Samsung is trying to spice up the upper-midrange smartphone market and its new Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) seem up to the task, ready to hit the Indian market.
Unveiled back at CES 2017, the new Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) are finally ready to go up for preorder in India and will start shipping to customers next week on March 15.
"At Samsung, we are always trying to ensure our customers have the most advanced products on the market," DJ Koh, Samsung Electronics' President of Mobile Communications Business, said back in January. "The latest Galaxy A series is a testament to this. We integrated our unique approach to design as well as the features Galaxy customers have come to love to provide added performance without compromising on style."
Both handsets feature sleek designs, Always-On displays, USB Type-C and a slew of other attractive specs and features, so let's take a closer look at what they bring to the table.
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) Specs
The new Galaxy A5 (2017) features a 5.2-inch full HD (1080p) Super AMOLED display, an octa-core Exynos 7880 processor gunning at 1.9 GHz, Mali T-830 MP3 graphics, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of native storage space and a microSD card slot for additional memory.
The handset further sports 16-megapixel cameras on both its front and back, stepping up the selfie game. Other notable specs include a fingerprint scanner, Samsung Pay, USB Type-C, and a 3,000 mAh battery with fast charging support. Earlier tests showed that the Galaxy A5 (2017) actually delivers nearly double the battery life of the Galaxy S7.
On the software side of things, the Galaxy A5 (2017) ships with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box but it will likely get an update to Android 7.0 Nougat down the line.
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) Specs
The Galaxy A7 (2017), meanwhile, sports a bigger 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with the same full HD resolution as the smaller model. In fact, the 2017 models of the Galaxy A7 and Galaxy A5 share many specifications, including resolution, processor, RAM, storage, cameras, USB Type-C, fingerprint scanner, design and operating system. The difference is that the Galaxy A7 (2017) has a larger display and a beefier 3,600 mAh battery.
Both the Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) are also IP68-certified, boasting the same level of water and dust resistance as the Galaxy S7 flagship. This makes them more durable and suitable for a wider range of settings, even at the beach or on a rainy day. In terms of design, both smartphones feature sleek metal frames and 3D glass backs, lending to a premium look and feel.
2017 Samsung Galaxy A Series Price In India
The Galaxy A5 (2017) will retail for Rs 28,990 (roughly $435), while the larger Galaxy A7 (2017) will cost Rs 33,490 (about $502). Both handsets should go up for preorder on March 6 and start shipping on March 15, although they're not listed on Samsung India's store just yet.
It remains to be seen when the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 will hit other global markets, but we'll keep you up to date as soon as we learn more.
