Samsung a 5 reviews. Samsung Galaxy A5 is a beautiful smartphone with water protection

Beautiful, Excellent screen, Excellent performance, does not slow down anything (excluding games), All functions work without freezing or jamming. The camera takes excellent photos (in good light)

Minuses

The camera takes very bad photos in low light (it blurs)

Review

I've been using it for over a month. The battery holds well, and if you turn off all sorts of problems required applications, better. The screen is awesome, like most Samsungs. The screen sensitivity is high - a plus for me. There are no questions about the operation, it performs all the declared functions quickly. I’ll highlight the interface separately, everything is intuitive. There is dust resistance, it was tested during repairs. The camera takes good photos only in normal lighting; in the dark, only some kind of tripod will save you. lathers at the slightest movement of both the smartphone and the photographed object. The network, Wi-Fi and similar connections work stably, nothing falls off. Memory free 2/3 out of the box. While the smartphone only pleases, with the exception of photos, you need to adapt.

Samsung Galaxy A5– a new product from the company, representing the latest line of “Galaxy A” smartphones, which has excellent technical parameters combined with a stylish design and premium body materials. The company itself positions the Galaxy A5 as a youth gadget that should attract a young audience of geeks. It is expected that this particular smartphone will become the most popular in this line, as it is the most balanced device, combining the golden price-quality-performance ratio.

Design

At the first glance at the smartphone, even if you close the manufacturer’s logo, any user who is at least somehow familiar with the world of mobile devices will say that this is a device from Samsung: the classic forms of the Korean giant in accordance with the new design direction (straighter lines and less rounding) will give it away.

However, it is not without its uniqueness. The Galaxy A5, like its “brothers,” became the first phones that are made entirely of metal and do not have a removable back cover, which is completely unusual for the company’s smartphones. This phone fits comfortably in your hand, and you can feel the solidity of the design.

The slots for the memory card and SIM card are located on the side and are closed with plugs that can be opened with a paper clip. Despite the metal construction, the smartphone turned out to be very thin and light – its dimensions are 139.3 x 69.7 x 6.7 mm and weighs 123 grams. You can choose from 5 body color options: dark blue, white, grey, blue and pink.

Display

The entire front panel is occupied by a 5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels, with a pixel density of 294 ppi. It is worth remembering that the phone is positioned in the upper range of the average price niche, therefore this parameter is quite justified. Moreover, such a resolution will be more than enough for such a display, and the pixel density is quite high for HD. Everything is great with viewing angles, color reproduction and shade depth - Samsung has perfected its OLED matrices.

Characteristics

The link to the upper range of the mid-price niche is also confirmed by specifications phone. Samsung Galaxy A5 has a new 64-bit processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 8916 with four Cortex-53 cores and an operating frequency of 1.2 GHz, and the video chip here is Adreno 306. This hardware will be enough for games, multimedia and work - you will not experience a lack of performance in everyday tasks. The amount of RAM is also not small - 2 GB.

As for internal storage, then this is 16 GB of space, of which 12 GB are honestly available to the user. Possible memory shortages can be compensated with a microSD card up to 64 GB. In such a light and thin case, the Koreans managed to fit a 2300 mAh battery and, judging by the excellent software optimization, this volume will provide sufficient autonomy.

There is support for working in LTE networks and a version of the model with support for working with two SIM cards will be available on the market. Out of the box, the Galaxy A5 comes pre-installed with Android 4.4.4, but the 64-bit chipset suggests an early update to Android Lollipop.

Camera

With smartphone cameras Samsung problems never happened and this device not an exception. The main camera is a 13-megapixel module that provides good quality pictures with accurate color reproduction. It can record video in Full HD 1080p at 30fps. The bias towards the younger consumer is evident when it comes to front camera– on the front there is a 5 Megapixel camera, which will provide high-quality selfies that everyone is simply obsessed with. Rich software will provide various effects, automatic correction and other joys for lovers of self-portraits.

Video: Galaxy A5 VS Galaxy A3

Video: Galaxy review A5

For owners:

Similar models:

Photos in the interior

Specifications

• Android 6.0.1 with Clean UI, upgrade to Android 7
• Screen 5.2 inches, SuperAMOLED, FullHD, 424 ppi, automatic brightness adjustment, automatic brightness adjustment to suit your habits, color profiles, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, AlwaysOn Display
• Exynos 7880 chipset, 8 cores up to 1.9 GHz (Cortex A53), Mali-T830MP3 GPU
• 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal memory (about 23 GB of memory is available to the user out of the box)
• Battery Li-Ion 3000 mAh, fast charging, operating time in mixed mode - 2 days (test result), in 3G/4G data transfer mode - 13/16 hours, video playback - up to 19 hours, talk time - up to 16 hours
• Installing two nanoSIM cards, as well as a card microSD memory(up to 256 GB)
• Front camera 16 megapixels, f/1.9, facial enhancements (eyes, skin color, face tone)
• Main camera 16 megapixels, f/1.9, LED flash, autofocus
• Two microphones, noise reduction system
• IP68 water protection, up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters
• FM radio
• Fingerprint sensor located on the front panel
• USB Type C 1.0
• 4G FDD LTE - B1(2100), B2(1900), B3(1800), B4(AWS), B5(850), B7(2600), B8(900), B17(700), B20(800), B28 (700); 4G FDD TDD - B38(2600), B40(2300), B41(2500)
• GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
• ANT+, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4+5 GHz, NFC, USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.2
• Sensors – accelerometer, barometer, fingerprint scanner, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Samsung Pay
• Color options: black (Black Sky), gold (Gold Sand), blue (Blue Mist), pink (Peach Cloud)
• SAR value – 0.52 W/kg (head), 1.39 W/kg (body)
• Dimensions – 146.1x71.4x7.9 mm, weight – 159 grams

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone
• Charger with USB Type C cable
• Instructions
• Wired stereo headset
• "Paper clip" for removing the SIM tray

Positioning

Samsung decided that the A-series should offer models in the middle price segment, and the model range is built based on the size of the phones: smaller screen - smaller index. From this logic it is clear that A3 is the smallest device, and A7 is the largest, while A5 is exactly in the middle. From sales of the A-series in 2016, it is known that the A5 and the 5-inch smartphone form factor became the most popular; this device sold significantly better than others.

A-series models have become iconic for the market and their price segments; during the transition from the first to the second generation, their sales in Russia increased noticeably.

But the most important thing is that these devices can be perceived as somewhat simplified versions of the company’s flagships in terms of filling, but not at all simplified in terms of materials. Not all buyers need the features of flagships; they are willing to spend 2-3 times less money, but get a decent, reliable device.

Considering that Samsung directly competes with Apple in the market, to some extent the A-series is a response to the old iPhone models that are still on the market. So, the 2017 A5 is a clear competitor to the iPhone 6/6s, which also costs less. Comparing with the famous Chinese, we will get competitors from their line with similar positioning, for example, this could be Huawei Nova.

The 2017 A5 model was created for those who want to buy a smartphone from a major manufacturer (read, brand), and at the same time get a good set of characteristics, decent performance and quality materials. To some extent, the 2017 A5 can be considered a universal smartphone that can safely claim to be a business model. It is balanced in its capabilities, is not the most expensive, and, accordingly, it is not a flagship. This is a very smart choice for those who are used to counting money and buying a smartphone for a long time. In my opinion, the 2017 A5 will become a bestseller in its price segment, as it offers a number of unique finds that other companies do not have. However, let's talk about this in detail.

Design, dimensions, control elements

In the A-series, the design is to some extent inherited from older models, the same body materials, no noticeable simplifications or savings. The A5 model looks expensive and stylish, regardless of what color you choose. There are four color options in total; there are no pink phones in Russia yet.

I have a black A5, it is classic and looks good. The mirror surface reflects the surrounding world, plays in the light, the device looks very interesting, and hand marks are practically invisible. I’ll add here that the screen with a splash screen can always work (AlwaysOn Display function), which none of the competitors have. In the end, we get an unusual device that has no analogues on the market; it can be distinguished from any other at first glance.

If we talk about which color is the best, then I like blue, it is a delicate shade, very unusual, perfect for girls, however, look for yourself.

Please note that the front and back panels in one color, as well as the side metal edging (6000 series aluminum). The device also looks good in pink, but it is definitely only for girls.

The gold phone is somewhat rustic, but everyone has their own tastes.

The fact that the device has a glass back and front does not hinder it at all, since Corning Gorilla Glass 4 is quite reliable and protected from accidental falls, although depending on your luck. This device is completely identical in mechanical protection to the Galaxy S6 EDGE, the quality is at the same level. I once recorded a video about how this phone survives collisions with sharp objects or asphalt, you can watch this video.

The innovation of the A-series in 2017 was water protection, which was taken from the S7/S7 EDGE, the implementation is exactly the same. The SIM card tray is protected by rubber gaskets, the microphones and speakers are protected by membranes, the protection level is IP68, which allows the phone to be kept at a depth of 1.5 meters for up to half an hour. This does not mean that the phone needs to be washed under water, much less with soap or something similar. But if you drop it in water, nothing will happen to it. There are practically no models with water protection in this price segment.

Now about the control elements. Under the screen there is a mechanical key, it contains a fingerprint sensor, it is simplified compared to the S7/S7 EDGE, it works a little slower, but there are no problems because of this. Good decision, which just works. On either side of it are two touch keys.

On the left side there are two volume keys, on the right side there is an on/off button. There is a microphone at the bottom and top ends, there is a noise reduction system, it does its job perfectly: you can be heard well in any conditions, even when the wind blows strongly in your face.

At the bottom end there is also a 3.5 mm jack for a headset or headphones and a USB Type C connector for the charger. On the upper end and left side you can see trays, in the upper one a nanoSIM card and a memory card are installed, in the lower one there is a second nanoSIM card. In the A3, for example, installing two SIM cards and a memory card is impossible; it has a combined slot.

The speaker is located on the right side surface, due to this it can overlap in the pocket, and it will not be heard very well. The speaker itself is average in volume, but very pleasant.

The phone dimensions are 146.1x71.4x7.9 mm, weight is 159 grams. Compact, fits perfectly in the hand due to the small roundness of the body at the back. Not slippery, although from the photographs many people think that it should slip out of their hands, but this does not happen. This size is one of the most popular on the market and is liked by most buyers.

Compared to Samsung Galaxy A3 2017

Display

The presence of a SuperAMOLED screen has always been an advantage of the A-series; the technical characteristics of this display are as follows: 5.2 inches, SuperAMOLED, FullHD, 424 ppi, automatic brightness adjustment, automatic brightness adjustment to suit your habits, color profiles, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, AlwaysOn Display.

For my taste, the screen quality is excellent for its class, it has a large brightness reserve automatic mode, the display is easily readable in the sun, just like the previous year’s model (in the S7 EDGE the screen has greater brightness, and as a result, it is even better in the sun).

The screen has an AlwaysOn Display option, that is, you can see application icons, clocks or pictures all the time, the screen operation does not drain the battery much, in 12 hours it’s a couple of percent. Until now, this function has not been widely available in the mid-price segment, which makes the 2017 A5 stand out and puts it on par with Samsung flagships.

In terms of all its characteristics, the screen in the 2017 A5 outperforms its competitors; there is nothing better in this segment. As a result, this is one of the strengths of the model. I also like the fact that they brought here automatic brightness adjustment to suit your preferences; in the first two weeks the phone “gets used to” you and is adjusted to your taste.

Battery

The built-in Li-Ion battery has a capacity of 3000 mAh, supports fast charging (1 hour 20 minutes). Built-in wireless charging, which comes with flagship models, there is no.

In mixed mode, the device lives quietly for two days with 3-5 hours of screen operation, data transmission in LTE and two hours of calls.

Play unconverted video in HD quality in MX Player at maximum brightness - up to 19 hours! This is an excellent indicator considering the size of the battery; many Chinese show comparable results on a 5000 mAh battery.

The operating time of the 2017 A5 becomes its strong point; even with a heavy load, it will not be possible to discharge it faster than in a day; on average, this is two days. Those who use only calls can easily count on 5-6 days of work; of course, it all depends on the operator and the number of these calls. But in general, we can state the fact that operating time is the strong point of this model.

Traditionally, there is a power saving mode, when the screen backlight and processor frequency are limited. In this mode, many will not experience problems with the operation of the device, but the operating time will increase by at least 20 percent. In maximum energy saving mode, everything on the screen turns gray, and the device can provide hours of operation even with a small charge.

Communication capabilities

GPS/GLONASS works perfectly, a cold start takes about ten seconds, navigation works perfectly, there are no problems. By the way, this distinguishes A-brands from many Chinese companies, where the implementation of antennas is such that you can expect anything from typical functions.

Another strong point is the support of almost all necessary LTE frequencies, here the device also shows its strengths (analogs in this price segment cannot boast of this; as a rule, they save on antennas).

Finally, the device has NFC and ANT+ support, which will appeal to those who use sports sensors. Bluetooth version 4.2.

If we talk about Wi-Fi, then it uses 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4+5 GHz, there is a repeater mode (distributing a Wi-Fi signal to other devices as an access point).

USB version 2.0, but the USB Type C (1.0) connector is used, so fans of modern connectors will be happy; for the rest, it’s time to come to terms with the transition to the new standard.

Memory, RAM, performance

Samsung uses its own chipsets in A-series models, which can be considered a plus; they are improving year by year. For example, in 2016, chipsets in the A-series were made at 28 nm, now it is 14 nm, which gives an increase in performance and operating time. The chipset in the A5 2017 is Exynos 7880, 8 cores up to 1.9 GHz (Cortex A53), Mali-T830MP3 graphics processor.

IN synthetic tests This processor performed well. In real life, everything also works perfectly, you will not feel any shortcomings in performance, the model is at the same level, and the safety margin will last for at least a couple of years.

The device has 32 GB of internal memory (23.1 GB available), memory cards can be up to 256 GB. 3 GB of RAM, which is enough for most consumers. And given the screen resolution, everything becomes very good, this solution is balanced, and there are no noticeable compromises.

Camera

The front camera is 16 megapixels (f/1.9), as usual, there is no autofocus, so it’s worth finding the distance from which the pictures are best taken, this is about half a meter, that is, an outstretched arm. The quality of the front camera is good, but don't expect anything special from it; after all, the main camera is better. There is a traditional improvement in skin color and tone, you can enlarge your eyes, and at the same time make your face thinner. Girls will definitely like these “improvements”.

The main camera is 16 megapixel (f/1.9), of course, there is autofocus, as well additional modes shooting, including PRO, but it differs from the flagships, since the camera is simpler. This camera is on par with the best Chinese manufacturers or a little better, that is, it gives good, rich pictures during the day and indoors; in the dark it is not so good, but this is generally typical for this segment. There is no 4K mode when recording video, but it is unlikely that consumers of this device need it so much, since recording regular FullHD video will completely satisfy them.

Look at the examples of pictures and videos, I think they will all tell you about the quality of the camera.

Software

The model was originally released on Android 6.0.1, but many interface elements are similar to what we see in Android 7 and Clean UI on S7/S7 EDGE. I advise you to read about what appeared in Android 7, since this model will soon receive this version OS.

I won’t describe the standard Android functions; you can read about them in a detailed review.

Unlike top models, there is a built-in FM radio, which looks like a nice bonus.

When using KNOX, you can install any program in two copies, for example, install two WhatsApp messenger and use them for each SIM card (two numbers, two messengers). You can even correspond with yourself. Exactly the same trick can be done with any software; not a single phone allows you to simultaneously work with two instant messengers on one device with different numbers. Today, many Chinese manufacturers offer something similar in their smartphones, but the implementation is different everywhere.

Of course, this model supports Samsung service Pay.

I will not dwell on standard software from Samsung, for example, S Health, you can find relevant articles on our website.

Impression

The vibration alert is average, the ringer volume is also average - perhaps I would like there to be more headroom, but the phone is still audible, and you can feel it in your pockets when it vibrates. Rather, there is no reserve in terms of volume, but how will anyone perceive this moment? The device cannot be called quiet.

I liked the 2017 A5, as well as this entire series, and the previous models. The strengths remain exactly the same - excellent materials and design of the case, bright and eye-catching design, which is complemented by AlwaysON Display; competitors have nothing like that. When choosing between models in this series, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the 2017 A3 is aimed at those who make more calls, spend less time online, and watch movies. An excellent compact phone with a long battery life, I’ll talk about it in a separate review.

You can choose the 2017 A7 for its screen size, 5.7 inches versus 5.2 in the A5. However, in other respects these devices are almost similar, everything is the same. In the table you can see how all A-series devices differ.

The price of the 2017 A5 in Russia is 27,990 rubles; for comparison, the previous year’s model costs 21,990 rubles. In my opinion, the advantage of the 2017 device is obvious: IP68 protection, AlwaysOn Display, updated Android and new operating modes, increased battery life, better performance. In a word, it’s worth finding the money and buying an updated model; it will definitely last longer.

Oddly enough, in model range Samsung has another competitor for this device, the Galaxy S6, a two-year-old flagship that today sells for 30,000 rubles. It doesn't have memory cards or water protection, but it does support Gear VR, which the 2017 A5 doesn't have. Usually, previous flagships act as stronger models than the current middle class, but when comparing these devices, everything is not so clear; I would still recommend the A5 2017.

In the Apple line there is an old iPhone 6, its 16 GB version costs 28,990 rubles (refurbished device) or more than 35,000 rubles. In my opinion, it does not have any advantages, it loses in terms of screen, memory, and service life; there is no protection from water even close. In a word, here you are only buying a brand name and quite old hardware with the worst prospects for updates in the short term. If you want an iPhone, look at the new models, but be prepared to pay more.

A good alternative is the Huawei Nova; this 5-inch model also has 3 GB of RAM, a fingerprint sensor, a similar battery, and comparable cameras. But the IPS screen is something to keep in mind, there is also no water resistance, and of course there is no Samsung Pay. The price of this device is 23,000 rubles, which is noticeably cheaper and quite justified, taking into account other characteristics. But the performance of the device is not bad and it looks good.

If you look at models with water protection, then nothing but Sony Xperia X Performance doesn't come to mind. But the price of this device in federal networks is 40 thousand rubles; it belongs to a completely different class of devices, as evidenced by the use of Snapdragon 820. At the same time, other characteristics are very similar to the A5 2017, so they can be compared. It is more profitable to purchase the A5, since Sony does not have any special advantages at a higher price. The model is already a year old, now it will be replaced by an updated version, it will be shown in the coming days. But the price will not be lower, and as a result, it will not be able to become a competitor.

With your permission, I will not take into consideration a huge bunch of Chinese models, after all, their positioning is completely different, these are C-brands with all the ensuing consequences. Samsung has come up with a very interesting, high-quality model that will become a bestseller in the mid-price segment. This device looks good, lasts a long time and offers a set of features that will satisfy anyone who is not ready to buy flagship products. The phone has its own face, moreover, it is easy to remember. You should definitely take a closer look at this device if you are looking for a 5-inch Android smartphone.

At the moment, a phone from Samsung, which is called the Galaxy A7, is considered one of best smartphones on the market for similar equipment. However, due to the high cost, which generally corresponds to the quality of the device, the device is not very popular among buyers. It is because of this that the company decided to transfer a large number of functions and design components to another phone in the same line. Let's talk about it in this article. Its name is “Samsung Galaxy A5”. It was released in 2017, but has already sold out in quite large quantities among consumers. Perhaps the fact is that the gadget has taken a place in the middle price category. In order to compose full description devices, we will be based on customer reviews.

General inspection

In such a short period of time, the Samsung A5 phone was able to establish itself as a fairly powerful device for its price category. operating system, which is used is “Android 6.0”, in other words, “Marshmallow”. Moreover, the interface and menu of the phone look quite interesting and fresh. This is due to the fact that the manufacturer installed its own shell. The gadget works as quickly as possible due to the presence of 3 GB of RAM and an 8-core processor.

The screen has a diameter of 5 inches, resolution - 1080x1920 pixels. Consumers are completely satisfied with these characteristics. What else can the display boast? It does not fade in direct sunlight. Outdoor visibility is excellent in all weather conditions.

The Samsung Galaxy A5 smartphone has a wireless Internet module that operates at frequencies of 2.4 and 5 GHz. The manufacturer has built in a fingerprint scanner, which works perfectly.

Even with such excellent characteristics, some nuances still caused a negative reaction among consumers. In Russia, the average cost of a device is 28 thousand rubles. This is much more expensive than all of its competitors. But of course, the latter are significantly inferior in quality.

The Samsung A5 phone has received distinctive characteristics. What is it about? About the presence of glass that covers the case, as well as the use of protective technology. The latter makes the smartphone resistant to dust and water. The device also received unique design, which quite claims to be premium. The manufacturer also took care of fast charging. The 3 thousand mAh battery charges in only about 1 hour.

Pros and cons, according to consumers

Consumers immediately after purchase began to search for disadvantages and advantages. Let's first look at the positive characteristics of the phone.

• The screen is large and fits perfectly with the size of the case.
• There is a separate port for a memory card.
• The housing is protected from water and dust.
• The design is incredibly good.
• Charging is as fast as possible.

What disadvantages did the owners find? It’s worth noting right away that they don’t do much damage to the reputation of the Samsung A5 phone. A more detailed review is presented below, for now let’s briefly look at the shortcomings.

• Due to the dollar to ruble ratio, the cost is a little high. Although it is ideal for the American buyer.
• Some consumers note the disadvantages of using the Marshmallow operating system.
• Due to the presence of glass on the case, the device seems quite fragile, but no one has yet dared to test its strength.

Specifications

The phone went on sale in mid-January 2017. Around the same time, a case for the Samsung A5 also began to be sold. The average cost of a gadget, which has already been mentioned above, is 28 thousand rubles. Available body colors: blue, gold and black. The form factor is already clear: a smartphone. Dimensions of the gadget: length - 14.6 cm, width - 7.1 cm, thickness - 0.7 cm. Total weight of the phone - 160 g. The available touch functions include the following: barometer, accelerometer, fingerprint scanner, compass, light, proximity, and hall sensors. There are also regular mechanical buttons: power keys, volume keys. You can protect your device using a PIN code, password, graphic key or fingerprint.

These are the characteristics of the Samsung A5 phone. All that's missing is more detailed description each of the elements.

• CPU. The Exynos 7880 chipset was used. The processor received 8 cores for operation. Clock frequency falls slightly short of 2 GHz, limited to 1.9 GHz. Perhaps this is what “conquered” consumers with the Samsung A5 phone.
• Memory. The internal memory was 32 GB, and the RAM was 3 GB. The phone works with microSD. Its maximum volume can reach 256 GB.
• Display. Supports multi-touch. Diagonal - 5.2 inches. Color rendition is standard - 16.7 million. The Samsung A5 smartphone is not particularly distinguished by these characteristics.
• Camera. The main and front ones received a resolution of 16 megapixels. There is a flash that makes shooting in dark places easier. Where possible, geotagging is allowed. There is a video recording function. Using the wireless module, you can connect to TVs. Panorama shooting function available.
• Battery. Capacity - 3 thousand mAh. It is possible to quickly charge the phone, but the process is not wireless. In standby mode it can last up to 320 hours. When talking - no more than 12 hours. With continuous music playback - up to 30 hours, and video - up to 8 hours.

Separately, it is worth considering the equipment. The phone is sold with a special coupon from the service, user instructions, headphones, charger and battery.

Feedback on display and design

Most consumers call the thickness of the Samsung A5 device, the characteristics of which already make one think about buying it, normal. By today's standards, it cannot be declared too small, but it is optimal. I was also pleased with the weight of the device. Moreover, due to the use of protective technology, it was quite expected that the dimensions would become somewhat large. Consumers called the presence of a speakerphone on the right side a good move. An additional improvement is that the camera does not protrude from the body. Consumers liked it quite a lot. After all, when the device is lying on the table, it does not swing.

Buyers noted good screen. It is possible to display any applications on the active display in order to have quick access to them. Many reviews have focused on how amazing the screen-to-body ratio is. The phone is easy to hold and operate.

Reviews about the processor and memory

When it comes to the processor and memory, gaming enthusiasts immediately perk up. It must be said that the phone works great with fairly intensive programs, even when it comes to 3D graphics. So gamers should pay attention to the Samsung A5.

Reviews about RAM are also good. Users note that due to the built-in shell, which consumes few resources, the phone does not slow down and works as quickly as possible. Some were upset that out of all 32 GB, only 23 GB is available to the user. But the memory can be easily increased using external media.

Reviews about the camera

We continue our review of the Samsung A5. Reviews about the camera are only good. Consumers note some difference between the pictures of the front matrix and the main one. The first one lacks autofocus and flash, but the photos are still high-quality. Everyone admits that this option is considered almost the best.

I was also pleased with the ability to shoot video at 30 frames per second. The material is obtained in Full HD quality, which cannot but deserve praise.

Feedback about communication

Some Samsung A5 owners (reviews are 95% positive) were skeptical that the manufacturer made two ports for nano SIM cards. Two radio modules work at once, so both numbers are always active. The phone supports interaction with 4G networks, and the transfer speed also impressed many. The device has a built-in Bluetooth module that works flawlessly.

What impressed buyers the most? The phone has a special port built into it that allows you to connect Charger, synchronize with your computer, and work with a mouse and keyboard.

A fingerprint sensor is included in the Home button. Buyers were divided in opinion: some liked this decision, others did not. It works using touch technology, so there is no need to “wake up” the phone again.

A highly overrated model with average performance in a metal case

Almost two weeks ago, the presentation of the new Samsung Galaxy A3 and A5 smartphones took place, around which there have been many rumors for a long time and which were awaited with particular interest. The main highlight new series mobile devices is the transition from using plastic, traditional for Koreans, in cases to real metal: both new products received all-metal aluminum cases. With this step, the company finally met the expectations of many, because the main reason for criticism of Samsung from users has always been the questionable design, as well as the stubborn reluctance to offer metal as a material in the production of mobile device cases.

But still, this is not the main sensation: the high price at which the Korean company is going to sell its new smartphones, which in all respects are not only far from the flagship ones, but even the “solid average”, is a stretch. Samsung smartphone The Galaxy A5, which we tested, turned out to be built on an entry-level chip, equipped with a far from flagship screen with a resolution of 720p, lacking most of the functions and capabilities of its top-end counterparts, but is sold at the price of a full-fledged flagship.

Video review

To get started, we suggest watching our video review of the Samsung Galaxy A5 smartphone:

Now let's take a look at the characteristics of the new product.

Main characteristics of Samsung Galaxy A5 (model SM-A500F/DS)

	Samsung Galaxy A5	Huawei Ascend G7	Sony Xperia C3	LG L Bello	Acer Liquid Jade
Screen	5″, Super AMOLED	5.5″, IPS	5.5″, IPS	5″, IPS	5″, IPS
Permission	1280×720, 294 ppi	1280×720, 267 ppi	1280×720, 267 ppi	854×480, 196 ppi	1280×720, 294 ppi
SoC		Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (4 Cortex-A53 cores) @1.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (4 Cortex-A7 cores) @1.2 GHz		MediaTek MT6582 (4 Cortex-A7 cores) @1.3 GHz
GPU	Adreno 306	Adreno 306	Adreno 305	Mali 400MP	Mali 400MP
RAM	2 GB	2 GB	1 GB	1 GB	1 GB
Flash memory	16 GB	16 GB	8 GB	8 GB	8 GB
Memory card support	microSD	microSD	microSD	microSD	microSD
operating system	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4
Battery	non-removable, 2300 mAh	non-removable, 3000 mAh	non-removable, 2500 mAh	removable, 2540 mAh	non-removable, 2100 mAh
Cameras		rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP)	rear (8 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP)	rear (8 MP; video 1080p), front (1.3 MP)	rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (2 MP)
Dimensions and weight	139×70×6.7 mm, 123 g	153×77×7.6 mm, 172 g	156×78×7.6 mm, 150 g	138×71×10.7 mm, 137 g	140×69×7.5 mm, 110 g
average price	T-11755838	T-11030516	T-10958363	T-11036010	T-11168663
Samsung Galaxy A5 offers	L-11755838-10

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916), 4 cores ARM Cortex-A53 (64-bit), 1.2 GHz
• GPU Adreno 306
• operating room Android system 4.4.4
• Touchscreen Super AMOLED, 5″, 1280×720, 294 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 2 GB, internal memory 16 GB
• SIM cards: 2 Nano-SIM
• Support for microSD memory cards or a second SIM card
• Data transmission LTE Ca4 (150/50 Mbit/s)
• Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, point Wi-Fi access, Wi-Fi Direct
• GPS/A-GPS, BDS, Glonass
• Position, proximity, lighting sensors, electronic compass
• Camera 13 MP (F2.0), autofocus, LED flash
• Camera 5 MP (F2.2), front
• Battery 2300 mAh
• Dimensions 139×70×6.7 mm
• Weight 123 g

Appearance and ease of use

Regarding the design, it can be stated that there are still no breakthroughs here. In appearance, the new devices are practically indistinguishable from their predecessors. This is especially true for the front panel - the easily recognizable style of Samsung smartphones has not changed at all.

As for materials, the devices actually received metal cases, and entirely made of this material. That is, the back wall and sides in such a case form a solid “trough”, and gluing occurs in the place where the glass of the screen adjoins the metal in the front part.

However, either the Koreans did not have enough experience in handling metal, or the design idea failed, but everyone recognized the fact: Samsung managed to make such a case out of metal that no one but themselves could notice it. The metal here is carefully primed and painted so that it gives the complete impression that this is plastic, both in appearance and to the touch. The presence of metal can be recognized only by surfaces that are colder than plastic, and by unpainted chamfers on the side edges. And this required confirmation from the company representatives themselves, because in previous models the Koreans very skillfully faked their plastic rims to look like real metal. And yet, why it was necessary to hide the metal so carefully under paint remains a mystery. The explanations of the company representatives - they say this was done solely for better grip on the palm - are hard to believe.

“I am very glad that Samsung honored me and invited me to participate in the announcement of the new series of Samsung Galaxy A smartphones in Russia. As an Olympic champion, I am especially pleased with this cooperation, since Samsung has been supporting the Olympic movement for many years,” said Viktor An, a Russian athlete, six-time Olympic champion in short track, during the presentation. “I am so proud of Samsung for creating great innovations that help Olympic athletes and millions of people around the world every day. I am sure that the smartphones presented today Samsung series And, as always, great success awaits!”

Distracting from Samsung's unusual behavior and moving on to a direct statement of facts, we can note: the Galaxy A5 device was not large, not heavy and not thick. The phone looks and feels similar to other sleek five-inch options like the Nexus 5, Lenovo Vibe X2 or Alcatel Idol X+. Due to its small size, the device fits well in the hand, although the hard, sharp and straight wide edges clearly do not add comfort when handling the device.

As already mentioned, the back wall and sides are made of metal, the case has no removable elements, and you can’t get to the battery yourself. Accordingly, the SIM card and memory card are installed in the side slots, sliding into them on a metal slide. According to the not very pleasant tradition that has developed recently, it is proposed to compromise and choose only one of the possible options for using cards: either install two Nano-SIM cards without the possibility of expanding the memory, or put a microSD card in the second slot, but then The device will not work with two SIM cards. This strange idea of ​​saving captured the minds of not only Chinese developers, but, as it turned out, Korean ones too. It is completely unclear what benefits such a solution should provide - after all, the market is full of devices with simultaneous support for two SIM cards and a memory card, and even with two “full-size” Mini-SIM cards, there is nothing special about it.

Despite the fact that the smartphone body is not super thin, the camera module nevertheless protrudes noticeably from the back wall. In this matter, the new Samsung smartphones turned out to be no better than the notorious ones Apple iPhone 6/6 Plus, which only the lazy would not “wash their bones” for this option of placing the camera module.

On both sides of the camera lens, the same square-shaped LED flash and chrome speaker grille are symmetrically distributed. Since the protruding camera module does not allow the grille to overlap with the surface of the table, the sound of a smartphone lying on the table is practically not muffled. But they didn’t provide a built-in flashlight mode for the flash; the flash module itself has only one section.

The front of the smartphone is completely covered with protective Gorilla Glass, adjacent directly to the metal frame, without any padding. A longitudinal hole is cut in the glass for the chrome speaker grille. The sensors and the front camera peephole are visible nearby. It’s strange, but there was no place in the device for such a useful element as an LED notification sensor.

At the bottom, under the screen, there is the usual oval mechanical key and two touch buttons on either side of it. The buttons have a bright white backlight with the ability to adjust the duration. The front panel under the glass has a dotted texture, which makes the smartphone prettier and more expensive.

On both sides there are mechanical keys for volume control and locking; the buttons are quite large, hard, metallized, and the controls are in Samsung devices traditionally no complaints. But this time the Micro-USB 2.0 connector and the audio output for headphones with a diameter of 3.5 mm are clustered on one, lower end, very close to each other. Accordingly, there is nothing on the top end except a second auxiliary microphone. It’s simply amazing, but the creators of a smartphone priced at 24 thousand rubles didn’t even bother to equip it with OTG (USB Host) support.

The smartphone is not protected from dust and moisture and does not support wireless charging, there is no strap mount on the case. In addition to the white color option, there will also be a dark blue Galaxy A5 on sale, in which all elements, including the side frame and the front panel under the glass, are also painted in the same body color.

Screen

The Samsung Galaxy A5 smartphone is equipped with a Super AMOLED touch matrix. The physical dimensions of the display are 62x110 mm, diagonal - 5 inches. The screen resolution in pixels is only 1280×720 (dot density 294 ppi), such a resolution is low for a device in the price category that the hero of the review claims to be. The Galaxy A5's five-inch screen area is not that small, and the screen is made using Pentile technology.

The display brightness has manual and automatic adjustment, the latter based on the operation of the light sensor. There is also a proximity sensor that blocks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear. Multi-touch technology allows you to process 10 simultaneous touches. The side frames around the screen are not impressive: the distance from the edge of the body to the edge of the screen on the sides is about 4 mm, and on the top and bottom - approximately 14 mm. Unlocking the screen by tapping or any other gesture is not provided, and nothing is said about the possibility of working with the screen while wearing gloves.

A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections, Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are no worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Samsung Galaxy A5, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen of the Samsung Galaxy A5 is slightly lighter (brightness according to photographs is 101 versus 98 for the Nexus 7) and does not have a pronounced tint. Note that the reflection from bright objects in the screen of the Samsung Galaxy A5 has a pale bluish halo that is slightly more pronounced in the transverse direction. The ghosting of reflected objects on the screen of the Samsung Galaxy A5 is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass-air type) with very different refractive indices, screens without an air gap look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. On the outer surface of the Samsung Galaxy A5 screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, noticeably better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a lower speed than in the case of regular glass.

When the white field was displayed in full screen and with manual brightness control, its maximum value was 340 cd/m², the minimum was 4.7 cd/m². You also need to take into account the fact that in this case, the smaller the white area on the screen, the brighter it is, that is, the actual maximum brightness of the white areas will almost always be higher than the specified value. For example, when outputting white on half the screen, the maximum brightness with manual adjustment increases to 360 cd/m². As a result, readability during the day in the sun should be at a fairly good level (there was no opportunity to test it). The reduced brightness level allows you to use the device even in complete darkness without any problems. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located to the right of the front speaker slot). You can make adjustments to the operation of this function by moving the adjustment slider from −5 to +5 units. Below, for three conditions, we present the screen brightness values ​​for three values ​​of this setting - for −5, 0 and +5. In complete darkness in automatic mode, the brightness is reduced to 4.7, 9.6 and 21 cd/m², respectively (the first is a bit dark, the rest are normal), in an office illuminated by artificial light (approximately 400 lux) the brightness is set to 62, 147 and 297 cd/m² (a bit dark - just right - a bit light, which corresponds to the given correction), in a brightly lit environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) - rises to 340 cd/m² regardless of the slider position. This value is equal to the maximum for manual adjustment. In general, the result of the automatic brightness adjustment function is as expected. Only at medium and low brightness levels there is modulation with a frequency of 240 Hz. The figure below shows brightness (vertical axis) versus time (horizontal axis) for several brightness settings:

It can be seen that at maximum and close to it brightness, the modulation amplitude is minimal and its frequency is 60 Hz (screen refresh rate), as a result, there is no visible flicker. However, when the brightness decreases (somewhere to 70% and below), modulation appears with a frequency of 240 Hz and a large relative amplitude. Therefore, the presence of such modulation can already be seen in a test for the presence of a stroboscopic effect or simply with rapid eye movement. Depending on individual sensitivity, this flickering may cause increased fatigue.

This screen uses a Super AMOLED matrix - an active matrix on organic light-emitting diodes. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B), but there are twice as many green subpixels, which can be referred to as RGBG. This is confirmed by a fragment of a microphotograph:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

In the fragment above you can count 4 green subpixels, 2 red (4 halves) and 2 blue (1 whole and 4 quarters), and by repeating these fragments, you can lay out the entire screen without breaks or overlap. For such matrices, Samsung introduced the name PenTile RGBG. The manufacturer calculates the screen resolution based on the green subpixels; based on the other two, it will be two times lower. The location and shape of the subpixels in this version is close to the case of the screen of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and some other newer devices from Samsung and not only with AMOLED screens. This version of PenTile RGBG is better than the old one with red squares, blue rectangles and stripes of green subpixels. However, some unevenness of contrast borders and other artifacts are still present. However, due to the fairly high resolution, they have a minimal impact on image quality.

The screen is characterized by excellent viewing angles, although white color, when deviated even at small angles, acquires a slight blue-green tint, but black color is just black at any angle. So black that the contrast setting is not applicable in this case. When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the white field is excellent. For comparison, here are photographs in which the screens of the Samsung Galaxy A5 (profile Basic) and the second comparison participant, identical images were displayed, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to approximately 200 cd/m², and the color balance on the camera was forced to switch to 6500 K. White field:

Note the excellent uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture (profile Basic):

Color rendition is good, however, the color balance of the screens is slightly different and the colors of the Samsung Galaxy A5 are a little more saturated (at least that’s how the image is recorded by the camera). The photo above was taken after selecting a profile Basic in the screen settings, there are four in total. Profile Adaptive display differs in some kind of automatic adjustment to the type of displayed image and environmental conditions, which is obtained by selecting the two remaining profiles shown below.

Movie AMOLED:

Saturation and color contrast have increased noticeably, the skin is excessively reddish.

Photo AMOLED:

Saturation is still high, but color contrast is back to normal. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen (again profile Basic). White field:

The brightness at an angle for both screens has noticeably decreased (to avoid strong darkening, the shutter speed was doubled compared to the previous two photographs), but in the case of Samsung the drop in brightness is much less pronounced. As a result, with formally the same brightness samsung screen The Galaxy A5 looks much brighter visually (compared to LCD screens) as the screen mobile device often you have to look at least from a slight angle. And a test picture:

It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens and the brightness of the Samsung at an angle is noticeably higher. Switching the state of the matrix elements is performed almost instantly, but at the switching edge there may be a step with a width of 16.7 ms (which corresponds to a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz). For example, this is what the dependence of brightness on time looks like when moving from black to gray and back:

In some conditions, the presence of such a step can lead to plumes trailing moving objects, but in normal use these artifacts are difficult to see. Quite the contrary - dynamic scenes in films on OLED screens are different high definition and even some “twitchiness” of movements.

For profiles Photo AMOLED And Basic constructed using 32 points with an equal interval in the numerical value of the shade of gray, the gamma curve did not reveal any blockage in either highlights or shadows, and the index of the approximating power function is 2.21-2.23, which is very close to the standard value of 2.2 , while the real gamma curve deviates little from the power-law dependence (the captions in parentheses show the exponent of the approximating power function and the coefficient of determination):

For profile Movie AMOLED The gamma curve has a slightly pronounced S-shape, which increases the apparent contrast of the image, but shades are still distinguishable in the shadows.

Let us recall that in the case of OLED screens, the brightness of image fragments dynamically changes in accordance with the nature of the displayed image - it decreases for generally light images. As a result, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) most likely slightly does not correspond to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential display of shades of gray on almost the entire screen. This image dynamism increases when you select the option Auto tuning screen brightness. In this case, on the graph of brightness (vertical axis) versus time (horizontal axis), when moving from black to white and back, a descending section appears, that is, the brightness of the white field begins to decrease after about 0.3 s:

Color gamut in the case of a profile Movie AMOLED very wide, but does not cover Adobe RGB gamut:

When selecting a profile Photo AMOLED the coverage changes slightly:

When selecting a profile Basic the coverage is significantly compressed, almost to the limits of sRGB:

Without correction, the spectra of the components are very well separated:

In case of profile Basic with maximum correction, the color components are already noticeably mixed with each other:

Note that on screens with a wide color gamut, without appropriate correction, the colors of regular images optimized for sRGB devices appear unnaturally saturated. Hence the recommendation - in most cases, watching movies, photographs and everything natural is better when choosing a profile Basic, and only if the photo was taken on an Adobe RGB setting, does it make sense to switch the profile to Photo AMOLED. Profile Movie AMOLED, despite the name, is the least suitable for watching movies or anything else.

The balance of shades on the gray scale is not ideal, but, in general, acceptable. Color temperature in profile Movie AMOLED above 6500 K, in the remaining two - close to 6500 K, while in a significant portion of the gray scale this parameter does not change very much. The deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) over most of the gray scale remains below 10 units, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device, and also does not change much:

(The darkest areas of the gray scale can in most cases be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

Let's summarize. The screen has a fairly high maximum brightness and has good anti-glare properties, so the device will most likely not be special problems Can be used outdoors even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. It is permissible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works quite adequately. The advantages of the screen include a very good oleophobic coating, as well as a color gamut close to sRGB and an acceptable color balance (if you select the appropriate profiles). At the same time, let us remind you about the general advantages of OLED screens: true black color (if nothing is reflected in the screen), excellent uniformity of the white field, noticeably less than that of LCDs, and a drop in image brightness when viewed at an angle. Disadvantages include modulation of screen brightness. For users who are particularly sensitive to flicker, this may cause increased fatigue. However, overall the screen quality is very high.

Sound

The device has one main speaker; it produces a fairly loud sound, rich in the entire frequency spectrum. The smartphone sounds pleasant; at maximum volume the sound is not distorted. In conversational dynamics, the voice of a familiar interlocutor, timbre and intonation remain recognizable, the conversation is quite comfortable.

To play melodies, a proprietary player with the maximum number of settings is used as standard. All sound effects are combined with a technology called SoundAlive - although some of them are only available with connected headphones. The same applies to the sound optimization function. There are a lot of different virtual effects, visually they are combined into a matrix of squares.

An FM radio is included as standard with the smartphone, and there is also a voice recorder. The voice recorder is simple, unlike top Samsung smartphones, there is not such a variety of recording modes, everything is standard. The radio will not work without headphones connected as an external antenna, but it can record programs. The device cannot record telephone conversations from the line.

The main, rear 13-megapixel camera has an f/2.0 aperture, autofocus and LED flash. The settings menu is clear and intuitive; it is divided into equal cells, each of which is always visible and interactive. In addition, each of the cells can be pulled up and made into a shortcut for quick access in a separate top line. The icons are clearly drawn, everything is perfectly visible even in the brightest sunlight, and in general the implementation of the camera control menu in the latest Samsung devices is one of the best on the market.

However, the camera itself is not nearly as rich in capabilities as the cameras of flagship devices: there is no intelligent optical stabilization function (Smart OIS) and a selective focus mode for blurring the background, there is no slow or fast video recording, and there is no ability to shoot video in 4K or at 60 speed. fps. The only shooting modes are traditional panoramic, portrait, and night.

Video samsung camera Galaxy A5 can shoot with a maximum resolution of Full HD 1920x1080 (30 fps); 4K resolution and 60 fps shooting speed are not supported here. The quality of video recording can be judged by the test videos below.

• Video No. 1 (42 MB, 1920×1080 @30fps)
• Video No. 2 (46 MB, 1920×1080 @30fps)

	Attention to detail quickly disappears as the shot is removed, but overall the sharpness is quite good.
	The branches are well done. In the lower left corner you can see a large area of ​​blur.
	Despite the considerable amount of noise reduction, the house looks good, and the inscriptions are well done.
	The center has excellent sharpness in all shots, but the left side of the image spoils the whole picture.
	Another confirmation that it is better not to place important details on the left side of the frame when composing - all plans on the right are good.
	“Smeared” noises are visible on the asphalt.
	Sometimes the noise reduction works quite softly on plain surfaces.
	But he doesn’t always succeed.
	The camera copes with macro photography.
	In close-ups, much more attention is paid to small details than in general ones.
	In insufficient lighting there is a very high probability of blurring. Shutter speed 1/33 second.
	The text is very blurry, and it's not a matter of sharpness, but a long shutter speed (1/25 second). It is better to shoot text indoors with flash.

Well, everything here is quite expected. Samsung put into a smartphone not weak, but not best camera, which corresponds to the positioning of the device. Moreover, in some places you can’t help but feel that the camera could have shot better, but it’s as if it wasn’t specially modified so that it wouldn’t stand out too much from the hardware around it.

However, the camera itself is quite good. They didn’t stand on ceremony with software processing here - they just took what was simpler and better, and we can’t say that this is a bad option. Sharping is noticeable, but very moderate, and occurs only in places. The camera doesn’t pay much attention to the details in the background, but it doesn’t spoil them with attempts to improve them. The noise reduction is quite functional and quite neat, but it can afford radical measures in the form of a banal “smearing” of noise over plain surfaces. There are areas of blur in the corners, but in the center the sharpness is decent. However, in low light, the camera resorts to relatively long shutter speeds (1/33 s), and images when shooting handheld come out blurry.

It’s still not worth using the camera for artistic photography, but it will cope very well with documentary photography.

Telephone and communications

The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks, and also supports networks fourth generation LTE Cat4 with maximum possible speed up to 150 Mbit/s for reception. In practice, with a SIM card from the domestic operator MTS, the smartphone confidently recognizes and works with 4G networks.

Network capabilities are implemented modestly: there is support for NFC technology, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, as standard you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi channels or Bluetooth. But unlike its flagship counterparts, there is neither 2x2 MIMO mode nor support Wi-Fi standard 802.11ac, no ANT+ and DLNA. It is also not supported to connect external devices to USB port in OTG mode, there is no MHL support.

The navigation module works with both GPS and the domestic Glonass system, and also sees satellites of the Chinese Beidou (BDS). There are no complaints about the navigation module; satellites are found very quickly.

The drawing of letters and numbers of virtual keyboards is quite large, it is also possible to change the size of the entire desktop, or you can separately reduce the block virtual keyboard and even move it to any place on the screen. The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing telephone number A search is also carried out immediately using the first letters in contacts. For Swype fans, there is a method of continuous input using a stroke from letter to letter; for this you need to enable the T9 service in the settings.

The smartphone supports working with two SIM cards, and in general, working with them in the menu is organized according to a familiar principle: you can designate any of the SIM cards as the main one for organizing voice calls, transferring data or sending SMS messages. When dialing a number, you can also select the desired card by calling the context menu from the notification menu. A SIM card in any slot can work with 3G (LTE) networks, but only one of the cards can work in this mode at the same time (the second will only work in 2G). There is only one radio module installed in the device, but the standard one for all is implemented here. Samsung models Duos has the so-called “Active mode”, which allows you to receive a call on the second SIM card when the first one is busy. This is realized by setting up cross-forwarding of the numbers of both cards to each other. The operation of the active mode of two SIM cards is based on such operator services cellular communication, like call forwarding and call waiting/hold. After turning on the mode, the device prompts you to manually enter two numbers that will be forwarded to each other. For the function to work, the forwarding service must be activated on both SIM cards. You can read more about the implementation of “Active Mode”.

OS and software

Samsung Galaxy A5, even after the official release of the fifth version of Android OS, goes on sale and runs initially on the Google Android software platform version 4.4.4, an update to version 5.x is promised later. The proprietary TouchWiz graphical user interface is traditionally installed on top of the OS interface. The drawing of all elements, the internal arrangement of the shell, the location of menu items, settings sections and pop-up contextual submenus - everything is familiar and very similar to what is implemented in the same Galaxy S5 or Galaxy Alpha with the exception of some flagship features that are missing in the new smartphone. For example, the Galaxy A5 has a very limited set of supported gestures.

The hardware and software complex of the hero of the review, unlike even the non-flagship Samsung Galaxy S5 mini, is simplified beyond recognition. There is no fingerprint scanner built into the front button, no infrared transmitter on the top end, and no familiar heart rate sensor, usually located on the back of top-end Samsung devices.

Accordingly, among the applications, even the developers’ favorite one is not preinstalled Samsung program to track your own health called S Health, which could measure heart rate and stress resistance. The energy-saving mode, privacy mode, and the ability to work in two windows simultaneously remain in place. Added the Briefing news panel, called up from the left with a side swipe - an analogue of HTC Blinkfeed.

Performance

Like the Huawei Ascend G7, the hero of the review is one of the few middle-class mobile devices that operates on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 platform. The platform is quite new, 64-bit, but this is far from a top-end chip - rather, an entry-level solution that produces a very low performance. The central processor here has 4 Cortex-A53 cores operating at 1.2 GHz. Graphics processing is handled by the Adreno 306 video processor with a core frequency of 400 MHz. The device has 2 GB of RAM. The smartphone doesn’t have a lot of built-in memory - out of the nominal 16 GB internal memory about 11 are available to the user. The possibility of expanding the built-in memory is provided: you can install a microSD card in the smartphone, but then the second SIM card will have to be removed. But the device does not support the mode of connecting external devices to the USB port (USB Host, USB OTG) - you cannot connect an external flash drive.

According to the test results, if we compare the performance of the new 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 platform with the previous 32-bit SoC Snapdragon 400, no particularly noticeable increase is visible. There is, of course, a difference, but compared to the results of higher-level platforms, the significance of such an increase is leveled out. Here are the same modest results (up to 20K) in AnTuTu against the background of 45K and higher in top models and 30-35K in confident mid-level models. The graphics accelerator of the new product looks especially sad in comparison with its competitors. Even the modest Asus Zenfone 5 on the Intel Atom Z2560 platform, which even after the price increase costs only 10 thousand rubles, confidently outperforms the Snapdragon 410 with its Adreno 306 in all graphics tests.

So it’s a stretch to call devices based on the Snapdragon 410 platform, even 64-bit, “average”; their hardware performance is below average.

Testing in latest versions comprehensive tests AnTuTu and GeekBench 3:

For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions test programs.

Testing the graphics subsystem in 3DMark game tests,GFXBenchmark, and Bonsai Benchmark:

When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

	Samsung Galaxy A5	Huawei Ascend G7 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 410/Adreno 306)	Sony Xperia C3 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 400/Adreno 305)	LG L Bello	Acer Liquid Jade (Mediatek MT6582/Mali-400MP)	Asus Zenfone 5 (Intel Atom Z2560/PowerVR SGX 544MP)
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme (more is better)	2624	2620	2855	2127	2050	3596
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited (more is better)	4386	4452	4668	2881	2817	5697
GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Onscreen)	9.6 fps	9.8 fps	4.0 fps	9.8 fps	7.2 fps	12.4 fps
GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Offscreen)	5.4 fps	5.3 fps	—	4.2 fps	4.1 fps	7.0 fps
Bonsai Benchmark	1726 (25 fps)	1707 (24 fps)	1290 (18 fps)	2112 (30 fps)	1290 (18 fps)	3321 (47 fps)

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.

Playing video

To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a single table.

According to the testing results, the subject was not provided with full support for all the necessary decoders, in this case, audio ones. To fully play most of the most common files on the network, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, even in it you will have to first change the settings, switching from hardware decoding to software or new mode entitled Hardware+(not supported by all smartphones). By the way, in the latest versions of the program, unfortunately, due to licensing problems, support for the AC3 sound codec, used in the vast majority of video content on the Internet, was removed, so that users lost sound when watching their favorite TV shows and films. But there is a way out of this situation: you need to manually connect the codec, downloaded for a specific processor model in the smartphone by the user himself. Here is a short guide for those who encounter this problem:

In the MX player settings, select the “Decoder” → “Download custom codec” section (bottom line). After this, a page should open in your browser asking you to select and download the desired codec for your phone (the player itself will tell you which version to choose). After downloading, we return to the MX player settings, again go to the “Decoder” section, only now select the penultimate item “Select a custom codec”, a list of internal folders will open, from which you need to select the folder where you downloaded the codec. Select it and confirm your choice. The sound will appear again.

Format	Container, video, sound	MX Video Player	Standard video player
DVDRip	AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL SD	AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL HD	MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000 Kbps, AC3		plays without sound
BDRip 720p	MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000 Kbps, AC3	plays fine with custom codec	plays without sound
BDRip 1080p	MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000 Kbps, AC3	plays fine with custom codec	plays without sound

Tested video output features Alexey Kudryavtsev.

We did not find the MHL interface, like Mobility DisplayPort, in this smartphone, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices) Red marks indicate possible problems related to the playback of the corresponding files.

According to the criterion of frame output, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the device itself is good, since frames (or groups of frames) can be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames. When playing video files with a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels (720p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, one to one in pixels, that is, in the original resolution. The worlds show the peculiarities of PenTile - the vertical world through the pixel looks like a grid, but the horizontal world with stripes through the pixel does not have the typical greenishness. The brightness range displayed on the screen actually corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - in the shadows only a couple of shades merge with black, but in the highlights all gradations of shades are displayed.

Battery life

The capacity of the lithium-ion battery installed in the Samsung Galaxy A5 is not the largest - only a modest 2300 mAh. However, the smartphone proved to be quite worthy when tested in traditional load modes, which, in general, is not surprising - after all, there is neither a powerful productive platform nor an energy-intensive screen with high resolution. The new product does not break autonomy records, but everything is at a very decent level.

	Battery capacity	Reading mode	Video mode	3D Game Mode
Samsung Galaxy A5	2300 mAh	14:00	11:00 am	4 hours 20 minutes
Huawei Ascend G7	3000 mAh	20:00	13:30	6:30 a.m.
Sony Xperia C3	2500 mAh	14:30	9:30 a.m.	5 hours 50 minutes
LG L Bello	2540 mAh	14:00	10:20 am	4 hours 50 minutes
LG L Fino	1900 mAh	10:00 am	7:00 am	4 hours 10 minutes
LG L90	2540 mAh	15:20	10:00 am	4 hours 50 minutes
Acer Liquid Jade	2100 mAh	13:20	8 hours 40 minutes	4 hours 30 minutes
Wexler Zen 5+	2000 mAh	8 h. 10 m.	5 h. 30 m.	3:00 am
Alcatel Idol 2 mini S	2000 mAh	15:50	9:00 a.m.	4:00 am
Huawei P6	2000 mAh	14:50	7 h. 10 m.	4:00 am
Asus Padfone E	1820 mAh	15:20	7 h. 10 m.	3 hours 50 minutes
Samsung S4 mini	1900 mAh	16:40	10:30 a.m.	4 hours 40 minutes
LG G2 mini	2440 mAh	16:00	10:00 am	5:00 a.m.
Motorola Moto G	2070 mAh	15:20	8:00 am	4 hours 20 minutes
ZTE nubia Z5 mini	2300 mAh	11:05 am	8:00 am	3 hours 50 minutes

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted about 14 hours until the battery was completely discharged. When continuously watching videos in high quality (720p) with the same brightness level through the home Wi-Fi network the device lasted 11 hours. In 3D gaming mode the device worked for almost 4.5 hours. Full charging time is just over 2 hours.

Bottom line

Something strange is going on with Samsung’s marketing, and it seems that it’s due to declining revenues lately and more complicated competition with seasoned Chinese manufacturers who are nipping at their heels. The Koreans released a smartphone that was completely simplified on all fronts, cutting out everything possible from it, and now they are trying to sell it at the price of a full-fledged flagship. Doesn’t Samsung seriously think that just because of the appearance of metal in the body, users must put up with poor performance, a screen resolution that is far from the flagship, a crippled user interface, and pay 24 thousand rubles to the cash register for this? And this despite the fact that, even unlike its cheaper brother, the Galaxy S5 mini, the hero of the review has neither a fingerprint sensor, nor a heart rate sensor, nor an infrared transmitter, nor moisture protection. There is no time to even mention that the smartphone lacks a lot of such fundamentally useful little things as an LED event indicator, a flashlight, support for USB OTG and a second Wi-Fi band (5 GHz), etc., etc. O there is no need to speak of competitors: for the same 24 thousand, almost simultaneously, an excellent true flagship, maximally rich in functions and capabilities, was presented, HTC Desire Eye, and even for much less money you can still get twice the performance Lenovo Vibe X2 with Full HD screen. The Samsung Galaxy A5 smartphone is made of high-quality materials with the company's inherent high level execution, nevertheless, in terms of its capabilities and characteristics, it is very simple, and its place is in a completely different price category.