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Meet Samsung's updated Galaxy A smartphones (pictures)

Samsung's Galaxy A phones, updated for 2016, blend metal bodies and premium design aimed at a younger, trendier crowd.

Aloysius Low
Aloysius Low is a Senior Editor at CNET covering mobile and Asia. Based in Singapore, he loves playing Dota 2 when he can spare the time and is also the owner-minion of two adorable cats.
Aloysius Low
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Samsung has updated its A range of phones for 2016 with the new A3, A5 and A7 devices. Announced back in December last year, the new phones will soon roll out around the world.

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The phones' chief difference is display size: The A3 is 4.7 inches, the A5 is 5.2 inches and the biggest A7 hits 5.5 inches.

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All three phones feature Samsung's new metal design, and these phones are good to look and hold.

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Like the Samsung Galaxy S6 range of phones, the 2016 A series come with glass behinds.

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Samsung Galaxy A3 2016

First up is the 2016 Samsung Galaxy A3. The phone features a quad-core processor, a 4.7-inch HD display and 4G connectivity.

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The A3 has a rear 13-megapixel camera.

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The phone's pretty slim at just 7.3mm (0.29 inches).

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If you're familiar with the high-end Samsung phones, the bottom should look familiar.

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The phone features dual-SIM 4G LTE connectivity.

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The Samsung Galaxy A3 has made its debut in the Southeast Asia region in Singapore, and will retail for S$398, which converts to approximately $275, £190 and AU$395.

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If you like phones that aren't too big, the A3 is something to consider.

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Samsung Galaxy A5 2016

Samsung's 2016 version of the Galaxy A5 sits between the A3 and A7, with a 5.2-inch full-HD display, an octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM.

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The A5 shares design elements with the higher end Galaxy flagships, such as a fingerprint sensor located on the home button, which the A3 lacks.

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The A5, like the A3 and A7, sports a 13-megapixel rear camera.

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The phone is 7.3mm (0.29 inches) thick but packs a 2,900mAh battery with fast charging.

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It goes on sale in Southeast Asia in Singapore for S$598, which converts to approximately $420, £290 and AU$590.

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Unlike the Galaxy A3, the A5 has a separate microSD card slot.

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Samsung Galaxy A7 2016

The 2016 Galaxy A7 is the most powerful of the three new Samsung phones, though it still lags the Korean company's flagship products. It sports an octa-core processor, 3GB RAM and a 5.5-inch full-HD display.

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This phone, like the new A5, comes with a fingerprint sensor.

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Like the A3 and A5, the A7 is just 7.3mm (0.29 inches) thick.

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The phone comes with a rear 13-megapixel camera and a glass back.

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The 2016 version of the Samsung Galaxy A7 will retail in Singapore for S$698, which converts to approximately $485, £335 and AU$690.

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The A7 is quite the beauty, with sleek curves reminiscent of the iPhone's design.

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Like the iPhone, the volume controls are located on the right side.

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The A7 also sports a separate microSD card slot with support for up to 128GB of storage space.

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