Review of the smartphone Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016): rapid development! Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) - Specifications What camera does the Samsung Galaxy A3
I have been using the phone for a month, so I think you can make some reviews) I switched to this device with Lenovo K900, so the difference for me is just colossal! I'll start with the pros. The first is excellent ergonomics! Not a shovel (like the K900), it fits perfectly in the hand, it is convenient to use with one hand. They say he tries to jump out of his hands during a conversation, .. I don't know. I took a flip case right away and did not face such a problem. Second, stylish design. Previously, I always considered samsungs to be oriented towards the fair sex and took more brutal models of competitors from the Far East. But this model was a pleasant surprise. In addition to a very good filling (which we will talk about later), the A3 has a very rich appearance. It may be fragile, but the combination of metal with glass looks very solid! I took myself a standard black design, but the manufacturer offers us several colors including white, gold, rose gold and black. They say on white, prints on the back cover are less noticeable. Again, I took a flip case and I don't know about this problem either. Well, now, actually, about what he took. Appearance is nothing if "under the hood" there is absolutely nothing to brag about. Say for that kind of money you can take a smart more powerful? Maybe. But in addition, with a high degree of probability, you will get squeaky plastic with a brand of a lid and it is not yet known what kind of "cockroaches". In general, for a month of merciless use of the A3, it never let me down. I filled in a couple of useful programs and I don't know the troubles. I have never rebooted, no lags have been noticed. For a more objective assessment, I even downloaded several games, although I took it mainly for work, not entertainment. The colors are saturated. Even very much thanks to amoled. The network catches remarkably failures not noticed. I was very worried about the battery. The K900 also has a built-in battery and will be more powerful. And then there's the super-bright display plus touchwiz, which eats up a good 2/3 of the RAM ... but the device was a pleasant surprise! There is enough for a day, with the Internet on all day, 40-60 minutes of conversation a day and surfing. I rarely use the camera, so in my humble opinion the camera is good. In addition, the ability to shoot in FullHD format will delight many, and for selfie lovers there is a 5 megapixel front camera. The speaker may not be the loudest, but the sound is clear, there is practically nothing to complain about. It seems that I have not forgotten anything. Of the minuses, I can say about the combined SIM card slot and memory card. When replacing one of the two components, you will have to remove the entire slot and temporarily find yourself without the connection / applications installed on the memory card. And the price, of course. Now it costs about 21 thousand rubles, but it was possible to throw off 3 rubles. Although in an unstable economy, such a price can be understood. As a result, I can say that A3 made me very happy, sometimes even pleasantly surprised. Smart is worth its money and I think for such a price it's almost an ideal investment. I advise everyone, you will be satisfied!)
A significant design update of the Galaxy A line compared to last year's series, brought new body materials and hardware solutions to the middle class of smartphones. Until recently, the tandem of glass and metal was the prerogative of top solutions, but times are changing. More recently, we have tested two older models of the series: and. Today we will meet the younger model: Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016).
Design
The Galaxy A3 is a continuation of the Galaxy S6 lineup and is significantly different for the better from last year's Galaxy A3 (2015). This is achieved thanks to the quality of workmanship and materials.
The body of the smartphone is made of metal and is covered on both sides with a rounded 2.5D Gorilla Glass 4. A high-quality oleophobic coating practically eliminates the appearance of prints on the glass, but increases the overall slipperiness of the device. The metal body is rounded, but has flat side edges for a more secure grip.
The smartphone is available in four colors: black, gold, white and pink. A model in gold color came to our test.
The arrangement of controls and functional elements is typical for the latest generation Samsung Galaxy models. At the top of the front panel are located proximity and lighting sensors, a speaker and a front camera peephole.
At the bottom, there is a hardware home button (no scanner) and a pair of blue backlit touch buttons. On the left side there are volume control buttons, on the right - a smartphone power button and a dual tray for nano SIM cards.
This allows you to use either two nano SIM cards, or change one to microSD (up to 128 GB supported). On the top edge of the case there is a slot for a noise canceling speaker, on the bottom you can find 3.5mm mini-jack, micro USB, a speaker and a microphone hole. The main camera module and LED flash are located at the back.
There are not the slightest complaints about the build quality, everything is made at a high level with an excellent fit of parts. The hardware buttons have a nice crisp response. Rounded edges and thin display bezels make the device as compact as possible, allowing it to be used with one hand.Comparing the Galaxy A3 2015 and 2016, there are many positive changes immediately.
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Samsung A300H Galaxy A3 (Midnight Black) UAH 3,489 - 3,489 Compare prices |
Samsung A310F Galaxy A3 (2016) (Black) Notify when on sale |
| A type | Smartphone | Smartphone |
| SIM card type | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Standard | GSM 850/900/1800/1900, WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 3G B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B5 (850), B8 (900) 4G B1 (2100), B3 (1800), B5 (850), B7 (2600), B8 (900), B20 (800), B40 (2300) |
| High speed data transfer | GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA | GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSPA. LTE |
| Number of SIM-cards | 2 (or microSD card) | 2 (or microSD card) |
| operating system | Android 4.4.4 (KitKat) | Android 5.1 (Lollipop) |
| RAM, GB | 1 | 1,5 |
| Built-in memory, GB | 16 | 16 |
| Expansion slot | microSD / SDHC / SDXC (up to 64GB) | microSD / SDHC (up to 128GB) |
| Dimensions, mm | 130.1 × 65.5 × 6.9 | 134.5 × 65.2 × 7.3 |
| Weight, g | 110,3 | 132 |
| Accumulator battery | 1900 mAh (non-removable) | 2300 mAh (non-removable) |
| Opening hours (manufacturer's data) | up to 11 hours of surfing (Wi-Fi) | up to 12 hours of surfing the Internet (3G) |
| Diagonal, inches | 4,5 | 4,7 |
| Resolution | 540x960 | 1280x720 |
| Matrix type | Super AMOLED | Super AMOLED |
| PPI | 245 | 312 |
| Brightness adjustment sensor | + | + |
| Touch screen (type) | touch (capacitive) | touch (capacitive) |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 + GPU Adreno 306 | Exynos 7 Octa 7580 + GPU Mali-T720 |
| Kernel type | Cortex-A53 | Cortex-A53 |
| Number of Cores | 4 | 4 |
| Frequency, GHz | 1,2 | 1,5 |
| Main camera, MP | 8 | 13 |
| Autofocus | + | + |
| Filming | + | + |
| Flash | lED | lED |
| Front camera, MP | 5 | 5 |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 b / g / n, Wi-Fi hotspot | 802.11 b / g / n, Wi-Fi hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 (BLE), ANT + | Bluetooth 4.1, ANT + |
| GPS | + (A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou) | (A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou) |
| IrDA | — | — |
| NFC | — | + |
| Interface connector | USB 2.0 (micro-USB) | USB 2.0 (micro-USB) |
| Audio jack | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| MP3 player | + | + |
| FM radio | + | + |
| Type of shell | monoblock (non-separable) | monoblock (non-separable) |
Still, one of the main things is that Samsung has used quality materials (4th generation 2.5D Gorilla Glass + metal body) and a new display.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) has a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. Pixelation of small text takes place, however, it is noticeable upon very close examination. The display has no air gap, and the pixel density is 312 dpi.
Automatic backlight adjustment, works correctly and quite quickly adjusts to changes in lighting. Viewing angles are wide, color reproduction and contrast are good, with Super AMOLED's characteristic deep blacks. In the display settings, it is possible to change the "Screen modes" by choosing from 4 preset profiles. The default is Adaptive Display.
Overall, the screen can be described as decent, with wide viewing angles, typical Super AMOLED color temperatures and a good oleophobic coating. We note the excellent behavior of the display in the sun, the information is easy to read, without color degradation.
Hardware part
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) is based on the Exynos 7 Octa 7580 processor with an operating frequency of 1.5 GHz and a Mali-T720 video adapter.
The device has 1.5 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. It is possible to expand the memory by installing microSD memory cards (up to 128 GB). Of course, by today's standards, 1.5 GB of RAM is not so much, I would like to see more, but Samsung has clearly prioritized the Galaxy A series (Galaxy A3 - 1.5 GB RAM, Galaxy A5 - 2 GB RAM, Galaxy A7 - 3 GB RAM).
In general, the performance of the Samsung Galaxy A3 is average, the tests carried out showed the following results:
Communication capabilities are represented by wireless modules Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC and GPS (A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou).
During the test, there were no problems with signal reception and transmission. The sound of the spoken and external speaker was not satisfactory.
Interface
The software part of the Samsung Galaxy A3 is based on Android OS 5.1.1 and the proprietary TouchWiz Nature UX shell version 5.0. It is well recognizable due to the fact that it is used on other models of the company.
The lock screen displays the clock, weather, missed events are sorted by date. It is also possible to quickly go to the phone book or start the camera.
The built-in Smart Manager program allows you to visually monitor the main parameters of the smartphone (RAM, internal memory, virus scan, battery consumption) and clear the memory if necessary.
Note a nice feature, the Home button has additional functionality: double-click the camera when the device is locked and the ability to answer an incoming call.
Camera
Samsung Galaxy A3 is equipped with two camera modules, 13 MP and 5 MP. Both cameras have the same f / 1.9 aperture, but unlike the older versions (Galaxy A5, A7), the main module lacks optical stabilization. The maximum resolution for video recording is 1920 x 1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. The camera interface is simple and straightforward, nothing superfluous and complicated. There are basic modes and effects of image processing.
The quality of the pictures can be generally described as average, the picture lacks overall sharpness when viewed on the monitor, while the picture looks good on the smartphone screen.
Sample images of the main camera
Despite the active promotion and advertising of expensive smartphones with sophisticated functions, the most popular are mid-range models. Now there are models that are in no way inferior to the flagships in terms of the quality of finishing the case with productive hardware and a reasonable price. One of these is the Samsung Galaxy A3 of the 2016 lineup. It boasts a metal body, bright screen, fast processor and long battery life.
Today I will tell you about one of the most interesting Samsung smartphones in Russia in the middle price segment. It is about Samsung Galaxy A3 2016. This device has stable sales and high popularity. The fact is that outwardly it resembles the flagship Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S7, and costs less than 20,000 rubles. At the same time, metal and glass are used in the decoration of the case, and the user interface works without any thoughtfulness. The screen here is 4.7 inches. There is support for all modern wireless technologies, including 4G and NFC. The only thing missing is a fingerprint scanner.
Technical parameters Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016)
id \u003d "sub0"\u003eBody materials: metal, glass
Network: EDGE / GPRS / GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), LTE, Dual-SIM (one of the slots for the SIM card is combined with microSD), type of SIM cards nanoSIM
Operating system:Android 5.1.1, TouchWiz interface
CPU: 4-core Exynos 7578, frequency up to 1.5 GHz, graphics coprocessor Mali T720
Memory:1.5 GB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in (10.7 GB available to the user), microSD memory cards up to 128 GB
Display: Super AMOLED, 4.7 inches, 720x1280 pixels (312 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 4, with 2.5D effect
Camera: main 13 megapixels (f / 1.9), flash, Full HD video, front camera 5 megapixels (f / 1.9)
Communications: 802.11 b / g / n (2.4 GHz), NFC, Bluetooth: 4.1, USB 2.0, FM radio, LTE Cat 4, A-GPS / GLONASS
Battery: non-removable, 2300 mAh, video playback up to 14 hours, in 3G or LTE - up to 12 hours, talk time - up to 14 hours
Sensors: accelerometer, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, proximity sensor, light sensor
Dimensions, weight:134.5x65.2x7.3 mm, weight - 132 grams
Package contents and first impressions
id \u003d "sub1"\u003eSamsung Galaxy A3 2016 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-A310F. In addition to it included:
USB charger adapter
Computer sync cable
Stereo headset with 3.5mm miniJack jack
Clip for SIM card tray
Instruction, warranty card
On sale you can find four types of case colors: black, white, gold, "rose gold". All colors look good. Each of them has a metallic sheen, shimmers in the sun. I had a black version at my disposal.
The 2016 Galaxy A3 fits comfortably in your hand. The phone is quite compact by modern standards. The screen diagonal is 4.7 inches - the same as the iPhone 6 / 6S. The dimensions of the Galaxy A3 (2016) are 134.5x65.2x7.3 mm and weighs 132 grams.
Wearing the device in the pockets of tight-fitting clothes can be done without any problems. I did not notice any inconveniences. The smartphone can be operated with one hand. In the settings, you can activate a special mode that allows you to reach with the thumb of one hand to the corners of the display diagonally. In some cases, this can come in handy.
Design and appearance
id \u003d "sub2"\u003eThe exterior of the Galaxy A3 (2016) almost completely copies the flagship model Galaxy S6. There is also a metal case, in which glass covers not only the screen, but also the back panel. Glass has a slight curvature, the so-called 2.5D effect, which is a kind of fashion trend of recent times. The glass itself is Corning Gorilla Glass 4. The glossy surfaces have an oleophobic coating. For this reason, fingerprints, dust and dirt do not stand out much. On models in white, pink and bronze, prints are almost invisible. In black, they are 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.
On the front, you can see a large 4.7-inch SuperAMOLED screen. Above it is an earpiece, a front 5 Mpix camera, light and proximity sensors, and the manufacturer's logo. Under the display there are two touch buttons and one control room.
The volume rocker is located on the left side, the power key and slots for two SIM cards of the nanoSIM type. Interestingly, in addition to a sim card, you can insert a microSD memory card into the top slot. Large capacity cards are supported - up to 128 GB.
The microphone, microUSB and 3.5mm audio jack can be seen at the bottom. An additional microphone is also located on the upper end of the device.
Also at the bottom is a speaker for external calls and sound playback. I would rate the sound as a four. Even at an average level, you can hear the call well, even if the phone is in clothes. Nevertheless, the smartphone is far from super-quality and surround sound.
On the back you can see a 13 Mpix camera lens with autofocus and LED flash. The lens protrudes 2-3 mm relative to 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. The impressions are extremely positive. It looks like a real flagship. The smartphone is being assembled at a Samsung factory in Vietnam.
Screen. Graphics capabilities
id \u003d "sub3"\u003eI really liked the display of the 2016 Galaxy A3. 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 Super AMOLED screen. Resolution 1720x1280 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 6s with the same diagonal has a comparable resolution - 1334x750 pixels. At the same time, the quality of the screen in A3 2016 is better in many aspects, the picture is livelier and brighter.
Thanks to the "Adaptive" option, the user can significantly reduce the strain on their 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.
The sensitivity of the display is 10 points out of 10. All clicks are processed correctly and clearly. The 2016 Samsung Galaxy A3 supports gloved control - a hot option for the cold season.
During testing, I did not find any flaws in the screen. I liked everything, especially the picture. She is alive and vibrant.
Hardware platform: processor, memory, speed
id \u003d "sub4"\u003eThe Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) is powered by Samsung's 64-bit Exynos 7578 chip with a quad-core processor clocked at 1.5 GHz per core. It is made using 28 nm technology. Used graphics Mali T720. RAM 1.5 GB. The built-in memory in the device is 16 GB (10.7 GB is available to the user), removable microSD media up to 128 GB are supported.
Overall, the performance of the smartphone is good. The interface works smoothly, the browser works smoothly even when opening heavy pages. The processor hardly heats up when loaded with productive games. Heating is noticeable only with active use of LTE in the area around the camera.
The advantages include the low power consumption of the Samsung chip. This has the most 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 (2016) is a typical midrange or slightly higher. Social networks, videos, music, games - all this will work without stress. For young people who love beautiful gadgets, but are not ready to pay a lot, the device will be to their taste.
Communication capabilities
id \u003d "sub5"\u003eThe 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, MTS, Tele2 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 single-band Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, 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 has NFC support.
Connection to a computer is carried out using a USB 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
id \u003d "sub6"\u003eThe Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) has a 2300mAh Li-ion battery. In testing conditions, with the number of calls 35-40 minutes a day, browsing the Internet for about 2 hours via 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 13 hours, in navigator mode - about 5 hours.
If we take averaged data, the device can work from 2 to 3 days. 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 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 telephone communication, SMS, calendar and alarms are disabled.
The rechargeable battery is charged in a little less than 2 hours when powered from the contact network.
User interface and operating system
id \u003d "sub7"\u003eThe Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) currently ships with Android 5.1.1 firmware with the TouchWiz user interface. The software can be “over the air”. Since May 2016, the model has received an update to Android 6. This is a big plus.
As for the appearance of the shell, the interface is similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge and other Korean devices in 2016. All proprietary Samsung programs are available, 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.
Unlike the Galaxy S models, it has 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 already limited system resources and draining the battery.
Camera. Photo and video capabilities
id \u003d "sub8"\u003eThe 2016 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, among which there are 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 video resolutions are different, plus 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 5 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
id \u003d "sub9"\u003eSamsung Galaxy A3 of the 2016 lineup left purely positive emotions. Perhaps, there is everything a consumer needs. The device is fast enough, functional, has a stylish appearance, bright and colorful screen. The battery life was a pleasant surprise - with an average mode of use, it is possible to achieve 3 days without recharging.
Of the minuses, if I find fault, I can note the absence of a fingerprint scanner, as well as a combined slot for one SIM card and a microSD memory card. Despite 1.5 GB of RAM, I didn't notice any slowness in the interface. Of course, graphics-intensive games will not work correctly here, but other applications will do without problems.
For young people who love beautiful gadgets, but are not ready to pay a lot, the device will be to their taste.
Benefits
Great appearance
High-quality assembly
Good screen
LTE cat support. 6
Support for two SIM cards
Excellent autonomy
disadvantages
High risk of breaking glass body parts if dropped
Combined slot for one SIM card and memory card
No fingerprint sensor
On the day of publication of this test review, you could buy Samsung Galaxy A3 2016 (SM-A310) at a price of 18,990 rubles.
The editors of the project site expresses gratitude to the MMI online store for the opportunity to organize testing of equipment.
Every year, the flagships, although they are becoming less and less interesting for the end buyer, as in the middle segment there is a wide selection of devices that offer more and more similar capabilities for much less money. And this year a premium design is coming to such devices, which is especially noticeable in Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) and in general the entire image line of the company.
Specifications Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016)
Samsung took the design of last year's Galaxy S6, mid-range hardware and software, and then combined that into the Galaxy A (2016) smartphones. So, what is the simplest device in the lineup?
Beautiful smartphone
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) received not the most basic software for the camera. First, there is a quick call: double-click on the Home button (including when the screen is locked), wait two or three seconds (or less if the camera was launched recently), we see the running application.
Secondly, in the proprietary Camera application there is a pro-mode with manual settings, which will help to cope with sometimes erroneous automation. But if you are lacking in features, then you can visit the store where additional tools are sold. While they are not enough, they are aimed at the broad masses, but if the idea "flies", one can expect that there will be more additional modes. The empty Paid tab seems to suggest that Koreans are ready to compete with specialized software from Google Play.
An excellent video is recorded during the day (1080p, 30 frames / s), one can only complain about the lack of stabilization, but it is rarely found in devices for such money. But in the evening the situation is less pleasant - the video turns out to be a little blurry and noisy. However, it is stupid to make any claims to the Galaxy A3 (2016) for recording nighttime videos, since in its class this is probably the strongest device on the market.
Do you need a camera to post photos on Instagram, take pictures of children and record funny videos with a company? Galaxy A3 (2016) is perfect for this.
Communication and sounds
The smartphone received modules Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, which work just as well as competitors. There is NFC here - this fact is especially relevant for the Ukrainian market, where the A series devices were received with the NFC wallet function. The devices have an old software version installed, but this function can also be activated in it. And in many other countries, more and more banks appear who implement such payments through a branded application.
The device can be used with two SIM cards, but one of the slots is combined with a microSD slot, you will have to choose. The reception quality was excellent, the voice transmission and the sound from the earpiece are also excellent. If you look at the device as a beautiful means of communication, then this is definitely your choice.
The smartphone uses a single speaker that produces a loud sound. You won't get magic sound, but overall the quality is acceptable, especially for watching cats on YouTube. The only drawback is slight wheezing and overdrive at maximum volume when listening to music, but if you lower it to 90%, the effect will disappear. By the way, don't miss the call - regular melodies are loud and clear. The vibration motor here is average in power, but due to the small size of the smartphone body in the pocket, it shakes well.
And moan?
I would like to point out a couple of features that seemed strange to me in this device. The first is the amount of RAM - I don't understand why Samsung didn't ship 2GB like it did in the Galaxy A5 (2016). Obviously, there would not have been a significant eaten-off of sales - new items differ noticeably in the diagonal of the display, and the difference in "RAM" forces those who still want a smaller device to compromise.
The second unclear point was the lack of a fingerprint scanner. On the one hand, there is little benefit from it in Android versions older than Marshmallow, but on the other hand, the device can get a "six" (well, what if), and even now, due to the popularity of the manufacturer's smartphones, third-party developers integrate support for Samsung scanners into their software. For example, everything.
In contrast to my own arguments, I will say that if these shortcomings were not there, the device would have cost more, which would then directly push it in price with the flagships of the year before last. But I really wanted to get an uncompromising fashion smartphone in a compact body. Maybe next year?
Verdict
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016), which has become the most inexpensive smartphone of the company in the fashion line, turned out to be extremely interesting. First, it is spectacular in appearance: glass, metal, minimal frames, curved glass at the ends, an excellent combination of black and gold colors in our sample, design from Galaxy S6. Secondly, it is (by modern standards) a compact smartphone, which is generally a rarity in 2016, moreover, the novelty pleases with decent technical characteristics.
If you are not a consumer that is seriously worried about the numbers in AnTuTu, you are not looking for the best camera on the market (only flagships have such) and you are not going to play heavy games day and night, the Galaxy A3 (2016) will be great. purchase. There are several devices on the market for the same money, which will turn out to be more interesting from a technical point of view, but in terms of appearance, the OnePlus X, which is not officially supplied to our countries, can compete with the glass handsome man. But even in the latter one will have to choose from boring black or white colors (okay, the last one with a gold frame), and the lack of warranty service and replacement parts should scare away - glass, after all. But with the Galaxy A3 (2016), if something happens, then the repair will be much less painful.
Of course, the device is not without its drawbacks, which are more related to production technologies (AMOLED, seams on a metal frame), but they cannot be called serious drawbacks. Moreover, the same display is excellent here, when we talk about image transfer - isn't this its main function? Perhaps the biggest disappointment was the 1.5 GB of RAM, which is not enough to run a large number of applications in the background, as well as the slightly slow launch of the software. But these are minor flaws that will be invisible to most users. But the spectacular appearance is always in sight!
If you look at the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) exactly as a fashion device for an adequate price, then this is one of the best deals on the market.
Pros:
- stylish appearance
- compact size
- smooth operation
Minuses:
- 1.5 GB RAM
Video review Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016)
Prices in online stores
It is possible to display other models if this is not in the catalog.
Samsung Galaxy A3 2016 - the youngest model in the metal line of smartphones from the Korean manufacturer. The first device to receive a metal frame was Samsung Alpha, which was created as a niche phone, but unexpectedly for developers became in demand on the mass market.
Fast passage:
When you mention Samsung, there is no escape from comparisons to Apple products. The new A-series is not an attempt to win over iPhone buyers - it is an unbearable task, the solution of which lies in the area of \u200b\u200bexisting relations with brands, little depends on the technical characteristics. But Galaxy A3 2016 always wants to be compared with the iPhone 4 or 5 - this smartphone, like the device from Apple, immediately fits comfortably in the hand and pleasantly cools the palm with a metal case.
Design
A3 2016 is presented so far in four colors: black, silver, white and gold. The dimensions of the smartphone for today are quite compact: 134.5 x 65.2 x 7.3 mm. The device feels light at just 132g.
The case is non-separable: a certain part of buyers is ready to sacrifice the opportunity to independently replace the battery for the sake of the all-metal shell of the smartphone. But the creators for some reason covered the surface of the device with a matte compound, which makes the case look made of plastic. The only plus of this solution is that scratches on the case remain, but it is difficult to detect them if you do not look closely.
The location of the buttons is familiar: on the left side of the volume rocker, on the right - the power key. There is one physical button under the display, next to it there are two touch keys.
The device, despite the 4.7-inch screen, turned out to be ergonomic: you can work with the smartphone with one hand, easily reaching with your thumb to the notification curtain.
Screen
The front panel is covered with glass, under which there is a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED screen. The display turned out to be typically "Samsung", no matter what emotions you put into this characteristic. Under a magnifying glass, you can see small problems with displaying fonts, but overall the screen is very good; high contrast, large viewing angle.
The touchscreen perceives no more than five simultaneous touches - it is difficult to guess in what conditions a greater value will be needed. The oleophobic coating of the display allows you not to worry about the presence of prints - any dirt is quickly removed from the front of the device.
Interface
The smartphone works stably and without delays, since the technical characteristics allow it. Applications start quickly, screens scroll smoothly, video loading does not slow down. The device runs on Android 5.1.1, but you can't see it under the Samsung TouchWiz shell. Out of the box, the Samsung Galaxy Apps utility is installed, in which free and paid applications are available for download.
The smartphone has a voice assistant with which you can set an alarm, make an entry in the calendar or find something on the Internet. For people with poor eyesight, a simplified interface mode has been developed, in which application icons become much larger in size.
Cameras
The developer was unable to fit the 13MP camera into a slim body so that the lens did not stand out on the rear panel. But smartphone owners can take high-quality pictures and record FullHD videos. Quick start is available when the screen is locked by double clicking on the Home button.
The front camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels: this is enough to overwhelm your “selfie” friends and calmly make video calls without worrying about how you will look in the eyes of your interlocutors.
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Specifications
Four cores of the Snapdragon 410 processor and the Adreno 306 graphics accelerator. RAM - 1.5 GB, internal memory - 16 GB, of which about 11 GB is left to the user. It is possible to expand the memory up to 128 GB by installing a microSD card, but in this case, you will have to abandon the second SIM card, since they have one slot.
For the life of the phone cares battery with capacity of 2300 mAh. It's not much, but when paired with the Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 chipset, it gives a decent battery life. With normal use, you can get 2 days without recharging; under heavy load (several hours of calls, dozens of messages, constant surfing the net), the smartphone will last a day. The battery is charged within two hours, fast charging, unfortunately, is not supported.
