Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) in for review

The Galaxy A7 (2018) was Samsung’s opening salvo in the new multi-camera wars, a triple shot. The not-quite-flagship line has been boosting Samsung’s sales and it gets special attention, including test driving triple and quad cameras before the next Galaxy S has a chance.

Since the triple camera is the focus of this phone, let’s start with that. The first add-on module is an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera, 120° (13mm in 35mm equiv.). The second addition is the 5MP depth sensor used for Live Focus (adjustable bokeh).

The main camera features a 24MP sensor with phase detection autofocus and a bright f/1.7 lens. The selfie camera is a lone champion, another 24MP sensor with an f/2.0 lens. It gets the appropriate level of beautification and studio lighting features, of course.

The viewfinder for the cameras is rendered on the tall 6” Super AMOLED display with 1080p+ resolution. That matches the display of the Galaxy A8+ (2018) (which actually launched at the end of 2017). That one has a dual selfie camera (16+8MP, f/1.9), but a single cam on the rear (16MP, f/1.7).

Triple camera • 6" Super AMOLED • The Galaxy A7 (2018) is a camera-focused phone

Cameras aside, the two phones are quite similar. The Galaxy A7 (2018) is among the first Samsung phones to put the fingerprint reader on the side. And it offers more storage than the A8+, 64GB or 128GB instead of 32GB or 64GB. Both have a dedicated microSD slot, even on dual-SIM models.

The new A7 has a slightly smaller battery, though at 3,300mAh vs. 3,500mAh, it isn’t a huge downgrade. Using a microUSB port with no support for fast charging, however, is. All you get is a 7.5W charger.

The good news is that the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) is €350, that’s €100 less than what you would pay for an A8+, even months after launch. The A8+ isn’t readily available in Europe, but the point remains – it’s more expensive than the A7.

And more importantly, the Galaxy A9 (2018), the world’s first quad-camera phone, is €600. It does add a useful 2x telephoto camera, but is it really worth €250? The A9 does add a few perks, though, including fast charging over USB-C, bigger 6.3” screen with AOD and more RAM/storage.

Has Samsung nailed the balance of ups and downs with the Galaxy A7 (2018)? That’s a question we’ll strive to answer in our upcoming review. In the meantime, you can watch our unboxing and key features video.

It includes a few camera samples from the two cameras. The depth sensor doesn’t produce photos on its own, obviously, but we did try the bokeh.

We’re working on the full review, which is coming soon.