The appearance of the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 can be called stylish, but not original. The device turned out to be compact, it is easy to operate it with one hand.

The main features he inherited from - a back with curved edges, a metal frame of the case, the same arrangement of cameras and sensors. And in terms of size, the hero of our review looks like a smaller version of the S7 - 135.4 × 66.2 × 8.1 mm, with almost the same thickness, it is only slightly smaller in height and width. The weight of the updated model is 138 grams.

The front panel is covered with tempered glass Corning Gorilla Glass 4, made using 2.5D technology, or, in simple terms, rounded at the edges. It has a good oleophobic coating, which is why fingerprints and other contaminants are not particularly noticeable and rub off well. The display occupies almost 68% of the panel's surface area. Above the display are a light sensor, earpiece and front camera. Below the display is a mechanical home button with a built-in fingerprint sensor. On the sides of the button are the touch keys "Recent Applications" and "Back". When the smartphone is activated, they are highlighted. The left side of the case contains the volume keys. On the right is the power button and music speaker. On the top is a tray for a hybrid nanoSIM / microSD slot and an additional microphone. On the bottom edge there is a USB Type-C port, a main microphone and a mini-Jack.

The back panel is curved at the edges and, like the front panel, is made of Gorilla Glass 4. It also has good resistance to dirt, despite the gloss. At the top of the panel is the main camera, and next to it is an LED flash.

The main feature of the device case is the presence of moisture protection according to the IP68 standard. This means that the smartphone can easily survive immersion in water to a depth of one and a half meters, but not more than half an hour.

Buy Galaxy A3 2017 is available in several colors: black (Black Sky), gold (Gold Sand), blue (Blue Mist) and pink (Peach Cloud).

Screen - 4.3

The phone is equipped with a high-quality AMOLED screen with HD resolution. It has some features of older models, which distinguishes it from competitors.

With a display diagonal of 4.7 inches, a resolution of 1280 × 720 is comfortable, there are 312 pixels per square inch of screen area. This is a rather high value, you can see individual points only when looking at point-blank range. For comparison, this figure is only slightly higher - 326 p/in².

The main advantage of the display can be considered a wide color gamut, covering not only the entire sRGB range, but also 99% of AdobeRGB. As a rule, such high-quality matrices are equipped with flagships like. The color reproduction is accurate, the deviation from the standard does not exceed three units. At the same time, the oversaturation characteristic of devices with an AMOLED display has not gone away, and the color temperature is clearly too high. If you do not like this image, you can set other modes in the settings. By default, it is set to adaptive mode and it is possible to manually specify RGB values. In addition to it, the modes “AMOLED Movie”, “AMOLED Photo” and “Basic” are available. Functionally, they are similar to those of the new flagship - they change the color temperature for warmer shades, and the latter mode narrows the color gamut and removes oversaturation.

We measured the brightness range from 2 to 400 nits, on a sunny day using a smartphone is quite comfortable, as well as in the dark. Auto brightness works flawlessly, setting the right value according to the lighting. The display contrast tends to infinity, as it should be with an AMOLED screen.

Viewing angles are wide. If the phone is on the table and you look at it from a large angle, then the color distortion is almost imperceptible.

We also note the Always on Display function, which was previously only found in Samsung flagships. It allows you to display a certain minimum of information on the off screen, such as clocks and icons for various events. At the same time, the screen always consumes a small amount of battery power, more about this in the corresponding section.

Cameras - 3.5

The Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 smartphone is equipped with 8 and 13 MP cameras that are quite good for their class. Their quality is sufficient for fast shooting, for example, documents, but they are not suitable for fine art photography.

The main camera has an aperture of f / 1.9, there is an LED flash and autofocus.

In daylight, the photo quality is above average. Color reproduction is close to natural, frame detail is good, but the pictures often lack sharpness. Autofocus works correctly in most cases, but sometimes it “misses”, which can cause sharpness to drop, ruining the frame.

When shooting at night, rather strong noises are added to the sharpness errors, and the quality of the shooting drops significantly. To improve the situation, a night mode is provided that reduces the amount of noise. Its operation is similar to the HDR mode - the final image is formed from several frames, which requires you to hold the phone motionless for some time. In addition to night shooting and HDR, there are Panorama, Burst, Food and Pro modes. The latter has manual settings for exposure, ISO (100-800) and white balance.

Video recording is possible in resolutions up to Full HD (1920 × 1080) at 30 frames per second. Video quality is above average, sharpness and noise are acceptable. Audio is recorded at a high bitrate of 256 kb/s, which is quite a lot.

The front camera is not equipped with autofocus, although it has a similar main aperture - f / 1.9. The focal length is fixed, this should be taken into account when taking a selfie: if you are too close or too far, the frame will turn out blurry. The image quality is good, with natural colors and a high amount of detail. Widescreen shooting is possible, there are also night and burst shooting modes.

Video recording resolution is the same as that of the main camera - 1920 × 1080, which is quite enough for video calls and Skype chats.

Photos from the camera Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 - 3.5

Photos from the front camera Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 - 3.5

Working with text - 3.0

Typing messages on the Samsung A3 2017 is quite convenient.

"Out of the box" a branded keyboard from the manufacturer is preinstalled. It supports continuous input, has a separate row of numbers, and the language is changed by swiping on the Space key. In the settings, you can change the size of the keyboard, select input languages, enable spell checking. There is also a high contrast mode - when the keys turn yellow with black trim. True, this mode is not very compatible with the light theme of the interface design.

Internet - 4.0

The Galaxy A3 2017 comes pre-installed with two browsers - Samsung Internet and Google Chrome. Both are well suited for browsing the web.

The proprietary browser supports multiple tabs, bookmarking, and autocomplete forms. It can also read QR codes and supports extensions downloaded from the Samsung Apps store.

We have already talked about the browser from the search giant many times, so we will briefly recall its main features: traffic compression, synchronization with the desktop version, and the ability to quickly view web content from any application.

Communications - 5.0

The set of communications Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 is almost flagship.

All popular interfaces are available, and the connector for connection, contrary to the trends of our time, has not gone away. Of the objective shortcomings - a hybrid slot for nanoSIM / microSD. The solution, on the one hand, is a classic - the buyer is offered to choose: use two SIM-cards or one SIM, and install a memory card in the second slot. On the other hand, the amount of built-in memory is small, so the choice is very difficult. Separately, we note that the manufacturer saved on the quality of the SIM / microSD sled itself - they are made of fragile plastic. So with frequent replacement of memory cards or SIM, there is a big risk of breaking this part.

The general list of communications is as follows:

• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot
• Bluetooth 4.2LE, A2DP
• GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
• USB Type-C, USB On-The-Go
• FM radio
• accelerometer
• barometer
• gyroscope.

Multimedia - 3.6

The multimedia capabilities of the smartphone can be called quite good.

The built-in video player "digests" most popular video file formats, although it refuses to play sound in AC-3 and DTS, and problems arose with playing mkv files.

Google Play Music is preinstalled as an audio player. It allows you to conveniently sort your local music collection, but its main advantage is access to the music section of Google Play.

To adjust the sound, Samsung SoundAlive's proprietary "improver" is used. It allows you to improve the quality of compressed audio recordings and can emulate the tone of a tube amplifier. In addition, there is an Adapt Sound function that allows you to adjust the frequency range to the individual characteristics of your hearing. As in, it cannot be turned off completely.

We rated the quality of the audio path as good. The sound in the headphones is quite even, the amplitude-frequency characteristic without drops. The power of the amplifier is enough for most headphones.

The volume of the music speaker is quite high - 74 dB. Comparable to the sound when watching football on .

Battery - 3.9

The autonomy of the smartphone is not bad, but it could be better, especially considering the AMOLED screen and the energy-efficient processor.

The Galaxy A3 2017 is equipped with a 2350 mAh non-removable battery. By modern standards, this is not much, on the other hand, with good optimization, it can be quite enough. Our test results are as follows:

• video playback at full brightness drains the battery in 14 hours. If you reduce the brightness to a comfortable value of 200 nits - 15 hours;
• listening to music in mp3 format non-stop will “eat up” the entire battery charge in 42 hours;
• conversations in 3G networks will land the battery completely in about 15 hours.

The performance of music playback and conversations is similar to the results of tests with a more capacious battery. But watching the video was a pleasant surprise: the result is at the level of the flagships of the Galaxy line - S7 and S8 +.

In everyday use, the smartphone confidently lasts a couple of days with fairly active use, which includes half an hour of calls on 3G networks, correspondence in instant messengers and social networks, about an hour of watching videos on Youtube and a couple of hours of listening to music. However, if you activate the Always-on Display function, this time is reduced to 40-42 hours. You have to choose between convenience and a few extra hours of work.

The device charges pretty quickly. When using the included charger, the battery charge will rise from 5 to 100% in an hour and a half. There is no support for any fast charging standards here.

Performance - 2.9

The performance of the Galaxy A3 2017 is average, although it is enough for most everyday tasks, but heavy games are no longer for him.

The smartphone is equipped with an Exynos 7870 processor, which has 8 cores on board with a frequency of up to 1.6 GHz. The Mali-T830MP2 accelerator, 2 GB of RAM is responsible for the graphics. This solution is primarily aimed at energy efficiency, so you can not expect high performance in games. However, the system interface works quickly and without any slowdowns, and several running applications easily “get along” in memory.

Synthetic tests gave us the following results:

• Geekbench 4 - 3630 points (almost a thousand less than the Apple iPhone SE)
• AnTuTu 6 - 46093 points (twice as high as )
• 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited - 8639 (scored 13778 points).

Running heavy games like Asphalt Extreme or World of Tanks is better at low graphics settings, at high frame rates drop too much.

With prolonged use, the smartphone practically does not heat up, the temperature on the surface does not exceed 34 degrees, which is almost imperceptible.

Memory - 4.0

Memory is one of the weaknesses of a smartphone.

Of the 16 GB of internal memory, about 10 GB is available to the user. This is not enough if you shoot a lot or are used to storing your music collection on your smartphone. Of course, there is support for microSD up to 256 GB, but since the memory card slot is combined with the nano SIM slot, you will have to choose one.

Peculiarities

The Galaxy A3 2017 is running Samsung's proprietary interface. It is not too different from the standard, intuitive and easy to use. There is support for Android Pay and Samsung Pay and some "chips" from the flagship family. For example, Game Launcher, which allows you to conveniently group game icons, record gameplay videos and turn off notifications.

The operation of the fingerprint sensor is not satisfactory, touches are recognized quickly and from any angle.

Samsung continues to regularly update the most popular families of its smartphones, and at the beginning of 2017 introduced an updated line A. Reviews on the Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) at the same time - the most compact model from the updated family - Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) SM-A320F.

Design and controls Galaxy A3 (2017)

The new Galaxy A 2017 series of smartphones replaces the hugely popular 2016 A-series of smartphones, offering improved performance and a refreshed design. But the most important trump cards of the updated line are the IP68 standard case protected from dust and moisture and the presence of a fingerprint scanner. The design of the new Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) has become as close as possible to the Galaxy S7, moreover, the device very much resembles the seventh iPhone, and both of these factors have benefited it - the smartphone looks solid and expensive, while being quite “fresh”.
The metal-and-glass Gorilla Glass 4 body is superbly built and curved at the back, just like the Galaxy S7. Thanks to this, as well as its compact size, the smartphone is very comfortable in the hand. The weight of the device is only 138 grams, the dimensions of the case are 135.4 x 66.2 x 7.9 mm - perhaps ideal for those who are looking for a compact (by today's standards) device. Under the screen of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017), the backlit side touch buttons are habitually located (moreover, they are practically invisible without backlighting), as well as the central mechanical button with a fingerprint scanner.
Above the display is the front camera and earpiece. Behind the smartphone is only a camera with a flash and the Samsung logo. On the left side of the device are the volume buttons, on the right - the power button and speakerphone. At the bottom, there are 3.5 mm headphone jacks and microUSB Type C, as well as a microphone hole. On the top is a tray for SIM cards and a Micro SD memory card, as well as a noise reduction microphone. The Galaxy A3 2017 has a combined tray - either two nano-SIM cards, or one nano-SIM and a memory card (up to 256 GB).

Display and cameras Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 (SM-A320F) received a 4.7-inch display with a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels (pixel density - 312 ppi). The screen matrix is ​​Super AMOLED, the display shows one of the best pictures from the 4.7-inch devices offered on the market today. The colors are juicy, the margin of brightness is huge, the viewing angles are maximum. There are not the slightest complaints about the display of the smartphone, HD resolution is enough for it. Plus, it does great in the sun.
The main camera of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) remained 13 megapixels, while the front camera “grew up” a little - now it is 8 megapixels against 5 for the Galaxy A3 of the 2016 model. Both cameras have aperture of f/1.9, they have added a little in the quality of pictures, and also received a redesigned application menu, in our opinion - it has become more convenient. Photos of the main camera are more than good, the white balance is excellent, the pictures are clear and with the correct color reproduction. Moreover, even in low light conditions, the photos are of quite decent quality, although there is a bit too much “noise”. Video in Full HD looks more than worthy.
The front camera, of course, is inferior in photo quality to the main one, but in general, it looks very decent. It can also record video in Full HD quality, but there is no point in doing this with a “live” main camera, the quality is several levels lower. For video broadcasts, its capabilities are enough "with a head."

Specifications and performance of Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)

The new smartphone Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) received a fairly “lively” eight-core Exynos 7870 processor with a frequency of 1.6 GHz. This is far from the best processor that Samsung puts on its devices, but, as it turned out, it is more than enough for Galasky A3 2017. The same applies to the amount of RAM - the smartphone has 2 gigabytes of it. The built-in flash memory of the device is 16 gigabytes. A good video accelerator ARM Mali-T830 MP2 is responsible for the graphics.
Such fillings are enough for a smartphone “with a head” - the device is very smart, all applications work smoothly and without slowdowns. The same applies to the gaming part - the power of the Galaxy A3 (2017) is enough for a comfortable game in almost any game on good graphics settings. Asphalt 8 and Dead Effect 2 at maximum settings during the game never “slowed down”, the device can be safely called “gaming”.
At the moment, out of the box, the Samsung Galaxy A3 Duos (2017) has an Android 6 operating system with an updated TouchWiz proprietary shell, but an update to Android 7 is expected in the near future. With regards to the new TouchWiz, it has been refreshed, regrouped settings and added a number of new features . Let's not forget to mention synthetic tests - AnTuTu Benchmark rated the new Korean smartphone at 46357 points.

In addition to a cute design, a chic display and excellent performance, the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 (SM-A320F) has a number of nice and useful "goodies". Protection of the IP68 case allows the smartphone to safely transfer a 30-minute immersion in fresh water to a depth of one and a half meters. The 2350 mAh battery gives the device good autonomy, although the figure is not large, but in reality the A3 2017 holds a charge very well.
Another interesting "feature" of all models of the updated A-line of Samsung smartphones is the Always On Display function. In sleep mode, the device will display a number of useful information - the current time, calendar, latest notifications, battery level. Very comfortable and you get used to it very quickly.
We also note support for LTE Cat 6 and Samsung Pay payment service.
Video review of Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 (SM-A320F) from Quke.ru

What is the result

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) turned out to be significantly more interesting than its predecessor. The smartphone received a fresher design and improved cameras, became faster, received a protected case and a fingerprint scanner. But is it all worth the difference in price, which is about $80 compared to its predecessor? Our opinion is worth it.
Galaxy A3 (2017) will be an ideal solution for those who are looking for a compact modern smartphone with good performance and high quality materials. The device is perfectly balanced, even with a strong desire it is difficult to find fault with something. The only nuance is not a small price, the novelty today costs about 370 dollars. Available body colors are black, gold, pink and blue. Happy owners of the new Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) are invited to leave reviews on our website.

High power along with functionality - this is how you can characterize the Samsung a 3 2017 phone, which is very popular not only because of its price, but also due to the thoughtful operation of the device as a whole. So, the smartphone is equipped with an octa-core processor of its own production with 1600 MHz clock speed for each core, plus 2 GB of RAM, this configuration should be enough for most not the most demanding applications, as well as games. In addition, the phone is equipped with a comfortable shell, high-quality cameras and IP68 protection, which allows water and moisture, respectively, not to get inside the smartphone. In general, we can recommend Samsung a 3 2017 not only to fans of this brand, because in its price category this device is one of the highest quality and most in demand. Do not forget about the warranty and support from the manufacturer.

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017): Specs and price

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017): Reviews

- Modern design;

- Metal case;

— Nimble operation of the smartphone as a whole;

- Nice matrix;

- Ideal size;

— Dust and moisture protection;

- Support for Samsung Pay;

— High-quality assembly and the same assembly materials;

- Comfortable shell;

- Constant software updates;

- "Active screen" function;

- Without a case, it will slip in the hands and this must be taken into account;

- Autonomy as a big plus;

- Attractive value for money;

- Adequate touchscreen response speed;

- High performance;

- Suitable for most demanding games on android;

— Communication quality could be better;

- High-quality sound, both in headphones and from the speaker;

— Support from the manufacturer plus warranty;

- Working with large memory cards;

- The quality of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) images is at a fairly high level;

- A large number of positive reviews on the Internet;

— The back cover is made of glass;

- Will collect fingerprints on itself, without a cover;

- Not the best headphones are included, so it's better to buy them separately;

- High functionality of the phone as a whole;

- Thoughtful interface to the smallest detail;

- There is not a large amount of pre-installed software;

- For heavy games, the device is not suitable;

- Screen made using Super AMOLED technology;

- Support for two SIM cards;

- Support for large size SD cards;

Conclusion

Based on the material described above, we conclude that Samsung a 3 2017 is one of the most interesting phones on the market, which has a complete set of all the necessary functions for comfortable use. In addition, it is worth highlighting the tempting cost of the device and a convenient shell from the manufacturer.

Pros:

• Value for money;
• Performance that is enough for most everyday needs;
• Equipment;
• Ease of use;
• Moisture and dust protection;
• Excellent matrix with high-quality color reproduction, as well as large viewing angles;

Minuses:

• It will slip in the hands and this must be taken into account;

Samsung Galaxy A320F A3 2017 is simple, productive and hardy. We talk about the interface, performance in comparative tests, new features, sound and camera!

The Samsung Galaxy A320F A3, the junior member of the A-series, has always been considered a compromise solution for those who want a premium smartphone, but do not need the high performance of older models. The 2017 model no longer pulls on the usual average. This is the second part of the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 review. We invite you to read, which describes the main advantages and disadvantages of the model, case, display, battery and device autonomy.

Android for Samsung Galaxy A320F A3 2017

The company is in no hurry to install the latest versions of software on its devices. Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 came out with marshmallow Android 6.0.1 on board (in principle, like the 2016 A series). But the Android 7.0 update for the Galaxy A3 2017 is expected in the first half of this year. Note that the current version of the software is already running on the much-awaited Grace UX, the successor of TouchWiz.

Smartphones of 2017 are the first from the A-series to receive the function Always On Display- shows three main applications: time, date, calendar with a number of additional settings. It also shows new notifications on the display (a feature that doesn't work with S7).

In low light conditions, the image dims and turns off completely when the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 is in your pocket.

Samsung Galaxy A320F A3 2017 equipped with a fingerprint scanner to protect your smartphone, access applications and websites. The fingerprint reading time is not the fastest, but the sensor works on a par with the S-flagships.

The user can also create a secure folder with personal files and applications: photos, mail, documents.

For smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 provides 15Gb of storage in branded cloud storage, where you can save everything from contacts to letters and media files. The user himself decides which files are synchronized and saved via the mobile Internet, and which - exclusively via Wi-Fi.

Home screen on Samsung Galaxy A320F A3 2017

The home screen has undergone the least changes. Briefing is also available to users on the left swipe (which is mercilessly annoying and, fortunately, can be disabled). The user can apply themes and install icon packs to change the appearance of the desktop.

The notification panel has remained almost the same. When minimized, the user sees notification icons, clock, charge level, active connections and SIM cards. An open curtain offers the user more settings. Traditionally, under the settings menu, there is a slider for adjusting the brightness of the screen, and below it is the Google search box.

The Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 shutter has a new notification blocking option that allows you to turn off annoying reminders from applications and games. User opinions differ on the design of the new menu. Someone likes schematic minimalism, while others are critical of the curtain. But you don't have to choose. It is impossible to rollback Samsung Galaxy A 3 2017 to earlier versions of Android without voiding the warranty.

One of the significant drawbacks of the Galaxy A3 2017 software is the lack of multitasking mode, as in the older Galaxy A5 2017 and Galaxy A7 2017 models. The user cannot open multiple applications in single screen mode. Switching between active applications has not changed in any way. Everything is presented and works the same as in the previous version of the device.

The main menu has also changed somewhat functionally. The main changes concern the search for applications. If earlier, upon request, the search offered you only installed applications, now applications from Galaxy Apps are pulled into the search results (you can install the Play Market).

With the introduction of Grace UX, the shell interface has changed little. The operating system takes up a lot of space: out of 16GB of internal memory, only 10GB is available to the user.

Samsung Galaxy A320F A3 2017 Review: Game Launcher

Game Launcher- new option for Samsung A-series - a separate folder for games for quick access. All games and applications are stored in the folder, management functions and user settings are available. Game Lauhcner allows you to simplify and organize the main menu for those who install a lot of games and entertainment applications on their smartphone. A large number of icons in the general menu complicate the search and access.

In the Game Launcher settings, the user can manage notifications from applications, quickly switch between games, disable touch buttons to prevent accidental clicks, and capture video of the screen to record gaming sessions. The function is useful for those who post videos of passing game levels on YouTube. Optionally, the user can activate the selfie camera and create a 2 in 1 video. The settings allow you to select the recording resolution and quality if the device's memory is limited.

Game Launcher in Samsung Galaxy A320F A3 2017 saves statistics of all games that the user has played on the device. The application tracks not only results and points, but also genres, and shows what the user plays more: racing, strategy games, logic toys, etc.

Game Launcher also allows you to optimize phone performance: change settings without having to exit the main menu.

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 Performance

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 is powered by Exynos 7870 Octa processor. Created using a 14nm process technology, the chip uses all 8 Cortex A53 cores (1.6GHz each) and a Mali-T830 GPU. The chip is paired with a very mediocre 2GB of RAM. This is enough for normal everyday use (messengers, social networks, calls, Internet), but it may not pull heavier games.

The performance of the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 is quite mediocre.

AnTuTu test results:

Test results of Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 in Basemark OS 2.0:

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 test results in GeekBench (multi-core):

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 test results in GeekBench (single core):

Speaker volume in Samsung Galaxy A3 2017

In the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017, there is one loudspeaker, quite loud, located atypically, it is virtually impossible to cover it with the palm of your hand during use (intentionally or not). The sound is loud and clear, even at maximum limits.

Comparative sound test in smartphones:

A little about the output sound

The Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 provides crisp, clear, high-quality sound at the output, which no one expected from the younger model. The top is clear, the bass is voluminous, the mids are clear. No sittings. Even at maximum volume, the sound remained clear and rich. Note that a lot depends on the quality of the headphones through which you will listen to the tracks, as well as on the quality of the file and the source - where do you pull the music from: the cloud, social network or the file is stored in the phone's memory.

Messages and keyboard

Contrary to everyone's expectations, Samsung offers a standard messenger for SMS. Previously, it was supposed to be replaced by Google Allo, but this application did not receive proper user support and, despite the large number of downloads, the application is not used much.

The interface is simple, all the main functions and settings are hidden in the side menu called by a swipe. The menu offers quick access to all media files received and sent via short messages, blocking incoming / outgoing messages, turning off notifications from specific contacts, marking priority messages (always shown in the TOP, regardless of the date the conversation was received or updated). Messages support emoticons and image file transfer.

Text entry is performed using a standard Samsung keyboard with many user settings: you can change the width and height, hide unnecessary lines and character buttons. You can change the color scheme and increase the contrast.

Camera Samsung Galaxy A3 2017

The camera in the Samung Galaxy A3 2017 is very mediocre. The front camera has improved in megapixels from 5MP to 8MP, while the main camera has not changed compared to the previous year's version.

The smartphone does not have optical stabilization, and there is also no Dual Pixel technology. This is a touch-sensitive AF phase detection technology designed to smoothly and clearly track a moving subject in sharp focus.

While the Galaxy A3 2017 inherited a lot of camera features from the Samsung S7, it lacked the basic features that determine the quality of the picture.

Pro mode is available to users, but the settings are very limited. The user can only change the ISO and adjust the exposure, nothing more. S-flagships offer much more settings, due to which the highest quality pictures are obtained.

Sample photos from the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 camera:

Conclusion

• Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 virtually unrivaled, the 4.7-inch smartphone market is shrinking rapidly. And those gadgets that are available now do not offer such TX as the younger model of the A-series.
• The device received premium chips, which were previously available only in S-flagships: AOD, dust / moisture protection.
• The autonomy of the device at a height: 93 hours of moderate use (with AOD off) is amazing. A3 2017 will give odds in autonomy to both Samsung S7 and iPhone 7.
• Camera- not the strongest side of the smartphone, but copes with everyday tasks with a bang!

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) is the most affordable model of the three presented in Russia, but it has a lot of drawbacks. Outwardly, not taking into account the more compact dimensions, this smartphone does not differ from its counterparts. It is also available in four different designs: blue, gold, pink and black.

Anyway, what is hidden under the beautiful and stylish design? We will answer this question in our review of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A3, and also talk about its appearance.

Design and screen

Like other devices in this series, the Galaxy A3 is covered on both sides with durable Corning Gorilla Glass 4, and the frame around is made of metal. Due to the rounded edges of the back and 2.5D glass, the phone feels just perfect in the hands. The bezels are a little on the big side, which confirms the not-so-great screen-to-body ratio of 67.9%.

On the right is the power/unlock button, while on the left we see the volume keys. Below the screen are the traditional capacitive App Manager and Back keys with their own backlighting, as well as the Home button with a built-in fingerprint sensor that works by touch.

Got a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, while the pixel density reaches 312 dpi. This value is far from the record, but the clarity of the picture will not disappoint you. Even small text remains readable and smooth, and under the bright rays of the sun, the picture remains visible.

One of the most interesting features of the updated A3 is the always active screen (Always On Display). This function allows you to display important information such as date and time, notifications, calendar, music player control buttons and more on the screen. Everything you need will be shown on the screen when the phone is asleep, making AOD a very handy feature on this phone.

The extremely thin body of the phone is made in accordance with the requirements of the IP68 standard, which makes the “handset” completely waterproof. The user can dive with a smartphone to a depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. Naturally, the device is also protected from dust penetration.

cameras

The new Galaxy A3 (2017) has a pair of lenses, one on the front and one on the back. The front camera boasts an 8-megapixel sensor, that is, it is capable of taking pictures at a resolution of 3264x2448 pixels. The video is also good - Full HD-resolution at 30 frames per second. The main camera received a 13-megapixel sensor that can take pictures of much better quality and resolution. Unfortunately, the phone can't record 4K video, but 1920x1080 will be enough for most people.

Near the main lens, which by the way does not protrude from the back cover, there is a single LED flash. She does her job well.

Processor and Memory

The Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 is based on the Exynos 7870 processor, which has 8 energy-efficient Cortex-A53 cores in its arsenal. They operate at a frequency of 1.6 GHz, which is enough for everyday tasks. There is a Mali-T830 graphics accelerator with two cores on board, which ensures the performance of 3D games at acceptable settings.

The hardware platform also includes 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. If the built-in memory is not enough, then the user can expand it using a microSD memory card. This is only possible if the second slot for the SIM card is not occupied by it. Unfortunately, Samsung decided to save money and implemented a hybrid tray, so you have to choose.

It is worth emphasizing that out of 16 GB of ROM, only 9.7 GB is available to the user.

autonomy

A 2350 mAh battery is responsible for the autonomy of the mobile device. This, according to the manufacturer, is enough for 12 hours of surfing the 3G Internet or 16 hours of 4G. If you use only Wi-Fi, then the built-in battery will last for 17 hours of browsing.

The battery is not removable, of course, and it also doesn't support fast charging, which is definitely a downside. Given the relatively small capacity of an autonomous power source, the brand new Galaxy A3 (2017) will not charge for a long time.

Wireless connection

This phone is equipped with a module that allows it to work in networks of the fourth generation (Cat.6). Both SIM slots are compatible with the Nano type, and the second one can also be used to expand the built-in memory.

The device, obviously, is equipped with Bluetooth version 4.2, Wi-Fi with support for dual bands and the latest 802.11 ac standards. The picture is decorated with the presence of USB Type-C (USB 2.0) and an NFC module, thanks to which the company implemented the Samsung Pay mobile payment service.

Global positioning systems such as GPS, A-GPS and GLONASS are embedded in the A3 chip, but this is not surprising.

Software

The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, which doesn't add much interest to it. One way or another, the latest version of the Samsung Experience user interface is preinstalled on the smartphone, which fascinates with its ergonomics and set of tools.

The user can access the features of flagship smartphones, including changing themes, application icons, Samsung Cloud, the “Secure Folder” function, the new “Optimization” system maintenance tool, two new power saving modes and much more.

Conclusion

The updated model, both externally and internally, looks quite good, but, of course, it was not without flaws. Of interest is a fingerprint scanner, which is enough to touch to unlock the screen, a waterproof case and even autonomy due to an energy-efficient chipset. But the hybrid slot for SIM cards is not very happy.

You will also not be delighted with the camera and the price of new items. Now Galaxy A3 (2017) will cost you 23 thousand rubles. Yes, considering all the pros and cons, you will be satisfied with the phone.