Our first-look review and unboxing of the Samsung Galaxy A5 2016 edition, a.k.a. the Samsung Galaxy A5 6, a seriously impressive mid-range mobile packing Samsung’s excellent camera tech, fingerprint sensor and premium features for just £319.
If you can’t afford the super-pricey (but awesome) Galaxy S7, then here’s another Samsung phone you should definitely check out. The Samsung Galaxy A5 6, an updated 2016 version of last year’s Galaxy A5, offers up a Full HD 5.2-inch screen, seriously strong 13-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras, a fingerprint sensor and plenty more impressive features, for just over £300 here in the UK.
Samsung has already rebooted its slightly smaller Galaxy A3 2016, and we loved its impressive battery life and solid camera tech. So, can the Galaxy A5 2016 perform just as strongly?
First-look Samsung Galaxy A5 2016 review
UPDATE: Check out our new in-depth Galaxy A5 2016 review
After a quick fondle of the Galaxy A5 2016, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for a Galaxy S6. The A5 sports the same metal-and-glass construct, with sleek silver edging giving away to a glossy glass rear. There’s a physical home button and a jutting camera lens too, although the A5 2016 is actually a wee bit taller than the S6 (and more or less the same weight).
Powering the A5 2016 up, we were pleased as ever with the 5.2-inch Super AMOLED screen. In true Samsung style, colours leap at your face, while the crisp resolution makes for sharp images. Android 5.1 Lollipop comes pre-installed (we’re hoping a Marshmallow update is coming soon), with Sammy’s colourful TouchWiz tweaks sat on top. If you’ve played with any of Samsung’s other phones recently, you’ll know exactly what to expect.
The Galaxy A5 2016 packs a fingerprint sensor built into the home button, just like its premium brethren, so you can unlock the phone with just a quick tap of your finger or thumb. So far it seems to be perfectly accurate and reasonably quick. The Snapdragon 615 processor is coping fine with setup but we’ll see how it fares for our full review, and here’s hoping the A5’s battery life is as strong as the A3’s.
You also get a 13-megapixel camera with F/1.9 aperture lens, which should hopefully take strong low-light shots like the Galaxy S7. It’s certainly fast at focusing and shooting, and packs the same interface and modes as the flagship Samsung.
Check back soon for our full Galaxy A5 2016 review.
Samsung Galaxy A5 2016 UK price and release date
The Galaxy A5 2016 edition is going on sale across the UK today, so you can snap it up from supporting retailers and Samsung for £319.
Read next: Samsung Galaxy A3, A5 and A7 (2016) UK price and release date
Samsung Galaxy A5 2016 unboxing and hands-on review video
Here’s our full unboxing video of the Galaxy A5 6, and our hands-on first impressions.
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