Samsung Galaxy A7 #ExpressReview: Top-notch performance, but price is too high

The new 5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy A7 is priced at Rs 33,400 in India, a tad more expensive compared to the smaller 5.2-inch Galaxy A5. Both smartphones have a 13 mp rear camera with OIS. Is the Galaxy A7 of 2016 a good enough successor to its 2015 predecessor? Read on:

Watch our video review of the Samsung Galaxy A7 

Specs: 5.5-inch FHD (1920×1080p) Super AMOLED display | 1.6GHz octa-core Exynos Octa 7580 processor | 3GB RAM & 16GB storage (microSD up to 128GB) | 13mp OIS rear camera and five megapixel OIS front camera | 3,300mAh battery | Android 5.1 (Lollipop) | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v 4.1, ANT+ (for tracking health data, fitness, etc)

Price: Rs 33,400

The Galaxy A7 has a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED full HD display.

Samsung Galaxy A7 looks a lot like the S6, S6 edge+, except that it is less curved on the side than the flagships.The glass and metal body of the Galaxy A7 smartphone in black and gold colours makes it look like a premium device.

However, it is prone to smudges, which are really prominent thanks to the glossy body. The Galaxy A7 has the speaker grill at the bottom, like other top-end Samsung smartphones and it’s not so bulky even with the big 3300 mAh battery.

The design of the Galaxy A7 is similar to the flagship S7, S6 series.

What’s good?

Of course, the Galaxy A7 2016’s design is what one notices first and it looks like a premium device. Plus, the 5.5-inch full HD Super AMOLED display is top-notch from Samsung; big enough to watch Netflix on; with vivid and crisp colours.

Sample shot from Galaxy A7. All images resized for web.

Sample shot from Galaxy A7. All images resized for web.

Sample shots from Galaxy A7. All images resized for web.

Sample shots from Galaxy A7. All images resized for web.

I used the Galaxy A7 as my primary device during a week-long vacation and the device gave me no problems at all. The Galaxy A7 was my source for making calls back home, listening to music, taking pictures, and it worked flawlessly. From browsing to multi-tasking and gaming, the device can handle it all. It might not set the benchmarks on fire, but that doesn’t mean there are performance issues.

In terms of connectivity and call quality, the Galaxy A7 fares very well. I had the device on constant 4G connectivity as I roamed around Sri Lanka and faced no issues on either front.

The battery of the Samsung Galaxy A7 should easily last a day. The first day of the vacation, I didn’t have access to a charging point ( wasn’t carrying a converter) but the phone didn’t die on me. I managed to make it last for half a day even though the battery levels had dipped to under 30 per cent. Either way, I didn’t find myself checking for the battery levels every couple of minutes, which is a relief.

Camera is the other strong point of the Galaxy A7. It doesn’t disappoint, be it in the day when you’re trying to capture the sea in its glorious blue or are aiming at the orangish sky during sunset. The selfie or the rear camera, the Galaxy A7 delivers. However, I do have some concerns about the low-light performance, which I’ll discuss next.

What’s not so good?

Like I said, the camera is really good and can deliver some stunning pictures. But I felt that the clarity was missing in low-light shots. I can’t help but compare the A7 to the A8, a smartphone where the low-light performance was quite good. Yes the A8 came with a 16 megapixel camera, but it was priced nearly the same as the A7, so as a prospective buyer I would end up comparing the two.  The camera struggles with greens and reds quite a bit as well.

The camera does struggle with reds.

My other problem with Galaxy A7 is that it takes forever to charge, even though it says fast-charge is on. Also I noticed that the phone became quite hot when it was left for charging.

The price of the Galaxy A7 is perhaps the biggest problem for the smartphone. At Rs 33,400, I can’t help but compare it to another Samsung smartphone; the Galaxy A8, which is now retailing for Rs 25,000 and a device that I had loved, especially for its camera.

Even the S6 edge is available for Rs 33,000 online in some cases. Honestly, the Galaxy A7 feels over-priced. Also the lack of Android M for a 2016 smartphone is disappointing.

For some, the Galaxy A7 might seem a tad over-priced.

Verdict

Samsung Galaxy A7 is no doubt a top-notch smartphone with a great camera, crisp display, premium design and a battery that will last. But again the price might just be too high for lot of users. If you’re a Samsung loyalist and don’t want to spend more, you can consider this.

But like I said the S6, S6 edge, have all gotten price-cuts plus an Android M update promise, making them more value for money options. Overall, the Galaxy A7 might be a better option once its price drops.