The Samsung Galaxy A3 SM-A300X is a new smartphone from the A-series range that sports a metal unibody since Sammy are stepping away from the plastic finish on a number of their smartphones. The A3 originally announced on the 30th of October, isn’t releasing until some stage during the second half of November. That means we know it’s coming soon.

The A3 is coming out of the box with pre-loaded Android 4.4.4 KitKat. The same firmware version that users will find automatically on the handset out of the box is now readily made available by the folks over at SamMobile. The firmware build number is ZCU1ANJ8. All you must do is visit the link here and follow the page through to the Sam mobile website where the file sits.

Galaxy A3

Even though the new A3 is a metal body, it isn’t the premium handset from the range. We know Android 5.0 Lollipop is available for the Nexus range and soon to rollout for many other devices including those in the Samsung range. From that standpoint, it’s somewhat a let down we don’t have Lollipop here. However, you must understand that the A3 is a mid-range handset and not the top-end device.

What’s fantastic about this release is you can test out the firmware on your device to see what the smartphone is feeling like upon its release. From there you can decide whether you’re interested in buying the phone or perhaps looking at a different phone in stores. Remember that firmware comes and goes and there’s no question it will see many more releases when they become available. However, all that is in due time.

If you want to find a smartphone with a high-resolution camera, Quad core processor, NFC, fast 4G mobile data support, small dimensions and under the Samsung name, this is a great handset for you. If you prefer spending more money try looking at the Galaxy Alpha A7 that is the top-end of the range. Note that it does come with pre-loaded 4.4.4 Kitkat again. That makes the A3 look even more pleasant in comparison.