home Calculators Galaxy G 3. Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Review: A Budget Samsung That Could. Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.

Galaxy G 3. Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Review: A Budget Samsung That Could. Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.

The brand positions the J line as an entry level, even though the cost of the top models can reach the mark of 20 thousand rubles. The price range could not but affect the technical characteristics of the devices. The most prominent representatives of the series are gadgets J3, J5 and J7.

The company presents new models as a kind of alternative to the more noble A-series. That is, J-devices are designed for those who do not need advanced, as well as 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 the domestic consumer - 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 feasibility of buying will be discussed in our article.

Positioning

The first step is to clarify some price points that can After all the press releases, where the company presented a brand new model to journalists for 9,990 rubles, a device with slightly different characteristics was supposed to go on sale.

Here we are talking about the AMOLED screen, which is equipped with older models of the series. In fact, the gadget received a TFT matrix, albeit a good one. Conveyor versions of the smartphone (J330F) began to differ not only in terms of “stuffing”, 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, then the J3 device received the lowest price. That is, for 12 thousand rubles, the consumer has a branded smartphone with a unique design in a metal case.

Looking at the specifications and reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017) in general, users are, in principle, ready to overpay for a name and a better case to the detriment of the matrix. So here everyone has their own preferences and views on this situation.

Equipment

The smartphone is sold in a small cardboard box 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 the accompanying labels and stickers of distributors. The interior decoration is organized quite sensibly and accessories do not "swear" with each other. Actually, there is nothing special to fit there, because the package is budget.

Contents of delivery:

the device itself;
mains charger;
USB cable for synchronization with PC and recharging;
wired headphones;
SIM card eject tool
warranty documentation.

The set is rather meager, but more is not needed here. Any additional accessory adds value to the gadget, and the price already bites. Judging by the reviews of the owners of Samsung J3 (2017), they are quite satisfied with the available equipment. It is very difficult to please the consumer today with regular covers or styluses, so users prefer to buy everything themselves, as they say, to their taste and color.

The accessories themselves look reliable and expensive: the charger is perfectly assembled, the cords are elastic and protected, and the SIM card clip is made of good alloy. In general, it is felt that the device was completed by a venerable brand. This is also confirmed by numerous reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017) in a positive way.

Appearance

The manufacturer didn't go crazy with color schemes and released the J-series in the usual classic colors. In stores you can find blue gadgets, golden, pink and black. Judging by the reviews of the smartphone (2017) Black, buyers are fed up with black, 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 is difficult to write down this moment as a minus.

Dimensions of the device can be called acceptable for its diagonal - 143 x 70 x 8 mm. With a weight of 142 grams, the model fits well in the hand and there is no feeling of discomfort even during prolonged use. Reviews about the smartphone Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) in terms of ergonomics are entirely positive: the device is really comfortable and fits perfectly in the palm of your hand.

The body of the device received a metal, but with extensive inserts in the upper and lower parts. Comparing older models with J3, you can see that the brand has saved on design: visually, the device looks like a state employee, and only an expensive case can hide it. Judging by the reviews of the (2017) Gold, the “gold” solution saves the look a bit, helping to merge the plastic inserts with the metal case. But upon closer 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, as well as an automatic light sensor. The latter costs a penny, and such savings are not well understood. 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 even have a fingerprint scanner. So here the manufacturer obviously went too far with cutting out the excess.

Interfaces

On the front panel there is a familiar Samsung physical button, and two touch keys are located on the sides. They work perfectly and respond well, but they are completely devoid of backlighting - again, savings.

In the upper front part there is a front camera eye with a flash. On the left side is the volume rocker, and on the right - the power button. The speaker is also located on the end just above the power button. This decision caused a mixed reaction in the 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 differed not only in high-quality sound, but also in a good volume level reserve, then 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 synchronization 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. Users in their reviews of the Samsung J330F Galaxy J3 (2017) smartphone did not note any squeaks, backlashes, gaps and other shortcomings that are typical of budget segment gadgets.

All parts are tightly fitted to each other 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-distribution. Judging by the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017), almost the only thing that pleased the matrix was good readability of data in the sun, and nothing more.

There is no automatic adjustment of brightness and contrast, but there are several presets for different operational scenarios. For example, the included "Outdoor" mode twists the brightness to the maximum value and the screen becomes easy to read even in direct sunlight.

There are no specific settings for the screen. In general, users in their reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017) are perplexed about this. Yes, the smartphone did not get 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 minor complaints about the viewing angles, and only a mediocre TFT-matrix is to blame for this. Therefore, flipping through photos and watching videos in the company of friends will not work: when you change the angle, the picture begins to distort, losing saturation and colors.

Performance

Responsible for the performance proprietary set of chipsets Exynos 7570, running on four cores with a frequency of 1.4 GHz. 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory is enough for ordinary needs. The interface does not slow down and quickly responds, and all tables and icons are flipped 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. Basically, what you pay for is what you get. There are no questions about the work of standard applications, but some problems may arise with serious third-party programs. 2 GB of RAM is not enough for “heavy” and modern toys, so sometimes you have to reset the graphic presets to an average, or even a minimum value (if the application starts at all).

cameras

The main camera received a 13-megapixel matrix with autofocus and no flash. The output photos are not bad, but only in good lighting. The capabilities of the camera can be compared with the same "Chinese" - nothing outstanding, but there is nothing particularly to reproach.

Users, judging by the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Black, are generally satisfied with the capabilities of the matrix. Yes, in the dark, there is practically no sense from the camera, 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 embellishments in the stock firmware. If we analyze the reviews on the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) J330F, we can see that the main consumer of the gadget is young people. So the brand did not fail by adding a similar functionality for selfies to their device.

Communications

For the sake of savings, the manufacturer equipped the gadget with a single-band Wi-Fi module. Users in their reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017), especially urban residents, have repeatedly complained about this decision. In large cities, the air is packed to the maximum, and normal operation will not work with one range.

In addition, the device lacks 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 he “eats” a lot of battery, so you shouldn’t get carried away with it.

As for the usual cellular connection, judging by the user reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017), there are no problems: the 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 began to fail or behave strangely, then the cellular operator is to blame, not the device.

Platform

The smartphone runs on Android operating system version 7.0.1. In the firmware, in addition to the standard set of applications, the manufacturer has finally included an intelligent FM radio. 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 were 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 stuffed its device with proprietary software. A good half of the applications are either advertising through and through, or 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 cut out all unnecessary software at the root. 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.

Offline work time

The gadget received a 2400 mAh lithium-ion battery. For the gluttonous "android" brotherhood, this is clearly not enough. The unspoken minimum in the budget segment ranges from 3000 mAh, and 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 high-quality videos, then the charge will last for two or even three days with a margin.

Fans of games and other multimedia entertainment will be sorely lacking in battery life. The device in this mode is barely enough for daylight hours, and closer to dinner, it begins to “ask” for an outlet. So autonomy is one of the weakest features of the model.

Wireless charging, like the older generation, is not here, but for most users this is not critical. But what I wanted to get was a quick recharge. The owners in their reviews have repeatedly 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.

Summarizing

As for the phone, there are no complaints about our respondent: the connection is good, the vibrating alert is noticeable, the subscriber is heard very well, just like you. The volume of the speakers is at an average level, but you can’t call the device quiet.

The smartphone is suitable for those who need a phone gadget. For those who often surf the Internet and like to play games or watch movies, J3 is far from the best option. Here we have a mediocre TFT-matrix and the same performance. All this is perfectly optimized for regular tools, but, alas, it will not pull something really serious. Yes, if it pulls, 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 mainstream segment, then the J5 and J7 models are very good options, which cannot be said about the J3. It is difficult to attribute it to the budget category because of the price, but it does not reach the average in terms of its characteristics.

If you are not an ardent fan of the Samsung brand, and you need an intelligent device up to 10 thousand rubles, then it is better to pay attention to the solid “Chinese” from Meise, Huawei and Xiaomi. They dominate the budget segment and offer really high-quality and inexpensive gadgets.

As a rule, a budget smartphone is something unattractive and bulky made of cheap plastic, but you can’t say the same about the Galaxy J3. Of course, you can’t confuse it with the flagship Samsung Galaxy S6, but it also looks pretty.

Dimensions and weight are at a good level - 142.3 × 71 × 8.4 mm and 138 grams, respectively. So, it is lighter and more compact than the popular Asus Zenfone 2 Laser, it is quite comparable with the "sophisticated" Huawei P8 Lite, besides, it fits comfortably in the hand. The phone recognizes the company's typical "soapy" design, so it looks like any other company's budget phone, for example, the 5-inch Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, both front and back. The only differences are in the side ends, which the Galaxy J3 has become more pretentious (as if they were once again walked over with a file), and in the colors of the front panel - the top frame and a thin strip around the screen will always be black, regardless of the color of the case.

The bezels of the phone are skillfully camouflaged in black and side ends slightly rising above the display, which makes them seem thin. But in fact, they are not so narrow, the ratio of screen area to device area is about 68%, this is an average figure. The back panel turned out to be rather featureless, it has only the Samsung logo, the DUOS inscription at the bottom, the speaker grille, the camera lens and the backlight LED. Everything is the same as other state employees of the company.

The smartphone received a collapsible case - both the cover and the battery are removed. Today, when manufacturers are chasing all-metal cases with might and main, 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 snugly, only the latches on which it rests are inconvenient - when assembling the smartphone, you will have to press each one separately.

The Samsung Galaxy J3 is available in three colors: white, black and gold.

Screen - 4.0

The display of the Samsung Galaxy J3 turned out to be of high quality thanks in large part to its AMOLED matrix. It provides wide viewing angles, sufficient brightness and infinite image contrast.

The phone received a 5-inch screen with HD-resolution (1280 × 720 pixels), which today is rather the norm, not a luxury. The pixel density is at a good level - 294 per inch, this is more than enough for a clear picture. Viewing angles are wide, but not maximum, they are noticeably at same as the same flagship Galaxy S7. If you watch the same video on two phones at 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 wipes off quite easily.

The measured screen brightness ranges from 4 to 256 cd/m 2 , which is low, comparable to the Asus Zenfone 2 Laser results. But, firstly, in the case of the Samsung J3, this 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. It is curious, but the phone does not have an auto-brightness function, apparently, the manufacturer decided to save on the light sensor. The color rendition of the screen turned out to be normal, especially compared to the simply “violent” screen of the Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016).

In the display settings, you can see the already familiar image modes - "Adaptive", "AMOLED Movie", "AMOLED Photo" and "Basic". In the first three, the color gamut corresponds to the wider Adobe RGB standard, which makes the picture seem too oversaturated, even screaming. In the "Basic" mode, the color gamut is "compressed" to the sRGB standard, in which the 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 once again it does not irritate 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 state employee. As for heavy games, this is definitely not for him - the phone launches them, but they do not work very smoothly. Even the mediocre 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 overheated during operation - it turned out that it didn't. For half an hour of racing games, the case temperature did not exceed 37 degrees.

In various benchmarks, the phone received low budget scores:

Geekbench 3 (CPU test) - 1169 points, lower than the four-year-old flagship;
Ice Storm Unlimited by 3DMark (graphics) - 3662, more than a thousand less than the state employee ZTE Blade X5;
AnTuTu (mixed test) - 25123 points, several thousand lower than the 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 Samsung Galaxy J3 cameras can be called good for their resolution, but they are noticeably inferior to the same Samsung Galaxy J7. It is quite possible to take a good selfie on them, capture your friends or photograph the necessary document.

The camera application has received a clear interface, you may be annoyed only 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. In the settings there are a number of modes:

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 to whom such a regime can be useful. Interestingly, compared to the Galaxy J1 (2016), the phone has an HDR mode, but the manual (“Pro”) mode turned out to be poorer in terms of adjustable parameters. You can set up in Pro mode:

Exposure (-2 to +2)
ISO (100 to 800)
White balance (automatic or one of four to choose from).

The number of adjustable parameters and setting ranges are not impressive. Most phones already know how to change ISO up to 1600, and adjust the exposure from -3 to +3.

The image quality is good for 8 MP, the level of detail is not bad. The camera focuses accurately, but for 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 passing shot, but will not replace the camera. In the dark and indoors, photos no longer look so attractive due to noise.

The Galaxy J3 camera can shoot video in no more than HD resolution (1280 × 720 pixels) at 30 frames per second and with tracking autofocus. Why there is no Full HD video is unclear. Perhaps these are chipset limitations, or the manufacturer decided that a device with an HD display is enough to shoot with the same quality.

The front camera is fine for outdoor selfies, but the photos come out with a slight cool cast. Indoors, the result does not look so good anymore due to the ubiquitous noise. In addition, 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 Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) - 3.1

Working with text - 4.0

The Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) comes preloaded with the company's signature keyboard. One of its features is the ability to switch to a 3×4 format with large icons, as was the case in old push-button phones.

Working with such a keyboard is quite convenient, there is predictive input, you can adjust the size of the keyboard and set text shortcuts for long words or whole phrases. There is no markup of additional characters here, only a number of keys with numbers. But it supports continuous word input (Swype). It's a little sad that there was no separate icon for the comma. We also did not like switching between languages, which occurs by holding the spacebar and “swiping” to the side.

Internet - 3.0

Initially, the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) has Google Chrome browsers and simply "Internet". The first has the function of changing the text size to a pre-selected one using a double tap and synchronization with the desktop version. There are no special functions in the Internet browser, everything is quite typical. Although earlier it also had an automatic adjustment of the text to the width of the screen, but for some reason they decided to remove it. When working with several heavy pages, the phone starts to slow down and “stick” when scrolling through sites.

Communications - 2.6

Smartphone Samsung Galaxy J3 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 (earphones required)
A-GPS with GLONASS support.

The phone supports two micro SIM cards. For charging, a regular MicroUSB 2.0 connector is used. Surprisingly, it supports USB On-the-Go for connecting peripherals. As a rule, more expensive devices, for example, Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016), use this “privilege”. Also pay attention to the version of the phone - for example, the SM-J320H / DS modification does not work in LTE networks. During the tests, we did not really like the work of the GPS module. It took more than a minute and a half to start it cold - usually smartphones cope with this faster.

Multimedia - 3.6

As a rule, the company takes seriously the support of audio and video formats by devices. Samsung Galaxy J3 is no exception, but it cannot be called omnivorous. So, the phone plays music in FLAC, but, like most mobile devices, it cannot cope with AC-3. From the video, he did not want to run 2K, 4K videos and RMVB format.

The typical Google Play Music audio player is preinstalled on the smartphone. This is not just a player, but also a whole 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 get rid of ads. To watch the video there is a proprietary video player without any special features. True, except for those, the ability to show subtitles, send video and listen to the sound from the video via Bluetooth.

Battery - 3.4

We rated the smartphone's autonomy as decent, it is quite high for the Galaxy J3's moderate price. We calmly had enough smartphone for a day of work and even more.

The battery capacity of the smartphone can be called average - 2600 mAh. But do not forget that the main items of its consumption are the screen and the processor, and in this case they can be called economical. So, 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, though at the expense of a small and fuzzy screen. But in the audio player mode, the miracle no longer happened - a constant small 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, the result is slightly better than average. An hour in mid-range games consumes 18%, you can expect that on the Samsung Galaxy J3 you can play about 5 hours. Shooting a 10-minute HD video took 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 "slightly more" will be a reserve when the phone's battery starts 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 1A charger. It takes just 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 is available to the user), while Chinese (and not only) competitors have long been flaunting 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 putting the card inside - a trifle, but nice. Most applications are installed only on the internal memory of the device. After that, 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 in the device’s memory, but if you start moving it to MicroSD, you will see that it began to take 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 the latest Android is not allowed for state employees, so the Galaxy J3 is running the 5th version of the system and its own TouchWiz interface. As usual, quite a lot of different and not everyone needs software is preinstalled on the phone - not only from Google and Samsung, but now also from Microsoft. In principle, this can be useful to someone, but the whole catch is that they are not deleted from the phone just like that. The interface is still heavy and a little confusing with an abundance of settings, which, moreover, are 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. The 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.

is a mid-range model from the largest smartphone manufacturer. She has every opportunity to become extremely popular. Perfectly balanced technical characteristics, well-known brand, beautiful appearance and all this at a fairly affordable price.

Responsible for performance 4-core processor with a frequency of 1.5 GHz. Applications and not the most demanding games will not be difficult for him. But to run "heavy" 3D video games, you may need to reduce the level of graphics. For the smooth operation and responsiveness of the interface, 1.5 GB of RAM is responsible. This is quite enough, given the presence of the modern operating system Android 5.1 Lollipop. 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 developed and improved. Plus, there is its own application store, which contains special discounts and offers, especially for owners of Korean brand phones. About 4.3 GB is available for user storage (the total size is 8 GB, but some space is reserved by the system). If this space is not enough, then 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 Black, 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 panels. 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 points can be seen only if you look closely. And wide viewing angles will allow you to enjoy photos taken with the 8 megapixel main camera in the company of friends. It is equipped with autofocus and LED flash. For selfies and video calls, a front camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels is installed.

Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) J320 Black supports operation in Russian 4G/LTE frequencies, with a maximum data transfer rate of 150 Mbps. Many 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 perform the functions of a navigator, and it works with both GPS and GLONASS satellites. And so that the call does not distract from driving, via Bluetooth (version 4.0), you can connect a wireless headset. With it, 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 in 3G networks, up to 9 hours of Internet browsing via LTE and up to 53 hours of music playback.

Technologies and materials that only flagship owners could be proud of before are gradually becoming available to the mass consumer. For example, a metal case used to be used only in premium devices. Now many Chinese manufacturers are actively equipping their budget models with metal cases. And relatively recently, Samsung has opened a new trend: AMOLED screens in the budget segment of smartphones.

One of the owners of such a screen was the 2016 Samsung Galaxy J3 smartphone. There are at least 4 versions of this smartphone, which may differ slightly in some characteristics. Models relevant to our market - Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) SM-J320F/DS and SM-J320 H/DS, the first of which supports 4G, and the second is limited only by the data transfer rate in 3G networks. The cost of the device in branded stores is $ 183. The price is current at the time of writing.

You may also be interested in the updated J3 (2017), .

Specifications Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) J320

Specifications correspond to the budget segment of smartphones in 2016. The only exception is the display.

Design

Like it or not, Samsung does not want to change its traditions in terms of the design of budget smartphones. Still the same boring back panel.

All the same silver edging around the edges.

The touch control buttons located on the sides of the physical Home button are devoid of backlighting. In white and gold colors, the device looks a little fresher. The body itself is collapsible. The cover is made of soft-touch plastic, the device does not slip in the hands. Case dimensions: 71 x 142.3 x 7.9 mm, weight - 138 g.

CPU

Model SM-J320 F/DS is equipped with a Spreadtrum SC9830 processor, with 4 Cortex A7 cores and a maximum operating frequency of 1.5 GHz. Graphic chip - Mali-400 MP4. The synthetic AnTuTu test estimates the performance of the smartphone at about 24 thousand points.

In smartphone version SM-J320 H/DS is based on a similar chipset, but Spreadtrum SC8830, which does not support 4G networks.

The manufacturer installed a budget system on a chip. However, there are no problems with speed. The smartphone copes not only with typical daily tasks, the power of the hardware installed in it is also enough for 3D games.

Memory

The volume of permanent storage is 8 GB, part of this space will be occupied by the system. The remaining free space is enough to install the necessary applications, but there will be no freedom for fans to play resource-intensive 3D games. Fortunately, there is a slot for external drives format MicroSD up to 128 GB.

But with RAM, things are much more interesting. State employees mostly come with 1 or 2 GB of RAM. In this case, the amount of RAM is 1.5 GB, which is quite good: the smartphone can easily withstand such loads as the simultaneous launch of several applications. However, it is not the first time for Samsung to equip its devices with non-standard RAM.

Offline work

The capacity of the removable battery is 2600 mAh. This is enough for a day of moderately active use of the device. In networks with active web surfing, the battery will be discharged in about 5 hours. For those cases when the charge is running out, and the smartphone will not be connected to the outlet soon, there are modes of economical energy consumption and extreme energy saving. When activated, only basic functions (phone, messages, social networks, clock) will be available, but the battery life will be increased.

Camera

The main camera is equipped with an 8-megapixel sensor, with flash and autofocus. The camera interface contains various effects that can be applied while shooting. There is an HDR mode that allows you to take photos with a higher dynamic range. There is also an advanced mode for advanced users: manual settings for ISO, white balance and exposure compensation are available in it.

Under good conditions for shooting, the camera demonstrates a good result: no noise, good color reproduction, correct auto-detection of white balance. But we were not lucky when shooting, in a lit room the pictures turned out to be useless. The detail of the pictures is lame. Users demanding on the photographic capabilities of mobile devices will notice not the highest focus response speed. At night, as well as when shooting indoors, the quality of the photo drops noticeably, the appearance of noise and loss of detail cannot be avoided.

macro photography

The maximum resolution of the recorded video is HD (1280 x 720), with a frame rate of 30 FPS.See an example video below.

The 5 MP front camera is noticeably behind in image quality from the main camera. However, if desired, the user will be able to take quite acceptable selfies.

Display

The main advantage of the Galaxy J3 2016 is a 5-inch screen with HD resolution (1280 x 720), and a Super AMOLED matrix. This technology is famous for its excellent image properties: the user sees a rich, bright and contrasting picture. Viewing angles are excellent, the image remains well readable in the sun. In addition, such screens are energy efficient, which is a definite plus. The pixel density is 294 PPI.

The protective glass does not have an oleophobic coating. The smartphone does not have a light sensor, so you can only adjust the brightness manually. There is an "Outdoor" mode that temporarily increases the brightness of the display, which is very useful in sunny weather. Also in the settings there are several additional modes, when activated, the properties of the image will change.

Network communications

Dual SIM smartphone. Version SM-J320 F/DS can work in 2G/3G/4G networks, while the SM-J320 version H/DS does not support 4G networks. GPS / GLONASS navigation is supported, with the technology of accelerated search for A-GPS satellites. Bluetooth 4.0 modules and single-band Wi-Fi are responsible for wireless data transmission. The MicroUSB connector is equipped with an OTG function, which makes it possible to connect external USB peripherals.

Sound

The main speaker, located on the back of the case, performs its function properly: the volume margin is sufficient so as not to miss an important call. The speaker is also in order, you can hear it well. The headphones sound good, high-quality stereo sound, especially if you use headphones of good quality.

Software

Android 5.1 is installed as an OS on the smartphone, with Samsung's proprietary shell - TouchWiz. The shell interface is nice, it works very fast. Differences from the "bare" version of Android are a slightly redesigned interface and the presence of pre-installed applications from Samsung and Microsoft. It is also worth noting the presence of Smart Manager installed as a system utility, with which you can clear memory, manage energy saving, etc.

Distinctive features

With its Super AMOLED screen, the Galaxy J3 (2016) sets itself apart from its competitors. Let's add here a non-standard amount of RAM, the ability to install 128 GB flash drives, as well as an extreme energy saving mode.

Pros and cons of Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) J320

Pros:

bright screen;
support for 4th generation networks (depending on the version, see the section on network communications).

Minuses:

low pixel density, low screen resolution;
little built-in memory;
weak processor.

Our review of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) J320

Before us is a smartphone that is closer to the middle class in terms of price, although in fact it has a budget-level stuffing. Except for the display. Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) J320 will suit those users who need a relatively inexpensive dual-SIM smartphone with 4G (or 3G) from a well-known manufacturer, with a high-quality screen, good performance and a decent camera for non-artistic shooting.

Video review Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)

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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 panels. 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 points can be seen only if you look closely. And wide viewing angles will allow you to enjoy photos taken with the 8 megapixel main camera in the company of friends. It is equipped with autofocus and LED flash. For selfies and video calls, a front camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels is installed.

Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) J320 Gold supports operation in Russian 4G/LTE frequencies, with a maximum data transfer rate of 150 Mbps. Many 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 perform the functions of a navigator, and it works with both GPS and GLONASS satellites. And so that the call does not distract from driving, via Bluetooth (version 4.0), you can connect a wireless headset. With it, 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 in 3G networks, up to 9 hours of Internet browsing via LTE and up to 53 hours of music playback.