Samsung is starting off the new year with a bang, namely with several new phone releases. This time it's the mid-range Galaxy A 2017 series, with the A3, the A5, and the A7. All three phones seem reasonably similar, using aluminum construction and glass backs, with features such as fingerprint scanners, IP68 water resistance, Micro SD card slots, and Samsung Pay present.

The A7 is the most premium of the devices, with a 5.7 FHD AMOLED display (1080x1920), an undefined 1.9GHz octa-core processor, 3GB RAM, and a 16 megapixel camera. On the other end of the scale, the A3 has a 4.7 HD display (1280x720), a 1.6GHz display, 2GB RAM, and a 13MP camera. The A5, meanwhile, is somewhere in the middle of these, with a 5.2 FHD display and a 1.9GHz octa-core processor, although it isn't clear if that's the same as the A7's. The RAM and the camera are also the same as on the A7, at 3GB and 16MP respectively. Finally, all three phones hold IP68 certification, meaning they are water and dust resistant. The full set of specifications for each phone is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCq6iyvJcBw

GALAXY A7 Network: LTE Cat.6 * May differ by markets and mobile operators

Display: 5.7” FHD Super AMOLED

AP: 1.9GHz Octa Core

OS: Android 6.0.16 (Marshmallow)

Camera: Rear : 16MP (F1.9), Front : 16MP (F1.9)

Video: MPEG4, H.265(HEVC), H.264(AVC), H.263, VC-1, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8, VP9

Audio: MP3, AAC LC/AAC+/eAAC+,AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, FLAC, Vorbis, Opus

Additional features: MST technology(Samsung Pay), Samsung KNOX, S-Voice, Dual SIM option

* Samsung Pay launches may vary by market-readiness

Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth® v 4.2, ANT+, USB Type-C,NFC (UICC, eSE)

Sensor: Accelerometer, Proximity, Geomagnetic, RGB Light, Hall Fingerprint scanner, Barometer

IP Code: IP68

Memory: 3GB RAM + 32GB Storage, Micro SD slot (up to 256GB)

Dimension: 156.8 x 77.6 x 7.9mm

Battery: 3,600mAh, Fast Charging

GALAXY A5 Network: LTE Cat.6 * May differ by markets and mobile operators

Display: 5.2” FHD Super AMOLED

AP: 1.9GHz Octa Core

OS: Android 6.0.16 (Marshmallow)

Camera: Rear : 16MP (F1.9), Front : 16MP (F1.9)

Video: MPEG4, H.265(HEVC), H.264(AVC), H.263, VC-1, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8, VP9

Audio: MP3, AAC LC/AAC+/eAAC+,AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, FLAC, Vorbis, Opus

Additional features: MST technology(Samsung Pay), Samsung KNOX, S-Voice, Dual SIM option

* Samsung Pay launches may vary by market-readiness

Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth® v 4.2, ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC (UICC, eSE)

Sensor: Accelerometer, Proximity, Geomagnetic, RGB Light, Hall Fingerprint scanner, Barometer

IP Code: IP68

Memory: 3GB RAM + 32GB Storage, Micro SD slot (up to 256GB)

Dimension: 146.1 x 71.4 x 7.9mm

Battery: 3,000mAh, Fast Charging

GALAXY A3 Network: LTE Cat.6 * May differ by markets and mobile operators

Display: 4.7” HD Super AMOLED

AP: 1.6GHz Octa Core

OS: Android 6.0.16 (Marshmallow)

Camera: Rear : 13MP (F1.9), Front : 8MP (F1.9)

Video: MPEG4, H.265(HEVC), H.264(AVC), H.263, VC-1, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8, VP9

Audio: MP3, AAC LC/AAC+/eAAC+,AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, FLAC, Vorbis, Opus

Additional features: MST technology(Samsung Pay), Samsung KNOX, S-Voice, Dual SIM option

* Samsung Pay launches may vary by market-readiness

Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth® v 4.2, ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC (UICC)

Sensor: Accelerometer, Proximity, Geomagnetic, RGB Light, Hall, Fingerprint Scanner, Barometer

IP Code: IP68

Memory: 2GB RAM + 16GB Storage, Micro SD slot (up to 256GB)

Dimension: 135.4 x 66.2 x 7.9mm

Battery: 2,350mAh

While it's great to see a relatively low-end phone such as the A3 with features such as a fingerprint scanner and Samsung Pay, maybe the best thing about the new Galaxy A series is the inclusion of water resistance. This should make the series even more attractive for those looking for a mid-range, not too expensive phone with all the features of a flagship. The phones, in colors Black Sky, Gold Sand, Blue Mist, and Peach Cloud, will be available in Russia in early January and then expanded to global markets.