Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018): the good, the bad and the X factor

The good in the Samsung Galaxy A7

Display

One of the best features of this phone is its display. It comes with a 6 inch Super AMOLED display with True FHD+ resolution and 1080 x 2220 pixels. It has an aspect ratio of 18:5:9, which which makes it ideal for media consumption. The resolution is crisp and vivid and the color reproduction is also very impressive. The display offers True FHD+ resolution and is Widewine L1 certified, which means the device will be able to play videos HD from all video streaming services including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and others.

Storage options

The phone offers 4GB/6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage options and is expandable up to 512GB using a microSD. 'install the applications on the memory card, or move their social media content directly to the card. This feature is not very popular among other smartphones in this price range.

The audio jack is intact

At a time when major smartphone makers are removing the 3.5mm audio jack in favor of the Type-C port, Samsung has managed to keep the feature alive on all of its devices. The Galaxy A7 2018 also continues the tradition, allowing users users to easily use a wide range of third-party hands-free products.

Side-mounted fingerprint sensor

With the latest smartphone, Samsung has changed the way of unlocking the device. The Galaxy A7 comes with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which is very convenient to unlock the device without moving your fingers. The company had previously been criticized for the placement of the fingerprint sensor on devices like the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8. The company took the consumer feedback queues and made appropriate changes to the location of the sensor on the new phone.

Smart functionality

Powered by a 3300mAh battery, the device also supports Samsung's Bixby smart assistant and offers Bixby Vision, a smart way to interact with the environment. The device is also compatible with Samsung Pay, which allows users to make payments without having to search for their wallet.

The bad in the Samsung Galaxy A7

Lack of variable aperture

Coming to places where we thought the device could have shined. The first thing we noticed is that despite having a triple camera setup, the company has not added variable aperture technology to the device. However , the company says the phone's camera is smart enough to adapt to lighting conditions, but it would have been great if variable aperture technology had been included here.

older processor

The Galaxy A7 2018 is powered by the company's proprietary Exynos 7885 octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz, 1.6GHz. processors like the Snapdragon 845. For example, Xiaomi's Pocophone comes with the latest Snapdragon 845 and costs less than the Galaxy A7. If the company aims to regain the top spot in the Indian market, it would have made sense to add a more powerful processor at a lower cost.

Dated software

The Galaxy A7 2018 runs Android 8.0 Oreo, which is disappointing considering that Android 9 Pie has already been released. Calling Android 8.0 oreo obsolete wouldn't be fair, but it could have been a welcome addition to the software, making the much better user experience. Also, the software comes with bloatware, which again might slow down the experience after a few days of heavy use. Also, the audio output is powered by Dolby Atmos, but the downside is that it only works when using headphones.

No on-screen biometric security

Although Samsung tried to offer a new feature with the side fingerprint sensor, it would have made the device even more special if it had the in-screen fingerprint sensor, which the company is reportedly working on. .This would have made the device stand out in the very crowded mid-range market which is currently dominated by Oppo and Vivo.Recently, Vivo also launched its V11 Pro with an in-display sensor and is in the same bracket price than the Galaxy A7.

The X factor

The USP of the Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 is the triple camera setup. It is the second smartphone to feature a triple camera setup after the Huawei P20 Pro. The rear triple camera setup features a 24MP autofocus sensor with f/ 1.7, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor with f/2.4 aperture and a 5MP depth sensor with fixed focus and f/2.2 aperture for the bokeh effect.

In our short test of the camera, we were able to see the capabilities of the camera, and it was impressive. We haven't tested the camera in different lighting conditions yet, but our first impression of the camera is positive. The camera was able to capture a great amount of detail with minimal signs of noise. Colors looked authentic and images weren't overly saturated.

The 24 MP main sensor uses SuperPixel technology, which merges 4 pixels into one, making the image clearer. The 8MP sensor allows users to capture ultra-wide shots at 120 degree angles, unlike cameras conventional smartphone cameras that only offer 78-degree angles. The ultra-wide-angle sensor also works when shooting videos, allowing more area to be captured at once.

The 5MP sensor is placed for popular bokeh effect shots. It keeps the subject of the photo in focus and blurs the background, making the photo look like it was taken from an SLR camera digital. The camera is also Live Focus ready, which means users can set the background blur by clicking as well as after taking the photo. For selfies, Samsung has added a 24MP shooter that also supports AR Emoji and wide selfie mode.

The rear camera also has the Scene Optimizer feature which detects the captured scenes in the image to deliver the best color optimization. This feature is accompanied by Slow Motion mode and Hyperlapse mode which is basically time lapse.

Hit or miss?

By bringing the triple camera setup to a mid-range smartphone, Samsung has proven that it is serious. The smartphone has all the features one would expect from a mid-range device. There are a few areas where the phone could have done a bit more to win over more buyers, but overall it's a good package.

If you're someone who has a thing for smartphone photography but don't want to shell out big bucks, this could be a good alternative. If you're ok with a phone that has 4GB of RAM and of 64GB of storage, as well as great camera performance, so spending Rs 23,990 isn't a bad deal. However, you wouldn't want to buy the 6GB/128GB variant if the performance is what you're looking for, because paying out 28,990 isn't a wise move, considering there are other phones at this price that have powerful processors.

The 4GB/64GB variant is a clear winner in our opinion, but the 6GB/128GB variant... well, not so much.