Samsung Galaxy A5, rightly so, has become the talk of the town after coming to the market as one of the Samsung mid-range Galaxy A series. With its compatible price level, Galaxy A5 has been able to give out flagship features of the smartphone world which is really a big deal with such a price as it raises consumers’ expectations. Among the sets of many, the wireless charging capability stands out as a primary factor when one goes for convenience and wants to have the latest tech features. The ultimate goal of this tactful review is to bring out a clear relationship of the Samsung Galaxy A5 with wireless charging, to touch upon the device’s power supply and how it is engineered, and also to do a thorough comparison regarding the wireless charging of the Galaxy A5 with other devices, not to forget about considering ways to help those users who need this feature with possible off-the-shelf solutions.
Introducing the Samsung Galaxy A5
The A5 line of Samsung smartphones has been around for quite a long time, with lots of different versions being launched in the market. Each model offered a lot in terms of design, performance, and features while the last one, in a way, had gone unnoticed. The focus here is mainly on the 2016, 2017, and 2018 editions, as these mark the pinnacle of developments in the A5 series.
Design and Build: The Galaxy A5 series is characterized by its metal-and-glass design that is not only elegant but also very similar to the more luxurious Galaxy S series. The phones are not only easy to handle but also are very sturdy and come with a premium feel, being cells in the middle of the range.
Display: Super AMOLED is the type of screens these models are usually provided with; they yield to Highly saturated, very bright colors together with very deep black areas. The sizes of the displays fluctuate just a bit between the different versions but mostly they are about 5.2 to 5.5 inches, thus making them handheld and easy to interact with.
Performance: With octa-core chips and different RAM sizes of 2GB and 4GB, the Galaxy A5 smartphones are able to run the daily applications without any difficulty. Besides, it is possible to increase storage capacity using microSD cards, a feature that is more and more appreciated as applications and media files take up more space.
Battery Life: The Galaxy A5 range has batteries between 2900mAh and 3000mAh, which coupled with Samsung’s power-saving hardware and software solutions, give a good battery life. Nevertheless, charging technology is a crucial aspect that attracts interest from a majority of users.
The Technology Behind Wireless Charging
Wireless charging, or inductive charging, is the process of charging a device without a direct connection to a power source. The technology works based on the electromagnetic fields between the charging pad and the device.
Inductive Charging: This is the most popular type of wireless charging, which employs an electromagnetic field created by a coil in the charging pad. The device that needs to be charged must also be equipped with a coil which converts the electromagnetic field back into electrical energy for charging the battery.
Standards: The Qi (pronounced “chee”) standard, formulated by the Wireless Power Consortium, is the most widely recognized and accepted standard for wireless charging. It is utilized by a large number of manufacturers and guarantees compatibility among devices and charging pads.
Efficiency and Convenience: Wireless charging makes it easy to just put the device on a pad without requiring the plugging and unplugging of cables. On the downside, it is generally less efficient than wired charging and may generate more heat which might be a concern regarding the lifespan of the device.
Wireless Charging in Samsung Devices
Samsung is the manufacturer who has been influential to wireless charging technology with its high-end devices; the Galaxy S and Note series being the main ones. The user is offered the latest technology as these super gadgets come with the wireless charging option built-in.
Galaxy S Series: Wireless charging has been a feature of the Samsung Galaxy S series smartphone line since the release of the Galaxy S6. The company has not only made the charging method available but set a precedent and raised expectations for it in the upcoming flagships.
Galaxy Note Series: Along with the S series, the Note series also has held wireless charging, thus repeating the pattern of premium among the Samsung devices.
Mid-Range Devices: Wireless charging has predominantly been the feature of high-end models in the Samsung product lineup. That is why most of the mid-range and budget phones from the Galaxy A and J series have not been equipped with this feature, as they are already cheap options.
Investigating the Wireless Charging Capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy A5
The examination of the Samsung Galaxy A5’s wireless charging capacity calls for checking the exact models and their specifications.
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016): There is no option for wireless charging in this model. It has a 2900mAh battery and supports fast charging through a micro-USB port. At that time, wireless charging was still an uncommonly seen feature only on the flagship devices.
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017): The 2017 model also does not feature wireless charging, just like the 2016 model. It, however, has a USB Type-C port as part of its upgrade, which is faster in data transfer and charging than micro-USB.
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2018): The new Galaxy A5 of 2018 still carries the less pleasant trait of no wireless charging support. The latter, however, transforms the performance, camera, and even the whole design areas.
The absence of wireless charging has become a standard feature for the Galaxy A5 series, which is a major indicator of Samsung’s intentions with the premium features. The higher pricing and the targeting of specific market segments are probably the factors dictating this choice.
Charging Capabilities Comparison of Galaxy A5 with Other Samsung Models
A more straightforward approach for pointing out the charging capabilities of the Galaxy A5 would be comparing it with other Samsung models both in the Galaxy A series and beyond.
Galaxy A Series: The other members of the Galaxy A family including the A3, A7, and A8 are also non-wireless charging devices. This feature commonality across the A series serves to strengthen the boundaries between Samsung’s mid-range and flagship segments.
Galaxy S Series: To reiterate, the S series has maintained wireless charging starting from S6. This feature addition in the S series marks their divergence from the rest of Samsung’s lower-tier devices.
Galaxy J Series: Samsung has placed the J series, known for being economically friendly, on the non-wireless charging side of the line-up. This merely reconfirms that the company usually restricts wireless charging to the upper segment of its devices.
Flagship Comparisons: The Galaxy A5 falls short of the flagship models Galaxy S10 or Note 10 in many aspects, particularly the lack of wireless charging in the A5 which is very much noticed. The flagship models not only allow for wireless charging but they come with reverse wireless charging as well in which the device is able to charge another Qi-compatible device.
Workarounds for Wireless Charging on the Galaxy A5
Even though the Samsung Galaxy A5 does not support wireless charging out of the box, there are several methods that users can apply to add this feature.
Wireless Charging Adapters: Normally, these adapters comprise a small receiver coil that gets installed on the back of the phone and plugged into the charging port. The coil allows the device to have power drawn from a wireless charging pad. This is an affordable solution, and no drastic changes to the phone are needed.
Wireless Charging Cases: A case that has an integrated wireless charging receiver is another alternative. Such cases are usually snug fit and provide adequate protection while allowing for wireless charging. Generally, they are more visually appealing than separate adapters.
Battery Cases with Wireless Charging: These types of cases come with an extra battery and the option of wireless charging. They provide the combined advantage of a longer battery life and wireless charging, but they are usually thicker than regular cases.
DIY Modifications: If you are someone who is good with technology and gadgets, you can even replace the internal components of the Galaxy A5 and get wireless charging function. In fact, one can fit a receiver coil in the phone which is quite complicated and risky at the same time since it would cancel the warranty and might damage the device.
Conclusion
To sum up, the Samsung Galaxy A5 has no support for wireless charging in any of its versions. This feature was considered a luxury that only the premium models, such as the Galaxy S and Note series, could have. Samsung’s marketing strategy still goes the same way. However, if the users of Galaxy A5 think of them as wireless charging they have a number of solutions like – using wireless charging adapters, receivers built into phone cases, and battery cases provided with wireless charging capability.
Not having to deal with the wireless charging feature might be a drawback in the case of Galaxy A5, but it is necessary to point out the other positives of the phone such as design, display quality, and performance overall. These qualities make the Galaxy A5 a very attractive option for the mid-range smartphone market aimed at users who want such features to be in that price range.
As the technology for wireless charging becomes prevalent and affordable, the possibility seems real that we may see a feature absence in the future iterations of the Galaxy A series. However, till then, the existing workarounds serve as an efficient option for those who want to have the comfort of wireless charging on their Galaxy A5.