Photos at samsung galaxy a3. Review of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) smartphone: beautiful, compact, waterproof. Excellent battery life

Today we are talking about a compact 4G smartphone with a 4.7-inch screen, the body of which is protected from dust and water. We are talking about Samsung Galaxy A3 2017. The model received a stylish appearance, reminiscent of the flagship Galaxy S7, a powerful chip, a bright display and a long battery life. In the course of our test review, we will determine whether the device is worth its price and how it looks against the background of competitors.

In early 2017, Samsung introduced the third generation of its Galaxy A series smartphones. As before, the lineup includes three models. The main feature is that all new items look like the flagship Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. At the same time, their functionality is not so much inferior to more expensive brothers. The most affordable device Galaxy A 2017 received a 4.7-inch display, the middle one - 5.2 inches, and the older one - 5.7 inches.

In general, Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 is a rare example of a compact smartphone. In an era when all manufacturers are chasing the maximum screen size, there are practically no models on the market with high performance and, at the same time, small dimensions. Of those available for sale, I can only remember the Apple iPhone SE. Now Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 has appeared among them. It is very similar to Galaxy S7 externally, but costs 20,000 less.

The device is finished with metal and glass. The powerful Exynos 7870 processor, Mali-T830 graphics, 2 GB of RAM are responsible for the performance. The user interface works without any thoughtfulness. There is support for all modern wireless technologies, including 4G, dual-band Wi-Fi and NFC. You can use the built-in fingerprint scanner to unlock your smartphone. There is also a payment service Samsung Pay. But first things first.

Technical parameters Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) SM-A320F

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Characteristic	Description
Body materials:	Aluminum (6000 series), Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Hull protection:	iP68 class from water up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters
Screen:	SuperAMOLED, 4.7-inch diagonal, 720x1280 resolution (312 dpi), automatic brightness adjustment, ambient light sensor, color profiles, AlwaysOn Display
CPU:	Exynos 7870 (8 Cortex A53 cores @ 1.6 GHz) 14 nm
GPU:	Mali-T830
RAM:	2 GB
Flash memory:	16 GB (9.7 GB available to the user) + slot for microSD memory cards (up to 256 GB)
Mobile connection:	2G (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), 4G (including LTE 800, 1800, 2600)
SIM card type:	Two nanoSIM cards, one of them combined with a slot for a microSD memory card
Communications and ports:	Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), NFC, USB Type C, Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5 mm for headset, ANT +
Navigation:	GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU
Sensors:	light sensor, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, barometer, digital compass, fingerprint scanner, vibration sensor
Main camera:	13 megapixel, f / 1.9, autofocus, LED flash, FullHD video recording at 30fps
Front-camera:	8 megapixels (3264 × 2448), no autofocus, f / 1.9
Battery:	non-removable, 2350 mAh, no fast charging
Dimensions, weight:	135.4 x 66.2 x 7.9 mm, 138 grams
Body colors:	black (Black Sky), gold (Gold Sand), blue (Blue Mist), pink (Peach Cloud)
Operating system:	Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with Clean UI, upgradeable to Android 7

Package contents and first impressions

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Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 lineup comes in a white cardboard box. The model name is printed on the front part, the main technical parameters on the back. There is no image of the gadget.

Inside, on a plastic substrate, the device itself is located - Samsung Galaxy A3 SM-A320F. In addition to it included:

USB charger adapter
Computer sync cable USB to USB Type C
Adapter from USB Type C to microUSB
Stereo headset with 3.5mm miniJack jack
Clip for SIM card tray
Instruction, warranty card

It is noteworthy that Samsung decided to include an adapter from USB Type C to microUSB in the kit. This fact makes life much easier for potential owners of the new Galaxy A3. There are twice as many options for charging the device: newfangled USB Type C or standard microUSB.

Currently on sale you can find four types of body colors: black, gold, blue and pink. All colors look good. Each of them has a metallic sheen that shimmers in an interesting way in the light. It looks much more impressive than the glossy iPhone 7 case. I had a black version at my disposal.

The 2017 Galaxy A3 fits comfortably in your hand. The phone is quite compact. The screen size is 4.7 inches - the same as the iPhone 6 / 6S / 7 Galaxy A3 (2017) measures 135.4x66.2x7.9 mm and weighs 138 grams.

You can reach the edges of the display with one hand. At least in my man's hands, such a trick was a success. In the settings, you can activate a special mode that reduces the picture by 30%, allowing you to reach the corners of the display with your thumb of a miniature hand. In some cases, this can come in handy.

In clothes it is completely invisible. You can easily forget that there is a phone in your pocket, as it does not feel so much like a big load. Wearing the device in the pockets of tight clothing is easy. There won't be any inconveniences.

Design and appearance

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The exterior of the Galaxy A3 (2017) largely copies the flagship model Galaxy S7. There is also a metal case, in which glass covers not only the screen, but also the back panel. The glass has a slight curvature, the so-called 2.5D effect. Corning Gorilla Glass 4 is used here. It is assumed that it is not afraid of cuts and proximity to metal keys and various fittings. However, there is no fall protection. Owners of devices should worry about protection in advance and buy a cover, bumper or protective cover in case of falls.

The glossy surfaces of the gadget have an oleophobic coating that copes with its tasks: fingerprints, dust and dirt do not stand out much. On models in blue, pink and gold, prints are generally difficult to see. In black, they are still noticeable.

A frame is made of steel, passing along the entire contour of the apparatus. There are small notches on the sides. The metal had a positive impact on the overall perception of the device. The body is monolithic, looks solid and reliable. The assembly is of high quality. The smartphone looks okay and is much more expensive than its price. It can be seen that this is not a rattle, but a serious apparatus.

On the front, you can see a 4.7-inch SuperAMOLED screen. Above it is a speaker, light sensors, a front-facing 8 megapixel camera, and the manufacturer's logo. Below the display is a mechanical key with a built-in fingerprint scanner. Biometric identification when unlocking or paying for Samsung Pay is fast and accurate. I did not find any problems with the operation of the button. There are two touch-sensitive buttons on either side of the center key. One is responsible for going back one level, and the other for launching the manager of programs running in the background.

On the right side of the Galaxy A3 there is a power button and a screen lock. In addition, here you can see a speaker for notifications and playing external sounds. This layout stands out from the background of existing phone models. The speaker itself is average in volume, but the sound in it is quite pleasant and voluminous. In the course of testing, an interesting pattern emerged. If you put the speaker phone down in your purse, the ringtone will not be heard (although it all depends on the contents of the bag! \u003d)). In the case of winter clothing, there is no problem.

The volume keys are located on the left side. On the bottom there is a 3.5 mm jack for a headset and headphones, as well as a USB Type C port for a charger and connection to a computer. At the top there is a tray for SIM cards and memory cards. At the same time, either two nanoSIM cards or a memory card and one SIM card are installed in it. That is, the tray is combined. Large memory cards up to 256 GB are supported.

At the bottom and top end - on the microphone, there is a noise reduction system, it does its job perfectly. The interlocutor can hear your voice well in any conditions, even in noisy transport or during strong winds outside.

On the back you can see a 13 Mpix camera lens with autofocus and LED flash. The lens does not protrude from the plane of the smartphone itself.

The battery is located inside the case. It is not removable.

During the test, I did not find any external defects or poor-quality assembly. The impressions are extremely positive. The device looks like a real flagship. The smartphone is being assembled at a Samsung factory in Vietnam.

Screen. Graphics capabilities

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For its price point, the Galaxy A3 2017 has a good screen. It is bright, contrasting, images and fonts are very smooth, without roughness, black is very deep. The viewing angles are maximum, the colors do not change when tilted.

It uses a 4.7-inch SuperAMOLED screen. Resolution 720x1280 pixels (312 ppi). From above it is covered with durable Corning Gorilla Glass 4 with a 2.5D effect, that is, the edges of the display are slightly rounded.

This is one of the best screens in its class. Retina screen on iPhone 7 with the same diagonal has a comparable resolution - 1334x750 pixels. At the same time, the quality of the screen in A3 2017 is better in many aspects, the picture is more lively and bright.

Thanks to the "Adaptive" option, the user can significantly reduce the strain on his eyes. The device analyzes the level of illumination around and, depending on the conditions, sets the contrast, brightness, plus adjusts the colors on the screen. In addition, there is an opportunity to use the color settings "Movie AMOLED", "Photo AMOLED", "main".

The screen looks great in the sun. I did not notice any problems with reading the information. There is no glare or discoloration of the picture.

The sensitivity of the display is 10 points out of 10. All clicks are processed correctly and clearly. The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A3 supports gloved operation.

As a pleasant bonus, I can attribute the presence of the AlwaysOn Display option, which allows you to display icons of individual applications, date, time or pictures on the locked and inactive screen. The indication is black and white, the operation of this function does not drain the battery much: for a day of use, the consumption is 4%. Previously, such a function worked exclusively in flagship devices, since 2017 it comes to the middle price segment.

Hardware platform: processor, memory, speed

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The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) is powered by a 64-bit Samsung Exynos 7870 chip with an octa-core 1.6 GHz processor per core (Cortex A53). It is made using 14 nm technology. Used graphics Mali T830. RAM 2 GB. The built-in memory in the device is 16 GB (9.7 GB is available to the user), removable microSD media up to 256 GB are supported.

Overall, the performance of the smartphone is good. The interface works smoothly, the browser works smoothly even when opening heavy pages. All this is confirmed by synthetic tests. The model is at the level, and the safety margin will last for a couple of years at least. The processor hardly heats up when loaded with productive games.

The advantages include the low power consumption of the Samsung chip and the HD screen resolution. This has a positive effect on battery life. The smartphone lasts longer than its competitors.

Summarizing, I can say that the characteristics are fully consistent with the positioning. Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) is a typical midrange or slightly higher. Social media, video, music, games - it all works without flaws or limitations. For young people who love beautiful gadgets, but are not ready to pay a lot, the device will be to their liking.

Communication capabilities

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The smartphone supports all modern communication networks: 2G / 3G and 4G cat. 6 on Russian frequencies, confidently receives the signal and does not lose it for no apparent reason. The quality of signal reception raises no objections, the device confidently maintains communication in rooms and does not lose signal in areas of poor reception (tested on MegaFon, Yota networks). It's comfortable to talk on the phone. The speaker has a good volume reserve, and the interlocutors did not complain about poor audibility during testing.

The device can work with all modern wireless networks. Among them are dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, Wi-Fi Direct, you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. There is a built-in LTE modem. All modules work quickly and smoothly. The device also supports ANT +, NFC and Samsung Pay.

Connection to a computer is carried out using a USB Type C 2.0 connector. Additional communication means include GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS (standard Google Maps is built into the smartphone). The radius of navigation error during testing is about 3 meters, which is very small. The gadget does an excellent job of being a navigator.

Battery. Duration of work

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The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) has a 2350mAh Li-ion battery. In testing conditions, with the number of calls 35-40 minutes a day, browsing the Internet for about 2 hours through 4G, listening to an mp3 player through a headset for about 2 hours a day, the device worked for two days. When watching a video, the smartphone worked for 16 hours, in navigator mode - about 5.5 hours.

If we take averaged data, the device can work from 2 to 3 days. Those who use only calls can safely count on 5-6 days of work. In terms of autonomy, the device differs from the vast majority of Android smartphones for the better. For me personally, battery life matters a lot and the Galaxy A3 SM-A320F was a pleasant surprise.

In addition, there is a power saving mode, when the screen backlight is limited, the processor frequency. In this scenario, the operating time will increase by at least 20%. There is an extreme (maximum) power saving mode. In this case, the screen displays only white and gray colors, all applications except for telephone communication, SMS, calendar and alarms are disabled.

The phone did not receive fast charging technology, but the supplied charger charges the battery in 1 hour and 40 minutes. This is a perfectly reasonable time.

User interface and operating system

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The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) currently ships with Android 6.0.1 firmware with Clean UI. The same skin is used in the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. The software can be “over the air”. From March 2017, the model will receive an update to Android 7. This is a big plus.

Smartphone owners have access to all Samsung branded programs, including S Health for monitoring physical activity and health, S Voice, support for gestures, KNOX - for separating data into personal and work, etc. Missing apps can be downloaded from Samsung App Store and Google Play. The model supports Samsung Pay service.

Unlike the Galaxy S models, there is a built-in FM radio, which is a plus. The non-removable Office and Skype package is also preinstalled, but Kaspersky can be uninstalled before it starts eating up already limited system resources and draining the battery.

Camera. Photo and video capabilities

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The 2017 Galaxy A3 has a 13MP camera. The picture quality is good. The camera interface is made in the traditional Samsung style. There are many settings and preset modes, including self-portrait, panorama, night, continuous shooting, HDR (maximum for 8 megapixels) and GIF animation.

For example, Two-Sided Shooting allows you to take photos using both cameras simultaneously. As for the rest of the settings, the automatic contrast allows you to achieve good image quality on a bright sunny day. Manual ISO settings are 50, 100, 200, 400, 800. The following shooting modes are available: single shot, smile detection, continuous, panorama, vintage, portrait, landscape, night mode, sports, indoor, beach / snow, sunset, dawn, autumn colors, fireworks, text, dusk, against the light.

The phone supports video recording in mpeg4 format for maximum resolution, and in the settings you can specify whether the video will be recorded with or without sound. All settings are comparable to those for photos, but the video resolutions are different, plus the effects are supported. The camera can shoot videos with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, there are also 1280x720, 720x480 pixels (30 frames), or a resolution of 640x480 pixels (30 frames). Two additional resolutions - 320x240 and 176x144 pixels.

The video recorded is not bad. It looks great on a phone screen, and it looks good on a computer.

The front camera has a resolution of 8 megapixels. It is quite light-sensitive (f / 1.9), but lacks autofocus. The pictures are of decent quality under good lighting conditions. In difficult conditions, the camera is not perfect.

Outcome

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The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) left an extremely positive impression. At its core, this is the flagship Galaxy S7, but 20,000 rubles cheaper. To the undoubted advantages, I can attribute its compactness, not at the expense of functionality. The Android OS interface looks impressive and beautiful on the high-quality SuperAMOLED screen with a diagonal of 4.7 inches. The device is fast, functional, has a stylish appearance, water and dust resistance. The gadget will calmly survive after falling into water for a period of no more than 30 minutes to a depth of up to 1.5 m. The battery life was pleasantly surprised - with an average mode of use, it is possible to achieve three days of operation without recharging.

Technologically, the smartphone is also in perfect order. LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi up to 100 Mbps, support for two SIM cards, NFC, Samsung Pay. By default, users have access to the S Health application to monitor their physical activity, KNOXX to create a protected data area.

The main camera is a typical average. It shoots well for its class, but in the same Galaxy A5 2017 the camera is better. This applies to both photography and video filming.

Of the minuses, if I find fault, I can note the combined slot of one SIM card and a microSD memory card. In addition, I recommend taking care of protection from falls. Although the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 looks sturdy, it may not survive a hard fall on rocks, concrete or asphalt.

For young people who love beautiful gadgets, but are not ready to pay a lot, the device will be to their liking. There are very few competitors with comparable characteristics on sale. The Sony Xperia X Compact and the iPhone SE come to mind.

Benefits

High-quality assembly

Good screen

LTE cat support. 6

Water and dust resistant

Support for two SIM cards

Long battery life

disadvantages

High risk of breaking glass body parts if dropped

Combined slot for one SIM card and memory card

Widget from SocialMart

On the day of publication of this test review, you could buy Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 (SM-A320F) at a price of 22,990 rubles.

Galaxy A3 received 16 GB of flash memory, of which about. Supported in volumes up to 256 GB.

Internet and communication

The smartphone supports 4G LTE frequency bands in European and global markets. For Europe, bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 are available here. There are two slots for SIM cards, one of them is hybrid and instead of a SIM card you can install a microSD memory card.

Supports dual-band Wi-Fi a / b / g / n / ac, and payment system, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, and USB type C.

Camera

The main camera of the Galaxy A3 2017 has a resolution of 13 megapixels and an aperture of f / 1.9, while the front is an 8 megapixel camera. There is an LED flash on the back, but there is no image stabilization and no 4K support.

First, let's praise the excellent camera app. It can be started by double clicking on the Home button, quickly and conveniently. Here, a new application from Samsung is used: the developers have removed everything unnecessary from the main screen, rarely used settings are hidden from the eyes, only the shutter buttons and the start of video recording, a shortcut to the gallery, flash control, settings and a switch between the rear and front cameras remain. If you want to manually adjust the white balance or ISO, swipe to the left and select Pro mode, which has manual settings. A gesture to the right opens modes, Panorama and others. Various filters and styles for photos are also available here.

Image quality

The photo quality on this smartphone is above average for a device in this price category. They offer vivid colors and a good level of sharpness. The camera takes a long time to focus, so it is advisable not to use it when photographing moving objects, but for everything else it is very good. In dynamic scenes, the brightest parts of the image are usually too bright, HDR does not turn on automatically, it is recommended to turn it on yourself. HDR improves the quality of photos, but not as noticeably as on some other smartphones. Panoramic mode produces excellent images that seamlessly merge into a larger picture.

In low light, the photo quality is not as good. Details become blurred and image sharpness is lost. A single flash is quite strong, but completely ruins the correct color rendition, adding a cool green tint.

As for the front camera, it produces wide-angle photos suitable for group shots. The quality of the photos is not good, there is not enough detail and the skin tone is washed out.

Video quality

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue\u003d2&v\u003dw_FiDswGc1Y

The camera supports 1080p video recording at 30fps. The lack of 4K recording is expected at this price point, but the Huawei Nova has it, so Samsung is lagging behind. Fortunately, even at 1080p, the video quality is good, with vibrant colors, sharpness and dynamics right. Unfortunately, video stabilization is completely absent, so the result is often shaky. Even the slightest movement of the hands during shooting leads to twitching of the image. The lack of stabilization can be called the main drawback of this smartphone.

Sound quality

The speaker is located here on the side of the case. This is an unusual position, and he himself is quite small. The new Galaxy A series smartphones were the first to place speakers on the side so that they could not be covered by hand.

The sound quality in this speaker is surprisingly good. The volume is also high.

Call quality

During telephone conversations, thanks to this smartphone, you can hear your interlocutor well and clearly through the auricle, voices sound natural, the same applies to the other side of the line. The interlocutors have no complaints about the clarity and loudness of your voice.

Autonomous work

The smartphone has a relatively small 2350mAh battery, but it works alongside an economical processor and a 720p screen. As a result, the smartphone has excellent battery life, just like other members of this year's Galaxy A line.

With the screen on, it had a runtime of 11 hours, while the Galaxy S7, Google Pixel and iPhone 7 lasted about 7 hours. In real life, a smartphone lasts about two days on a single charge, but you need to turn off the Always-On Display function, which consumes about 1% of the charge every hour.

Samsung didn't include Fast Adaptive Fast Charge in the box, but the battery's small capacity allows it to charge relatively quickly. It takes 112 minutes to recharge, which is worse than the 3T and Galaxy S7, but better than the Google Pixel with its fast charging standard. There is also no wireless charging support here.

Conclusion

The Galaxy A3 2017 is a fascinating smartphone. It carries a level of sophistication in design and interface never seen before in a device of this price category. The same can be said for the water resistance of the case.

The developers are aware of their successes and this year the smartphone has become more expensive: 330 euros instead of last year's 300 euros. Of course, there are also disadvantages here, one of which can be called slow work compared to the flagship models. There is a noticeable delay between clicking on the icon and launching applications. The video has no stabilization, so it comes out shaky. The 16GB of flash memory is too small by modern standards, and the 720p screen leaves much to be desired in terms of sharpness.

These disadvantages pale in comparison to the merits. The excellent design of the device you will enjoy every day with it, the bright saturated display produces vivid images, the user interface of Samsung Grace has many settings and their convenient organization, the battery life is excellent, as is the quality of photos.

Among the alternatives to this smartphone are 8 with a 5.2-inch screen, also beautiful and stylish, on a faster processor and with the same high-quality photos and videos, battery life. The interface is not that good here, although the smartphone runs on Android Nougat.

Another option is the 4-inch iPhone SE, which is noticeably more powerful and regularly updated, better for photos and with support for 4K video recording. Moreover, it costs 400 euros.

Two more new alternatives are the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus on the latest Android. Which of these devices to choose is up to each user to decide independently.

Pros:

• Chic design, use of glass and metal, slim and comfortable body;
• Water resistant;
• Battery life;
• High-quality photos in daylight;
• Great keyboard
• Support for microSD memory cards;
• USB type C.

Minuses:

• Price;
• 16 GB flash memory;
• Lack of video stabilization;
• Android Marshmallow.

Diagonal.
The design is quite modern for 2016-early 17th.
Moisture protection.
Passable photos in good lighting, no more, don't expect much.
I would like to write down the fingerprint sensor as a plus, but it is now in phones for 4-6 thousand rubles, and it works the same way: from the third time and then if you wipe both the sensor and your finger thoroughly! Sometimes you have to press directly to start recognizing. Sometimes you have to make a curtain of prints, because it ceases to recognize, sometimes once a week, sometimes once a month, sometimes more often.
About autonomy: normal, but it upsets the fact that 5% of a hundred can go away in an hour, but 5% from 5 to 0 can disappear suddenly in a minute, and this despite the fact that the smart switched to energy saving! So, for no reason at all, it’s just zero and goodbye, and you were counting on you to take at least a couple of calls, if you don’t touch it, but no, it’s not even buzzing, it’s cut out. In general, the last percentages are melting right before our eyes, even without a load, and this is with a fresh smart. And what to expect next?
And for those who write that they have switched from a more productive flagship to this smart and are delighted, check if your opus is not for sale?
One generally says that with 2GB of RAM, the navigator and messengers are not unloaded ... well, well .. they are unloaded on 8GB of vanplas, my 2x a320 is unloaded, and even lagging cruelly, but you do not unload ... but do you really use this smart?
In short, there are almost no positive aspects of this smartphone, and those that are are completely crossed out by shortcomings.

Terribly braking and laggy. Iron is quite stunted for this price. Sometimes you even wait 20-30 seconds for the camera to start, sometimes it doesn't start at all.
Browsing is a pain, especially when you try to move somewhere else after it.
Memory clogs up INSTANTLY! The pitiful 16GB was common in 2012. 5 years have passed since then. Now 16GB is not enough even for the most necessary, especially for a smartphone from 10000r ...
2GB of RAM ... so that you understand, multitasking (multi-window) was left in this smartphone, and then there is a nox, which, by account, is a second OS inside the OS (there you can also create an account and install applications separate from the main account) by itself Knox is cool, but with 2GB of RAM ...
In short, all these services are already pretty robust, and if you use a smartphone for a little more than a couple of SMS and a couple of calls a day, it means terrible lags. It lags especially strongly when there is 600MB in the internal memory, and given that there is only 16GB, you will encounter this problem very soon, and the phone will start poking annoying warnings about a lack of space everywhere. If you are not the most experienced user, then most likely you will run into a chronic lack of memory, the worst minute lags and reboots. And then you will understand that it was worth overpaying 1500r and buy a 32GB iphone se, which is 3.5 times more powerful and has enough memory in it, and it will not lag so that you will constantly miss calls because the CALL INTERFACE DISPLAYS 50 SEC. AND YOU JUST DO NOT SEE THE PRINCE BUTTON

use Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 for a month or more I recommend not to buy

Benefits

Value for money
Protection class IP-69
Extremely good battery life

disadvantages

Mediocre camera
No fast charging function

Test results Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)

• Price-quality ratio
  Excellent
• Place in the overall rating
  97 of 200

• Value for money: 75
• Performance and Management (35%): 76.2
• Equipment (25%): 61.2
• Battery (15%): 95.2
• Display (15%): 84.8
• Camera (10%): 61.9

Editorial grade

User rating

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Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017): third race

Galaxy A3 (2017) SM-A320F slightly less than actual. This mid-range smartphone entered the market with a 4.7-inch screen. The display has HD resolution (720x1280 pixels), but this will be enough for the average user of the corresponding target audience. In terms of equipment, however, even such buyers may lack something.

In particular, in Galaxy A3 (2017) SM-A320F there is no LED indicating the status of the phone, there is no fast charging function, and the LTE module is only Cat 4. The size of the internal memory (16 GB) can also be called quite limited, but it can be easily expanded with a microSD card. Despite the memory card slot, the Galaxy A3 (2017) is water and dust resistant according to the IP69 standard.

Inside the smartphone is the Exynos 7870 processor developed by Samsung, which has a maximum clock frequency of 1600 MHz. During benchmarks, we noted that it works Galaxy A3 (2017) SM-A320Fdespite being limited by 2 gigabytes of RAM, it is quite fast and smooth. But making a smartphone stutter with a large number of open applications while simultaneously entering information is also quite easy.

While testing the battery life, we could hardly believe that the A3 (2017) manages to squeeze out of the 2350 mAh battery: while the "senior" can last a good 9 hours and 12 minutes, the small A3 can work for 12 hours and 48 minutes. Of course, one of the reasons is the smaller display size, but due to such a large difference, it can be assumed that the processor also handles the battery much more carefully.

Disadvantage of A3: there is no fast charging function on board. Nevertheless, this Galaxy model will be able to restore energy reserves quite quickly - in just 2 hours 01 minutes. The smartphone, on the other hand, manages to score less rating points due to the characteristics of the camera. While the larger model has two 16 Mpix cameras at its disposal, the A3 has a 13 Mpix main camera and an 8 Mp front camera.

Both cameras have f / 1.9 apertures. This is good, but only in theory, because in practice the A3 is not capable of much in terms of photo quality. In low light, even when viewing pictures using a small smartphone screen, noise is very noticeable. In daylight, on the other hand, much better pictures are obtained with natural colors and a high level of detail.

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017): is the price justified?

Overall, this is certainly a solid mid-range smartphone, although in terms of equipment we were hoping for something more. It's just that if you arrange a direct comparison of the equipment lists of the A3 and competitors from Huawei and Honor, it will look short. Only after the Galaxy A3 (2017) drops a little more in price can it become more interesting for potential buyers.

Alternative options:

ASUS ZenFone 3 (ZE552KL) 64GB

With its new mid-range smartphone, ASUS scored a surprisingly high rating score during the test. First of all, the battery is convincing with its more than 10 hours of battery life and fast charging function. On the other hand, we liked the digital camera on this unit much less.

Honor 6X 32GB

Using an example, the manufacturer proves once again: a good smartphone should not cost too much money. At the same time, a large middle-class device with its dual camera differs from many available "comrades-in-arms". In professional mode, the dual camera produces very good results. It is not ideal, however.

TEST RESULTS
Performance and Management (35%)
Facilities (25%)
Battery (15%)
Display (15%)
Camera (10%)
OUTPUT The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) offers solid basic equipment combined with an attractive design. In terms of battery life, the reissue of the Galaxy S7 in a miniature format will not only compete with its big brother, but also surpass it. However, when choosing this smartphone, you will have to give up the fast charging function. The camera here is also only average.	75.1% OVERALL RESULT

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) specifications and test results

Price-quality ratio	75
OS when testing	Android 6.0 with Samsung TouchWiz
Current OS	Android 7
Is an OS update planned	Android 8
App Store
The weight	134 g
Length x Width	135 x 67 mm;
Thickness	8.0 mm;
Expert design assessment	well
Expert assessment of work speed	well
Download speed: PDF 800 KB over WLAN	6.4 s
Download speed: main chip.de over WLAN	0.8 s
Download speed: chip.de test chart over WLAN	13.1 s
Sound quality (speakerphone)	well
CPU	Samsung Exynos 7870
Processor architecture
CPU frequency	1.600 MHz
Number of CPU cores	8
RAM size	2.0 GB
Battery: capacity	2.350 mAh
Battery: easy to remove	-
Battery: surfing time	12:48 h: min
Battery: charging time	2:01 h: min
Fast charging function	-
Charger and fast charging cable included
Battery: discharge time / charge time	6,3
Wireless charging function	-
WLAN	802.11 n, ac
Voice over LTE
LTE: frequencies	800, 1.800, 2.600 MHz
LTE: Cat. 4	up to 150 Mbps
LTE: Cat. 6	-
LTE: Cat. nine	-
LTE: Cat. 12	-
Screen: type	OLED
Screen: diagonal	4.7 inch
Screen: size in mm	59 x 105 mm;
Screen: Resolution	720 x 1.280 pixels
Screen: dot density	310 ppi
Screen: max. brightness in a dark room	439.5 cd / m²
Screen: checkerboard contrast in a bright room	29:1
Screen: checkerboard contrast in a dark room	141:1
Camera: Resolution	12.8 megapixels
Camera: measured resolution	1.613 line pairs
Camera: expert assessment of image quality	well
Camera: Noise VN1	1.5 VN1
Camera: minimum focal length	3.6 mm;
Camera: minimum shooting distance	7 cm;
Camera: Shutter release time with autofocus	1.43 s
Camera: optical stabilizer	-
Camera: autofocus	Yes
Camera: Flash	LED
Video resolution	1.920 x 1.080 pixels
Front camera: resolution	8.0 megapixels
LED indicator	-
Radio	Yes
SIM card type	Nano-SIM
Dual SIM	-
Dust and moisture proof (IP certified)	IP68
The fingerprint scanner
User available memory	9.8 GB
Memory card slot	Yes
USB connector	Type-C-USB 2.0
Bluetooth	4.2
NFC	Yes
Headphone out	3.5 mm;
HD Voice	Yes
SAR	0.35 W / kg
Firmware version during testing	A320FLXXU1APLC
Test date	2017-02-02

Pluses: -Size. (It is very difficult now to find a good compact and inexpensive smartphone). -Display -Moisture protection -Samsung Pay (When buying, I did not think that I would use it, but it turned out to be a convenient thing. Not an obligatory, but pleasant function) -Reliability, quality of materials. -Ergonomics (All connectors are conveniently located, separate volume buttons, mechanical home button with built-in scanner, USB C, camera does not stick out). Every little thing is thought out and in the aggregate gives a very pleasant impression. -Shell. All reviewers scold Samsung for the shell. Allegedly, it is terribly buggy and not convenient. I've been using it for a year now and everything is great. Maybe we have some kind of different Samsung ?! A bunch of useful functions that are not on other Android devices (Screen color settings, power saving mode, blue filter ... Some functions first appear on Samsung, and only then on updated versions of android. -Updates. (I bought from Android 6, now the seventh , I'm waiting 8). Security updates come regularly. - "Always active screen." Just a super convenient function. I sincerely can't imagine even how I'll be without it if I change my phone. Conveniently. -Autonomous. (It is clear that there are models with a battery 4, 5 thousand mAh, but this phone with a small capacity also holds well and charges quickly.) Disadvantages: -The memory is directly squeezed in Samsung. I can't say that I have a direct shortage of it, but there are people who like to install more applications. this will be a problem. -Without a cover, slippery, if hands are dry or in the cold. And the glass on the back is very scratched. Comment: I will also say about performance that the smartphone is not at all gaming and not fast, but if that 98% of games work without any problems at all, the remaining 2% we put on the minimum and play without problems. In applications such as Vkontakte, with fast scrolling of the tape, jams are sometimes observed. Not to say that they are serious and somehow disturbing, but noticeable. They don't annoy me at all, but maybe it matters to someone. The rest is a fully balanced device. It does not have any out of the ordinary characteristics, but there are no serious shortcomings either. Everything is done at a very good level and with attention to detail. Therefore, if you need a smartphone, mainly to play games or just take pictures, or just measure up with classmates with the results of performance tests, take some Chinese better. For the same money, you can find a better cameraphone, or better performance devices, or with a more powerful battery. I have been using it for over a year. The first half of the year did not spare the device at all. Wore it without a cover. I dropped it five times in the apartment and on the street, on concrete, on the sidewalk. At the corners, the paint has strayed. I thought that I would start climbing from these places, or at the corners of the buttons. In the end, nothing of the kind. The paint was of good quality and the metal was durable. The glass did not break (I was probably lucky), but the back cover was covered with such serious scratches. Then I bought a cover and never dropped it again. Overall an excellent compact smartphone. If compactness is not so important to you, take the A5, it is better, and the screen is larger.