Samsung Galaxy A3 review

 

 

Following the sleek, high-priced Galaxy Alpha, Samsung offers a brace of similar, but considerably cheaper handsets with the Galaxy A3 and A5. The A3 costs less than half the price, but do the compromises made on the make it still too expensive?
Like the Alpha, the Samsung Galaxy A3 has a slimline metal body, measuring just a sliver under 7mm and weighing in at a feathery 115g. The slimness is a little bit of a cheat however, since the camera lens protrudes at the back. There are slots in the side for a nano SIM and, unlike the Alpha, a microSD card too (up to 64GB to add to the 16GB on board) but there's no option to get to the battery, since the back is fixed.

Screen & Chassis

The 4.5-inch Super AMOLED display may have dropped the resolution to a sub-HD 960x540 pixels (245ppi) but it still looks impressively vibrant and the loss of detail isn't glaring. For this size of screen it's a perfectly fine compromise.

 Software & Processor

The A3 is running Android 4.4.4 KitKat with the usual Samsung TouchWiz interface and extras, while the quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz and backed by just 1.5GB RAM is a serious step down from the Alpha. Our AnTuTu benchmark test gave it a result of 21,529 -- a little more than half the pricier phone's score. In practise however, the difference was less pronounced, since it's a generally nippy little mover as long as you don't overload it with apps. If you do, you'll start to notice some slow down and delay. Nothing to worry too much about, and it may well be a compromise worth making for the serious drop in price.

Conclusion

For those charmed by the style and specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, the Galaxy A3 is a mostly successful attempt to give you the best bits on a budget. The screen isn't quite as detailed, the processor isn't quite as powerful, and the main camera isn't quite as good (though the front-facing one is better). But it's a great-looking, pocket-friendly device with a well-executed component set that justifies its mid-range price.