Samsung Galaxy A5 Features Prices Pros & Cons Unveiled

Design and Build

The Samsung Galaxy A5 was introduced in October 2014, bringing with it a sophisticated design that Samsung fans had come to appreciate. The device boasts a stylish exterior, featuring a Gorilla Glass 4 front, a plastic back, and an aluminum frame, giving it a premium feel despite being in the mid-range category. The phone measures 139.3 x 69.7 x 6.7 mm and weighs just 123 grams, making it sleek and lightweight, which is ideal for one-handed use.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy A5 is equipped with a 5.0-inch Super AMOLED display that offers vivid colors and excellent contrast. With a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, it provides a satisfactory pixel density of approximately 294 pixels per inch. Furthermore, the screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4, ensuring durability against scratches and minor drops.

Performance

Under the hood, the Galaxy A5 houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset built on 28 nm technology. This is supported by a quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU and an Adreno 306 GPU. The device comes with 2GB of RAM, which allows for reasonable multitasking capabilities.

The phone features 16GB of internal storage, which can be expanded via a dedicated microSDXC slot. This setup, albeit modest by today's standards, was sufficient for the average user at the time of its release.

Camera

Photography on the Samsung Galaxy A5 is facilitated by its primary 13 MP camera, which has an aperture of f/2.0. It also comes equipped with autofocus and an LED flash to aid in low-light conditions. The camera is capable of capturing video at 1080p@30fps, providing reasonably good video quality for casual recording.

The device also includes a 5 MP front-facing camera, tailored to meet the increasing demand for selfie photography at the time. It features a wide-angle lens, which helps capture broader scenes and group selfies efficiently.

Battery Life

The phone is powered by a non-removable Li-Ion 2300 mAh battery. It offers talk time of up to 15 hours on a 3G network and music play time of up to 68 hours. The battery performance, along with the energy-efficient Super AMOLED display, ensures the device can last through a day of moderate use.

Operating System and Software

Initially launched with Android 4.4.4 KitKat, the Samsung Galaxy A5 was later upgradable to Android 7.0 Nougat, expanding its usability and functionality with newer features and better security. This improvement extended the life cycle of the device by keeping it relevant in terms of software support.

Network and Connectivity

The device supports GSM, HSPA, and LTE network technologies, providing wide-ranging connectivity options. It features dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, EDR, LE, GPS with GLONASS and BDS, as well as an NFC feature which is available on the LTE model only. It also comes with a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer.

Additional Features

In terms of additional functionalities, the Galaxy A5 includes sensors such as an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass. It also offers an FM radio with recording capability, providing entertainment options for users. A 3.5mm headphone jack is present, allowing users to connect their favorite pair of wired headphones with ease.

Colors and Models

The Samsung Galaxy A5 was released in a variety of colors: Pearl White, Midnight Black, Platinum Silver, Soft Pink, Light Blue, and Champagne Gold. This wide range of color options allowed users to personalize their choice based on their preferences.

Several model variants cater to different regional networks and preferences, including SM-A5000, SM-A5009, SM-A500F, SM-A500F1, SM-A500FQ, SM-A500FU, SM-A500G, SM-A500H, SM-A500HQ, SM-A500K, SM-A500L, SM-A500S, SM-A500YZ, SM-A500Y, and SM-A500W, giving users options based on their location and network requirements.

Price and Value

During its release, the Samsung Galaxy A5 was priced at approximately 360 EUR. It offered a decent blend of features and performance, making it an appealing option for users seeking a device that delivered value without compromising too significantly on quality and aesthetics.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy A5 stood out in its time as a reliable and stylish mid-range smartphone. Its combination of a robust design, a well-performing display, adequate battery life, and satisfactory camera capabilities made it a popular choice among users. While newer and more advanced models have since been released, the Galaxy A5 remains a memorable device for those who appreciated its balance of price and performance during its heyday.