6.1.2018

Alright, guess I'll weigh in on this one.I'll get the cons out of the way first, as I have a rather important one that may apply to some UK users.Con #1: This device comes with a Portuguese version of Android 7.0 pre-installed. This can have an adverse effect on some UK users' ability to access mobile data. I had this exact problem which has only been resolved today (06/01/17) by Samsung themselves.The problem is not with the sim you use, however it is caused by the software which is conflicting with the UK sim. I happen to be on O2 and even with the correct APN settings the Data would not work. It to a trip to the Samsung Repair Center in Belfast to get this working.They had to remove the Portuguese version of the software completely and install a UK one. My 4G is now working.Worry not, Samsung will take care of this for you for free as it is covered in the standard 24 month Samsung Warranty (which you DO get with this phone).Con #2: The front camera is a little dodgy, in that if you move your hand ever so slightly while taking a picture, no matter how insignificant the movement is, you will get a blurry picture. Needs some stabilization. Rear camera is fine for the most part and pictures that you do get without blurry-ness are fairly good (I'm content with this, others may not be).Con #3: The glossy back of the phone can get very dirty (finger-prints / dust / dirt) I highly recommend getting a case for this phone.Now for the pro's.Pro #1 This phone has a fantastic screen, 1080x1920 is great, I've went from a Samsung J5 2017 to this phone and I'm really impressed with the jump from 720x1280. Brightness is also really good, it has a very fine adjustment. blue light filter is especially useful if operating in the dark or low-light.Pro #2 This phone is fast. With the 1.9GHz 8-core CPU and 3 GB of RAM the phone is great for multi-tasking, giving me a good reason to use the split-screen functionality and use of multiple apps without performance hit. The default storage space for this particular phone is 32GB. (Minus about 7-8GB for android software, the phone will arrive with ~24-25GB of free space).Pro #3 This phone now comes with Android 7.0 pre-signed. While this might also be a con for some users (see con #1) I am very pleased as I'm well versed in using this version of Android from my experiences with my previous J5 2017. The A5 2017 will also be getting the upgrade to Android 8.0 (Oreo) (as it's second lifetime upgrade), when the manufacturers and service providers complete testing.Pro #4 USB type-c charging is super fast. I have seen the phone go from 5% to 80% in the space of an hour and a half. If you have the phone in flight-mode/switched off it can probably reach 100% in that time. The charge also lasts for a good amount of time, you also have the battery save option should it be needed.Pro #5 Like most phones on the market, This one also allows you to extend storage space up to 128GB using a micro-SD card. I have an additional 16GB in my phone.Pro #6 This phone has been given the IP68 resilience certification, meaning it is resistant to water splashes and dirt and dust. (I stand by getting a case for this phone, you can never be too careful, especially when you're paying for this phone already).Pro #7 The finger print scanner is very accurate, and you are allowed to register a maximum of 3 separate finger print readings, I have two for my thumbs and one for my index finger (wish I could have a 4th for my other index finger, but I guess there has to be a limitation somewhere. I went with the index finger on my dominant hand).Pro #8 Listening to music on this phone is an absolute treat. I have been using an additional app from Samsung called "Samsung Music" (it can be got in the play store) and this app allows exclusive access to the device's sound output. Giving you additional options for EQ, volume matching for all your songs, and a feature that I find personally very helpful, "adjust sound" which puts you through a small hearing test to determine how well you hear in both ears, if one ear is not good at hearing a certain frequency, it is boosted to a certain level, giving you a personalized listening experience.There are also standard presets for under 30's, people in 30's-60's and over 60's. This sound adjustment can be applied to phone calls as well.Pro #9 This may be a small feature, but one worth telling of anyway. This phone supports moving wallpapers and lock screens. The software uses the phone's rotation to change colours and move your wallpaper. This gives a very subtle effect that is nice to have.Pro #10 This phone is also very good for playing games, I am currently addicted to Geometry Dash and it is a very smooth experience playing this game. Smooth FPS with no hitching and very clear and clean graphics.All in all, I like this phone and now that I have access to my 4G data, I will be able to use it like normal.4 stars. (Could have been 5 starts had my 4G worked out of the box)

13.3.2017

Right, I’ve had this phone for 2 weeks now and I can say it is better than I expected for the price of it!The phone itself is nice in the hand, although I opted for the black model so I had to get a case for it as the back is glass and acts as a fingerprint magnet.In terms of looks, the device looks very similar to the Galaxy S7, and if you looked at both the A5 and the S7 from the front, you couldn’t tell the difference.With the software included, it is a skinned version of Android 6, which I have no problem with as it works really well. Unlike my older Galaxy Tab 2, the Galaxy A5 comes with very little preinstalled apps, and the ones that do come installed can easily be replaced with the Google equivalent (such as Chrome,Gmail, Keep, and Play Music- other apps are vital to the system such as the camera, clock, etc.)A neat security feature that Samsung included is Samsung Knox, which allows you to set a pin number to boot up the device if it is powered off, preventing someone from stealing your device, easily wiping your data then reselling the phone.The inclusion of a fingerprint scanner was a must for me (coming from an iPhone 5s which used TouchID), and Samsung have done a really good job with this one. It is super responsive (less than a second to unlock) and I’ve yet to have a problem with it not recognising my fingerprint.Fast Charging is a godsend, as the phone can charge from around 20% to 100% in around 2 hours uf using the charger that came in the box, although i’m not sure if fast charging will have any negative impact on the battery life in the long run.In terms of battery life, the Galaxy A5 is brilliant. As a student I am often on my phone, and the battery life in combination with the large screen makes it a joy to use. Before, with my iPhone 5s, I would often get home to around 25% battery left after a full day. Now I get home with around 40%-60% (depending on my usage) and the fast charging can easily refill It in no time!In terms of actual usage of the phone, I have yet to see any performance drops or lagging, even with about 8 apps running in the background (thanks to 3GB of RAM). Storage on the phone is fine (I have around 10GB left with all my music loaded onto it, and all the apps I use on a daily basis), but storage can be expanded with the Micro SD Card slot located on the top of the phone (up to 256GB).I can’t really say much about the camera besides it is good. I haven’t really used it much, and as long as photos come out looking good, I can’t complain.In terms of if this phone is right for you, it depends on your budget, and what you are looking for. The Galaxy A5 is a perfect mid-range phone from Samsung, and if you want something very similar to the Galaxy S7, but do not want to spend too much money, you cannot go wrong with the A5! Coming from an older iPhone, the A5 is a breath of fresh air as it is still new (released Jan 2017), and is using Samsung’s latest processor and USB C. Along with IP68 Water and Dust resistance, the Galaxy A5 (2017) is a very compelling choice for this price range!(Will update this review if I encounter any problems with the device)

2.4.2017

After using the phone for the last couple of months I've decided to re-write my inital review of the phone. First it's sleak and looks amazing compared to most other phones currently availble. It's the mid range of the Samsung family for 2017, whilst it lacks a snapdragon processor like its bigger brothers the galaxy s8, the phone performs better than most of my previous iPhones/one plus 2.My second inital thought that occured to me when using it is how fast it handles apps, I never knew chrome could load up pretty darn fast for a mid ranged device. The battery also holds up well and I can normally get about a whole days worth of power with intense use (was also suprised even when streaming

10.3.2018

I was looking to buy a top-end phone, but was put off by the price. Being a bit nerdy I decided to draw up a list of what I wanted from a phone, and this met all the criteria bar one. I am an Android user and have previously had Samsungs so decided to take a punt.There are no real surprises here. Colours on the camera are amazing, although taking a shot with a dark foreground and bright sky was a bit disappointing. Battery life is good (when you first set it up it will consume power updating etc, so let it settle for a couple of days and you'll see how good the power is). Fast, simple and attractive with good audio.Maybe, as I was, you are concerned about how cheap this phone is compared to buying elsewhere.

2.12.2017

Aesthetically, the phone is really pleasing on the eye. The screen is superb if you are a fan of the Samsung OMLED screen. The battery life is incredibly good and charges quickly. 32gb internal storage is decent and the processor rarely shows any signs of slow performance.My main issue with the phone is that fingerprint scanner is slow and slightly unreliable. Most of the time it works fine but any slight moisture on your thumb or finger then you will find your better off entering your PIN or pattern instead of battling the phone for your fingerprint to recognise.I would recommend a phone case too, as I found the glass back, combined with the phone being very thin,

22.9.2017

To be honest if I waited a year to write this, there would still be features I would have yet to find, normally I go top shelf with phones, but this one was for the wife, who doesn't have the needs I do, so I went for this as it looked like an excellent half way phone, great Spec, but reasonable cost (compared to top shelf), and this has every feature I would want from a top shelf phone, and shed loads more.I took an entire weekend trying to set it up so it's easier for the wife to use (she is a bit of a dinosaur lol), and some options are even so new to me, I was having to look them up online, and the worst ones to get my head round were the ones that interlinked with each other,

10.8.2018

Thought about getting a new handset for quite a while and plumped for this gold Samsung A5. Really glad I did as it's perfect for my needs. I'm not prepared to spend on the high end of handsets, with their eye watering prices, and this seemed to tick all the right boxes in the middle of the market, price range wise. The cameras are excellent front and back and I've found it so easy to switch all my data, photos, texts, etc over from my old phone using Samsung's Switching App. It has a fast charge and the battery seems to last for ages too. I like that it has the option to add a micro SD card so you can bump up your storage quite easily if you need to. Swift delivery from the seller,

17.8.2018

After researching the current market came up with the A5 as a good mid-range choice to replace my previous Samsung. Phone arrived quickly and got it all going quickly; in fact an update from the initial Android 7 to Android 8 became available with a few weeks and it installed smoothly, as have subsequent updates.I use it a fair bit outdoors in a navigation capacity and, fitted with suitable screen protector and hard case, has never missed a beat even in the hot summer we've experienced this year. Battery lasts on all day hikes despite a high level of drain with lengthy full brightness screen on and location plus several mapping apps running. Used in the rain once and it survived,

20.11.2017

I guess it is a very good phone for the price. Very fast and responsive.For me it is too big, though - I hate it that all the phones with better specifications have to be so big, that they don't make strong, convincing phones with a 4.5-inch screen or something.Camera is very average, not convincing for me; it also doesn't give the professional manual commands like shutter timer, aperture, ISO sensitivity. It is also quite shaky and doesn't have an optical imige stabilisation so videos are not great, and no fast laser focus.Fingertip scanner mostly doesn't work for me, but this might be due to the fact that I used to be a rock climber and apparently have left my fingertips on the rocks,

2.4.2018

I really like this phone. The battery is fantastic. It lasts for a couple of days with low/moderate use and recharges very quickly. I did not give 5 star because I miss the LED notification light that I had in the galaxy S series. I did not realise it is not a feature in the A5, but I found it very useful as I used different colours for different people and type of messages and could see who was sending a message while in meetings with the phone on silence or when driving. I would not think this is an expensive feature and I did not realise how useful it is for me and how much I miss it until I got the A5.

7.8.2018

Fantastic phone, beautifully made and a pleasure to use. I have never had a Samsung phone before, but after a lot of nagging from the missus I finally bit the bullet and bought one. What a revelation! The Samsung A5 build quality is as good as a flagship model, the camera and pre-loaded apps are a joy, Fast-charging, built-in security apps including fingerprint-scan locking, and an offer to download McAfee Antivirus and Security Suite for free, what's not to like? I would heartily recommend this phone to everyone who is looking for a great quality phone at much less than the cost of a flagship model.

13.12.2017

I have been using this phone for a while now and I really love it. The phone is thin and has a good design. Screen is good size and you can still use it with only one hand. Cameras are good. The only issue is that the front camera can't focus on more than one face (sometimes it recognises multiple faces, but the photo is still blury). I love the new Samsung interface - white with colourful icons. The fingerprint is significantly improved from previous Samsungs I have had.Taking into account the price difference between the A5 and the Galaxy S series, I definitely recommend this phone.

8.11.2017

One of the best decision and the best deal also . This phone is in top of the phone with good specification , finger print , waterproof (i tested) , looks very clean and smooth and i think is a big difference from the A5 2016 to this one . I bought it for my work cause is resistant and i work with oils and it dose't go inside my phone . Look from some reviews and you will see that i am right , buy it don't spend too much money on other types of phone if this one do the same job like others , if you don't use your phone more then normal apps buy it cause you will not regret it .

11.6.2018

Bought for y wife. Good display and certainly faster than her old mobile.Good camera and resolution. Average energy consumption.Very good looking in a metal case.Sensitive to touch, and with its sensitive screen and button placement you can easily close or switch to another app without meaning to.Not very resistant to falls and design is not at all safe when it comes to accidental damage.Not many built in applications and relies heavily on non-Samsung apps which is a disappointment considering its brand and customers expectations.

10.8.2017

Received mine yesterday and I am thrilled to bits with it still finding my way around it but so far very impressed have seen some reviews saying the finger print scanner can be a bit hit and miss but so far it has worked perfectly every time love the fact it's waterproof and I don't have to worry about being caught in the rain which living in the uk is a frequent occurance lovely size fits well in the palm great battery life looks lovely I have the black sky option everything I could want from a mid range smart phone at a great price

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) - Reviews

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