Review of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) smartphone: beautiful, compact, waterproof. Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) review: potential bestseller, but expensive Design, fast charging, additional features

The Galaxy A3 smartphone is the “brother” of the flagships Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, belonging to a simpler version and sporting a modern metal-glass body.

If you become its owner, then you probably want to know how to set up a Samsung Galaxy A3 phone.

This article will help all unaware users figure out how to properly configure a smartphone. And step-by-step instructions will help you with this.

Preparation

Since the Samsung Galaxy A3 is equipped with a removable battery, it will need to be installed in the device. Then press the power button on the end of the phone. Voila, the smartphone turned on.

The configuration settings process begins. First, you will be asked to select the system language. Then you will be prompted to connect to Wi-Fi (here you will need to enter an access code).

After this, the date/time is set automatically (this can also be done manually by clicking the necessary parameters in each of the fields).

How to add a Google account

After the preparatory steps, you can log into an existing account or create a Google account by clicking the appropriate button.

If you already have Google, simply enter your email/password. You can create a backup that will be linked to your account by checking the permission box.

1. To allow location reading for data collection, check the first box.
2. To be able to use location tracking for the Google searches option, check the second box.

In photon mode, the smartphone will independently install applications that were purchased previously and were linked to an existing Google account.

Samsung account settings

Creating Samsung accounts has many similarities with creating HTC accounts. Why is this necessary?

This setup allows you to have access to offers and information from the manufacturer.

To set up your phone, pull down the information area tray from the top.

After that, you will see Samsung settings in the top area; if they are missing, then click “settings”, which are located in the notification area.

Scroll down, looking for “accounts”. From the list you need to select “Samsung account” and make the settings.

1. “Create an account” (“Log in to an existing one” - if you already have one).
2. Choose a country.
3. You accept the terms.
4. By reading the privacy policy, you confirm your choice.
5. Enter your email/password/date of birth/postal code.
6. Go to your email and confirm your registration.

If there is no email associated with your phone, you will be prompted to create one.

After activating a Samsung account, the user receives a variety of additional benefits - Music Hub Cha On, Bada Auth For Android, Samsung Dive and so on.

On the account page you can quickly set up your account from Exchange, Skype, Facebook, LinkedIn, and you will not need any additional settings.

At the same time, it remains possible to connect from different servers to other accounts.

Setting up Google Play

By launching the application, which contains your magazines, music, books, applications, films, you accept the terms. In the “menu”, select “my applications” and view or update which have received a new version.

In “accounts”, select the one you need to install applications on Google Play. In “settings” you can set options for received notifications, set a PIN code for security, and much more.

“In wishes” - various products from Google Play are added, which you can install in the future. In the “help” you can find out everything about the service.

That's basically it, nothing complicated. Now you know how to set up a Samsung A3.

Moreover, the above tips will help not only Galaxy S3 owners, but also all novice users who are just starting to get acquainted with the Android system

For Samsung, 2017 was a year of excellence. The Koreans not only released one of the most technologically equipped flagships at the moment, the Galaxy S8, setting the bar for the famous iPhones, but also updated many younger and simpler models. Among those that were noticeably upgraded was the mid-range Samsung Galaxy A line. And not only the older models of the series, but also its youngest representative - the Samsung Galaxy A3.

Technical characteristics of Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)

The South Korean developer is quite cunning - while most manufacturers are still chasing the screen size of their smartphones, Samsung is chasing the quality of the technology. The guys from this company know their customers. And they know that a small but productive gadget is valued much more among ordinary people than a large smartphone with a weak processor.

As a result, we see annual updates to the South Korean mid-range lineup.

Technically, the Samsung Galaxy A has undergone significant changes. However, the models in the series differ not so much from each other.

Frame

Like its older colleagues, the A3 has become smoother and more rounded. The corners of the body no longer protrude so clearly, and the edges smoothly flow from one to another. Many people don’t like this decision regarding the redesign, saying that the phone has become like a soap dish. However, these are modern trends - angular buildings now seem to be a trend of the last century.

The perimeter of the phone is framed by a metal frame, the front panel is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 with a 2.5D effect. At the back, the same glass covers a slightly curved back panel. By the way, the panel is now smooth, there are no protrusions on it, the camera lens is perfectly tucked deeper into the body, which is quite convenient. The glass surface can sometimes play a cruel joke on its owner - glass and metal in the body materials make the phone uncomfortably slippery. If you are going to carry it without a case, be careful and hold the device tightly. Any fall in this case guarantees cracks and scratches on the phone body.

The front panel is not much different from the 2016 version - the screen occupies about 70% of the entire front part of the device, above it there is a speaker, the company logo, a front camera and a proximity sensor. At the bottom is the “Home” button on the mechanics with a built-in fingerprint scanner. There is also “Return” and “Application List” on the sensor. The touch buttons do not remain visible on the panel in inactive mode, although this is one of the signs of budget - more luxury models no longer have this.

Photo gallery: features of the appearance of the smartphone

Many users noted that after the redesign the phone looked like a point-and-shoot device
The camera now practically does not protrude beyond the surface of the body

At the bottom there is a mechanical button to return to the main screen and touch-sensitive “Context menu” and “Back”
The speaker is placed on the side in an original way, next to it is the lock key

There are two connectors on the bottom - for headphones and for a charger.
Above the display you can find a speaker, front camera lens, motion sensor and the usual logo of the developer company

On the top edge of the phone, the developers placed a SIM card slot and microphone
Traditionally, volume up and down buttons are located on the left side.

The dimensions of the device remained virtually unchanged. The length and width of the phone were 135.4 x 66.2 mm, respectively, and its thickness was 7.9 mm. The weight of the model is 138 g. Compared to last year’s version, the length of the case, its thickness and weight have increased, but the width has decreased. Apparently, the developer tried to bring the phone as close as possible to FullHD parameters with 16:9 proportions.

There are only three color options: black (Black), blue (Blue), gold (Gold), pink (Pink). In general, we tried to please everyone.

The small dimensions of the phone make it extremely ergonomic and convenient. It’s pleasant to hold the phone in your hand, and an attempt to reach the opposite corner, if necessary, will be crowned with undoubted success, even for girls.

Tech stuff

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 runs on a fairly powerful eight-core Exynos 7 Octa 7870 processor, which is manufactured using 14 nanometer technology. Four ARM Cortex-A53 cores, whose clock speed is 1.6 GHz, and the same number of Mali-T830 GPU cores were placed here. By the way, this chipset was previously found in the oldest representative of the budget J line - Samsung Galaxy J7 last year. You shouldn't expect high results from hardware designed for medium-class phones. However, for its price and niche, the phone demonstrates good performance and stable operation. For everyday work, local equipment is quite enough. More resource-intensive tasks, although they significantly load the processor, are still up to the task. But in heavy 3D games it is useless to test the power of the hardware.

Photo gallery: Galaxy A3 2017 performance tests

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 runs on a fairly powerful eight-core Exynos 7 Octa 7870 processor. Four ARM Cortex-A53 cores are placed here, whose clock frequency is 1.6 GHz. The smartphone also has four Mali-T830 graphics processor cores.
For its price and niche, the phone demonstrates good performance and stable operation. In single tests, the cores show low results. A joint test of cores will show a completely different picture - the result is “above average”
Despite the fact that the smartphone is significantly inferior to the company's leading flagships, its performance is absolutely sufficient to complete most everyday tasks. Difficulties in work are caused only by heavy and resource-intensive 3D games If you are buying a smartphone for work and everyday tasks, and not for games and entertainment, the device will not cause any complaints

Android version 6.0.1 Marshmallow is installed here with the Grace UX shell, which among the Samsung lineup was used only in Note7. It has a non-standard notification panel and settings menu, and also provides the phone owner with an additional screen on which current news is displayed. In addition, Grace UX allows you to change the appearance of standard icons and the theme (you will, however, have to buy them), can respond to the owner’s gaze (activating the display when you look at it), and offers to optimize the phone’s energy consumption yourself. In general, Grace UX has a wagonload of useful gadgets and a small cart. Despite their abundance, the shell works quickly, and noticeable slowdowns are observed only when loading news into the panel.

It is also worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 can be upgraded to the latest Android 7.0 Nougat.

Photo gallery: operating system features

The phone is equipped with 2 GB of RAM

Almost half of the phone's total memory will be occupied by system files and folders, which are impossible to get rid of. Fortunately, the developers thought about their customers and placed here a slot for a flash card, the maximum capacity of which can reach 256 GB. Considering that the A3 is Samsung's junior model in the mid-price segment, the gift from the creators seems impressive. Although we should not forget that the additional memory slot will simply be inaccessible if the owner of the gadget uses two SIM cards. You will have to sacrifice either contacts or documents.

Of the available 16 GB of internal memory, about half will be available to the smartphone owner

Battery

The battery on the Galaxy A3 is lithium ion and non-removable. Its capacity is only 2350 mAh, but the screen with low resource consumption and the built-in processor, which intelligently distributes the load on the battery, more than compensate for the small capacity.

The battery in the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 is not very spacious, but the results and operating time are pleasantly surprising

The time of continuous work on the Internet reaches 12-17 hours, the phone can play video for up to 17 hours in a row, play audio for up to 41 hours when the screen is periodically turned on and up to 55 hours when it is turned off. At the same time, the talk time without interruptions is about 17 hours. In general, at an average load level, the smartphone can easily withstand almost two days of work.

There is no fast or wireless charging on the Galaxy A3 2017. However, even without them, the device is fully charged quite quickly - in 1.5 - 2 hours the battery replenishes its reserve to the maximum level.

The battery is undoubtedly the strong point of the smartphone, even with low figures for its capacity.

Other amenities

In addition to good technical characteristics, the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 also added several special functions that will pleasantly surprise the owners of the gadget.

IP68

The IP68 standard guarantees your smartphone reliable protection from dust and moisture entering the phone body. Now you don’t have to worry that your gadget will suddenly stop working after encountering water or a sandstorm. It can be safely placed at a depth of 1.5 meters for as long as 30 minutes. If during such a time even water cannot get inside, let alone dust.

Despite the fact that the smartphone occupies the youngest place in the line, since 2017 it is also equipped with dust and moisture protection properties

Samsung Pay

One of the undoubted advantages of the updated version of A3 is the ability to pay without a physical card. The 2017 version added support for NFC and MST technologies, which allows you to link a card to your phone and then calmly pay with it, even without having this card in your pocket. The data is reliably protected and there is no need to worry about its loss - every transaction of funds is confirmed by your fingerprint.

They didn’t forget to put Samsung Pay in the smartphone

Always-On-Display

This feature, previously exclusive to luxury models, appeared on Samsung Galaxy A line smartphones only this year. Moreover, as you can see, not only among its senior representatives, but also among the youngest A3. The function itself is as follows: the screen of your phone, even in inactive mode, displays all current notifications, events, calendar, clock and other important and useful information.

Like its older brothers in the line, the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 is not without an always-on screen feature

Blue filter

This mode changes the phone's current color scheme to a softer, warmer, autumnal color scheme. This change has a very beneficial effect on the eyes of the owner of the device, relieves tension from them, and allows the eye muscles to relax. As a result, the time you spend using the phone increases, and discomfort and fatigue decrease.

USB Type C (1.0)

Among other things, the phone has a new USB connector. This is now USB Type C version 1.0. How is the new connector different from the old one? Yes, because it is symmetrical, which means that it doesn’t matter which side you try to insert it into the phone. Any will do.

Fingerprint's scanner

The fingerprint scanner is built into the mechanical Home button on the front of the phone. Users have very mixed reviews about its work. Some are satisfied with the device, noting the fast response (less than 1.5 seconds to unlock) and smooth operation. Others categorically state that the scanner is mediocre and only works every time. Considering that we are talking about a junior phone in the budget line, such flaws seem forgivable.

The fingerprint scanner in the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017, although weak, is still present

Camera

The smartphone is equipped with a camera with a main camera resolution of 13 megapixels. The focal power of the lens is f/1.9. Like older models, the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 has both built-in standard modes and a Pro mode, which involves manual adjustment of most parameters. So, in this mode you can easily adjust ISO, i.e. the light sensitivity of the lens, select the white level, set exposure and much more. The camera interface is also very standard and is unlikely to cause confusion among those who have used Samsung smartphones in recent years.

In addition to the standard ones, the camera is equipped with an HDR mode. If some time ago this mode justifiably seemed useless and ineffective to many users, now HDR often “pulls out” many pictures. On the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017, this mode works very smoothly. After applying HDR, dark holes do not acquire unnatural shades, and highlights do not turn gray.

Left - picture without HDR, right - with HDR mode

Daytime shooting

During the day, the camera focuses the image very accurately and quickly. The frames are detailed, bright, rich and pleasant. The color gamut of the photographs is close to natural, the range of shades is high and varied. As for the white balance, the camera determines it quite close to the original, i.e., real, picture.

However, it is also noticeable that the smartphone is a junior version of the line. The Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 lacks optical stabilization, due to which, even during the day, pictures can sometimes come out insufficiently clear and blurry in places. In this situation, the quality of the photo directly depends on the stamina and reliability of the hand that holds it. Given the light weight of the product, as well as its size, trying to take a good, clear photo becomes a serious task. And in conditions of night shooting or indoor shooting, it becomes even more difficult.

Photo gallery: daytime shooting

The front camera of the phone has a resolution of 8 megapixels and an aperture equal to the main camera, f/1.9

The Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 carries over the same convenience in handling the front camera as its older S-series brothers. You can switch from camera to camera with a simple swipe on the display, take pictures with a quick touch of the screen, or shoot using a voice command or gesture.

With the updated front camera, you don't have to worry about the quality of the pictures - they will be beautiful

Video

The Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 shoots videos in FullHD quality, with a frame rate of 30 fps. The user has access to a panorama mode, as well as a Pro mode with the same settings as the camera.

Video: Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 camera review

Price

The price range of the Galaxy A3 2017 is very large - from 14,700 to 22,990 rubles. The cost of the model in the official Samsung store as of July 2017 is 19,990 rubles.

Video: review of the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 smartphone

Photos in the interior

If you read the review of the A5 2017, then I advise you to read the sections “Positioning”, “Display”, “Battery”, “Camera”, “Performance” and “Impressions”, since the rest of the text is almost the same, little things have changed, fortunately these The devices are built using the same tracing paper.

Specifications

• Android 6.0.1 with Clean UI, upgrade to Android 7
• Screen 4.7 inches, SuperAMOLED, HD, 312 ppi, automatic brightness adjustment, automatic brightness adjustment to suit your habits, color profiles, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, AlwaysOn Display
• Chipset Exynos 7870, 8 cores up to 1.6 GHz (Cortex A53), 14 nm, Mali-T830 GPU
• 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory (9.7 GB of memory available to the user out of the box)
• Battery Li-Ion 2350 mAh, no fast charging, operating time in mixed mode 2 days (test result), 3G/4G data transfer mode - 14/17 hours, video playback - up to 17 hours, talk time - up to 17 hours
• Installation of two nanoSIM cards, as well as a microSD memory card (up to 256 GB) - a combined slot, simultaneous operation of microSD and two SIM cards is impossible
• Front camera 8 megapixels, f/1.9, facial enhancements (eyes, skin color, face tone)
• Main camera 13 megapixels, f/1.9, LED flash, autofocus
• Two microphones, noise reduction system
• IP68 water protection, up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters
• FM radio
• Fingerprint sensor located on the front panel
• USB Type C 1.0
• 4G FDD LTE - B1(2100), B2(1900), B3(1800), B5(850), B7(2600), B8(900), B20(800); TDD LTE B40(2300)
• GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
• ANT+, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4+5 GHz, NFC, USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.2
• Sensors - accelerometer, barometer, fingerprint scanner, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Samsung Pay
• Color options: black (Black Sky), gold (Gold Sand), blue (Blue Mist), pink (Peach Cloud)
• SAR value - 0.35 W/kg (head), 1.38 W/kg (body)
• Dimensions - 135.4 x 66.2 x 7.9 mm, weight - 138 grams

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone
• Charger with USB Type C cable
• Instructions
• Wired stereo headset
• microUSB-USB Type C adapter for charging cable
• “Paper clip” for removing the SIM tray

Positioning

Most manufacturers have completely abandoned the compact smartphone segment; for some reason it is believed that a small-sized phone should be outdated and not the most modern. There are three companies on the market that produce such devices: Apple (iPhone SE model), Sony (Compact series), and Samsung. The 2017 A3 fulfills the desire of some buyers to get a small, compact phone. The relatively small screen diagonal of 4.7 inches determines the use cases for such a device - first of all, it is needed for calls, and secondly for social networks, instant messengers and web browsing. This smartphone can be safely considered as a second phone, in this capacity it is almost ideal - it works for a long time, has a balanced, modern set of functions. But as a main device for those who are not looking for a large screen diagonal and are used to compact models, it is good.

This model has a set of functions comparable to older devices, although the 2017 A3 has removed a number of features compared to the A5/A7 - the phone has a simpler front and main camera, a lower screen resolution (HD, not FullHD), and no fast charging for the battery , which, however, is not critical, the charging time remains comparable, since the battery capacity is also lower. All the advantages in the form of Samsung Pay (NFC/MST), IP68 water protection remain. As well as the use of exactly the same materials, which distinguishes the model from many of its classmates, it is made perfectly. And, perhaps, this is one of the few compact smartphones on the modern market - the difference between this model and 5-inch devices is very noticeable, the impressions from them are very different. Moreover, these differences are both a plus and a minus, and depend directly on what you are used to.

Design, dimensions, control elements

In the A-series, the design is to some extent inherited from older models, the same body materials, no noticeable simplifications or savings. The A3 model looks expensive and stylish, regardless of what color you choose. There are four color options in total; there are no pink phones in Russia yet.

I have a black A3, it is classic and looks good. The mirror surface reflects the surrounding world, plays in the light, the device looks very interesting, and hand marks are practically invisible. I’ll add here that the screen with a splash screen can always work (AlwaysOn Display function), which none of the competitors have. In the end, we get an unusual device that has no analogues on the market; it can be distinguished from any other at first glance.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At the bottom end there is also a 3.5 mm jack for a headset or headphones, as well as a USB Type C connector for the charger. At the top end there is a tray in which a nanoSIM card and a memory card or two SIM cards are installed. This is a combination tray, so it's worth remembering that the A5/A7 can accommodate both a memory card and two SIM cards at the same time.

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

Phone dimensions - 135.4 x 66.2 x 7.9 mm, weight - 138 grams. Compact, very small. It can sink in a man's hand, but some people like this size. In clothes it is completely invisible, you can easily forget that you have a phone in your pocket, it doesn’t feel like a constant burden. If you like compact models, then you'll fall in love with the 2017 A3.

Compared to Galaxy A5 2017

Display

The younger model was equipped with a screen with HD resolution; on such a diagonal, low resolution does not play a big role, the picture looks good. But for those who like to peer at the screen and recognize PenTile, I will not recommend this screen; you will see its structure from a distance of ten centimeters, and from five centimeters you can accurately determine the “looseness” of the picture. It’s clear that no one is looking that close to the screen, but who cares? Ordinary people who are not burdened with knowledge about PenTile will simply say that it is a good screen that produces a nice picture, which is also customizable.

The technical characteristics of this SuperAMOLED display are as follows: 4.7 inches, SuperAMOLED, HD, 312 ppi, automatic brightness adjustment, automatic brightness adjustment to your habits, color profiles, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, AlwaysOn Display.

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

The screen has an AlwaysOn Display option, that is, you can see application icons, clocks or pictures all the time, the screen operation does not drain the battery much, in 12 hours it’s a couple of percent. Until now, this function has not been widely available in the mid-price segment, which noticeably makes the 2017 A3 stand out and puts it on par with Samsung flagships.

Whatever one may say, the screen in this model is excellent for its positioning and capabilities, nothing more is needed. Considering the scenarios for using the device (a minimum of heavy games with complex graphics as an example), this is the right choice.

Battery

The built-in Li-Ion battery has a capacity of 2350 mAh, fast charging is not supported, but the standard charger charges the battery in 1 hour 35 minutes. That is, there is no need for fast charging; due to the small battery capacity, charging time is normal. There is no built-in wireless charging, which is found in flagship models.

In mixed mode, the device lives quietly for two days with 3-4 hours of screen operation, data transmission in LTE and two hours of calls. It all depends on what and how you use it; you can achieve better results, for example, 5-8 hours of screen operation in two days of work, as well as less time.

Playing unconverted video in HD quality in MX Player at maximum brightness - up to 17 hours. This is an excellent indicator considering the size of the battery; many Chinese show comparable results on a 5000 mAh battery.

The operating time of the 2017 A3 becomes its strong point; even with a heavy load, it will not be possible to discharge it faster than in a day; on average, this is two days. Those who use only calls can easily count on 5-6 days of work; of course, it all depends on the operator and the number of these calls. But in general, we can state the fact that operating time is the strong point of this model.

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

Communication capabilities

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

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

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

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

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

Memory, RAM, performance

Samsung uses its own chipsets in A-series models, which can be considered a plus; they are improving year by year. For example, in 2016, chipsets in the A-series were made at 28 nm, now it is 14 nm, which gives an increase in performance and operating time. The chipset in the A3 2017 is Exynos 7780, 8 cores up to 1.6 GHz (Cortex A53), Mali-T830 graphics processor.

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

The device has 16 GB of internal memory (9.7 GB available), memory cards can be up to 256 GB. RAM 2 GB, which is enough for most consumers. And given the screen resolution, everything becomes very good, this solution is balanced, and there are no noticeable compromises.

Camera

The front camera is 8 megapixels (f/1.9), as usual, there is no autofocus, so it’s worth finding the distance from which the pictures are best taken, this is about half a meter, that is, an outstretched arm. The quality of the front camera is good, but don't expect anything special from it; after all, the main camera is better. There is a traditional improvement in skin color and tone, you can enlarge your eyes, and at the same time make your face thinner. Girls will definitely like these “improvements”.

The main camera is 13-megapixel (f/1.9), of course, there is autofocus, as well as additional shooting modes, including PRO, but it differs from the flagships, since the camera is simpler. The A3 has a simpler camera than older models, so don't expect much from it. But she copes with her job quite well: taking pictures of pages with text, capturing the world around her - all this can be done. But if you want to shoot beautifully for social networks, then look at flagships or higher-class models.

When recording video, the maximum is FullHD resolution and 30 frames per second.

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

Software

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

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

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

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

Impression

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

There are practically no compact models on the market, also keep in mind that Samsung has always been able to make its devices smaller than those of its competitors; just remember that 5.2 inches from Samsung is the body of many 4.7-4.9 inch models. So here too, the 2017 A3 turned out to be very compact; only one competitor immediately comes to mind - the iPhone SE. But the price of this compact phone is noticeably higher with similar characteristics and a memory capacity of 16 GB; in Russia it costs 31,990 rubles. In terms of design, it's the complete opposite of the 2017 Galaxy A3. Plus, the iPhone SE has a camera, but there is no water protection, there is, of course, no AlwaysOn Display, the operating time is the same or less.

Also, the Sony Xperia X Compact is made in a completely different style; the model is small, but extremely expensive (32-33 thousand rubles). Comparable operating time, slightly faster processor, better camera, no water protection and no AlwaysOn Display. This model definitely does not have any special advantage over the A3, which would cost 10,000 rubles. Its price positioning is close to the iPhone SE.

If there were many competitors in the segment of 5-inch models for the 2017 A5, there are practically no competitors for compact 4.7-inch models with small bodies. The two main competitors are the iPhone SE, as well as the Sony Xperia X Compact, but they are significantly more expensive. Sony will release an updated version of this smartphone, but the price difference will be even greater. Only large companies can afford to play in the market of compact models, and, unlike Samsung, they see such devices as models with super profits. In my opinion, this is the wrong approach, since a compact smartphone with decent materials cannot be prohibitively expensive, as the A3 2017 proves. For those who are looking for a compact model on Android, this device will be the preferred choice.

Comparisons with the 2017 A5 may be valid, but here you get a larger body size, higher performance, higher screen resolution and about the same battery life in the older model. But you lose that very compactness. These are different worlds in perception based on the size of the case, and this must be taken into account, everything else fades into the background.

The model of the previous season, namely the A3 2016, is weaker in every sense: shorter operating time in any mode, lack of an AlwaysON screen and water protection, and no support for Samsung Pay. On the other hand, if you have such a phone and it works, then you shouldn’t change it to a new one. Wait another generation and then change it. However, it’s worth buying it now as a compact phone if you don’t have money for a new model (the previous one costs 17,990 rubles). Let me remind you that the price of the 2017 A3 is 22,990 rubles.

The bottom line: the 2017 A3 is excellent for those who are looking for a compact smartphone that will focus on calls, instant messengers, browsing the Internet, and to a lesser extent on heavy games. This device is ideal as a second smartphone, as it works for a long time and is compact. The model turned out to be successful, but compact phones remain in demand not by a very wide audience, so the 2017 A3 is not worth expecting any huge sales, it plays only within the niche of compact devices.