Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) review - a step back under the guise of innovation. Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) review - a step back in the guise of innovation Always active screen

For some reason, there is an opinion among buyers that buying a smartphone in the mid-price category deprives them of many of the opportunities that they could get by purchasing a flagship of a similar brand. Samsung has tried to break this stereotype with its new A line.

On the agenda - review Samsung Galaxy A7 2017. Unlike some, this model is protected from moisture and dust, supports Samsung Pay, has a cool camera and a high-quality display with the Always On function. But first things first.

Price and main characteristics

A7 is more expensive than other smartphones in this model line. You will have to pay about $580 for the device.


Specifications:

• display: 5.7″ Super AMOLED, Full HD 1920*1080 px, 386ppi;
• processor: Samsung Exynos 7880 (1.9 GHz) + Mali-T830 MP3 video accelerator;
• RAM: 3 GB;
• internal memory: 32 GB + microSDXC flash cards up to 256 GB;
• camera: main – 16 MP, front – 16 MP;
• communication: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, GLONASS, LTE;
• battery: 3600 mAh;
• dimensions: 156.8 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm;
• Weight: 186 g

IN model range Galaxy A 2017 A7 is the largest smartphone, so the choice of all users who want to purchase a phablet from the Korean company one way or another comes down to this model.

Equipment and appearance

Compared to last year's model, the A7's packaging remains virtually unchanged. The only difference is the 2017 designation in the upper right corner of the box. The main ones are highlighted at the back specifications devices.

The smartphone comes with a solid set of accessories: an in-ear headset, Charger, Type-C cable and OTG adapter. To ensure that owners of old microUSB cords are not left behind, a TypeC-MicroUSB adapter was also included in the box.


By tradition, A series phones adopt the features Samsung flagships last generation. This time, the look of the A7 is almost copied from the Galaxy S7. Compared to last year's A7, the edges of the smartphone have acquired a slightly more rounded shape, and the metal frame around the body is now painted in the main color of the device.


In Russia, only three color options are currently available: black, milky blue and gold. They may be joined by a pink version, which should hit shelves soon.


The back and front panels of the phone are covered with glass. Its edges are smoothly rounded towards the aluminum frame. The design is monolithic, there are no gaps between individual materials.


Under the 5.7-inch display on the front plane there is a familiar mechanical “Home” key with a built-in fingerprint scanner. On the right and left there are two touch pads: “Back” and “Switching applications”.


The Samsung brand designation immediately catches the eye. It is located just below the earpiece strip above the screen. Here you can also see a proximity sensor and a 16-megapixel front camera.


At the top there is a perforation for a microphone, as well as a slot for SIM and MicroSD cards. One of the indisputable advantages of the A7 is full support for two SIM cards and a memory card.


The place for the second SIM card is located on the left side of the A7. Just above the slot there is a volume rocker.


The screen activation button and multimedia speaker are located on the right side of the smartphone.


There is a port on the bottom edge of the device USB Type-C, conversational microphone and 3.5 mm headphone jack. If you look closely, you can see two thin stripes - these are plastic antenna posts.


Behind the 3D glass on the back panel there is a built-in 16-megapixel main camera with LED flash. Even lower is the Samsung logo. The 2017 A7 has a slightly different camera design. It has shrunk and now does not protrude above the body at all, which is why back panel looks a little empty.


During use, the relatively large size of the smartphone constantly makes itself felt. It can sometimes be difficult to operate it on the go with one hand, and because of the glass coating on both sides, the device tends to slip out of your hands every now and then.


A7 2017 is certified according to the IP68 waterproof standard, thanks to which it is reliably protected from dust or water getting inside. The A7 can withstand a half-hour dive to a depth of 1.5 meters.

Screen

Since the A7 is the older model in the line, it is equipped with the largest 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920*1080 pixels. Traditionally, pixels are placed using PenTile technology, but the looseness of fonts and pixelation of the image are absolutely not noticeable during standard use of the smartphone. Multi-touch supports up to 10 touches.


The quality of the smartphone display, as always in older Samsungs, is at the highest level. Colors are not distorted and do not lose brightness when viewing angles change, the picture is contrasty, rich and rich.


Screen color reproduction can be adjusted by changing preset modes. In the settings, “Adaptive screen”, “Cinema AMOLED” or “Photo AMOLED” are activated. Modes change colors from bright and saturated to more natural. There is also a blue light filter to reduce eye strain.


The AlwaysOn Dispay function, first tested on flagship devices, has now appeared in the A line. The smartphone can display the date, time, battery charge and other basic information on the switched off display. AlwaysOn Display has virtually no effect on time battery life devices.

Performance

The Galaxy A7 is equipped with an octa-core Exynos 7880 processor, Mali T830MP3 graphics and 3GB LPDDR3 RAM. For applications and multimedia, there is 32 GB of internal memory, which can be expanded with microSD cards.

The smartphone's hardware platform copes well with regular applications, smooth interface animations and most modern games. In WoT Blitz on maximum settings we got a stable 35 frames per second in the most dynamic scenes. Results in AnTuTu:

Of course, the A7 is not a gaming device. However, the smartphone is able to satisfy the needs of the vast majority of users. The Grace UX shell based on Android 6.0.1 works without lags or freezes, and the fingerprint scanner almost instantly recognizes the owner’s finger.

Camera

A-series smartphones are positioned as devices for active young people who regularly use the multimedia capabilities of their gadgets. The A7 relies on two 16-megapixel modules on the rear and front panels.


The main camera is equipped with phase detection autofocus and LED flash. The optics have an aperture of f/1.9, but in terms of night photography this is far from the flagships. First of all, the lack of optical stabilization affects it. Samsung's decision not to implement this feature is doubly strange considering that last year's A7 had it.

During the day, you can take excellent photos in automatic and HDR modes. The second one copes well with shots against the sun, significantly expanding the dynamic range. There is a panoramic shooting mode.

Module front camera a little inferior to the main one. However, it still shoots better than most other smartphones. Overall, the A7 is roughly in line with the S6 flagship launched two years ago.

Video examples:

In the native camera application, navigation is carried out mainly by swipes. Even a beginner can understand how to change a mode or some parameter thanks to the intuitive interface. For example, to go to a selfie, just swipe from top to bottom. Available shooting modes “roll out” when you swipe from left to right.

Speaker, sound quality

The multimedia speaker is located on the right side of the smartphone, which is why the sound does not overlap vertically or horizontal position. The sound itself is a little muffled due to the moisture-proof membrane in the speaker. Samsung decided to sacrifice this component to protect the device.


But the music sounds great in headphones. In a standard headset you can hear soft bass and clear high frequencies. Individual parameters can be configured in the equalizer. There are UHQ upscalle and SoundAlive audio effects. Using Adapt Sound technology, the A7 adjusts the sound to the characteristics of the owner's hearing aid, so those who like to play with the equalizer will not be disappointed.

Battery

The A7 combines a 3600 mAh battery with an energy-efficient processor and a SuperAMOLED screen, which provides the phone with about 2 days of battery life in normal mode and 10 hours in a stress test (Wi-Fi on, maximum screen brightness, watching videos).


You can charge your smartphone using either a new cable or miniUSB. The kit includes an adapter to the new standard USB Type-C. Supported fast charging Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging, which fully charges the device in an hour and a half.

Communication and Internet

The Wi-Fi module of the smartphone operates using a\b\g\n\ac protocols. Using MIMO technology, you can significantly speed up the data exchange process. In this mode, the device simultaneously uses both antennas. Supports Bluetooth 4.2 with low power consumption technology.

You can pay with your smartphone using Samsung Pay. To do this, the A7 was equipped with an NFC module that simulates bank card. The connection between the device and satellites works flawlessly, the connection occurs in just a few seconds. GPS and GLONASS are used here.

Video review of Samsung Galaxy A7

Competitors, conclusion

• Good build quality
• Waterproof IP68
• Always On Display
• Great camera
• Long battery life

• No optical stabilization
• The sound quality of the speaker is degraded due to the moisture-proof membrane

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) is a solid competitor to many average smartphones price segment. It pleases with its excellent design, good battery life, high-quality screen, protection from moisture and a bunch of new features that have migrated from the flagship to a cheaper model.

Classmates

If the article was useful to you, do not forget to bookmark (Cntr+D) so as not to lose it and subscribe to our channel!

Do you often go on business trips and don’t want to overpay for communications? There is no need to buy a new SIM card with an unknown number to your colleagues, now you can make/receive calls over Wi-Fi at the price of calls in Russia for both you and the caller.

Introducing Samsung model Galaxy A7 (2017) SM-A720F/DS (SM-A720FZKDSER), made in black color (Black) with a built-in memory of 32GB.

The updated A-series from Samsung received a premium design, similar to the flagship S7, with a glass body on both sides framed by a metal frame at the ends. For the first time, all smartphones in this series are dust and waterproof. Protection standard IP68 (Protection from water when immersed in fresh water to a depth of 1.5 m for up to 30 minutes). What else is new in the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)?

Updates Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) SM-A720F/DS

The eldest smartphone in the line has undergone the most changes. As noted above, the 2017 A7 received a more technologically advanced design. The front of the case is formed by a panel made of 2.5D glass, the back panel is made of 3D glass, and the edges are protected by a metal frame. Now the smartphone is protected from dust and moisture. It will especially appeal to fans of smartphones with large screens; now the screen has become even larger. In addition to the design and enlarged display, the gadget received modern technical stuffing: a new, more productive processor, an improved main and selfie camera, changed wired and wireless connection parameters, retained the ability to expand the memory and increased the maximum possible capacity of the memory card. The device itself has slightly increased in size - 156.8 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm versus 151.5 x 74.1 x 7.3 mm for the 2016 A7, while the battery capacity has been increased and the power consumption of the device has been reduced. The manufacturer also promises many intuitive software features that will take the use of the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) to a new level.

Display

Perhaps the main thing that catches your eye besides the new design is its display. The smartphone screen has increased in size from 5.5 to 5.7 inches. The screen is made using Super AMOLED technology, which produces a rich, contrasting picture. Also, do not forget about the deep black color, excellent viewing angles and several preset profiles, with the help of which everyone can customize the image to suit themselves. The resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels (FullHD). So, nothing prevents you from enjoying a high-quality picture under any conditions. And all this is protected by 2.5D Gorilla Glass 4 with an oleophobic coating, which will protect the display not only from scratches, but also from dirt and fingerprints. By the way, you will have to touch the smartphone screen less, because... it has an Always-on Display function, thanks to which all the necessary information is always on the screen.

Cameras

The main and front cameras have a resolution of 16 megapixels. The rear camera is equipped with phase detection autofocus and a Light+ sensor, as well as a built-in flash. Both cameras support HDR technology, which allows you to capture high-quality images with vibrant colors, even in difficult conditions. It is possible to record video in Full HD format (1920 x 1080 pixels) at 30 frames per second and stereo sound. For the most successful shots, you can apply one of the 16 built-in filters or use the “Food” mode. Setting up the camera is completely simple and intuitive. Selfie lovers will be pleased with the updated 16 megapixel front camera with the ability to install the shutter button anywhere on the display. The display itself acts as a flash.

Processor and memory

IN new version The smartphone is equipped with an eight-core Samsung Exynos 7880 processor with a core frequency of 1.9 GHz (the 2016 version had an Exynos 7580 - 1.6 GHz). The device's RAM remains the same - 3 GB. The built-in memory can be expanded using a memory card with a maximum capacity of up to 256 GB. The memory card slot is separate.

Connection

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) SM-A720F/DS has two separate Nano-sim slots that can work simultaneously. Maximum possible speed work on the Internet up to 300 Mbit/s, thanks to LTE cat. 6. If there is no network, it is possible to connect via Wi-Fi. Communication between a smartphone and other devices and wearable electronics ( smart watch, headphones, fitness bracelets and more) provides Bluetooth 4.2. The following Bluetooth profiles are supported: A2DP, AVRCP, DI, HFP, HID, HOGP, HSP, MAP, OPP, PAN, PBAP. Built-in GPS modules and GLONASS will help you find a fast and accurate route. The wired connection in the 2017 A series is carried out via USB Type C. The manufacturer took care of users with accessories with a microUSB connector, including them in the package with the phone USB adapter Type C - microUSB.

Nutrition

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) has an increased battery of 3600 mAh compared to its predecessor, versus 3300 mAh previously. In comparison with the SM-A710F/DS, the operating time on the Internet via 3G decreased by 1 hour - up to 13 hours, but at the same time, the operating time on the Internet via 4G increased by 2 hours from 14 hours to 16 hours. Video playback time increased significantly from 15:00 to 20:00 and talk time on 3G networks - from 17:00 to 23:00. The time spent on the network via Wi-Fi has not changed - up to 17:00, and the time for listening to music has increased from 78 to 94 hours when the screen is off . At the same time, the battery has the ability to quickly charge.

The new Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) has retained all the charms of its predecessor, while receiving modern technical features, new cameras, protection from water and dust, and has become more autonomous when working in 4G networks and when using multimedia. Now it has become even easier and more comfortable to communicate, get impressions and share them with friends, enjoy content in any conditions.

In 2017, the famous South Korean manufacturer Samsung equipment I decided to update my line of mid-range smartphones. It turned out quite well for them, I must say. Phones that previously quite reliably occupied the average niche in the market mobile technology, after the update they began to claim the role of budget flagships more high level. Let's see what characteristics are offered by the so-called senior A-series model - Samsung Galaxy A7 2017.

Main characteristics

First of all, it is worth noting that the older model assumes the greatest and best technological “package”. However, the developers did not spoil us too much. The equipment of the 2017 A7 model is very slightly superior to its younger colleague - the updated Samsung Galaxy A5. The main differences are the battery capacity and, of course, the screen size. Well, what else, exactly, should smartphones measure against?

Frame

It is quite noticeable that the Koreans sought to bring the A-line as close as possible to their more luxurious S-series relatives. The design of the updated A7 is in many ways similar to the Samsung Galaxy S7 - rounded edges, glass upholstery, minimalism, identical layout of keys and speakers. However, such imitation does not harm at all appearance phone, but, on the contrary, gives it a more elegant and stylish look.

• The body of the updated model is covered with glass on both sides. The front is protected by 2.5D glass, while the back is protected by 3D coating. The edges are framed by an elegant metal rim.
• The phone measures 156.8 x 77.6mm and is almost 7.9mm thick. Weight is 144 g.
• The phone is available in several color variations: standard black, elegant gold, soft blue and pale pink.

Technical stuffing

Of course, even the updated A7 cannot compete with the luxury analogue of the Samsung Galaxy S7 in performance. However, you just have to remember for what niche the smartphone was developed. Galaxy A7 2017 is a good candidate for the title of flagship among mid-class phones, so its technical characteristics are quite decent.

It has a more powerful eight-core Exynos 7880 processor compared to the version of that year. clock frequency at 1.9 GHz. The graphics rest on the “shoulders” of the three-core Mali-T830 chip.

Initially, the phone is installed with Android version 6.0 Marshmallow, but the developers guarantee to update the software to the next “sweetie” - Android 7.0 Nougat.

The user interface of the local sixth android uses the Grace UI graphical shell. Which, as you know, promises its users the ability to work in multi-window mode.

CPU new Galaxy A7 shows relatively good data when working with almost all tasks However, for resource-intensive programs, for example, for demanding games, the settings will have to be launched with lower graphics parameters
The GPU test shows very good results The results of the performance test of the updated processor are at the same level.
On other tests the device produces similar numbers

Screen

The 2017 version of the Samsung Galaxy A7 pleases us with an expanded Super AMOLED screen of 5.7 inches. The display resolution is 1080 x 1920 pixels per inch. Agree, a very standard characteristic for modern smartphones. However, the big plus is that the screen takes up about two-thirds of the entire front of the phone. The remaining minimum falls on mechanical button“Home” controls, invisible touch screens “Return” and “Applications”, as well as on the speaker, front camera, proximity sensor and the famous Samsung inscription.

It is important to note that the Samsung Galaxy A7 2017 has a screen calibration menu with a specific set of modes. Each of them demonstrates an impressive 100% color space coverage. Temperature, gamma and backlight also show extremely pleasing results.

The developers have taken care of optimizing the use of SIM cards

Now the smartphone has separate slots for both SIM cards and a memory card, which is very convenient

Memory

As for the available space on the phone, here too the updated version has undergone some changes. The phone's RAM remained at the same level - 3 GB, but the built-in memory has doubled and is now 32 GB versus 16 GB in last year's version. Considering the space they occupy system files, the available space in general will, of course, be several gigabytes less. However, in this case you can use microSD. Now the fresh Samsung Galaxy A7 2017 supports flash cards up to 256 GB instead of last year’s 128 GB. So even the most kilobyte-intensive users will not be offended.

Battery

Now the latest brainchild of the South Korean developer also has a more powerful Li-Po battery - 3600 mAh versus last year’s 3300 mAh. In addition, the phone has an accelerated Samsung chargers Adaptive Fast Charging. Due to it, the manufacturer promises to reduce the time spent on battery restoration to one and a half hours.

In offline mode, your phone will work for as much as 380 hours (which, in terms of a day, promises us an incredible almost 16 days). In talk mode, the device will work for 18 hours, listening to music can last up to 48 hours, and watching videos - up to 9. But wireless charging still not on the phone. Even though this is the older model of the line.

Other "goodies"

The smartphone also supports the Always On Display function, which means that notifications, clock and date are displayed on its screen even in inactive mode.

There is no longer a need to endlessly turn on your phone and check notifications. Now all important notifications (as well as the clock, calendar, etc.) are visible even in offline mode

This option consumes little energy and looks quite stylish.

This year's updated line of Samsung Galaxy A smartphones can also boast that its body is made according to the IP68 standard and is now reliably protected from moisture and dust. You can absolutely easily get your phone wet in the pouring rain or even drop it into huge one and a half meter puddles. Yes, yes, this is not a joke. The latest version of the Galaxy A7 can withstand up to 30 minutes at a depth of up to 1.5 meters.

But once upon a time, such photos could only be taken in Photoshop.

This year's models also feature a modern double-sided USB port Type-C. Now you don’t need to waste time and nerves on endless attempts to get the right side into the charger connector. You can successfully insert the USB cable into the socket almost with your eyes closed and in complete darkness.

Two-way USB input seems like an incredible convenience, doesn't it?

One-handed operation is one of the assistant options that make using the phone easier and making this process more comfortable. This function allows you to triple-click the Home button to activate one-handed control mode, in which active windows are shifted to one side of the display.

Perfect for both right-handers and left-handers (and even more so for ambidextrous people)

Smart Capture is another similar feature that makes it easier to work with screenshots.

Fingerprint's scanner. However, we advise you to be careful with this option, since, despite the fact that the sensor itself is quite responsive, it requires quite careful configuration. Don't be discouraged if your device doesn't recognize all touches at first, and just try calibrating the scanner again.

In general, the applications and functions installed in this version largely duplicate the sets of other Samsung models: standard Galaxy Apps, S Health fitness program, Samsung Members online support service, of course, voice assistant S Voice and much more. So, if you have already had experience with other versions of South Korean phones, many things will seem very familiar to you.

The main and front cameras are another nice feature

The smartphone camera gives its users a strong 16 megapixels in both the main camera and the front one. Yes, yes, the front camera on the Galaxy A7 2017 is no worse than the main lens. The aperture on both sides is F/1.9, the focal length is 27 mm. The lens is equipped with autofocus and, of course, a flash. Compared to the model of that year, the current camera produces a larger number of working pixels, but the smartphone has lost a rather important option - optical image stabilization. This quite noticeably leads to a small problem: during the day you can easily take quite good pictures with excellent light sensitivity and detail, but in the evening, when natural light gives way to artificial light, noise and noticeable blurriness appear. The deterioration of the image is accompanied by an increasing focusing time.

Taking a picture at night, even with the “Night” mode set on the phone, produces far from the best results

But selfies indoors come out quite decent. The matrix resolution of the front camera is not inferior to the main lens - the same 16 megapixels. However, its tasks are much simpler: portrait photography at close range. In addition, the front camera, like the rear camera, has its own flash. As it, the creators of the updated Galaxy versions A7 decided to use soft white lighting from the phone screen.

Thanks to the soft lighting from the phone screen, selfies even in a dim room turn out detailed and not blurry.

True, some users complain that the front camera greatly blurs everything that is more than one meter from it. Those. Taking a selfie against the backdrop of something far away or large will initially be difficult for you.

Among other things, the video here is recorded in Full HD resolution. Now we must remember that even last year’s version of the luxury Galaxy S7 had the ability to shoot videos in 4K resolution. And optical stabilization was available on the outdated Galaxy A7 2016. This suggests that despite the improved parameters of the processor, memory, battery and other things, the camera, on the contrary, began to perform worse. The number of pixels has increased, but this cannot compensate for the lack of optical stabilization. And if during the day the camera produces quite decent picture quality, then in the evening and even more so at night, it is better to replace the phone with its analogue from last year.

Stylish and minimalistic.

Comfortable and ergonomic.

Modern colors.

More creativity.

With the Galaxy A7 (2017), feel like a professional photographer. Availability of a wide selection of filters...

The device works with Nano-SIM cards from all GSM operators.

Stylish and minimalistic.

A modern, minimalist 3D glass and metal body and a 5.7-inch FHD sAMOLED screen are all hallmarks of the Galaxy A7 (2017).

Comfortable and ergonomic.

Smooth lines of the body...

The device works with Nano-SIM cards from all GSM operators.

Stylish and minimalistic.

A modern, minimalist 3D glass and metal body and a 5.7-inch FHD sAMOLED screen are all hallmarks of the Galaxy A7 (2017).

Comfortable and ergonomic.

The smooth lines of the body, the absence of camera protrusions, and a sophisticated and elegant finish allow you to truly enjoy using your smartphone.

Modern colors.

Be a trend setter, don't just follow them. Stylish color schemes perfectly harmonize with the glass and metal body, creating a dynamic and seamless image.

Capture memorable moments.

Thanks to high resolution 16 MP main camera, photos will always be bright and colorful.

More creativity.

With the Galaxy A7 (2017), feel like a professional photographer. Having a wide selection of filters allows you to approach the shooting process more creatively. Now every photo will be special.

Perfect selfies even at night.

Wherever you are - on an evening walk or in a nightclub - your photos will be perfect. The camera automatically adapts even to low-light conditions, and the display acts as a flash. Thanks to the Smart button, taking selfies has become easy. All you need to do is choose the location of the shutter button on the screen.

Protected from water and dust.

IP68 water and dust protection standard allows for comfortable use Galaxy smartphones A7 (2017) in any conditions - be it rain or swimming pool.

Capacious battery and fast charging.

Enjoy gaming or watching videos longer with larger battery capacity and support for fast charging technology.

Equipped to the maximum.

All your favorite videos, photos and music are always with you thanks to support for memory cards up to 256 GB, and the presence of a slot for two SIM cards makes it easy to change the operator while traveling.

Always active screen.

With Always On Display, all relevant information is always on the screen. View the time, calendar events, and unread notifications even when your smartphone is in sleep mode.

Protection and safety.

Store confidential information in a secure folder. Thanks to the secure KNOX environment, you can be sure that your personal information will not fall into the wrong hands.

Samsung Cloud.

Samsung Cloud is secure cloud service, in which you can store contacts, photos, calendar and even your backup copy home screen and settings. Galaxy users A receive 15 GB as a gift.

Easy connection.

Symmetrical connector USB cable Type-C is convenient to use on any side.

Samsung Pay.

Make payments at absolutely all retail outlets, thanks to support for NFC and MST technologies. You can leave your wallet at home and buy goods simply by paying with your smartphone. You can be confident in the security of your payment, as all transactions are fingerprint protected.

The Galaxy A7 2018 is the first Samsung smartphone to feature three cameras on the back. Yes, times when having a pair of rear cameras was distinctive feature The most modern solutions have passed, and quickly. Now users want to get even more from the camera, and manufacturers are trying to meet this demand.

The tested smartphone is based on the Samsung Exynos 7885 SoC, which is also used in the more expensive one. It is noteworthy that the display is also similar - it is a 6-inch SuperAMOLED matrix with a resolution of 2220*1080 pixels. Galaxy A7 2018 is also equipped with NFC, WiFi 2.4/5 GHz and Bluetooth 5.0 modules. But its main feature is the rear camera, which for the first time for Samsung consists of three modules.

Specifications

Appearance

The new Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 looks significantly different from. The body has become a little more elongated due to the use of a screen with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9, and the screen itself now has rounded corners. Surprisingly, this feature attracts attention only when directly compared with its predecessor. The first thing that catches your eye is the fingerprint reading sensor, which has moved from the front panel to the end, to the lock key. This feature has long been a hallmark Sony smartphones, but in new models the scanner has moved to the rear side. In general, apparently, this is now a Samsung feature. From a subjective point of view, this is one of the most successful places to install a fingerprint reading sensor. Of course, if you don’t take into account ultrasonic sensors installed behind the screen, which have not yet become mainstream. Actually, it is precisely due to the absence of a sensor on the front side with a larger display that the new product is only 3.1 mm longer than its predecessor.

But these are not all the differences, because a lot of castlings and changes were made. For example, instead of 2 trays for installing SIM cards and microSD media, one triple one is used, the lock key mentioned above has moved from the left side to the right, the system speaker has been moved from the top of the right side to the bottom, and a flash has appeared on the front side above the screen. And finally, one of the most important innovations is the rear camera, which now consists of three modules - main, wide-angle and scene depth analysis. It is also noteworthy that the camera module has been shifted from the center to the upper left corner. In general, users of the previous generation will have to get used to a different arrangement of functional elements for a couple of days.

As for the build quality, everything is impeccable; moreover, when you try to twist the case, it practically does not give in and does not make any sounds. But now there is no protection against dust and moisture according to the IP68 standard. The smartphone is available in three colors – black, blue and pink, which was provided for testing.

In front, above the display, there is a front camera lens, a proximity and light sensor, an earpiece, and a front-facing flash. On the rear there is a block of three cameras, which protrudes slightly above the surface, as well as an LED flash.

On the left side there is a triple tray for installing a pair of nanoSIM SIM cards and microSD media. On the right side there are volume control and lock keys, which has an integrated fingerprint sensor.

At the top end, only the noise-canceling microphone is noticeable. At the bottom end there is the main microphone, microUSB and mini-jack connectors, as well as the system speaker.

Display

The tested smartphone, like its predecessor, is equipped with a display based on a SuperAMOLED matrix, but the new product has a more elongated one - the aspect ratio is 18.5:9 and the resolution is 2220 * 1080. With practically the same dimensions, the screen diagonal of the A7 2018 is slightly larger - 6.0 versus 5.7 inches for its predecessor. The display does not have the new-fashioned “unibrow”, but the corners are rounded. The matrix is ​​covered with protective glass with an oleophobic coating, which is quite good at resisting the appearance of various fingerprints. The display supports up to 10 simultaneous touches.

In the case of the device under test, at the maximum backlight level, the brightness of the white field in the [Adaptive] mode was 346.13 cd/m2. A little, but thanks extremely high contrast, which is a hallmark of AMOLED technology, the image is easy to read even in strong sunlight. In other display modes, the maximum brightness is at 335 cd/m2.

There are 4 modes in the display settings - [Movie AMOLED], [Photo AMOLED], [Main] and [Adaptive]. In the latter mode, manual control of color temperature is possible, as well as separate control of the intensity of RGB channels. Colors are displayed most accurately in the [Main] mode - the color deviation Delta E on the gray wedge does not exceed 6.4, and on the primary colors RGBCMY - no more than 3.5, the color temperature by smartphone standards is raised quite insignificantly, the color balance is also pleasing, and color gamut is close to sRGB. In the [Movie AMOLED] and [Photo AMOLED] modes, color deviations in the primary colors RGBCMY are noticeably greater, but in the gray wedge the differences are insignificant, and the color temperature is also normal, and the color gamut is much wider than sRGB. The [Adaptive] mode, in addition to slightly higher brightness, has worse color balance and a significantly higher color temperature. The display settings provide an eye protection function during prolonged reading (blue filter), as well as automatic setting brightness

[Adaptive]

[Movie AMOLED]

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

[Photo AMOLED]

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

[Basic]

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Sound

The smartphone is equipped with a pair of speakers (spoken and system), but they cannot work in pairs. The speaker does its job well - there are no obvious defects, and the volume is often sufficient. The system speaker turned out to be quite quiet. When playing a test sinusoidal signal with a frequency of 1 kHz at a distance of 1 meter, a level of 68.7 dBA was recorded, while the predecessor was able to produce 68.2 dBA under similar conditions. The sound quality, frankly speaking, did not impress - the bass is almost completely absent, the high-frequency range is poorly developed, and only the mid frequencies sound acceptable. In general, it sounds a little, but still better.

When playing the test signal on the analog audio output, a level of 361.4 mV was recorded when operating into a 32 Ohm load and 263.3 mV when using a 16 Ohm load. This is quite enough to provide a decent volume level even when using not very sensitive headphones. It is also worth noting that the results turned out to be extremely close to those shown by all modern Samsung smartphones. That is, when switching from another smartphone model, the user will not have to get used to the new volume settings.

The smartphone has several software processing and an equalizer, but when testing the sound quality on the analog audio output, all effects were disabled. Testing was carried out in RightMark Audio Analyzer software using a Creative E-MU 0204 USB audio interface. Overall rating: “Good.” Unfortunately, the sample provided for testing had problems with interpenetration of channels. Most likely, this is a problem with a specific sample, and not the model as a whole.

General results. 24 bit/48 kHz

Performance

The smartphone is built on the basis of a new 8-core system-on-a-chip Samsung Exynos 7885 with an unusual cluster configuration - 6 cores with Cortex-A53 architecture with a frequency of up to 1.6 GHz, as well as 2 cores with Cortex-A73 architecture and a frequency of up to 2. 2 GHz. 4 GB random access memory LPDDR4 type operates in dual-channel mode. The video system is provided by a solution based on the Mali-G71 architecture with 2 cores. It is worth noting that exactly the same chip is used in, which we have already tested.

System performance was measured in synthetic PCMark, 3DMark, Geekbench 4, AnTuTu v7. Memory speed was assessed using the AndroBench application. Testing was also carried out in cross-platform javascript tests (Octane, Mozilla Kraken JavaScript and SunSpider). The results of these tests significantly depend on the browser used, so we used Google Chrome, as the most common. In addition, testing was carried out in the CPU Throttling Test application, which determines throttling under prolonged high loads. This test allows you to evaluate the efficiency of the heat removal system and performance under long-term loads.
The following smartphones were chosen as opponents:
: Samsung Exynos 7880, 8 cores (8x1.9 GHz), 3 GB RAM, 5.7 inches, 1920*1080 pixels;
: Samsung Exynos 7885, 8 cores (6*1.6+2*2.2 GHz), 4 GB RAM, 6.0 inches, 2220*1080 pixels;
: Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, 8 cores (8*1.8 GHz), 4 GB RAM, 6.2 inches, 2246*1080 pixels;

As the following test showed, the smartphone has no problems with overheating or throttling even under prolonged high loads.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 smartphone is equipped with three rear cameras - a 24 MP main camera with an f/1.7 aperture, an 8 MP wide-angle camera with an f/2.4 lens aperture, as well as an auxiliary camera for assessing scene depth with a resolution of 5 MP and lens aperture f/2.2. As you can see, in fact, only a couple of cameras are used to implement the zoom function, and the third is used not as a camera, but as a sensor that allows you to shoot with an imitation of the bokeh effect in the pictures. It is noteworthy that you can adjust the degree of background blur not only before shooting, but also during subsequent viewing.

The wide-angle camera allows you to shoot with a coverage angle of 120 degrees, approximately the same as most car DVRs. Unfortunately, in wide-angle mode, shooting is only possible in auto mode, and the flash function is not available.

The main camera is based on the Sony IMX576 sensor. This is a 24 megapixel sensor with a physical size of 1/2.78 inches, that is, with a pixel size of only 0.9 microns. Of course, at the moment this is one of the latest developments from Sony, but still it is a mid-range camera, not a top segment, and the pixel size is too small, so you shouldn’t demand flawless pictures from it. However, when shooting in good lighting, the camera performed well. In addition, the automatic operation has proven itself well when setting exposure and white balance in any type of lighting.

Manual settings in the standard application are quite familiar to Samsung cameras. You can change the sensitivity level in the range from 100 to 800 units in ISO equivalent, introduce exposure compensation, select white balance settings and exposure metering modes. For wide-angle module as well as front camera manual settings not available. However, for a selfie camera this is not such a problem, because the smartphone supports transfer of shooting control third party applications using Camera 2 API. Moreover, test packages report the possibility of shooting in RAW, but only in additional software, because the standard application is not trained to work with this format.

To evaluate image quality, a test pattern was shot at ISO 100-800 in 1 EV increments. Below are cropped fragments.

Sample pictures

Main camera

Wide angle camera

The front camera is based on the same sensor as the main rear one. By the standards of selfie cameras, this is a big plus, because often quite simple solutions. In addition, the selfie camera is equipped with a flash, which, together with the screen at a distance of 1 meter, provides illumination of 11.4 lux, which is a very good result. The rear flash fell just short of the record and was able to provide an illumination of 62.9 lux. Here again I would like to praise Samsung smartphones, which often provide similar results.

Macro photography

Illumination 50 lux + flash
Illumination 3 lux + flash

Video recording mode

In video mode, the main and wide-angle rear camera modules, as well as the front camera, allow you to shoot video with a resolution of 1920*1080 pixels, as well as 2224*1080 (18.5:1). The frame rate is limited to 30 frames per second for all modules.

Autonomous operation

The tested smartphone became slightly thinner than its predecessor, but for the smaller thickness we had to pay for the battery capacity, which is 3300 mAh, versus 3600 for the Galaxy A7 2017. Unfortunately, it was not possible to conduct a full test of battery life, because since the spring of 2018, Samsung provides for testing smartphones with a non-switchable navigation module, which significantly affects the battery life. However, even with the activated GPS module, the smartphone showed good results. The subject lasted 1160 minutes in reading mode, 1015 minutes in video playback mode, and 345 minutes in game mode.

A complete charger was not provided, so data testing of battery charging duration could not be carried out

Conclusion

In general, the smartphone by and large does not have any obvious failures or shortcomings, and all the disadvantages listed below were initially included at the design stage. In fact, the Galaxy A7 2018 was demoted in the table of ranks, because over the past year the Galaxy A series has been replenished with the A8/ smartphones, as well as the A9, which was presented the other day. And while its predecessor occupied the top position in the Galaxy A series at the time of presentation, the tested smartphone actually became the middle member of the family. The consequence of this was the use of a microUSB port instead of USB Type-C and the abandonment of IP68 protection.

To sweeten this pill, the manufacturer increased the number of camera modules on the back to three, but in fact there are only two cameras - wide-angle and main, and the third camera is responsible for obtaining the bokeh effect. In addition, productivity has been noticeably increased.