Samsung Galaxy A17 5G Expected Price and Specifications in Kenya
Samsung Galaxy A17 5G Goes Global.
Samsung is preparing to launch the next generation of its A series smartphones, starting with the Samsung Galaxy A07 in Kenya, and now the A17 5G. Although the A17 5G is not yet available in the Kenyan market, we can expect Samsung to introduce this phone soon.
First Look: Design and Build
The Galaxy A17 5G has a 6.7-inch display. The front of the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, which will withstand drops up to 2 meters; the frames are made of plastic, and the back of the phone is made of matte glass fiber, which is one of the main changes.
On the right side of the device, you'll find the standard volume rocker buttons and the power button, which also contains the fingerprint scanner. Additionally, there is a SIM tray that accommodates two nano SIM cards and an SD card slot. However, please note that the SD card uses a shared slot with one of the SIM cards.
At the front, you'll find the familiar waterdrop notch that Samsung continues to use. The bezels remain quite chunky, similar to those on the previous model, particularly at the bottom chin. This phone is rated IP54 for dust and water resistance.
At the bottom, there is a single firing speaker and a USB-C charging port, but unfortunately, there is no headphone jack.
Display Experience
The display features a Super AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate, but it does not adjust to save energy, which may lead to faster battery drain, a resolution of 1080 x 2340, and a high brightness mode reaching up to 800 nits. However, the display is not bright enough for direct sunlight use.
Samsung always nails it with their displays, so expect stunning visuals with deep blacks and accurate colors, though there are no fancy features like support for HDR video playback or Dolby Vision.
Camera Setup
At the back, there is a triple-camera setup consisting of a 50MP main camera with OIS, an upgrade from last year's A16 5G, a 5MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro sensor. For selfies, you get a 13MP front camera.
According to GSMArena, camera samples are expected to produce good results during the day with the default 12.5MP, with good subject focus and detail. However, in low light, the cameras might struggle a bit with limited dynamic range, noise, and low contrast; however, the night mode fixes most of these issues.
Don’t expect too much from the 5MP ultra-wide camera; results might come out grainy. The 2MP lens is a gimmick, and even if you were to use it, the results won’t be impressive due to the fixed focus.
When it comes to selfies, the photos taken are impressive, featuring ample detail, vibrant colors, and a broad dynamic range. However, the Galaxy A17 5G only supports video recording at a maximum resolution of 1080p at 30 or 60 frames per second across all its lenses. If you want to record in 4K at 30fps, you can do so by downloading a third-party app called Open Camera.
Battery and charging
The Galaxy A17 5G is equipped with a standard 5000mAh battery. With typical usage, this battery should last you an entire day. However, if you are a heavy gamer or a power user, you may need to recharge it multiple times a day. For casual users, the battery can last for a full day or even up to two days.
The phone supports 25W wired charging, but does not include a charger in the box; only the charging cable is provided, and you will need to purchase the charging brick separately.
Performance and Software
The A17 is equipped with the Exynos 1330 processor, which has been around for two years and is built on a 5nm architecture. This same processor is also used in the Galaxy A14, Galaxy F17, and Galaxy A16 5G models.
However, benchmark results for 5G performance are not encouraging; according to GSMArena, the A17 5G ranks at the bottom of the performance charts. Additionally, performance may decline further if you choose the 4GB RAM version.
Regarding storage, the phone offers five configurations: 128GB with 4GB RAM, 128GB with 6GB RAM, 128GB with 8GB RAM, 256GB with 4GB RAM, and 256GB with 8GB RAM. However, for the Kenyan market, only two configurations are expected.
Samsung excels in software, and the A17 is no exception. Like the other models in the A series this year, it launches with One UI 7, layered on top of Android 15. Samsung promises up to seven years of system updates; however, it remains to be seen whether the phone's hardware will be capable of lasting that long..
Samsung Galaxy A17 5G Expected Price and Availability in Kenya
We must wait for Samsung Kenya to make an announcement. Once the phone arrives in Kenya, it will be available at select Samsung stores and authorized retailers.
While some retailers, like Samsung's brand cart, list the 128GB with 4GB RAM phone for KES 30,995, it’s worth noting that Phone Kenya is selling the 256GB with 8GB RAM model for KES 28,000. As a result, it's advisable to look for competitive deals from various retailers beyond just Samsung.
Closing Thoughts
As we await the launch of the A17 5G in Kenya, we haven't seen many upgrades from its predecessor, just a few minor tweaks that are not deal breakers, such as the addition of an OIS camera.
The processor remains unchanged, which is disappointing to say the least. If you own the Galaxy A16 5G, you might want to continue using it and possibly wait for the Galaxy A18 next year.
