Screen Samsung Galaxy The A5 (2017), like its predecessor, is made using Super AMOLED technology, which promises us good colors, acceptable brightness and true blacks. The 2016 Galaxy A5 had all this, and the 2017 model also has all this.

The screen resolution is 1920x1080 pixels and has not increased over the year. This gives a dot density of 424 ppi, which is generally good.

Samsung also equipped the smartphone with Always On mode. When the display is turned off, it continues to show the current time, date and charge level. Battery consumption is minimal, since AMOLED technology allows you to turn on only a couple of tens of pixels necessary for the operation of the mode.

The screen has good rich 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 expected for OLED, was 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 much wider than that of this area, which is considered the standard.

When measuring the color temperature of the Galaxy A5 (2017) screen, the difference between the settings modes is not so noticeable. They are quite close to the natural temperature of 6500K, but still above 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 in the middle part is slightly higher. In the image, this results in highlight areas appearing darker than they should be shown. However, a lot can be corrected using display settings, which the Galaxy A5 (2017) has more than other smartphones.

The Galaxy A5 (2017) has a fashionable “blue filter” that reduces the level of blue and has a positive effect on fatigue - it reduces it. However, we wouldn't use it. When turned on, the display takes on a frankly yellowish tint. Perhaps this will be useful when reading in the dark for a long time.

In addition to the main and adaptive display modes, there are also PHOTO and VIDEO, which automatically adjust the screen so that photos and movies look best on it. For each mode, you can adjust the RGB balance - red, green and blue. In addition, in the screen settings you can turn Always On on and off, and also order the smartphone not to turn on the display under any circumstances if it is in the dark, that is, in a pocket or bag. This is true for large devices.

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 inferior to the Galaxy S in some way.

Camera Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)

The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) has a significantly improved camera. Previously, the device was equipped with a photo module with a resolution of 13 megapixels for the main and 5 megapixels for the front camera. The smartphone now 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 a claimed selfie camera. Both cameras can also shoot Full HD video.

Interface Galaxy cameras A5 (2017) remains branded. On the first screen, buttons for taking photos and recording videos are immediately available, as well as a window for opening the gallery and previewing the image. In another part of the display we see virtual buttons for changing the camera, controlling the flash and calling up settings. The face in the corner of the viewfinder brings up the option to adjust skin color. By adjusting the white balance you can achieve the best shade.

The settings for both cameras are the same. Interestingly, they are not displayed in the design of the camera interface, but like other phone settings. Here you can immediately select the resolution, set a timer, enable video stabilization, geotags, and activate shooting by voice, gesture, or 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 photo preview.

The left tab contains shooting modes, both video and photo.

In addition to the automatic mode, there is a Pro mode. It allows you to adjust light sensitivity, white balance, adjust exposure and other parameters.

There are other modes: panorama, hyperlapse, HDR, night and food. The most interesting are hyperlapse (slow motion) and food, in which background blur is added, and you can also adjust the white balance to make the pictures look better.

The front camera has the same interface and the same tabs. There is an adjustment for skin color. The tab on the right also contains real-time filters. On the tab on the left there are only three modes: self-portrait (the same auto), night and wide self-portrait. A wide self-portrait is a hybrid of selfie and panorama. When taking a selfie, it is not always possible to ensure that the background is completely satisfactory. Therefore, in this mode we take a selfie, move the phone to the right, 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 at a ratio of 4:3.

As you can see, the pictures turn out to be of very good quality, even with zoom the image turned out to be quite clear, and on the phone screen this difference will not be noticeable at all. In the dark it is better to shoot with flash, which works quite well.

Using the main camera of the Galaxy A5 (2016), you can shoot video with resolutions up to Full HD. Ultra HD (4K) is reserved for flagships for now.

The camera perfectly records video and, importantly, sound. The video from the front seat of the car demonstrates that the camera quickly focuses, adapts to lighting conditions, etc.

The resolution of pictures from the front camera and the choice of aspect ratio are the same as the main one.

With the quality of the pictures everything is much more interesting. It's easy to notice how much sharpness differs between a close-up shot and a long shot. No matter how hard we tried, we were unable to capture the dull cityscape from the loggia as sharply as with the main camera. Apparently, the camera's focus is fixed to ensure perfect selfies.

Likewise, the video shot with the front camera turned out to be blurry and not as sharp as the main one. The assumption of shifted focus or its limited range to create the appropriate effect of depth of the frame, background blur during selfies, is confirmed. Typically, all cameras of this size are hyperfocal, that is, they have a maximum depth of field starting from almost 1-2 meters, so when shooting landscapes they do not need to focus. Here, there are obviously settings to make the background blurry.

By the way, almost all of our comments are valid only when viewing photographs on a computer screen; on the AMOLED display of the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) all photographs look very good, and some are simply perfect.

Majority Galaxy reviews The A5 (SM-A520F) is sleek and streamlined, just like the body of this phone. There are almost no shortcomings. Sweet candy reviews, in which they can easily forget to mention, for example, the absence optical stabilization in the camera, illustrated with blurry photographs taken with the main camera. We will correct this situation with reviews.

SOFTWARE

– Owners don’t have many questions regarding software. More often they ask about setting up calls from SIM1 and SIM2, about managing two SIM cards. You need to get used to the new interface when switching from dual-SIM phones of other brands.
– There are comments that Samsung Pay does not support working with any banks or cards. Samsung Pay is gradually expanding the list of banks that support this service. Today there are 14 banks on the list. Some banks do not support VISA cards, but only Mastercard support. There are cases when, despite the presence of a card and bank in the list (for example, VISA Alfa-Bank), the card cannot be linked to Samsung Pay.
– The “moisture detected” message may appear even when the phone has not even been in water. For example, it may appear if you were playing on your phone and closed the charging connector with your finger while playing.
– There are complaints about delays in the phone application. There may be delays, for example, when opening phone book. If this is annoying, then install Google app Phone. It works without any slowdowns.

FRAME

– Appearance, in my opinion, has become more boring than the previous model. There is not a single interesting detail that catches the eye.
– The body is slippery. A cover is a must. There are already plenty of photos of phones with broken screens and back covers.
– Back cover It quickly becomes covered with fingerprints and small scratches.
– The joint between the screen and the body can be clearly felt to the touch. True, this only happened on one phone, on a display sample in a store.

NETWORK, COMMUNICATIONS

– The most serious problem is the loss of connection by the phone. The problem is not uncommon. Moreover, some do not even suspect that it exists. Turn on the missed call notification service from your operator to find out if everyone can reach you. The indication may show reliable signal reception, but they may not be able to reach you. For some, this problem occurs when WIFI is turned on, for others, the connection disappears when the automatic 2G\3G mode is turned on, but on 2G the connection is stable. They cannot reach someone when data is being transmitted via 3G using one of the SIM cards. As a temporary crutch, set call forwarding from one SIM card to another. Rebooting or turning on/off Airplane mode also helps. You need to wait for software updates.
– Before the April update, there were quite a lot of complaints about constant reconnections to WIFI. This is a fairly well known problem for many people. Samsung models. My 2016 A3 also had this problem. This was only corrected in April 2017. Those. They couldn't fix it for a year. But despite the update, complaints about WIFI still occur occasionally. For some, setting the router to a less busy channel helps. Someone recommends treating this problem by switching the encryption in the router from auto mode to aes mode.
– Enabling the “Network Accelerator” option (when LTE begins to help WIFI) may, on the contrary, slow down the data download speed.
– NFC does not read or write Troika metro cards. The solution may be to replace the SIM card with a SIM card with NFC.
– There are complaints that switching from 4G to 3G can take a very long time.

IRON

– One of the most actively discussed topics is the operation of the fingerprint scanner. It doesn’t work for everyone 10 times out of 10. Users teach each other at what angles to place their finger while “training” the scanner, put the same finger in two memory slots, recommend covering the scanner with their entire finger, etc. . On the 4pda forum, in the topic header for the Samsung Galaxy A5, a survey was organized about the quality of the scanner.
– Only three prints can be stored in memory. But there is a way around this limitation.
– Quite often users write that they don’t have enough led indicator for notifications. Having the Always on Display function does not always help, because... new notifications on the screen are not visible from afar. As a solution, some use the flash as an event indicator.
– Low volume of the ringer speaker. Here opinions differ. Some people write that the speaker is loud, others write that it is quiet. Personally, I held the European version of the phone in my hands, and the speaker did not seem loud to me. Check the speaker before purchasing.
– Users have questions about OTG. For some reason, Samsung included an adapter in the package that does not support OTG. An adapter with OTG needs to be purchased.
– USB Type-C operates at USB 2.0 speed.
– There is no IR port.

SCREEN

CAMERA

– The main camera does not have optical stabilization. This became clear to me immediately, from the first photograph taken in the store. The photo turned out blurry. You need to be especially attentive and careful to receive nice photos. Don't move, don't breathe, use a tripod.
– The camera has difficulty focusing in low light conditions.
– There is noticeable noise in the photo.
– The camera does not shoot in 1080p@60fps and 4K, there is no slow motion mode.
– Fixed focus for the front camera.
– If you take a photo of yourself front camera, holding the phone on a half-bent arm, the proportions of the face may be distorted.

BATTERY

– There are practically no questions about the battery. The battery life of the phone is at a confident, average level.
– Some people miss the wireless charging function.

Color

General characteristics

Type

Deciding on the type of device (phone or smartphone?) is quite simple. If you need a simple and inexpensive device for calls and SMS, it is recommended to choose a telephone. A smartphone is more expensive, but it offers a wide variety of options: games, videos, the Internet, thousands of programs for all occasions. However, its battery life is significantly less than that of a regular phone.

smartphone operating system Android Case type classic Housing material metal and glass Design waterproof Control mechanical/ touch buttons SAR level 0.52 SIM card type nano SIM Number of SIM cards 2 Multi-SIM mode alternating MST support

MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) is a technology that allows you to pay by phone with a linked by bank card even on those in-store terminals that do not support contactless payments. Using a built-in induction loop, the phone emulates card rental in the terminal. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones

yes Weight 159 g Dimensions (WxHxT) 71.4x146.1x7.9 mm

Screen

Screen type color AMOLED, 16.78 million colors, touch Type touch screen multi-touch, capacitive Diagonal 5.2 inches. Image Size 1920x1080 Pixels per inch (PPI) 424 Automatic screen rotation There is

Multimedia capabilities

Rear camera 16 MP Photoflash rear, LED Rear camera functions autofocus Rear camera aperture F/1.9 Recording videos There is Max. video resolution 1920x1080 Max. video frame rate 30 fps Front-camera yes, 16 million pixels. Audio MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA Headphone jack 3.5 mm

Connection

Standard

There are several basic standards cellular communication, which are supported by modern phones. In Russia, the GSM standard is used almost everywhere. For high-speed data transmission, 3G and 4G LTE standards are used - the highest speed of existing standards. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones

GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G LTE LTE bands support FDD LTE: 2100, 1900, 1800, AWS, 850, 2600, 900, 700, 800, 700 MHz; TDD LTE: 2600, 2300, 2500 MHz Interfaces

Almost all modern smartphones have Wi-Fi and USB interfaces. Bluetooth and IRDA are a little less common. Wi-Fi is used to connect to the Internet. USB is used to connect your phone to a computer. Bluetooth is also found in many phones. It is used to connect wireless headphones, for connecting your phone to wireless speakers, as well as for transferring files. A smartphone equipped with an IRDA interface can be used as universal remote control remote control. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones

Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.2, USB, ANT+, NFC Satellite navigation

Built-in GPS modules and GLONASS allow you to determine the coordinates of your phone using signals from satellites. If there is no GPS modern smartphone can determine its own location based on signals from base stations mobile operator. However, finding coordinates using satellite signals is usually much more accurate. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones

GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou

Memory and processor

CPU

Modern phones and smartphones usually use special processors - SoC (System on Chip, system on a chip), which, in addition to the processor itself, houses the graphics core, memory controller, input/output device controller, etc. Therefore, the processor largely determines the set of functions and device performance. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones

1900 MHz Number of processor cores 8 Built-in memory capacity

The built-in memory is used to store programs, music, photos, movies. The amount of built-in memory largely determines the cost of the device. If your phone does not have a slot for memory cards, then it is recommended to choose a model with a large amount of built-in memory. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones

32 GB Amount of memory available to the user 23.10 GB Volume random access memory 3 GB Memory card slot

Series Samsung smartphones Last year's Galaxy A was very successful in terms of design. They looked beautiful, although they were inferior in characteristics to numerous Chinese analogues. Yes, Chinese phones are becoming more and more popular, but Samsung is no stranger. Excellent materials quality cameras, functional shell, and the brand also means a lot. I know people who believe in Samsung and they only have phones of this brand. I think you will have such acquaintances too.

Those who surf the Internet are aware of the eternal torment of choice: what to buy, the creation of a famous brand or an almost top Chinese, promising brand? Judging by the successful sales of various Galaxy A last year, fans of this series were not deterred by the price; there were many willing ones. And people still go to stores, try out devices, twirl them in their hands to get an impression of their purchases; not all “Chinese” products can be checked out in person.

Slippery but doesn't get wet

The design surprised me; Samsung abandoned the angular shapes and again returned to the soapy features. Remember the old flagship Samsung Galaxy S3? The new A5 is very similar in shape, and the back panel looks very modest, I would add a picture or pattern to it for variety, it would look better, but it looks like a budget phone.

Here is a photo of A5 and S7 edge, compare the sizes and evaluate the difference in appearance.

The case is very slippery, you can walk with the phone without a case, but you need to use it carefully, otherwise you will drop it.

Glass front and back, the shiny surface is combined with a durable aluminum side. There is no fault with the assembly, nor with the ergonomics, all the buttons are in their places.

If you can’t handle the phone with one hand, then turn on the special mode, then the menu will shrink in size. The camera can be launched by double-clicking the button under the screen, very convenient.

But IP68 water protection, like the top-end Galaxy S7, is good and practical. The phone is not afraid of swimming in fresh water, withstanding being at a depth of up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.

Screen with a twist

The phone, as usual for Samsung, has a bright Super AMOLED, now the Always On Display feature works, when additional data is visible on the screen in standby mode, and the backlight does not work at this time. To some extent, it compensates for the lack of a light indicator, although nothing simpler and more efficient than a flashing diode has yet been invented.

Diagonal 5.2 inches, resolution 1080x1920 - the picture is bright, everything is clearly visible on the street, no traces are left on the display, excellent oleophobic coating. It’s strange that on a phone that costs almost 30 thousand rubles, multi-touch detects only 5 simultaneous touches.

Samsung Pay is not working yet

The phone helps pay for purchases via Samsung Pay, but I was unable to link a card to it; during testing, the service did not work and advised me to wait a little longer. Well, OK. I note that the phone has an NFC chip, but it does not work with the Troika card. I tried several applications, but the smartphone does not show travel data through the applications.

The camera is very good during the day

The camera on the back of the case does not protrude at all, it is flush with the surface. Convenient: when you put the phone on the table, it lies and does not wobble.

The resolution of the main and front cameras is the same, both are 16 megapixels. Galaxy A5 (2017) shoots perfectly in automatic mode, launch it in the settings manual mode or additional story profiles. Here are a few examples, and you can evaluate the rest on Google Drive. I didn’t find the specifications of the model on the Samsung website, but as I understood from the description in other sources, there is no optical camera stabilization; last year’s Galaxy A5 had it.

Take a look at how HDR works (on the left - with it, on the right - the effect is turned off).

The quality of video recording is limited to Full HD; the phone records videos well, but strobes a lot. Here's an example of shooting at a skating rink.

Not the most powerful, but works quickly

If you look at the performance, this is typical middle class. 61 thousand points in AnTuTu, Exynos 7880 processor, 3/32 GB of memory and a slot for a microSD card. New processor Based on the 14nm process technology, it features reduced power consumption

Samsung's operating system is still gluttonous and consumes large amounts of RAM; out of 3 gigs, 1.3 GB remains for work, and when you also use applications, there are about 500 MB free. You can live, but they don’t want to hear about process optimization at Samsung.

If you play WoT: Blitz on maximum settings graphics, then the phone produces 30-35 fps, the performance reserve is enough for modern games. The phone does not overheat and does not turn into a heating pad, which is good.

The phone has 2 SIM cards, and there is a separate compartment for the memory card; you don’t have to sacrifice the second SIM if you put a microSD here, it’s very practical.

Samsung pleased us with the sound quality in the headphones; it plays clearly, although the volume reserve is not very large. The sound through the speaker is clear, but not loud. In the old-fashioned way, you can listen to FM radio if you connect headphones, although now they listen more and more often Google Music or similar services.

Works one day like everyone else

The Galaxy A5 has a 3000 mAh battery, fast charging, the phone works for a day or a day and a half under my load with the Internet and other activities. In the menu you can find functions to optimize system operation; the device itself determines which applications prevent it from sleeping peacefully and disrupt the operating mode. USB-C is used for charging, it’s good that Samsung has finally begun to transfer its equipment to a new port. True, finding a cable at the nearest stall is still a problem; USB-C is still not held in high esteem among us, but in vain.

What is the price?

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) sells for 27,990 rubles. Considering that by adding 3 thousand rubles, you can buy last year’s flagship Galaxy S6, you might wonder if you should take an older, but more sophisticated phone? Yes, there will be no water protection and a slot for a memory card, but it has better camera, more interesting appearance. Do you want to save money, but buy Samsung? Then look at the Galaxy A5 (2016), it is still relevant, the hardware is simpler, but it costs around 20 thousand.

Of the options from other brands, I can recommend Honor 8 (), it costs the same as A5, it’s more a matter of personal attitude to the brands, they are similar in characteristics, but Honor has a nicer design, for my taste. Another competitor is glass-metal ASUS Zenfone 3 () in a similar style.

Opinion

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) pleased us with a rare feature; there are few phones on sale with water protection. What else can surprise you? In my opinion, the appearance has become worse than that of the old generation; last year's Galaxy A3/A5/A7 line looked more interesting. Although in terms of materials and assembly everything is still decent, and the filling has become even more powerful. I think that when prices drop in a few months, the phone will “go to the people.”

To summarize, I will say that new Samsung I liked the Galaxy A5 (2017) for its characteristics, but not for its design. Judging by past experience, Samsung is capable of more. Otherwise, the model turned out to be good, and if you look at analogs from Huawei or ASUS, you will see comparable price tags, I can’t say that the overpayment for the brand will be too high, Samsung has an adequate pricing policy.

Did not like

• Slippery body
• Soap design
• No indicator light
• Limited NFC capabilities
• Old Android 6.0

Liked

• Good camera
• Autonomy
• Water protection
• Functional shell
• Bright screen

I would like to thank the friendliest gadget store for providing me with a smartphone for testing. Biggeek. By promotional code Wylsacom There is a special discount for buyers.

For quite a long time, they ruled the roost in the segment of devices for a nominal $400. Chinese flagships, Nexus and OnePlus. Gradually, the situation has changed and today literally everyone is fighting for the wallet of a sufficiently wealthy buyer who does not want to spend money on a flagship. We look forward to announcements of such devices, because in this segment companies create truly balanced solutions that can offer good design, characteristics, cameras, and also operating time, noticeably longer than that of flagships. Today we will get acquainted with one of the most interesting such smartphones - Galaxy A5 (2017).

Design and usability

First introduced in 2014. Back then, the main body material, at least for Samsung devices, was plastic (including for Galaxy flagship S5) and the angular metal device looked very fresh. Updated year turned out to be even better, because it was made similar to the Note 5 and Galaxy S6, and the design Samsung flagships by this time had changed to better side. In turn, the Galaxy A5 (2017) was made similar to the Galaxy S7, although some features combine it with the affordable .

The general idea remains the same - the front and back panels of the smartphone are made of glass with rounded edges, and the frame is made of metal.

At launch, the smartphone is available in black, gold, blue and pink. Compared to the previous model, the shape of the body has noticeably changed. Now the corners are rounded, there are no chamfers on the frame, the “back” is curved like the Galaxy S7. The camera lens looks small and does not protrude, and all surfaces and elements of the body are painted the same color.

The perception of design is a very subjective thing, but the device may seem too calm and neutral, in some ways even boring. On the other hand, it is harmonious and we can say that it will suit literally everyone, regardless of gender and age. The buyer only has to choose the appropriate color.

The body shape is comfortable, the A5 (2017) fits perfectly into the palm, and the smartphone can be operated with one hand without any problems. Probably the only criticism of the design is the USB Type-C connector, which is not located in the center of the bottom edge.

The key layout is traditional for Samsung devices. The mini-jack remained on the bottom edge - this is convenient, but the SIM trays have noticeably increased. The main one is located on the left and is intended for installing the main SIM in Nano format. The second one is on the top edge, you can install a second Nano-SIM and a card into it MicroSD memory. The slots are equivalent, so nothing prevents you from installing the main SIM card and memory card in the second one, and using the first one for a card when traveling.

As before, a fingerprint scanner is integrated into the mechanical key under the screen, and on either side of it there are two backlit touch buttons. The scanner has a small area, so it works a little worse than, for example, in the iPhone, at least in our test sample - we had to get used to placing our finger at the right angle.

Protection from dust and moisture

One of the main innovations in the Galaxy A series is the appearance of dust and moisture protection according to the IP68 standard. The smartphone can remain in fresh water at a depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. To prevent moisture from getting into the case, the connectors are made hermetically sealed, the SIM receivers have rubber seals, and the speakers are covered with special membranes. This feature makes the line closer to the flagships and sets it apart from competitors who cannot yet boast of a protected design.

Screen

The Galaxy A5 (2017) has a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD resolution. He's covered protective glass with 2.5D effect and oleophobic coating. Medium width side frames.

The minimum brightness is 2 cd/m² and allows you to read comfortably in the dark, the maximum when filled with white is about 400 cd/m². In real life, the maximum backlight level is much higher because the brightness changes dynamically depending on the output image and ambient lighting. Therefore, the image on the screen will be clearly visible even outdoors on a sunny day.

There are several color rendering modes. “Basic” offers almost perfect calibration close to IPS matrices.

"Adaptive" mode offers richer colors and adapts images based on the output image. A separate adjustment of color components has appeared for it, which will allow you to fine-tune everything to your liking and change the white balance in any direction. There is a setting to reduce the amount of blue so that your eyes are less tired while reading.

Considering the flexibility of settings, there are no complaints about the display. It has excellent viewing angles, enough brightness in any conditions, and automatic backlight adjustment works well. At the sharpest angles, the image appears to have a purple-greenish tint, but this is typical for all Super AMOLEDs and is unnoticeable during actual use.

It's nice that Samsung added an always-on screen mode for the A-series. It allows you to display a clock, calendar or pictures on the screen in standby mode. You can adjust the time the display is on, and the appearance of notification icons on the screen compensates for the lack of a traditional indicator of missed events.

Hardware platform

The smartphone is built on the Exynos 7880 SoC, which includes 8 Cortex-A53 cores operating at up to 1.9 GHz and Mali-830 MP2 graphics. The platform is made using a 14 nm process technology, which has a positive effect on power consumption and the absence of heating under load.

The amount of RAM is 3 GB, the built-in memory is 32 GB (23.5 GB available), you can simultaneously install two NanoSIM and a memory card up to 256 GB. Supported Wi-Fi networks 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, FM radio. The presence of NFC and MST allows you to use your smartphone for contactless payments (currently only Privat24 is supported, Samsung Pay may be launched later). Connection to a PC is carried out according to the USB 2.0 standard via a symmetrical Type-C connector.

The device shows average results in benchmarks, on par with smartphones powered by Snapdragon 625. In real life, the Galaxy A5 (2017) is fast and comfortable to use. Large safety margin in terms of graphics performance no, but all games available at the time of release will work with normal graphics settings and comfortable FPS.

Software platform

Out of the box, the smartphone works under Android control 6.0.1 and the proprietary Grace UX interface, which replaced Touch Wiz and was announced simultaneously with Galaxy Note 7. In the near future, the manufacturer should update the smartphone to Android 7.0, although I would like the device to immediately come with the current version of the OS.

IN new version The interface has changed, the curtain of switches with notifications, and the settings menu have changed. The design of built-in applications has been updated. There is a multi-window mode and support for themes. You can find a theme similar to stock Android 6.0 in the app store. Overall, the interface looks cleaner and easier.

Multimedia

The quality of music playback on the headphones is normal and comparable to its competitors. The sound is clear and quite detailed.

Like the J5 Prime, the single multimedia speaker is located on the right, above the power key. When held vertically, you can accidentally cover it with your finger, but in other situations this placement is convenient because the speaker does not overlap while playing games or watching videos, and is also a little less muffled in pockets. The volume is sufficient for games and videos. The quality is ok. Sometimes the sound feels slightly muffled because special membranes have to be used to ensure moisture protection.

Working hours

The smartphone runs on a built-in 3000 mAh battery. Compared to last year's Galaxy A5, the capacity has increased by only 100 mAh, but modern technology has made it possible to achieve more noticeable improvements.

With Always on display (AON) enabled, most users can expect up to two days of use under average load. By disabling AON, the result can be slightly improved. If you use the device “to its fullest”, then the charge will definitely be enough for a day of work. There is support fast charging- The process takes about an hour.

Cameras

The 2017 Galaxy A5 received updated cameras. Both modules have a resolution of 16 megapixels and an f/1.9 aperture, although these are, of course, different modules. The main camera has fast and accurate autofocus and is equipped with a flash made from a single warm diode, which is not inferior in brightness to competitors equipped with two diodes. The equivalent focal length of the lens is 27 mm. Video recording capabilities are limited to shooting in 1080p 30 fps resolution. Compared to the Galaxy A5 (2016), the camera has lost optical stabilization, and the device is also formally inferior to some competitors due to the lack of the ability to shoot 4K video.

However, there are no particular problems with the quality of shooting. In good conditions there is nothing to complain about. The module provides good detail and has a wide dynamic range. In the evening and at night you can take a good photo, but the images show traces of aggressive post-processing, characteristic of most Samsung smartphones.

Conveniently, the camera can be launched by double pressing the mechanical Home key. The application has a simple interface. By swiping you can switch between the menu for selecting color filters and shooting modes, as well as to the front camera. There is a “Pro” mode, but it only allows you to adjust white balance, ISO, exposure compensation and exposure metering. There is no ability to control shutter speed and focus. There will be no problems with macro shooting, but I would like to see a full-fledged manual mode.

Minuses: the fingerprint scanner takes some getting used to; Android 6.0.1 out of the box; no optical stabilization (compared to A5 (2016)); the moisture-proof membrane slightly worsened the sound of the speaker

Conclusion: After the successful Galaxy A5 (2016), we expected that the new device would be at least as good and our expectations were justified. A5 (2017) is different from its predecessor, but most of the changes can be called evolutionary. We systematically increased the characteristics, made the device protected from moisture, and made it possible to simultaneously use two SIMs and a memory card. The design has become more universal, although it may not appeal to everyone. The development of the A-series is reminiscent of how the company changes its flagships; cheaper devices receive many unique features of the Galaxy S line. It’s nice that the price has remained virtually unchanged; the Galaxy A5 (2017) is worth the money and remains one of best devices in class. But within a year, competitors have made a noticeable step forward and narrowed the gap. Therefore, the question may arise - why should you choose Samsung? With comparable prices and features beyond features, design and branding, it's time to start looking at unique features. For the A5 (2017), these will be IP68 protection, an interesting color palette, a separate microSD slot, the Always on display function, potentially better integration with payment services and a larger selection of branded cases and accessories.