Samsung Galaxy J3 is an example of when style is in harmony with functionality. Crafted with attention to detail, the Galaxy J3 features a stunning, sleek metal body. The lack of a camera protrusion makes the phone feel more comfortable in your hand. The smartphone has a 5.0" HD screen and 2.5D protective glass guarantees greater durability.
Share the events of your life as you see them
The main camera with a resolution of 13 MP (F/1.9) takes clear and detailed pictures even in low light. The intuitive interface and floating shutter button allow you to shoot with one hand. Thanks to this, you can take photographs while you take the appropriate pose or compose the shot.
All selfies are of excellent quality
Samsung Galaxy J3 allows you to take colorful and clear selfies even in low light, making it easier to control the camera shutter. All you need to do is just give the camera a signal by showing your palm.
*Images shown are for illustrative purposes only. Actual photos may differ from those actually taken with the Galaxy J3 camera.
Forward at maximum speed
Use your smartphone at maximum performance. With a large amount of RAM (2 GB), 16 GB of internal memory and expandable up to 256 GB via microSD card, the Galaxy J3 smartphone instantly responds to your actions and is able to speed up work with your files and data.
*The amount of RAM and actual available memory may vary by region.
* MicroSD cards up to 256 GB can be purchased separately.
Sync anythingEasily manage your content. Samsung Cloud cloud storage allows you to create backups, as well as synchronize, restore and update data using your Galax smartphone. Manage your data anywhere, anytime. Galaxy J3 users get 15 GB free. *Benefits of this service may vary depending on connection method and external factors. |  |
Protected folderSamsung Secure Folder is a powerful solution for protecting your data, which allows you to create encrypted space in your smartphone memory to store personal content: photos, documents and sound files. Only you will have access to them. *Availability of this service may vary depending on the format of the encrypted content. |
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Dual Messenger featureCustomize chats as you wish. The Samsung Galaxy J3 smartphone allows you to set up two separate accounts for the same messenger. You can install and manage a second account in the messenger from the main screen or through the “Settings” menu. *For demonstration purposes only. As Dual Messenger feature support and app certification may vary from country to country, the feature may not be supported on single SIM models. |
Samsung Galaxy J3 2017 Black- the youngest model from the line of budget smartphones with balanced characteristics. It is powered by a quad-core processor, which easily copes with everyday tasks and uses battery power economically - one charge is enough for 12 hours of Internet surfing or 60 hours of listening to music. The 2017 Galaxy J3 has a sleek metal body that fits comfortably in your hand.
The Samsung Galaxy J3 2017 Black smartphone has a 5-inch display with high definition (HD) resolution. The model supports 4G networks, thanks to which the user receives high-speed Internet access, regardless of Wi-Fi access points. In addition, Samsung provides access to Samsung Cloud cloud storage. J3 2017 is equipped with a 13-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel front camera, which allows you to take high-quality photos, shoot Full HD videos and video chat.
The brand positions the J line as the entry level, even though the cost of the top models can reach 20 thousand rubles. The price difference could not but affect the technical characteristics of the devices. The most prominent representatives of the series are the J3, J5 and J7 gadgets.
The company presents the new models as an alternative to the more noble A-series. That is, J-devices are designed for those who do not need advanced or expensive functionality, but want to have a gadget from a famous brand in their pocket, and not some no-name device from China with an unclear warranty and incomprehensible service.
Nevertheless, the abundance of more than competitive “Chinese” makes the younger J-series (J3/J5) not so attractive. So here we are talking more about buying a venerable brand, rather than functionality and some remarkable features. Let's consider the most attractive option for domestic consumers - the J3 model, the youngest in the series.
So, the subject of today's review is a smartphone (2017). Characteristics, owner reviews, advantages and disadvantages of the gadget, as well as the advisability of the purchase will be discussed in our article.
Positioning
The first step is to clarify some price points that may After all the press releases, where the company presented journalists with a brand new model for 9,990 rubles, a device with slightly different characteristics should have gone on sale.
Here we are talking about the AMOLED screen that is equipped with the older models of the series. In fact, the gadget received a good, but still TFT matrix. Conveyor versions of the smartphone (J330F) began to differ not only in “filling”, but also in price. In total, the consumer received, in fact, an ordinary gadget for 12 thousand rubles.
Naturally, the “Chinese” from the budget segment look much more attractive. Huawei, Meizu and Xiaomi can offer almost the same thing, but for less money - 9, 8, or even 7 thousand rubles. But if you look at all Samsung models, the J3 device received the minimum price. That is, for 12 thousand rubles, the consumer has a branded smartphone with a unique design in a metal case.
Looking at the characteristics and reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017) in general, users are, in principle, willing to overpay for the name and a better quality body at the expense of the matrix. So everyone here has their own preferences and views on this situation.
Equipment
The smartphone is sold in a small box made of thick cardboard in a plain design. There are no beautiful landscapes, girls or cars on the packaging - only a blue background and the name of the series with an emphasis on the year of manufacture.
On the reverse side there is a very modest specification and manufacturer's markers. At the ends you can see accompanying labels and distributor stickers. The interior decoration is organized quite sensibly and the accessories do not “quarrel” with each other. Actually, there’s not much to fit there, because the equipment is budget-friendly.
Scope of delivery:
- the device itself;
- mains charger;
- USB cable for synchronization with PC and recharging;
- wired headphones;
- SIM card removal tool;
- documentation with warranty obligations.
The set is quite meager, but more is not needed here. Any additional accessory adds cost to the gadget, and the price is already high. Judging by the reviews of Samsung J3 (2017) owners, they are quite satisfied with the existing equipment. Today it is very difficult to please the consumer with standard cases or styluses, so users prefer to buy everything themselves, as they say, according to their taste and color.
The accessories themselves look reliable and not cheap: the charger is well assembled, the cords are elastic and protected, and the SIM card clip is made of a good alloy. In general, it feels like the device was equipped with a venerable brand. This is also confirmed by numerous reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017) in a positive way.
Appearance
The manufacturer didn’t bother with color schemes and released the J-series in the usual classic colors. In stores you can find blue, gold, pink and black gadgets. Judging by the reviews of the Black smartphone (2017), buyers are tired of the black color, and a good half of users prefer blue or gold colors. Pink devices are extremely rare, but due to the specificity of the shade, it is almost not in demand, so it’s difficult to write this down as a minus.
The dimensions of the device can be called acceptable for its diagonal - 143 x 70 x 8 mm. Weighing 142 grams, the model fits well in the hand and does not cause any discomfort even after prolonged use. Reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) smartphone are entirely positive in terms of ergonomics: the device is really comfortable and fits perfectly in the palm of your hand.
The device has a metal body, but with extensive inserts in the upper and lower parts. Comparing the older models with the J3, you can see that the brand has saved on design: visually the device looks like a budget phone, and only an expensive case can hide this. Judging by the reviews of (2017) Gold, the “golden” solution slightly saves the appearance, helping to merge the plastic inserts with the metal body. But upon careful examination, the budget segment of the gadget is still felt.
The next thing the manufacturer saved on was sensors. The smartphone does not have a fingerprint module, nor does it have an automatic light sensor. The latter costs a penny, and such savings are not entirely clear. Users in their reviews of (2017) have repeatedly criticized the brand for such a decision. Even frankly cheap Chinese models have a light sensor, and some have a fingerprint scanner. So here the manufacturer clearly went too far with cutting out unnecessary things.
Interfaces
On the front panel there is a familiar Samsung physical button, and on the sides there are two touch keys. They work great and respond well, but they are completely devoid of backlighting - again, saving money.
In the upper front part there is a peephole for the front camera with a flash. On the left side is the volume rocker, and on the right is the power key. The speaker is also located on the end just above the power button. This decision caused a mixed reaction in reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) smartphone.
On the one hand, the speaker does not cause any problems and even looks original. But on the other hand, his vociferousness has noticeably decreased. And if other gadgets from Samsung were distinguished not only by high-quality sound, but also by a good volume level, here we have only a solid average.
The bottom end is reserved for a standard 3.5 mm mini-jack and a micro-USB interface for synchronizing with a computer, peripherals and recharging. Slots for SIM and SD cards are located on the left side: one for the nano format, the other for an external drive or the same SIM card.
Assembly
As for the build quality, there are no complaints here. Users in their reviews of the Samsung J330F Galaxy J3 (2017) smartphone did not note any creaks, backlashes, gaps and other shortcomings that are typical for gadgets in the budget segment.
All parts fit tightly together and the device looks monolithic. So here we have a solid five: the gadget’s belonging to a noble brand is still felt.
Display
The device received an ordinary screen on the same unremarkable TFT matrix. The maximum that it is capable of is HD scanning. Judging by the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017), almost the only thing that pleased the matrix was its good readability of data in the sun, and that’s all.
There is no automatic adjustment of brightness and contrast, but there are several presets for different operating scenarios. For example, when the “Outdoor” mode is turned on, the brightness is turned up to the maximum value and the screen becomes easy to read even in direct sunlight.
The screen does not have any specific settings. In general, users in their reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017) are perplexed about this. Yes, the smartphone does not have the best TFT matrix, but it is also capable of some “tricks”. And why the manufacturers did not include the appropriate tools in the firmware is not entirely clear.
There are some minor complaints about the viewing angles, and only the mediocre TFT matrix is to blame for this. Therefore, you won’t be able to scroll through photos or watch videos in the company of friends: when you change the angle, the picture begins to distort, losing saturation and color.
Performance
The proprietary Exynos 7570 chipset running on four cores with a frequency of 1.4 GHz is responsible for the performance. 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory are enough for ordinary needs. The interface does not slow down and responds quickly, and all tables and icons scroll through and work as intended. If the internal storage is not enough, then it is possible to increase the volume using external SD cards, up to 256 GB.
Judging by the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) SM J330F, users are generally satisfied with the performance of the gadget. Essentially, what you pay for is what you get. There are no issues with the operation of standard applications, but some problems may arise with serious third-party programs. For “heavy” and modern toys, 2 GB of RAM is no longer enough, so sometimes you have to reset the graphic presets to the average, or even the minimum value (if the application starts at all).
Cameras
The main camera has a 13-megapixel matrix with autofocus and some kind of flash. The resulting photos are quite good, but only in good lighting. The camera's capabilities can be compared with the same "Chinese" ones - nothing outstanding, but nothing particularly to reproach.
Users, judging by reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Black, are generally satisfied with the capabilities of the matrix. Yes, in the dark the camera is practically useless, but the budget gadget was bought for the most part as a phone, and not as a camera.
The front camera has more modest capabilities with a 5-megapixel matrix. There is no autofocus here, but there is a flash and a variety of modes. The camera is perfect for taking selfies and further processing the latter right on the spot. Fortunately, there are enough tools for this, as well as decorations in the stock firmware. If you analyze the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) J330F, you can see that the main consumer of the gadget is young people. So the brand made the right decision by adding similar functionality for selfies to its device.
Communications
For the same savings, the manufacturer equipped the gadget with a single-band Wi-Fi module. Users in their reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017), especially city residents, have repeatedly complained about this decision. In large cities, the airwaves are crowded to the maximum, and normal operation will not work with one band.
In addition, the device does not have ANT+, and even today it does not have the necessary NFC module. There are no complaints about the Bluetooth wireless protocol: version 4.2 works as it should and transfers data quite quickly. The GPS module, one might say, functions as standard, and there are no questions about it either. The only thing worth noting is that it eats up a fair amount of battery, so you shouldn’t get carried away with it.
As for regular cellular communications, judging by user reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017), there are no problems: reception is stable, no interruptions or sagging were noticed. The Internet also works well, including LTE, and packets are not lost. So, if the connection starts to glitch or behave strangely, then the cellular operator is to blame, not the device.
Platform
The smartphone runs on the Android operating system version 7.0.1. In addition to the standard set of applications, the manufacturer has finally included a sensible FM radio in the firmware. Previous versions of the latter were so buggy that they caused a whole storm of negative emotions among users. In the latest versions of the platform, the holes have been patched up, and now everything works as it should.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the KNOX function, where the user has the opportunity to install any application in two copies at once. This is very convenient if you actively use instant messengers like WhatsApp on your work and home SIM cards.
But, as usual, the brand has stuffed its device with proprietary software. A good half of the applications are either completely advertising in nature, or are simply useless. It is quite difficult to remove all these “useful” programs from the stock firmware, so you have to resort to the help of third-party utilities that completely cut out all unnecessary software. As one of the options, you can immediately take care of changing the firmware to an amateur one. Fortunately, there are a lot of them on specialized forums, and some are even marked by the manufacturer as recommended or approved.
Autonomous operating time
The gadget received a 2400 mAh lithium-ion battery. For the gluttonous “android” brethren, this is clearly not enough. The unofficial minimum in the budget segment ranges from 3000 mAh, but here we have a very modest battery.
If you use your smartphone specifically as a phone or messenger and, with rare exceptions, allow yourself to play games or watch videos in high quality, then the charge will last for two or even three days with a reserve.
For fans of games and other multimedia entertainment, battery life will be sorely lacking. The device in this mode is barely enough for daylight hours, and already closer to dinner it begins to “ask” for a power outlet. So autonomy is one of the weakest features of the model.
There is no wireless charging, like the older generation, but for most users this is not critical. But what I wanted to get was fast recharging. Owners in their reviews have more than once complained about the manufacturer due to the lack of it. With such a modest indicator of autonomy, such a necessary thing as instant recharging is simply necessary. In normal mode, the battery is recharged in 2.5-3 hours.
To sum it up
As for the telephone, our respondent has no complaints: the connection is good, the vibration alert is noticeable, the subscriber can be heard very well, as well as you. The speaker volume is at an average level, but the device cannot be called quiet.
The smartphone is suitable for those who need a telephone gadget. For those who often surf the Internet and like to play games or watch movies, the J3 is far from the best option. Here we have a mediocre TFT matrix and the same performance. All this is perfectly optimized for standard tools, but, alas, it won’t handle anything really serious. And even if it does, it will last no more than an hour with such a modest battery.
J3 is the youngest model in its series and costs about 12 thousand rubles. The next generation (J5/J7) has more serious components and costs 15 and 18 thousand rubles, respectively. If you are looking for a normal gadget in the mid-price segment, then the J5 and J7 models are very good options, which cannot be said about the J3. It is difficult to classify it in the budget category because of the price, but in terms of its characteristics it does not reach the average level.
If you are not an ardent fan of the Samsung brand, and you need a smart device under 10 thousand rubles, then it is better to pay attention to the reputable “Chinese” from Meizu, Huawei and Xiaomi. They dominate the budget segment and offer really high-quality and inexpensive gadgets.
is a mid-level model from the largest smartphone manufacturer. She has every opportunity to become extremely popular. Excellently balanced technical characteristics, a well-known brand, beautiful appearance and all this at a fairly affordable price.
A 4-core processor with a frequency of 1.5 GHz is responsible for performance. Applications and not the most demanding games will not be difficult for him. But to run “heavy” 3D video games, you may need to lower the graphics level. 1.5 GB of RAM is responsible for the smooth operation and responsiveness of the interface. This is quite enough, given the presence of the modern Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system. Running multiple applications at the same time is also easy. The shell is TouchWiz, which is used in all Samsung smartphones. It is constantly being refined and improved. Plus, it has its own application store, which contains special discounts and offers specifically for owners of Korean brand phones. About 4.3 GB is available to the user for data storage (the total size is 8 GB, but a certain space is reserved by the system). If this space is not enough, you can install a MicroSD memory card up to 128 GB and turn the device into a storage for photos, music and videos.
From competitors Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) J320 Gold, is distinguished by the presence of a high-quality 5-inch display. It is made using SuperAMOLED technology, which is known for rich colors, excellent brightness, true blacks and at the same time consumes less energy than IPS matrices. The screen has an HD resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels with a density of 294 pixels per inch. The image is smooth and even, and individual dots can only be seen if you look closely. And the wide viewing angles will allow you to enjoy photos taken with the 8 MP main camera in the company of friends. It is equipped with autofocus and LED flash. For selfies and video calls, there is a front camera with a resolution of 5 MP.
Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) J320 Gold supports operation in Russian 4G/LTE frequencies, with a maximum data transfer speed of 150 Mbit/s. Many people will like the ability to install two SIM cards at once. In addition to choosing tariffs for the Internet and calls, this will allow you to combine work and personal phone numbers in one device. You can connect to access points using Wi-Fi, which works with b/g/n standards. The smartphone can serve as a navigator, and it works with both GPS and GLONASS satellites. And so that the call does not distract you from driving, you can connect a wireless headset via Bluetooth (version 4.0). With its help, you can transfer files or use Wi-Fi Direct for this. The device has a removable battery with a capacity of 2600 mAh, which provides up to 13 hours of talk time on 3G networks, up to 9 hours of Internet browsing via LTE and up to 53 hours of music playback.
As a rule, a budget smartphone is something unattractive and bulky made of cheap plastic, but you can’t say that about the Galaxy J3. Of course, it cannot be confused with the flagship Samsung Galaxy S6, but it also looks nice.
Dimensions and weight are at a good level - 142.3 × 71 × 8.4 mm and 138 grams, respectively. Thus, it is lighter and more compact than the popular Asus Zenfone 2 Laser, quite comparable to the “sophisticated” Huawei P8 Lite, and it also fits comfortably in the hand. The phone is recognizable as the company’s typical “soaped up” design, so it looks like any other budget phone from the company, for example, the 5-inch Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, both front and back. The only differences are in the side ends, which have become more ornate on the Galaxy J3 (as if they were once again run over with a file), and in the colors of the front panel - the top frame and the thin strip around the screen will always be black, regardless of the color of the case.
The frames of the phone were skillfully disguised with black color and the side ends slightly rising above the display, making them seem thin. But in fact, they are not that narrow, the ratio of screen area to device area is about 68%, this is an average figure. The back panel is quite featureless, it only has the Samsung logo, the DUOS inscription at the bottom, a speaker grille, a camera lens and a backlight LED. Everything is the same as other state employees of the company.
The smartphone has a collapsible body - both the cover and the battery are removed. Today, when manufacturers are chasing all-metal cases with all their might, this is even unusual. The build quality of the Samsung Galaxy J3, according to our experts, is at a good level; the phone does not bend under pressure. The lid fits tightly, the only inconvenient thing is the latches that hold it in place - when assembling the smartphone, you will have to press on each separately.
Samsung Galaxy J3 can be purchased in three colors: white, black and gold.
Screen - 4.0
The display of the Samsung Galaxy J3 turned out to be of high quality, largely due to its AMOLED matrix. It provides wide viewing angles, sufficient brightness and infinite image contrast.
The phone has a 5-inch screen with HD resolution (1280×720 pixels), which today is rather the norm rather than a luxury. The pixel density is at a good level - 294 per inch, which is more than enough for a clear picture. Viewing angles are wide, but not maximum, they are noticeably at the same as the same flagship Galaxy S7. If you watch the same video on two phones from an angle, you can see that on the Galaxy J3, skin tones and other colors begin to fade, but this does not happen on the company's top phone. Separately, we note that the screen quickly collects fingerprints, but is wiped off quite easily.
The measured screen brightness ranges from 4 to 256 cd/m2, which is low and comparable to the results of the Asus Zenfone 2 Laser. But, firstly, in the case of the Samsung J3, it is an AMOLED display, which, even with nominally low performance, does not look dim. Secondly, it has a special “Outdoor” mode, with which the brightness increases to 435 cd/m2. Curiously, the phone does not have an auto-brightness function; apparently, the manufacturer decided to save money on the light sensor. The color rendition of the screen turned out to be normal, especially in comparison with the simply “exuberant” screen of the Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016).
In the display settings you can see the already familiar picture modes - “Adaptive”, “Movie AMOLED”, “Photo AMOLED” and “Main”. In the first three, the color gamut corresponds to the wider Adobe RGB standard, which makes the picture seem too oversaturated, even garish. In the “Basic” mode, the color gamut is “compressed” to the sRGB standard, in which colors look more natural and familiar.
Performance - 1.8
In daily use, the Samsung Galaxy J3 works quite smoothly, but periodically “thinks” and slows down when solving many tasks. For heavy games and those who like to run several applications at once, this is not the best option.
The Samsung Galaxy J3 uses the Spreadtrum SC9830 chipset (4 cores, frequency up to 1.5 GHz). It is far from the most productive, but it supports LTE. The smartphone cannot be called very productive, but at least it is not annoying when working. So, when going to different menus, settings or when launching applications, he often thinks for half a second, but this is not so critical for a budget employee. As for heavy games, this is definitely not for him - the phone runs them, but they do not work very smoothly. Even the average Thumb Drift slows down at high graphics settings, which becomes critical at high speeds and sharp turns. We checked to see if the Galaxy J3 overheats during operation - it turns out it doesn't. After half an hour of playing racing, the case temperature never exceeded 37 degrees.
In various benchmarks, the phone received low budget scores:
- Geekbench 3 (CPU test) - 1169 points, lower than the flagship four years ago;
- Ice Storm Unlimited from 3DMark (graphics) - 3662, more than a thousand less than the budget ZTE Blade X5;
- AnTuTu (mixed test) - 25123 points, several thousand lower than Huawei Honor 4C Pro.
It looks funny, but in some tests the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) scored lower than its younger brother Galaxy J1 (2016).
Cameras - 3.1
The 8 and 5 MP cameras of the Samsung Galaxy J3 can be called quite good for their resolution, but they are noticeably inferior to the same Samsung Galaxy J7. You can take a good selfie with them, capture your friends, or photograph the necessary document.
The camera application has a clear interface; you may only be annoyed by the constant sound of the shutter when shooting - there is simply nowhere to turn it off, only if you turn off the sounds of the system itself. There are a number of modes in the settings:
- "Auto"
- "Pro"
- "Continuous Shooting"
- "Panorama"
- "Retouch"
- "Sport"
- "HDR"
- "Sound and Photo".
The purpose of the latter seemed strange - you take a photo, and immediately after that a 9-second audio clip is recorded. This is interesting, but it is not clear who would benefit from this mode. Interestingly, compared to the Galaxy J1 (2016), the phone now has an HDR mode, but the manual mode (“Pro”) turned out to be poorer in adjustable parameters. In Pro mode you can configure:
- Exposure (−2 to +2)
- ISO (100 to 800)
- White balance (automatic or one of four to choose from).
The number of customizable parameters and adjustment ranges are not impressive. Most phones can already change ISO up to 1600, and exposure can be adjusted from −3 to +3.
The shooting quality is good for 8 MP, the level of detail is not bad. The camera focuses accurately, but takes quite a long time, on the order of a second or longer. In good lighting conditions, the phone will be able to take a good side shot, but will not replace a camera. In the dark and indoors, photographs no longer look as attractive due to noise.
The Galaxy J3 camera can shoot video in no more than HD resolution (1280x720 pixels) at a speed of 30 frames per second and with tracking autofocus. Why there is no Full HD video is unclear. Perhaps these are limitations of the chipset, or the manufacturer decided that for a device with an HD display it is enough to shoot with the same quality.
The front-facing camera is fine for outdoor selfies, but the photos come out with a slight cool tint. Indoors the result does not look so good due to the omnipresent noise. Besides, whatever one may say, the front camera is inferior to the main one.
Photos from the camera Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) - 3.1
Photos from the front camera of Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) - 3.1
Working with text - 4.0
The Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) comes pre-installed with the company's proprietary keyboard. One of its features is the ability to switch to a 3x4 format with large icons, as was the case in old push-button phones.
Working with such a keyboard is quite convenient, it has predictive input, you can adjust the size of the keyboard and set text shortcuts for long words or entire phrases. There is no marking of additional characters here, only a row of keys with numbers. But it supports continuous word input (Swype). It's a little sad that there wasn't a separate icon for the comma. We also didn’t like switching between languages, which occurs by holding down the space bar and swiping to the side.
Internet - 3.0
Initially, the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) has Google Chrome and simply “Internet” browsers. The first has the function of changing the text size to a pre-selected one using a double click and synchronization with the desktop version. The Internet browser does not have any special functions, everything is quite typical. Although it used to have automatic adjustment of text to the width of the screen, for some reason they decided to remove it. When working with several heavy pages, the phone begins to slow down and “stick” when scrolling through sites.
Communications - 2.6
The Samsung Galaxy J3 smartphone received a standard set of communications:
- simple Wi-Fi b/g/n with Wi-Fi Direct support
- Bluetooth 4.1 with A2DP profile
- LTE support
- FM radio (needs headphones)
- A-GPS with GLONASS support.
The phone supports two micro SIM cards. A regular MicroUSB 2.0 connector is used for charging. Surprisingly, it supports USB On-the-Go for connecting peripheral devices. As a rule, more expensive devices, for example, Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016), enjoy this “privilege”. Also pay attention to the phone version - for example, the SM-J320H/DS modification does not work in LTE networks. During our tests, we didn't really like the performance of the GPS module. Its cold start took more than a minute and a half - smartphones usually handle this faster.
Multimedia - 3.6
As a rule, the company takes a serious approach to device support for audio and video formats. Samsung Galaxy J3 is no exception, but it cannot be called an omnivore. Thus, the phone plays music in FLAC, but, like most mobile devices, it cannot cope with AC-3. From video, he did not want to launch 2K, 4K videos and RMVB format.
The typical audio player “Google Play Music” is preinstalled on the smartphone. This is not just a player, but also an entire music service from Google with an equalizer and a bunch of services. If you pay for a subscription, you can save your favorite tracks, listen to them offline, and also get rid of ads. To watch videos, there is a proprietary video player without any special functions. True, except for the ability to show subtitles, send videos and listen to sound from videos via Bluetooth.
Battery - 3.4
We rated the battery life of the smartphone as decent, which is quite high for the moderate price of the Galaxy J3. We easily had enough of a smartphone for a day of work and even more.
The battery capacity of the smartphone can be called average - 2600 mAh. But don’t forget that its main expenses are the screen and processor, and in this case they can be called economical. Thus, the phone lasted 11 hours and 10 minutes when watching HD video at maximum brightness (“Airplane” mode). This is close to record holders for autonomy like Lenovo Vibe P1m and others. It’s even funny that the cheaper Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016) lasted a couple of hours longer, however, due to the small and unclear screen. But in audio player mode the miracle no longer happened - a constant light load drains the battery relatively quickly, 50 hours and you're done. This is comparable to the results of Huawei Honor 5X or Sony Xperia E4.
In an hour of running the GeekBench Battery Test, the battery lost 15% of its charge, a slightly better result than average. An hour of mid-range games consumes 18%, you can expect that you can play about 5 hours on the Samsung Galaxy J3. Shooting a 10-minute HD video consumed only 4% of the battery, one of the best results.
Yes, in some tests the smartphone shows incredibly high autonomy, but in daily use it is not such a record holder, it lasts for a day of work and a little more. In principle, this time is enough, and this “a little more” will be a reserve when the phone’s battery begins to deteriorate. However, in this case you can easily replace it with a new one, because it is removable.
The Samsung Galaxy J3 comes with a 1 A charger. It takes a little over two and a half hours to fully charge the device.
Memory - 3.5
The amount of permanent memory in the Samsung Galaxy J3 is small - only 8 GB (4.3 GB available to the user), while Chinese (and not only) competitors have long flaunted 16 GB on board. But this is not so critical, because the volume can be expanded using a MicroSD memory card (up to 128 GB). Moreover, the slot for it is separate, and not combined with any of the SIM cards. It is located near the battery, but to install a MicroSD card it is not necessary to remove it, because it does not interfere with inserting the card inside - a small thing, but nice. Most applications are installed only on the internal memory of the device. After this, only part of the software data can be transferred to the card. Sometimes this leads to funny things. For example, the 3DMark application takes up 55 MB of device memory, but if you move it to MicroSD, you will see that it takes up about 42 MB on the card and 29.3 on the phone, that is, almost one and a half times more in total.
Peculiarities
Apparently, Samsung decided that state employees are not entitled to the latest Android, so the Galaxy J3 runs version 5 of the system and its own TouchWiz interface. As usual, the phone comes pre-installed with quite a lot of different software that not everyone needs - not only from Google and Samsung, but now also from Microsoft. In principle, this may be useful for someone, but the catch is that they are not simply deleted from the phone. The interface is still a little heavy and a little confusing with the abundance of settings, which are also scattered rather strangely. For example, they are grouped under the names “Connections”, “Device”, “Personal” and “System” and it is not always possible to guess in advance where the item you need will be located. Features of the device include the use of an AMOLED screen, a removable battery, support for LTE and two SIM cards. However, the last two points are not so special today.
Continues to expand the J line, which includes the most affordable smartphones from the Korean manufacturer. Most recently, this family was replenished with a device called Galaxy J3 Pro, this is an improved version of the regular model. The newly launched smartphone has acquired a number of improvements, including a changed appearance in accordance with the new design concept of the brand’s budget devices, a different processor and increased memory. Let's take a closer look at this device.
Design, materials and display of Samsung Galaxy J3 Pro
The smartphone, as already mentioned, has changed in appearance, so it cannot be confused with the Galaxy J3 model. The new device looks much more solid than its predecessor. When looking at the new product, you can’t help but feel that this is a device made of metal, but this is not the case. This budget phone is entirely clad in a plastic case, or rather, a polycarbonate case with an imitation of premium material. Like the previous model, this smartphone is very comfortable to hold, since the display diagonal is small and the edges are rounded. Buyers are provided with two types of colors - golden and silver. The size and weight have remained virtually unchanged. Thus, the dimensions of the Galaxy J3 Pro do not exceed 142.2 × 71.3 × 8 mm, while the weight is 139 grams.
The location of various elements on the body remains the same. The front panel is covered with glass, under which there is a display that occupies 68 percent of the surface. Above the screen there is a front camera peephole, a speaker, sensors and the manufacturer's logo. Below it there is a central mechanical key, traditional for Samsung products, and on either side of it are the “Back” and “Menu” touch buttons. On the right edge there is only a power button, and on the left there is only a solid volume rocker. The microUSB v2.0 connector and microphone are located at the bottom end. A 3.5 mm headset jack has found its place on the top edge. The back of the smartphone has a pleasant texture; the main camera lens, LED backlight and multimedia speaker are installed here. The photo module, which is important, now does not protrude above the surface.
Despite the positioning of the smartphone, it is equipped with a very high-quality screen. It is based on a SuperAMOLED matrix with good viewing angles, contrast and brightness levels. Pixelation is almost invisible, since the resolution is 1280 × 720 pixels. This, of course, is not Full HD, but this is more than enough for reading and watching videos comfortably. By the way, the pixel density here is 294 ppi. The display diagonal is 5 inches.
Specifications Samsung Galaxy J3 Pro
And now we come to the most interesting part, since when choosing an inexpensive smartphone, most people pay attention, first of all, to its technical component. The Galaxy J3 Pro model received controversial hardware. Yes, the 64-bit Snapdragon 410 chipset installed here is better than in the regular version of this model, but by modern standards it is already weak. This processor contains four 1.2 GHz cores and is paired with an Adreno 306 module.
The hardware of the device is not impressive, but the power reserve is enough for simple tasks. The manufacturer increased the RAM to 2 GB, and increased the storage to 16 GB, which is very good for a budget employee. The device has a separate slot for a microSD card, so the storage can be expanded up to 256 GB. Also pleasing is the presence of a wide range of wireless interfaces, which is more typical for higher-end smartphones. The equipment includes not only Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 standards, but also NFC for paying for purchases. GPS and GLONASS modules will prevent you from getting lost. A version with two slots for microSIM cards will be available. 4G frequencies are supported. A removable battery with a resource of 2600 mAh is responsible for the autonomy of this gadget. Considering the not very powerful hardware platform and low screen resolution, you can hope for a good operating time on a single charge. The functions of the operating system are assigned to the Android 5.1 Lollipop platform, there is a shell.
The photographic capabilities of the new product deserve special attention, since their level is not bad at all for a smartphone belonging to the budget segment. The rear camera is equipped with an 8 megapixel sensor with f/2.2 aperture, a bright LED flash and good autofocus. Video recording in 1080p is supported. The front camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels and an aperture of f/2.2.