Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
How long will it last?
Our estimateSupported until January 2020 · Buy-by January 2018
Apple doesn't publish an end date, but iPhones have a consistent ~3-year update track record — on that basis the Galaxy A5 (2017) should be supported until around January 2020. Buying it today still gets you about -6.4 years of safe use (Apple's written legal minimum is 5 years).
Source: Samsung's official policy · last verified 2026-06-12 · how we compute this
Our verdict
A glass-and-metal mid-ranger that borrowed flagship looks and IP68, but its updates have long stopped.
Pros
- Premium glass build with IP68 water resistance
- Matching 16MP front and rear cameras
- Modern USB-C and a 3.5mm headphone jack
Cons
- Updates ended around 2020 after Android 8
- Mid-range Exynos 7880 is slow today
- Only 3GB RAM limits heavy multitasking
Full specifications
Display
💡 Bigger numbers = smoother scrolling (Hz) and easier outdoor reading (nits).
| Screen | 5.2-inch Super AMOLED, 1080 x 1920 (FHD), 60Hz |
Performance
💡 The phone's brain — it decides speed today and how well it ages.
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 7880 Octa |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Storage | 32GB / 64GB |
Cameras
💡 Megapixels aren't everything — lens variety matters more day-to-day.
| main | 16MP |
| front | 16MP |
Battery & charging
💡 Capacity in mAh — bigger usually means longer between charges.
| Battery | 3,000 mAh |
| Charging | Adaptive Fast Charging wired (USB-C) |
Build
💡 Size, weight, and the materials between your phone and the floor.
| Dimensions | 146.1 × 71.4 × 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 157 g |
| Materials | Glass front and back, metal frame |
| Water resistance | IP68 |
Software & connectivity
💡 The software it ships with, and how far it can upgrade.
| Software | Android 6.0.1 with Grace UX at launch |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, 3.5mm jack |
| Update policy | ~2 years of updates (our estimate from Samsung's track record — written minimum is 5 years) |
Better-value alternatives
Similar price, lower cost per month of safe ownership.
Frequently asked questions
How long will the Galaxy A5 (2017) get updates?
It reached Android 8 Oreo and stopped receiving security patches around 2020, so it has been unsupported for years.
Is the Galaxy A5 (2017) water resistant?
Yes. Despite being a mid-ranger, it carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, unusual at its price at the time.
How good is the A5 (2017) for selfies?
It pairs a 16MP front camera with a 16MP rear camera, so selfies were a strong point, though image processing is dated by modern standards.
Compare it
Specs are collected from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers and change often. Support end dates follow each brand's official policy (or, for Apple, its documented historical pattern). Last verified 2026-06-12.