SOMETIMES, you come across deals that are hard to pass up. Today is one of those days. We happened to stumble on an offer that may be perfect for those who want a phone from the Galaxy A series, but can’t afford to buy a 2017 model.

Check out the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) [click for complete specs] on Lazada Philippines. Originally priced at P19,990 (around $403), it now costs only P10,990 (roughly $222).

Sure, we expected a price drop when this year’s variant of the A5 was launched in the Philippines less than a month ago, but a 45-percent markdown is huge. THIS HUGE. And if you factor in the P19,990 SRP of the Galaxy A5 (2017), it will be hard to ignore the A5 (2016).

The latter may not have many of its predecessor’s features. We’re talking stuff like IP68 water-resistance and dust-proof rating, reversible Type-C connector, and always-on AMOLED display. But for a device that has been on the market for a little over a year, this one’s a steal at its current price on Lazada.

We expected a price drop of the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) when this year’s variant was launched, but a 45-percent markdown is huge. For a device that has been on the market for a little over a year, this one’s a steal at P10,990 ($222).

As with other Samsung smartphones that have made their way to the Philippines, the Galaxy A5 (2016) carries an Exynos chipset, not Qualcomm’s Snapdragon. This model, in particular, is powered by the Exynos 7580 Octa.

It comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, with room for up to 128GB more via microSD expansion.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) initial review: Off on a positive note

The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)’s screen size is big enough at 5.2 inches to watch your preferred shows and play your favorite games up close. A 13-megapixel rear camera is paired with a 5-megapixel front shooter for your mobile-photography needs. If you’ve drained the 2,900mAh battery, it won’t be hard to charge it immediately, thanks to fast charging. And there’s a front-mounted fingerprint sensor for extra security.

You will just have to make do with Android Lollipop. However, we heard an update to Android Marshmallow has been rolled out for Galaxy A5 (2016) users, so you’ll probably have the phone’s OS upgraded in no time.

Image via AndroidPIT

Related video: Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) review

---