This is the kind of phone you consider if you like the look of the Galaxy S6 and other pricey phones, but can’t afford them or don’t need their features. What the Galaxy A3 lacks, it makes up for in stylish, attractive design. Its 4.5-inch screenis ideal if you’re switching from an old iPhone, too. But the A3 doesn’t stand out in any particular way. You can find better phones for less and really great onesfor a similar price. It’s worth considering if you really love the sizeand design, but it shouldn’t be at the top of your shortlist.
This is a great-looking phone. Durable, hard plastic at the rear and smart, metal bevelled edges mean it looks and feels as good as many more expensive phones. Its 4.5-inch screen makes it more compact than most and it’s very slim and light. It’s certainly better looking than its most immediate rival, the 4.6-inchSony Xperia Z3 Compact.The bright, colourful screen has some plus points. It’s an AMOLED display, which means it produces richer colours and deeper blacks than other phones that use LCD tech.Photos and videos look great as a result, and I had few problems viewing the A3 in bright outdoor light.The Galaxy A3 doesn’t lack for features, either. You get NFC, 4G anda microSD card slot, and there’s 16GB of onboard storage anyway, somany people won’t even need a microSD card provided they don’t download much music or video.This isn’t a hugely expensive phone, but it isn’t superb value. It’s availablefor free on contracts from around £17.50 a month and only £150 on pay-as-you-go, although its £200 SIM-free price pushes it close to some rather more impressive phones such as last year’sLG G3andHuawei Ascend G7.