DETAILED REVIEW of the SAMSUNG GALAXY A7 2018
The year 2018 marked a tectonic shift in the way Samsung presented and marketed its mid-range phones. While the premium flagships, namely the Galaxy S series and the Note series, continue to be updated, the mid-range ones have always lived in the shadow of them. But no more. DJ Koh, CEO of Samsung Mobile, had said that Samsung would bring an innovation that has never been seen in mobile phones before. Little did we know that its version of the innovation simply placed more cameras on the back of the phone to increase its chances of toppling OnePlus and Xiaomi, which have become its main competitor in India. However, the Samsung Galaxy A7 arrived with not one, not two, but three cameras on the back. Even more surprising was that the triple camera setup was the first debate to take place on a medium ranger instead of the flagship. It wouldn’t have been so surprising if it had been the other way around.
While the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) has more to offer than a three-camera setup, Samsung’s marketing efforts are mainly focused on this feature. Of course, our plus test focuses on this aspect to see if the strong advertising of the triple camera setup becomes useful. With compelling options like the Poco F1 and the Nokia 7 Plus, is it even more reasonable to buy the Samsung A7 (2018)? Let’s find out!
Design
The Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) borrows a lot from its high-end flagship siblings, despite new innovations in the form of a three-camera setup. A glass body and an Infinity Super AMOLED display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, to be precise. But nowhere is it as ergonomic as on the Galaxy S9. Instead, it retains the wide form factor of the company’s old Galaxy C9 Pro, with a larger and slightly larger screen, but with the same height. It’s not as curved as the Galaxy S phones, which have curved edges and rounded corners to grip the phone better. This flat kick. As a result, it was difficult for my little hands to get to the other end of the screen. Using one hand is out of the question and you should use both hands to write a message.
Other than the shape, the Galaxy A7 (2018) feels pretty solid with a sturdy aluminum frame housing the glazed cover. There is no flexion, but the delicately glazed body makes me skeptical. Especially since Samsung did not mention Gorilla Glass protection. The phone comes with a transparent cover that, however, can protect the glossy cover from scratches and smudges, but still make the screen vulnerable.
The Galaxy A7 (2018) is encouraged by Samsung’s decision to avoid the notch. I’m good at having thin glasses around the screen instead of staring at a notch on a bright, vibrant screen. The A7 (2018) also uses a micro USB port for the power supply, which is located at the bottom. It is flanked by the vulnerable 3.5mm headphone jack and a small slot for the speaker.
On the left edge of the phone there is only the SIM card tray, while on the right there is the volume button and the power button with the built-in fingerprint sensor.
This is another deviation from the design with which Samsung has invaded its flagship products of the war. But the placement of the fingerprint sensor has remained a controversial issue for the company since the Galaxy S8. The integration in the ignition switch reduces effort and makes it more intuitive. Although I came from the Redmi Note 6 Pro, I kept looking for the back due to muscle memory, but I quickly got used to it. Although, of course, it is placed a little higher for me, the ease of lowering around the button makes it easier to find it, and the fingerprint sensor responds very well.
Many may feel that the design of the Galaxy A7 is a little outdated and, for the most part, it is quite heavy, but it makes the phone stylish and more expensive than the one that is available in stores.
MAP
Samsung is the largest supplier of screens for smartphones. He even made money by supplying Apple’s OLED panels for iPhones. The super AMOLED screens produced by the company are among the best on the market. Of course, Samsung will be inclined to use this advantage in its affordable offerings as a differentiating feature. The Galaxy A7 (2018) is proof of this. The 6-inch Super AMOLED panel with an 18:9 aspect ratio is bright enough with a synchronized luminescence of 596 lux. It’s not as bright as the new OnePlus 6T or even the LCD panel of the Huawei Nova 3, but it’s bright enough to be readable from the outside. The colors are also balanced. It doesn’t look as cluttered as the Huawei and Honor phones or as faded as the Poco F1, it’s somewhere in between. There is a cold distortion in the color temperature, which can be changed in the settings.
Samsung also offers the Always-On Display, which discreetly keeps the screen on while displaying the watch and incoming notifications. The absence of notches means that videos or games will not be cut arbitrarily, even if you are watching a captured image or reading an article. There is a night mode that turns on the blue light filter so you can sleep better.
The screen is big enough for you to enjoy movies and videos. It is also a good screen to read more. Videos on YouTube can be stretched to fill the screen, otherwise a thick mailbox will appear on all pages. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video don’t support the new format yet. It also has Widevine L1 certification, which means it will stream Netflix and Amazon Prime content in high definition.