Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) set to rival Honor 8 and OnePlus 3T in the premium mid-end segment and will cost Rs 28,990.
Samsung’s grip on the smartphone market is unquestionable. On the one hand, there’s the top-of-the line Galaxy S7 and on the other hand is the Galaxy J2, which is a budget Android phone. And somewhere in the middle is the Galaxy A5 (2017). It’s the latest edition to the Galaxy A series which is heavily influenced from the Galaxy S7, but at a much lower price point of Rs 28,990.
Samsung has some competition in this space, though. It has to compete with the Honor 8 and OnePlus 3T, which are both good devices. I had a chance to experience the Galaxy A5 (2017) twice; first at CES 2017 in Las Vegas and later at a closed pre-briefing in Delhi last week. Here’s what I think about Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017).
I didn’t like the Galaxy A5 (2016) too much, as I felt it wasn’t distinctive from the rest of the crowd. However, I feel the Galaxy A5 (2017) is a notch above its predecessor. I held the Galaxy A5 and the first thing that stuck me was the phone’s glass back and sides are made out of solid piece of aluminum.
The Galaxy A5 (2017) will be available in two colour options – Black Sky and Gold Sand.
The curve on the 3D glass is a nice touch and the bezels are slim that makes holding onto the Galaxy A5 very comfortable. I have medium sized hands so a 5.2-inch phone works for me. The Galaxy A5 (2017) also comes with IP68 certification (dust and water resistant), just like the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. This is a plus point, as not many smartphones in this price bracket are IP68 certified.
The Galaxy A5 has a 5.2-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080p) Super AMOLED display that was colorful during my hands-on
On the front, the Galaxy A5 has a 5.2-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080p) Super AMOLED display that was colorful during my hands-on. Below the screen is a physical home button that’s also a fingerprint reader. I would also like to mention about the Always On Display feature on the Galaxy A5. It displays things like a clock, a calendar and even notifications.
Camera
The Galaxy A5 sports a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera, with f/1.9 aperture, and optical image stabilization. The front camera has been improved too, now with a 16-megapixel with f/1.9 aperture. I took a few shots from the phone’s rear camera, the resulting images were pretty impressive. It’s nice to see Samsung is serious about the mobile photography. But perhaps that intrigued me was a feature called as a floating shutter, which basically lets you drag the camera shutter button anywhere on the screen when reaching down to take a selfie.
Hardware, connectivity and software
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But it’s what’s inside that also counts. Under the hood, the phone packs in an Exynos 7880 processor, 3GB RAM 32GB of internal memory and a microSD card slot. During my limited time with the device, I found the Galaxy A5 quite nippy. Swiping between apps and pages, for example, it performed relatively well. Though I sensed a few delays here and here, I believe that could be due to the fact our demo unit was not a final retail unit.
Unfortunately, the Galaxy A5 (2017) ships with an old version of Android 6.0 i.e. Marshmallow.
The new Galaxy A5 comes with a 3,000mAh battery with fast charging support; however, Samsung hasn’t mentioned how long the battery will last. We’ll just have to wait to get the phone in for a full review to test this. As for connectivity ports, the Galaxy A5 is charged via a USB Type-C port and features Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth connectivity.
The smartphone ships with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, but I assume Samsung will provide an update to Android 7.0 Nougat in the coming months.
Early conclusion
Of course, the Galaxy A5 doesn’t come cheap. The key question is whether a Galaxy J7 users will be willing to shell Rs 28,990 for the Galaxy A5 (2017). But we’ll wait to see how well the Galaxy A5 performs when we get it into our labs.
Anuj Bhatia is a seasoned personal technology writer at indianexpress.com with a career spanning over a decade. Active in the domain since 2011, he has established himself as a distinct voice in tech journalism, specializing in long-form narratives that bridge the gap between complex innovation and consumer lifestyle.
Experience & Career: Anuj has been a key contributor to The Indian Express since late 2016. Prior to his current tenure, he served as a Senior Tech Writer at My Mobile magazine and held a role as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. His professional trajectory reflects a rigorous commitment to technology reporting, backed by a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University.
Expertise & Focus Areas: Anuj’s reporting covers the spectrum of personal technology, characterized by a unique blend of modern analysis and historical context. His key focus areas include:
Core Technology: Comprehensive coverage of smartphones, personal computers, apps, and lifestyle tech.
Deep-Dive Narratives: Specializes in composing longer-form feature articles and explainers that explore the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture.
Global & Local Scope: Reports extensively on major international product launches from industry titans like Apple and Google, while simultaneously covering the ecosystem of indie and home-grown tech startups.
Niche Interests: A dedicated focus on vintage technology and retro gaming, offering readers a nostalgic yet analytical perspective on the evolution of tech.
Authoritativeness & Trust
Anuj is a trusted voice in the industry, recognized for his ability to de-jargonize trending topics and provide context to rapid technological advancements. His authority is reinforced by his on-ground presence at major international tech conferences and his nuanced approach to product reviews. By balancing coverage of the world's most valuable tech brands with emerging startups, he offers a holistic and objective view of the global technology landscape.
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5 min read
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) set to rival Honor 8 and OnePlus 3T in the premium mid-end segment and will cost Rs 28,990.
The Galaxy A5 (2017) will be available in two colour options – Black Sky and Gold Sand.
The Galaxy A5 has a 5.2-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080p) Super AMOLED display that was colorful during my hands-on
Unfortunately, the Galaxy A5 (2017) ships with an old version of Android 6.0 i.e. Marshmallow.
