The screen of the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017), like its predecessor, is made using Super AMOLED technology, which promises us good colors, acceptable brightness and real black. The 2016 Galaxy A5 had it all, and the 2017 model has it all.
The screen resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels and has not increased over the year. This gives a dot density of 424 ppi, which is good overall.
Samsung also equipped the smartphone with an Always On mode. When the display is off, it continues to display the current time, date and charge level. Battery consumption is minimal, since AMOLED technology allows you to turn on only a couple of dozen pixels necessary for the mode to work.
The screen has good vibrant colors and excellent viewing angles, which may not always be good: everyone around you will see what you are doing there on your smartphone.
Subjective impressions are confirmed by objective data. The brightness of the screen (white) was 357.49 cd / m2, the brightness of black, as it should be for OLED - 0. Accordingly, the contrast is obviously higher than that of any LCD display.
There are two main modes in the display settings: basic and adaptive. In the first, the color gamut is approximately equal to the sRGB area, even a little more. In adaptive, the color gamut is significantly wider than this area, which is considered the standard.
When measuring the color temperature of the Galaxy A5 (2017) screen, the difference between the setting modes is not so noticeable. They are quite close to the natural temperature of 6500K, but still higher than it. The main mode is just below the 7000K line, the adaptive mode is above 7000K, but also not much. In other words, the picture in the second case looks a little colder.
The gamma curve of the main mode practically coincides with the reference one. The adaptive mode is slightly higher in the middle. In the image, this affects the output of the light areas darker than they should be shown. However, a lot can be fixed with the display settings, which the Galaxy A5 (2017) has more than other smartphones.
The Galaxy A5 (2017) features a trendy "blue filter" that reduces blue levels and has a positive effect on fatigue - it reduces. However, we would not use it. When turned on, the display takes on a frankly jaundiced tint. Perhaps it will be useful for long reading in the dark.
In addition to the main and adaptive display modes, there are also PHOTO and VIDEO, which automatically adjust the screen so that pictures and movies look the best on it. For each mode, you can adjust the RGB balance of red, green, and blue. In addition, in the screen settings, you can turn Always On on and off, as well as order the smartphone not to turn on the display in any case if it is in the dark, that is, in a pocket or bag. For devices with large dimensions, this is relevant.
The display recognizes 5 touches, just like the Galaxy A5 (2016), which once again confirms our conclusion about the software nature of the limitation. Still, the Galaxy A line should be somewhat inferior to the Galaxy S.
Camera Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) has significantly improved camera. Previously, the device was equipped with a 13 megapixel photo module for the main and 5 megapixels for the front camera. Now the smartphone has two 16 megapixel cameras. The trend reflects the selfie craze. In addition, judging by the quality of the images, the front 16 megapixels are more "honest" than most smartphones with the declared selfie camera. Both cameras can also shoot Full HD video.
The Galaxy A5 (2017) camera interface remains proprietary. On the first screen, buttons for taking photos and recording videos are immediately available, as well as a window for calling the gallery and previewing a picture. In the other part of the display, we see virtual buttons for changing the camera, controlling the flash and calling the settings. A little face in the corner of the viewfinder calls up the skin color adjustment option. By adjusting the white balance, you can obtain the best hue.
The settings for both cameras are the same. Interestingly, they are displayed not in the design of the camera interface, but like other phone settings. Here you can immediately select a resolution, set a timer, enable video stabilization, geotagging, activate shooting by voice, gesture, volume button.
There are also two more tabs on the main camera screen. By swiping to the right, you can open a tab with filters that are applied in real time to the preview of the snapshot.
The left tab contains shooting modes, both video and photo.
In addition to the automatic mode, there is a Pro mode. It can adjust light sensitivity, white balance, adjust exposure and other parameters.
There are other modes as well: panorama, hyperlapse, HDR, night and food. The most interesting are hyperlapse (slow motion) and food, which adds background blur, and you can also sip the white balance to make the pictures look better.
The front camera has the same interface and the same tabs. There is a skin color adjustment. The tab on the right also contains real-time filters. There are only three modes on the left tab: self-portrait (the same auto), night and wide self-portrait. The wide self-portrait is a hybrid of a selfie and a panorama. It is not always possible to make the background completely satisfying when taking a selfie. Therefore, in this mode, we take a selfie, move the phone to the right, to the left and get a picture with a wide field of view.
The main camera allows you to shoot in different resolutions, as well as use different aspect ratios. The maximum is achieved with a ratio of 4: 3.
As you can see, the pictures are of very good quality, even with the zoom the image is quite clear, and on the phone screen this difference will not be noticeable at all. In the dark, it's best to shoot with a flash, which works quite well.
The main camera of the Galaxy A5 (2016) can shoot videos up to Full HD resolution. Ultra HD (4K) is still in store for the flagships.
The camera perfectly records video and, importantly, sound. A video from the front seat of the car demonstrates that the camera quickly focuses, adapts to light parameters, etc.
The resolution of pictures from the front camera and the choice of the aspect ratio, like the main one.
The picture quality is much more interesting. It's easy to see how much sharpness differs between close-up and wide-shot. No matter how hard we fought, we failed to shoot the dull cityscape from the loggia as sharply as with the main camera. Apparently, the focus of the camera is fixed to ensure perfect selfies.
Likewise, the video shot by the front camera turned out to be blurry, not as sharp as the main one. The assumption of shifted focus or its limited range in order to create the corresponding effect of the depth of the frame, blurring the background in selfies, is confirmed. Usually, all cameras of this size are hyperfocal, that is, they have a maximum depth of field from almost 1-2 meters, so they do not need to focus when shooting landscapes. Here, there are clearly settings to blur the background.
By the way, almost all of our comments are valid only when viewing pictures on a computer screen, on the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) AMOLED display all photos look very good, and some are just perfect.
Information about the brand, model and alternative names of a specific device, if any.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, offered colors, certificates.
| 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 (feet) 2.81 in (inches) |
| 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 (feet) 5.75 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 7.9 mm (millimeters) 0.79 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.31 in (inches) |
| The weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 159 g (grams) 0.35 lbs (pounds) 5.61 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with a rectangular parallelepiped shape. | 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 |
| Materials for the manufacture of the case Materials used for the manufacture of the device body. | Aluminium alloy Glass |
| Certification Information about the standards by which this device is certified. | IP68 |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analog 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 stands for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and refers to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency thanks to 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 a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM / EDGE and UMTS / HSPA with the aim of increasing 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) |
Mobile technology and data rates
Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is the system software that controls and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on a Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) integrates all the major hardware components of a mobile device into a single chip.
| 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 required for their operation. | Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 7880 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. The value in nanometers is 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 to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Processor size The bit size of the processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses and data buses. 64-bit processors offer better performance than 32-bit processors, which in turn are more efficient than 16-bit processors. | 64 bit |
| Instruction set architecture Instructions are commands with 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 multiple instructions to execute in parallel. | 8 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1900 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics processing unit (GPU) A graphics processing unit (GPU) handles computation for a variety of 2D / 3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most commonly used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, and more. | ARM Mali-T830 MP3 |
| Number of GPU cores Like a processor, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical computation of various 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. The data that is saved in the RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 3 GB (gigabytes) |
| Memory type (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. | Two-channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of the RAM determines its speed of operation, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data. | 1033 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) fixed memory.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage space for data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| 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 On mobile devices, screen size is expressed in terms of the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 5.2 in (inches) 132.08 mm (millimeters) 13.21 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 2.55 in (inches) 64.75 mm (millimeters) 6.48 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 4.53 in (inches) 115.12 mm (millimeters) 11.51 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect ratio The aspect ratio of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels horizontally and vertically 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) 166 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen footprint The approximate percentage of the display area on the front of the device. | 71.69% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen. | Capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistant |
| Corning Gorilla Glass 4 Always-On Display |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical metrics into signals that can be recognized by the mobile device.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for photo and video shooting.
| Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photocell used in the camera of the device. | Samsung S5K3P8 |
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as the optics, are 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 cameras are LED and Xenon flashes. LED-flashes give softer light and, unlike brighter xenon ones, are also used for video filming. | LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras on mobile devices is their resolution, which shows the number of pixels horizontally and vertically in 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 maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video capture and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30 frames / sec (frames per second) |
| Specifications Information about other software and hardware features associated with the main camera to improve its functionality. | Autofocus Burst shooting Digital zoom Geographic 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 |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are used mainly for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.
| 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 a larger aperture opening. | f / 1.9 |
| Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. Equivalent focal lengths are also indicated, providing 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 primary camera. | 4608 x 3456 pixels 15.93 MP (megapixels) |
| Video Resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when filming with an additional 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 secondary camera when shooting video at maximum resolution. | 30 frames / sec (frames per second) |
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technology supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Locating
Information about the navigation and positioning technologies supported by the device.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is a technology that enables wireless communication for transferring data over short distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless transfer of data between different types of devices over short distances.
| Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, each of which improves communication speed, coverage, and makes it easier to find and connect devices. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device. | 4.2 |
| Specifications Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols to enable faster communication, energy 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 |
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio connector. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
| Browser Information about some of the main features and standards supported by the device browser. | Html HTML5 CSS 3 |
Audio file formats / codecs
Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode / decode digital audio data.
Video file formats / codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode / decode digital video data.
| Video file formats / codecs A list of some of the major video file formats and codecs supported by the device as standard. | 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 |
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge required for their function.
| Capacity Battery capacity indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliampere-hours. | 3000 mAh (milliampere-hours) |
| Type of The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries most commonly used in mobile devices. | Li-polymer |
| Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network. | 16 h (hours) 960 minutes (minutes) 0.7 days |
| Talk time 3G Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network. | 16 h (hours) 960 minutes (minutes) 0.7 days |
| Specifications Information about some additional characteristics of the device battery. | Fast charging Non-removable |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body when using a mobile device.
| 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 talking position. In Europe, the maximum SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W / kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard was established by the CENELEC committee in accordance with the IEC standards, following the ICNIRP guidelines of 1998. | 0.522 W / kg (Watts per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed if the mobile device is held at hip level. The highest SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W / kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC committee in accordance with the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards. | 1.39 W / kg (Watts per kilogram) |
| Head SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to if the mobile device is held close to the ear. The maximum value used in the United States is 1.6 W / kg per gram of human tissue. US mobile devices are controlled by CTIA and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values. | 0.3 W / kg (Watts per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed if the mobile device is held at hip level. The highest SAR value in the United States is 1.6 W / kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC and CTIA monitors mobile devices for compliance with this standard. | 0.55 W / kg (Watts per kilogram) |
In the class of smartphones up to 30,000 rubles, there is a real "rubilovo" between different manufacturers. Everyone strives to offer the most functional device at a low price. Samsung, for example, relied on the appearance of its flagship Galaxy S7 and its basic capabilities. The developer slightly simplified the hardware, installed a more modest camera, a little less memory. The result is the Galaxy A5 2017 smartphone, which looks like a flagship, but stands as an advanced midrange.
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 (model index SM-A520F) belongs to the middle class of devices. At the same time, the finishing uses the same materials as in the flagship Galaxy S7 / S7 edge: aviation aluminum and glass. In hardware terms, the new product has a good margin of speed and performance. The smartphone received a proprietary chip with an eight-core Exynos 7880 processor, Mali-T830 graphics, 3 GB of RAM. Built-in memory 32 GB, you can supplement it with memory cards.
They did not save on the screen, it uses a 5.2-inch SuperAMOLED display. The smartphone supports all modern communications in the form of LTE Cat.7, dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC, Samsung Pay. Cameras (front and main) received a 16 megapixel sensor. You can use the built-in fingerprint scanner to unlock your smartphone. Currently, the device comes preinstalled with the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow operating system with the Clean UI shell.
Technical parameters Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) SM-A520F
id = "sub0">| Characteristic | Description |
| Body materials: | Aluminum (6000 series), Corning Gorilla Glass 4 |
| Hull protection: | according to the IP68 class from water up to 30 minutes at a depth of up to 1.5 meters |
| Screen: | SuperAMOLED, diagonal 5.2 inches, resolution 1080x1920 pixels (424 ppi), automatic brightness control, ambient light sensor, color profiles, AlwaysOn Display function |
| CPU: | Exynos 7880 (Cortex A53 8 cores @ 1.9 GHz) 14 nm |
| GPU: | Mali-T830MP3 |
| RAM: | 3 GB |
| Flash memory: | 32 GB (23.7 GB available to the user) + slot for microSD memory cards (up to 256 GB) |
| Mobile connection: | 2G (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), 4G (including LTE 800, 1800, 2600) |
| SIM card type: | Two nanoSIM cards |
| Communications and ports: | Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), NFC, USB Type C, Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5 mm headset, ANT +, Samsung Pay |
| Navigation: | GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU |
| Sensors: | light sensor, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, barometer, digital compass, fingerprint scanner, vibration sensor |
| Main camera: | 16 MP, f / 1.9, autofocus, LED flash, FullHD video recording at 30fps |
| Front-camera: | 16 megapixel, no autofocus, f / 1.9 |
| Battery: | non-removable, 3000 mAh, fast charging |
| Dimensions, weight: | 146.1х71.4х7.9 mm, 159 grams |
| Body colors: | black (Black Sky), gold (Gold Sand), blue (Blue Mist), pink (Peach Cloud) |
| Operating system: | Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with Clean UI, upgradeable to Android 7 |
Prices Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018)
id = "sub1">Package contents and first impressions
id = "sub2">Samsung Galaxy A5 (SM-A520F) 2017 lineup comes in a white thick cardboard box. The model name is printed on the front part, the main technical parameters on the back. There is no image of the gadget.
In the box you can see the device itself, as well as:
USB charger adapter
Computer sync cable USB to USB Type C
MicroUSB - USB Type C adapter
Stereo headset with 3.5mm miniJack jack
SIM card tray clip
Instruction, warranty card
It is noteworthy that Samsung decided to include an adapter from USB Type C to microUSB in the kit. This fact greatly facilitates the life of potential owners of the new Galaxy A5 2017. There are twice as many options for recharging the device: the newfangled USB Type C or standard microUSB.
On sale you can find four body colors: black, gold, pink and blue. All colors are perceived well, different options look great. It is worth noting that in the rays of the sun or in the light, the body begins to shimmer. The color becomes heterogeneous. It looks impressive.
The Galaxy A5 2017 lineup is comfortable in terms of size and ergonomics. Despite the gloss of the case, the device does not tend to slip out of your hands. However, if you are using gloves, you should be careful. You can easily drop your smartphone. The dimensions of the device are 146.1x71.4x7.9 mm, the weight is 159 grams.
You cannot reach the edges of the display with one hand. But the problem can be solved. In the settings there is a special mode that reduces the picture by 30%, allowing you to reach with your thumb to the corners of the display. A useful function, I recommend activating it.
Wearing the device in the pockets of tight clothing is easy. There will definitely not be any inconveniences.
Design and appearance
id = "sub3">The appearance of the Galaxy A5 (2017) largely copies the flagship model of the Galaxy S7. There is also a metal case, in which glass covers not only the screen, but also the back panel. The glass has a slight rounding at the edges, the so-called 2.5D effect. It uses Corning Gorilla Glass 4. The manufacturer claims that it is not afraid of cuts and proximity to metal keys and various fittings. However, there is no fall protection. Just in case, I would recommend that the owners of the device take care of protection in advance and buy a cover, bumper or protective casing. This will not be superfluous.
The glossy surfaces of the Galaxy A5 have an oleophobic coating that does their job well. For example, fingerprints, dust and dirt on the black case are hardly visible. They are removed quickly and easily. On models in blue, pink and gold, prints are generally difficult to see.
For strength, the frame, which runs along the entire contour of the apparatus, is made of metal. The metal had a positive effect on the overall perception of the device. The body is monolithic, looks solid and reliable. The assembly is of high quality. The smartphone looks okay and is much more expensive than its price.
At the front is a 5.2-inch screen. Above it is a speaker, light sensors, a front 16 Mpix camera, and the manufacturer's logo. Below the display is a mechanical key with a built-in fingerprint scanner. Biometric identification when unlocking or paying for Samsung Pay is fast and accurate. I did not find any problems with the operation of the button. There are two touch-sensitive buttons on either side of the center key. One is responsible for going back one level, and the other for launching the manager of programs running in the background.
On the right side of the Galaxy A5 2017, there is a power button and a screen lock. In addition, here you can see the speaker slots for playing external sounds. This layout stands out from the background of existing phone models. The speaker itself is average in terms of volume, but the sound in it is quite pleasant and voluminous. In the course of testing, an interesting pattern emerged. If you put the smartphone with the speaker down in a bag, the ringtone will not be heard (although it all depends on the contents of the bag! =)). In the case of winter clothing, there is no problem.
The volume keys are located on the left side. On the bottom there is a 3.5 mm jack for a headset and headphones, as well as a USB Type C port for a charger and connection to a computer. The phone can use two SIM cards at once. At the top there is a tray for one of the SIM cards and memory cards. The second is located. The slots are equivalent, they work with both voice communication and 4G.
At the bottom and top end - on the microphone, there is a noise reduction system, it copes with its task perfectly. The interlocutor can hear your voice well in any conditions, even in noisy transport or during strong winds outside.
On the back you can see a 16 Mpix camera lens with autofocus and LED flash. The lens does not protrude from the plane of the smartphone itself.
The battery is located inside the case. It is not removable.
During the test, I could not find any external defects or poor-quality assembly. The impressions are extremely positive. The device looks like a real flagship. The panels play interestingly in the light. The smartphone is assembled at a Samsung plant in Vietnam.
Screen. Graphic capabilities
id = "sub4">The Galaxy A5 2017 uses a very high quality 5.2 '' SuperAMOLED screen. Resolution 1080x1920 pixels (424 ppi). This is one of the best screens in its class. It is bright, contrasting, images and fonts are very smooth, without roughness, the black color is very deep. The viewing angles are maximum, the colors do not change when tilted.
The display is covered by a protective Corning Gorilla Glass 4 with a 2.5D effect and an oleophobic coating. Medium width side frames.
Thanks to the "Adaptive" option, the user can significantly reduce the strain on their eyes. The device analyzes the level of illumination around and, depending on the conditions, sets the contrast, brightness, plus adjusts the colors on the screen. In addition, there is an opportunity to use the color settings "Movie AMOLED", "Photo AMOLED", "main".
The screen looks great in the sun. I did not notice any problems with reading the information. There is no glare or discoloration of the picture.
The sensitivity of the display is 10 points out of 10. All clicks are processed correctly and clearly. The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A5 supports gloved operation.
As a pleasant bonus, I can attribute the presence of the AlwaysOn Display option, which allows you to display icons of individual applications, date, time or pictures on the locked and inactive screen. You can customize the display time when the display is on, and the appearance of notification icons on the screen compensates for the absence of the traditional indicator of missed events. The indication is black and white, the operation of this function does not drain the battery much: for a day of use, the consumption is 4%. Previously, this function worked exclusively in flagship devices, since 2017 it comes to the middle price segment.
Hardware platform: processor, memory, speed
id = "sub5">The smartphone is powered by a system based on the Exynos 7880 chip, which includes 8 Cortex-A53 cores, clocked at up to 1.9 GHz and Mali-830 MP3 graphics. The platform is made according to the 14 nm process technology, which has a positive effect on energy consumption and the absence of heating under load.
RAM 3 GB. The built-in memory in the device is 32 GB (23.7 GB is available to the user), removable microSD media up to 256 GB are supported.
The performance of the smartphone is high. The interface is smooth, the browser works without brakes even when opening heavy pages. All this is confirmed by synthetic tests. The model is at the level, and the safety margin will last for a couple of years at least. The processor does not heat up when loaded with productive games.
The advantages include the low power consumption of the Samsung chip. The smartphone lasts longer than its competitors.
Summarizing, I can say that the characteristics are fully consistent with the positioning. Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) is a mid-range product with great multimedia capabilities. Social media, video, music, games - it all works without flaws and limitations. For young people who love beautiful gadgets, but are not ready to pay a lot, the device will be to their liking. Another category of people who will appreciate this apparatus are rationalists.
Communication capabilities
id = "sub6">The smartphone supports all modern communication networks: 2G / 3G and LTE cat. 7 on Russian frequencies, confidently receives the signal and does not lose it for no apparent reason. The quality of signal reception raises no objections, the device confidently maintains communication in rooms and does not lose signal in areas of poor reception (tested on MegaFon, MTS networks). Talking on the phone is comfortable. The speaker has a good volume reserve, and the interlocutors did not complain about poor audibility during testing.
Supported networks Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, there is an FM radio. The presence of NFC and MST allows you to use your smartphone for contactless payments Samsung Pay. Connection to a computer is carried out according to the USB 2.0 standard through a symmetrical Type-C connector.
Additional communication means include GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS (standard Google Maps is built into the smartphone). The radius of navigation error during testing is about 3 meters, which is very small. The gadget does an excellent job of being a navigator.
Battery. Duration of work
id = "sub7">The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) has a 3000mAh Li-ion battery. In testing conditions, with the number of calls 35-40 minutes a day, browsing the Internet for about 2 hours via 4G, listening to an mp3 player through a headset for about 2 hours a day, the device worked for two days. When watching a video, the smartphone worked for 19 hours, in navigator mode - about 6 hours.
If you take the averaged data with a mixed mode of use, you get two days of battery life. Those who use only calls can safely count on 5 days of work. In terms of autonomy, the device differs for the better from the vast majority of Android smartphones. For me personally, battery life matters a lot, the Galaxy A5 SM-A520F was a pleasant surprise.
In addition, there is a power saving mode, when the backlight of the screen is limited, the frequency of the processor. In this scenario, the operating time will increase by at least 20%. There is an extreme (maximum) power saving mode. In this case, the screen displays only white and gray colors, all applications except for telephone communications, SMS, calendar and alarms are disabled.
The phone received a fast charging function. The battery is fully charged in 1 hour and 20 minutes. But there is no built-in wireless charging here.
User interface and operating system
id = "sub8">Currently Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) comes with Android 6.0.1 firmware with Clean UI. The same skin is used in the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. The software can be “over the air”. From March 2017, the model will receive an update to Android 7.
Smartphone owners have access to all Samsung branded programs, including S Health for monitoring physical activity and health, S Voice, support for gestures, KNOX for separating data into personal and work, etc. Missing apps can be downloaded from Samsung App Store and Google Play. The model supports Samsung Pay service.
Unlike the Galaxy S models, it has a built-in FM radio, which is a plus. The non-removable Office and Skype package is also preinstalled, but Kaspersky can be uninstalled before it starts eating up already limited system resources and draining the battery.
Camera. Photo and video capabilities
id = "sub9">The 2017 Galaxy A5 has a 16MP camera with f / 1.9, autofocus and LED flash. The equivalent focal length of the lens is 27 mm. The camera takes very decent quality pictures in daylight, outdoors and indoors, in the dark it is no longer so good, but this is a problem with all mid-range cameras. In the settings, you can find additional shooting modes, including PRO.
The camera interface is made in the traditional Samsung style. You can start it by double-clicking the central button below the screen. There are many settings and preset modes, including self-portrait, panorama, night, continuous shooting, HDR, and GIF creation. Video capabilities are limited to 1080p 30fps. Compared to the Galaxy A5 (2016), the camera has lost optical stabilization, and the device formally loses to some competitors due to the lack of the ability to shoot 4K video. But who really needs to shoot 4K? Nobody. For this reason, the function was removed. FullHD is enough.
Manual ISO settings are 50, 100, 200, 400, 800. The following shooting modes are available: single shot, smile detection, continuous, panorama, vintage, portrait, landscape, night mode, sports, indoor, beach / snow, sunset, dawn, autumn colors, fireworks, text, dusk, against the light.
The front camera has a resolution of 16 megapixels. It is quite light-sensitive (f / 1.9), but lacks autofocus. When taking selfies, it is possible to correct skin tone, facial contours and eye size. There is also a panoramic selfie function, although the optics are already wide-angle - you can capture a small company without special modes.
Outcomes
id = "sub10">Even if the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) is not a perfect mid-range smartphone, it comes close. At its core, this is the flagship Galaxy S7, but 15,000 rubles cheaper. The undoubted advantages include a fast interface, a full set of necessary functions, an excellent screen and a long battery life. You can count on 2 days of mixed work.
I am glad that the Galaxy A5 2017 has received IP68 protection against dust and water. This allows the smartphone to be at a depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. This, of course, does not mean that the phone can be washed under water and, moreover, can be tested for water resistance in a washing machine. But if you drop it into water, then nothing will happen to it.
Technologically, it is worth noting LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi up to 100 Mbps, support for two SIM cards, NFC, Samsung Pay. By default, users have access to the S Health application to monitor their physical activity, KNOXX to create a protected data area. The main camera also turned out to be at a good level. For his class, he shoots well.
Among the disadvantages is the susceptibility of the case to falls on stones, concrete or asphalt. It is worth recommending protection in the form of covers, bumpers and stickers.
Advantages
High-quality assembly and stylish appearance
Good screen
LTE cat support. 7
Water and dust resistant
Support for two SIM cards
Long battery life
disadvantages
High risk of breaking glass body parts if dropped
Convenient, modern and multifunctional - this is how you can describe the Samsung A 5 2017, which showed decent results during the review process. The device is equipped with an 8-core processor of its own production and 3 GB of RAM, this configuration is enough for a huge number of modern applications, but not for gluttonous games. Also, we have a very good screen with realistic color rendition and wide viewing angles. As for the cameras, this is the weak side of the smartphone, since night shooting is much lower in quality than daytime. In general, we can recommend the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) for a more detailed acquaintance, the device will be suitable for a wide range of users due to its performance and ease of use.
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017): specifications and price
| OS | Android; |
| Screen | 5.2 inches; |
| Permission | 1920 × 1080; |
| Camera | 16 MP; |
| Frontal | 16 megapixels; |
| CPU | 1900 MHz 8 cores; |
| Built-in memory | 32 GB; |
| RAM | 3 GB; |
| Battery | 3000 units; |
| Price | About 18,000 rubles |
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017): owner reviews
- Modern smartphone design;
- High performance thanks to a powerful processor;
- The presence of an excellent matrix made using AMOLED technology;
- NFC support, which can be described as a plus;
- It will be comfortable in the hands;
- The capacity of the battery, moreover, the charging process is quite fast;
- Fast work of the fingerprint scanner;
- Always-on screen technology;
- The presence of moisture protection;
- A large number of positive reviews;
- High-quality assembly;
- Value for money;
- Excellent work with Wi-Fi networks and 4G;
- Pleasant sound of both conversational and musical dynamics;
- Will be comfortable in your hands;
- But the back cover begins to scratch quickly because it is covered with glass;
- Pictures in the daytime are pretty good, but without light it is much worse;
- Manufacturer support;
- Updates to the eighth android;
- The presence of a well-thought-out shell;
- There is no indicator of missed messages;
- A large number of pre-installed software;
- Not suitable for most modern games;
Output
Based on the above material, we conclude that the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) is a worthy choice for the declared value, besides, it is equipped with a number of advantages over competitors in a given price segment. It is definitely worth highlighting the high-tech assembly and the matrix with excellent characteristics. In general, we will recommend the device for a close acquaintance.
Pros:
- The presence of moisture protection;
- The convenience of use;
- Iron;
- Shell;
- Manufacturer's support, as well as warranty obligations;
- Software update;
- Many thoughtful solutions that make life easier for the user;
- NFC support;
Minus:
- A separate slot, thus, either two SIM cards or a SIM card and a memory card;
- The quality of the cameras could have been much higher, alas the biggest disappointment;
In contact with
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 high quality materials, although they are inferior in many characteristics, surprisingly enough.
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-end phones. A user with a low 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 performance. All this fully applies to our today's subject of review - the Samsung A5 2017 phone.
The smartphone was presented at the beginning of 2017 and immediately attracted attention with its pleasant appearance, good hardware and adequate price.
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017: smartphone specifications
Let's be honest - flagship smartphones surpass many mid-range smartphones except with the latest generation chipsets, cameras and fashionable innovations such as fast wireless charging, a heart rate sensor, and more. The rest of the middle peasants can fully satisfy the needs of the most demanding user, but no frills.
The characteristics of the Samsung A 5 2017 look impressive for a device in the middle price segment:
| Display | 5.2 '' diagonal, Super Amoled, 16 million colors. Display resolution is |
| CPU | Octa-core Samsung Exynos 7880 |
| Graphics | Mali T830MP3 |
| 3 GB | |
| 32 GB, expandable with microSD cards up to 256 GB | |
| Main camera | 16 megapixels |
| Front-camera | 16 megapixels |
| 3000 mAh, support for fast charging function | |
| Operating system version | Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgradeable 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 reader, Samsung Pay support, IP68 protection |
| The size | 146.1 x 71.4 x 7.9 mm |
| The weight | 157 g |
| Body colors | Black, white, blue, golden |
Smartphone autonomy
One of the strengths of the smartphone is its excellent battery life. A screen with a small diagonal and not the highest resolution is energy saving. The Samsung A5 2017 is far superior in battery life to its top 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 a really great indicator.
If you use the Samsung A 5 2017 exclusively for calls, it may well last 4-5 days without recharging.
The rechargeable battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh, thanks to the fast charging function, can be charged to 100% in about an hour.
Water and dust protection
Another feature of the smartphone is. The device can be lowered into fresh water to a depth of one and a half meters without damage to it. It can withstand 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 sealed with membranes. Of course, washing your smartphone with soap under running water is not worth it, but falling into water does not scare it. By the way, in the price segment there are no analogues of the Galaxy A5 2017 with such protection.
Performance Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
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 demanding hardware games. No slowdowns or freezes were noticed. Processor performance is more than sufficient for working with applications. By the way, in the AnTuTu test, the smartphone is gaining about 60,000 points.
The 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 ability to expand the memory up to 256 GB helps out. By the way, the microSD card slot is separate, which is good news. Now there is no need to sacrifice a second SIM card to increase the phone memory.
Smartphone package
The device is delivered in a discreet white box with the name of the device in large print. The package bundle is rather modest:
- smartphone,
- Charger,
- a special clip for removing SIM cards,
- USB Type C cable
- and instructions.
In addition, the user receives a branded wired headset.
The appearance of the smartphone Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
The Samsung Galaxy A5 2017, a review of which we present to our readers today, looks like last year's flagship Galaxy S7. It looks no worse than its premium brother. It is only given out by the smaller size of the main camera (it, like the Galaxy S7, does not protrude beyond the body) and the absence of an indicator light.
The front and back cover of the device are made of ultra-strong glass of the latest generation Gorilla Glass 4, which is resistant to drops on asphalt and concrete. The perimeter frame is made of aluminum. Antenna strips are located at the top and bottom of the case.
What Samsung always does flawlessly is the ergonomics of the devices. The smartphone fits comfortably in the palm of the hand thanks to its small diagonal, although the glass panels make the device rather slippery. The protected glass of the case allows you to use the smartphone without a protective glass, but in this case you need to be extremely careful when holding it in your hands.
The location of the connectors and buttons on the case is standard, with the exception of the speaker - it was moved to the right side.
The edges of the device are slightly curved. The successful combination of glass and metal gives the smartphone a stylish, but not flashy look. Samsung A 5 2017 design can be described as premium. And do not forget that we are not talking about the company's flagship device, but about a mid-range smartphone, the quality of which once again proves 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 disadvantages of a smartphone. Since the button is rather narrow, the scanner does not always work correctly. There are no complaints about the recognition speed, but it is not always configured.
Screen
The smartphone is traditionally equipped with a bright Super Amoled display. The diagonal of the screen 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 the 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 - there are no traces on the display.
One of the nice features of the smartphone is support for the Always on display function, which has finally reached Samsung's mid-range models. The user can now display the most relevant 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, you no longer need to turn on the screen all the time. This useful feature does not consume much battery.
It should be noted that this function has not yet been used in large quantities in smartphones of the middle price segment, which makes the Samsung A 5 2017 similar to flagship devices.
For those who are worried about eye health, the fact that the Galaxy A5 2017 has a blue filter will be important.
The disadvantage of the display is support for not ten, but five simultaneous touches. Although, personally, we do not hire such people who often poke at the screen of their mobile phone with both hands.
Smartphone cameras and photo quality
If the battery life of the Galaxy A5 2017 can give odds to many flagships, take the same Galaxy S7, then the quality of photos is worse. The smartphone received 16-megapixel main and front cameras, both with an aperture of f / 1.9. It must be remembered that in order to obtain high-quality images, such parameters are of great importance as:
- luminosity,
- stabilization,
- autofocus,
- processing algorithms.
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 shots are just disappointing. Affected by the lack of optical stabilization. Possibly, the algorithms for processing images taken in low light conditions are also to blame.
The front camera, on the other hand, will delight selfie lovers with decent photo quality.
Samsung branded shell and preinstalled applications, android version
Out of the box, the device runs under control, which can be upgraded to. On top of the operating system, as usual for Samsung smartphones, the proprietary Grace UI shell is installed, which replaced TouchWiz. It has a pleasant and easy-to-use interface with many proprietary software features, such as split screen into two parts, quick camera launch, one-handed operation.
Of the preinstalled 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.
Cost and main competitors
The price of 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 large electronics stores costs about 22,990 rubles. If you look 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 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", he is definitely the leader in terms of battery life. In addition, none of the competitors offers dust and moisture protection.
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017: reviews
In the overwhelming 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, ideal screen diagonal that allows you to comfortably hold the smartphone in your hand, excellent autonomy and an economical AMOLED display. Users highly appreciated the presence of dust and moisture protection IP68, as in flagship devices, the always-on display function, and the Samsung KNOX security system, with which you can be sure of 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 - because of it, the smartphone turned out to be slippery.
Outcomes
The Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 is undoubtedly one of the best smartphones of the popular Galaxy A series. It has a spectacular flagship design, a decent screen, a 16-megapixel camera, excellent autonomy and waterproof and dustproof IP68. The price of the 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 a little more than 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: lack of stabilization and. But compared to the advantages listed above, the disadvantages of a smartphone do not seem critical.
