Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 vs Lenovo P2 vs Sony Xperia X Compact vs Moto G4 Plus comparison review: We compare Samsung’s latest Galaxy A3 phone, refreshed for 2017, with the Lenovo P2, Sony’s Xperia X Compact and the great-value Moto G4 Plus. Which £200 to £350 phone is best for you?
Samsung’s Galaxy A Series phones are great-value mid-range mobiles. Last year’s Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 offer some seriously premium features for the asking price, including dependable cameras, slick performance and some fine design. Considering how affordable they are compared with the S7 and S7 Edge, that makes them well worth considering for demanding users with a restrictive budget.
Now in 2017, Samsung is about to release its third generation of Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5, complete with updated specs to bring them bang up to date.
Read next: Galaxy A3 2017, A5 2017 and A7 2017 in a nutshell
The Galaxy A3 2017 is a 4.7-inch smartphone boasting HD visuals, water resistant design and a 13-megapixel camera for just £299 here in the UK.
Question is, how does the Galaxy A3 compare with the best £200 to £350 phones out there right now, including the brilliant mini Xperia X Compact, the fantastic value Moto G4 Plus and the five-star Lenovo P2, which boasts insane battery life?
Here’s our full Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 vs Lenovo P2 vs Sony Xperia X Compact vs Moto G4 Plus comparison, to help you choose your new mid-range mobile.
Read next: Galaxy A3 2017 vs Galaxy A3 2016, what’s changed?
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 vs Lenovo P2 vs Sony Xperia X Compact vs Moto G4 Plus: Specs at a glance
| Phone | Lenovo P2 | Moto G4 Plus | Galaxy A3 2017 | Xperia X Compact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 5.5-inches | 5.5-inches | 4.7-inches | 4.7-inches |
| Screen resolution | 1920×1080 | 1920×1080 | 1280×720 | 1280×720 |
| Water resistant? | No | No | Yes | No |
| Fingerprint sensor? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Processor | Snapdragon 625 | Snapdragon 617 | Exynos 7870 | Snapdragon 650 |
| Memory | 4GB | 2 to 4GB | 2GB | 3GB |
| Storage | 16GB | 16/32/64GB | 16GB | 32GB |
| MicroSD? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | 5100mAh | 3000mAh | 2350mAh | 2700mAh |
| Rear camera | 13MP | 16MP | 13MP | 23MP |
| Front camera | 5MP | 5MP | 8MP | 5MP |
| UK price | £199 | £199 | £299 | £349 |
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 vs Lenovo P2 vs Sony Xperia X Compact vs Moto G4 Plus: Design
We have a great divide in this comparison review, between the pleasingly compact and the gargantuan.
On the dinky side, you have the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 and Sony’s Xperia X Compact. These 4.7-inch smartphones are easy to play with one-handed and slip neatly into a bag or pocket. Then there’s the 5.5-inch Lenovo P2 and Moto G4 Plus, which you can just about operate with one hand – but it’s far from a comfortable experience.
The Galaxy A3 2017 sports a gorgeous shiny glass and metal design, making it one of the best-looking phones in this round-up. The Moto G4 Plus and Lenovo P2 aren’t ugly by any means, but they aren’t really lookers either. The P2 sports a smart but straight-up metal finish, while the G4 Plus is a plastic handset that’s nevertheless as rugged as the only mobiles here.
We love the chunky Xperia X Compact however, which comes in some great shades and really stands out from the crowd.
Samsung’s Galaxy A3 2017 also stands out with its water resistant finish, meaning it’ll survive an unexpected trip into a sink or bath. None of the other phones share this feature.
Read next: Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 vs the best £400 Android phones
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 vs Lenovo P2 vs Sony Xperia X Compact vs Moto G4 Plus: Media and features
Media fans will probably lean towards the P2 and G4 Plus, as they boast spacious Full HD resolution screens. That’s definitely a better way to enjoy video on the move, although TV shows still look fine on the compact 4.7-inch HD displays of the Samsung and Sony handsets.
All four phones thankfully boast expandable storage, so you can carry around a hefty media collection. Just as well, as they don’t pack in much on-board storage.
In all four cases you get fingerprint security, so you can unlock your handset with a tap of your fingertip.
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 vs Lenovo P2 vs Sony Xperia X Compact vs Moto G4 Plus: Performance and battery life
Samsung’s new Galaxy A3 2017 sports the Korean company’s own Exynos 7870 processor, backed by a rather slimline 2GB of RAM. We’re yet to fully review the Galaxy A3 2017, but we’re anticipating quite smooth everyday performance. As long as the lack of memory doesn’t pose too much of a problem.
The Lenovo P2, Moto G4 Plus and Sony’s Xperia X Compact all sport budget Snapdragon processors. Technically the Xperia X Compact leads the way with its 650 chipset, although the P2 boasts more memory. However, the real life experience is that all of these mobiles will do the job as long as you aren’t too demanding. Apps load without much of a pause and you can even play the latest games, if so desired.
If you’re after long battery life, however, the P2 is the way to go. This 5.5-inch phone packs a ridiculous 5100mAh battery, which will keep most users going for three full days between charges. The Xperia X Compact and Moto G4 Plus can manage just about half of that.
We’ll let you know how good the A3 2017’s battery life is in our full in-depth review.
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 vs Lenovo P2 vs Sony Xperia X Compact vs Moto G4 Plus: Cameras
The Xperia X Compact is the pick of the bunch when it comes to camera tech. That 23-megapixel rear camera, boasting smart autofocus and 5-axis stabilisation, can capture great-looking photos in almost any conditions.
That said, the Lenovo P2 is the only phone here which can capture 4K resolution video. The others can record a maximum of Full HD 1080p footage. The P2 is respectable enough when it comes to general shots, although low light is its nemesis. Likewise, the Moto G4 Plus struggles a little when conditions are dim. However, Moto’s handset captures plenty of detail, as you’ll see in our Moto G4 Plus camera review samples.
Samsung’s Galaxy A3 2017 offers a solid 13-megapixel snapper that seems dependable enough for everyday snaps. Stay tuned for our full Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 camera review.
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