Samsung’s Galaxy A17 5G struggles with performance but offers good durability and long software support in this budget phone review.
San Francisco: My test results matched my daily use. The A17 scored better than Motorola’s $200 Moto G in single tasks, but worse when running many apps at once. This explains why using the Moto G was less frustrating during my month of testing.
The phone has some good parts. The 6.7-inch screen looks sharp and works fine in sunlight. Sound comes from one speaker on the bottom which works OK but is easy to cover when watching video. You can add more storage with a memory card, the phone resists water, payments work fine, and the fingerprint sensor is fast. GPS works well, though Google Maps can freeze if you switch apps while driving.
The phone survived several short drops without damage, earning high marks for toughness. There is no headphone jack like Motorola keeps, but this Samsung will get updates for six years which is much longer than any Motorola phone at this price. The phone comes with some apps you won’t use, but if you like Samsung’s software design you’ll feel comfortable.
The battery is big at 5,000 milliamp-hours but gives average life. Heavy users get through one day, while light users can make it to day two. Charging is fast at 25 watts but there’s no wireless charging option.