A review of the mid-range Samsung mobile

In addition to the most cutting-edge Samsung phones, such as the Galaxy S8 or the Galaxy Note 8, the Korean brand has a powerful and varied mid-range. Through the Galaxy A and Galaxy J families, Samsung renews its more moderately priced phones year after year, adding latest-generation features to some models, such as water resistance or 16-megapixel front cameras.

If you were thinking of getting a mid-range phone, we are going to show you the complete Samsung catalog in its 2017 versions so you can see which of these models is the one that best suits your needs.

Samsung Galaxy A3 2017

We start with the smallest of the A family, the Galaxy A3. It is a phone with a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED screen, something that today is considered small. The resolution is HD. It is designed with a metal and glass edge on both the front and the back. It also includes IP68 certified water resistance, the same as the Galaxy S8.

Its processor is an Exynos 7870 with eight cores and 1.6 GHz clock frequency. It has 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage, expandable up to 256 GB. The original software it included was Android 6, but it recently received the update to Android 7 Nougat.

The 13-megapixel rear camera, with f / 1.9 aperture, LED flash and the possibility of recording video in Full HD. On the front we have an 8 megapixel sensor, also with f / 1.9 aperture and the possibility of recording in Full HD, although this time without a flash.

The autonomy of use is 16 hours, thanks to its 2350 mAh battery. As for the rest of the connectivity options, we find 4G, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS and NFC, so we can access the Samsung Pay service, using the fingerprint reader that is mounted on the front button.

The price of this Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 is 220 euros, although there may be small variations depending on the color we choose, be it black, gold, pink or white.

Main features:

• 4.7 inch HD screen
• IP68 resistance
• Rear camera 13 megapixels
• Android 7 Nougat

Samsung Galaxy A5 2017

We go up a step to now know the Galaxy A5 2017. This terminal recovers a larger screen size, with 5.2 inches of Super AMOLED panel. The screen resolution is 1080 x 1920 pixels, with a 16: 9 aspect ratio. The case combines glass and aluminum and includes the speaker on the side, like the other phones in the range in their 2017 version.

This model introduces camera resolution parity for the mid-range at Samsung. Thus, both the front and rear cameras have 16 megapixels, with f / 1.9 aperture and the possibility of recording video in Full HD. With this phone, we can guarantee the highest quality selfies.

Regarding power, the Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 has an Exynos 7880 eight-core chip and 1.9 Ghz speed. 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of ROM complete its hardware, offering us fast and fluid performance. As for the software, it currently receives support for Android 7 Nougat.

This model has a front fingerprint reader and recognizes NFC, Bluetooth 4.2 and LTE. Its 3000 mAh battery guarantees an autonomy of 17 hours. We can get the Galaxy A5 2017 for a price starting at 300 euros.

Main features:

• 5.2 inch FHD screen
• IP68 resistance
• 16 megapixel front and rear camera
• 3 GB RAM

Samsung Galaxy A7 2017

It is the turn of the largest and most powerful in the A range. It is the Samsung Galaxy A7 2017, a 5.7- inch terminal with a super AMOLED screen with Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels). It has, like the rest of the models in the family, with a front fingerprint sensor, IP68 certification and the speaker located on the side. The housing combines aluminum and glass.

The rest of the hardware of this model is identical to that of the Galaxy A5 2017: an Exynos 7880 chip, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. It also maintains the 16 megapixel sensor with f / 1.9 aperture for both the front and the rear. As for the software, its latest update allows you to download Android 7 Nougat.

Aside from the screen size, the other big difference between this Galaxy A7 2017 and the Galaxy A5 is the 3600 mAh battery. This capacity allows to achieve an autonomy of up to 23 hours. If we want to get this model, we can find it for 525 euros.

Main features:

• 5.8 inch FHD screen
• 3600 mAh battery
• IP68 protection
• 3 GB RAM

Samsung Galaxy J3 2017

Now we go to the other mid-range family of Samsung, and we start with the Galaxy J3 2017. This device stands out for its 13 megapixel rear camera with f / 1.9 aperture and LED flash. In front we find a 5 megapixel sensor, with f / 2.2 aperture and also LED flash.

The case is made of aluminum and glass, with a 5-inch screen with HD resolution. For this model, we will not find water resistance or a fingerprint reader. The chip it includes is an Exynos 7570 quad-core 1.4 GHz clock frequency, with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. It is a modest hardware, but it compensates with an Android 7 Nougat operating system, which allows to optimize performance further.

As for the battery, it has a capacity of 2400 mAh, which guarantees a range of 15 hours. You can get this model in gold, blue or black, for a very competitive price, 166 euros.

Main features:

• 5 inch screen
• 13 megapixel rear camera
• Android 7 Nougat
• Affordable price

Samsung Galaxy J5 2017

The different versions of the Galaxy J5 models have always been a hit with the Spanish public, thanks to their good value for money. The 2017 version is ready to maintain that acceptance by offering quite advanced features for a price of 200 euros.

Among those features we find a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED screen with HD resolution. In addition, thanks to the NFC connection and the front fingerprint reader, we can use the contactless payment service Samsung Pay.

The phone also incorporates a 13 megapixel rear camera with f / 1.7 aperture with LED flash. In front, the camera is still 13 megapixels, although the aperture this time is f / 1.9, without flash.

The processor is a 1.6 GHz eight-core Exynos 7870, with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of expandable internal storage. The operating system, once again, is Android 7 Nougat. Finally, the Galaxy J5 2017 has a 3000 mAh battery, with which we are promised an autonomy of use of up to 20 hours.

Main features:

• Front fingerprint reader
• 13 megapixel front and rear camera
• Android 7 Nougat
• Price of 200 euros

Samung Galaxy J7 2017

The last model that we are going to analyze is the most powerful within the Galaxy J family, it is the Galaxy J7 2017. It has a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED screen with Full HD resolution in an aluminum housing, with a front button where the fingerprint reader is housed.

Its processor is a 1.6 GHz Exynos 7870, with 16 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM. The operating system is Android 7 Nougat, and the GPU, a Mali-T830. The camera, for its part, is 13 megapixels both behind and in front. The front sensor, yes, has an aperture of f / 1.9, while the rear has f / 1.7. Both allow you to record video in Full HD.

Regarding autonomy, the Galaxy J7 2017 includes a battery with a capacity of 3600 mAh. This allows you to extend unloaded use up to 24 hours. Thanks to the NFC connection, you can use services like Samsung Pay. Its price is around 255 euros.

Main features:

• 5.5 inch FHD screen
• 3 GB of RAM
• 13 megapixel front and rear camera
• 3600 mAh battery

With this selection, it only remains for you to choose which is the Samsung mid-range that best suits your taste, need and budget.