opinion, the user experience on both devices is quite good, so there are no problems in this area.

Performance

As we mentioned above, the Galaxy S7 is a top-end device, while the Galaxy A5 is a mid-range device. This pretty much sums up what you can expect from such devices: if you want a more powerful option, then go for the S7. This smartphone has a powerful 8-core Exynos 8890 processor and 4 GB RAM. The graphics are handled by the Mali T880 MP12 graphics coprocessor. All this guarantees a smooth user experience with enough power to complete almost any task without lag.

The Galaxy A5, for its part, is equipped with an octa-core Exynos 7880 processor manufactured using 14nm technology. This smartphone has a slightly smaller amount of RAM - only 3 gigabytes. In terms of graphics support, there is a Mali T830 MP3 processor. Now that the introductory data has been announced, let's move on to the practical part: we tested the A5 (2017) in various scenarios (especially heavy games), and did not find any problems or lags. In other words, even if the hardware isn't quite up to par, it still performs much like the S7. At least this is the case when it comes to "normal" use.

The internal memory capacity of the A5 is 32 GB, although some of it is already occupied by the operating system. A similar situation is observed with regard to the Galaxy S7.

As for SAR parameters, here the situation is in the best possible way for the S7 model: 1.40 W/kg for the head and 1.59 W/kg for the body. Model A5: 0.52 W/kg for the head and 1.39 W.

Camera

As has been written about extensively before, the Galaxy S7 has one of the best smartphone cameras available today. I wonder if the camera of the A5 (2017), which belongs to the devices of the mid-price segment, will be able to beat its “colleague” from the flagship device? The answer is not entirely clear-cut. The S7 is equipped with a 12-megapixel main camera with an f/1.7 aperture, created using dual pixel technology. On the front panel of the smartphone there is a front camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels and an aperture of f/1.7.

The A5 includes 16-megapixel rear and front cameras with an aperture of f/1.9. In short, this device can produce decent photos, but in low-light conditions the photo quality deteriorates noticeably and noise becomes noticeable.

It is interesting to note that such a weakness in the Galaxy A5 is strong point in the Galaxy S7, as, thanks to dual pixel technology, the latest device is capable of taking beautiful pictures even in low light. If high expectations from your smartphone in terms of a great camera are not important to you, then the Galaxy A5 (2017) option is quite suitable for you. On the other hand, if you plan to take a lot of photos, then the S7 will be your best friend.

Battery

The Galaxy A5 can be considered a viable option for many people due to its excellent battery life. This was made possible thanks to a 3000 mAh battery capacity and Full HD screen resolution. By the way, the combination of a fairly powerful battery with moderate energy consumption is in itself interesting thing. We found that the A5 battery can last almost a day and a half (with normal use), and a little more than one day with intensive use of the device.

The Galaxy S7 also has a 3,000 mAh battery, which has a slightly shorter battery life, although this is not surprising to us since the display of this smartphone has a QHD resolution. On the other hand, the flagship S7 has an advantage that many users will appreciate - fast charging. Thanks to this feature, the battery of this device can be charged from 0 to 100 percent in approximately 100 minutes.

Specifications

	SAMSUNG GALAXY A5 (2017)	SAMSUNG GALAXY S7
Dimensions:	146.1 x 71.4 x 7.9 mm	142.2 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm
Weight:	159 g	152 g
Battery capacity:	3000 mAh	3000 mAh
Display Size:	5.2 inches	5.1 inches
Display technology:	AMOLED	AMOLED
Display:	1920 x 1080 (424 ppi)	2560 x 1440(577 ppi)
Front camera:	16 MP	5 MP
Main camera:	16 MP	12 MP
Flash:	LED	Dual-LED
Android Version:	6.0 Marshmallow	6.0.1 Marshmallow
Interface:	TouchWiz	Emotion UI
RAM:	3 GB	4 GB
Internal memory:	32 GB	32 GB, 64 GB
Expandable Memory:	MicroSD	MicroSD
Chipset:	Samsung Exynos 7880	Samsung Exynos 8890 Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
Number of cores:	8	8
Clock frequency:	1.9 GHz	2.15 GHz, 2.6 GHz
Connections:		HSPA, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 4.2

Verdict

Overall, the Galaxy S7 beats the A5 (2017) in almost every category. This flagship has raised the bar high, and its younger “brother” in the mid-budget price segment is struggling to reach it. If you want to own the best device, you should definitely choose a top-end device. If photo quality and performance are not a priority for you, then the A5 will be considered an excellent alternative.

The last significant aspect is the price. The cost of the S7 model has dropped significantly over the past year, and now ranges between $670-700. If the smartphone has been used, then it can be purchased for around $400-450. The Galaxy A5 is much cheaper, costing around $350 new, so if you're on a budget, a mid-range smartphone is a more affordable option.

Which of the smartphones discussed above would you prefer to buy? For what reason are you leaning towards one of them? Tell us about it in the comments.