Consumer reviews will help you navigate the choice of a new gadget. "Samsung A7" is the senior model in the line of metal smartphones from the Korean manufacturer. It has a pleasant, laconic design, a powerful processor and many other positive characteristics.

A little about series "A"

The senior device in its line is the Samsung Galaxy A7 phone. Reviews note that the positioning of this series cannot be called obvious. If you look at the characteristics of the devices, you can understand that they do not claim to be at the top level. Thus, the A7 does not live up to the popular S5, even though it is a little outdated. The "A" line is much simpler, moreover, its devices are less productive. Thus, this is no longer a “state employee”, but not yet a “flagship”.

In the "A" series the main emphasis is on the image component. Instead of the usual plastic, high-quality aluminum is used in the manufacture of the case. If we talk about the Samsung A7, reviews and photos are proof that it is like a twin brother to the younger devices in this series. The external difference is only in size. However, in terms of performance it is significantly ahead of them.

Characteristics

The characteristics of the Samsung A7 smartphone will help you appreciate it. Reviews, of course, provide an objective assessment, but “dry” data can be useful. You should know the following about this device:

• 2 SIM cards of "Nano" format;
• operating system - Android;
• 2 GB RAM;
• 16 GB of internal memory;
• possibility of memory expansion up to 64 GB;
• weight - 141 grams;
• non-removable battery with a capacity of 2600 mAh;
• screen diagonal - 5.5 inches;
• capacitive touch panel;
• Qualcomm MSM8939 processor;
• 8 cores;
• main 13-megapixel camera;
• front 5 megapixel camera;
• non-demountable metal case;
• Light sensors, proximity sensors, accelerometer.

Appearance

Reviews contain a lot of interesting information about this smartphone. "Samsung A7" looks the same as the two younger models of this line. The exception is the screen diagonal, which reaches 5.5 inches. Below the display there is a mechanical Home key, as well as a pair of touch buttons. Above the screen there is a corporate logo, a speaker, a camera eye, as well as proximity and light sensors. Like most Samsung smartphones, this device does not have an event indicator, which is an undoubted drawback.

The front panel is decorated with a small dot pattern. You can only notice it upon closer inspection, but this idea greatly refreshes the design. As with all other Galaxy smartphones, the volume key is on the left side and the power button is on the right. There are also two slots with holes for the key. The bottom one is for the main SIM card. The top slot can be used for a second SIM card or for memory expansion.

The thoughtful design of the device is noted by reviews. The Samsung A7 has a top edge free of any buttons and connectors. It only has a microphone hole. The headphone and charger jack is located on the bottom edge. There is also an additional hole for a microphone. The back panel, traditionally, is equipped with a camera (the eye protrudes slightly above the plane of the lid), a flash and an external speaker. There is also a corporate logo.

This smartphone model is available in three shades. White has a pleasant pearlescent sheen. Black color cannot be called bright and pure. It is characterized by blue-gray notes. The gold version is more reminiscent of bronze. The case is assembled with high quality.

Features of the material

Despite the fact that the Samsung A7 is completely metal, reviews from owners note that their hands do not feel the pleasant coolness inherent in aluminum. The fact is that all edges are tightly covered with a special plastic coating. Thus, purely externally, the device looks as plastic as phones from cheaper series. But, thanks to the matte finish, the gadget fits comfortably in the hand and does not slip out. But the chamfers of the side edges are not painted, and therefore there is a metallic shine and a pleasant characteristic coolness.

Screen Features

Reviews contain a lot of useful information about the smartphone. Samsung A7 is equipped with a screen made using the Super AMOLED system. Its diagonal is 5.5 inches, which will appeal to fans of games, videos and just viewing beautiful pictures. Users are spared the need to stick film or glass on the screen, because it is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4, which is one of the most advanced coatings.

Brightness adjustment range from 14 to 237 cd/sq. m. may seem insufficient. Nevertheless, for screens of this type this is quite a decent indicator. Given the presence of a light sensor, it is possible to use the automatic mode for adjusting the backlight intensity. In addition, the brightness of the screen may vary depending on what picture is displayed on the display.

The Samsung Galaxy A7 is characterized by excellent factory settings. Reviews note that the screen is perfectly calibrated and does not require additional adjustments. However, you can always adjust the color rendering to suit you. Both super-bright shades and a more natural picture, which is formed using the PenTile system, can be installed. The special arrangement of pixels eliminates graininess and “looseness” of the image.

As one of the most important advantages of the Samsung Galaxy A7, reviews note the high-quality oleophobic coating. It protects the screen from unsightly fingerprints. But the main drawback is that the screen becomes very blind in bright sunlight. The touchscreen supports up to 10 simultaneous touches, which will certainly appeal to game lovers. A nice feature will be the presence of an option, the inclusion of which allows you to operate the smartphone with gloves.

Undoubtedly, the advantage of the screen of this device is its excellent viewing angles. The picture does not “blind” or become distorted even with strong deviation. However, the white color takes on a greenish tint. But this will be noticeable only upon careful examination.

Sound

One of the most popular devices today is the Samsung Galaxy A7. Reviews note excellent sound quality. The smartphone is quite loud, and therefore you will hear it on the street, in transport, and even from your bag. The speaker is rich in a wide range of frequencies. At the same time, even at maximum volume the sound is not distorted. This applies not only to the external speaker, but also to the conversational speaker. The voice of the interlocutor will always be clear and recognizable; you can make out the timbre and even intonation.

Special attention should be paid to playing audio files through headphones. The sound quality is at the highest level and does not lag behind flagship models. An additional advantage can be considered a proprietary player, which has a lot of settings to improve sound quality. SoundAlive effects make the melody more realistic and pleasing to the ear. A nice addition will be the presence of a huge number of visual images that accompany the playback.

Hardware component

Many users have already tested the Samsung A7-2016. Reviews note good performance. The device runs on the Android operating system. Comfortable use is ensured by the proprietary TouchWiz shell. The smartphone is equipped with the Qualcomm platform. The 8-core processor is divided into 2 blocks that operate at different frequencies. All these features ensure fast and uninterrupted operation of the system.

Cameras

Such a device as the Samsung A7-2016 managed to gain popularity among users. Reviews note the good quality of the cameras. The main one (13 megapixels) takes good photos, for a device in the mid-price category. During the daytime, autofocus works smoothly, but at dusk you may encounter a number of problems.

The settings menu is quite extensive. At the same time, it is convenient and understandable. The menu is divided into several different cells, each of which is responsible for adjusting a specific function. If you have to change some settings item quite often, you can create a shortcut for it that will be located in the shooting area. It’s not for nothing that the camera application in Samsung devices is considered one of the best among those currently on the market.

Unfortunately, despite all the advantages, the camera of this device lags significantly behind the flagship models. The lack of optical stabilization, selective focusing, and speeding up or slowing down video significantly affects the final result. In addition, there are no innovations in terms of modes here either.

Based on user analysis of images taken on the Samsung Galaxy A7 2016 smartphone, reviews note the following:

• in the upper corners of the frame, sharpness noticeably decreases;
• clear shooting of distant plans;
• absence of noise;
• clear shadows;
• small parts are poorly processed;
• excellent macro quality;
• Clear text capture.

As for the front-facing 5-megapixel camera, it takes decent selfies. But, given the lack of an LED flash, you can only count on good selfie quality in the daytime. Selfie lovers will appreciate the fact that pictures can be taken using gestures or voice commands. Another positive aspect is the ability to take wide-angle selfies, thanks to which you can fit more friends in one photo.

Telephone part

When considering the wide capabilities of a smartphone, do not forget about the telephone part of the Samsung Galaxy A7 device. Owner reviews positively evaluate the ability to work in the LTE Cat4 network. As for the phone application, it is worth noting the clear depiction of letters and numbers. The keyboard is quite large, and therefore it is convenient to dial a number with both miniature female and large male fingers. If necessary, the number pad can be reduced to allow one-handed operation. The ability to move the keyboard from side to side will be an additional advantage for left-handers.

Like other Samsung devices, this smartphone runs the Smart Dial application. Its usefulness lies in the fact that when you dial a number, your contact list is automatically searched. As for the text keyboard, the continuous typing function will be useful.

Work with two SIM cards is conveniently organized. They can be controlled through the notification shade. Any SIM card can be designated as the main one. Any of them can work with 3G (LTE) networks, but not simultaneously. This is due to the fact that only one radio module is installed in the smartphone.

Autonomy

The battery capacity is not the largest - 2600 mAh. Considering the screen diagonal, this is not enough for long-term battery life. However, in reality the battery performed well. Considering that the smartphone’s processor is not the most productive, the charge is consumed quite economically. So, in continuous conversation mode the device should work for 17 hours, and in wireless Internet mode - 13 hours. Continuous reading in the FBReader program at a comfortable brightness level can last up to 22 hours. Fans of watching videos can enjoy the smartphone for 12 hours. But in 3D gaming mode the battery drains quickly - in less than 4 hours.

To extend the battery life, you can turn on the extreme power saving mode, which is equipped with almost all Samsung smartphones. It involves the screen transitioning to a monochrome (black and white) state. In addition, all applications and functions except vital ones will be disabled.

2016 version

Based on the experience of using the smartphone, work was carried out to correct the errors, which resulted in the release of a new version of the Samsung A7 2016 smartphone. Owner reviews note significant improvements. The following points can be considered the most significant:

• updated design that makes the device similar to flagship devices;
• Only the side frames are made of aluminum, and the front and back panels are covered with durable protective glass;
• a fingerprint scanner is built into the mechanical button;
• the touch keys have a pleasant backlight;
• The frames around the screen have been significantly reduced, which allows the smartphone to be more compact;
• RAM capacity increased to 3 GB;
• internal memory can be expanded up to 128 GB;
• operating system - Android 5.1.1;
• battery capacity increased to 3300 mAh;
• fast charging support;
• an indicator of missed events appeared.

Positive reviews

There are a lot of fans for such a device as the Samsung A7 smartphone. The reviews contain a lot of positive information. The main advantages of the device can be considered the following:

• good image quality (rich colors, no grain, excellent viewing angles);
• comfortable headphones included;
• the side buttons have a fairly smooth click and a nice design;
• there is automatic brightness adjustment depending on the light level;
• a large number of camera settings, which allows you to take pictures of excellent quality;
• excellent sound quality (both through an external speaker and through headphones)
• Convenient grouping of contacts in the phone book.

Negative reviews

Such an impeccable, at first glance, device as the Samsung A7 is not without its shortcomings. Customer reviews contain the following negative comments:

• the phone is too sensitive to falls and shocks (it breaks down almost immediately);
• there is no protection against water, despite the fact that the body is all-metal;
• When several applications are launched simultaneously, the device begins to heat up;
• you have to choose between the ability to install a second SIM and a memory card;
• insufficient internal memory;
• the main camera protrudes strongly above the back cover, and therefore its edging quickly gets scratched;
• It’s inconvenient that the audio output and USB cable connector are located too close;
• Missing events indicator is missing;
• weak non-removable battery;
• the case gets scratched quickly if you use the device without a case;
• unreasonably high cost (a metal case covered with plastic coating is not worth overpaying for it).

Video review of Samsung Galaxy A7: Watch reviews of other smartphones: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDF13DB9F6AC560F2 All Galaxy A smartphones: http://rozetka.com.ua/mobile-phones/c80003/samsung/galaxy_a/ Other Samsung smartphones: http://rozetka.com.ua/mobile-phones/c80003/filter/preset=smartfon;producer=samsung/ All smartphones with a diagonal of 5.1" - 5.5": http://rozetka.com.ua/mobile-phones/c80003/filter/preset=smartfon;23777=93089/ Join us on social networks! In contact with: https://vk.com/rozetka Facebook: http://facebook.com/rozetka.ua Google+: https://plus.google.com/+rozetka/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rozetka_news Instagram: http://instagram.com/rozetkaua/ Read our news and advice on choosing! http://rozetka.com.ua/news-articles-promotions/ The case is made of a single piece of metal, the back cover is non-removable, and you cannot replace the battery yourself. The body is covered with a layer of paint or plastic, the edges are polished to a shine. The thickness is 6.3 millimeters, which is less than the thickness of the iPhone 6 and any other model from Samsung. Due to the thickness and pleasant, almost matte finish of the back cover, the smartphone is comfortable to hold in your hand. In terms of dimensions, the Galaxy A7 is noticeably smaller than the Galaxy Note 4, but slightly taller and wider due to the enlarged screen than the Galaxy S5 with a 5.1-inch screen. And it is lighter than all of them, at only 141 grams. There is a double volume rocker on the left side, and a power/lock button on the right. Below it is a nano-format SIM card slot and a dual slot for micro-SIM/micro SD (they cannot be used at the same time). At the bottom there is a micro USB and a headphone input, at the top and bottom there are two microphones. On the back there is a camera eye, flash and speaker. In front, above the 5.5” screen, there is a speaker, light and proximity sensors, a front camera, at the bottom there is a mechanical Home button and two touch buttons - Back and Multitasking Menu. Super Amoled screen with Full HD resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels, 401 ppi. Excellent brightness reserve, sane behavior in direct sunlight, supports changing color display modes. Factory model on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 610 platform with two 4-core Cortex A53 processors 1.5 GHz and 1 GHz, graphics chip - Adreno 405. RAM 2 GB, built-in 16 GB. 28 thousand in Antutu. Android 4.4.4 with updated TouchWiz works without lags, resource-intensive games run without delay. There is support for NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, Wi-Fi b/g/n, LTE. USB second generation. There is a mode for working with two applications in two windows, a mode for controlling the smartphone with one hand, and the side panel duplicates the functionality of the buttons under the screen. There is a radio application, five new design themes (wallpapers and icons), an energy saving mode (grayscale on the screen, application operation is limited). The battery is 2600 mAh, in theory it should be enough for a day and a half of more or less active work. Samsung promises 8 hours of Full HD video playback. There is no fast charging mode. The front camera is a simple 5-megapixel module that can take wide-screen selfies. The rear 13-megapixel camera takes good pictures during daylight hours, shoots Full HD video, and can create GIF animations.

Samsung Galaxy A7 is the successor to the new line of all-metal smartphones of the Korean company, which, according to its characteristics, is the most powerful model within its line, which is positioned on the market as mid-price and is aimed at an audience that wants to get a stylish phone, with sufficient performance and premium body materials.

Design

The general design concept of all smartphones in this line is almost identical, and the main difference is the physical dimensions. Galaxy A7 is the largest compared to its “brothers” and very thin – the dimensions are 151 x 76.2 x 6.3 mm and the weight is 141 grams, which is not bad for a smartphone made entirely of metal. The design is dominated by straight lines, and only the corners of the body are rounded.

This design, combined with a non-removable cover, allows the smartphone to look monolithic and harmonious, and in the hand you feel a pleasant chill from the metal. Of course, due to the fact that the smartphone is very thin and relatively large, you need to hold it in your hand especially firmly. There are 3 color options of the phone available in the market: white, dark blue and sand.

Video: Galaxy A7 appearance

Display

More than 70% of the front surface of the smartphone is occupied by a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a Full HD resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. At a density of 401 ppi, the picture looks very clear and detailed and you won’t be able to see individual pixels even if you bring the smartphone closer to your eyes. In fact, in the model we see the company’s top screen, which has not only high resolution, but also excellent viewing angles, high brightness, contrast and accurate color reproduction.

Video

Hardware

The fact that the Samsung Galaxy A7 is the most powerful in its line is also evidenced by its hardware, which is top-end for the mid-price segment. The chipset uses the latest solution from Qualcomm - Snapdragon 615. This chip is based on an 8-core 64-bit processor with ARM Cortex-A53 cores with an operating frequency of 1.5 GHz and an Adreno 405 video accelerator. This chipset takes the mid-range to a new level, because It was created using new technology and demonstrates high performance. The amount of RAM has reached the level of last year's flagships and is 2 GB, which should ensure smooth operation.

To store personal data, 16 GB of internal storage is provided, of which about 12 GB will be available to the user. You can expand this space using microSD memory cards up to 64 GB inclusive. The Galaxy A7 battery has a capacity of 2600 mAh and, thanks to good optimization of hardware and software, will provide sufficient battery life even under high loads. The smartphone supports LTE Cat.4 networks and a version with support for two SIM cards will be available on the market. Out of the box, the model comes pre-installed with Android 4.4.4, but the user can update it to the latest version of Android 5 Lollipop.

Video: smartphone review

Camera

We should also talk about the cameras installed in the Galaxy A7. The main model uses a 13-megapixel sensor with new software algorithms that provide high quality images thanks to a lot of manual settings. The user will also be able to record video with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels, which is not the highest, but the most optimal option.

Due to the growing popularity of selfies, the front camera, to the delight of lovers of self-portraits, has a resolution of 5 Megapixels, with which your photos will be of higher quality and more impressive. The front camera also has a set of software functions to improve the quality of footage.

Accessories for Galaxy A7:

For owners:

Similar smartphones:

*the article will be updated as new materials are released

Last year, Samsung 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 the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 smartphones, 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, the new smartphone takes on 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 the pink color that we tested. 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’s flagship smartphones – an always-on 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 version of Android, so it 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 takes good pictures as expected. 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.

The smartphone is charged via the USB Type-C connector and fast charging is supported.

Site evaluation

Pros: materials and build quality, water protection, high-quality display, always-on screen, performance, 32 GB of internal memory, separate slots for two SIM cards and microSD, image quality of the main and front cameras, fingerprint scanner, good battery life, fast charging

Minuses: camera without optical stabilization, the moisture-proof membrane slightly worsened the sound of the speaker

Conclusion: Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) is a mid-range smartphone that provides the user with all the necessary functions, and also has protection against water and dust, which was previously a feature of flagship models. In addition, the A7 (2017) can please you with good cameras, a user-friendly interface, separate slots for SIM and memory cards, as well as fast charging

The Samsung A7 smartphone is a bright representative of the A line, which has a large screen, a thin metal body and good technical characteristics. The gadget does not fall into the category of TOP devices due to insufficiently impressive hardware indicators, but it is rightfully awarded the title of a stylish middle peasant.

Appearance

The Samsung A7 received positive reviews primarily due to its attractive metal body. A small aesthetic drawback was the material with which the metal base is covered, which is why the surface of the smartphone can feel like ordinary plastic. There are the following color options for the Samsung A7: gold, silver, white, turquoise, black and pink. The case cannot be opened, so users will not be able to independently

More than 70 percent of the front panel of the Samsung Galaxy A7 is occupied by a large screen. Above it are motion and light indicator sensors, a front camera and a speaker for conversations. There are three main control keys under the screen: one physical and two touch.

On the left side of the device there is a volume rocker, on the right side there is a button to turn the device on and off, as well as two connectors for various cards, hidden by special plugs. The latter have a small round hole that can only be opened with a special key. Its loss will force the owner to use ingenuity and use, say, an unbent paper clip as a key. In general, this may cause some discomfort, because you won’t be able to open the plug with your fingernail. One of the connectors is designed exclusively for a SIM card, the second accepts both SIM cards and memory cards, and this is another drawback. Simultaneous use of two SIM cards and a memory card on the Samsung Galaxy A7 is physically impossible, so you will have to choose what is more important - the ability to use the services of two operators simultaneously or expand the smartphone’s memory.

At the bottom end of the model, the developers have installed a microphone, a 3.5 mm headset jack and a micro-USB connector. The top one was limited to the second microphone. The back panel of the device has a main camera, LED flash and a music speaker.

Overall dimensions of the device: 151 x 76.2 mm, weight - 141 grams. These data suggest comfortable use of the device, which is convenient to store in a pocket or bag, so the A7 is perfect for both men and women.

Screen

The Samsung A7 also earned positive reviews thanks to its excellent 5.5-inch display. In the process of its creation, Super AMOLED technology was used, which allows achieving the highest quality images. In addition to the advanced matrix, a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels FHD is responsible for the stunning picture.

The color rendering of the smartphone shows clear and rich colors. In the brightness settings you can adjust the picture: from saturated to natural shades. Good viewing angles are also impressive: when viewed from the side, information is viewed quite normally, and the font is not distorted. The color does not fade in direct sunlight, which is why users will not have any problems using the device in clear weather.

The Samsung A7, whose screen characteristics are amazing, will allow you to enjoy the image to the fullest by launching a video, movie or high-quality game. The picture will pleasantly surprise you with its realism. It is especially interesting to watch what is happening in 3D games: the detailed graphics, bright colors, three-dimensional models and impressive special effects will not allow you to tear yourself away from the screen for a long time.

Specifications

As for the hardware, the smartphone looks quite decent. On board the device is an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor: 4 cores operate at a frequency of 1500 MHz, and 4 at a frequency of 1000 MHz. To match the processor, 2 GB of RAM is installed, allowing you to process information quite quickly. The Mali-T628 MP6 was chosen as the video processor, which does its job well. For data storage, 16 GB of memory is provided on the hard drive; it is expandable using MicroSD memory cards up to 64 GB. The gadget runs on the Android 4.4.4 platform. Communication capabilities include Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, NFC technology and support for LTE networks.

The technical component of the Samsung A7 (the instructions are supplied with the device) is not satisfactory: the smartphone is quite fast, has good results when tested in the AnTuTu program, supports multitasking and does not slow down. Unfortunately, no matter how impressive the hardware may look, it cannot compare with models from the top device category. The test in the same AnTuTu leaves the A7 behind its more famous and expensive competitors. But this fact should not be too depressing, since the device places more emphasis on the image component and is presented primarily as a stylish and not a super-productive laptop computer. But even despite the not-so-advanced hardware, there are practically no cases where the Samsung A7 freezes, so it is quite possible to use this device as a full-fledged pocket computer.

Camera

The Samsung A7, whose price is determined not only by its stylish body and bright display, also has good optics. The main camera is capable of taking pictures with a resolution of 13 megapixels in a wide-angle format. This is a nice feature, since this option allows you to take a photo, for example, of a large company, while capturing the maximum distance. In daylight the pictures come out great. They can easily be displayed on a large screen, say, on a monitor or TV: there is virtually no grain, and thanks to almost perfect color rendition, the photographs look very presentable.

Pictures taken at night or in a dark room are much inferior in quality. Still, this is not a “camera phone”, and the flash here is just an LED bulb that is not capable of providing full-fledged illumination. But it cannot be said that in the dark the photos come out very bad. However, it is recommended to give preference to daytime shooting or take photos indoors with plenty of light.

The front camera can only take pictures in 5 megapixel resolution, but they are also taken in wide format, and their quality is slightly inferior to that of photos taken on the main camera.

The developers have installed many interesting and different functions that allow you to achieve interesting effects. Among the options there are the following: “Night”, “Gif-animation”, “Panorama”, “Change resolution”, “Auto-selfie” and much more. You can take a photo of yourself without even pressing any keys: just set the automatic selfie mode, bring the phone to your head, and the camera will capture the image. You can set up a voice mode, which is also a very convenient feature, since while taking a selfie it is not very convenient to press any keys on the smartphone or its screen.

It is worth saying a few words about video shooting in the Samsung A7 model. The camera characteristics are notable for its resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a frame rate of 30 frames per second. It should be noted that, although the video comes out very bright and clear, the matrix is ​​not implemented ideally. There are also problems with autofocus performance. The automation is very bad at independently rearranging itself from distant objects to near ones, so you have to stabilize the picture with a touch.

Sound

Although the speaker looks quite small, it produces quite loud sound. Incoming calls, melodies in the player or clips in movies sound loud and clear. But the traditional problem with speakers located on the back of smartphones remains to this day: if the device is lying on any surface, the sound hole becomes jammed, so the melody becomes much quieter - this is the risk of missing an important call. A smartphone is quite capable of replacing an mp3 player: if you buy good headphones, the sound will be of very high quality. Options include automatic and manual bass adjustment, playlist creation, and more. Using the headset, playing games or watching movies becomes much more interesting due to the special effects that allow you to achieve more attractive and realistic sound.

Applications

Today, there is not much software that the hardware of a device like the Samsung A7 cannot handle. The review showed that the system works quite well with many resource-intensive applications and advanced toys.

Traveling on the Internet will bring real pleasure to fans of the World Wide Web. Pages are processed very quickly, and there will be no problems downloading content or searching for satellites for the GPS navigator.

Games

Thanks to advanced image transmission technologies, good resolution and large display sizes, spending time playing games on the A7 becomes even more enjoyable. The filling of the model launches most complex and resource-demanding toys. Rich pictures and realistic sound effects, which can be achieved using a high-quality headset, turn any game into an exciting adventure.

Battery

The battery for the device is quite modest, only 2600 mAh. This is too little for the Samsung A7: the screen and system characteristics are very decent, so the battery should match them. As mentioned earlier, the battery cannot be replaced. With moderate use, the smartphone will “live” for about two days. Reducing the brightness can slightly increase this period.

To increase the operating period, the phone has an energy-saving mode function. When activated, the bright palette of the screen acquires dull gray shades, which allows you to extend battery life. Still, such a device requires a battery of no less than 3000 mAh. Naturally, intensive use of applications, active viewing of videos and games at maximum brightness will “eat up” the battery very quickly. The developers claim that the device's operating life when starting a video with maximum sound is 9 hours. In reality, this figure is somewhat less - about 8 hours.

Conclusion

Here we have a stylish device in a metal case with a large, high-quality screen, good optics and decent technical characteristics. Thanks to its excellent design, the device is convenient to carry with you, and multi-colored design options will allow everyone to choose a device to their liking. You will also be able to choose an excellent case for the Samsung A7. In addition to its elegant appearance, I was pleased with the very high-quality screen of the model, showing a stunning picture. The camera also turned out to be quite good, but the autofocus performance leaves much to be desired. The technical characteristics have become somewhat better when comparing the Samsung A5 and A7. Now even more high-quality games and advanced software are available to users.

Among the minuses, we highlight a weak battery, the same unstable autofocus and the inability to run 2 SIM cards and a memory card on the smartphone at the same time.

The Samsung A7, whose price starts at about 22,000 rubles, has proven to be an elegant, moderately powerful device with a large, bright display. Of course, there are a lot of competitors on the market for phones in a similar price category that are worth paying attention to, but the A7 is a very worthy opponent for them.

Reviews. Samsung A7: pros and cons

The design of the device impressed most users. They liked the various colors of the case, style and small thickness. The smartphone is easy to carry, and although it looks quite large, the gadget is quite suitable even for a female audience. It is also easy to choose a case for the Samsung A7.

Hardware-demanding users did not have the best impressions regarding performance. They believe that the smartphone is clearly not intended for advanced games and applications. Also, the speed of information processing leaves much to be desired - this is due to a weak processor and only 2 GB of RAM.

Other users claim the opposite: everything that is installed runs perfectly. It was also noted that the device quickly picks up satellites and works well as a GPS navigator.

There are other reviews: “Samsung A7” received a too weak battery. The energy saving mode somewhat corrects the situation. In general, the owners agreed that the device requires a more resource-intensive battery.

Some believe that the price-performance ratio is not entirely correct. The owners consider the amount to be somewhat overpriced for a device, albeit a fashionable one, but, in their opinion, with rather modest technical indicators that do not allow using the device as comfortably as possible.

There was a single case of problems with calls: the screen went dark during the dialing process. After this, the gadget stopped working normally and needed to be replaced.

Most liked the high-quality camera, capable of taking excellent pictures using both the main optics and the front one. The possibility of wide-angle shooting and an abundance of selfie modes have impressed many mobile photo lovers. I was pleased with the clear and bright video recording with good frame processing. Other optical functions were also noted, for example, voice control.

The rich screen of the Samsung A7, the characteristics of which were excellent, impressed all the owners. Color rendition, viewing angles, brightness - everything, according to users, is five points here. Good performance under sunlight was noted: if the information on the display fades, it is only slightly, and it is quite possible to make it out.

No one had any problems with the sound or the player. Loud speakers: both conversational and musical - perfectly reproduce voices and melodies. The player pleased me with a large number of functions and high-quality playback of songs through the headset.

The owners were dissatisfied with the following nuance in the Samsung A7: only one SIM card can work together with a flash drive, since the connector for the second SIM card is also a slot for microSD.