Tag Archives: Samsung Galaxy A Series

Samsung Galaxy A54 (Exynos 1380) Performance Review!

Take a look at the performance of the Samsung Galaxy A54, and find out how well the Exynos 1380 performs against the competition!

 

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Powered By Exynos 1380

The Samsung Galaxy A54 runs on the Samsung Exynos 1380 mobile platform that was officially launched on 23 February 2023.

Fabricated on the latest 4nm process technology, the Exynos 1380 comes with an Arm Mali-G68 MP5 GPU, as well as eight processor cores in a dual-cluster architecture :

  • four Arm Cortex-A78 high-performance cores, and
  • four Arm Cortex-A55 low-power cores, and

On paper, this is a powerful mid-range mobile platform, but let’s take a look at how it actually performs!

Read more : Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Hands-On Preview!
Read more : Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Colour Options Compared!

 

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Work Performance

We first tested the Galaxy A54 Ultra using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.

Work 3.0 S23
Ultra
Galaxy
A54
S22
Ultra
S21
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Mobile Platform SD 8
Gen 2
Exynos
1380
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
2100
SD
750G
Performance Score 16408 13523 12860 12535 7874
Web Browsing 15680 10659 10442 10185 7021
Video Editing 7879 7363 7444 6336 5693
Writing 22257 17485 15471 15247 7454
Photo Editing 35533 28805 30177 37847 15812
Data Manipulation 12171 11443 9691 8310 6424

Will you look at that?! The Samsung Exynos 1380 that powers the Galaxy A54 actually beat Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 which powered the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

It was also just 17.5% slower than the latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile SoC that powers the new Galaxy S23 Ultra flagship smartphone!

Very impressive for a mid-range mobile SoC, especially handily beating the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S21 Ultra, and coming in 72% faster than the Galaxy A52.

 

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Gaming Performance

For gaming, we tested the Galaxy A54 using 3DMark, with these results :

3DMark S23
Ultra
S22
Ultra
Z Flip
3
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A54
Device SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
SD
888
Exynos
990
Exynos
1380
Sling Shot Unlimited 16344 11094 9248 8026 6195
Wild Life Unlimited 14554 9106 3952 4504 2860
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
3814 2220 1174 1387 799

This is where the Samsung Galaxy A54’s Exynos 1380 falls short – it is just not very good at gaming!

It was 23% to 42% slower than the Exynos 990, and 28% to 32% slower than the Snapdragon 888!

That does not mean it’s bad for gaming. It can certainly handle most games. It just won’t be able to deliver high frame rates in graphically-demanding 3D games like Genshin Impact, Black Desert Mobile, etc.

 

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Overall Performance

We then tested the Galaxy A54 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :

AnTuTu S23
Ultra
S22
Ultra
S21
Ultra
Galaxy
A54
Galaxy
A52
Device SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
2100
Exynos
1380
SD
750G
AnTuTu Score 1212174 889167 624411 522411 341908
CPU 261886 203090 166290 153230 105098
GPU 538823 402617 258995 149596 88068
Memory 236163 146002 120805 86578 60642
UX 175302 137458 78321 133007 88100

According to the AnTuTu benchmark, the Samsung Galaxy A54 is about 53% faster than the Galaxy A52, and only 16% slower than the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

What’s important to note is that the Exynos 1380’s CPU is fast, coming within 8% of the Exynos 2100. However, it has a relatively weak GPU, and slower memory than the flagship-class mobile platforms in this comparison.

 

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Performance Summary

Built around the Samsung Exynos 1380, the Galaxy A54 smartphone has a very fast CPU, but a relatively weak GPU.

What that means is that it offers snappy performance for most part – web browsing, work applications, casual gaming, etc.

It only has trouble delivering high frame rates for graphics-intensive 3D games, and AI or 3D apps may take longer to process in comparison to flagship devices.

But that’s what you need to keep in mind – the Exynos 1380 is a mid-range mobile platform, not a flagship-class. And it is a fast one.

 

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Price + Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A54 smartphone is available in three main colours with a glossy finish :

  • Awesome Graphite
  • Awesome Violet
  • Awesome Lime

The Samsung Galaxy A54 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage, with the option to add a microSD card in the hybrid SIM tray. It is covered by a 2-year warranty, with the following launch prices:

  • 8 GB + 256 GB : RM1,899 / US$449.99 / £499 / A$697 / S$648

Here are online purchase options (we may get commission from your purchase) :

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Samsung Galaxy A54 Battery Life + Charging Speed!

Take a look at the battery recharging speed of the new Samsung Galaxy A54, and find out how its two refresh rate options affect its battery life!

 

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Two Fixed Refresh Rate Options

The new Samsung Galaxy A54 offers two refresh rate options (Settings > Display > Motion smoothness) :

  • Adaptive : Get smoother animation and scrolling by automatically adjusting your screen refresh rate up to 120 Hz.
  • Standard : Get longer battery life by automatically adjusting your screen refresh rate up to 60 Hz.

Although the description seems to suggest that the display switches dynamically between 1 Hz to 120 Hz like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, that’s not true.

By turning on the frame rate counter, we can see that the Galaxy A54 switches between two fixed refresh rates – 60 Hz or 120 Hz in the Dynamic mode, and uses just 60 Hz in the Standard mode.

The true Adaptive refresh rate offered in the Galaxy S23 Ultra is variable, changing from 1 Hz to 120 Hz according to the situation. This not only reduces power consumption, it also prevents “screen tearing” – a visual artifact that occurs when the game frame rate does not match the display’s refresh rate.

In the next section, we will look at how the two refresh rate options affect the Galaxy A54’s battery life.

Recommended : Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Battery Life + Charging!

 

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Battery Life Comparison!

The Samsung Galaxy A54 comes with a 5,000 mAh battery, which is the same size as the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra.

To test its battery life, we turned off Automatic Brightness, and set its display brightness to 50%.

Why 50%? That is actually slightly higher than the average indoor brightness level of 40% during the day, and is what we usually use in all our mobile battery life tests.

It is important to fix the brightness level, to make sure the screen brightness does not change as the ambient brightness changes.

We then ran the PCMark Work 3.0 battery life test until its battery capacity dropped to 20% several times, and this was the best result we obtained with 60 Hz and 120 Hz refresh rates :

Not bad at all! The Samsung Galaxy A54 has a battery life of 12.5 hours with Adaptive refresh rate enabled, and almost 14 hours with the Standard refresh rate. That’s equal to the Galaxy S22 Ultra at the Standard refresh rate, and 16.7% better at the Adaptive refresh rate.

But let’s also compare its battery life at 60 Hz and 120 Hz, against the S23 Ultra, S22 Ultra and Z Flip 3 smartphones.

Standard Refresh Rate (60 Hz)

The Samsung Galaxy A54 lasted almost 14 hours with the refresh rate set to 60 Hz. But it isn’t quite as efficient as the new S23 Ultra, or even last year’s  S22 Ultra.

Work 3.0 S23 Ultra
(60 Hz)
S22 Ultra
(60 Hz)
Galaxy A54
(60 Hz)
Z Flip 3
(60 Hz)
Battery Capacity 5,000 mAh 5,000 mAh 5,000 mAh 3,300 mAh
Battery Life 15 hrs 18 mins 14 hrs 15 mins 13 hrs 57 mins 8 hrs 11 mins
Utilisation
per min.
4.36 mAh 4.68 mAh 4.78 mAh 5.38 mAh

Adaptive Refresh Rate (120 Hz)

Will you look at that! The Samsung Galaxy A54 was about 13.6% more efficient than the S22 Ultra with the Adaptive refresh rate enabled, coming within 8% of the power efficiency of the S23 Ultra.

Based on what we see here, I definitely recommend turning on the Adaptive Refresh Rate on the Galaxy A54, unless you absolutely need the extra 1.5 hours of battery life.

Work 3.0 S23 Ultra
(120 Hz)
Galaxy A54
(120 Hz)
S22 Ultra
(120 Hz)
Z Flip 3
(120 Hz)
Battery Capacity 5,000 mAh 5,000 mAh 5,000 mAh 3,300 mAh
Battery Life 13 hrs
0 mins
12 hrs 25 mins 10 hrs
38 mins
6 hrs
44 mins
Utilisation
per min.
5.13 mAh 5.52 mAh 6.27 mAh 6.53 mAh

 

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Battery Recharging Speed!

The Samsung Galaxy A54 supports up to 25 watts of wired fast charging, but unfortunately, does not come with the charger in-the-box.

So we relied on the standard 15 watt Samsung fast charger than shipped with their previous smartphones – something we believe most users will end up doing.

Work 3.0 S22 Ultra S23 Ultra Galaxy A54 Z Flip 3
Battery Capacity 3,300 mAh 5,000 mAh 5,000 mAh 3,300 mAh
Charger Output 15 watts 15 watts 15 watts 15 watts
Battery Life 64.5 minutes 88.8 minutes 120.7 minutes 88.5 minutes
Recharging Speed
(per minute)
62.0 mAh 45.0 mAh 33.1 mAh 29.8 mAh

The Samsung Galaxy A54 fully recharges from 20% to 100% in just over 2 hours with the standard 15 watt Samsung charger. Oddly enough, this is significantly (36%) slower than the S23 Ultra.

I have no idea whether this was an intentional design decision to reduce the Galaxy A54’s thermal output while charging, or to further differentiate it from the much pricier Galaxy S23 Ultra.

In any case, the Galaxy A54 has a good battery life : recharging ratio of 7:1. As a rule of thumb, for every hour of battery life, you only need to recharge it for 8.5 minutes.

 

Samsung Galaxy A54 : Price + Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A54 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage, with the option to add a microSD card in the hybrid SIM tray. It is covered by a 2-year warranty, with the following launch prices:

  • 8 GB + 256 GB : RM1,899 / US$449.99 / £499 / A$697 / S$648

Here are online purchase options (we may get commission from your purchase) :

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Samsung Galaxy A Series Gets New Fun Mode!

Samsung just introduced a new Fun Mode for Galaxy A series smartphones!

Take a look at the new Fun Mode, and give it a try!

 

Samsung Galaxy A Series Gets New Fun Mode!

Samsung is introducing a new Fun Mode in the proprietary camera app of their Galaxy A series smartphones, which adds Snapchat’s AR Lenses!

Samsung Galaxy A series smartphone users will be able to use Fun Mode to add playful, quirky lenses to their photos, turning them into fun and unique content to share with friends, or upload to social media!

Fun Mode is powered by Snap’s Camera Kit, allowing businesses and developers to bring the power of Snap’s augmented reality into their own applications.

Galaxy users are constantly seeking new ways to express their creativity. Samsung is constantly innovating to empower users to do more of what they love.

That is why we continue to grow our partnership with Snap, one of the biggest and most creative augmented reality platforms, so we can explore further improvements and bring one of the best camera experiences to more users.

– Woncheol Chai, EVP and Head of Experience Planning Team at Mobile eXperience Business, Samsung Electronics

Samsung and Snap have been working to offer users around the world more engaging and localized experiences. In 2021, they launched region-specific AR Lenses in India, and since then have expanded to other countries including Germany, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, and Mexico.

Lenses are the way over 250 million Snapchatters engage with augmented reality every day, and we’re thrilled that these experiences delight and resonate with Samsung Galaxy’s community.

Integrating the Camera Kit into Samsung Galaxy’s proprietary camera is an opportunity to collaborate on compelling, local AR experiences and bring them to Galaxy users around the world.

– Ben Schwerin, SVP of Content and Partnerships at Snap.

To make use of Fun Mode, just update the Camera app in your Samsung Galaxy A series smartphone!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Samsung Galaxy A73 Unboxing + Hands-On Preview!

Samsung just sent us their new Galaxy A73 smartphone, and here is our unboxing and hands-on preview!

 

Samsung Galaxy A73 : What’s Inside The Box!

Samsung just launched their Galaxy A73 mid-range smartphone, which boasts a 108 MP quad-camera system and a large Super AMOLED+ display, at an affordable price point!

They sent one to us to review, so let’s take a look at the box, and see what we find inside!

Once you fully unbox it, this is what you will find :

  • Samsung Galaxy A73 5G smartphone
  • Set of Galaxy A73 documents
  • Type C to Type C USB data and power cable
  • SIM tray extractor pin

Unfortunately, Samsung did not include a 25 watt charger, and the Type C to Type C cable will only support the newer Samsung chargers.

If you have the older Samsung charger, you will need to reuse the old Type A to Type C cable, or buy a new cable.

 

Samsung Galaxy A73 : Key Features!

Now, let’s take a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy A73’s key features, as well as our hands-on experience video!

6.7-inch Super AMOLED+ Display

The Samsung Galaxy A73 comes with a large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED+ display.

It has a Full HD+ resolution, and a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hz!

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy A73 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G, which has a triple-tier CPU architecture :

  • a Kryo 670 Prime core running at up to 2.4 GHz,
  • three sustained-performance Kryo 670 Gold cores running at up to 2.2 GHz, and
  • four energy-efficient Kryo 670 Silver cores running at 1.8 GHz

It also comes with a Qualcomm Adreno 642L GPU running at 490 MHz.

Memory + Storage Options

The Samsung Galaxy A73 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of internal flash storage.

The memory capacity can be expanded through the RAM Plus feature, while storage can be expanded through a microSD card (up to 1 TB).

Cameras Galore!

The Samsung Galaxy A73 is targeted at those who love to take photos and videos.

In the front, it has a 32 MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture, and the ability to combine pixels for better low-light performance.

In the back, it has a quad-camera system that consists of :

  • a 108 MP Dual Pixel camera with f/1.8 aperture
  • a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture
  • a 5 MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture, and
  • a 5 MP depth camera with f/2.4 aperture

IP67 Dust + Water-Resistance!

You will also love the fact that the Galaxy A73 is IP67-rated for dust and water-resistance! That means it can withstand immersion in up to 1 metre of fresh water for up to 30 minutes!

Battery + Charging

The Samsung Galaxy A73 comes with a large 5,000 mAh battery, that supports up to 25 watts of fast charging.

The only downside – Samsung is not providing the 25 watt charger in-the-box.

 

Samsung Galaxy A73 Specifications

Specifications Samsung Galaxy A73
Display 6.7-inch Super AMOLED+
– 120 Hz dynamic refresh rate
Protection IP67
OS One UI 4.1 (Android 12)
Platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G
CPU 1 x Kryo 670 Prime core (2.4 GHz)
3 x Kryo 670 Gold cores (2.2 GHz)
4 x Kryo 670 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
GPU Qualcomm Adreno 642L (490 MHz)
Memory +
Storage
8 GB + 256 GB
External Storage microSDXC
Front Camera 32 MP camera, f/2.2
Main Cameras 108 MP OIS camera, f/1.8
12 MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.2
5 MP macro camera, f/2.4
5 MP depth camera, f/2.4
Connectivity Wi-Fi : Up to Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB Type C
Fingerprint Sensor Yes, Under Display
Other Sensors Accelerometer, Gyroscope,
Geomagnetic,
Light, Proximity
GPS GPS, Beidou, Glonass, Galileo
NFC Yes
Battery 5,000 mAh Li-Po battery
Charging 25 watt wired charging
Dimensions 76.1 mm wide
163.7 mm tall
7.6 mm thick
Weight 181 grams

 

Samsung Galaxy A73 Colour + Availability!

Here in Malaysia, the Galaxy A73 smartphone is available in three colour options :

  • Awesome White
  • Awesome Mint
  • Awesome Gray

It will be offered in only one variant, at this price point :

  • 8 GB + 256 GB : RM 2,099 (about US$499 / £379 / A$679 / S$679)

Here are some online purchase options :

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

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Support Tech ARP!

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Samsung Galaxy A53 : Exclusive Hands-On Preview!

We recently had the opportunity to get some hands-on time with the Samsung Galaxy A53 that was just launched, and here is our hands-on experience!

 

Samsung Galaxy A53 with 64 MP Quad Camera System!

Samsung just launched their Galaxy A53 mid-range smartphone, which boasts a 64 MP quad-camera system!

We had the exclusive opportunity to get some hands-on time with the Galaxy A53 smartphone recently, and here is our hands-on video experience!

6.5-inch Super AMOLED Display

The Samsung Galaxy A53 comes with a large 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display.

It has a Full HD+ resolution, and a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hz!

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy A53 runs on the new Samsung Exynos 1280 mobile platform, which has a dual-tier CPU architecture :

  • four sustained-performance ARM Cortex-A78 cores running at up to 2.4 GHz, and
  • four energy-efficient ARM Cortex-A55 cores running at 2.0 GHz

It also comes with a ARM Mali-G68 GPU running at 1.0 GHz.

Memory + Storage Options

The Samsung Galaxy A53 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of internal flash storage.

The memory capacity can be expanded through the RAM Plus feature, while storage can be expanded through a microSD card (up to 1 TB).

Cameras Galore!

The Samsung Galaxy A53 is targeted at those who love to take photos and videos.

In the front, it has a 32 MP camera, with an f/2.2 aperture and the ability to combine pixels for better low-light performance.

In the back, it has a quad-camera system that consists of :

  • a 64 MP Dual Pixel camera with f/1.8 aperture
  • a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture
  • a 5 MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture, and
  • a 5 MP depth camera with f/2.4 aperture

IP67 Dust + Water-Resistance!

You will also love the fact that the Galaxy A53 is IP67-rated for dust and water-resistance! That means it can withstand immersion in up to 1 metre of fresh water for up to 30 minutes!

Battery + Charging

The Samsung Galaxy A53 comes with a large 5,000 mAh battery, that supports up to 25 watts of fast charging.

The only downside – Samsung is not providing the 25 watt charger in-the-box.

 

Samsung Galaxy A53 Specifications

Specifications Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
Display 6.5-inch Super AMOLED
– 120 Hz dynamic refresh rate
Protection IP67
OS One UI 4 (Android 12)
Platform Samsung Exynos 1280
CPU 2 x ARM Cortex-A78 cores (2.4 GHz)
6 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores (2.0 GHz)
GPU ARM Mali-G68 (1 GHz)
Memory +
Storage
8 GB + 256 GB
External Storage microSDXC
Front Camera 32 MP camera, f/2.2
Main Cameras 64 MP OIS camera, f/1.8
12 MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.2
5 MP macro camera, f/2.4
5 MP depth camera, f/2.4
Connectivity Wi-Fi : Up to Wi-Fi 5
Bluetooth : BT 5.1
USB : USB Type C
Fingerprint Sensor Yes, Under Display
Other Sensors Accelerometer, Gyroscope,
Geomagnetic,
Hall, Light,
Virtual Proximity
GPS GPS, Beidou, Glonass, Galileo
NFC Yes
Battery 5,000 mAh Li-Po battery
Charging 25 watt wired charging
Dimensions 74.8 mm wide
159.6 mm tall
8.1 mm thick
Weight 189 grams

 

Samsung Galaxy A53 Colour + Availability!

Here in Malaysia, the Galaxy A53 smartphone is available in four colour options :

  • Awesome Peach
  • Awesome Blue
  • Awesome White
  • Awesome Black

It will be offered in only one variant, at this price point :

  • 8 GB + 256 GB : RM 1,849 (about US$439 / £336 / A$599 / S$599)

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > MobileTech ARP

 

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Samsung Galaxy A73 : Exclusive Hands-On Preview!

We recently had the opportunity to get some hands-on time with the Samsung Galaxy A73 that was just launched, and here is our hands-on preview!

 

Samsung Galaxy A73 with 108 MP Quad Camera System!

Samsung just launched their Galaxy A73 mid-range smartphone, which boasts a 108 MP quad-camera system!

We had the exclusive opportunity to get some hands-on time with the Galaxy A73 smartphone recently, and here is our hands-on video experience!

6.7-inch Super AMOLED+ Display

The Samsung Galaxy A73 comes with a large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED+ display.

It has a Full HD+ resolution, and a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hz!

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy A73 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G, which has a triple-tier CPU architecture :

  • a Kryo 670 Prime core running at up to 2.4 GHz,
  • three sustained-performance Kryo 670 Gold cores running at up to 2.2 GHz, and
  • four energy-efficient Kryo 670 Silver cores running at 1.8 GHz

It also comes with a Qualcomm Adreno 642L GPU running at 490 MHz.

Memory + Storage Options

The Samsung Galaxy A73 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of internal flash storage.

The memory capacity can be expanded through the RAM Plus feature, while storage can be expanded through a microSD card (up to 1 TB).

Cameras Galore!

The Samsung Galaxy A73 is targeted at those who love to take photos and videos.

In the front, it has a 32 MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture, and the ability to combine pixels for better low-light performance.

In the back, it has a quad-camera system that consists of :

  • a 108 MP Dual Pixel camera with f/1.8 aperture
  • a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture
  • a 5 MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture, and
  • a 5 MP depth camera with f/2.4 aperture

IP67 Dust + Water-Resistance!

You will also love the fact that the Galaxy A73 is IP67-rated for dust and water-resistance! That means it can withstand immersion in up to 1 metre of fresh water for up to 30 minutes!

Battery + Charging

The Samsung Galaxy A73 comes with a large 5,000 mAh battery, that supports up to 25 watts of fast charging.

The only downside – Samsung is not providing the 25 watt charger in-the-box.

 

Samsung Galaxy A73 Specifications

Specifications Samsung Galaxy A73
Display 6.7-inch Super AMOLED+
– 120 Hz dynamic refresh rate
Protection IP67
OS One UI 4.1 (Android 12)
Platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G
CPU 1 x Kryo 670 Prime core (2.4 GHz)
3 x Kryo 670 Gold cores (2.2 GHz)
4 x Kryo 670 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
GPU Qualcomm Adreno 642L (490 MHz)
Memory +
Storage
8 GB + 256 GB
External Storage microSDXC
Front Camera 32 MP camera, f/2.2
Main Cameras 108 MP OIS camera, f/1.8
12 MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.2
5 MP macro camera, f/2.4
5 MP depth camera, f/2.4
Connectivity Wi-Fi : Up to Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB Type C
Fingerprint Sensor Yes, Under Display
Other Sensors Accelerometer, Gyroscope,
Geomagnetic,
Light, Proximity
GPS GPS, Beidou, Glonass, Galileo
NFC Yes
Battery 5,000 mAh Li-Po battery
Charging 25 watt wired charging
Dimensions 76.1 mm wide
163.7 mm tall
7.6 mm thick
Weight 181 grams

 

Samsung Galaxy A73 Colour + Availability!

Here in Malaysia, the Galaxy A73 smartphone is available in three colour options :

  • Awesome White
  • Awesome Mint
  • Awesome Gray

It will be offered in only one variant, at this price point :

  • 8 GB + 256 GB : RM 2,099 (about US$499 / £379 / A$679 / S$679)

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > MobileTech ARP

 

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Samsung Galaxy A73 : All 3 Colour Options Compared!

Check out the three colour options available for the new Samsung Galaxy A73 smartphone!

 

Samsung Galaxy A73 : Available In 3 Colour Options!

Samsung just launched their Galaxy A73 mid-range smartphone, and it is available in three pastel colours!

We had the exclusive opportunity to check out all three colour options for the Galaxy A73 smartphone recently.

In this video, you will be able to check out all three colour options for yourself. From left to right, they are :

  • Awesome White
  • Awesome Mint
  • Awesome Gray

Awesome Mint is, incidentally, an exclusive colour option for the Galaxy A73 smartphone. It is not available for the Galaxy A53 or the Galaxy A33 smartphones.

For your convenience, here is a comparison of its key specifications :

Specifications Samsung Galaxy A73
Display 6.7-inch Super AMOLE+
– 120 Hz dynamic refresh rate
Protection IP67
OS One UI 4.1 (Android 12)
Platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G
CPU 1 x Kryo 670 Prime core (2.4 GHz)
3 x Kryo 670 Gold cores (2.2 GHz)
4 x Kryo 670 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
GPU Qualcomm Adreno 642L (490 MHz)
Memory +
Storage
8 GB + 256 GB
External Storage microSDXC
Front Camera 32 MP camera, f/2.2
Main Cameras 108 MP OIS camera, f/1.8
12 MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.2
5 MP macro camera, f/2.4
5 MP depth camera, f/2.4
Connectivity Wi-Fi : Up to Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB Type C
Fingerprint Sensor Yes, Under Display
Other Sensors Accelerometer, Gyroscope,
Geomagnetic,
Light, Proximity
GPS GPS, Beidou, Glonass, Galileo
NFC Yes
Battery 5,000 mAh Li-Po battery
Charging 25 watt wired charging
Dimensions 76.1 mm wide
163.7 mm tall
7.6 mm thick
Weight 181 grams

 

Samsung Galaxy A73 Colour Availability!

Here in Malaysia, the Galaxy A73 smartphone is available in all three colour options, starting 10 February 2022.

There are three variants, each with four colour options, at these price points :

  • 8 GB + 128 GB : RM 5,099 (about US$1,219 / £899 / A$1,699 / S$1,629)
  • 8 GB + 256 GB : RM 5,499 (about US$1,314 / £969 / A$1,829 / S$1,759)

You can now pre-order the 12 GB + 256 GB model from 10 February until 3 March 2022, to receive these freebies!

  • Samsung eVoucher worth RM800
  • Galaxy S22 Plus Silicone Cover with Strap worth RM 169
  • Galaxy Lucky Box (with wide strap) worth RM 79
  • Camera Filter Mount worth RM 169

Here are some online pre-order options : RM5,499 | RM5,499 | RM5,499 | RM5,499

 

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Samsung Galaxy A53 | A33 : All 4 Colour Options Compared!

Check out the four colour options available for the new Samsung Galaxy A53 and Galaxy A33 smartphones!

 

Samsung Galaxy A53 | A33 : Available In 4 Colour Options!

Samsung just launched their Galaxy A53 and Galaxy A33 mid-range smartphones, and they are available in four pastel colours!

We had the exclusive opportunity to check out all four colour options for the Galaxy A53 and Galaxy A33 smartphones recently.

In this video, you will be able to check out all four colour options for yourself. From left to right, they are :

  • Awesome Peach
  • Awesome Blue
  • Awesome White
  • Awesome Black

Awesome Peach is, incidentally, an exclusive colour option for the Galaxy A53 and Galaxy A33 smartphones. It is not available for the Galaxy A73 smartphone.

For your convenience, here is a comparison of their key specifications :

Specifications Galaxy A53 Galaxy A33
Display Size 6.5-inch 6.4-inch
Display Type Super AMOLED
Dynamic
Refresh Rate
120 Hz 90 Hz
Protection IP67
OS One UI 4.1 (Android 12)
Platform Samsung Exynos 1280
CPU 2 x ARM Cortex-A78 cores (2.4 GHz)
6 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores (2.0 GHz)
GPU ARM Mali-G68 (1 GHz)
Memory 8 GB
Storage 256 GB 128 GB
External Storage microSDXC
Front Camera 32 MP, f/2.2 13 MP, f/2.2
Main Cameras 64 MP OIS, f/1.8
12 MP ultra-wide, f/2.2
5 MP macro, f/2.4
5 MP depth, f/2.4
48 MP OIS, f/1.8
8 MP ultra-wide, f/2.2
5 MP macro, f/2.4
2 MP depth, f/2.4
Connectivity Wi-Fi : Up to Wi-Fi 5
Bluetooth : BT 5.1
USB : USB Type C
Fingerprint Sensor Yes, Under Display
Other Sensors Accelerometer, Gyroscope,
Geomagnetic,
Hall, Light, Virtual Proximity
GPS GPS, Beidou, Glonass, Galileo
NFC Yes
Battery 5,000 mAh Li-Po battery
Charging 25 watt wired charging
Dimensions 74.8 mm wide
159.6 mm tall
8.1 mm thick
74.0 mm wide
159.7 mm tall
8.1 mm thick
Weight 189 grams 186 grams

 

Samsung Galaxy A53 | A33 Colour Availability!

Here in Malaysia, the Galaxy A53 and Galaxy A33 smartphones are available in four colour options :

  • Awesome Peach
  • Awesome Blue
  • Awesome White
  • Awesome Black

The Samsung Galaxy A53 will be offered in only one variant, at this price point :

  • 8 GB + 256 GB : RM 1,849 (about US$439 / £336 / A$599 / S$599)

The Samsung Galaxy A33 will be offered in only one variant, at this price point :

  • 8 GB + 128 GB : RM 1,499 (about US$359 / £269 / A$487 / S$487)

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Samsung Galaxy A52 : What You Need To Know!

The Samsung Galaxy A52 is designed for the new normal, offering an incredible package of features and performance!

Here is everything you need to know about the new Samsung Galaxy A52 smartphone!

 

Samsung Galaxy A52 : What You Need To Know!

Designed for the new normal, the Samsung Galaxy A52 offers an incredible package of features and performance!

As Samsung’s official advertisement for the 2021 Galaxy A series says, Awesome Is For Everyone!

6.5-inch Super AMOLED Display

The Samsung Galaxy A52 comes with a large 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

You may be delighted to learn that it not only supports a higher 90 Hz refresh rate, it also has 800 nits of maximum brightness!

The display is also Eye Care-certified, and automatically adjusts its colour temperature to reduce eye fatigue – what Samsung calls Eye Comfort Shield.

1 + 4 Cameras!

The Samsung Galaxy A52 boasts a 32 MP front camera, with a wide f/2.2 aperture.

In the back, it has a quad camera system that consists of :

  • 64 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
  • 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
  • 5 MP macro camera, with f/2.4 aperture
  • 5 MP depth camera, with f/2.4 aperture

We should point out that the depth camera doesn’t take any photos.. It just obtains depth data to allow for more accurate software bokeh effects.

Samsung Galaxy Ecosystem

The Samsung Galaxy A52 will allow you to be part of the Samsung ecosystem through these features :

  • SmartThings lets you connect to, and control, smart devices including wearables, tablets, PCs and TVs.
  • SmartThings Find lets you easily locate paired Galaxy devices, or using the Galaxy SmartTag.
  • Music Share lets you sync your phone with a friend’s device to share music, without speaker pairing.
  • Buds Together lets you pair your phone with two sets of Galaxy Buds, to listen together!
  • Quick Share lets you easily and quickly send pictures and videos of any size to nearby Galaxy devices.
  • Private Share lets you revoke photos and videos you shared with just a tap!

Security + Protection

The Samsung Galaxy A52 has Samsung Knox built-in, providing you with a defence-grade enclave to store your sensitive information and data.

is IP67-rated against dust- and water-resistance. This protects it against accidental water splashes, and immersion in up to 1 metre of fresh water, for up to 30 minutes.

We should point out that Samsung warns against immersing it in seawater, the swimming pool or in soapy water.

 

Samsung Galaxy A52 : Specifications

In this table, we compare the specifications of the Galaxy A52 against the Galaxy A72 :

Specifications Galaxy A72 Galaxy A52
Display Type Super AMOLED
Display Size 6.7-inch 6.5-inch
Display Resolution 1080 x 2400 pixels
Display Refresh Up to 90 Hz
Display Brightness 800 nits maximum
Protection NA
IP Rating IP67
Operating System Android 11
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G
CPU 2 x Kryo 570 Gold cores (2.3 GHz)
6 x Kryo 570 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
GPU Qualcomm Adreno 619
Memory + Storage 8 GB + 256 GB
Storage Expansion microSD card : up to 1 TB
Front Camera 32 MP camera (f/2.2)
Main Camera 64 MP (f/1.8)
Ultra Wide Camera 12 MP (f/2.2)
Telephoto Camera 8 MP (f/2.4)
Macro Camera 5 MP (f/2.4)
Depth Sensor 5 MP (f/2.4)
Connectivity Network : 4G LTE, 3G
Wi-Fi : Wi-Fi 5 (2.4 / 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT5.0
USB : USB Type C 2.0
Fingerprint Sensor Yes, In Display
NFC Yes
Other Sensors Accelerometer, Gyro, Geomagnetic,
Hall sensor, Light sensor, Proximity
Audio AKG stereo speakers
Battery 5,000 mAh 4,500 mAh
Charging 25 W fast charging
Dimensions 77.4 mm wide
165.0 mm tall
8
.4 mm thick
75.1 mm wide
159.9 mm tall
8.4 mm thick
Weight 203 g 189 g

 

Samsung Galaxy A52 : Colour Options

The Samsung Galaxy A52 will come in four colour options – Awesome Violet, Awesome White, Awesome Black and Awesome Blue.

 

Samsung Galaxy A52 : Price + Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A52 has a launch price of RM1,499 (approx. US$362 / £262 / A$474 / S$487) with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage.

Here in Malaysia, it will come with a FREE clear standing cover worth RM109.

Here are some online purchase options :

 

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Samsung Galaxy A31 : 48MP Quad Camera System FTW!

The Samsung Galaxy A31 smartphone is out, offering a large 6.4-inch AMOLED display and 48MP quad camera system at a more affordable price point!

 

Samsung Galaxy A31 : 48MP Quad Camera System FTW!

The new Samsung Galaxy A31 is a mid-range smartphone, which packs a lot of features at a more affordable price point. A great option during these difficult times.

The Samsung Galaxy A31 boasts a large 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display, with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

Powered by the MediaTek Helio P65, it comes with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Powering all that is a massive 5,000 mAh battery.

Its other key selling point are its cameras – it comes with a 20 MP front camera, and a 48 MP quad-camera system at the back.

 

Samsung Galaxy A31 : Specifications

Specifications Samsung Galaxy A31
Display 6.4-inch Super AMOLED
Display Resolution 1080 x 2400 pixels
Operating System Android Q
Platform MediaTek Helio P65
Processor 2 x Cortex-A75 cores (2.0 GHz)
6 x Cortex-A55 cores (1.7 GHz)
GPU Mali-G52 MP2 (820 MHz)
Memory 6 GB
Internal Storage 128 GB
External Storage MicroSD Slot (up to 512 GB)
Front Camera 20 MP, f/2.2
Main Cameras 48 MP main, f/2.0
8 MP ultra-wide, f/2.2
5 MP macro, f/2.4
2 MP depth, f/2.4
Connectivity 4G : LTE Cat13 UL (150 Mbps), Cat7 DL (300 Mbps)
Bluetooth 5.0
WiFi-AC
USB 2.0 Type C
Fingerprint Sensor On Display
Battery 5,000 mAh
Charging 15 W fast charging
Dimensions 73.1 mm wide
159.3 mm tall
8.6 mm thick
Weight 185 g

 

Samsung Galaxy A31 : Price + Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A31 is available in three glossy colour options – Prism Crush Black (left), Prism Crush Blue (middle) and Prism Crush White (right).

Here in Malaysia, it is available starting 6 June 2020, with a RRP of RM 1,099 / ~US$257 / ~£203 / ~A$372 / ~S$358. It will come with FREE Samsung Protection Plus (worth RM 119).

Here are purchase options in other countries :

Singapore : Prism Crush Black | Prism Crush Blue
US :
 Prism Crush White | Prism Crush White
Australia : Prism Crush Black

 

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Samsung Galaxy A51 : Our Hands-On Preview!

Samsung just sent us their new Galaxy A51 smartphone, and here is our hands-on preview of their latest mid-range smartphone with four cameras!

 

Samsung Galaxy A51 Preview : At A Glance!

The Samsung Galaxy A51 (MY|SG|US|UK|AU) comes with a large 6.5-inch edge-to-edge Infinity-O display, with a Super AMOLED panel.

It is powered by the Samsung Exynos 9611 mobile platform, and comes with 6 GB LPDDR4x memory, and 128 GB internal storage.

It has a 32 MP front camera, and a quad-camera system at the back, which consists of :

  • a 48 MP main camera (f/2.0 aperture)
  • a 12 MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2 aperture)
  • a 5 MP macro camera (f/2.4)
  • a 5 MP depth sensor (f/2.2)

Discounting the depth sensor, that’s four cameras in a really affordable mid-range smartphone!

 

Samsung Galaxy A51 : Our Hands-On Preview!

After unboxing it, here is our hands-on preview of the new Samsung Galaxy A51 (MY|SG|US|UK|AU) smartphone!

You will find its triple card tray, which supports two nano SIM cards and a microSD card, on the left side.

The only buttons on the Galaxy A51 (MY|SG|US|UK|AU) – the Volume controls and Power button – are located on the right edge.

The only thing you will find at the top is a second microphone (for noise cancellation).

The Samsung Galaxy A51 (MY|SG|US|UK|AU) comes with a 3.5 mm audio jack, located at the bottom, next to the USB Type C port and the microphone and speaker ports.

It has an Infinity-O display, which basically replaces the notch with a tiny punch hole for its high-resolution 32 MP front camera.

The Samsung Galaxy A51 (MY|SG|US|UK|AU) adopts a Galaxy S20-like design for its quad-camera system, and the single LED flash, at the back.

 

Samsung Galaxy A51 Specifications

Specifications Samsung Galaxy A51
Display 6.5-inch Infinity-O display
– Super AMOLED
– 1080 x 2400 pixels (~394 ppi)
Operating System Android 10 Q
System Platform Samsung Exynos 9611
Processor 4 x ARM Cortex-A73 cores (2.3 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.7 GHz)
GPU ARM Mali-G72 MP3
RAM 6 GB LPDDR4x
Storage 128 GB internal storage
microSD slot (512 GB)
Front Camera 32 MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture
Rear Cameras Quad Camera System
– 48 MP main camera (f/2.0)
– 12 MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2)
– 5 MP macro camera (f/2.4)
– 5 MP depth sensor (f/2.2)
Connectivity 4G : LTE
Wi-Fi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth : BT5.0
USB : USB Type C 2.0
Fingerprint Sensor Yes, In-Display
Battery 4,000 mAh battery
15W fast charging
Dimensions 73.6 mm wide
158.5 mm tall
7.9 mm thick
Weight 172 g

 

Samsung Galaxy A51 Price + Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A51 is available in three colour options – Prism Crush Black, Prism Crush White and Prism Crush Blue, with a fourth colour option of Prism Crush Pink in some countries.

It has a recommended retail price of RM 1,299 / ~S$436 / ~US$314 / ~£242 / ~A$467. Here are online purchase options :

 

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Samsung Galaxy A70 Gets A Nice Price Cut In Malaysia!

Samsung Galaxy A70 arrived in Malaysia back in May, and Samsung just announce a nice price cut! Here is everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy A70 price cut!

 

The Samsung Galaxy A70 Has Arrived In Malaysia!

The Samsung Galaxy A70 arrived in Malaysia in May 2019, about a month after we posted our feature article on the Galaxy A70.

This is a popular model that offers a very large 6.7-inch Infinity-U display with dual 32 MP cameras.

Immersive Display, Sleek Design

The Samsung Galaxy A70 has a large 6.7” Infinity-U display with 20:9 display ratio . This is the biggest screen in the Galaxy A series so far.

Samsung is offering the Galaxy A70 in three trendy gradient colours – Blue, Black and White. Its chassis also comes with a prism effect that changes its reflection according to the direction of lighting.

High Resolution Lens

The Samsung Galaxy A70 has a 32 MP front camera. In the back, it has a triple lens camera enhanced with a 32 MP camera paired with a depth sensor that lets you adjust the depth of field of all of your shots!

It also comes with a secondary 8 MP ultra wide-angle camera, which is designed to capture images that mirror the same viewing angle as the human eye.

The cameras boasts two software features to help deliver the best results possible :

  • Scene Optimizer offers a recognition feature that is able to intuitively enhance up to 20 scenes
  • Flaw Detection automatically identifies glitches before you click to prevent anything less than a perfect shot.

Longer Lasting Battery Power

The Samsung Galaxy A70 comes with a large 4,500 mAh battery that supports 25 watt Super-Fast Charging – a feature that is not even available in their flagship Galaxy S10 models!

Superior And Secure Connectivity

The Samsung Galaxy A70 has an on-screen fingerprint scanner that is positioned to make it easier to use without changing your grip.

Samsung also encourages you to pair it with Samsung Pass, so you can sign into websites and apps using a faster and more secure way.

Everything is kept encrypted and secured by Samsung Knox, Samsung’s own defense-grade security platform.

 

Samsung Galaxy A70 User Interface

The One UI platform simplifies user experience by enabling one-handed navigation. It also comes in a new Night Mode.

The Samsung Galaxy A70 will come with premium features like App Timer, Samsung Health, and even Bixby.

 

Samsung Galaxy A70 Price Cut In Malaysia!

The Samsung Galaxy A70 debuted in Malaysia on 5 May 2019 with an RRP of RM 1,999 / ~US$483 / ~£366 / ~A$708.

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However, Samsung just announced a nice price cut for the Galaxy A70. Starting 5 August 2019, it will only cost RM 1,799 / ~US$431 / ~£355 / ~A$627!

This is a nice RM 200 (10%) discount on its original launch price.

Here are some direct purchase links for the Galaxy A70 with the price cut applied!

 

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The Samsung Galaxy A80 With Rotating Camera Revealed!

The new Samsung Galaxy A80 smartphone comes with a rotating camera module that lets you take the best photos from both the front and the back! Here is a primer on the new Samsung Galaxy A80 smartphone!

 

The Samsung Galaxy A80 Smartphone

The new Samsung Galaxy A80 is a smartphone specifically designed for spontaneous pictures (selfies), live video streaming (Facebook Live, and Instagram Live. It accomplishes all that with a nifty rotating camera!

Rotating Camera

Instead of separate front and rear cameras, its has a single rotating camera module with three cameras :

  • A 48 MP main camera with f/2.0 aperture
  • An 8 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture
  • A 3D depth sensing camera with a Live Focus video capability

By default, they point backwards, like regular triple-lens rear cameras. But if you need to take a selfie, the camera module pops-up and rotates! This allows you to take high-quality selfies with Live Focus capability!

The rotating camera module also supports three other features :

  • Super Steady video mode to reduce video shake and ensure smooth videos.
  • Scene Optimizer to recognise and enhance up to 30 scenes
  • Flaw Detection to automatically identify glitches before a picture is taken

Better Display And Sound System

Unlike the Galaxy A70 with its Infinity-U notch, it has an Infinity Display like the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note9. This is a very large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080 x 2400 pixels.

To complement its brilliant display, It also comes with a Dolby Atmos audio system that delivers a 360-degree audio experience

Longer Battery Power

It is powered by a 3,700 mAh battery that supports 25 W Super-Fast Charging!

Enhanced Security And Intelligent Features

Its security and intelligent features have also been beefed-up :

  • Intelligent Performance EnhancerAI-powered performance optimization software that manages the battery, CPU and RAM based on the user’s unique usage
  • Bixby Routines – automates everyday tasks and apps based on your routine
  • Samsung Knox keeps your sensitive information safe
  • Samsung Pass lets you access apps and websites using biometric authentication
  • On-screen fingerprint scanner
  • Samsung Health and Samsung Pay preloaded

Samsung Galaxy A80 Colour Options

Samsung is offering it in three colour options –  Angel Gold, Ghost White and Phantom Black.

  • Angel Gold color includes elements of pink
  • Ghost White combines some blue characteristics

 

Samsung Galaxy A80 Specifications

SpecificationsSamsung Galaxy A80
Display6.7-inch Infinity display
- Super AMOLED panel
- 1080 x 2400 pixels
Operating SystemAndroid 9.0 Pie
System PlatformQualcomm Snapdragon 730G
Processor2 x Qualcomm Kryo 470 Gold (2.2 GHz)
6 x Qualcomm Kryo 470 Silver (1.7 GHz)
Graphics ProcessorQualcomm Adreno 618
Memory8 GB RAM
Storage128 GB internal storage
No micro SD card slot
Front CamerasNone, Uses Rear Rotating Camera
Rear CamerasTriple-Lens Rotating Camera
- 48 MP main camera + f/2.0 aperture
- 8 MP ultra-wide angle camera + f/2.2 aperture
- 5 MP depth sensor + f/2.2 apearture
Connectivity4G : LTE Cat15 DL (800 Mbps), LTE Cat13 UL (150 Mbps)
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C
Battery3,700 mAh lithium-ion battery
- 25 W Super-Fast Charging
Fingerprint SensorYes, On-Display
Other SensorsGravity Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Digital Compass
NFC / Samsung PayYes / Yes
DimensionsNA
WeightNA
Colour OptionsAngel Gold / Ghost White / Phantom Black

 

Samsung Galaxy A80 Price + Availability

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy A80 on 29 May 2019 worldwide.

The 8 GB + 128 GB variant will be available in Malaysia at a RRP of RM 2,299 / ~US$ 559 / ~£ 426 / ~€ 494.

 

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Samsung Galaxy A50 + Galaxy A30 Price + Specifications!

At a celebrity-studded “Era Of Live” event, Samsung launched the Galaxy A50 and Galaxy A30 smartphones! Get the full low-down o the new Galaxy A50 and Galaxy A30 smartphones!

 

The Samsung Galaxy A50 Smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy A50 is designed to replace the Samsung Galaxy A7 2018.

Built around the new Samsung Exynos 9610 mobile SoC, it has four fast ARM Cortex-A73 cores running at 2.3 GHz, and four low-power A53 cores running at 1.7 GHz.

It has an ARM Mali-G72 GPU, and comes with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal flash storage. Powering it all is a large 4,000 mAh battery that supports 15 watt fast charging.

Like the Galaxy A7 2018, it boasts a triple camera system with a 25 MP main camera (f/1.7 aperture), an 8 MP ultra-wide angle camera (f/2.2 aperture), and a 5 MP depth sensor.

It also features an in-display fingerprint sensor, but unlike the Galaxy S10 series, it uses an optical sensor instead of an ultrasonic sensor.

 

The Samsung Galaxy A30 Smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy A30, on the other hand, is positioned just above the Galaxy M20 smartphone which launched separately on the same day.

It uses the same Exynos 7904 mobile SoC, with two fast ARM Cortex-A73 cores running at 1.8 GHz, and six low-power A53 cores running at 1.6 GHz.

It has an ARM Mali-G71 GPU, and comes with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal flash storage. Powering it all is a large 4,000 mAh battery that supports 15 watt fast charging.

It has an improved version of the Galaxy M20‘s dual camera system. Its main camera has a higher- resolution 16 MP sensor with a brighter f/1.7 aperture. But it uses the same 5 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture.

 

Samsung Galaxy A50 + Galaxy A30 Specifications

Here is a table comparing the specifications of the Galaxy A50 vs the Galaxy A30.

SpecificationsSamsung Galaxy A50Samsung Galaxy A30
Display6.4-inch Super AMOLED display
-1080 x 2340 pixels
- 19.5:9 aspect ratio
6.4-inch Super AMOLED display
-1080 x 2340 pixels
- 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Operating SystemAndroid 9.0 PieAndroid 9.0 Pie
System PlatformSamsung Exynos 9610Samsung Exynos 7904
Processor4 x ARM Cortex-A73 (2.3 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (1.7 GHz)
2 x ARM Cortex-A73 (1.8 GHz)
6 x ARM Cortex-A53 (1.6 GHz)
Graphics ProcessorARM Mali-G72 MP3ARM Mali-G71 MP2
Memory6 GB4 GB
Storage128 GB
microSD card (up to 512 GB)
64 GB
microSD card (up to 512 GB)
Front Camera25 MP sensor with f/2.0 lens16 MP sensor with f/2.0 lens
Rear CameraTriple Camera System
- 25 MP main camera with f/1.7 lens
- 8 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 lens
- 5 MP depth sensor with f/2.2 lens
Dual Camera System
- 16 MP main camera with f/1.7 lens
- 5 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 lens
ConnectivityWiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : micro USB 2.0
Battery4,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- supports 15 W fast charging
4,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- supports 15 W fast charging
Fingerprint SensorYes, In-DisplayYes, Rear-Mounted
Other SensorsAccelerometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Light Sensor, Proximity SensorAccelerometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor
NFC / Samsung PayNo / NoNo / No
Dimensions74.7 mm wide
158.5 mm tall
7.7 mm thick
74.7 mm wide
158.5 mm tall
7.7 mm thick
Weight166 grams165 grams
Colour OptionsWhite / Black / BlueWhite / Black / Blue

 

Price + Availability

Both the Samsung Galaxy A50 and the Galaxy A30 are available with immediate effect at these prices :

They will both be available in three colour options – Blue, Black and White.

 

Recommended Reading

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The Samsung Galaxy A8 | A8+ 2018 Makes A Big Splash!

Barring the impending launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9 next month, the most anticipated Samsung smartphones of Q1 2018 are the Galaxy A8 2018 and the Galaxy A8+ 2018. We had the opportunity to review the Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 earlier, and were so impressed, we gave it out Reviewer’s Choice Award!

Now, we are glad to announce that Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ smartphones. Join us for the Samsung launch event, and get the full details including their price and availability, as well as a special time-limited offer!

 

The Samsung Galaxy A8 | A8+ 2018 Launch

Samsung Malaysia Electronics President, Mr. Yoonsoo Kim, kicked off the launch with a short speech and a special performance by the Malaysian national synchronised swim team!

Then Samsung Senior Product Manager (IT & Mobile Division), Mr. Go Benn Lee, gave a great presentation on the new features introduced in the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ smartphones.

 

The Samsung Galaxy A8 | A8+ 2018 Compared

The Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 and Galaxy A8+ 2018 may look like they differ only in size, but that’s not quite accurate. Let’s take a look at their specifications :

SpecificationsSamsung Galaxy A8Samsung Galaxy A8+
Display5.6" Super AMOLED display
- 1080 x 2220 pixels (440 ppi)
6.0" Super AMOLED display
- 1080 x 2220 pixels (410 ppi)
Operating SystemAndroid 7.1.1Android 7.1.1
PlatformSamsung Exynos 7885Samsung Exynos 7885
Processor2 x ARM Cortex-A73 cores (2.2 GHz)
6 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.6 GHz)
2 x ARM Cortex-A73 cores (2.2 GHz)
6 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.6 GHz)
Graphics ProcessorARM Mali-G71ARM Mali-G71
Memory4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM6 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
Storage32 GB internal flash storage
microSD card (up to 256 GB)
64 GB internal flash storage
microSD card (up to 256 GB)
Front CameraMain Camera
- 16 MP Samsung ISOCELL S5K2P6SX sensor with f/1.9 lens

Wide-Angle 85° Camera
- 8 MP Samsung ISOCELL S5K3P8SP sensor with f/1.9 lens
Main Camera
- 16 MP Samsung ISOCELL S5K2P6SX sensor with f/1.9 lens

Wide-Angle 85° Camera
- 8 MP Samsung ISOCELL S5K3P8SP sensor with f/1.9 lens
Rear Camera16 MP camera with f/1.7 lens and single LED flash
- Samsung ISOCELL S5K2P6SX sensor with PDAF technology
16 MP camera with f/1.7 lens and single LED flash
- Samsung ISOCELL S5K2P6SX sensor with PDAF technology
Connectivity4G : LTE Cat11
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth v5.0
USB Type C
4G : LTE Cat11
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth v5.0
USB Type C
SIM CapabilitySingle SIM Model : Single SIM
Dual SIM Model : Dual SIM, Dual Standby
Single SIM Model : Single SIM
Dual SIM Model : Dual SIM, Dual Standby
NFCYesYes
GPSGPS, GLONASS, BeiDouGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
Fingerprint SensorYes, Rear-MountedYes, Rear-Mounted
Audio24-bit Ultra High Quality (UHQ) support
- PCM support up to 32-bits
24-bit Ultra High Quality (UHQ) support
- PCM support up to 32-bits
Water ResistanceIP68 ratedIP68 rated
Battery3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capable
3,500 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capable
Other SensorsAccelerometer, Barometer, Gyro, Geomagnetic, Hall, Proximity and RGB light sensorsAccelerometer, Barometer, Gyro, Geomagnetic, Hall, Proximity and RGB light sensors
Dimensions70.6 mm wide
149.2 mm tall
8.4 mm thick
75.7 mm wide
159.9 mm tall
8.3 mm thick
Weight172 g191 g
Available ColoursBlack, Orchid Gray, Gold, BlueBlack, Orchid Gray, Gold, Blue

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Price & Availability

Both devices will be offered in three colour options here in Malaysia – Black, Gold and Orchid Gray. They will be available for purchase starting 19 January 2018, at the following prices :

  • Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 : RM 1,799 (inclusive of 6% GST) / ~US$ 449
  • Samsung Galaxy A8+ 2018RM 2,499 (inclusive of 6% GST) / ~US$ 625

Samsung Malaysia is offering a special Early Bird Reward worth RM 417 (~US$ 105), for those who purchase either smartphone between 19-21 January 2018 :

  • a 10,000 mAh USB-C Battery Pack (worth RM 228 / ~US$ 57)
  • a 64 GB Samsung EVO Plus microSD card (worth RM 189 / ~US$ 47)

There are limited quantities of the Early Bird Reward, so make sure you get your Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 / A8+ 2018 early!

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The 5 Features We REALLY Want In Our Next Smartphone

Every year, we are told that the smartphone market is saturated, and that it’s harder for the next smartphone model to offer consumers any real reason to upgrade. After all, how much more innovation can you pack into a device the size of a notepad?

Yet, the prognosticators of doom are proven wrong every single year. Not only are established brands like Apple and Samsung still churning out new smartphone models year after year, new smartphones brands like Neffos and Infinix are being established all the time.

That does not mean that consumers are just lapping up whatever they produce though. Many smartphones do poorly, selling only at great discounts.

 

What We Want In Our Next Smartphone

Now, we don’t know the secret formula to a successful smartphone, but we can tell you the 5 features we want in our next smartphone. Let’s see if they are also what you want in your next smartphone.

 

Water Resistance

This may seem like a frivolous feature, but water resistance is a must-have for us. If you ever lost a smartphone to water damage, that is a lesson you will never, ever forget.

Our first water-resistant smartphone was the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, and we never looked back after that. Even our secondary smartphone, the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7, is IP68-rated.

Water-resistant smartphones also allow for greater creativity and flexibility. You can’t use them underwater, but you can use them near water without fear. Check out this video I took with the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 during a recent trip to Krabi.

 

A Better Front Camera

Top-of-the-line smartphones like the HTC 10, the iPhone 6S and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge boast truly excellent main cameras, but their front cameras have long been neglected. They are only adequate for Instagram and Facebook selfies. They really need a much better front camera that can take higher resolution photos and better videos.

A better front camera is also important if you are using a gimbal like the DJI Osmo Mobile. Such gimbals use the smartphone’s front camera to record selfie videos. So it is important to use a smartphone with a good front camera.

OPPO identified and targeted that unfulfilled need in the market with their Selfie Expert smartphones. Their OPPO F1s smartphone, for example, has 16 MP front and rear cameras. Perhaps their success was the reason why the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 also has 16 MP front and rear cameras!

We don’t think you need a 16 MP front camera for videos. Even the 5 MP sensor on the Galaxy S7 edge is already capable of recording 4K videos. But a higher resolution sensor paired with a bright, fast lens would allow for better selfies and selfie videos.

 

Better Audio Recording & Playback

One thing we really liked about the HTC 10 was its Hi-Res Audio recording and playback capability. Audio fidelity is an oft-overlooked feature, which is a shame because it makes a HUGE difference to the videos you record.

Once you have tried recording videos in Hi-Res Audio, you will wonder how you ever made do with the flat audio  recording of other smartphones. The Hi-Res Audio recording and playback capability is definitely something we are looking for in our next smartphone.

 

No Limit Video Recording

Many smartphones are so good at recording videos that they have virtually decimated the consumer camcorder market. The only thing holding them back are the 30-minute recording limit and the 4 GB file size limit.

The 30-minute limit is used to avoid duties imposed on video cameras, while the 4 GB file size limit is due to the use of, or support for, the FAT32 file system.

The 4 GB limit is particularly problematic for smartphones that can record in 4K (like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and the HTC 10), because it limits them to just 10-11 minutes of footage.

We record a lot of long videos, and sometimes in 4K. So it is important that our next smartphone removes those limits by supporting the exFAT file system.

 

Longer Battery Life

This seems like a very obvious feature to demand, but it needs some clarification.

Smartphone manufacturers are well-aware that we want smartphones with long battery lives. That’s why some smartphones boast very large capacity batteries.

But a larger battery is not just the only way to achieve a longer battery life. What’s ultimately important to us is battery life, not battery capacity.

If they can deliver a longer battery life using more power-efficient components, even better! What matters to us is battery life, not battery capacity.

 

What Smartphone Are We Looking Forward To?

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As big fans of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, we are very psyched up about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 launch on 29 March 2017. Rumours and leaks are rife on the Internet, but as we all know – nothing is true, until the big reveal!

We have no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S8 will be IP68-rated like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series.

But will it have a better front camera? Support for Hi-Res Audio? How about the removal of video recording limits? Can Samsung improve its battery life?

We await with bated breath… 😀

 

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My Trip To Krabi With The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7

During the recent 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 and Galaxy A5 launch event, I won a holiday to Krabi and a 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7, which I reviewed here. Krabi is famous for its beaches, hot spring waterfall and the Emerald Pool, so I took the opportunity to try out the 2017 Galaxy A7 smartphone, which is IP68 water-resistant. Check out some of the pictures and videos I took on my trip to Krabi!

 

Ao Nang Beach, Krabi

The Ao Nang beach is the main beach and transportation hub in Krabi. This is where the main road meets the coasts, and where all the boats to the other beaches and resorts make port. Naturally, it is packed with tourists, and is hardly the pristine beach seen in tourist brochures. However, you can get some pretty nice photos as the sun sets.

Here are some photos I took at, or near, the Ao Nang beach, using the 2017 Galaxy A7 smartphone. They have been cropped but not edited in any other way.

Next Page > The Krabi Hot Spring Waterfall Pictures & Video

 

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The Krabi Hot Spring Waterfall

The Krabi hot spring waterfall is one of Krabi’s main tourist attractions. Also known as Namtok Ron Khlong Thom, it features a mix of hot springs and cool streams which converge to create a waterfall of warm water.

Due to the craggy nature of the rocks and tree roots in and around the hot springs and waterfall, you are highly advised NOT to carry your smartphone, unless they are water-resistant like the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series (IP68) the Samsung Galaxy S7 (IP68) or the Apple iPhone 7 (IP67), or are protected with a waterproof case / bag.

Here is a video I took with the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7. Because it does not support image stabilisation, a gimbal like the DJI Osmo Mobile is highly recommended. Then again, the gimbal is not water-resistant…

Next Page > The Krabi Emerald Pool Pictures & Videos

 

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The Krabi Emerald Pool

The Krabi Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot) is another must-see tourist attraction. Also known as the Crystal Pool, it is located in the Khao Phra Bang Khram Nature Reserve, which is close by the Krabi hot spring  waterfall.

The pool requires some walking (800 meters or so), but it is worth the calories burned. Just make sure you are prepared to get wet. So make sure you bring a waterproof bag for your smartphone, unless they are water-resistant like the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series (IP68) the Samsung Galaxy S7 (IP68) or the Apple iPhone 7 (IP67).

Here are is a video I took of the Krabi Emerald Pool.

The Krabi Emerald Pool has a sandy bottom with rocks all around. However, the rocks are very slippery because they are covered with underwater moss.

This video and photos will show you just how good the front 16 MP camera is on the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7!

 

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The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 (SM-A720F) Review

We covered the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 quite extensively after its launch, with a look at its new IP68 capability and the 7 upgrades since the 2016 model. But there is nothing like a full review, and that’s what we are proud to share with you today – our comprehensive review of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 (SM-A720F) smartphone!

 

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 Specifications

Here are the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 specifications, compared against the 2016 model.

SpecificationsSamsung Galaxy A7 (2017)Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 4Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Dust- And Water-ResistanceIP68-rated
- water submersion up to 1.5 m for up to 30 minutes
Not water-resistant
Display5.7" Super AMOLED (1080 x 1920 pixels)
- Always On Display
- Corning Gorilla Glass 4
5.5" Super AMOLED (1080 x 1920 pixels)
- Corning Gorilla Glass 4
System PlatformSamsung Exynos 7880 OctaSamsung Exynos 7580 Octa
Processor8 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.9 GHz)8 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.6 GHz)
Graphics ProcessorARM Mali-T830MP2ARM Mali-T720MP2
Memory3 GB RAM LPDDR3 (1066 MHz)3 GB RAM LPDDR3 (933 MHz)
Storage32 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot (up to 256 GB)
16 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot (up to 128 GB)
Front Camera16 MP fixed focus camera with f/1.9 lens5 MP fixed focus camera with f/1.9 lens
Rear Camera16 MP PDAF sensor with f/1.9 lens13 MP sensor with f/1.9 lens
Connectivity4G : LTE Cat.6
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
4G : LTE Cat.6
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
Fingerprint SensorYesYes
USB PortUSB Type Cmicro USB 2.0
Battery3,600 mAh lithium-ion (non-removable)
- supports Fast Charging
3,300 mAh lithium-ion (non-removable)
Wireless Charging SupportNoNo
Samsung Pay SupportYesYes
Dimensions77.6 mm (wide) x 156.8 mm (tall) x 7.9 mm (thick)74.1 mm (wide) x 151.5 mm (tall) x 7.3 mm (thick)
Weight186 g172 g
Launch PriceRM 1,899 / ~US$ 419RM 1,899 / ~US$ 499

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Unboxing The Samsung Galaxy A7

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 comes in the ubiquitous white Samsung cardboard box. Not as fancy as the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge‘s classy black box, but hey, it’s a completely different segment. Watch us unbox the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 in this video, and look at what we found inside!

Inside, you will find the following items :

  • One 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 smartphone
  • One Samsung 15 W adaptive fast charging travel charger
  • One USB 2.0 to Type C USB cable
  • One pair of Samsung earphones
  • One SIM card tray extractor
  • One set of  Quick Start Guides and Warranty Cards and a Region Lock Guide

Next Page > The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 Quick Tour & Key Features

 

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The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 Quick Tour

Before we go into the details of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7, let’s take a quick 2-minute tour of its key features.

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 has a large 5.7″ display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. It also uses a Super AMOLED panel, which gives very rich and vivid colours and true black. Perfect for watching full HD videos.

It is also notable as being the first Samsung Galaxy A series smartphone to boast IP68 dust- and water-resistance. That means it is rated to withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes.

On the left side of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7, you will find two Volume buttons and the SIM1 tray. On the right side are a Power button and curiously, the speaker ports.

The microSD card and SIM2 card tray is located at the top of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7, together with a microphone port. It supports microSD cards of up to 256 GB in capacity. The second microphone port is located at the bottom, together with the bidirectional Type C USB port and the 3.5 mm earphone port.

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Dual SIM, Dual Standby

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 has dual SIM, dual standby capability, like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Amazon). However, it has two dedicated nano SIM trays, instead of a hybrid SIM tray.

The SIM1 tray is located on the left side, while SIM2 shares the same tray as the microSD card. This is not a hybrid SIM tray so both a microSD card and a second nano SIM card can be used at the same time.

 

Fast Fingerprint Sensor

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 comes with a fingerprint sensor integrated into the Home button. Our tests showed that it requires about 21 finger presses to register a fingerprint.

However, it is very fast in recognising the fingerprint after it’s registered, and it has 360 degree fingerprint recognition.

Next Page > Initial Setup, Ergonomics, Available Memory & Storage, Cameras

 

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Initial Setup

When you power up the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 for the first time, it will take only about 24 seconds to boot up. If you set it up as a fresh device, it should take no more than 5 minutes to complete the initial setup. Check out our quick 3-minute video on the initial setup process.

 

Ergonomics

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 is a large smartphone. It is actually larger and a bit thicker than the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Amazon), so it is best for those with larger hands. Nevertheless, this is a two-handed device.

Both the front and back are protected by Gorilla Glass 4, with a 2.5D edge cut for the front and a 3D curve for the back. The back glass cover naturally lacks the oleophobic coating of the front, which is great for grip, but makes it an absolute magnet for fingerprint smears.

As usual, the Super AMOLED display is a delight for the eyes. It may not be a QHD display like those on the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Amazon), or the HTC 10 (Amazon).

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Available Memory & Storage

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 comes with 3 GB of LPDDR3 memory, of which half is available for use. This is about par with other smartphones with 3 GB of memory (e.g. Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, OPPO F1s), and enough free memory to run several apps at the same time.

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 also comes with 32 GB of internal flash memory. Once you deduct 8.9 GB for the Android 6.0 operating system and apps, you have 23.1 GB of free space to use. This is pretty decent, allowing you to store about 4,000 photos, or record 180 minutes of 1080p video.

Don’t worry about running out of storage space with the Galaxy A7 though. It has a dedicated microSD slot that supports microSD cards of up to 256 GB in capacity.

 

Front & Rear Cameras

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 boasts a 16 MP front camera that uses Samsung’s own S5K3P8SX BSI sensor. It is capable of recording 1080p videos at 30 fps. Thanks to its f/1.9 lens, it has great low-light capability equivalent to that of the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (Amazon) and Galaxy S6 edge (Amazon) smartphones. It will come in handy since the front camera does not have flash support, not even screen flash.

The main camera uses the same 16 MP Samsung S5K3P8SX sensor, paired with a single LED flash. It also boasts the same fast f/1.9 lens, which allows for better low-light performance. Let’s take a look at some sample pictures and videos in the next page!

Next Page > Camera & Video Recording Performance

 

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Camera Performance

The 16 MP Samsung S5K3P8SX BSI sensor has great resolution, which is obvious in the close-up shots of the rubber balls, cauliflower and flowers. However, it has a tendency to blow out the highlights (the bright reflections on the glass elevator) and white balance issues in certain scenes (the Dala horse).

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Video Recording Performance

Despite sporting a 16 MP sensor, the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7‘s rear camera is limited to recording 1080p videos, even though it is capable of recording 4K videos. This is Samsung’s way of differentiating the Galaxy A7 from their premium models like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Amazon).

Also disappointing is the lack of optical or electronic image stabilisation. While this is another product differentiation decision, I wished they would at least enable electronic image stabilisation.

To test the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7‘s video recording capabilities, we recorded both a lion dance, and a street dance at night. Check them out!

First off, you can tell that there is a complete lack of image stabilisation. The videos were rather jerky, even though they were taken with two hands. Using a gimbal like the Osmo Mobile is highly recommended.

The bright background was completely overblown. But as long as it does not affect the main subjects, it actually acts as a kind of bokeh effect. The audio fidelity was also pretty good.

We were more impressed with the night scene. The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 did well in the Gangnam Style street dance, even though it was pretty dim. The subjects were reasonably well-exposed, and the noise level was surprisingly low. The bright areas were overblown, as expected, but because they were in the background, it helped to keep focus on the subjects.

Next Page > Work Performance, Battery Life & Recharging Performance

 

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Work Performance : PCMark

We tested the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7‘s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) ASUS ZenFone 3 honor 5C OPPO F1s
Work Performance Score
(Average)
4954 6405 5357 3884
Web Browsing 5143 8045 5643 3688
Video Playback 4515 3469 4487 3789
Writing 4948 7316 5944 4141
Photo Editing 5243 8246 5469 3933

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 is not the fastest smartphone in this comparison, particularly in the Web Browsing and Writing tests. However, it came up tops in the Video Playback test. Overall, it was a decent, if unspectacular performer, in this benchmark.

 

Battery Life – PCMark

We then tested the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7‘s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 lasted an astounding 12 hours on the PCMark stress test on its 3,600 mAh battery. The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (Amazon) is the only Samsung smartphone to comes close to its battery life, and that’s because it has a 5,000 mAh battery.

In our real world experience, we had no problem using it for a full day with light loads.

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Battery Recharging Performance

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7‘s remarkable battery life is thanks to its 3,600 mAh battery, which is about 9% larger than the 2016 model. But does it take much longer to recharge? Let’s find out!

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 supports quick charging, and even comes with a 15 W fast adaptive charger. Our tests showed that the Galaxy A7 will recharge from 18% to 100% in just 100 minutes (1 hours and 40 minutes). This is very good performance, with an incredible battery life : recharging ratio of 7.2 : 1.

Next Page > Overall & Gaming Performance, Verdict & Award

 

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Overall Performance – AnTuTu Benchmark

AnTuTu is a nice benchmark for testing various performance aspects of Android devices.

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) ASUS ZenFone 3 honor 5C OPPO F1s
TOTAL SCORE 56431 62761 53417 41486
3D SCORE 15458 18816 9842 4868
– 3D (Marooned) 10511 10861 5795 3188
– 3D (Garden) 4947 7952 4047 1679
UX SCORE 18496 26794 19297 17640
– UX Data Secure 5295 5077 5577 4885
– UX Data Process 2612 4198 2706 2542
– UX Strategy Games 3671 7503 4109 2829
– UX Image Process 3373 6879 3144 3885
– UX I/O Performance 3545 3137 3761 3499
CPU SCORE 16459 23689 19254 14336
– CPU Mathematics 3132 6950 4198 3142
– CPU Common Use 5199 6311 5947 4805
– CPU Multi-Core 8128 10428 9109 6389
RAM 6018 6797 5024 4643

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 did not do so well in the CPU tests, coming in between the honor 5C (Amazon) and the OPPO F1s (Amazon). However, it did well in the 3D tests, coming in close to the performance of the ASUS ZenFone 3 (Amazon).

 

Gaming Performance – 3DMark

We tested the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7‘s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) ASUS ZenFone 3 honor 5C OPPO F1s
Gaming Score 13540 13956 11560 7666
Graphics 13548 13484 11067 7511
Physics 13510 15903 13698 8265
Graphics Test 1 81.1 fps 80.5 fps 63.4 fps 49.4 fps
Graphics Test 2 46.2 fps 46.1 fps 38.8 fps 24.4 fps
Physics Test 42.9 fps 50.5 fps 43.5 fps 26.2 fps

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 did well in this 3D gaming test, virtually matching the performance of the ASUS ZenFone 3 (Amazon). It was only slightly slower in the Physics test.

 

Our Verdict & Award

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 is a big upgrade from the 2016 model, offering IP68 dust- and water-resistance, a 20% faster processor, twice as much storage and a new 16 MP front camera. It also boasts the new bidirectional Type C USB port and a bigger fast charging battery.

The dual 16 MP cameras of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 is a unique development. It appears to be Samsung’s first salvo at OPPO and their focus on high-resolution front cameras. In fact, its dual 16 MP cameras appear to be a direct competitor against the OPPO R9s, which was launched at the same time.

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Samsung is also positioning the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 as the affordable version of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Amazon). It packs many of the Galaxy S7 edge‘s key features with some tradeoffs. For example, it has higher-resolution 16 MP cameras but they can only record videos at 1080p, instead of 4K. They also lack both optical and electronic image stabilisation.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Amazon) still boasts the better cameras, a higher resolution QHD display and a wireless charging capability. The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7, on the other hand, has better battery life, a larger display and separate SIM and microSD slots.

So which Samsung smartphone should you get? Samsung would love for you to buy the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Amazon). But if you can’t afford it, that’s where the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 comes in.

Despite our misgivings about the lack of image stabilisation of its cameras, and the 1080p restriction on video recordings, we are impressed with major upgrades Samsung packed into the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7. We think it deserves our Reviewer’s Choice Award. Congratulations, Samsung!

Go Back To > First Page | ReviewsHome

 

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The 7 Upgrades In The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Smartphones

The Samsung Galaxy A smartphones are very popular because they offer the key features of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S series smartphones at more affordable price points. The new 2017 Samsung Galaxy A series is no different, borrowing the best features of the award-winning Samsung Galaxy S7 edge smartphone.

So how do the new 2017 Samsung Galaxy A smartphones compare to the 2016 Samsung Galaxy A smartphones? Let’s find out!

 

Upgrade #1 : IP68 Dust & Water-Resistance

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A smartphones are now dust- and water-resistant, boasting the same IP68 rating as the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge! This means they can withstand complete immersion in up to 1.5 m of water, for up to 30 minutes. Jogging in the rain is nothing to the 2017 Galaxy A smartphones  – take them out for a swim!

 

Upgrade #2 : Faster CPU & GPU

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A smartphones come with a faster CPU and graphics processor. They are powered by the 1.9 GHz Samsung Exynos 7880, which is about 20% faster than the 1.6 GHz Samsung Exynos 7580 used in the 2016 Galaxy A smartphones. They also boast a faster GPU than the one used in the 2016 Galaxy A series.

 

Upgrade #3 : Double The Storage!

One chief complaint users had with the 2016 Samsung Galaxy A series was their limited internal storage of just 16 GB. Samsung addressed this in the 2017 models by giving them double the storage capacity32 GB! They also doubled the microSD card support from 128 GB to 256 GB!

 

Upgrade #4 : Incredible Selfie Camera

The 2016 Samsung Galaxy A series has a good 5 MP front camera with f/1.9 lens – almost equal to the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. But the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A smartphones beat them all flat with its 16 MP front camera! Now you can take really high-resolution selfies!

 

Upgrade #5 : Awesome New Main Camera

Even the main camera was greatly improved. Samsung upgraded the 13 MP sensor in the 2016 Galaxy A series to a 16 MP sensor with PDAF (Phase Detection Auto-Focus) technology in the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A series. This upgrade means the 2017 Galaxy A smartphones will not just take higher resolution photos, they will also have much faster and more accurate auto-focus performance.

 

Upgrade #6 : New USB Type C Port

Like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, the 2016 Galaxy A smartphones use the old micro USB 2.0 port. The new 2017 Samsung Galaxy A smartphones now boast the new USB Type C port, which is bidirectional. That means you won’t have to worry about plugging in the cable the wrong way!

 

Upgrade #7 : Bigger Fast Charging Battery

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A smartphones come with bigger batteries than their 2016 predecessors. But what’s more important is that they now support fast charging as well. This means they not only last longer, you can recharge them quicker for more enjoyment on-the-go!

 

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Want An Awesome 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Smartphone?

Samsung currently offers two models – the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) and the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017), with the recommended retail price of RM 1,699 (~US$ 379) and RM 1,899 (~US$ 429) respectively.

You don’t even have to get off your chair. You can buy them online from the Samsung online store in Lazada. Then all you have to do is chill and wait for your 2017 Samsung Galaxy A smartphone to arrive!

 

Disclosure

This article was sponsored by Samsung Malaysia.

 

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7 Reasons The 2017 Galaxy A Series Puts The A In Auspicious!

The much awaited Chinese New Year is just around the corner and everyone who celebrates this festive occasion will be making their way home to be reunited with their beloved families. After all, it is a new opportunity to turn over a new leaf, embark on a new unplanned journey or just look forward to a brand new year of excitement.

 

7 Reasons The 2017 Galaxy A Series Puts The A In Auspicious!

Samsung’s newly launched 2017 Galaxy A Series (Lazada, Amazon) can help brighten your Chinese New Year celebration – here’s how…

 

1. Celebrate Non-stop in Rain or Shine

These days, the weather gets unpredictable. If you are suddenly caught in the rain, you will have a peace of mind knowing that your new Samsung Galaxy A Series (2017) (LazadaAmazon) will remain operational, unscathed even in the rain. How? This is the first Galaxy A Series that is rated IP68, making it resistant to dust and water, for those carefree Chinese New year house visits, rain or shine! That way, you don’t have to worry about the gloomy skies and the sounds of thunder. Celebrate non-stop this Chinese New Year!

 

2. No TV, No Problem

With kids constantly switching to Disney Channel, don’t be sad if you don’t get the chance to hold the TV remote to catch up on your favourite Hong Kong drama. Be the master of your own entertainment and stream your favourite festive contents this Chinese New Year using your new 2017 Galaxy A Series which now sports a Full HD Super AMOLED Display.

The 2017 Galaxy A Series (LazadaAmazon) boasts vivid 5.7-inch (A7) and 5.2-inch (A5) Super AMOLED screen displays for your non-stop entertainment, so you never miss an episode of your favourite TV series wherever you are. Maybe, just maybe, your younger nephews and nieces will start to inch closer to you and join you, mesmerised by the smartphone screen’s vivid display!

 

3. #FestiveSelfies, #OOTD & #CNYHoChiak

Take that family wefie during Reunion Dinner with the whole family gathering around the table. Sneak in a shameless selfie or two with gorgeous #OOTDs, or dive deeper into your inner photographer and start taking pictures of mouth-watering CNY dishes to fill your #CNY2017 photo album. With 16 preloaded filters inside, your Instagram page will be Instafamous in no time!

The Samsung Galaxy A Series (2017) (LazadaAmazon) comes equipped with 16MP front and rear camera with f1.9 lens and Light+ feature that can help you snap all those precious moments even in lowlight conditions. Instantly share these photos on Facebook, and get started on tagging your many family members!

 

4. No Cash, No Worries

Seeing your closest relatives and cousins this Chinese New Year? How about taking your little cousins out to the nearest shopping mall, and buy them a meal when they least expect an unplanned surprise? Now, with Samsung Pay, payments are never the same again! Just swipe up on your Galaxy A device, select your preferred payment card, authenticate with your fingerprint or PIN number, and tap the device on the payment terminal! Make secure and convenient mobile payments anywhere and look cool doing it while the rest of the queue looks on enviously!

 

5. Style You Can Afford

To add a touch of style, the Samsung Galaxy A Series (2017) (LazadaAmazon) with its premium build can definitely add some sparkle to your festive get-up. The Gold Sand model radiates youth and prosperity whilst the Black Sky is a colour option that exudes a mysteriously classy and elegant aura. Measuring at 7.9mm thin, this slim device can fit into any pocket and look dashing on any palm! Now when relatives ask you what’s new, whip out your 2017 Galaxy A Series (LazadaAmazon) and wave it like the fashionista that you are!

 

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6. Powering You Through The Day

Family visits are part of the CNY trend. You’ll continue from one house to the other, and the next thing you know, your power bank is almost drained and you’re scrambling to find a power outlet to recharge your device. Fret not because the Samsung Galaxy A Series (2017) (LazadaAmazon) comes with bigger batteries and supports fast charging! Just plug in your device to a power source and be amazed at how quickly your battery power restores just so that the device can keep you company throughout the day. The Galaxy A7 (2017) comes with 3,600mAh while the Galaxy A5 (2017) comes with 3,000mAh battery capacity.

 

7. More Space, More Memories

With dozens of people to celebrate this Chinese New Year with, naturally you would worry if your smartphone will run out space when it comes to capturing great moments. With the new Samsung Galaxy A Series (2017) (LazadaAmazon), get expandable storage of up to 256GB to fit all your memories (and silly selfies with family and friends) into a single, handy device. That’s right, there’s no need to free up some space. Keep all your favourite memories on the go!

 

Want An Auspicious New Year?

The new 2017 Galaxy A Series (LazadaAmazon) is available at all Samsung brand stores nationwide from 25th January 2017 onwards at a recommended retail price of RM1,899 / ~US$ 419 (Galaxy A7 2017) and RM1,699 / ~US$ 369 (Galaxy A5 2017) inclusive of GST.

What are you waiting for? Join the in-store pre-order and be the first to own the new 2017 Galaxy A Series (LazadaAmazon), even before Chinese New Year! Head to selected Samsung participating outlets from now until 22nd January 2017 to place an order and receive a complimentary Samsung Level U Pro wireless headphones worth RM399. Pre-order collection will start on 25th January 2017.

For online pre-orders, check out Samsung’s online stores on Lazada and 11street.

 

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The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series Launch & Pre-Order

Earlier this week, we revealed that Samsung would be extending the IP68 capability to the 2017 Galaxy A Series smartphones. This makes them the most affordable IP68-capable smartphones in the world! This was confirmed at the official launch of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series smartphones yesterday.

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series launch was also the first major product launch of 2017, with almost 200 members of the media and local celebrities attending. More importantly, Malaysia is the first country to offer the 2017 Galaxy A smartphones! Check it out!

Originally published @ 2017-01-06

Updated @ 2017-01-11 : Added a video of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series pre-order promotion.

 

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series Launch

The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series launch kicked off with an introduction by Lee Jui Siang (Vice President, IT & Mobile Business Unit, Samsung Malaysia Electronics).

Then, Go Benn Lee (Manager, Product Marketing, Mobile Division, Samsung Malaysia Electronics) shared with us the key features of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series smartphones.

Finally, Lee Jui Siang hosted a short Q&A session with the media on the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series smartphones.

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The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series Specifications

SpecificationsSamsung Galaxy A7 (2017)Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
Design2.5D glass (front) + 3D glass (rear) + metal frame
2.5D glass (front) + 3D glass (rear) + metal frame
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 4Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Dust- And Water-ResistanceIP68-rated
- water submersion up to 1.5 m for up to 30 minutes
IP68-rated
- water submersion up to 1.5 m for up to 30 minutes
Display5.7" Super AMOLED (1080 x 1920 pixels)
- Always On Display
- Corning Gorilla Glass 4
5.2" Super AMOLED (1080 x 1920 pixels)
- Always On Display
- Corning Gorilla Glass 4
System PlatformSamsung Exynos 7880 OctaSamsung Exynos 7880 Octa
Processor8 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.9 GHz)8 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.9 GHz)
Graphics ProcessorARM Mali-T830MP2ARM Mali-T830MP2
Connectivity4G : LTE Cat.6
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
4G : LTE Cat.6
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
GPSGPS + GLONASSGPS + GLONASS
Memory3 GB3 GB
Storage32 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot (up to 256 GB)
32 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot (up to 256 GB)
Front Camera16 MP fixed focus camera with f/1.9 lens16 MP fixed focus camera with f/1.9 lens
Rear Camera16 MP PDAF sensor with f/1.9 lens16 MP PDAF sensor with f/1.9 lens
Fingerprint SensorYesYes
USB PortUSB Type CUSB Type C
Battery3,600 mAh lithium-ion (non-removable)
- supports Fast Charging
3,000 mAh lithium-ion (non-removable)
- supports Fast Charging
Dimensions77.6 mm (wide) x 156.8 mm (tall) x 7.9 mm (thick)71.4 mm (wide) x 146.1 mm (tall) x 7.9 mm (thick)
Weight186 g159 g
Launch PriceRM 1,899 / ~US$ 419RM 1,699 / ~US$ 379

 

Next Page > The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series Pre-order Details & Press Release

 

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The 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series Pre-order Details

The 2017 Galaxy A Series will launch with two models – the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) and the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017), with the recommended retail price of RM 1,699 (~US$ 379) and RM 1,899 (~US$ 429) respectively.

Both models will be opened for pre-orders starting Friday, 6th January 2017, at 10.00 AM until Sunday, 22 January 2017 at selected participating outlets. Yes, Samsung has extended the pre-order by another week!

To celebrate the official arrival, fans will receive a free Samsung Level U Pro wireless headphone, worth RM 399 (~US$ 89), for every unit purchased during this exclusive pre-order sale. This pre-order promotion is limited to a first-come-first-serve basis while allocated stocks last. Pre-order collection will start on 25th January 2017.

Fans can pre-order the new 2017 Galaxy A smartphones at selected Samsung outlets , as well as online in the Samsung online store in Lazada and in 11street.

 

The Official 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series Press Release

5 January 2017 – Millennials are a style-conscious, tech-loving generation that enjoy surprises, spontaneous plans and unexpected trips. They take on and embrace the joy of life’s offerings as they come with undeterred confidence, unafraid to take risks as there is no day like today, and no better moment than now.

Echoing this outlook on life, Samsung has revamped its mid-range smartphone range, to meet the aspirational desires of the millennials to own the ultimate powerhouse that will enrich their lifestyle further. Ushering in the New Year with the spirit of living life unplanned, Samsung Malaysia Electronics introduces two devices in its latest Galaxy A Series (2017) range, the Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017)!

“The Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) are the latest additions to the Malaysian market and they complement the needs of connected millennials who crave spontaneity and seek life’s pleasures in the most fulfilling way. The millennial consumers are socially active, fun-seeking individuals who live in the moment, and we at Samsung want to help them get ready for anything that comes their way. So for the first time ever in the Galaxy A Series, we made the 2017 variant to be dust and water resistant – youthful, trendy and cool as the right companion for millennials!” said Mr Lee Jui Siang, Vice President, IT & Mobile Business Unit, Samsung Malaysia Electronics.

The first in Samsung’s mid-range smartphones to carry an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, the Galaxy A Series (2017) promises uncompromised non-stop fun. Its IP68 rated dust and water resistance simply spells out worry-free impromptu days out in the sun and rain, on the beach or by the pool! Say yes to living in the moment and be ready for anything that comes your way!

These powerful devices also come equipped with enhanced 16MP front and rear camera with f1.9 lens and Light+ Camera feature for sharper images and beautiful shots even in lowlight or at night – an incredibly handy feature when you least expect it – whether on a romantic night stroll or that caving trip you and your friends decided to embark on. Also new in the Galaxy A Series (2017) is the Floating Camera Button which can be moved freely to anywhere on the screen for even more convenience with selfies!

Taking its cue from the flagship Galaxy mobile device experience, the Galaxy A Series (2017) boasts vivid Full HD 5.7-inch and 5.2-inch Super AMOLED screen displays – perfect for immersive gaming on the go or even binge-watching cat videos on YouTube! Never miss an episode of your favourite vlogger no matter where you are – just whip out your Galaxy A Series (2017) and enjoy the flagship-like immersive experience and performance!

The Galaxy A Series (2017) also comes Samsung Pay ready, a new alternative when making purchases at places where credit, debit and prepaid cards are accepted[1]. It is an easy-to-use and secure mobile payment service compatible with NFC (Near Field Communication) and MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) terminals. Samsung Pay is currently performing an open beta test for selected Maybank Visa cardholders, with more banks such as CIMB Mastercard, Citibank Mastercard & Visa, Standard Chartered Mastercard & Visa to be made available soon.

The devices also come preloaded with mySamsung, Samsung’s own mobile app that helps users set up, manage and optimise their Samsung experience and stay updated with the latest Samsung offers and promotions. Another app to look out for is Samsung Milk Music, a downloadable app for Samsung users only that offers access to a wide range of personalised curated stations so users can listen to all their favourite music right from their Galaxy A devices!

Other amazing features of the new Galaxy A Series (2017) include bigger batteries (3,600mAh for A7 and 3,000mAh for A5), Fast-Charging capabilities, expandable storage up to 256GB, Always-On Display, Secure Folder and Samsung Cloud for added convenience.

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Available in Black Sky and Gold Sand colour options, the new Galaxy A Series (2017) will be available at all Samsung brand stores nationwide from 25th January 2017 onwards at a recommended retail price of RM1,899 (Galaxy A7 2017) and RM1,699 (Galaxy A5 2017) inclusive of GST.

Join the in-store pre-order and be the first to own the new Galaxy A Series (2017)! Head on to selected Samsung outlets from 6th to 15th January 2017 to place an order and receive a complimentary Samsung Level U Pro wireless headphones worth RM399. Pre-order collection will start on 25th January 2017.

Fans can pre-order the new 2017 Galaxy A smartphones at selected Samsung outlets , as well as online in the Samsung online store in Lazada and in 11street.

[1] Based on compatibility of Samsung Pay on MST and/or NFC payment terminals, with some supported for use only after software upgrades. Samsung Pay is exclusive to selected Samsung Galaxy smartphones only, and available across participating payment networks, banks and merchants. Availability may vary at launch, please check for updates.

 

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Samsung Extends IP68 Capability To 2017 Galaxy A Series!

If you have been hankering for a water-resistant smartphone like the award-winning Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Lowest Price), but can’t quite afford one, you will be glad to know that the new 2017 Galaxy A Series smartphones will feature the same IP68 dust- and water-resistance!

This makes them the first smartphones from the Samsung Galaxy A family to ever offer dust- and water-resistance. Best of all, Malaysia is the first country to offer the 2017 Galaxy A smartphones!

Originally published @ 2017-01-03

Updated @ 2017-01-11 : Added a video of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series pre-order promotion.

Updated @ 2017-01-17 : Samsung extended the pre-order by another week!

 

Why Bother With IP68?

One of the most impressive things about the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Lowest Price) is its IP68 rating. Far from being a passing fad, it gave the Galaxy S7 edge and its smaller brother, the Galaxy S7, a distinct advantage in survivability and usability.

As we explained in our Samsung Galaxy S7 & S7 edge IP68 rating primer, both the Samsung Galaxy S7 (Lowest Prices) and Galaxy S7 edge (Lowest Prices) smartphones can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes.

That’s very impressive, and was one of their key advantages over their main competitors – the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Even the latest iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are only IP67-certified – they can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes.

These water-resistant smartphones offer not just better survivability (if you drop them into water), they also offer greater usability. You can now use them in environments once considered impossible – the pool, the beach, in the rain, etc. Awesome, no?

 

Samsung Teasers

Samsung first alluded to the possibility with these two teaser images in December 2016. The first stated – “It all begins with A. Hold your breath.” The next teaser image came with the caption – “Hold your breath. A new wave is approaching.

If those captions was not explicit enough, the water splash image left no doubt that the Galaxy A Series (2017) smartphones will definitely boast some kind of water resistance. At that time, we did not know if it will feature the same IP68 rating as the Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy S7, or the lower IP67 rating of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

We can now confirm that the 2017 Galaxy A Series smartphones will feature the same IP68 rating as the Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy S7 smartphones!

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The 2017 Galaxy A Series Pre-order Promotion

The 2017 Galaxy A Series will launch with two models – the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) and the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017), with the recommended retail price of RM 1,699 (~US$ 379) and RM 1,899 (~US$ 429) respectively. You can check out their specifications in our launch coverage!

Both models will be opened for pre-orders starting Friday, 6th January 2017, at 10.00 AM until Sunday, 22 January 2017 at selected participating outlets. Yes, Samsung extended the pre-order by another week!

To celebrate the official arrival, fans will receive a free Samsung Level U Pro wireless headphone, worth RM 399 (~US$ 89), for every unit purchased during this exclusive pre-order sale. This pre-order promotion is limited to a first-come-first-serve basis while allocated stocks last. Pre-order collection will start on 25th January 2017.

Fans can pre-order the new 2017 Galaxy A smartphones at selected Samsung outlets , as well as online in the Samsung online store in Lazada and in 11street.

 

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Go Big With The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro



Earlier this year, Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy A Series (2016) smartphones. They are now going BIGGER with a new member of the Galaxy A Series. Introducing the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (Amazonwith 3 BIG features – a bigger screen, bigger memory capacity and a bigger battery. Let’s take a closer look!

 

Bigger Screen

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (Amazonboasts a large 6″ FHD Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1080 x 1920. This is perfect whether you are watching movies or reading books.

Full HD videos fit perfectly to the display – no black bars, no missing pixels. And books are much easier to read on the larger display. Once you try the 6″ display, you will never go back to a smaller display.

 

Bigger Memory Capacity

You will never have to worry about running out of memory with the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (Amazon). It comes with a whopping 4 GB of memory, so you will never run out of memory even with multiple apps running at the same time.

The Galaxy A9 Pro (Amazonalso comes with 32 GB of internal flash storage, and if that’s not enough, Samsung actually bundles it with a 64 GB microSD card. With 96 GB of storage, you can store up to 16,000 photos*!

* Based on an average of 4 MB per picture

 

Bigger Battery

All of that capability is pointless if the Galaxy A9 Pro (Amazon) runs out of power. To make sure that doesn’t happen, the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (Amazoncomes with a massive 5,000 mAh battery. This is twice the battery capacity of many smartphones and phablets, allowing you to fully use the Galaxy A9 Pro without worrying about battery life.

 

Galaxy A9 Pro Price & Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (Amazonis currently available in 3 colours (Black, White, Gold) at authorised Samsung distributors with a recommended retail price of RM 1,999 / ~US$ 499.

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Disclosure

This post was sponsored by Samsung Malaysia.

 

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Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (SM-A910F) Phablet Review

Recently, Samsung sent us their new Galaxy A9 Pro phablet. While testing it, we wrote two short articles on the big features of the smartphone, and why it is the ultimate travel buddy. But nothing beats a full review. Today, we are proud to share the fruits of our labour – our comprehensive review of the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro phablet!

 

Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro Specifications

SpecificationsSamsung Galaxy A9 Pro
ModelSM-A910F
Display6" Super AMOLED display
- 1080 x 1920 pixels (~367 ppi pixel density)
Display ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 4
Operating SystemAndroid 6.0.1 (Marshmallow)
System PlatformQualcomm Snapdragon 652 (MSM8976)
Processor4 x ARM Cortex-A72 (1.8 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 (1.4 GHz)
Graphics ProcessorQualcomm Adreno 510
Memory4 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM
Storage32 GB internal flash storage
microSD card slot (up to 256 GB)
Front Camera8 MP sensor with f/1.9 lens
- supports 1080p video recording
Rear Camera16 MP sensor with f/1.9 lens and single LED flash
- supports optical image stabilisation (OIS)
ConnectivityNetwork : 4G LTE / HSPA / GSM
WiFi : 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual band, WiFi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth : v4.2, A2DP, EDR, LE
USB : microUSB 2.0
SIM Card SupportTwo nano SIM card slots with Dual SIM, Dual Standby capability
GPS CapabilityGPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
NFC CapableYes
FM Radio CapabilityYes
SensorsAccelerometer, gyroscope, proximity (Hall) sensor, compass
Fingerprint SensorYes
Battery5,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- supports fast charging
SAR (EU)0.62 W/kg (head) / 1.32 W/kg (body)
Dimensions80.9 mm wide x 161.7 mm tall x 7.9 mm thick
Weight210 g
Available ColoursWhite / Black / Gold

 

Unboxing The Galaxy A9 Pro

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro comes in a white cardboard box. Not as fancy as the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge‘s classy black box, but hey, it’s a completely different segment. Watch us unbox the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro in this video, and look at what we found inside!

Inside, you will find the following items :

  • One Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro phablet
  • One Samsung 15 W adaptive fast charging travel charger
  • One USB 2.0 to micro-USB cable
  • One pair of Samsung earphones
  • One SIM card slot extractor
  • One set of  Quick Start Guide and Warranty Card

Next Page > Key Features, Fingerprint Sensor, Cameras

 

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Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro Key Features

Before we go into the details of the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro‘s key features, let’s take a quick tour of those features.

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro has a large 6″ display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. It also uses a Super AMOLED panel, which gives very rich and vivid colours and true black. Perfect for watching full HD videos.

On the left side, you will find two Volume buttons, while on the right side, are a Power button and the tray for two nano SIM cards. The buttons look really small, but they are the same size as the buttons on the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. They only look small because the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro is such a large device.

The microSD card slot is located at the top of the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro. It supports microSD cards of up to 256 GB in capacity. The earphone port is located at the bottom, together with the micro-USB port and the speaker port.

 

Fingerprint Sensor

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro comes with a fingerprint sensor integrated into the Home button. Our tests showed that it requires 16 finger presses to register a fingerprint. However, it is very fast in recognising the fingerprint after it’s registered, and it has 360 degree fingerprint recognition.

 

Front & Rear Cameras

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro boasts a 8 MP front camera that uses Samsung’s own S5K4H5YC BSI sensor. It is capable of recording 1080p videos at 30 fps. Thanks to its f/1.9 lens, it will have great low-light capability equivalent to that of the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge (Amazon) smartphone. It will come in handy since the front camera does not have flash support, not even screen flash.

The main camera uses the 16 MP Samsung S5K3L2 sensor, paired with a single LED flash. It also boasts fast f/1.9 lens, which allows for better low-light performance. We will take a look at sample pictures and videos later in the review.

Next Page > Initial Setup, Memory & Storage, Battery

 

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Initial Setup

When you power up the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro for the first time, it will take only about 25 seconds to boot up. If you set it up as a fresh device, it should take no more than 5 minutes to complete the initial setup. Check out our video on the initial setup process.

 

Available Memory & Storage

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro comes with 4 GB of LPDDR4 memory. This is big advantage since most smartphones in this price segment come with 2 GB or 3 GB of memory. There is a fair bit of bloat, so you have about 1.9 GB of free memory to use. Compare that to the ASUS ZenFone Zoom (Amazon), which also has 4 GB of RAM but 2.2 GB of free memory to use. That’s a difference of 300 MB.

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro also comes with 32 GB of internal flash memory. Once you deduct 8.5 GB for the Android 6.0 operating system and apps, you have 23.5 GB of free space to use. This is pretty decent, allowing you to store about 4,000 photos, or record 180 minutes of 1080p video.

Don’t worry about running out of storage space with the Galaxy A9 Pro though. It has a dedicated microSD slot that supports microSD cards of up to 256 GB in capacity.

 

Big Battery

One of the biggest features (literally) of the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro is its massive 5,000 mAh battery. That’s the capacity of a power bank packed into a 7.9 mm slim form factor! You should have no problem chasing after Pokemons for a whole day, but to be sure, we will stress-test its battery later in this review.

The Galaxy A9 Pro‘s battery also supports fast charging. Samsung claims it will recharge from 0% to 100% in just 160 minutes (2 hours 40 minutes). We will put that to the test later in the review.

Next Page > Camera & Video Recording Performance

 

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Camera Performance

Although they use different sensors, the camera performance of the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro is quite similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge (Amazon) smartphone. The difference is only noticeable if you blow up the pictures and compare them side-by-side. The Galaxy A9 Pro pictures have more noise and less edge resolution.

Pixel peeping aside, the Galaxy A9 Pro‘s main camera is definitely one of the better cameras in this segment. The colour is accurate and vivid, even in poor lighting.

 

Video Recording Performance

Despite sporting a 16 MP sensor, the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro‘s rear camera is not capable of recording 4K UHD videos. It can only record 1080p videos. Perhaps this is Samsung’s way of differentiating the Galaxy A9 Pro from Samsung’s more premium models like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.

The Galaxy A9 Pro‘s camera supports optical image stabilisation, so handshake is minimised. However, it does not support electronic image stabilisation. Probably another product differentiation decision.

To test the Galaxy A9 Pro‘s video recording capabilities, we recorded both a cheerleading contest, and a piano performance by Yang I-Deun. Check them out!

The image quality was good, with good exposure and colours for the subject. Bright areas of the background, especially in the piano performance, were overexposed, but what mattered was the subject was correctly exposed.

The optical image stabilisation really helped to reduce handshake, which can be a problem since the Galaxy A9 Pro is large and quite heavy. Too bad it does not support electronic image stabilisation. That would have helped stabilise the image even more.

Next Page > Work Performance, Battery Life & Recharging Performance

 

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Work Performance : PCMark

We tested the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro‘s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.

Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro honor 5C Samsung Galaxy S6
Work Performance Score
(Average)
5785 5357 5078
Web Browsing 5132 5643 6788
Video Playback 4138 4487 3091
Writing 6286 5944 5918
Photo Editing 8388 5469 5357

Impressive! The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro beat the Samsung Galaxy S6 (Amazon) in all aspects but Web Browsing. Its Photo Editing performance was particularly impressive. The Kirin 650-powered honor 5C (Amazon) did better in both Web Browsing and Video Playback, but like the Galaxy S6 was similarly poor in Photo Editing.

 

Battery Life – PCMark

We then tested the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro‘s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro lasted an astounding 13 hours on the PCMark stress test. That is a really remarkable result, as this stress test simulates the worst possible workload using work apps. In our real world experience, we had no problem using it for a full day with light loads, although its battery life dropped to about 10 hours while playing games.

 

Battery Recharging Performance

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro‘s remarkable battery life is thanks to its 5,000 mAh battery, which is about 50% larger than the battery capacity in most smartphones. But does it take much longer to recharge? Let’s find out!

Thankfully, the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro supports quick charging, and even comes with a 15W fast adaptive charger. Our tests showed that the Galaxy A9 Pro will recharge from 18% to 100% in just 134 minutes (2 hours and 15 minutes). This is very good performance, and backs Samsung’s claim that the Galaxy A9 Pro only needs 160 minutes to recharge from 0% to 100%.

Next Page > Overall & Gaming Performance, Our Verdict & Award

 

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Overall Performance – AnTuTu Benchmark

AnTuTu is a nice benchmark for testing various performance aspects of Android devices.

Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro honor 5C Samsung Galaxy S6
TOTAL SCORE 68184 53417 75222
3D SCORE 18360 53417 20579
– 3D (Marooned) 10739 5795 12475
– 3D (Garden) 7621 4047 8104
UX SCORE 23464 19297 24065
– UX Data Secure 5356 5577 5507
– UX Data Process 3235 2706 4392
– UX Strategy Games 5601 4109 6948
– UX Image Process 6240 3144 3413
– UX I/O Performance 3022 3761 3805
CPU SCORE 19872 19254 25402
– CPU Mathematics 5953 4198 7823
– CPU Common Use 4830 5947 7585
– CPU Multi-Core 9089 9109 9994
RAM 6488 5024 5176

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro did well in this test, coming in just 9% slower than the Samsung Galaxy S6 (Amazon). It did particularly well in the RAM test, where it was 25% faster than the Galaxy S6, and  29% faster than the honor 5C (Amazon).

 

Gaming Performance – 3DMark

We tested the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro‘s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.

Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro honor 5C Samsung Galaxy S6
Gaming Score 16989 11560 21166
Graphics 21800 11067 23298
Physics 9585 13698 16031
Graphics Test 1 120.7 fps 63.4 fps 120.6 fps
Graphics Test 2 78.0 fps 38.8 fps 87.3 fps
Physics Test 30.4 fps 43.5 fps 50.9 fps

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro did well in this test too, delivering close to 94% of the graphics performance of the Samsung Galaxy S6 (Amazon), and almost twice the graphics performance of the honor 5C (Amazon). It only lost out in the Physics test.

 

Our Verdict & Award

Everyone’s focus is on the new Samsung Galaxy Note7. Granted, that is a superior phablet. But not everyone can afford a Galaxy Note7, or even need all of its capabilities.

For everyone else, the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro is a hidden gem that offers a ton of features and high performance at a far more affordable price tag. Let’s summarise its key features :

Performance : The Galaxy A9 Pro has a fast 8-core processor, with a fast GPU for 3D games
Display : The Galaxy A9 Pro has a large 6″ Super AMOLED display with full HD resolution. Perfect for games and watching movies.
Cameras : The Galaxy A9 Pro has a very good 16 MP main camera, with OIS capability. The 8 MP front camera is no slouch either.
Memory & Storage : The Galaxy A9 Pro comes with 4 GB of fast LPDDR4 memory, and 32 GB of internal flash storage.
Connectivity : The Galaxy A9 Pro has dual SIM, dual standby capability, with a dedicated second nano SIM slot.
Expansion : The Galaxy A9 Pro has a dedicated microSD slot that supports microSD cards of up to 256 GB in capacity.
Battery : The Galaxy A9 Pro has a massive 5,000 mAh battery with a long battery life of 13 hours in our test.

The only major gripe with have with the Galaxy A9 Pro is its weight. It weighs a hefty 210 grams. That’s almost 7.5 ounces, if you are American. Make sure you buy a case for it, because all that mass will likely to shatter its glass covers if you drop it on a hard surface.

We also bemoan Samsung’s continued insistence on using the old micro-USB port. It’s 2016, guys. Time to upgrade to the bidirectional USB Type C connector!

These two gripes aside, we think that the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro is a diamond in the rough, overshadowed by the brilliance of the Galaxy Note7. It is an excellent phablet that is worthy of consideration, if you do not need Galaxy Note7 features like IP68 water resistance and the iris scanner. We certainly think it deserves our Reviewer’s Choice Award!

 

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Samsung Galaxy A5 & A7 Offer

What’s a better deal than a smartphone with great camera and internal storage capabilities? No better deal comes close because Samsung Malaysia Electronics reveals an exclusive Samsung Galaxy Life reward for the Galaxy A 2016!

 

Samsung Galaxy A5 & A7 Offer

Selfie smart and store it right as a Samsung Galaxy Life app user with a special RM200 off for purchase of either Samsung Galaxy A5 2016 (RRP RM1,599) or Galaxy A7 2016 (RRP RM1,899), redeemable from 16th May until 30th June 2016.

Just head on over to any Samsung store or authorised dealership, log in to the Galaxy Life app on your smartphone, look for and swipe on the deal to redeem, and make payment for either the Galaxy A5 or Galaxy A7 with the special discount! Please note that this offer is limited to 10,000 redemptions only and each Galaxy Life account can only redeem the offer once (any duplication of Galaxy Life redemption codes will be void).

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2016 Samsung Galaxy A Series Exudes S6 Elegance

Samsung Malaysia launched the new Samsung Galaxy A Series (2016) smartphones to great fanfare at Sunway Pyramid yesterday. The new Galaxy A Series looks and feels eerily identical to the elegant Samsung Galaxy S6, yet is significantly cheaper. If you always wanted a Galaxy S6 but could not afford one, you will definitely want to check out the new Galaxy A series.

Fittingly, Samsung chose the elegant Choo Mei Sze and the fun Samsung Malaysia’s Mobile Division Product Manager, Go Benn Lee, to launch the new Galaxy A smartphones which are targeted at the hip youth market.

Look at how elegant the new Galaxy A (2016) smartphones look! They really look like the Galaxy S6, don’t they?

The Samsung Galaxy A Series (2016)

Kuala Lumpur, January 28, 2016 – Samsung Malaysia Electronics today is proud to unveil its latest Galaxy A Series (2016) smartphones in a unique lifestyle setting to underline the device’s core properties of camera and storage features.

Boasting the brand’s latest in innovative design and technology, the Galaxy A Series (2016) offers Malaysian consumers a platform to express their individuality with powerful performance in three screen size options: 5.5-inch for the A7, 5.2-inch for the A5 and 4.7-inch for the A3.

The Galaxy A Series (2016) continues the latest Samsung Galaxy design heritage, combining metal and glass to create a beautifully harmonious premium design. With superior viewing experience through a larger screen size, narrower bezel of 2.7mm and combined with improved battery life, the device has never been a better fit in the user’s hand.

All three variants come equipped with an enhanced camera system for both brighter and clearer photos and videos. This advanced system includes Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)* on the front camera to prevent image blurring, as well as a front and rear F1.9 lens to allow users to take the optimum photos in low light conditions.

Additionally, the stylish smartphone is also equipped with a Quick Launch feature – double clicking the home button launches the camera in less than a second. Consumers can also take their best selfie yet with features including Wide Selfie, Palm Selfie and Beautifying Effects.

A leap from its predecessor, the new Galaxy A Series (2016) comes with a built-in memory of 16GB and a microSD slot that can add up to 128GB of external memory.

[adrotate banner=”4″]To celebrate the arrival of this new fun device, Samsung Malaysia Electronics is offering a free 32GB microSD card for every unit purchased, which adds capacity for as many as 16,000 pictures and high-definition videos without the hassle of constantly having to clear older albums.

Available in Black, Gold, White and Pink Gold colour options, the new and refreshed Galaxy A Series (2016) is available at all Samsung brand stores nationwide from 28 January 2016 onwards at a recommended retail price of RM1,899 / ~US$439 (Galaxy A7 2016), RM1,599 / ~US$369 (Galaxy A5 2016), and RM1,299 / ~US$299 (Galaxy A3 2016) inclusive of GST.

From today until 31st January 2016, there will be a roadshow at Sunway Pyramid’s Blue Concourse for the general public to experience the features that the Galaxy A Series (2016) has to offer. A number of units are up for grabs for lucky winners.

* Available in A7 and A5 models only.

 

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Samsung Galaxy A Series (2016) To Launch Next Week

AWESOME! Samsung Malaysia just revealed that they will be launching the latest Galaxy A Series (2016) on the 28th of January 2016. So make sure you Like our Facebook page to watch our live coverage of the Galaxy A Series (2016) launch event!

 

Samsung Galaxy A Series (2016) Invitation

Greetings from Samsung Malaysia Electronics!

2016 is looking to be another exciting year as we officially unveil the latest Galaxy A Series (2016) in Malaysia!

Equipped with enhanced camera features and storage capacity for ultimate fun and functionality, the Galaxy A Series (2016) is THE perfect device for those looking to capture and store great moments!

 

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