Review of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) smartphone: beautiful, compact, waterproof. Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) review: potential bestseller, but expensive Always active screen

In this review of the Galaxy A3 2017, we will not quote features and specifications. Instead, let’s translate the technical data into practical terms and see what a potential buyer of a not-so-cheap representative of the “middle” market segment can expect from a phone.

4 reasons not to buy Galaxy A3 2017

Let's start with the shortcomings and try to judge as objectively as possible. Every smartphone has disadvantages. Galaxy A3 2017 is no exception, and therefore you can’t find fault too much - this way any model can be driven out of the gate. Nevertheless, we cannot turn a blind eye to some shortcomings - we will talk about them.

1. Not enough RAM

In 2017, 2 gigabytes of RAM is somehow quite modest. We published material in which we looked at the “gluttony” of the Android OS and popular applications and calculated. Approximately - 3 gigabytes.

But! In Samsung phones, a large piece of RAM is eaten up by the proprietary shell - TouchWiz, and therefore for the buyer of the Galaxy A3 2017, two gigs of RAM can become a problem. Crashes from applications are possible, even if you launch only a couple, and even not the most demanding ones.

2. The price of Galaxy A3 2017 is relatively high

The price of the Galaxy A3 2017 is slightly higher than we would like. Buyers from different countries directly say this, so the policies of our retailers have nothing to do with it. Samsung has raised the price tag for its mid-range phone, and we can either accept it or look towards other brands.

3. Lack of internal memory

The storage capacity of the Galaxy A3 2017 is only 16 GB. Keep in mind that only 10 GB is available to the user, so you can forget about any collection of photos or a rich music library.

The problem is not so critical due to the presence of a microSD slot that supports microSDXC memory cards (up to 256 GB), but the disadvantage still needs to be taken into account. The memory card takes up the slot for the second SIM card, and for many this is an argument against the purchase.

4. Android 6.0.1 out of the box

Of course, this is not such a problem, but it’s 2017, so why not install the seventh version of Android on the Galaxy A3 2017? Nowadays, many state employees are running 7.0 Nougat, and Samsung’s stubborn reluctance to keep up with software updates should be considered a negative for them. Although not as critical as 2 GB of RAM.

5 reasons to buy Galaxy A3 2017

Well, now let’s move on to those characteristics of the Galaxy A3 2017 that set it apart from its competitors. The A3 has plenty of advantages. In many ways, this is a cool smartphone that deserves our attention. We talked about the shortcomings not to criticize Samsung, but to provide Five-Inches readers with the most objective picture possible.

1. Compact

In the era of 5+ inch smartphones, compact devices with good specifications are rare, although there are still plenty of fans of convenient small phones.

The Galaxy A3 2017 measures 4.7 inches diagonally, which is the perfect size for daily use. For those who disagree with this, there is A5 or A7. Matrix type Super Amoled, resolution - 1280 x 720. A small resolution by today's standards can also be considered an advantage, because due to this it is possible to increase the autonomy of the smartphone.

2. Excellent autonomy

Don't look at the fact that the Galaxy A3 2017's battery is only 2350 mAh. His autonomy is in perfect order. GSMArena tests showed that in web surfing mode the smartphone lasts 15 hours 35 minutes, and in video playback mode - 16:35. It is clear that with normal use the charge will easily last for several days - according to test results in moderate use mode, the Galaxy A3 2017 lasts 93 hours.

The high autonomy is explained by two factors. Firstly, the Exynos 7870 Octa chipset is produced using a 16nm process technology and due to this consumes much less energy. Secondly, the 4.7-inch screen in combination with a 720p resolution adds a lot of points to the autonomy rating.

3. Good camera

Let's be honest - a 13 megapixel camera is not the ultimate dream, but we're not talking about a flagship. For its weight category, the Galaxy A3 2017's camera performance is quite good, and thanks to its f/1.9 aperture, it looks good even compared to some flagships.

4. IP68 protection

If the camera and the quality of the pictures are a very subjective criterion, then there can be no two opinions about protection from dust and moisture. IP68 in a mid-range phone is awesome! It’s not very often that manufacturers put maximum protection on the “junior” series of their portfolio.

5. Design, fast charging additional features

Let’s finish our review of the Galaxy A3 2017 with additional advantages that don’t stand alone as an argument in favor of a purchase, but taken together can tip the scales in favor of the “compact” from Samsung.

Screen brightness is 408 nits in manual mode and 518 in automatic mode. It's almost on par with the Galaxy S7.
Always on Display (AOD) function.
The ability to install a 256 GB memory card, albeit at the expense of the second SIM card. Today, not every flagship has a dedicated slot.
Fast charging: Galaxy A3 2017 charges from zero to 37% in 30 minutes.
Samsung Pay contactless payments.
Energy-saving modes are provided.
A striking design borrowed from the flagship Galaxy S7.

That's all. We will not draw conclusions or summarize the results - the information is provided, and only you can decide how the characteristics of the Galaxy A3 2017 correspond to its price and your requirements for a mobile phone. In conclusion, we invite you to take part in our mini-survey. Thank you in advance!

Do you think the price of the Galaxy A3 2017 matches its specifications?

4.7", Amoled screen, metal-glass, beautiful, oleophobic coating, energy saving modes, fingerprint, second secret "space"

Minuses

I've been using it for a week, but one of the downsides is the low battery power: with active use it lasts a day. I still don’t fully understand, but it seems to me that in energy saving mode the screen becomes a little dull, sometimes you have to press it two or three times. But this seems to be due to the processor frequency limitation in economy mode.

Review

Very happy with the purchase! I spent a very long time choosing models. The store's discount arrived just in time. So it cost me less. Since I am not a fan of large smartphones, and I consider 5-inch ones to be such, there were only two decent options. With that discount everything was decided. Someone wrote that the sound is quiet (as if this is a price for water resistance) - nothing like that! Quite loud speaker. I really like that there are energy saving modes. Average and maximum. They really help to extend the operating time! I also installed a dark screensaver, removed the blue color, and began to hold the charge even longer. Screen size 4.7 - perfect! You can reach anywhere with one finger. Not disappointed yet. I've been using it for a week. I recommend!

Today we have a camera review of the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM A320f. Even though the Galaxy A3's 13-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel front-facing camera don't look as cool as its big brothers the Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7, that doesn't mean they take bad photos.

Yes, we agree that the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM a320f doesn't have as many megapixels as the Galaxy A5 2017, but the smaller model's camera offers a similar f/1.9 aperture that helps take good photos in low-light conditions.

Also, the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM a320f is not equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS), but the South Korean manufacturer managed to completely hide the camera in the body of the device. Now it doesn’t stick out, unlike last year’s version of the smartphone.

So, let's take a closer look at the cameras of the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM a320f black smartphone, as well as examples of photos and videos.

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM a320f black: camera interface

The 2017 Galaxy A series devices are the first to receive a significantly updated camera interface from Samsung. The camera screen now offers video and shutter buttons, a gallery shortcut, flash controls, and a few other features.

The user also gets access to the Pro manual control mode, which allows you to adjust white balance, ISO and exposure, as well as HDR mode, night mode and a new food mode. You can also download new filters and modes from the Samsung Apps store, but the number is quite limited, and we only liked the sports mode and the animated GIF mode.

Smartphone Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM a320f: photo quality

As is often the case with cheaper smartphones, photos taken in natural light conditions are much better than indoors or at night. In good weather conditions, you can count on accurate colors and contrast with very fast autofocus and automatic contrast adjustment. However, the shutter takes a little longer to release than we'd like.

HDR mode is very useful for particularly high-contrast landscapes, as long as there is enough natural light present. We were also surprised to find that the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM A320f has excellent macro photography capabilities with a nice bokeh effect.

To get the best possible photos at night, it is recommended to turn on Night mode, which helps brighten and sharpen your photos. In normal mode, photos are quite grainy and dull. A single LED flash can help balance colors and contrast.

The front camera of the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 sm a320f black smartphone also takes good photos in natural light. Plus, the beauty tools in the camera app allow you to beautify your selfie photos to the fullest.

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM a320f: video quality

When shooting video, the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 sm a320f has a limited range of resolution options for both the front and rear cameras. Both allow you to shoot in VGA resolutions up to 720p HD and Full HD at 30fps with a 1:1 square aspect ratio.

When shooting still, the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM A320f smartphone handles colors well and has the ability to quickly adjust contrast. However, the lack of image stabilization means that even slight hand shake will be immediately visible in the video.

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM a320f camera review: summary

The Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM A320f is a case of software outperforming hardware, which is quite rare in the budget segment of the market, especially among Chinese devices.

The main competitor of the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 SM A320f black can be called the Sony Xperia XA1. A Sony smartphone can easily beat a Samsung device when it comes to overall photo quality, but the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 sm a320f has a more simplified interface and a wide range of features that will be of great interest to new and experienced Android users.

The Galaxy A3 (2016) had some flaws, but that didn't stop it from becoming one of the most popular mid-range smartphones. Samsung hopes to repeat the success of the previous year and releases a new version of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017).

New smartphone Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) - Reviews

Will it be possible to rehabilitate oneself for the failure with Note 7? Let's find out.

Externally, the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) smartphone differs little from its predecessor: the dimensions (135.4 × 66.2 × 7.9 mm) are almost the same, and the weight (135 grams) is only 3 grams more than that of the 2016 model.

It uses the familiar Samsung design (Home button at the bottom and the logo at the top under the speaker), the similarity with the Galaxy S7 is immediately obvious, despite the difference in size. But, several changes did occur in the A3.

In addition to the 3.5 mm audio jack, there is now USB Type-C. The speaker, which was previously located on the bottom edge of the smartphone, is now on the right side - it is no longer covered by your hand.

The SIM card slot is hybrid, it can accommodate a MicroSD memory card - located on the top. There is a camera lens on the back panel that does not stand out from the body. There is a new fingerprint sensor.

The 3D glass gives the Galaxy A3 (2017) a high-end look. Of course, it’s still a long way from flagships, but thanks to the glass with rounded edges, it’s really comfortable to hold and use the smartphone. The degree of protection is IP68, which means the Samsung A3 (2017) is now waterproof like the S7 line.

Compared to most other modern smartphones, the A3 (2017) is a small phone. The case is a little slippery, but not so much that it slips out of your hands.

Galaxy A3 (2017) display

The screen of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) differs little from the previous model. As before, we see a 4.71-inch (11.95 cm) Super AMOLED HD (1280 × 720), with a pixel density of 331 PPI. The same protective glass is installed - Gorilla Glass 4.

Samsung Software

Galaxy A3 (2017) runs on Android 6.0.1 with Samsung TouchWiz user interface. Functionality similar to S7 Edge with Android Nougat.

Older Samsung models (especially the Galaxy S5) had inconvenient software, but the A3 (2017) has everything in order - the interface is stylish and functional. Added blue filter.

When scrolling the notification panel, it takes up three quarters of the screen, the user will not be able to access other shortcuts. There are many pre-installed applications that cannot be removed, including Google Apps, Samsung, Facebook and a whole suite from Microsoft (Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Skype and Word).

Smartphone performance

The processor in the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) is a mid-range Exynos 7870, built on a 14nm process, with eight Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.6 GHz. The Mali-T830 is responsible for the graphics, there is also 2 GB of RAM, which is more than enough for undemanding users who do not spend a lot of time with a smartphone - this is exactly what Samsung is targeting.

The disappointing thing about the Galaxy A3 (2017) is that there is only 9.8 GB of internal memory and 481 MB of RAM available - this is without installing any applications.

Galaxy A3 (2017) camera

The main camera of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) is the same as on its predecessor - a 13-megapixel sensor with f/1.9 aperture. The front camera resolution has increased from 5 MP to 8 MP, but the aperture is still f/1.9.

The camera app has fewer features (including filters) than the Galaxy S7, but is otherwise nearly identical.

Battery Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)

The battery capacity has increased from 2,300 mAh to 2,350 mAh, which is enough for everyday tasks. Charging is carried out via a USB Type-C cable. Speed depends on USB version.

Bottom line

With the updated version of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017), Samsung wants to re-engage users by offering a waterproof smartphone with a fingerprint scanner, sleek design and SIM/MicroSD slot - at an affordable price.

The Galaxy A3 (2017) lacks some premium features, but overall the interface is user-friendly and performance is adequate. Will this be enough for the A3 (2017) to not only correct Samsung’s reputation, but also repeat the success of the 2016 model? Time will show.