Review of Samsung Galaxy A3 – a compact smartphone with moisture protection. Review of Samsung Galaxy A3 and A5 (2016) smartphones: two from the South Korean casket Samsung Galaxy A3 SM-A300F: reviews

Budget smartphone with excellent characteristics from the Korean manufacturer Samsung – Samsung Galaxy A3, which was released in 2015 and has been updated twice since then. Thus, now you can find two versions of the A3 model on sale - 2016 and 2017.

A3 2016 (black, white, gold) – 7500 rub.

A3 2015 (black, blue, gold) – 8500 rub.

Samsung Galaxy A3 2016 (A310)

The 2016 Samsung Galaxy A310 is no longer made of metal, like its predecessor, but of glass. The entire design is softer, smoother and more rounded. The screen diagonal has increased slightly and is 4.7 inches, and the resolution is 1280x720 pixels. The weight of the device increased to 132g. The device's built-in memory is 16GB with a slot for a memory card. RAM 1.5GB.

The device is equipped with a quad-core processor of its own production, Exynos 7580. The speed on it is much better than on last year's model.

The main camera is 13MP, the front camera is 5MP.

The battery capacity has increased to 2300 mAh. However, this is also enough for the device to operate for a day without recharging.

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 (A320)

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A320 has become slightly larger than last year's model, but the display still remains 4.7 inches with the same resolution. The built-in memory is still 16GB, but now it is possible to use a 256GB memory card.

The chipset has become eight-core and faster - Exynos 7870. And the volume random access memory increased to 2GB.

The front camera has increased to 8 megapixels, and the battery capacity has increased to 2350 mAh.

There is also a fingerprint scanner and new model became dust and waterproof.

You can buy Samsung Galaxy A3 in our online store by placing an order through the website shopping cart or by calling us at. Delivery in Moscow is possible on the day of order. The cost of delivery within the Moscow Ring Road is 400 rubles. Delivery to the Moscow region is calculated individually. Pickup from retail store two minutes from Savelovskaya metro station.

Samsung Galaxy A3 2016– the youngest model in the metal line of smartphones from the Korean manufacturer. The first device to receive a metal frame was the Samsung Alpha, which was created as a niche phone, but unexpectedly for the developers it became popular in the mass market.

Fast passage:

When mentioning Samsung, there is no escape from comparisons with Apple products. The new A-series is not an attempt to win over iPhone buyers - this is an impossible task, the solution to which lies in the area of ​​​​existing relationships with brands, from technical characteristics little depends here. But I always want to compare the Galaxy A3 2016 with the iPhone 4 or 5 - this smartphone, like the Apple device, immediately fits comfortably in the hand and pleasantly cools the palm with its metal casing.

Design

The 2016 A3 is currently available in four colors: black, silver, white and gold. The dimensions of the smartphone are quite compact these days: 134.5 x 65.2 x 7.3 mm. The device feels light - the exact weight is 132 g.

The case is non-separable: a certain part of buyers are ready to sacrifice the ability to replace the battery themselves for the sake of the all-metal shell of the smartphone. But for some reason the creators coated the surface of the device with a matte compound, which makes the body look like it’s made of plastic. The only advantage of this solution is that scratches remain on the body, but they are difficult to detect unless you look closely.

The button layout is familiar: on the left side is the volume rocker, on the right is the power key. Below the display there is one physical button, next to it there are two touch keys.

The device, despite the 4.7-inch screen, turned out to be ergonomic: you can operate the smartphone with one hand, easily reaching the notification shade with your thumb.

Screen

The front panel is covered with glass, under which there is a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED screen. The display turned out to be typically “Samsung”, no matter what emotions you put into this characteristic. Under a magnifying glass you can see some minor problems with font display, but overall the screen is very good; high contrast, wide viewing angle.

The touchscreen accepts no more than five simultaneous touches - it is difficult to imagine in what conditions a larger value will be needed. The oleophobic coating of the display allows you not to worry about the presence of fingerprints - any dirt is quickly removed from the front panel of the device.

Interface

The smartphone works stably and without delays, fortunately the technical specifications allow it. Applications launch quickly, screens turn smoothly, and video loading does not slow down. The device runs on Android 5.1.1, but you can’t see it under Samsung’s TouchWiz shell. Out of the box, the Samsung Galaxy Apps utility is installed, in which paid and free applications are available for download.

The smartphone has voice assistant, with which you can set an alarm, make a calendar entry, or find something on the Internet. For people with poor vision, a simplified interface mode has been developed, in which application icons become much larger in size.

Cameras

The developer failed to place a 13 megapixel camera in a thin body so that the lens would not stand out on the rear panel. But smartphone owners can take high-quality pictures and record FullHD videos. Available quick start When the screen is locked, double tap the Home button.

The front camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels: this is enough to fill your friends with selfies and calmly make video calls without worrying about how you will look in the eyes of your interlocutors.

Video: smartphone reviews

Specifications

Four cores Snapdragon processor 410 and Adreno 306 graphics accelerator. RAM – 1.5 GB, internal memory – 16 GB, of which approximately 11 GB remains for the user. It is possible to expand the memory up to 128 GB by installing microSD cards, but in this case you will have to give up the second SIM card, since they have only one slot.

The battery has a capacity of 2300 mAh. This is not much, but coupled with the Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 chipset it gives a decent runtime. With normal use, you can get 2 days without recharging; under heavy load (several hours of calls, dozens of messages, constant surfing the Internet), the smartphone will last a day. The battery charges within two hours; fast charging, unfortunately, is not supported.

The Galaxy A series can be considered unique not only for Samsung, but also for the Android smartphone market in general. Usually in average smartphones price category Manufacturers are trying to cram in more powerful hardware, and their design is done on a residual basis. The first generation of Galaxy A devices had exactly the opposite: the appearance was interesting, but the hardware let us down. Technically weak smartphones made of metal and glass managed to receive a lot of negative reviews from the press, and yet these devices were popular. This is understandable and even expected: smartphones with interesting design for 20-25 thousand rubles it’s not much at all; “fashionistas” who don’t want to spend money on a flagship model don’t have much to choose from.

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) in pink - official photo. White, black and gold colors will also be available for new products.

Now the Galaxy A family has been updated, and the leitmotif of this “update” was to improve the technical characteristics of the devices, since the capabilities of previous gadgets did not even reach the unspoken middle-class standards. The new generation has solved this problem - at least “on paper” Galaxy specifications A3 and A5 look very good. What are they like in practice? We will answer this question after thorough testing of both devices. It is noteworthy that the previous A3 and A5 remain on sale along with the new ones, while the older Galaxy A7 of 2016 pushed its parent off the shelves. We'll talk about it in detail another time.

⇡ Technical specifications

	Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016)	Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)	Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)
Touch screen	4.7 inches, 1280 × 720 pixels, pixel density 312.5 per inch; Super AMOLED matrix;	5.2 inches, 1920 × 1080 pixels, pixel density 423.6 per inch; Super AMOLED matrix; Capacitive, up to ten simultaneous touches	5.5 inches, 1920 × 1080 pixels, pixel density 400.5 per inch; Super AMOLED matrix; Capacitive, up to ten simultaneous touches
Protective glass		Corning Gorilla Glass 4 front and back	Corning Gorilla Glass 4 front and back
Air gap	No	No	No
Oleophobic coating	Eat	Eat	Eat
Polarizing filter	Eat	Eat	Eat
CPU	Samsung Exynos 7578: four ARM Cortex-A53 cores (ARMv8-A); frequency 1.5 GHz; 28 nm HKMG process technology; There is also a version with Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916*, but it is not officially supplied to Russia.	frequency 1.6 GHz; 28 nm HKMG process technology; support for 32-bit and 64-bit computing.	eight cores ARM Cortex-A53 (ARMv8-A); frequency 1.6 GHz; 28 nm HKMG process technology; support for 32-bit and 64-bit computing. There is also a version with Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 MSM8939*, but it is not officially supplied to Russia.
Graphics controller	ARM Mali-T720MP2, 600 MHz * Qualcomm Adreno 306 @ 450 MHz	ARM Mali-T720MP2, 600 MHz	ARM Mali-T720MP2, 600 MHz * Qualcomm Adreno 405 @ 550 MHz
RAM, GB	1,5	2	3
Flash memory	16 GB + microSD	16 GB + microSD (memory card is installed instead of the second Nano-SIM)	16 GB + microSD (memory card is installed instead of the second Nano-SIM)
Connectors	1 × Micro-USB 2.0 (MHL) 1 × Nano-SIM	1 × Micro-USB 2.0 (MHL) 1 × 3.5mm headset jack 1 × Nano-SIM 1 × Nano-SIM/microSD (combined)	1 × Micro-USB 2.0 (MHL) 1 × 3.5mm headset jack 1 × Nano-SIM 1 × Nano-SIM/microSD (combined)
cellular	2G/3G/4G	2G/3G/4G One SIM card in Nano-SIM format, the second instead of microSD	2G/3G/4G One SIM card in Nano-SIM format, the second instead of microSD
Cellular connection 2G	GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz	GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz	GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Cellular 3G	DC-HSPA (42.2/5.76 Mbps) 850/900/1900/2100 MHz	DC-HSPA (42.2/5.76 Mbps) 850/900/1900/2100 MHz	DC-HSPA (42.2/5.76 Mbps) 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
Cellular 4G	LTE Cat. 4 (150/50 Mbit/s) 2600/900/800/2300 MHz)	LTE Cat. 6 (300/50 Mbit/s) band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 40 (2100/1800/850/ 2600/900/800/2300 MHz)	LTE Cat. 6 (300/50 Mbit/s) band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 40 (2100/1800/850/ 2600/900/800/2300 MHz)
WiFi	802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz + Wi-Fi Direct	802.11a/b/g/n, 2.4 and 5 GHz + Wi-Fi Direct	802.11a/b/g/n, 2.4 and 5 GHz + Wi-Fi Direct
Bluetooth	4.1 + A2DP + LE + EDR	4.1 + A2DP + LE + EDR	4.1 + A2DP + LE + EDR
NFC	Eat	Eat	Eat
IR port	No	No	No
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Sensors	Light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer/gyroscope,	magnetometer (digital compass)	Light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer/gyroscope/pedometer, magnetometer (digital compass)
Fingerprint's scanner	No	Eat	Eat
Main camera	ƒ/1.9; Autofocus, LED flash	13 MP, back-illuminated sensor, minimum relative aperture ƒ/1.9; Autofocus, LED flash	13 MP, back-illuminated sensor, minimum relative aperture ƒ/1.9; Optical stabilization system; Autofocus, LED flash
Front-camera	ƒ/1.9; No autofocus, no flash	5 MP, back-illuminated sensor, minimum relative aperture ƒ/1.9; No autofocus, no flash	5 MP, back-illuminated sensor, minimum relative aperture ƒ/1.9; No autofocus, no flash
Nutrition	Non-removable battery: 8.7 Wh (2300 mAh, 3.8 V)	Non-removable battery: 11.02 Wh (2900 mAh, 3.8 V)	Non-removable battery: 12.54 Wh (3300 mAh, 3.8 V)
Size, mm	134×65 Case thickness: 6.9	145×71 Case thickness 7.3	151×74 Case thickness 7.3
Weight, g	132	155	172
Housing protection	No	No	No
operating system	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Samsung's own TouchWiz shell	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Samsung's own TouchWiz shell
Average retail price	About 20 thousand rubles	About 25 thousand rubles	About 28 thousand rubles

⇡ Appearance and ergonomics

Of course, Samsung fans will appreciate the fact that the current Galaxy A series smartphones are very similar to the flagship Galaxy S6. This was achieved through the use of similar body proportions, close corner radii and identical color schemes for both flagships and mid-rangers. Indeed, it’s easy to confuse the 2016 Galaxy A5 and the Galaxy S6 with each other, even from a short distance.

However, what the new product has in common with the flagship model is the use of tempered Corning Gorilla Glass 4 on the rear panel. The previous generation Galaxy A had a metal back, while the new one has a glass back. It's probably more beautiful that way, huh? Gorilla glass Glass 4, as we know from experience with other smartphones, is resistant to minor damage and scratches: you can carry devices in the same pocket with keys and coins. But you shouldn’t drop them - the glass will most likely break after the first fall. This is perhaps the main and only disadvantage of using glass instead of metal. By the way, the front panel of the devices is also covered with the same glass - with an oleophobic coating and an anti-glare filter.

The Galaxy A3 and A5 themselves are very similar to each other. The main difference, of course, is the dimensions. The “Five” turned out to be larger: its display is half an inch larger, which could not but affect its weight - it weighs 155 grams, while the “three-ruble” weighs only 132 grams. To be honest, my hands don’t get tired of both smartphones - their weight is acceptable. The younger model turned out to be thinner - 6.9 versus 7.3 mm. In general, the Samsung Galaxy A3 is a compact smartphone that is convenient to use with one hand; To reach all four corners of the A5 display, you will have to hold the device in your hand, like most modern Android gadgets.

The situation with smartphones on the market today is clear - faster, bigger, stronger. The Chinese brothers are setting the trend - there are few phones with a diagonal of less than 5" and they mostly belong to the frankly budget segment. The more interesting is the offer from Samsung - the Galaxy A3.

The Samsung Galaxy A3 smartphone is the youngest model in the line. In general, the A line from the Korean manufacturer is a mid-price device for those who need nice design, and, at the same time, there is no need for the top characteristics of the S series. Last year the body of these devices, this year the material was changed to tempered glass, leaving only a metal chassis. The solution is quite obvious - firstly, in this form the smartphone looks more interesting, and secondly, making metal smart phones is more expensive - a special antenna design is needed so that there are no problems with the signal level.

Of course, glass is less resistant to impacts than metal, however, as practice shows, the most vulnerable point of smartphones is still the screen. Paradoxically, but true, repairmen told me about such an anomalous distribution - for some reason, in glass smartphones, the display is broken much more often than the back wall. This is the implementation of the sandwich law. So, don't worry too much about the fragility of the new A series.

Characteristics

But let's return to the smartphone itself. Let's start with the technical specifications. Since the devices are really very similar (they look almost like twin brothers, but kept on different diets), I’ll give everything just in case, especially since a review of the Samsung Galaxy A5 will soon be published on the main website portal.

	Samsung Galaxy A3	Samsung Galaxy A5	Samsung Galaxy A7
Screen	SAmoled, 720p, 4.7", 312ppi	SAmoled,1080p, 5.2", 424ppi	SAmoled,1080p, 5.5", 401ppi
CPU	[email protected] GHz	[email protected] GHz	[email protected] GHz
Video	Mali-T720	Mali-T720	Mali-T720
Memory	1.5 GB	2 GB	3 GB
Storage	16 GB	16 GB	16 GB
SD support	Yes (up to 128 GB)	Yes (up to 128 GB)	Yes (up to 128 GB)
Camera	13 MP, 5 MP	13 MPix (OIS), 5 MPix	13 MPix (OIS), 5 MPix
SIM	2	2	2
Net	LTE, Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz (b/g/n)		LTE, Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz (a/b/g/n)
Android (at launch)	5.1.1	5.1.1	5.1.1
Other	NFC,	NFC, Quick Charge support, fingerprint sensor	NFC, Quick Charge support, fingerprint sensor
Battery	2300 mAh, non-removable	2900 mAh, non-removable	3300 mAh, non-removable
Dimensions and weight	134.5 x 65.2 x 7.3 mm, 132 g.	144.8 x 71 x 7.3 mm, 152g.	151.5 x 74.1 x 7.3 mm, 172 g.

So, as you can see, the characteristics of our reviewer are the simplest of the whole trio. There is no dual-band Wi-Fi, no optical camera stabilization and no fingerprint sensor. Also, there is no Quick Charge, however, the battery capacity is quite modest, the need fast charging doubtful.

Memory is a reasonable minimum (working with 1 GB of memory is almost impossible, but with 1.5 it is quite possible). But there is NFC and support for memory cards (the latter especially affects owners of S series devices from Samsung).

The processor is also the simplest of the line - 4 cores, with a maximum core frequency of 1.5 GHz. However, this is enough for a display with a resolution of 720p (see tests at the end of the review). The display itself is traditionally bright and contrasty. People who are able to see the PenTile effect notice it well - nevertheless, the density of dots on the screen is far from the highest.

Unfortunately, the smartphone came to us without retail packaging, so we cannot say anything about the package. Most likely it will be microUSB cable charging/synchronization, network Charger and inexpensive headphones.

Appearance and location of ports and connectors

We tested a white version of the device (it’s called, as expected, “White Pearl.” Black “Black Sapphire” and gold “Dazzling Platinum” options will also be on sale).

I was at the presentation and had the opportunity to hold the entire series in all colors in my hands, and so, in my opinion, it is the white version of the A3 that looks the most impressive - the glossy glass of the back surface and the slightly curved 2.5D screen coating combine perfectly with the rough, as if carved aluminum chassis. At the same time, the smartphone is extremely neatly arranged, and due to its small size It definitely wins in the appearance category over its more powerful, but also broad-legged brothers.

The arrangement of elements is traditionally very similar to Apple iPhone 6, however, there is no direct copying, rather there is a very careful quotation. Be that as it may, the device looks very good.

On back cover device there is a massive, slightly protruding chamber, and on the side of it - led flash. Despite the fact that the module could not be positioned flush with the surface, it protrudes just a little and practically does not cling. The device also lies flat on the table.

On the right side there is a power button, as well as a tray in which two SIM cards, or a SIM card and microSD, are installed.

At the bottom there is a connector for charging and synchronization, as well as an audio jack. Pay attention to the location of the technological holes - yes, this is exactly the Apple iPhone 6 quote I was talking about.

On the left side there are two volume control buttons.

Only the microphone used for noise reduction is visible from above.

On the front side you can see the camera, as well as a proximity and light sensor. Below is the only physical button (and again this is a quote). By the way, double-clicking on it brings up the camera - very convenient. The touch buttons have not gone away, but for some reason they are highlighted only after pressing or immediately after unlocking; in other cases, even when the screen is on, you have to poke at random.

Shooting quality

Let's move on to photography. Despite the fact that the sensors are equal in characteristics, and the camera modules differ only in optical stabilization, the difference in image quality is significant. Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos from the A5 and A7, but the A3 shoots very so-so. Clicking on a photo will take you to a gallery where you can explore the original photos if you wish.

Having installed my entire traditional set of programs (and there is a lot of software, more than 40 items), including all social network clients, instant messengers, bank clients, mail checking programs, I did not notice any special slowdowns. Yes, sometimes the smartphone really behaved thoughtfully (1.5 GB of RAM affected it), but if the user does not load so much into his device, then he can live.

Time battery life

Despite the low battery capacity, a relatively economical quad-core processor and a screen with a low (by today's standards) resolution do the job. The smartphone confidently withstood a full day of battery life, with maximally activated synchronization, and with constant work with mail and social network clients. The battery life in reading mode was about 15 hours, in video viewing mode - 13 hours, in 3D gaming mode - about 5 hours. We must understand that this moment The smartphone has non-final firmware installed, it real time Battery life may vary significantly.

Total

Finally, let’s talk a little about prices and decide on smartphone buyers. For Samsung Galaxy A3 2016 smartphones it is expected to be around 20,000 rubles. Is it a lot or a little? On the one hand, those who like to delve into the characteristics will rightly note that very average Chinese now have such specs and cost half as much. On the other hand, the smartphone really looks extremely impressive, and its performance, in general, is sufficient for the average user who does not run dozens of heavy toys on the device.

It seems to me that this device is for a female student at a non-technical university, who, for some reason, does not want to buy one for herself. old iPhone, and at the same time uses a smartphone for simple tasks - surfing the Internet, social networks, Youtube viewing and listening to music. The main feature of the smartphone is really excellent appearance, with sufficient characteristics.

Compact, inexpensive and functional - this is how you can characterize the Samsung A3 2015. It’s worth saying right away that the device is suitable for the most basic tasks - such as surfing the Internet, as well as for talking on the phone; it is not recommended to use the device as a navigator. The phone is supplied with 4x nuclear processor at 1200 MHz and 1 GB of RAM, this is usually enough for full use, although not the fastest. Separately, it is worth mentioning the matrix, which perfectly conveys the color gamut and has good viewing angles. In general, we will recommend the Samsung A3 2015 for dating as the device occupies a high position in its segment

Samsung Galaxy A3 SM-A300F: Specifications and price

Samsung Galaxy A3 SM-A300F: reviews

— Non-removable and weak battery;

— Thoughtful interface;

— Compact dimensions;

— Fits well in the hands;

— Decent matrix with good transmission color range;

— Suitable for most not the most demanding games;

— Support for two SIM cards or one SIM card and a memory card;

— Nice metal case;

— 4G support;

— The presence of FM radio, as they say, for amateurs;

— The kit also comes with some pretty good headphones;

— Low RAM;

— Pleasant conversational speaker;

— High-quality assembly;

— Slim body;

— Support for reduced NFC;

— Among the minuses it is worth highlighting unstable work with GPS satellites;

— Pleasant sound;

— Successful shell from the manufacturer;

— It is not updated to the sixth Android;

— Among the minuses, it is worth highlighting the fact that the screen is really fragile, pay attention to this;

— Under heavy load it starts to heat up;

— In relation to the cost, these are good cameras;

Looks more expensive than it actually costs;

— A large number of positive reviews;

Conclusion

The Samsung A3 2015 smartphone is used for the simplest tasks, but this should be enough for people who do not set themselves the goal of chasing fashion and technology. Definitely, the phone has some advantages, but it is not without its disadvantages. In general, the device has good functionality and good camera, therefore, we can recommend it for a more detailed and intimate acquaintance.

Pros:

• High-quality communication;
• Low cost;
• It looks nice, and more expensive than it actually is;
• High-quality matrix, which distinguishes a huge number of users;
• The presence of NFC, albeit a reduced type;
• There is LTE support;

Minuses:

• Fragile screen;
• Incorrect operation of the navigator;
• Low RAM;
• Outdated software that is no longer updated;
• Weak battery;
• Incorrect operation with 4G networks;