Samsung Galaxy A5: Plans | Pricing | Specs

If you’re after an affordable take on a Samsung Android phone, the Galaxy A5 combines waterproofing with decent performance.

Samsung sells the Samsung Galaxy phones, such as the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9 as its premium line of phones. If you want something substantially cheaper, the Galaxy J phones are where Samsung serves the genuine budget market. The Galaxy A series, including the Samsung Galaxy A5, sits in the middle, offering a slew of features that at one point would have been exclusive to premium handsets.

Design

• Features a 5.2-inch Full HD screen and a curved glass back.
• Boasts a water-resistance rating of IP68.

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy A5's design

  

  The Galaxy A5 takes cues from the premium smartphone space in its design, combining a curved glass backing with a traditional glass display and encircling it all with sturdy metal sides. Concealed within those metal sides is a microSD card slot that bolsters the built-in 32GB of storage with support for microSD cards as large as 256GB.

  Samsung rates the Galaxy A5 as IP68 rated for dust and water ingress. What that means is that while it’s not a phone you should take on your next Ironman Triathlon swim, a short immersion in clean water should not adversely affect its operation. Samsung Australia states that the inclusion of water resistance was key in bringing the phone to Australia, as the 2016 variant of the A5 lacked this feature.

Camera

• Twin 16MP cameras provide plenty of fidelity for both selfies and traditional photography.
• Built-in camera filters allow for quick and easy tweaks to photos on the fly.

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy A5's camera

  

  Samsung equips the Galaxy A5 with dual 16MP sensors on both the front and back of the phone. Camera performance isn’t just a question of counting pixels, but if you’re a selfie fan its performance should be very good.

  Most mid-range phones tend to adopt the performance of the premium models of one or two years previous and given that’s precisely when Samsung started offering good cameras in the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S5, the Samsung Galaxy A5 should have decent camera performance.

Performance

• Powered by a custom Exynos processor designed for mid-range performance.
• Can't match the likes of the Galaxy S7, but still capable of solid performance in day-to-day tasks.

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy A5's performance

  As befits a mid-range phone, the Galaxy A5’s performance shouldn’t be expected to compete with genuinely premium handsets, because you’re not paying those kinds of prices. Samsung uses its own Octa-core Exynos 7880 silicon within the phone. That’s a solution built to be mid-range, against the higher specifications of the Exynos 8890 found in phones such as the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge.

  However, if you’re not a high-end user, the performance of the Samsung Galaxy A5 should be more than adequate for tasks such as browsing, email or social media. Heavy photo editing or some intense mobile games may push it a little harder, though.

Battery

• 3,000mAh battery with the promise of all-day longevity.
• Support for USB-C fast charging.

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy A5's battery

  Samsung has equipped the Galaxy A5 with a sizeable 3,000mAh battery which it promises is capable of making it through a full day on a single charge.

  The Samsung Galaxy A5 charges and connects for data via the newer USB-C standard. The Galaxy A5 isn’t Samsung’s first USB-C phone, following the rather disastrous Samsung Galaxy Note 7. USB-C allows for faster charging and data transfer and is rapidly replacing the older microUSB standard for phone charging.

Pricing and availability

Samsung Galaxy A5

Premium power for the budget-conscious

The Galaxy A5 applies Samsung's premium polish to the mid-range smartphone space, delivering a slick and capable handset at an affordable price point.

Buy Now

• Samsung sells the Galaxy A5 directly on its site for $499, but you can find it selling for $400 or less at online retailers.
• The Galaxy A5 is also available on contract through Vodafone.