Galaxy a5 screen resolution. Samsung Galaxy A5 SM-A510F (2016) Duos review: stylish and expensive smartphone

Galaxy A5 is one of the most sought after models from Samsung. The reason for the popularity is the premium case materials and attractive design, powerful enough hardware, and a solid set of communication capabilities. The price tag is not the most democratic, but for the most part, the consumer is inclined to trust the promoted brand, and he pays for it. To get the right to own the device, you will have to leave the store from 346 to 390 dollars (current at the time of writing the review). Sales started at the beginning of 2016.

The frame of the Galaxy A5 is made of metal, coated protective glass at both sides. The home button has a fingerprint scanner. Several body colors are available: black, white, pink, and gold. Device dimensions: 71 x 144.8 x 7.3 mm. Weight: 155 g.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy A5 SM-A510F (2016) Duos

The technical filling corresponds to the average level as of 2015, the beginning of 2016. Although the device itself is perceived by many as less expensive alternative flagship models.

CPU

Samsung wants to push Qualcomm into the microchip market, so new Galaxy A5 received Exynos 7580: 8 cores with ARMv8 architecture, clock frequency 1.6 GHz. Graphics system- Mali-T720.

Processor performance at the level of Snapdragon 615 and MediaTek MT6752 is even higher. The device copes with any tasks, everything works smoothly and quickly. In AnTuTu, the smartphone scores 41,292 thousand points, in tests the video chip falls short of the S6/Edge flagships, but at medium settings it can handle any 3D game.

Memory

A5 has 2 GB random access memory and 16 GB on internal storage(about 5 GB is occupied by the system). The microSD slot will help increase the amount of free space up to a maximum of 128 GB, but then you cannot install a second SIM card.

Offline work

The battery capacity is 2900 mAh. Despite the fact that this is not a very outstanding indicator for such iron, the power consumption has been perfectly optimized. A5 is enough for a day of active use at medium brightness, and two days in moderate mode. The manufacturer promises 14 hours of video viewing. Supported fast charging: in 1.6 hours the device will fully “recover strength”.

Display

The A5 (2016) has a FullHD screen with wide viewing angles - the traditional Galaxy SuperAMOLED matrix. Diagonal 5.2 inches. If the colors seem too saturated, you can adjust their temperature and contrast in different modes.

The density of pixels per inch is 424, individual dots cannot be seen. Multi-touch supports five touches at the same time. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 4 with 2.5D curvature. The display is one of the most strengths smartphone, and it is very difficult to find fault with it.

Camera

The main photomodule shoots with a resolution of 13 megapixels, f / 1.9 aperture. In the settings you can find functions such as continuous shooting, HDR, night mode, panorama and option for manual ISO, exposure and white balance. IN automatic mode the device sometimes does not focus correctly, but in daylight it takes pictures no worse than the top-end Xperia. The photosensitive matrix allows you to get an acceptable result even at night.

Sample shot in good light

Camera shot at dusk (auto mode)

macro photography

The resolution of the front camera sensor is 5 megapixels. For beautiful self-portraits, there are sliders for skin retouching, eye enlargement, and jaw reduction. The front camera with an outstretched hand is able to capture you in full growth.

An example of a photo taken with the front camera

The maximum resolution of the recorded video is Full HD.

Networking

The first Galaxy A was scolded for poor reception. The rejection of the all-metal case solved the problem - the new representatives of the line back panel covered with glass. A5 (2016) supports 2G GSM, 3G WCDMA, 4G LTE FDD, 4G LTE TDD communication standards. There are two nano-SIM slots - one of them is hybrid, for a memory card. NFC supported. GPS navigation works correctly and quickly.

Sound

The main speaker was moved to the bottom end: so the sound is not distorted when the smartphone is on the table with the screen up. Conversational - a neat mesh above the logo on the front side. Both are of high quality: when calling, it is better to use a third of the volume so as not to dedicate others to the conversation. On top of the smartphone there is a second microphone for noise reduction.

Software part

The Galaxy A5 (2016) runs TouchWiz Nature UX 5.0 - based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. There will be an upgrade to Marshmallow: support for the fashion line A is not inferior to the premium S, although the company did not name the exact dates.

You can open two applications on the screen and drag content between windows - previously, the mode worked only on Note flagships and phablets.

Samsung is working with Microsoft, so the device comes pre-installed with Office and OneDrive with 100 GB of space as a gift.

Differences between Galaxy A5 SM-A510F and Galaxy A5 A500H

In fact, the A5 SM-A510F is an improved A5 A500H. Let's see how a new version changed from the previous one. Key innovations in A5 2016:

Compared to the 2014 model, the resolution has been increased from HD to FullHD, and the diagonal has been increased from 5 to 5.2 inches.
The 4-core Snapdragon 410 was replaced by a more powerful 8-core Exynos 7580 processor.
An optical image stabilization system was added to the camera module, the aperture increased to f / 1.9, but the functionality of the interface was cut.
The battery capacity has grown by 600 mAh, the ability to quickly charge has been added.
There was a fingerprint sensor.
Initially, A5 A500H worked on Android 4.4, then it received an update to version 5.0.2. The A5 SM-A510F has Android 5.1.1 installed out of the box, and the TouchWiz shell is the same as in the top Samsung models.
The new model looks more solid, glass has been added to the body materials. Also, the smartphone is heavier by 32 grams.

Eventually samsung galaxy A5 SM-A510F (2016) Duos surpasses its predecessor in many ways. Given that some stores still sell old version for 352 dollars, the advantage is clearly on the side of the A5 SM-A510F.

Pros and Cons of Samsung Galaxy A5 SM-A510F

Advantages:

display;
good design, premium body materials;
a good camera, with some reservations;
the battery can withstand a day with a moderately active load (fast charging);
relatively powerful hardware, which is enough in 2016 with a head.

Flaws:

problems with autofocus in the camera;
the fingerprint sensor may not work the first time if the finger is wet;
slippery at first, easy to drop;
the rear glass was slightly scratched with a table knife.

Our review of the 2016 Samsung Galaxy A5

Contrary to the deep convictions of Samsung brand admirers, the cost of this device is by no means low. There are at least a few manufacturers that make smartphones with similar or even better hardware, and at the same time their products are cheaper and the quality is on par. And if you close your eyes to the cost - yes, a very worthy device with the pros and cons already described.

More about the smartphone after 10 months of use:

Interface, features and settings

The camera interface is standard for TouchWiz shells. It has everything you need and a little more.

It is worth noting that taking and saving a picture is very fast. Apparently, the frame is first written to the RAM buffer, and then written to the flash memory in the background.

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) camera test

Image quality

Attention: individual screenshots in an enlarged version are images of the original size, so they can be quite “heavy” (up to 2-3 MB on average). The size and resolution of both versions of the image, as always, are specified in the TITLE block of the IMG tag; usually browsers show them in tooltip.

Detailing is not bad, sharping is weakly expressed.

I would like to see a wider dynamic range.

Even in automatic mode, the smartphone correctly exposes the metering area.

The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) does a good job at shooting in the dark, but the exposure can “walk” in automatic mode.

Autofocus is fast enough even for complex scenes.

Optics poorly resists the appearance of glare and "hares".

Last year, Samsung launched a completely new A-series, a line of mid-range smartphones that looked like flagships. Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Alpha. The metal cases and the general balance of characteristics appealed to ordinary users, the line became popular. Today we will get acquainted with the update of one of the most popular models - Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016).

Appearance and usability

The appearance of the new generation Galaxy A5 has undergone many changes. If we compare the Galaxy A5 of the first generation and the second, we will see two different devices. There are no borrowed design solutions, everything is done based on new design solutions Samsung flagships 2015.

The front side is covered with a protective glass, which has a rounding, the so-called 2.5D. The glass is very similar to what is installed in the iPhone 6/6s.

At the top of the front panel are proximity and light sensors, a speaker, front-camera and manufacturer's logo. There is no missed events LED. Under the screen, a traditional Samsung bundle of two touch buttons and home keys combined with a fingerprint scanner.

The sidewall is covered with a metal frame. Outwardly, it is the same as in the Galaxy S6. On the left side are the volume keys. On the right is the power button and a tray for a nanoSIM SIM card and a card microSD memory. Only an additional microphone is located on top. Bottom - 3.5 mm audio jack, microUSB port, multimedia speaker and microphone.

The back side is covered with glass. The body of the phone is not separable. The camera module protrudes approximately 1mm above the body. The flash consists of one LED.

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) can be made in several colors - black, gold, rose gold and white. At the same time, the metal frame is also painted in the color of the back of the case. In all variants except white, the front side is black. The gold version came to our test.

If we talk about the convenience of work, then using a 5.2-inch display is a very good move. After all, this screen size can be called optimal. The smartphone is moderately large, but it is comfortable to use with one hand. Thanks to the use of glass and metal, the Galaxy A5 (2016) feels expensive. Using a smartphone on the street during frost is uncomfortable due to the metal frame, which greatly cools the hand, but this is more of a nit-pick. But the fact that the phone is slippery and often strives to slip out of hands is a problem. During use, I almost dropped it several times for this very reason, so I recommend future owners to think about buying a case.

The fingerprint scanner performed well. It feels like it works the same as on the Samsung Galaxy S6. Unlock is very fast.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy A5 is equipped with a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display that has Full HD (1080×1920) resolution. PPI is 424. PenTile is invisible to the naked eye. The physical dimensions of the screen are 116x65 mm. The screen is covered with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 4 with rounded edges.

The behavior of the display on the street is expectedly good. Even in bright sunlight, the information on it is distinguishable, and the colors do not fade. I note the timely operation of the brightness adjustment sensor, which quickly and smoothly changes brightness.

For smartphones, the presence of screen settings has become a sign of good taste, so our hero has them. There is nothing new in them, all this can be found on the set Samsung devices, but thanks to them you can get rid of the acidity of flowers, which is very striking. In further measurements, we used AMOLED Photo mode.

The maximum screen brightness is 392 cd/m² (filled white) and the minimum is 1.8 cd/m². The contrast is maximum. 200 cd/m² equals 59% brightness. The color gamut is much wider than the sRGB triangle. The color temperature is almost 7000K and very close to the reference, which tells us that the colors look only a little colder than necessary. The gamma curve over the entire brightness segment is 2.2, which is the reference value. To sum up, the screen calibration is excellent. Colors are rendered correctly, but they are still slightly oversaturated.

Hardware platform

The Samsung Galaxy A5 is equipped with an Exynos 7 Octa (7580) octa-core processor with a Mali-T720 MP2 video adapter. All eight Cortex-A53 cores operate at 1.6 GHz.

The amount of RAM is 2 GB, and the built-in 16 GB is expandable using microSD memory cards. There is support for Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (dual band), Bluetooth 4.1, NFC and GPS (A-GPS, GLONASS). But there is no infrared port.

In terms of performance, it is higher than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615, but slightly lower than the MediaTek Helio X10. Games like Mortal Kombat X and Need for Speed No Limits are quickly launched and on maximum settings graphs show a high level of fps. And benchmarks say that the video accelerator is not very productive and in the future there may be problems in this regard (mainly with demanding games).

Unfortunately, on our test, the smartphone is not with the final version of the firmware. It is for this reason that such a popular benchmark as AnTuTu Benchmark does not produce results correctly.

There are no problems with signal reception. Speaker good quality, the microphone also pleased. All done on high level. The multimedia speaker did not lose its face. It's loud and sounds pretty good.

It is worth considering that new samsung Galaxy A5 will have a modification with two SIM-cards. As it was written above, we have a version with one SIM card on the test.

Operating system and shell

Smartphone running operating system Android systems 5.1.1 Lollipop with TouchWiz Nature UX 5.0 proprietary skin. It is well known from such smartphones as Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge + and Galaxy Note 5. There are no changes in the system.

If we talk about the speed of the smartphone in everyday tasks, then it works very quickly, but not lightning fast. The first launch of the "dialer" lasts a couple of seconds. After exiting a resource-intensive game, the smartphone restarts the desktop and does not do it very quickly. Perhaps this is a problem with the test firmware of the device, but the fact remains.

Camera

The smartphone is equipped with 13 megapixel and 5 megapixel cameras. They both have f/1.9 apertures. The main camera received optical image stabilization, which should help combat image blur. The maximum resolution for video recording is Full HD at 30 frames per second.

The camera interface is familiar to all Samsung smartphone users. There is HDR, continuous shooting, night mode and even manual mode. True, in the latter there are very few settings. You can change the ISO, exposure and lighting type settings.

Photos look very attractive on the phone screen, but if you look at photos from a laptop, then there are still some remarks in them. In most cases, the white balance is determined correctly. But with focusing, especially during macro photography, there are problems. Autofocus is determined far from the first time. The camera does a good job of shooting at night.

Video recording example:

autonomy

The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) is equipped with a 2900 mAh battery. This is 600 mAh more than its predecessor, but it is worth considering the increased level of performance. Now the smartphone supports fast charging. The device came to us without charger, therefore, it was not possible to check the charging speed using standard charging.

With normal use, you can count on 1.5-2 days of work, taking into account always-on 3G, Wi-Fi, enabled synchronization, automatic screen brightness. PCMark delivered 9 hours and 21 minutes at 200 cd/m2 (59% brightness). This is a very good indicator. In practice, I managed to achieve 5 hours of active screen, which in turn is also very good.

Results

The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) is a major upgrade popular model. The smartphone began to be perceived differently. Now it's a device that breathes right into the back of flagship devices. It has a high-quality display, an excellent camera, a nice and beautiful body, and also works smartly. Those who are tired of charging the device twice a day will appreciate the time battery life, because a smartphone, even with a heavy load, easily lasts a day, and if you moderate the ardor, then two. It is in terms of battery life that the hero of the review can lay on the shoulder blades flagship Samsung galaxy.

South Korean flagships literally attract the eye of a person who has got into a retail store selling smartphones. However, not everyone dares to buy such a device - they ask for too much money for it. Fortunately, the company decided to please those people who are willing to shell out only about half of this amount. For them, a review of which will introduce you to all the advantages and disadvantages of the device was released.

The South Koreans provided their creation with a metal case and a well-implemented protective glass. In this regard, the device is very much like a flagship of the company. It is noticeable that the manufacturer achieved just that. At the same time, he did not raise the price tag too much - you can buy the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) in Russia for 24,000 rubles - a lot of money, but not by the standards of South Korean devices.

All this made the smartphone very successful. It is in great demand in almost every store where this model is present. If the Galaxy A7 (2016) seems to people already too large, and the Galaxy A3 (2016) is not functional enough, then the Galaxy A5 (2016) is a kind of ideal. Usually, South Koreans gradually reduce the price of their products - this happens 4-5 months after the start of sales. But the decrease in the cost of the smartphone under consideration today did not happen - it is already being actively dismantled.

Appearance, dimensions and weight

If you have previously used a push-button mobile phone or some tiny smartphone, then the South Korean device will seem quite large to you. Its dimensions are 71 x 144.8 x 7.3 mm. But gradually you get used to using such a fairly large gadget. Many people easily reach any point on the screen, almost without connecting the second hand to control. Only some people have certain difficulties. But this is not due to the size or diagonal of the screen, but to the materials from which the body is made.

As with the flagship Galaxy S7, the insides of the device are wrapped in metal and glass. Plastic blotches can be found only on the upper and lower ends - antennas are located under these strips. The glass back panel makes it a little more difficult to use the device if you have small hands. It becomes almost impossible to reach the top point of the screen with your thumb - you are already beginning to be afraid of dropping your smartphone, because it is quite slippery. But in visual terms, glass and metal play only a plus. Also, such materials are distinguished by good heat transfer, and therefore the device heats up strongly only in the summer heat. The rest of the time, his body pleasantly cools the palm. By the way, the device weighs 155 grams.

As expected, most of the front panel is occupied by the display. Below it is the "Home" button, and which is mounted. The key has a silver frame. It is known that the screen is covered with protective glass Gorilla Glass 4, while the Home button is a regular glass. But this does not cause any particular problems - for a couple of months of using the smartphone, scratches did not appear either there or there. But you can also find contrary reviews on the net, so you should be warned.

Above the display, traditionally for Samsung, there are a speaker, a front camera, as well as light and proximity sensors. The silver logo of the manufacturer also stands out here. Well, the back wall here, as mentioned above, is covered with glass. Below it is another logo of the South Korean company, as well as a corporate emblem, indicating the possibility of using two SIM-cards. Here you can also find a protruding lens of the main camera - it has a metal frame. Next to the optics is an LED flash.

Talking about the rear panel, we did not mention the dynamics at all. And all because it is located on the bottom end - this contributes to the fact that the sound is not muffled at the moment when the smartphone is placed on the table with its back down. There is also a microUSB port and a 3.5mm audio jack on the bottom edge.

The upper end does not carry any elements. With the exception of the second microphone - it is needed to implement the noise reduction function.

The side ends here are not able to surprise. They contain the power button and volume keys, as well as a slot for a memory card and a SIM card (using the nano-SIM format).

Processor and graphics accelerator

The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) is based on the eight-core Exynos 7580 processor. This is a proprietary South Korean solution that is practically not supplied to other smartphone manufacturers. The maximum frequency of the chipset is 1.6 GHz. This is more than enough for even the most demanding applications.

The processor is complemented by a Mali-T720 graphics accelerator. Its power is enough to display modern games. But in some cases, you will have to lower the graphics settings from maximum to medium. This is evidenced by the Epic Citadel test, where at ultra settings the FPS drops to 30 frames / s. And it's still a sparing benchmark. For example, 3DMark makes you think that this device is not intended for games at all - there the average frequency is 4-5 frames / s.

In AnTuTu Benchmark, the device scores about 44 thousand points. This is quite a worthy result, which is shown due to the powerful chipset and fast memory. But you need to understand that some Chinese competitors from the same price category are able to boast even higher performance ratings. What does it mean? Yes, absolutely nothing. Much more important than any assessment is the fact that the Galaxy A5 (2016) works quickly and without any lags. And it is impossible not to notice that this processor is not only powerful, but also energy efficient, which benefits battery life.

Memory

If South Korean flagships are most often produced in several versions - with different amounts of internal memory, then the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) does not have such a variety. Here, the user is waiting for 16 GB of permanent memory, of which approximately 11 GB will be available to him. This capacity can be increased by using a microSD card. Interestingly, absolutely any cards are supported, even 128 GB.

It should be remembered that the second slot here is combined. If you insert a memory card into it, then you will have to forget about the second SIM card. This is a common occurrence for many modern smartphones from major manufacturers. It should also be noted that the memory used here is fast and reliable. Samsung produces it and some other components on its own.

As for the RAM, its volume is approximately 2 GB. This is enough for most everyday tasks. The lack of RAM is not felt either during games or when using clients social networks, nor when running any other applications.

Battery

Inside this model is a non-removable battery. Its capacity is 2900 mAh. You may not find this option sufficient. But remember about the energy-efficient processor! Also note that the smartphone has a screen created using Super AMOLED technology. And the branded shell installed here is complemented by thoughtful modes for reducing power consumption.

All of the above allows you to stably use the device for two and a half days. Only if from time to time to be distracted by games, then the battery life can be reduced to one or one and a half days. If you try, you can even squeeze out three and a half days of functioning from a smartphone, but this will be a completely extreme use case when the owner forgets about all kinds of entertainment.

The smartphone supports . It comes with a matching power adapter. Charging time from 0% to 100% is approximately 105 minutes.

Sensors

Oddly enough, such an expensive device does not include a gyroscope. This prevents the new Galaxy A5 from being recommended for purchase if you wish to purchase an optional accessory in the form of a VR helmet. By the way, this sensor cannot be found in any South Korean smartphone belonging to the A- or J-series.

But on the other hand, there are stable working proximity and light sensors. Also not forgotten is the digital compass and some other less important sensors. And the navigation module supports not only GPS, but also GLONASS satellites. Well, the fingerprint scanner is built into the Home button. It works quickly, in total, up to three fingers can be entered into memory.

Camera

On the back of the device is a 13-megapixel camera lens. The aperture here is open to f/1.9. And this is very well felt in the pictures - they turn out quite well even in the dark. The camera has excellent dynamic range, so even when shooting in overcast conditions, you get a photo in which the sky is not a solid white veil. And if you are still afraid to get a similar frame, then you can use the mode.

You can also download several add-ons specifically for the camera in the company's online store. One of them deals with retouching the face, the second makes it easier to take a selfie, and the third allows you to create GIF animation. It is impossible not to note the presence here of optical image stabilization, which allows you to make the shutter speed not too short. By the way, automation is engaged in setting it up - even in manual mode you cannot change the shutter speed, like many other parameters. In this regard, the Galaxy A5 (2016) is inferior to the flagships. As for the quality of the photos, you can't fault it. Despite the relatively low resolution, the images are clear - often you can see even the smallest details. But it's better to see for yourself.

Everything is in order with the built-in camera and video recording. The picture is written in 1080p resolution, the average frequency is 30 frames / s. Autofocus is fast, there are almost no special failures. The juiciness of colors will make an outside viewer think that the shooting took place using a DSLR or any other device with a CMOS matrix.

The front camera of this smartphone does not deserve such a serious description. It has 5 megapixel resolution. At this price, I would like to get something more. You can see an example of photography below.

Screen

The display is the main advantage of any South Korean smartphone belonging to the A-series. It is because of him that it is worth overpaying without even looking at cheaper Chinese devices. The fact is that the screen installed here was created using Super AMOLED technology, which implies the absence of a separate backlight layer. As a result, power consumption is noticeably reduced, and blacks become truly black. And this cannot be conveyed in photographs if you watch them on a standard monitor or a smartphone with an IPS matrix.

The resolution of the screen built into the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) is 1080 x 1920 pixels. With a 5.2-inch diagonal, this is more than enough - pixelation, if you can notice it, is only under a magnifying glass. The viewing angles here are maximum - with any deviations, the colors on the screen are practically not distorted. But even more the device should be praised for the brightness of the display - the picture is clearly visible even on the street, under the midday sunlight.

Nothing bad can be said about the touch layer. Pressing and other gestures are recognized with a bang - almost instantly. If we compare a smartphone with some budget models, then the difference in the speed of gesture recognition is obvious even to the naked eye.

In the settings of this model, you can find many items related to the display. In particular, the smartphone allows you to choose the color temperature. This will please those who find the colors on such a screen seem oversaturated.

Connection

As already mentioned, the Galaxy A5 (2016) can install up to two SIM cards. However, there is only one radio module, and therefore, when talking on one SIM-card, the second one will be busy. Data transfer here is carried out via 2G, 3G, LTE and even LTE-A of the sixth category! Downloading files may take a minimum amount of time. For example, a 100-megabyte add-on for the game is downloaded in about 10 seconds - measurements were made using the services of the MTS operator.

Among other wireless modules, Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC should be noted - a good couple that is never superfluous. Unpleasantly surprise the buyer can only wifi standard- 802.11n technology is used here. If you have a router with 802.11ac support, then squeeze all the speed out of it using this smartphone will not work.

Oddly enough, when creating the Galaxy A5 (2016), the South Koreans did not forget about FM radio. It only works when headphones are connected. The reception quality is quite acceptable.

Sound

The smartphone is quite loud both conversational and music speaker. However, do not expect miracles - this is not some flagship from stereo speakers and support for special technology. The speaker does not emit wheezing, hissing and whistling - this is good.

Best of all, the device shows itself when you connect a headset. If it is of high quality, then you will get great sound. Unfortunately, the headset supplied in the kit cannot be called high-quality - the bass is barely felt in it, and to high frequencies certain claims can be made. But it does a good job of recording sound. And this suggests that the interlocutors will hear you well even if you are somewhere in the subway.

operating system

The device is currently operating Android control 6.0.1 - it was updated about two months ago. Works operating system very stable - the brakes of the branded South Korean shell are a thing of the past. There is support for a simple mode - when the interface decreases, approaching the left or right corner. At some points, this helps with one-handed operation.

In general, there are no special settings here. Even displaying two applications on one screen is impossible here. All this is given to the flagships - Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge and Galaxy Note 7. Someone may be pleased with the presence of Smart Manager. This section of settings allows you to free up RAM, as well as enable antivirus. In a word, it immediately makes it unnecessary to install a separate optimizer application.

Key impressions of the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)

The smartphone is worth the money - that's for sure. The screen alone can cause admiration for at least a month, if you have not previously used expensive South Korean products. Also delight is the time of work - you will have to charge the device every evening only in case of its extremely active use. The third reason to buy is the charming design. Everything is in order with the device and with the power of components, although it still cannot be called a gaming smartphone.

What can not please the buyer? Probably just a couple of things. Firstly, the device is not suitable for use with VR glasses, as there is no gyroscope. Secondly, it is slippery - if you regularly drop your phone, you will have to take care of buying a case. Thirdly, the device includes only 16 GB of permanent memory. This is not critical, but the question of installing a memory card will still arise quite quickly.

Smartphone advantages:

Long operating time on a single charge;
Fast recharging;
Excellent Super AMOLED screen;
Nice looking design;
The presence of NFC and;
The latest version of the operating system;
Dual SIM support;
A large number of wireless modules and all kinds of sensors;
Very good rear camera;
Support for LTE-A.

Smartphone Disadvantages:

High price;
Not the largest amount of permanent memory;
Glass makes the device slippery;
No gyroscope;
Wi-Fi 802.11n standard.

A-series is a rare case when Samsung smartphones buy primarily for design. Last year's trio of smartphones became the brand's best-selling models after the flagship S6/S6 edge. But it all started with an experiment in which the Samsung people themselves did not really believe - against the backdrop of criticism of the design and cries of “why is the imitation of metal in the case again for such and such money ?!” the Koreans released an experimental one for “the same” 25 thousand rubles ... and sales of a modest in power, but beautiful outwardly smartphone, surprised them. After that, Samsung expanded the successful concept into a whole series of devices, and by the beginning of 2016 prepared successors to them.

By the way, the Galaxy A3 and A5 of the previous generation will continue to roll off the assembly line and become a cheaper alternative to new products. But he went down in history so as not to embarrass the characteristics of the novelty buyers close to the second generation.

Since the manufacturer himself is so confident in the success of the "younger" A-smartphones (and also because the new A5 and A7 are very close constructively), we will check if the beautiful representatives of the Samsung family managed to grow in power to the current level.

Characteristics

	Samsung Galaxy A36	Samsung Galaxy A56
operating system	Android 5.1 Lollipop	Android 5.1 Lollipop
Screen
CPU
Graphic arts
Operationalmemory
Constantmemory	16 GB, Micro SD slot	16 GB, Micro SD slot
Connection		4G (LTE Cat.6) , 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, GLONASS, NFC
cameras		13 MP - main, with autofocus, video 1920x1080, front - 5 MP
Battery	non-removable, 2300 mAh	non-removable, 2900 mAh
Dimensions	134.5x65.2x7.3mm	144.8x71x7.3mm
Weight
Price at the time of publication	~ 19 000 rubles	~ 25 000 rubles
Price according to dataprice.en

Design and management

Koreans, as best they can, oppose the dominance of metal in their smartphones (which is typical for HTC) - with the change of generations, the metal rear panel in the case of smartphones has given way to tempered glass. On the one hand, it’s a regression (many Samsung fans still cherish the dream of all-metal silver Galaxy), on the other hand, under a layer of matte paint, the notorious metal was still not a flashy detail, as is customary in fashion models. And so - at least the “general design line” and the similarity with the flagship Galaxy S are respected.

In fact, Samsung got an update for the sake of updating - when looking at two generations, an inexperienced buyer in smartphones will not make out where the new ones are and where the old representatives of the series are. And even from the point of view of practicality, a stalemate emerges: the old men could painlessly survive a fall on their “back” (the new Galaxy A under such conditions will not crumble into crumbs either, but you are guaranteed cracks on the glass), but the new A3 6 and A5 6 are generous shrouded in metal on all four faces, and give the notorious metallic cold to the palm much more noticeable. And they are less likely to slip in the hand with a natural grip. But the rear panel is slippery, as befits glass - it is worth leaving the smartphone at least on a sloping chair, and it will “leave” down without permission. With fingerprints, it all depends on the color of the case: they are not visible on white modifications, but a dark smartphone gets dirty pretty quickly.

Of our two heroes, the A3 gets the most attention, simply because, with the exception of the iPhone and Xperia Z Compact, you won't find quality smartphones with a diagonal of less than 5 inches in the afternoon with fire. A modern miniature mobile phone, with a reasonable thickness and compact frames on the sides of the display, is simply more pleasant to use - if only because it does not need to be intercepted when used with one hand.

Samsung Galaxy A3 2016 model year is one of the most beautiful compact smartphones

The Galaxy A5 is perceived differently - it looks like a more brutal and faceted version of the “flat” S6: the smartphone is less playful in appearance, with a more faceted body and a rear camera that is not so vulgarly protruding. And, by the way, the most compact among popular mobile phones with a 5.2-inch display: Sony Xperia Z5, Huawei Honor 7, LG Nexus 5X, Microsoft Lumia 950 - each one of them is larger than our hero. Less power - less body, it would always be so.

The Galaxy A5 looks like a pointy version of the S6, and it works to its advantage

Unlike older brothers, A3 lacks a fingerprint scanner - annoying, but okay. But why both smartphones were deprived of an event indicator or a front panel - only one Korean knows. Perhaps just "so that life does not seem like honey" in comparison with the owners of flagship models.

Screen and sound

Both smartphones are able to track the owner's gaze and keep the display on until you stop looking at the image on it. Four color rendering modes (adaptive, film, photo and main) are also in place – Samsung will please both lovers of extremely powerful AMOLED colors, and everyone who advocates that the color reproduction be as close as possible to the reference “according to instruments”, albeit to the detriment her entertainment. We, of course, in our measurements resorted to the second option.

Viewing angles are good, the quality of the oleophobic coating is excellent (displays hardly get dirty in everyday use), strained glass allows you to operate smartphones without a case without fear of scratching the screen, the contrast of Super AMOLED is prohibitively high (because the display “turns off” certain pixels to display a flawless black color), and the brightness looks cheerful even against the background of more powerful IPS displays in this regard - 365 cd/m2 for A3 and 410 cd/m2 for A5. This margin is enough for a “readable” image even on a bright summer day. But then the nuances begin ...

Previously, the Galaxy A3 had no seams with grain: 960x540 pixels at 4.5 inches diagonally - such shameless characteristics that you feel embarrassed even just voicing them out loud.

Things are better in the new model with characteristics, but next to the Galaxy A5 and its Full HD resolution, you look at the younger model and are tormented by the thought that something is wrong with it. And it's all about the Pentile technology (peculiarities in the structure of pixels in AMOLED matrices, due to which the displays slightly decrease clarity), which, on the “minimally decent” 1280x720 pixels today, allows you to distinguish these very individual dots in the display from a distance of 5-8 cm.

And, in principle, to hell with them, with these perfectionists looking at the display of a mobile phone in front of their very noses - but after all, other buyers may one day understand, they say, “there, Vasya still has the same 1280x720 pixels on an IPS-matrix, and letters are outlined a little better in the text. The effect of Pentile is like a cheap film pasted on the display - the picture does not deteriorate so fatally, but, as the Don Juan say, "the sensations are not the same."

The HD resolution on the PenTile-matrix of the Galaxy A3 turns into loose fonts and, at times, the ability to see individual pixels. Annoying

The Galaxy A5 does not have such a problem at all, and in general characteristics The displays are quite decent: in both cases we get a commendable low DeltaE deviation (2.02 for the Galaxy A3 and 2.78 for the A5), a color temperature of about 6700K and 6400K for the younger and older models, respectively, and the same gamma of 2.4 in both cases. The color gamut of the Galaxy A5 in the “main” mode turns out to be slightly wider than sRGB, and in the “a-third” it is a little further from the standard, so the colors in the affordable Galaxy A-series will in any case be a little richer than they should be.

In terms of sound, both smartphones proved to be on the best side: the speakerphone announces the space around them no worse than in more well-fed competitor smartphones. The Galaxy A5 has a slightly more powerful and clearer speaker (which, by the way, is not always an advantage), the A3 has a slightly lower clarity and volume (you can safely put a melody with “ts-ts-tsss” at the beginning on a call), but, unlike colleague, a noticeable slight influence of the metal in the case on the sound.

As for smartphones without claiming to have a cool sound, the new Galaxy A sounds very pleasant - small roughness can be eliminated in a sophisticated sound manager

In headphones, everything is also not bad - in front of us, of course, are not flagships, but volumes for non-audiophile headsets enough in full, and the audio player retains all the "bells and whistles" of top models, with the exception, perhaps, of the UHQ Upscaler function, which straightened the sound of MP3 tracks in S6 edge+. Subjectively, our heroes sound better than, for example, LG Nexus 5X and Sony Xperia M5. Conversational speakers they delight with clear sound, the volume is enough for any scenarios, the microphones work flawlessly.

Iron

The processors for the new A-series were made by… guess who? That's right, Samsung! Here is an example of the correct “import substitution” for you: the Koreans and factories were able to use their own for personal needs, at the same time punish Qualcomm for the past with the dollar and bargain for exclusive conditions for themselves (a preamble in case you are at all interested in the undercover games of all these smartphone manufacturers).

Samsung representatives are not too willing to talk about new processors - that is, “yes, we have made new chips for mid-range smartphones, look at their potential in benchmarks, and now let's talk about the design of the A-series.”

And, probably, they are doing the right thing, because there is nothing breakthrough in the new processors - 28 nm, Cortex-A53 cores, DDR3, . The video accelerator in both cases is Mali-T720, but whether its frequency or number of cores differs between Exynos 7578 and 7580, company representatives preferred not to explain.

Samsung has built its own, slightly more powerful alternative to the Snapdragon 410/615

In short, Samsung purposefully created a replacement for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 and 615 previously used in the Galaxy A5 and A7. Koreans, for some reason, hate MediaTek, and avoid putting its chips in their Galaxy in every possible way.

The quad-core processor in the Galaxy A3 is located exactly between the octa-core Kirin 620 from the available Huawei models and the sworn competitor, the Snapdragon 410, and in terms of graphics (gaming) it does both. More operational samsung memory not greedy for a younger smartphone - without a single running application a system with a proprietary shell "eats" 850 MB out of 1500 available. Android can free up resources for something powerful, but it does it as sluggishly as a sleepy loader carries groceries to the supermarket in the morning.

In the Galaxy A5, the system is even more gluttonous and uses 1.1 GB of the two available, but the processor is pretty good at handling all kinds of everyday workloads. You can’t hope for games with maximum detail, but you can play everything, and switching between games and the browser will not be a tragedy for the processor.

Soft

Fashion Galaxy has everything “in an adult way”, and even better: on top of Android 5.1.1, the current version of the Samsung TouchWiz shell is located, FM radio has incredibly appeared in the list of standard applications, and most of the “chips” from more expensive smartphones (voice assistant S Voice, gesture support, NFC, and in the “fifth” and S Health physical activity monitoring) are also present here.

Microsoft “brought the money” to the Koreans, so the A-series comes pre-installed with the non-removable Office and Skype package, but Kaspersky was greedy, so the Internet Security imposed on them can be removed before it starts eating the already limited system resources.

Typical Android Lollipop"with sauce" Samsung. Some of the applications from the flagships of the S-series migrated to affordable models

There is nothing special to complain about - all the necessary software is available, it will be easy even for a beginner to get used to the system.

cameras

The main “luxury paraphernalia” in the cameras of the new A-class is instant launch by double pressing the “Home” key. Otherwise, the photomodules do not grab stars from heaven and take pictures at the level of good-quality middle-class competitors. In cloudy weather, the cameras start to make a little noise, in HDR mode it takes less than 1.5-2 seconds to save a picture (moderate processor power affects).

It's also nice how the cameras behave at night - even the younger A3 does not “drop” the frame rate when shooting video in the dark, and the special “night mode” when taking photos really works and allows the cameras to see a little better. And yet, the devaluation of the indices with the change of generations did not happen: if the current A5 exceeds the discontinued A7 in terms of processor power, then the advantage in photography still remains with the “a-seventh” of the previous generation.

The cameras do not cause enthusiasm, but do not disappoint. A optical stabilization The Galaxy A5 looks like a goodwill gesture from Samsung

In the Galaxy A5 and A7, Samsung has not been greedy and equipped the cameras with optical image stabilization - even with ordinary video quality, this feature smooths out movement in the frame and allows you to shoot quite watchable videos on the go. And when taking a photo, the same stabilization will additionally insure the owner from blurry pictures due to a trembling hand. Selfie cameras in smartphones do not disappoint - in terms of picture quality, they are comparable to the rear cameras of other budget smartphones worth 7-10 thousand rubles.

autonomy

The endurance of A-series smartphones stems from their shortcomings - the processors of our heroes are weak enough not to become the cause of the “zhor” of the battery charge, the economical AMOLED matrices themselves in our case are not burdened with prohibitive resolutions, and even the “a-third” is at hand plays a modest area of the display itself.

And even with such reservations, the survivability of the Galaxy A3 with its ridiculous 2300 mAh pleasantly surprises. At the same time, the owner still has power saving modes in his arsenal - from basic (processor frequency, display brightness and time until it is blocked, the Back and Recent Applications keys are not highlighted) to extreme (black and white display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS is disabled, background work applications is disabled, several basic programs are available to run).

Medium-powered processors and economical displays with moderate resolution - the key to good endurance

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
Usage mode (brightness 200 cd/m2)	Working time
Video from memory card	14 hours 10 minutes	Huawei P8 Lite	Samsung Galaxy A5	Sony Xperia M5

operating system	Android 5.1 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop	Android 5.1 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop
Screen	4.7 inches, 1280x720, Super AMOLED, 312 ppi	5 inches, 1280×720, IPS, 294 ppi	5.2 inches, 1920x1080, Super AMOLED, 424 ppi	5.0 inches, 1920x1080, IPS, 441 ppi
CPU	Samsung Exynos 7578 1.5GHz (4 cores, Cortex-A53)	HiSilicon Kirin 620 1.2GHz (8 cores, Cortex-A53)	Samsung Exynos 7580 1.6GHz (8 cores, Cortex-A53)	MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 2.0GHz (8 cores, Cortex-A53)
Graphic arts
Operationalmemory
Persistent memory	16 GB, Micro SD slot	16 GB, microSD slot	16 GB, Micro SD slot	16 GB, Micro SD slot
Connection	4G (LTE Cat.6) , 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, GLONASS, NFC	4G (LTE Cat.4), 3G, Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, GLONASS, NFC	4G (LTE Cat.6) , 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, GLONASS, NFC	4G (LTE Cat.4), 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, GLONASS
cameras	13 MP - main, with autofocus, video 1920x1080, front - 5 MP	main: 13 MP, with autofocus, video 1920x1080, front: 5 MP	13 MP - main, with autofocus, video 1920x1080, front - 5 MP	21.2 MP - main, with autofocus, video 1920x1080, front - 13 MP
Battery	non-removable, 2300 mAh	non-removable, 2200 mAh	non-removable, 2900 mAh	non-removable, 2600 mAh
Dimensions	134.5x65.2x7.3mm		144.8x71x7.3mm
Weight
Price at the time of publication	~ 19 000 rubles	18 000 rubles	~ 25 000 rubles	30 000 rubles
Price according to dataprice.en	Request a Quote: Samsung Galaxy A3 SM-A310F 2801 1	Request a Quote: Huawei P8 Lite ALE-L21 2801 1	Request a Quote: Samsung Galaxy A5 SM-A510F 2801 1	Request a Quote: Sony Xperia M5 2801 1

conclusions

Sales of smartphones Galaxy A 2016 model year will begin (who would have thought) in 2016. When asked about prices, Samsung representatives smile guiltily and say "everything will depend on exchange rates." As of mid-December, the prices for the Galaxy A3, A5 and A7 are expected to range from 20-32 thousand rubles. The Koreans do not expect competition with the still widespread Galaxy S5 for 22.5 thousand, and the “flat” S6, if you do not take into account local New Year's promotions, today starts from 35 thousand at least.

Before us, of course, are far from flagships - the new Galaxy A3 will seem to many buyers wrapped in metal and glass as a “state employee”. But let's go down from heaven to earth and see what competitors offer at comparable prices. Even the Chinese today are not particularly shy about price tags and ask for 18 thousand rubles for a stylish, but not metallic Huawei P8 Lite - and this smartphone, let me remind you, carries the stuffing of a state employee.

Comparable in image (and Samsung buyers won’t even look at these LeTVs of yours) smartphones competing with the Galaxy A5 also cannot boast dramatically the best performance. The "most likely opponent" of the midsize A-Class is the Sony Xperia Z3, if you're not worried about the obsolescence of the former flagship and the current Z5 family. Otherwise, the choice will have to stop at the plastic, but spectacular outwardly Xperia M5 on the eight-core flagship MediaTek processor. The fashionable and stylish Lenovo VIBE S1 is inferior to the “a-fifth” in terms of display quality, autonomy, rear camera potential and prestige, which is already there. We will modestly keep silent about the current cost.

The new A-series will not produce a revolution: enthusiasts will continue to hunt for the cheaper Galaxy S6, meticulous lovers of “fancy and inexpensive” will order from China a powerful metal something with an unpronounceable name. What matters is that, thanks to its own components and controlled prices, Samsung has turned Galaxy smartphones A from "beautiful" to "smart" without loss in case design. There were no marketing meannesses at all, but the new products have more advantages than disadvantages, which means you can take it.

Samsung Galaxy A3 SM-A310F
Advantages:	Flaws:
+ Expensive body materials, moderate dimensions	— The clarity of the display is on the verge of a budget and middle class, noticeable Pentile effects
+ Excellent autonomy	— The minimum amount of RAM acceptable for work
+ Decent sound quality
+
Samsung Galaxy A5 SM-A510F
Advantages:	Flaws:
+ Solid design, outstanding (by the standards of 5.2-inch smartphones) compactness	— No notification indicator
+ Excellent autonomy	— Mid-range gaming performance at a price comparable to 2014 flagships
+ Bright and clear display	— Lack of 4K shooting mode for the rear camera
+ Fast (by class standards) processor
+ Part of the flagship functionality (optical image stabilization, fast charging, fingerprint scanner)