Samsung Galaxy A7 photos from your phone. Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) - Specifications

Buy a smartphone and be sure that it will not lose its relevance for 3-4 years? It's about Samsung Galaxy A7 SM-A720F! Samsung made its latest smartphone from the A line as a concept of all the qualities necessary for modern gadgets. From performance to functionality. And up to compatibility with updates, which is important.

The characteristics of the A7 will please the owners of this smartphone not only at the time of purchase, but also after several seasons of use. And the SM-A720F also looks great, which in 2019 is not the last argument to buy it.

Samsung Galaxy A7 SM-A720F: external specifications

Samsung engineers would not be themselves if they had not decided to use ready-made design solutions for the A line. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy A7 SM-A720F, this “move” is very successful: the smartphone is similar to its older brother from the S line – the Galaxy S7, which makes it the most popular product: the price of the A7 is significantly lower. And it looks no less stylish and, at the same time, respectable. At the same time, there is no disharmony or bad proportions - the SM-A720F is extremely balanced:

• thickness 7.9 mm;
• length 156.8 mm;
• width 77.6 mm.

Like both of its predecessors in the line ( and ), the Samsung Galaxy A7 SM-A720F is designed in the form of a candy bar and is completely sealed. IP68 technology is responsible for protecting the case, which, in addition to traditional wear resistance and dust resistance, also provides protection from moisture. Reviews after the advert with a “sinking smartphone” appeared are very optimistic: the review proved that this Samsung smartphone is really not afraid of water.

The body of the SM-A720F itself is glass, which adds elegance to the model, despite its not the smallest dimensions. The side protector, protecting the rounded edges, is metal and non-marking. It is not at all necessary to select a case for the A7 immediately after purchase - the smartphone is practically insensitive to minor wear and tear. And the color range offered by the manufacturer pleases with its variety - you can choose a “color” either classic or modern:

1. night sky (Black Sky);
2. blue haze (Blue Mist);
3. golden sands (Gold Sand);
4. peach (Peach Cloud).

Samsung Galaxy A7: software characteristics

Since the Samsung Galaxy A7 SM-A720F was released into wide release only in January of this year, before its announcement everyone expected at least improved performance and greater flexibility of characteristics compared to previous version. Samsung engineers solved this problem simply: the operating system in the SM-A720F remained the usual Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), but the official review of the model by the manufacturer itself reports that the possibility of upgrading to “seven” is provided. With the “stuffing”, the Samsung Galaxy A7 is in perfect order – the characteristics of the “hardware” (which are always closely paid attention to by those who like to buy a smartphone for several years at once) are pleasing:

• 8-core processor (Exynos 7880);
• latest generation graphics chipset (Mali-T830MP3);
• RAM – 3 GB;
• built-in memory – 32 GB.

Among other things, reviews Samsung owners The Galaxy A7 SM-A720F is highly praised for its Exynos 7880 processor for its smooth operation and providing the smartphone with normal (human) performance. The Samsung Galaxy A7 can easily accommodate even the most modern video games, and it’s absolutely ideal for surfing the Internet.


Simultaneous operation of several applications is possible, the device does not freeze or lose functionality. Stated clock frequency processor 1.9 GHz, tests show that it is actually 1.87, but this micro difference does not affect the functions in any way. As for additional features, the Samsung Galaxy A7 can be “upgraded” with a memory card up to 256 GB and not think about any malfunctions in the operation of the gadget at all.

Price for Samsung Galaxy A7 SM-A720F in leading online stores

Despite the clear advantage over competitors, the latest smartphone samsung rulers And it doesn’t scare potential buyers with its cost. average price on official version SM-A720F fluctuates around 33,000 rubles. Considering that it will not lose its relevance for another 2-3 years, then this price is justified. Popular online stores have already launched sales; the price overview is no different from foreign analogues:

1. Media Markt RUB 33,500;
2. Technosila RUB 32,999;
3. Yandex Market 24,700 – 35,900 rub..

Samsung Galaxy A7 screen and camera

The only point for which the model of the year is still criticized and for which this Samsung smartphone regularly receives not the most flattering reviews is its camera. Both the main and front cameras in Samsung models Galaxy A7 SM-A720F received 16 megapixels each, but due to the lack of optical stabilization, the characteristics of the resulting photos cannot be called ideal.


Another question is that the visual power of the SM-A720F will be sufficient for non-professional shooting. So if you think about a smartphone for the future, and not about a gadget for selfies, then the A7 is very, very good. Besides Common parameters the screen cannot but rejoice:

1. Diagonal 5.7;
2. Super AMOLED display;
3. Resolution 1080*1920;
4. Color rendition – 16 million shades.

Read about another good device from the Meizu brand.

Ultimately, buying a Samsung Galaxy A7 is a good idea for those for whom working with applications, playing games or surfing the Internet is important in their smartphone. For perfect selfies, you still need other options, but you need to prepare for the fact that the price will be significantly higher. And the SM-A720F, in addition to other advantages, has an additional trump card over its competitors: a 3600 mAh lithium-ion battery holds a charge for up to 2 days.

The popular PCMark “charging durability” test showed 9.45 hours of uninterrupted operation (with a declared brightness of 200 cd/m2. So for the modern pace of life, this Samsung smartphone is good even in extreme situations!

Fun video review beautiful girl smartphone Samsung Galaxy A7 SM-A720F:

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Absolutely all smartphones from Galaxy lines A, of which there are more than a dozen, if you start counting from 2014, were made with design in mind. It is quite obvious that the flagship Samsung models were taken as a basis, and therefore this time the Galaxy S7 was “copied”.

But, of course, the Galaxy A7 (2017) is not as similar as the A5 (2017). Can you guess what's going on? Okay, I won’t bore you: the S7 has a screen diagonal of 5.1", and our hero has a 5.7", that is, the same as Galaxy Note. No, don’t think, the new product will not be a kind of replacement for the infamous Galaxy Note 7 - they have fundamentally different positioning. And the laptop looked cooler.

The Note 7 looks cooler, but the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) looks good too. If we stop comparing it to expensive top models, we will get a stylish device made of glass and metal. It is all so convex and rounded, thanks to the 2.5D glass.

At the back, the tube was bent at the edges so that it fits better in the hand. Well, what can I say, the palm doesn’t expand very much, but it still expands. You can’t hide physics anywhere - 5.7 inches is 5.7 inches. I’ll immediately add that the tactile sensations from the case are excellent - the massive, weighty block of the phone is very well assembled, there is no doubt about its reliability.

The front and back of the smartphone is covered with Gorilla Glass 4, so although it is possible to break it, it is not so easy. And he shouldn't be scratched. The device also has protection according to the IP68 standard - it is now also difficult to drown it.

However, the addition of moisture protection did not come free to the Galaxy A7 (2017) - its thickness has increased to 7.9 mm (it is 7.3 mm), as well as its weight, which is now around 180 grams. The latter parameter was also influenced by a more capacious battery and a 0.2" larger display.

In general, what can we conclude about the appearance of the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)? Stylish, beautiful, interesting. I had the black Galaxy A7 (2017) black in my hands, but the pink Galaxy A7 (2017) ping, the gold Galaxy A7 (2017) gold and the blue Galaxy A7 (2017) blue will also be sold - for all tastes, so to speak. At the same time, the device is perfectly executed, well protected both from scratches and from moisture and dust.

Connectors and controls

In terms of ergonomics, the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) has not changed very much. All the usual elements are in place, although one has been replaced entirely.

Above the smartphone screen there is a front camera lens, light and proximity sensors, and a speaker. The latter is painted black and the paint may come off over time - not the most pleasant moment. The phone also does not have an LED event indicator. For now, it remains only on Samsung flagships, although for the entire Galaxy A line for 2017 it may be replaced by the Always On function - I’ll talk about it in the section about the screen.

Below the display are the traditional “Korean” buttons Home, Back and recent applications. The last two are touchscreen and are not visible until they are backlit, and the first is mechanical, with a built-in fingerprint scanner.

Fingerprints are added in the “Lock screen and security” section of the Galaxy A7 (2017) settings. But, as usual, you must first set an alternative unlocking method: with a pattern, PIN code or password.

To save a fingerprint, you need to touch the sensor a little more than a dozen times. Afterwards, you can set parameters for what else can be unlocked with it, and the smartphone itself is already configured to work with your finger. We have a short video about this whole process:

The backlighting of the buttons is bright and clearly visible.

At the back of the Galaxy A7 (2017) there is a camera and an LED flash.

On the left side there are the usual volume buttons. And just below them, in a not so “usual” way, there is a compartment for the first SIM card.

The Galaxy A7 (2017) and its younger brother A5 (2017) have two separate slots for nanoSIM cards; there is no combination with the memory card compartment.

The second tray is placed on the upper side, not the opposite side from the microphone for noise reduction.

Here the holder is longer - for two cards: for nanoSIM and microSD. If you suddenly don’t figure out how to manage all this “economy”, I recommend watching our video:

Meanwhile, on the right side, in addition to the power button, there is now also a speakerphone. Previously it was below.

And at the bottom there remains a 3.5 mm mini-jack for headphones and headsets, a conversational microphone and a USB Type-C connector - it is this “element” that has been replaced “entirely.” Samsung has installed it on the entire updated line of devices, which is cool in my opinion. Yes, there are few such cables yet, but the situation will change every day.

So what comes out: the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) has two full-fledged compartments for SIM cards, it supports USB interface Type-C, the external speaker moved to the left side, where it is more difficult to close, but all other elements remained in place. Overall, it turned out great!

Case for Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)

It was impossible to buy a case or cover for the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) at the time of writing this article - this device has not yet gone on sale. However, this model is popular, so there will be quite a lot of offers for it.

For example, a case for the Galaxy A7 (2017) of this type will probably cost about 1,000 rubles.

This book case for the Galaxy A7 (2017) will cost about 1,200 rubles.

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) screen

The quality of screens in Samsung smartphones is increasing every year. Even in flagships, where it would seem there’s nowhere better. Of course, the growth is not dramatic, but it is there. Meanwhile, flatter models also get new-generation displays. So is the Galaxy A7 (2017) - its predecessor already had a good image, and now it looks even nicer. However, this can only be seen if you put two devices side by side and start looking closely.

On the other hand, the pixel density of the screen of the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) decreased from 401 to 386 ppi, if we take the previous phone for comparison. It's all about the increased screen diagonal - it was 5.5", but became 5.7", that is, like the Galaxy Note. It is unlikely that the company will in this way compensate for the untimely death of Note 7; rather, the increase in size is caused by the desire to further differentiate the Galaxy A5 (2017) and A7 (2017) - previously there was a difference of 0.3" between them, and now - 0.5".

And yes, as you might have guessed, the display resolution remains the same: 1920x1080 pixels or Full HD. For me, this is more than enough for everyday life. The picture still remains clear, no nicks or other interface irregularities are visible. Subjective image on Galaxy screen I like A7 (2017). Super AMOLED is Super AMOLED – a high-quality matrix, with bright colors and wide viewing angles, almost no blinding in the sun. And if you think that the colors are too eye-catching, then changing the profiles will help solve the problem, but more on that below.

Meanwhile, objective measurements indicate screen brightness at 413.81 cd/m2, which is quite good. Coupled with a high-quality anti-reflective coating, this provides that very good “resistance” to the bright sun. Let's add here the feature of OLED technology, namely deep black color and, therefore, excellent contrast.

The color gamut of the Galaxy A7 (2017) display is, as always, maximum and noticeably higher than that of the best IPS matrices. When the Adaptive profile is activated, it noticeably outperforms the sRGB color space and comes close to covering professional Adobe RGB. Well, the “Main” profile, which is more “calm” in terms of saturation, produces a smaller number of colors, which is in no way noticeable to the eye.

The gamma curves generally look good. Not ideal, but very close to the standard curve 2.2: in the case of the “Adaptive” profile, the curve was slightly lower than the standard, and for the “Basic” it was higher. In the first case, this means a slight darkening of the image, or rather its output is slightly darker than necessary, and in the second - lightening. But again, you won’t see it by eye.

The white balance is, as always, very good for the “Main” profile, but in the case of the “Adaptive” it is compromised towards a cooler picture. But in general, most smartphones have this problem, it’s even a kind of “norm”.

The Galaxy A7 (2017) screen recognizes up to 10 simultaneous touches. This is a small thing, but younger models support no more than 5 touches at once.

And here are the screen profiles, they are selected in the settings. The default is Adaptive, but you can choose the one that suits you best. Moreover, in this generation of the device, you can additionally adjust the gamma of individual color components.

The Galaxy A7 (2017) also has the coolest feature – Always On, which literally translates as “always on”. The screen always shows the time, as well as notifications. You can choose a background for the clock, replace it with a calendar or just a pattern. It would seem that this is nonsense, but you get used to it so quickly and “firmly” that you decide right away: the next smartphone will have Always On! I have it, but you can buy it for yourself right away, yes. The battery life of this thing is very small - if consumption increases, it is by a couple of percent per day. Moreover, the autonomy of the Galaxy A7 (2017) is wow! But more on this later, in the testing section.

So, to summarize, I can conclude that the screen of the Galaxy A7 (2017) is excellent, with a good picture, bright colors, and the ability to fine tuning and a very convenient Always On function.

The Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) also received an updated camera, as did the Galaxy A5 (2017). The predecessor had 13 megapixels, but now it is 16 megapixels. Although, of course, this did not affect the quality in any way - the shooting resolution only increased. But the update of frame processing algorithms has had an effect, so the smartphone takes better pictures.

The application that controls the camera has changed its interface. As always, insignificant, but noticeable. So filters are now pulled out with a slide gesture on the right, and shooting modes on the left.

Among the interesting modes is Pro, where you can set light sensitivity, white balance and exposure compensation. Also useful will be HDR, hyperlapse - shooting slow-motion video (don't forget to put your phone on a tripod!), as well as Food, where they'll give you cool bokeh.

Maximum resolution, as always, is achieved with an aspect ratio of 4:3.

As you can see, the Galaxy A7 (2017) shoots decently. The frames are sharp, with good white balance, without flare. Overall, I liked it. Even in the evening the result is good.

The video is shot in Full HD resolution. 4K is still not available for Samsung smartphones unless it's a flagship.

The video also turned out well, although not in the newfangled 4K resolution.

The front camera also has its own modes, although there are significantly fewer of them.

The resolution of the front sensor has been noticeably increased - up to 16 MP, that is, equal to the rear one.

The shots from the front camera are also good, the colors are correct, and the white balance is not affected. True, there is a nuance - the lens is set to focus close, and therefore the photos came out so “blurred”.

The front camera also shoots video in Full HD.

The problem with video is the same as with photos - it’s good, but blurry if you don’t shoot close objects.

In principle, I liked the cameras of the Galaxy A7 (2017). The rear one takes pictures very well - it will suit many people. There are complaints about focusing on the front, but perhaps this will be fixed with a firmware update.

The Galaxy A line for 2017 includes three models: Galaxy A3 (2017), Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017). Our type is like “senior”. And it’s not “like”, but it is – this is the most expensive model, although its characteristics correspond in every way to the Galaxy A5 (2017). Therefore, it is much more interesting to find out how they have changed in comparison with the Galaxy A7 (2016).

The most interesting thing is that the Galaxy A7 (2016) differed in terms of characteristics from the Galaxy A5 (2016) more significantly - the largest device had 1 GB more RAM. Now this difference has been leveled - only the screen diagonal and battery capacity remain.

Between Samsung themes Galaxy A7 (2017) has an Exynos 7880 Octa processor. It has eight Cortex-A53 cores operating at 1.88 GHz. The chip is manufactured using a 14-nm process technology, and therefore heats up less than the 28-nm Exynos 7580 of its predecessor. The frequency has increased noticeably - all cores operate at the same frequency. In principle, this is not the fastest chipset on the market, about “above average”, but its speed should be enough for everyone.

There are, however, some questions regarding the video card. Mali-T830 MP3 is a three-pipe accelerator, operating in this case at a frequency of 750 MHz. This mid-budget solution is not the slowest, but it’s not so easy to classify it as productive either. Of course, compared to the Exynos 7580 with its Mali-T720 MP2, the new video card has become noticeably better, but it still has to deal with Full HD screen resolution. Although, on the other hand, I did not notice any problems with performance.

The amount of RAM has not changed - it is still 3 GB. Obviously, they did not increase it to 4 GB, so as not to create unnecessary parallels with the Galaxy S7. Moreover, the Galaxy A7 (2017) has 32 GB of flash memory - this is a twofold increase, which I strongly welcome.

The remaining characteristics are less significant, but still. So LTE is supported by category 6, that is, data reception can reach up to 300 Mbit/s. Bluetooth has been updated to version 4.2, Wi-Fi is now compatible with speed standard 802.11ac. But USB Type-C is just a new fashionable connector, while the interface behind it is the old one, USB 2.0.

Generally Samsung specifications I rate the Galaxy A7 (2017) as good. The smartphone clearly does not use the very best components, and someone will say that some Xiaomi will offer a flagship for the same money. Well, let him offer it, but the value of a Korean phone is not only in its hardware, although it is good. Now see for yourself.

Performance testing

Now we'll find out how good the Galaxy A7 (2017) is compared to its predecessor, the 2016 model.

Well... both the old and the new system-wide tests showed a noticeable increase in performance.

There is no difference in the SunSpider browser test - obviously, it was not able to fully load the new chipset.

But three-dimensional tests show a noticeable increase in speed. I shouldn’t have blamed the video card; it has become much faster, which is good news.

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) in Antutu

Now let's take a look at what the popular Antutu benchmark shows.

As you can see, here too the Galaxy A7 (2017) has become significantly faster than last year’s model. Although someone will say that “less than 100 thousand is nonsense.” Well, what can I say to that? This is nonsense, but in my opinion all these “parrots” are a very arbitrary thing. Moreover, if you consider what amazing autonomy the smartphone showed.

As always, I conduct the main test of autonomy.

The result obtained is not that much, but still noticeable better than Galaxy A7 (2016) – the new handset lasts longer and this is visible to the eye. It has almost a record value of all the tested devices. Better, perhaps, only .

The Antutu autonomy test shows a slightly different picture - the Galaxy A7 (2017) is almost twice as good as its predecessor. The tube really lasts a long time. It has the best performance of the entire Galaxy A line, and in general it will be difficult to find a smartphone on the market whose performance will be comparable. We won’t take bricks with mega-batteries into account, okay?

As is usually the case, 3D games consume the most energy. All other tasks consume more or less the same charge.

In addition to internal optimizations, Samsung gives you the opportunity to customize energy consumption yourself. In the settings there are modes of increased energy saving, as well as optional individual applications can be allowed to work without restrictions.

So it turns out: Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) is a smartphone with decent, although not top-end, performance, as well as excellent battery life. The autonomy is really cool - one of the best.

Games on Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)

Games on the Galaxy A7 (2017) run reliably, and there is enough memory for them.

• Riptide GP2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Asphalt 7: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Asphalt 8: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Modern Combat 5: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• N.O.V.A. 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Trigger: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Trigger 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Real Racing 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Need For Speed:No Limits: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Shadowgun: Dead Zone: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Frontline Commando: Normandy: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Frontline Commando 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Eternity Warriors 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Eternity Warriors 4: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Trial Xtreme 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Trial Xtreme 4: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Effect 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Plants vs Zombies 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Target: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Injustice: Gods Among Us: excellent, the game does not slow down.

As you can see, none of the tested games slow down in any way.

BY

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) received Android 6.0.1. To be honest, I expected more. It would be nice if it were a budget smartphone, but this model is only one step below the flagship – it’s a mess! In general, I wanted Android 7.0 out of the box, but I’ll have to wait for the update, I think, somewhere until the spring-summer of 2017.

Meanwhile, the phone has the proprietary TouchWIZ shell installed, in its latest version. However, the desktops here have not changed in any way: on the left, as always, is the Briefing ribbon, and the rest are normal, with shortcuts and widgets.

But the notifications and quick settings panel has been updated, turned white and with new icons. There is nothing fundamentally new here, rather the appearance has been refreshed. But the lock screen and task manager remain completely the same.

From the task manager, as always, you can activate the MultiWindow mode - splitting the screen into two parts, in each of which an application opens. Very relevant for such a large smartphone.

The design of the settings has changed, there are a little more items, they have new icons, and each one is given a larger width, which was used to good effect: a brief description is given under the section name.

You can customize quite a lot. For example, notifications that come from applications in the status bar have the ability to disable “cluttering”. Among additional functions There are options such as manual processing of screenshots, as well as advanced options for games, where all notifications and something else are turned off.

Samsung also thought about a one-handed control mode a long time ago - let me remind you that it was the Koreans who came up with shovel phones. In general, on the Galaxy A7 (2017) you can shrink the keyboard and move it to the side, and also display the image in a smaller window.

Hidden in the “Optimization” section is what was previously called Smart Manager, and on other devices “Phone Manager” and the like. In fact, this application is an optimizer for RAM and flash memory consumption, as well as energy consumption. Knox Protected Mode is also activated here.

Samsung is also developing its own Samsung Cloud service (extremely original name!), in which you can store backup copy data from the device.

They also hid the theme configurator in the settings. Here you can download additional ones from the Internet, customize wallpapers and icons.

There are not many applications installed on the Galaxy A7 (2017). More precisely, not much, besides the standard set of calendar-calculator-hours-and-so-on. There is a set of utilities from Samsung, Google and Microsoft. From the latter - Skype and Microsoft Office.

Some of the proprietary programs can be downloaded from the Galaxy Apps store - Samsung did a very smart job by bringing them to separate section your store, rather than cluttering up your smartphone’s memory with them. Whoever needs it will download it. This thing is hidden under the Galaxy Essentials shortcut widget. There is a "Children" mode, music player and a music editor, business card and text recognition in general, S Translator, a simple graphic editor.

Of the installed ones, I would like to note the “Secure Folder” program. The name suggests what it does - it creates an encrypted folder that integrates with a standard file manager.

Also installed on the Galaxy A7 (2017) is the Samsung Pay payment service application - the company is beginning to actively distribute it.

There is a separate Samsung Notes application where you can create notes. It has been modernized and now it has become much more functional.

Other programs are the most common alarm clock, stopwatch, file manager and the like that are on any smartphone.

I'll be honest: I'm subjective. I got used to the Samsung shell and once again it got better. So, fans of this company’s products, the Galaxy A7 (2017), and other representatives of this line, will not be disappointed. Well, as for the rest, it seems to me that everything is good and convenient, but if you are already accustomed to something specific, then the difference will begin to be felt. And so TouchWIZ, in terms of its operating logic, is not very different from “naked” Android.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) is impressive. Yes, it just “makes an impression” - it’s such a huge shovel, somewhat larger in size than any of the Galaxy Notes. In other words, if you wanted a phablet with good specs, high quality assembly and excellent design, then it is in front of you. It also has water protection, yes.

The device definitely has some disadvantages, and in my opinion, the main one is the identical characteristics of the Galaxy A5 (2017). It turns out that the older model differs only in screen diagonal and battery capacity, and costs significantly more. Someone else will not like the non-separable case and the lack of an LED indicator, although it is now well replaced by Always On.

Always On, by the way, is a very cool thing. And the rest of the smartphone is very good. Among the unmentioned advantages, I will cite a high-quality Super AMOLED screen, a USB Type-C connector (although some will write this down as a disadvantage), a fingerprint scanner, an excellent camera, and also excellent battery life. So how much is all this happiness worth?

Galaxy A7 (2017) price

You can buy a Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) for 33 thousand rubles. For the Galaxy A5 (2017) they are asking 28 thousand rubles, that is, the difference is 5 thousand - and this, I repeat, is only for the increased screen diagonal and increased capacity battery In the meantime, what are competitors offering?

Meizu U20 is noticeably cheaper - only 20 thousand, but the characteristics are similar: 5.5-inch Full HD screen, 8-core processor MediaTek Helio P10, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, body made of metal. What's wrong here? Well look, the 3260 mAh plus battery is not so economical MediaTek processor– autonomy will clearly be lower. There is also no water resistance and a fingerprint scanner, and the camera is 13 MP.

Motorola Moto Z Play sells for 30 thousand, that is, it costs more. There is a 5.5-inch AMOLED screen(worse than Super AMOLED from Samsung), Snapdragon 625 chipset, 3/32 GB of memory, 3510 mAh battery. You can also sculpt on it external modules the back is a feature of the entire Moto Z series. This is such an interesting image-functional model.

If it competes with the Galaxy A5 (2017), then the Nova Plus is the rival of the A7 (2017). The price here is lower, around 25 thousand, and the characteristics are comparable: Full HD IPS screen, Snapdragon 625, 16 MP camera with the ability to record 4K video, 3/32 GB of memory and a 3340 mAh battery. And yes, add here a stylish appearance and a metal body. But without moisture protection.

Pros:

• excellent design;
• excellent assembly;
• high-quality Super AMOLED screen with customizability;
• good cameras;
• The case is protected according to the IP68 standard;
• Fingerprint's scanner;
• USB Type-C connector;
• conveniently located audio jack;
• Always On function;
• very good autonomy.

Minuses:

• Android 6.0 out of the box (there will be an update to 7.0);
• With conversational dynamics the paint will wear off;
• non-separable body;
• no LED event indicator above the screen;
• The specifications are no different from the Galaxy A5 (2017).

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	77.6 mm (millimeters) 7.76 cm (centimeters) 0.25 ft (feet) 3.06 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	156.8 mm (millimeters) 15.68 cm (centimeters) 0.51 ft (feet) 6.17 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	7.9 mm (millimeters) 0.79 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.31 in (inches)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	96.12 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.84 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Black Pink gold Blue Golden
Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body.	Aluminium alloy Glass
Certification Information about the standards to which this device is certified.	IP68

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.	GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz
UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is that it provides higher speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1700/2100 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 700 MHz Class 17 LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1700/2100 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) LTE 700 MHz (B28)

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 7880
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	14 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.	ARM Cortex-A53
Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors.	64 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv8-A
Number of processor cores The processor core performs program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.	8
CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1900 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. IN mobile devices ah it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	ARM Mali-T830 MP3
Number of cores GPU Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications.	3
GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	950 MHz (megahertz)
Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random Access Memory (RAM) in use operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.	3 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR4
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates.	Dual channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data.	1033 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends.	Super AMOLED
Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	5.7 in (inches) 144.78 mm (millimeters) 14.48 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	2.79 in (inches) 70.98 mm (millimeters) 7.1 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	4.97 in (inches) 126.19 mm (millimeters) 12.62 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. More a high resolution means sharper detail in the image.	1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail.	386 ppi (pixels per inch) 151 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.	73.85% (percent)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance
	Corning Gorilla Glass 4 Always-On Display

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.

Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera.	Samsung S5K3P8
Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device.	ISOCELL
Diaphragm	f/1.9
Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. The equivalent focal length is also indicated, providing the same field of view with a full frame camera.	3.6 mm (millimeters)
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image.	4608 x 3456 pixels 15.93 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video with maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode
	Sensor size - 1/3.1" Pixel size - 1.0 μm

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.

Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture opening is larger.	f/1.9
Image Resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the additional camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera.	4608 x 3456 pixels 15.93 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with an additional camera.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the secondary camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution.	30fps (frames per second)

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, and making devices easier to discover and connect. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device.	4.2
Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols that provide faster data transfer, energy savings, improved device discovery, etc. Some of these profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here.	A2DP ( Advanced Audio distribution profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) DIP (Device ID Profile) HFP (Hands-Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) HOGP

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Browser Information about some of the main characteristics and standards supported by the device's browser.

HTML HTML5 CSS 3

Audio file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Video file formats/codecs A list of some of the main video file formats and codecs supported by the device as standard.

3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project, .3gp) 3GPP2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project 2, .3g2) AVI (Audio Video Interleaved, .avi) Flash Video (.flv, .f4v, .f4p, .f4a, .f4b) H.263 H.264 / MPEG-4 Part 10 / AVC video H.265/MPEG-H Part 2/HEVC MKV (Matroska Multimedia Container, .mkv .mk3d .mka .mks) MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14, .mp4, .m4a, .m4p, .m4b, .m4r, .m4v) VC-1 VP8 VP9 WebM WMV ( Windows Media Video, .wmv) WMV7 (Windows Media Video 7, .wmv) WMV8 (Windows Media Video 8, .wmv) Xvid

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours.	3600 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. Exist different types batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries most often used in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Lithium-ion)
2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network.	23 h (clock) 1380 min (minutes) 1 days
3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network.	23 h (clock) 1380 min (minutes) 1 days
Adapter output power Information about the strength of electric current (measured in amperes) and electrical voltage(measured in volts) that the charger supplies (power output). Higher power output ensures faster battery charging.	9 V (volts) / 1.67 A (amps)
Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery.	Fast charging Fixed

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

SAR level for head (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device next to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards, subject to the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998.	0.21 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards.	1.33 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Head SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. Maximum value, used in the USA, is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	0.24 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard.	0.71 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)

In January 2017, the next update to the Galaxy A series smartphones was presented; the line was replenished with three new products. The eldest of them was the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) SM-A720F/DS - a middle-class phablet made in a glass case. Now you can buy it at a price of about 450-470 dollars, if we are talking about an officially imported device, or about 400 dollars, if it is a “gray” device. Our review will help you figure out what you get for this money.

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) SM-A720F/DS has become a logical continuation of the ideas embodied in the previous generation of the A-series, but this is not just an improved version of its predecessor. It has some important differences, both externally and internally. And not all of them will appeal to those looking for a replacement for A-series smartphones of previous generations. Why so – read further in our review.

In Series A, the Koreans do not rely on advanced hardware, so the technical characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) SM-A720F/DS are not surprising. They are quite typical for a mid-class smartphone.

Design, case materials, dimensions and weight

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) traditionally has a metal and glass body, but the design has been redesigned compared to the previous generation. If previously it was a rectangular block of glass and aluminum, slightly rounded at the corners, then the new device has more pronounced curves. In addition, it has become larger and heavier: 156 mm in height, 77 mm in width, and 7.9 mm in thickness, and the device weighs 185 grams. An important innovation is the sealing of the case, ensuring compliance with the IP68 water protection standard.

Despite the increase in weight and size parameters, everything is fine with the ergonomics of the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017). It is 2 mm shorter and 1 mm narrower than the iPhone 7 Plus, which has a slightly smaller diagonal. And the rounded shapes contribute to a comfortable grip. On the other hand, users who have just managed to rejoice that Samsung has stopped making “remnants” may not like the abundance of roundness.

The entire A-series of 2017 is designed in uniform style, the differences are only in size. Like its “younger brothers”, the front of the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) has a home button with a fingerprint scanner, a speaker and a camera, as well as a sensor window. The front panel is covered with 2.5D glass.

The back of the device is also glass, rounded on all sides. At the top in the middle there is a camera that does not protrude at all, and to the right of it is a flash. Just below there is the manufacturer's logo.

The control buttons are located on different sides of the metal base of the case.
On the right side there is a power/lock key and a speaker. Bottom – USB port Type-C and 3.5mm headset jack.
On top there is a microphone for noise reduction and a slot for a SIM card and flash drive.
On the left side there are separate volume buttons and a SIM card slot.

CPU

The core of the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) is the Exynos 7880 Octa chipset. This is a new chip produced using the 14 nm process technology. It contains 8 Cortex A53 cores with a frequency of up to 1.9 GHz and a Mali T830 MP3 graphics accelerator. This hardware is quite consistent with the middle class in 2017, but on the other hand, Galaxy price A7 (2017), the Chinese are ready to offer something cooler, for example, the flagship Snapdragon 821. However, fans of this line of smartphones do not chase hardware, so scores in benchmarks are not the main thing.

Despite not the most powerful hardware, the device works quickly. And its graphics subsystem is in order; it’s fine for games. The result in AnTuTu is about 60 thousand points, of which about 18 thousand are for graphics. This is enough to play at high settings, although it won't be 60 FPS everywhere.

Memory

On board the Galaxy A7 (2017) there is 3 GB of RAM, it is equipped with LPDDR4 chips. The system at startup consumes approximately half of this capacity. The drive holds 32 GB, of which about 23 GB is allocated for the user partition. There is also an independent MicroSD slot and support for USB OTG drives.

Battery

Installed in the smartphone non-removable battery, capacity 3600 mAh. Fast charging function supported. The autonomy is decent, you can count on about 7 hours in games or a little over 10 hours of mixed loads. If you do not load the device, using it only periodically for calls and correspondence, the smartphone can last 3 days on one charge.

Cameras

Galaxy A7 (2017) received cameras with higher resolution than its predecessor. On the one hand, this is good, but this decision also has its pitfalls. The main matrix has a resolution of 16 MP, and is based on a 1/3" ISOCELL sensor. This means that the pixel sizes are reduced to 1 micron, their effective area is 25% smaller than usual. And although ISOCELL technology implies improved pixel protection from mutual interference, in practice the camera takes good pictures only during the day.This is also facilitated by a good aperture of f/1.9.

In the evening everything is fine, but nothing more. Small details are lost and blurred; last year's A7 took clearer and sharper pictures in low light conditions. The picture below shows that last year's Galaxy A5 smartphone took sharper pictures than the A7 2017.

Examples of photos:

Another “improvement” of the camera is the refusal to use the optical stabilization mechanism. There is digital stabilization, but when shooting video on the go, it does not help the situation much; shakes are smoothed out, but do not disappear. Video recording is in FullHD, with 30 FPS. Video example:

The front camera has noticeably increased in resolution. Now it is 16 MP, like the main matrix, the same module is used, but without autofocus. The fixed focus is not set very well: it seems that it is not set to infinity, but to a distance of half a meter. Because of this, you can capture the face in detail, but the background will be blurred, the sensor will not capture the depth of field, and the dynamic range is narrow. Video recording is also carried out in FullHD@30FPS.

Selfie camera photo

Screen

The diagonal of the Galaxy A7 (2017) is 5.7", which is 0.2" more than its predecessor. The matrix type is the same Super AMOLED with PenTile, the resolution is standard FullHD. Due to the increase in diagonal, PPI dropped to 386 dpi. In principle, the picture looks clear, but there will definitely be those with eagle eyes who will see the grid of subpixels. The full brightness of the display is about 410 cd/m2, the PWM backlight can only be noticeable at low brightness.

The smartphone screen is covered with 4th generation Gorilla Glass with a decent oleophobic layer. The glass has 2.5D rounded edges. Full multi-touch, capable of responding to 10 simultaneous touches.

Communications

The device has two slots for SIM cards, they are separate (each in its own tray). Support for all current networks is provided, except for CDMA (not very common in Europe). Wi-Fi can work with 2.4 and 5 GHz networks, the most recent (of the common) 802.11ac standard is supported. The GPS and GLONASS signal receiver is responsible for navigation, which works quickly and determines the location well.

Bluetooth 4.2 has not gone away, supporting work in energy saving mode. There is also an NFC module for contactless payments. A USB Type C port is provided for charging and connecting accessories.

Sound

The smartphone does not have a discrete DAC, however, it produces good sound. The speaker is not loud (the waterproofing is to blame), but it is enough not to miss a call. In headphones, the device is capable of revealing a wide frequency range; both bass and high-frequency sounds are reproduced. In the settings there is an equalizer menu for custom presets. There is a radio receiver in the device.

operating system

The smartphone is equipped with Android 6 OS, with a modified Samsung proprietary interface. Out of habit, it is called TouchWiz, although the shell is officially called Grace UX. The system interface is designed with high quality, unlike numerous Chinese devices, there is separate menu programs. In terms of performance and stability, everything is also in order. The only thing Samsung is sometimes criticized for now is its refusal to release a smartphone immediately with Android Nougat on board. However, there is every reason to expect that the update will come soon.

Peculiarities

The most main feature Galaxy A7 (2017) is IP68 certified. It implies that the smartphone will withstand immersion in water 1.5 meters longer than half an hour. Another interesting feature of the device is the Always On Display function, which allows you to display the time, date, missed notifications and other useful information on a locked device. It hardly eats up battery power.

Alternatives

Finding an alternative to the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) is quite difficult. Stylish devices with a similar diagonal can almost be counted on your fingers. One of them is Xiaomi Mi Note 2, but this smartphone is more expensive, it does not have water resistance, and it has an IPS screen. Last year's Galaxy A7, whose camera has OIS, also remains relevant. But this smartphone is smaller, it also does not have water protection. A cheaper alternative would be the glass Meizu U20, but it has a 5.5" screen, no NFC, and the device is afraid of water.

If you don’t start from external parameters, but look for a 5.5-5.7” phablet that is protected from moisture, the only alternatives at a similar price ($400-500) are the Moto X series (released in 2015, but still relevant) , as well as HTC 10 Evo.

Pros and cons of a smartphone

• water protection;
• balanced chipset;
• decent autonomy;
• separate MicroSD slot.

Flaws:

• the main camera is no better, and in some ways worse than its predecessor;
• unsuccessful focusing adjustment of the front camera.

Our review

Based on the results of the review of the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017), it can be noted that the smartphone left slightly contradictory impressions. On the one hand, it retained the concept of its predecessor, received protection from liquids and dust, became better in terms of hardware and grew a little, while maintaining acceptable dimensions. But on the other hand, the camera, one of the main features of last year’s A7, not only did not become significantly better, but even lost OIS and became less interesting for evening shooting.

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Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) SM-A520F review: waterproof and battery-powered

Last year Samsung company introduced the updated “A-series”, which received the 2016 prefix to separate it from previous models. The line of smartphones turned out to be really successful; for the first time for itself, the company endowed it with characteristics close to flagship ones, leaving the price at an average level. As you might expect, Samsung updated the A-series in 2017. We have already tested Galaxy smartphones A3, Galaxy A5, and now it’s the turn of the Galaxy A7. Let's see what the top model of the line has to offer.

Design and materials

Like last year's A7, new smartphone took over the features of one of Samsung's flagships, this time it turned out to be the Galaxy S7. The shape of the case, the glass of the front panel rounded to the edges, as well as the identical speaker grille and navigation keys really make the models similar.

But to emphasize the positioning of the Galaxy A7 (2017), the camera unit was made noticeably smaller than in the S7, which is why the smartphone looks a little toy-like from the back. Especially in pink color, which we got for testing. In general, the design of the device is made in the spirit of Samsung of the last few years, and the similarity with the flagship model is only a plus for it.

The same applies to case materials. Already last year the company significantly improved the quality of the “A-series”, and this year it has only slightly improved it. The main material of the Galaxy A7 (2017) is glass, which covers the entire front and rear panels.

At the same time, the frame is made of aluminum to add additional rigidity to the body. The fit of materials is excellent; the glass of both the front and front panels smoothly transitions into metal, leaving virtually no gap. And since the body cannot be disassembled, the entire structure is monolithic.

The Galaxy A7 (2017) case dimensions are 156.8 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm and weighs 186 grams. For a 5.7-inch smartphone, the device is relatively compact.

Water and dust protection

For the first time for the A-series, models in the line received protection from water and dust according to the IP68 standard. Thus, the Galaxy A7 (2017) can easily survive being caught in a downpour; it can be washed under the tap and generally immersed in water to a depth of 1.5 meters and for up to 30 minutes.

The smartphone case is sealed, so dust cannot get into it either. A sensor on the USB Type-C connector, which is used for charging, warns that moisture has entered it and you need to wait until it dries before connecting the charging cable.

Display

Galaxy A7 (2017) is the older model of the new A-series, so it has the largest display. Its diagonal is 5.7 inches, with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. Traditionally, Samsung uses a Super AMOLED matrix with a PenTile pixel arrangement. However, given the diagonal and resolution, the pixel density is 386 per inch, so you can only get a hint of screen grain if you hold it directly to your eyes. Also, the peculiarities of vision cannot be ignored, however, for most users, images and fonts on the display of the Galaxy A7 (2017) will look clear.

The calibration of the smartphone screen depends on the selected setting, for example, in the “Adaptive Screen” and “Cinema AMOLED” modes, colors can be made very rich and vibrant, while in the “Basic” and “Photo AMOLED” modes they will be closer to natural. We took measurements in Basic mode, and the display showed excellent calibration with more than 100% coverage of the sRGB color space, a color temperature of 6500K, a uniform gamma and backlight.

The Galaxy A7 (2017) also features a recently popular blue light filter for the screen, which makes it noticeably “warmer”. This option can be enabled manually or according to a schedule.

In addition, the smartphone was equipped with another feature of Samsung flagship smartphones - always active screen. Since the display here is Super AMOLED, and each pixel in it is individually illuminated, even when the screen is locked with minimal battery consumption, you can display the time and date, notifications, calendar or image on it.

Platform and performance

Mid-price smartphones may look similar to flagship models, but they are very rarely able to match them in terms of performance. This happened with the Galaxy A7 (2017), despite the similarity in design, it lags behind the S7 in terms of performance. However, this does not prevent the smartphone from working quickly and performing all the tasks assigned to it, including games.

The Galaxy A7 (2017) is powered by a 14nm octa-core Exynos 7880 processor clocked at 1.9GHz, coupled with Mali T830MP3 graphics. In addition, the smartphone is equipped with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, which can be expanded with microSD cards.

The performance of the Galaxy A7 (2017) platform will be sufficient for all tasks that a smartphone user may encounter, but in resource-intensive games you will have to choose medium graphics settings.

Despite the popularity of hybrid slots for SIM and memory cards, in the Galaxy A7 (2017) they are implemented separately, thanks to which you can install two nanoSIM cards and a separate microSD card in the smartphone. To implement this, Samsung used not one universal tray, but two. One is installed on the upper end of the case and you can install a nanoSIM and a memory card into it. And the second is on the left side and is intended for installing one nanoSIM.

Interface

The Galaxy A7 (2017) uses Android 6.0.1 and a new shell called Grace UX. This is not to say that TouchWiz did not look modern, but the new interface was developed for the seventh Android version, so I immediately adopted some of its features. This mainly concerns standardized icons, organization of alerts in a drop-down panel, as well as a better organized settings menu.

Overall, Grace UX looks nice, but the most important thing is that it works really fast. Animations in the new interface are smoother and occur without jerks. This gives the impression that the smartphone has a more powerful processor and more memory.

Camera

The main camera in the smartphone is 16-megapixel with f/1.9 aperture, 27 mm focal length, autofocus and flash. Compared to last year's A7, the number of megapixels has increased, but optical stabilization has disappeared.

In daylight, the camera does as expected nice pictures. Moreover, they can be done both in automatic and HDR mode. The latter saves photos a little longer than we would like, but this is often found in mid-price smartphones.

At night, the f/1.9 aperture allows the Galaxy A7 (2017) to capture more light, however, high resolution plays less of a role here than the size of the pixels on the sensor. Thus, the camera manages to capture more detail in low light, but it lacks sharpness. In addition, the lack of optical stabilization can lead to blurred images in poor lighting conditions.

Overall, the camera of the Galaxy A7 (2017) is on par with the two-year-old flagship Galaxy S6, which is excellent considering the positioning of the new model.

The front of the smartphone also deserves attention, as it also uses a 16-megapixel module with f/1.9 aperture.

It is not the same as the main one, but it also provides good picture quality.

Multimedia

The external speaker in the Galaxy A7 (2017) is located on the right side, above the power button. This allows you not to block it when you hold the smartphone horizontally with both hands, for example, while watching a video.

However, it itself sounds muffled, since it has a moisture-proof membrane installed.

The 3.5mm headphone jack is on the bottom edge. The smartphone sounds good, and there is an equalizer in the settings, as well as proprietary Adapt Sound technology, which allows you to customize the sound to suit your hearing characteristics.

Fingerprint's scanner

Traditionally for Samsung smartphones, under the display of the Galaxy A7 (2017) there is a mechanical “Home” button, which contains a fingerprint scanner.

The user can add up to 5 fingerprints and use them to unlock the smartphone, as well as for purchases on Google Play. The scanner works quickly, subjectively it is no worse than in the flagship Galaxy S7.

Autonomy

The Galaxy A7 (2017) has a 3600 mAh battery, thanks to this, as well as an energy-efficient processor, the smartphone demonstrates an excellent level of autonomy. In the PCMark battery test at 200 cd/m2 brightness, it lasted 9.5 hours. At an average load level, with active data transfer and 20 minutes of calls per day, you can count on 2 days of battery life.