An error message appears on the washing machine display
"5E"
On models without a display, the indicators for all washing modes + the second temperature indicator from the bottom light up.
What does an error mean?
Water is not draining from the machine.
Why did the error appear?
- The drain hose is clogged;
- The sewer is clogged;
- The hoses inside the machine are clogged;
- The drain pump filter (drain filter) is clogged;
- The drain hose is bent or squashed;
- The drain pump does not work;
- The water in the car froze (if the car was stored at sub-zero temperatures).
What to do next
Unplug the machine.
Drain the water through the emergency drain and clean the drain filter.
Start the machine on Rinse + Spin mode.
If the error does not appear, continue to use the machine, everything is fine with it. The error appeared due to a clogged drain filter.
If the error appears again, check if there is a blockage in the drain. To do this, start the machine with free flow of water:
A. Unplug the washing machine;
B. Disconnect the drain hose from the sewer (siphon, pipe). If the drain hose was extended, remove the part that was extended;
C. Place the end of the drain hose into the bathtub or sink. Make sure there are no kinks in the drain hose;
D. Turn on the machine and run the “Rinse + Spin” mode (without laundry and powder).
If the water has drained, clear the blockage in the sewer (siphon, pipe) that is preventing water from draining. After this, connect the machine to the sewer.
Samsung Galaxy E5– the standard of the middle class of the modern model range of Samsung. This model has gained popularity among users for several reasons: the first is its stylish design and monolithic construction, the second is its fairly powerful hardware, and the third is its attractive price, taking into account the first two reasons.
Design
When creating the Galaxy E line and the Galaxy E5 smartphone in particular, the Koreans took an unusual step - they decided to make a mid-range smartphone that would look not only attractive, but also more expensive.
The plastic case is very similar to the metal one and visually it’s really hard to say otherwise. At the same time, the body is solid, which allows you to feel the solidity and integrity of the structure - no backlash or creaks.
The case is a little slippery, but the phone fits like a glove in your hand. The dimensions of the Galaxy E5 are 141.6 x 70.2 x 7.3 with a weight of 140 grams - optimal dimensions.
Display
You will be more than satisfied with the quality of the 5-inch display, because this is a Super AMOLED display, and if previously this type of matrix was used in the company’s expensive models, now the middle class can boast of picture quality, its richness and saturation, as well as maximum viewing angles.
The screen resolution is HD (1280 by 720 pixels), and the pixel density is 294ppi - optimal parameters for a display of this size.
Characteristics
Since the smartphone is one of the new products of 2015, its hardware, although not top-end, is the newest in its class. The Galaxy E5 uses a Snapdragon 410 chipset with 4 cores with an operating frequency of 1.2 GHz and an Adreno 306 video chip, which are complemented by 1.5 GB of RAM.
This hardware provides sufficient performance both in applications and games, the interface works smoothly and the smartphone quickly responds to your actions. The internal memory capacity is 16 GB and if this seems insufficient to you, you can always transfer the content to a microSD memory card (flash drives up to 64 GB are supported).
The battery in the Galaxy E5 cannot be called the largest - 2500 mAh, which is slightly less than that of the older model of the Galaxy E7 series, but the phone shows excellent battery life.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy E5 has an 8-megapixel sensor - a well-known camera that allows you to take good quality pictures.
If you love selfies, then you will definitely like the Galaxy E5 as it comes with a 5 Megapixel front camera. Portrait photographs will delight you with high quality and maximum detail.
Software
Out of the box, the device runs on Android v4.4.4 (KitKat) and it is difficult to say whether there will be an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop. But here you can download:
Video: Galaxy E5 review
Video: Galaxy E5 in games
For owners:
Your mark:
Since the gadget is plastic, it hardly slips in your hand. This is, of course, not the pleasant SoftTouch that sticks to your hands, but also not the elusive metal or Gorilla glass.
In keeping with trends, the case cover is not removable. The smartphone is equipped with two slots for nanoSIM. The second one can also be used for a microSD card. Looking at the pictures below, pay attention to the thickness of the device. Less than 8 millimeters is almost the industry standard.
Our sample is well assembled and easy to use. There is nothing more to say about the case. A typical Samsung smartphone with a typical layout of controls, pleasantly sized keys, and an ordinary design that evokes neither “wow” nor dislike.
Is the screen good?
For the money they ask for a smartphone, the screen could be cheaper. Firstly, a Super AMOLED matrix is used. Secondly, the resolution of the 5-inch screen is 720x1280 pixels, that is, HD. Pixel density approaches 300 ppi (294 ppi for the meticulous). This is an excellent indicator. The brightness is typical for Super AMOLED - not the highest, but sufficient. 359.578 cd/m2. There is no automatic backlight brightness adjustment in this model. A typical situation for an inexpensive A-brand device. LG didn’t even install a sensor in its mini-flagship. Although Samsung saved money on it, they came out of the situation gracefully - they added an “outdoor” screen mode to the notification panel. It automatically raises the brightness to a fantastic 472.576 cd/m2. This completely solves the problem of the bright sun and poor performance of the sensor under it, but does not eliminate the need to manually adjust something when lighting conditions change. Another positive nuance is that at the minimum brightness setting the smartphone is comfortable to use; the screen quickly dims. If you go outside at night and reduce the brightness to a minimum, the screen will not dazzle your eyes and there will be no problems with their adaptation to weak night lights.
The color gamut is typically wide for a Super AMOLED matrix, approaching the Adobe RGB space. The color mode is a little cold and the calibration is not ideal. But only users who are very attentive to colors will notice this.
Working with gloves is not supported. Judging by the condition of the screen, there is an oleophobic coating.
What's wrong with his camera?
If the model had been presented a year ago and cost about 2,500 hryvnia, then one could say about its eight-megapixel camera: “Everything is fine, guys, don’t worry, this is an inexpensive smartphone, it cannot have a high-quality camera.” Today the price of the model does not look so modest in national currency. And since you and I are accustomed to counting some in hryvnias, some in rubles, some in Kenyan shillings, I can’t even dare say this. Samsung has been famous for its cameras since the flagship Galaxy S3; like this model, it also had an 8-megapixel one. But in the Galaxy E5 it is different - weak. On a sunny day it highlights areas of the photo, on a cloudy day it blurs everything, in macro photography it is weak, and in large areas it becomes soapy. But if the conditions are favorable, it takes quite decent shots. In general, it behaves no better or worse than any other camera in an inexpensive smartphone. It doesn't shoot very quickly, especially in HDR mode. Any smartphone for this money will show similar results.
The same pictures are available in original resolution.
What's wrong with his battery?
The Galaxy E5 has a 2400 mAh battery. This is 100 mAh more than in the Galaxy A5 and Lenovo S90 Sisley, which we have already reached and will write to you about it soon. Sisley's S90 is one of the potential competitors, although more likely to be an A5 model than an E5. I didn't get to use the Galaxy E5 with wireless accessories, but without them I charged it on average once every day and a half. I didn’t use the smartphone actively, but often on the street with the enhanced backlight mode turned on, I listened to music for 2-4 hours a day, and I used GPS. On the one hand, it’s a good result for your money. On the other hand, it is expected that from year to year the autonomy of smartphones becomes a little better. For some reason, the PCMark battery life test on the smartphone crashed.
What about performance?
Like the Lenovo Vibe Z2 and S90 Sisley, the Galaxy is powered by the Snapdragon 410 processor. It is a 64-bit processor with four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.2 GHz. Actually, these three are clearly not the only owners of Snapdragon 410. I just haven’t had others in my hands yet. This will clearly be a popular processor model, and we will see it more than once. Unlike Lenovo smartphones, the Galaxy E5 is equipped with 1.5 GB of RAM (the Vibe Z2 has 2 GB, the S90 Sisley has 1 and 2 GB versions), which seems to hint at a different performance. To the eye, the smartphone interface actually moves a little slower than in the older Lenovo model, but the difference in RAM does not affect other aspects of its operation. Fast games with beautiful graphics are running, movies of several gigabytes are running - everything works. And for the current generation of smartphones for $300, this is already the norm.
What are the alternatives?
The closest competitor to the Samsung Galaxy E5 in our market should be Honor 4.x, which is expected in Ukraine for about the same money. However, while the smartphone hobbles to Ukraine, the exchange rate may again jump sharply, followed by the recommended retail price. Honor 4.x is more interesting because of the 2 GB of RAM and, in my opinion, the plastic on the back of the case. This smartphone also has Huawei’s own 64-bit processor. The company says that in autonomy tests it is significantly superior to the Snapdragon 410. But the model will only be distributed via the Internet. This means that it has a chance to reach only 14% of Ukrainian wallets. And then those who are willing to pay for functionality, and not for the brand. And those who already know that Honor is an offshoot of Huawei.
In the Samsung Galaxy E5 line, it has something in common with the metal Galaxy A5 and is not much cheaper than it. The Galaxy A5, in addition to its noble body, beckons with its 2 GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel main camera, which, in theory, should greatly outperform the camera in the Galaxy E5. A more budget alternative to the model in the Samsung line is the Galaxy Grand Prime - the smartphone has a screen resolution of 960x540 pixels. At five inches this is not the most comfortable solution, but it costs a couple thousand hryvnia less.
ASUS ZenFone 5 can also be considered an interesting alternative to the Galaxy E5. The smartphone has the same screen, only IPS, the processor is installed from Intel, the camera is the same, there are versions with 1 and 2 GB of RAM, but the built-in memory is half as much. The case design of both models lies somewhere nearby. But ZenFone 5 today costs a good thousand and a half less.
The most popular distributor of smartphones in Ukraine today, Lenovo, currently only has the Lenovo S90 Sisley among similar models. The characteristics are very similar, but placed in an iPhone case. And his camera is more modern.
Bottom line
The middle and low-end segment of smartphones are those segments in which the joy from the achievements of new generations over the past year and a half is somehow brighter than the joy from the new capabilities of flagships. This is because in top models all these technical improvements are simply not noticeable, but there is no breakthrough in software. 64-bit processors, including the Snapdragon 410, have brought the mid-range smartphone segment performance that suits most people and decent battery life. It looks like it will be popular in the $200-300 smartphone segment. Therefore, you can expect pleasant and long-lasting work from everyone, including the hero of this review. Should we choose the Samsung Galaxy E5 over its competitors? You decide. If the camera is not important and you are not chasing metal, but prefer famous manufacturers, then yes. If it is important to save money without losing performance, then you can look at simpler devices from manufacturers. More of them should appear soon. Do you need a metal case for reasonable money, but also for your smartphone to work decently? This is for the Galaxy A5 or Lenovo S90 Sisley model.
3 reasons to buy Samsung Galaxy E5:
- high performance;
- good battery life;
- high maximum screen brightness.
3 reasons not to buy Samsung Galaxy E5:
- camera is weak;
- no automatic adjustment of screen backlight brightness;
- you need a smartphone with a metal casing.
| Specifications Samsung Galaxy E5 | |
|---|---|
| Display | Super AMOLED, 5 inches, 720x1280, 294 ppi |
| Frame | dimensions 142x70x7 mm |
| CPU | 64-bit Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410, 4 Cortex-A53 cores (1.2 GHz), Adreno 306 graphics |
| RAM | 1.5 GB |
| Flash memory | 16 GB |
| Memory card support | in slot for nanoSIM 2, up to 64 GB |
| Camera | 8 MP, autofocus, flash, FullHD video recording, 5 MP front camera |
| Wireless technologies | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS |
| Battery | 2400 mAh, non-removable |
| operating system | Android 4.4 + TouchWiz |
| SIM card | nanoSIM, two |
Released February 2015 Samsung Galaxy E5 is designed to become an inexpensive and fairly productive alternative to expensive flagships with a 5-inch screen diagonal. Having average technical characteristics, the device is sold at a favorable price, providing everything necessary for daily use, competing not only with devices in the same weight category (Lenovo A6000 and Lenovo Sisley S90), but also with more advanced models (Xiaomi Mi4i, etc.).
The key to success Samsung Galaxy E5– balanced characteristics and a bright Super AMOLED display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4, providing high-quality color reproduction and displaying more than 16 million colors. At the same time, manufacturers did not skimp on a high-quality matrix: the display supports a maximum resolution of up to 1280x720, providing a density of 294 pixels per inch, which almost reaches Retina standards.
Main characteristics
The device is based on a quad-core processor with an operating frequency of 1.2 GHz and is equipped with 1.5 GB of RAM, which is enough for most everyday tasks. The phone runs Android 4.4, with the manufacturer announcing the possible release of updates to more modern versions of Android.
In addition, you should pay attention to the following features Samsung Galaxy E5:
1. Supports two Nano-SIM in alternating operating mode.
2. A fairly high-quality 8MP camera, with LED flash, automatic focus, panoramic shooting function and face recognition. Video recording in 1080p format is available.
3. The front camera will also please selfie lovers with good quality: as much as 5 MP.
4. Support for 3G, as well as current wireless data transfer interfaces.
5. The device is equipped with A-GPS with support for GPS and GLONASS.
6. It is possible to install memory expansion cards, the maximum supported volume is 64 GB.
Wide multimedia capabilities
With these characteristics Samsung Galaxy E5 is a multifunctional media device that allows for vibrant communication, interesting pastime and productive work. The 2400 mAh battery provides up to 12 hours of video viewing or over 100 hours of Internet surfing. A high-quality camera allows you to take pictures and instantly send them to the cloud.
Overall, the phone gives the impression of a solid, powerful, and most importantly lightweight device, ideal for daily use.
For those who are familiar with Samsung products, the design of the Galaxy E5 can be described in one phrase: a plastic copy of the Galaxy A5. Seriously, if you don’t pick them up, it will be difficult to distinguish smartphones. The E5 repeats everything: a matte-smooth back cover, a non-separable body, chrome-plated ends and the usual design of the front panel. Only it's all made of plastic, not metal. Except that the E5 has more rounded corners. There should be a similarity, but not complete, right?
Considering the Samsung Galaxy E5 separately from the A5, nothing more than usual can be said about it. This is still the same typical Samsung, especially if you look only at the front panel. A physical Home button, a speaker captured by the same mesh - we have seen all this many times. The only difference is that the frame around the screen has become thicker.
The rear of the smartphone has changed more. The lid is made more sloping, although this is completely unnoticeable if you have a white color option. By the way, the color may also be black or brown. The cover on the lid is unusual, but nothing special. It has an interesting greenish tint and a velvety surface, although it doesn’t qualify as a “soft-touch” – it’s too hard for that. But the most important thing is that it is not easily soiled.
The Samsung Galaxy E5 has prominent side ends. They seem to have a thick chrome-plated solid frame on them. Yes, it’s plastic, but its shape is the same as the Galaxy Alpha that made a splash in August 2014. In particular, this applies to the lower sidewall, where a noticeable “step” is made.
The phone is assembled perfectly. Although it shouldn’t be otherwise - firstly, it’s Samsung, and secondly, it’s non-separable. The thickness of the smartphone is very small - 7.3 mm, which is quite small for an average-priced product. True, the Galaxy A5 is even thinner – 6.7 mm. Thinner and lighter – 123 grams versus 140 grams for the Galaxy E5. But in any case, do not forget that the devices are positioned differently, although they are similar in many ways.
The Galaxy E5 itself does not stand out in any way. It has a typical “Samsung” appearance, high-quality assembly, thin body, and relatively light weight. We'll tell you about the rest in the next section.
Connectors and controls
Despite the fact that the appearance of the Samsung Galaxy E5 and, in general, the entire line of Samsung smartphones in 2015 has changed little, the transition to a non-separable body led to the addition of a couple of elements on the side ends. But let's first go through the front and back of the smartphone.
Above the screen is the usual set: a speaker covered with a metal mesh, light and proximity sensors, and a front camera lens.
At the bottom there are also traditional Samsung elements: two touch buttons for calling up the task manager and Back, as well as a physical Home button. “Home” does not have a built-in fingerprint scanner, so in addition to its main function, it can only wake up the smartphone from standby mode.
The touch buttons are visible only when the backlight is on. The backlight is not very bright, but it is quite enough.
At the back of the Galaxy E5, the rear camera lens is located at the top in the center. To the left of it is an LED flash, and to the right is an external speaker. We have a similar configuration of elements on the back cover.
The volume control was placed on the left - no changes here.
Almost everything “new” went to the right side. The power button is in its traditional place, so you don’t have to change your habits. There are also compartments for SIM cards and microSD cards. But we will tell you more about this below.
The top side became completely empty, except for the second microphone for noise reduction.
The audio connector has moved to the bottom edge. Here it is adjacent to a microUSB connector and a speaking microphone. It's nice to note that Samsung has also picked up the trend for a 3.5 mm mini-jack at the bottom - connecting headphones here is much more convenient. More precisely, it is more convenient to lower the handset, with headphones connected from below, into a pocket or bag.
And now about installing cards. The holders for them are removed using the supplied ejector or, at worst, a paper clip.
The holders are plastic. They're strong, but it's still easier to overdo them than if you had a metal smartphone from the Galaxy A series. You should also keep in mind that only nanoSIM cards are supported. And, to top it off, Samsung’s new feature – the slot for the memory card and SIM card is combined into one. That is, you can install one of the cards in the holder. So get ready to choose: either you have a dual-SIM smartphone or a lot of memory. If you have any difficulties installing a memory card or SIM card in the Samsung Galaxy E5, our short video will help you solve the problem:
In fact, the inability to use three cards at once can hardly be called a disadvantage. Simply because about 10-12% of those who bought dualSIM smartphones constantly use both cards. So we won’t write down such an organization of slots as a disadvantage.
On the plus side, the Galaxy E5 offers exactly the same user experience as many Samsung smartphones before it. It’s even a little better - the 3.5 mm mini-jack on the bottom is a benefit and it’s hard to argue with that. Otherwise, nothing has changed. Communication and memory cards will only be installed once, so this does not count. The only pity is that you cannot replace the battery yourself - you will have to contact a service center.
Case for Galaxy E5
Samsung smartphones occupy a leading position in sales, and therefore many accessories are produced for them. So finding a cover for the Galaxy E5 was not a problem.
The starting price for a case for the Galaxy E5 is only 500 rubles. For this money you can get a simple translucent silicone cover with a matte surface.
A better quality silicone case will cost twice as much. But it is very thin.
A flip case for the Galaxy E5 also exists. If you like this one, then its price is 1500 rubles.
A cover case for the Galaxy E5 with a window will cost a little more – already 2 thousand rubles.
And there is a quality leather case for the Galaxy E5. For 3 thousand rubles.
We have listed a far from complete list of available covers for the described Samsung smartphone. But the price level is exactly the same, as are the types of covers available.
Screen
Gone are the days when Super AMOLED screens were only installed in Samsung flagships. Today, even tablets with them are widely available (yes, that’s us), as well as smartphones from the middle segment, which includes the Galaxy E5. Of course, it does not have the most advanced AMOLED matrix from Samsung. But, nevertheless, this display is excellent, almost without any complaints.
In terms of resolution, the screen of the Samsung Galaxy E5 reaches the maximum “medium” characteristic. The 5-inch diagonal provides a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, which gives a resulting pixel density of 294 ppi. The picture does not look grainy, but for better perception 320-350 ppi is preferable. On the other hand, the next step in terms of resolution is Full HD or 1920x1080, which is a completely different level. Even the more expensive Galaxy A5 lacks this - it offers similar display options: 5", 1280x720 and Super AMOLED.
The maximum brightness was measured at 306.2 cd/m2, which is not a record at all. This value fits into the lower limit of the average brightness range - most often we measure it at the level of 300-350 cd/m2. At the same time, the screen behaves confidently in the sun, and we also do not forget about the deep black color characteristic of OLED technology. It is useless to measure contrast for it - it is formally equal to infinity.
The color gamut is, as always, very wide. It easily covers the sRGB color space and approaches Adobe RGB. This is a typical picture for AMOLED matrices.
The color temperature also turned out to be not much higher than the optimal value of 6500K - we measured it at 7500K. More often for smartphones it is somewhere in the range of 7800-8500K. In other words, the white balance of the Galaxy E5 display is distorted towards a “cold” picture less than that of most analogues.
But the gamma curve runs slightly above the reference curve 2.2. Light and mid-bright areas of the image appear brighter than expected. The deviation is not very serious, but noticeable.
Of course, the Galaxy E5 screen recognizes 10 simultaneous touches. It’s somehow strange to expect anything else.
The screen settings section, as always, has been supplemented with the “Screen Mode” item, where you can select the “Adaptive Display” and “AMOLED Movie” modes. “Photo AMOLED” and “Main”. If anyone doesn’t know, this allows you to change the color gamut of the display if it seems too saturated to you. You can achieve softer shades characteristic of IPS matrices. This is another advantage available to AMOLED technology.
For a mid-priced smartphone, our Galaxy E5 has a decent screen. Yes, it does not have record brightness and resolution, but it has wide viewing angles, the ability to select an operating mode, and excellent color rendition. By the way, the phone in question is not without an extreme power saving mode, when not only many system services are disabled, but everything also becomes black and white. If anyone doesn’t know, a grayscale picture allows you to save energy solely due to the features of the AMOLED matrix.
Camera
Samsung Galaxy E5 is equipped with cameras with a resolution of 8 and 5 MP. Yes, Samsung has already begun to move towards “selfies”. However, the number of megapixels does not affect their quality in any way. But in any case, from this point of view, the Galaxy E5 camera shoots at that very average level.
The capabilities of the Samsung camera app have been described many times in our reviews. In short, it is quite conveniently organized. On the left panel you can change the camera (front or rear), turn on the flash, and call up settings. On the right are buttons for starting video shooting and for taking photos. Here you can also call up mode change and gallery. Please note that the maximum resolution of 8 MP is only achieved when shooting with an aspect ratio of 4:3.
Shooting modes are well known from many Samsung smartphones and tablets. They include self-portrait, panorama, night photography, you can create GIF animation and so on.
The shooting quality is actually decent. Not the best you can find, but the frames are reasonably clear, even in poor lighting conditions. White balance is determined correctly from above.
Video is captured in Full HD resolution. Samsung has so far reserved more only for flagships.
The video quality is also good. The picture looks quite natural, there is no blurring.
The front camera already has a decent resolution of 5 MP, which, however, is also achieved with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
The front camera takes pictures worse than the rear one, which is natural. But overall it’s also good. It will definitely be enough for a selfie. And so the pictures lack clarity - they turn out somewhat blurry, and sometimes overexposed. But the white balance is almost intact.
The front camera shoots video with the same resolution as the rear one – Full HD.
And, of course, she takes it off worse. The shooting resolution may be high, but the picture is somehow blurry.
In principle, we liked the Galaxy E5's camera. For a smartphone with such a price, it’s very good.
The Galaxy E lineup for March 2015 consists of two products: E5 and E7. We'll tell you about the first one now, while the second one has a 5.5-inch screen with the same resolution, 2 GB of RAM and a 13 MP camera. The hardware platform of smartphones is the same. It is possible that a Galaxy E3 model with a smaller diagonal display will be launched in the future.
As a result, the Samsung Galaxy E5 looks like a strong middling product. It has a modern, powerful processor, a good amount of memory, you can install a microSD card, a good camera and screen. What else is needed for complete happiness? So that it all works well! Let's stop at this further.
Performance testing
Comparing the performance of the Galaxy E5 and Galaxy S5 mini is interesting from the point of view of how much the new Qualcomm processor is better or even worse than its predecessor. After all, they have the same screen resolution, so this will not affect the final result.
Old system-wide tests show a clear advantage for the Galaxy E5. True, it’s not very significant - the difference is partially eaten up by the lower processor frequency. Please note that parity can be observed in graphics tests. They have the same video card.
The Galaxy E5 also has a slight advantage in the SunSpider browser test.
Formally, in the simple three-dimensional tests Nenamark2 and RD 3D, the winner was the Galaxy S5 mini. However, in both cases, the result of the Samsung Galaxy E5 does not exceed 55 FPS. This leads us to believe that the drivers of this smartphone somehow included a limitation on the maximum FPS level of 55 frames, and not 60, as is usually the case.
But a more complex benchmark puts the Galaxy S5 mini ahead. Not very significant, but apparently the higher-frequency processor played a role here.
If you suddenly don’t like this option, then you can turn off the ribbon and return to the classic version when you have several desktops. By the way, it is possible to set the effect of flipping through them.
In our numerous reviews of Samsung equipment, we somehow never focused on the themes of the shell design. They turned out to be well designed - not only the background changes, but also each has its own beautiful icons.
As always, the Samsung smartphone is equipped with a full set of proprietary software. Moreover, what is important, the device is not overloaded with applications that will not be used by everyone.
After they began to complain that out of 16 GB only about 8-9 GB were available to them, Samsung reconsidered the approach to software content for its mobile devices. On the second desktop at the top there is a Galaxy Essentials shortcut widget, which, when clicked, launches a special section of the Galaxy Apps application store. If anyone doesn’t know, here you can download everything that was previously pre-installed out of the box. Thus, Samsung killed two birds with one stone: there is now more free space on the smartphone and a set of proprietary programs remains easily accessible.
There is no particular point in describing Samsung applications in detail - they are well known to many. And if you suddenly don’t belong to “many”, then take my word for it - all these programs for the most part copy the standard ones from Android, although in some moments they are made more convenient. So let's go through some. For example, there is an application for working with FM radio - if anyone is not aware, the top Samsung models do not have this module at all.
The notes app is relatively simple. Although it allows you to do some text formatting, insert pictures, and save notes to the cloud in your Samsung account.
The calculator is the same as in other smartphones of the company. It was slightly redrawn, but the functionality remained the same. What supernatural things can be done there?
And a few words about other features of the TouchWIZ shell. For example, the task manager - it is made in the style of Android 5.0. All applications are presented in the form of tabs. Let us remember that this option was first proposed in the Galaxy Note 4.
The design of the settings section also dates back to the Galaxy Note 4. Let us recall that in the Galaxy S5 Samsung radically revised it, presenting all sections in the form of a huge list of icons, and then returned to the classic version. This is exactly what we see on the Galaxy E5. Moreover, at the beginning of the list there is a “Quick Settings” subsection, where you can add the most frequently used settings.
Standard applications are configured from the settings. Moreover, there was a hint of disabling the TouchWIZ shell, although for now it will not be possible to return to “pure” Android - just switch to the simple mode of the proprietary interface. Here you can also choose an application for working with SMS messages: Hangouts from Google or the standard one from Samsung.
The notification panel is highly customizable. Also, the “Multiple Windows” function has not gone away, allowing you to run two applications on the screen at once.
The Galaxy E5 does not lack an NFC module, which works fully, including for synchronization between devices. There is also a special blocking mode, within which you can turn off all calls and notifications at certain times of the day. For example, so as not to interfere with sleep.
In general, TouchWIZ remains an easy-to-use interface, not very different in its principles from the original Android. In the Galaxy S6, the differences between them are even smaller, but the Galaxy E5, even if it receives firmware with Android 5, unfortunately, it will not get the new shell.
By the way, it should be added that despite the Galaxy E5 smartphone’s processor supporting 64-bit computing, it operates in 32-bit mode. Android 4.4 and earlier, if anyone is not aware, is 32-bit and cannot fully use the capabilities of ARMv8 instructions. Android 5.0, in turn, works fine in both 32- and 64-bit modes. However, the choice of system version depends entirely on the manufacturer. And it’s not at all a fact that Samsung, even updating the Galaxy E5 to modern Android, will provide it with a 64-bit build. Rather, quite the opposite - if the Galaxy Note 4 was left to work in 32-bit mode, then why suddenly such an indulgence for “some” E5?
Conclusion
We liked the Samsung Galaxy E5. This mid-price smartphone is well-balanced. Its interface does not slow down, games all launch and run quickly, without reducing the quality of graphics. The software behaves stable. At the same time, the phone has decent battery life – Samsung, as always, optimizes power consumption well. And the battery capacity of 2400 mAh with a case thickness of 7.3 mm is a very good indicator.
Some people won’t like the plastic body, but Samsung makes all its smartphones plastic. The only exceptions are a few models from late 2014 and early 2015. In the end, no one forbids you to buy the Galaxy A5 - in many respects it repeats the E5, but is made in a metal case and has slightly smaller dimensions and thickness. And it costs noticeably more.
Somewhat confusing is the change in Samsung's policy, which now produces many of its smartphones in a non-separable case. This fully applies to the Galaxy E5 - replacing the battery without the help of a service center will be problematic. But the build quality is excellent as always. But the design remains generally the same, although there are some noticeable differences in the side ends and back cover.
What else can you add? The Galaxy E5 has a good camera, a good Super AMOLED screen, ergonomics have been improved by moving the audio jack to the bottom, and the built-in memory is 16 GB. One question remains: how much does the Galaxy E5 cost?
Galaxy E5 price
You can buy a Galaxy E5 for 20 thousand rubles. The cost is quite affordable, although it cannot be called low. On the other hand, do not forget that this is Samsung - the largest A-brand. And we wouldn’t call it overpriced, considering that the smartphone doesn’t have that many downsides, but has noticeably more advantages. What about competitors?
Galaxy S5 mini is more likely not a competitor, but an analogue. At a price of 17 thousand rubles, it still looks interesting. If anyone hasn’t read our Galaxy E5 review carefully, we’ll note that both smartphones have almost identical performance. At the same time, the S5 mini is cheaper, has a waterproof body and a fingerprint scanner. In addition, it will receive firmware with Android 5. But do not forget that the E5 screen diagonal is larger and has better battery life. But on the Galaxy S5 mini you can change the battery yourself.
Huawei Ascend P7 can be bought for somewhere around 19-20 thousand. Even though it was released in the spring of 2014, at this price it looks like an excellent alternative to the Galaxy E5. See for yourself: 5-inch screen with Full HD resolution, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory, 13 MP camera, weight 124 grams (140 grams for E5), thickness only 6.5 mm with a 2500 mAh battery! Processor – 4-core HiSilicon Kirin 910T. In general, the device is interesting, especially if you are not inclined towards one brand or another.
ASUS PadFone S is also not one of the newest. Announced in the summer of 2014, today it costs 18-19 thousand. But the smartphone looks extremely interesting. First of all, the fact that an 8.9-inch docking tablet can be purchased for it. And the device itself has excellent characteristics: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory, 5-inch Full HD screen. True, the battery is only 2300 mAh with such a powerful platform, as well as the weight of 150 grams and a thickness of almost 10 mm.
The sensational Lenovo S90 costs about 22 thousand. Let us remember that he made a splash because of the similarity of his . The rest of the characteristics of this smartphone are typical: thin metal body, 5-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720, weight 129 grams. The processor is the same as in the Galaxy E5 – Snapdragon 410. The battery has a capacity of 2300 mAh. RAM is as much as 2 GB, and flash memory is 32 GB. But it cannot be expanded.
Pros:
- high-quality materials and assembly;
- good SuperAMOLED screen;
- thin body;
- 16 GB of internal memory;
- convenient location of the audio jack;
- decent camera;
- convenient TouchWIZ shell with a set of useful software;
- good autonomy.
Minuses:
- non-demountable body.
