Galaxy A7 review: New Samsung smartphone delivers the goods at a reasonable price

Samsung's new Galaxy A7, its first release since the Note 7 scandal, is a great mid-range smartphone at a great price.

The Galaxy A7 went on sale this month for just Dh1,749, with cheaper options available for tighter budgets. Courtesy Samsung

The Galaxy A7, one of Samsung's first new devices following its Note 7 debacle, is a very punchy mid-range smartphone, proving the Korean firm still has the knack for making quality phones.

Samsung has really upped the ante in terms of the A range’s design. The stylish lines of the 2016 models have been replaced with a smoothly crafted body that is largely indistinguishable from the (far more expensive) Galaxy S7, making the A7 one of the best designed mid-range smartphones on the market.

As an added bonus, Samsung has carried over the S7’s IP68 water resistance, although this means it’s for splashes and a short, gentle time in the pool but not much more.

Inevitably the A7's display falls short of its more expensive peers, its 5.7 Super Amoled screen sporting a comparatively low pixel display. The new Star Wars trailer looks fine, but without the eye-popping colours of the S7 or iPhone. On the plus side is the newly included always-on display feature that shows notifications even when in sleep mode.

The A7 also feels a touch underpowered, with a slightly slower Exynos 7880 chip and just 3GB of RAM, putting it behind both premium devices like the S7, but also mid-rangers like the OnePlus 3T. Power users might feel the difference, although realistically the A7 will do the job just fine for most of us.

More impressive are the A7’s cameras. A 16MP rear-facing camera is accompanied by a similar 16MP front-facing snapper, making your Snapchat selfies that bit sharper. Image quality is uniformly very impressive, and while low light photos are a little fuzzy there’s not much separating them from those taken on high-end devices.

The Galaxy A7 went on sale this month for just Dh1,749, with cheaper options available for tighter budgets. Those wanting the latest retina-searing screen and a bit more power might want to shop around, but the A7 is a great option for those looking for great design and cameras but don’t feel like paying through the nose for the privilege.

q&a

John Everington expands on what Samsung’s new Galaxy A7 has to offer:

That all looks great. But what if I want something cheaper or smaller?

Then you’re in luck. Alongside the A7 is the 5.2 inch A5, retailing for Dh1,449, and the comparatively tiny 4.7 inch A3 that is going for just Dh1,149.

What’s the difference apart from screen size and price?

Apart from the smaller display, the A5’s only other significant difference is its 3,000mAh battery, somewhat smaller than the A7’s 3,600mAh. The A3 has a 2,350mAh battery, and its rear and front cameras are just 13MP and 8MP respectively.

What other fun facts do I need to know?

All three models come with a front-mounted fingerprint reader as per the S7. All have the option for a second SIM or a microSD card. And given, the waterproof design, their batteries are non-removable.

Speaking of design, what colours do they come in?

In the UAE, the A range is available in Black Sky, Gold Sand, Blue Mist. It appears that “Peach Cloud” is not available here, unfortunately.

When are we going to see another Samsung flagship phone?

The successor to the wildly popular Galaxy S7 range (tentatively titled the S8, somewhat unsurprisingly) was expected to be unveiled at the end of February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but Samsung ruled out the launch last week. Rumours are a new flagship phone may make an appearance in April.

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