Galaxy j7 update. Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) – a smartphone that holds a charge for a long time

Owners of the budget smartphone Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) again received a bonus from the manufacturer in the form of an August firmware update (J730FMXXU3ARF2/J730FMOXY3ARF2/J730FMXXU3ARG1).
The file size is more than 250MB, and the accompanying text states that the update brings bug fixes, improved stability and expanded functionality. In particular, the new firmware of the Samsung proprietary browser opens direct access to downloading the game, which at the recent presentation of the Galaxy Note9 was advertised as exclusive for owners of the new flagship. Apparently, owners of other smartphone models from the South Korean electronics giant are also getting priority access to Fortnite.
It should also be recalled that the Galaxy J7 (2017) and its modifications are awaiting an upgrade to the next version of Android (namely Oreo 8.1). It is guaranteed to work with the Bixby intelligent voice assistant, although the likelihood that this software will be opened for a budget model is not very high.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that the Galaxy J7 series (2017) is still considered the best in Samsung's budget line, since it provides the owner with almost all the basic functions of the more expensive premium models of the A series. For example, these devices boast a solid metal body, good Super AMOLED display with Full HD resolution, sensitive fingerprint sensor, proprietary KNOX data protection system, full support for the Samsung Pay payment service (MST+NFC), excellent 13-megapixel cameras with flash (both main and front), Always On Display mode (always on the screen), separate slots for 2 SIM cards and an additional microSD memory card, 3GB of RAM and very good performance.
In addition, Galaxy J7 (2017) owners take advantage of various Samsung services such as cloud storage and bonuses such as the aforementioned priority access to new gaming content. And all this for a very reasonable price, at which you can now buy such a well-balanced and reliable device.

Update: at the end of September 2018 in Russia, Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) received

The main and almost the only external change in the design of the updated model is the use of metal in the body.

Fortunately, Samsung took into account our comments made during the review of the old Galaxy J7 model, and removed those wonderful plastic “chrome” edge frames that began to peel off almost in the store. Here, of course, I am exaggerating, but overall the situation was quite sad. It is strictly forbidden for your phone to be in the same pocket as your keys.

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) solves the problem by using an aluminum frame with a shiny, polished stripe. I don’t want to use a completely hackneyed phrase, but there’s no escape when it’s true: metal feels pleasantly cool on the hand. It's smooth, but not slippery, so the phone doesn't try to slip out of your hand at the most inopportune moment. Due to the relatively wide, even ends with slightly beveled edges, it is convenient to lift the phone from the table surface from any position.

In general, this update brought only pleasant impressions both from appearance and from practical operation. Besides metal, the only visible innovations include plastic inserts for antennas, which are present in every “metalized” Samsung smartphone this year, starting with .

The back frame is plastic, designed to resemble polished metal. It is thin and can be removed with some effort. However, with some patience, you don't have to worry about it breaking.

The diagonal screen size remains the same – 5.5 inches. Therefore, the overall dimensions also did not undergo significant changes: the width decreased by 2.7 millimeters and the thickness increased by 0.3 millimeters. Weight dropped by a whole gram to 170.

It's hard to say whether the phone is any more attractive, because beauty is subjective. However, the new metal edging definitely helped the new model “freshen up” and not look as boring as before. In addition, the absence of plastic will no longer cause the phone to lose its presentable appearance after a month of use.

Connectors and controls

The set of connectors and elements, as well as their arrangement, completely repeats the sets in previous J-series smartphones of 2016. Neither a fingerprint scanner nor an indicator of missed events appeared here.

Above the screen from left to right are the front camera, earpiece, proximity sensor and flash. There is no light sensor here, so the brightness is changed manually.

Below the screen: mechanical Home and touch Menu and Back. The buttons are not backlit.

The metal power button is located on the right side.

The volume rocker, consisting of two separate and again metal buttons, is on the left.

At the bottom end there is a microphone, a microUSB connector and a 3.5 mm mini-jack for connecting a headset or headphones.

The rear panel is no different from that in: a loud external speaker, a camera eye that protrudes slightly beyond the body, and an LED flash.

Under the cover there is a good old set of slots for two SIM cards in microSIM format and a microSD memory card with a capacity of up to 128 GB.

Personally, I like this option better than the combination tray, which allows you to place either two SIM cards, or one SIM card and a memory card. However, there are a lot of instructions floating around the Internet on how you can combine a SIM card and a memory card, which will allow you to cram three elements into a double tray. However, this method does not guarantee their 100% performance, not to mention the risk of damaging one of the elements. And so, if you can’t cope with installing a SIM card or memory card, then our short video will help you solve the problem:

In principle, the ergonomics of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) are not satisfactory. All buttons and connectors are in their usual places, and the audio port moved to the bottom end deserves a special mention - this makes it much more convenient to use.

Case for Galaxy J7 (2016)

Buying a case or cover for the Galaxy J7 (2016) is quite simple - there are quite a lot of them released.

For such a case for the Galaxy J7 (2016) they are asking 1,500 rubles. It looks good, and the case can serve as a stand.

This cover for the Galaxy J7 (2016) is made of leather and costs significantly more – 2,900 rubles.

The silicone case for the Galaxy J7 (2016) also costs quite a bit – about 1,400 rubles.

There are also many other similar accessories on sale - after all, we are talking about a popular mass-produced smartphone.

Galaxy J7 (2016) screen

The screen, or rather the resolution, of the updated Galaxy J7 (2016) model is one of the most controversial issues. The diagonal size of the screen, we recall, is 5.5 inches, and the resolution is 1280x720 pixels, which means a low density of pixels per unit area.

In this case, the PPI value is 267. Frankly, it’s not the highest value; after all, HD for a 5.5-inch screen has long been considered too modest a parameter. However, thanks to Samsung's tricks of slightly larger fonts here, slightly larger icons here, and so on, everything looks quite smooth, without a "ladder" of individual pixels.

In addition, I would like to note that most people who are passionate about things pay attention to little things in the form of pixels. For many users, this parameter is of much less importance than, for example, the number of megapixels of the camera, if you know what I mean. Finally, we should give Samsung its due: the company’s product range includes the Galaxy J7 (2016) model with a Full HD screen and three gigabytes of RAM, but it is intended only for the East Asian markets.

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016), like other J-series smartphones, including the old “seven” of 2015, uses a matrix made using Super AMOLED technology. What does this mean? About rich color reproduction with the ability to adjust, a high level of brightness, good readability in the sun and the “correct” display of black. The maximum white brightness is 398.89 cd/m2, which deserves a good rating.

In the screen settings, you can select four color profiles. I settled on the rich Adaptive, which offers more “flashy” colors, and the Basic one with more “calm” colors. The image clearly shows how the color gamut in Adaptive mode exceeds the sRGB space, while when using the Basic profile, the colors go only slightly beyond its limits.

When using the Adaptive Profile, the color temperature differs from the reference 6500K by approximately 1300-1500K. As a result, the colors turn out at least “colder” - a little, but noticeably. The Main Profile colors look “softer” due to the fact that the color temperature is much closer to 6500K and differs by 200-300K.

Finally, the last screen test is to measure the gamma curve for two profiles. In this case, the curves for both Adaptive and Basic are the same and generally show a slight deviation, so that the picture will be displayed with the desired brightness.

The screen sensor recognizes 10 simultaneous touches.

There is no light sensor here or it is not used in this version of the OS. In any case, while looking through the specifications of the smartphone on various resources, including the official one, I did not find any mention of it.

Overall, if you don't pay attention to the resolution, I liked the screen. Sensitive, with good and adjustable color reproduction, bright - the screen is definitely good. What it lacks, in my opinion, are the additional settings that Samsung usually leaves for the flagship S-series of devices. Although it was still worth keeping the automatic brightness adjustment - it’s much more convenient with it.

Galaxy J7 (2016) camera

If we jump straight to the conclusion, the same conclusion can be made about both phone cameras: good, but without frills. I do not have the opportunity, like iFixit, to disassemble smartphones and compare components, so my conclusion is based on my own observations.

According to them, the old and updated Galaxy J7 models are equipped with the same photo modules. However, there is nothing wrong with this, since the 2015 J7 has very good cameras. This is probably why Samsung decided: if it works, don’t touch it.

The main camera takes pictures with a maximum resolution of 13 MP (4128x3096), but only for the 4:3 aspect ratio. For the 16:9 aspect ratio that most displays on TVs, monitors and mobile devices follow, the resolution drops to 9.6 MP.

The settings were also “migrated” from the old Galaxy J7. In normal mode, you can select a filter, turn the flash on/off, and set a timer.

Pro mode adds white balance, ISO and exposure compensation settings.

Among other settings, you can select HDR shooting, panoramic and continuous shooting, and others.

The pictures come out quite decent, especially outdoors with good lighting conditions. I also suggest taking a look at the review of the camera from last year's model to increase the number of photos for evaluation.

The video is shot with Full HD resolution. Obviously, 2K resolution is left for flagship smartphones to maintain intrigue.

The quality of the video, as well as the photo, is excellent, so you can safely take out your tripod and shoot time-lapse videos of your city.

The resolution of the front camera images again depends on the selected aspect ratio. The maximum is only available for 4:3. The settings correspond to those in the Galaxy J5 (2016) and the old Galaxy J7 model - the choice of self-portrait, group photo, and so on.

The quality of the pictures, considering that this is still a front camera, is excellent. Color rendition, white balance, sharpness – nothing is satisfactory. In addition, the front camera is equipped with a flash. Personally, I have never used it, but perhaps someone will find a use for it.

The maximum resolution available for video is Full HD.

I suggest you evaluate the quality of the picture yourself. My opinion is still the same – excellent. What else can I say if this is true?

Overall, as mentioned at the beginning, both cameras take excellent pictures. The only drawback is the simplified menu and modest settings. Samsung leaves the more advanced features to the flagships, although I believe that these cameras are also quite capable of handling them.

Specifications Galaxy J7 (2016)

As a rival, I chose last year's Galaxy J7 model. The new product has a different processor and more RAM, so I'm curious how significant the difference in performance between the two models a year apart is. I received a Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) labeled SM-J710FN.

In addition to the metal in the case, changes also affected the filling of the smartphone. The display is probably the same, but the Galaxy J7 (2016) model received a new processor, increased RAM, an NFC chip and a more capacious battery. And also a more recent version of the operating system.

The Exynos 7870 processor is an improvement on the 7580 found in the old Galaxy J7. It is made using a 14nm process technology, includes eight Cortex-A53 cores with a clock speed of up to 1.6 GHz and, as Samsung promises, is more energy efficient. Unfortunately, the first and so far only device equipped with the Exynos 7870 is the Galaxy J7 (2016), so the processor has not yet appeared on popular resources and there is little information about it.

As for the graphics accelerator, the Mali-T830 MP2 is a mid-range solution in the T800 line of accelerators and is intended for mid-priced solutions. In general, even the old Galaxy J7 model did not suffer from a lack of performance with a weaker Mali-T720 MP2 video card, including in games, so the more advanced Galaxy J7 (2016) should not let you down.

The J7 (2016) has 2 GB of RAM, more than the 2015 Galaxy J7, which only had 1.5 GB. Today this is already the standard. Also, the battery capacity has been increased from 3000 to 3300 mAh, an NFC chip has been added, and Android 6.0.1 has been installed. What it doesn't have is a gyroscope, so a smartphone won't be suitable for virtual reality glasses. The built-in memory is 16 GB, of which 11 GB is available.

In general, the changes are quite significant - a new chip, more RAM, a fresh operating system. However, it is not yet clear how this will affect practice, so we move on to testing performance and battery life.

Performance testing

Last year’s J7 model acted as a competitor, as I already said. Let's see what changes Samsung has managed to achieve in the mid-price range.

The results of the system-wide Quadrant test again showed who is the weak link today and who will not be able to handle World of Tanks Blitz today. However, the lag is not that big, although the test is already a bit old. What will more modern tests show?

The SunSpider browser test (the lower the score, the better) showed the same thing: the Galaxy J7 (2016) takes the lead, but not as much as one would expect after the launch of Antutu.

Finally, graphics performance tests. A modern smartphone copes with this task better, but in general, the obtained numbers demonstrate that both devices can be safely classified as strong “mid-rangers” and you can try playing any games on them.

Galaxy J7 (2016) in Antutu

And let's see how the smartphone performed in the popular Antutu test.

As you can see, the overall test showed significant superiority of the new model. The difference was almost 12,000 points - quite impressive.

Autonomy Galaxy J7 (2016)

In terms of autonomy, I expect at least good results from the Galaxy J7 (2016). The fact is that Samsung not only increased the battery capacity, but also used the battery itself, which, coupled with the new 14 nm processor, will discharge extremely slowly.

According to the results of device autonomy testing, the Galaxy J7 (2016) was able to outperform the Galaxy J7 by 5%. Considering that the old model at one time showed very good results, significantly ahead with a 4000 mAh battery, then Samsung’s words about the improved energy efficiency of the new processor can be considered true. The Galaxy J7 (2016) model was very reluctant to part with battery percentage, and overall the smartphone turned out to be very durable, showing excellent results. Even a brick smartphone with a 5000 mAh battery is unlikely to reach this figure.

Traditionally, the maximum expenditure was on games. What can you do? For heavy applications to work correctly, your smartphone needs all its resources. But when listening to music, reading and at rest, the battery practically did not discharge.

If somewhere on the road you find that the battery is about to run out, Samsung suggests using the power saving mode, which changes the color scheme to black and white and turns off most modules. With its help, even a couple of percent of charge can be extended for a significant time. To this you can add a customized list of applications that will be disabled if not used for a long time.

In general, testing proved that the J7 (2016) indeed received more productive hardware than the old model. Although for the most part the superiority was insignificant, I still consider the result to be excellent, since last year's Galaxy J7 was also not bad. Although I was especially pleased with the improved autonomy of the Galaxy J7 (2016).

Games on Galaxy J7 (2016)

It's time for the real test - the game. In short, the Galaxy J7 (2016) coped with everything with a bang.

• Riptide GP2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Asphalt 7: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Asphalt 8: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Modern Combat 5: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• N.O.V.A. 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Trigger: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Trigger 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Real Racing 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Need For Speed: No Limits: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Shadowgun: Dead Zone: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Frontline Commando: Normandy: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Frontline Commando 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Eternity Warriors 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Eternity Warriors 4: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Trial Xtreme 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Trial Xtreme 4: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Effect: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Effect 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Plants vs Zombies 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Target: excellent, the game does not slow down.

Some games, such as Iron Man 3, were not available on Google Play at the time of testing, so they were removed from the list. But even without that it’s clear: on the Galaxy J7 (2016) you can play everything, and without any problems.

BY

The main difference in the preinstalled software is the operating system itself, version Android 6.0.1. It is distinguished from Android 5 by a lot of innovations: permissions for applications, simplified volume control, an updated list of applications with the most frequently used programs, and so on. Learn more about the innovations in . However, the TouchWiz shell somewhat neutralizes these differences, so at first glance the number of changes may seem quite modest.

Otherwise, all the software was moved here from last year’s Galaxy J7 and is no different from the Galaxy J5 (2016). For example, branded applications from Google and Microsoft.

And this is already a set of applications from Samsung.

Additionally, while scrolling through your desktops, you may come across Briefing, a customizable global news aggregator. For those who do not need it, you should then perform the “pinch” gesture with two fingers, go to the table with this application and move the switch to the appropriate position.

Personally, ease of use is always important to me, so the first thing I do is set up quick access to the switches. Let me remind you that if you pull the “curtain” not with one, but with two fingers, then a full list of switches opens.

Then I explore the advanced settings. Unfortunately, Samsung saves most of the best stuff for more expensive devices, so the list of such settings in the Galaxy J7 (2016) is quite modest. But, of course, there are some things. For example, since we're aiming for a 5.5-inch screen, it makes sense to experiment with the settings for one-handed operation.

For me personally, the reduced window and small keyboard were not very convenient. Perhaps it's a matter of habit. Window reduction mode is activated after pressing the Home button three times.

It's worth using these extra features for a while to see if they're useful to you. Since there is no missed events indicator in the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016), smart notifications can come in handy.

In the display settings, you can specify whether a background will be used for icons.

Smart Manager is a convenient and effective application that has become part of the settings. It displays general statistics on the state of the smartphone with the ability to view more detailed information.

And this is a view of running applications with a convenient “Close all” button.

Finally, a set of standard applications - dialer, contact editing, settings with the ability to select shortcuts for quick access, voice recorder and others.

While testing the settings and pre-installed software, one word kept on the tip of my tongue: modest. On the one hand, everything you need and a little more is here. But compared to flagship devices, mid-price range models seem like simple “balalaikas”.

Conclusion

If we compare the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) with its predecessor, the new product is superior to the old model on several points: body, performance, software and battery life. If we consider them separately, then each innovation does not represent any fundamental changes. But overall, Samsung turned out to be a very interesting model, which was able to become better than an already decent smartphone.

Separately, I would like to note the excellent autonomy of the smartphone, which surpassed the performance of the Galaxy J7 2015, which is, without any modesty, excellent. In second place is the metal body, which avoids unnecessary boredom in the outline of the smartphone. Third place in my improvised list of achievements is shared by two good cameras and a high level of performance, allowing you to run any games on a mid-level smartphone.

The main and, perhaps, the only disadvantage is the screen resolution. However, as I already said, thanks to Samsung's tricks, an undemanding user will not pay any attention to this drawback.

Galaxy J7 (2016) price

You can buy a Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) for 19 thousand rubles. For comparison, the 2015 model can be purchased for 15.5 – 16 thousand rubles. How will competitors respond?

Meizu M3 Note can be purchased from the official distributor at an average price of 16.5 - 17 thousand rubles. The smartphone is equipped with a 5.5-inch IPS screen with Full HD resolution, an eight-core MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755) with a Mali-T860 MP2 accelerator, 2 gigabytes of RAM, 16 gigabytes of internal memory, a 4100 mAh battery and a combined SIM tray. maps and memory cards, GPS / GLONASS navigation and LTE support. The disadvantages compared to the Galaxy J7 (2016) are the older Android OS version 5.1 and worse battery life.

This model is not so common, but for 18 – 18.5 thousand rubles the set of characteristics deserves attention. In the first place is a battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh, alas - non-removable, as well as a fingerprint scanner. The smartphone is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 (MSM8939) processor with eight cores and a clock frequency of 1.5 GHz, an Adreno 405 accelerator, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal memory and support for memory cards up to 128 GB. The 4G standard and Wi-Fi 802.11ac interface are supported.

Pros:

• improved design compared to its predecessor;
• metal sidewalls;
• high-quality assembly;
• more powerful processor and video card;
• increased amount of RAM;
• higher capacity battery and record autonomy;
• flash for front camera;
• decent camera quality;
• high-quality Super AMOLED screen;
• convenient location of the audio jack;
• collapsible body;
• pre-installed Android 6.

Minuses:

• no automatic screen brightness adjustment;
• low screen resolution for a 5.5" screen;
• no LED event indicator.

J-ruler from Samsung can stand at a respectful distance from the Galaxy S and A-series. And in terms of modernization, the budget application from the manufacturer has not become much better, but a step forward has been made.

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) was originally created for the Asian markets. Affordable phones were in great demand in India, but, as it turned out, they are loved just as much in Europe.

The reason for the love is that the Galaxy J7 (2016) has a new metal finish, a bigger battery, the latest Android and advanced chips. Samsung can afford all this without crossing the bar for a budget application.

Just like the original, the 2016 model is offered in two versions in different markets: you can get either a Snapdragon processor or an Exynos chipset. The difference is negligible considering they both have eight Cortex-A53 cores.

Key Features:

– two MicroSim SIM cards;

– 5.5-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen with 720p resolution and 268 ppi density;

– eight-core Exynos 7870 processor with a clock frequency of 1.6 GHz and a Mali-T830 graphics chip;

– 2 GB of RAM;

– 16 GB of internal memory + MicroSD slot (up to 128 GB);

– 13 MP main camera with LED flash and the ability to record 1080p video at 30 frames per second;

– 5-megapixel front camera with LED flash and the ability to record 1080p video at 30 frames per second;

– Android 6.0.1 with proprietary TouchWiz shell;

– removable battery 3300 mAh;

– plastic cover, metal body.

Main disadvantages:

– no dedicated microphone for noise reduction;

– only the 2.4 GHz band for Wi-Fi;

– no MHL (but USB OTG is supported).

Interestingly, the very first announcement of the J7 in 2016 offered a screen resolution of 1080p. But as it turned out, it was a limited edition, available only for China. The remaining specifications are more or less identical for the 2015 and 2016 editions. Obviously, the quality of selfie photos is still a big selling point, which is why the Galaxy J7 (2016) has an updated front camera with a fast aperture and LED flash.

Overall, the Galaxy J7 (2016) looks like a small step up from the J-series. Let's move on to the equipment.

Equipment overview

Just like the Galaxy J5 (2016), the J7 comes with a new design compared to its predecessor. The plastic case was replaced with a metal one. Only the lid is spared the stylish new metal finish. It remained plastic, but it was made to imitate metal. So it doesn’t stand out from the general look.

The cameras protrude literally a millimeter from the body. The ensemble includes an LED flash and grilles. Only under the one in front is a speaker (but there is no light sensor), and under the one behind the phone is a loudspeaker hidden.

Samsung has laid out the buttons in a traditional way: the power/lock key is located on the right, while the volume key is on the left side of the phone.

The display of the Galaxy J7 (2016) has an impressive bezel. At the bottom of the screen is the traditional Home button for navigation. You won't find a fingerprint sensor in it. To the right and left of it there are two touch control buttons.

At the bottom you'll find a MicroUSB port, the main (and only) microphone, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There is nothing on the top of the phone.

Removing the back cover gives access to the 3300 mAh battery, as well as MicroSim slots and a MicroSD memory card. Please note that the NFC chip is also located on the back panel.

Handling the Galaxy J7 (2016) is a pleasure. The body is durable, large, solid in weight, and pleasant to look at. But nothing more can be said about him, because all this has already happened.

Final words

Samsung uses the traditional recipe. If a dish tastes good and sells well, then there is almost nothing to change about it, except perhaps add seasonings to taste. But the smartphone did not receive any extraneous ingredients. An upgrade to a metal body is enough for all of the company’s lines to switch to aluminum, moving away from plastic. The result is excellent build quality and a design that most people will enjoy using. And to make things less boring, we slightly updated the front camera and installed a faster processor. The dish is ready and can be served.

Market, bon appetit.

Samsung Galaxy J7 is an entry-level smartphone for users who do not need fancy hardware. The device occupies a starting position in the company’s line, but judging by its cost, it can be regarded as a “strong mid-ranger.” This is a device with a good, high-quality display, which has on board everything you need for high-quality and trouble-free daily use.

Model
Dimensions, weight	152.5 * 74.8 * 8 mm, 181 grams
Screen	5.5" Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution
OS	Android version 7.1
Chipset	Exynos 7870, 1.6 GHz, eight cores
GPU	Mali Т830МЗ2
RAM/ROM	3/16GB + there is support for microSD memory cards up to 256 GB (a dedicated card slot)
Interfaces	Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS
Cameras	Main: 13 MP, f/1.7, front: 13 MP, f/1.9
battery	Lithium-ion, 3600 mAh

Design and management

Samsung Galaxy J7 has four body colors: black, blue, gold and pink. A smartphone in a black case looks a little more advantageous and more solid. Blue and gold look interesting, but a bit flashy, like pink. The body is made of durable metal, without gaps or backlash of individual parts. During use, the coating applied to the body does not wear off. At the back there are inserts for antennas; they are made of plastic.

There is a button on the front responsible for Owner's fingerprint recognition. The fingerprint sensor works quickly, no false positives have been detected. The front location of the sensor turned out to be a very convenient solution; you have to reach for it from the back, but here it is always accessible. Thanks to its compact dimensions, the phone fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Relatively small size and weight allow you to carry the device in your jeans or trousers pocket.

On the front there is also a camera, flash and light level sensor. Unfortunately, there is no backlight for the virtual keys. The volume and power buttons are placed on separate sides so that the owner does not confuse them when pressing “blindly”. There is a speaker above the power button. The solution is unusual, but it allows you to maintain internal ergonomics. The charging and headphone jack are located at the bottom. The overall impression of the design and controls of the Samsung Galaxy J7 is quite pleasant.

Screen Features

The display of the Samsung Galaxy J7 is made according to proprietary SuperAMOLED technology. Compared to last year's revision, the screen has improved noticeably. Colors have become brighter and more saturated. In addition, they can now be manually adjusted up to 350 nits. If you select the automatic mode, say, “on the street,” then the indicators will be increased to 550 nits.

Important! A big plus of this model is its excellent readability in natural light. In the sun, the screen practically does not go blind.

Color rendition has become more natural, the gamma is bright and voluminous. Special praise should be given ability to manually adjust white balance. If you don’t want to tinker with the settings, you can set the automatic mode, there are several of them in the settings.

The Samsung Galaxy J 7 phone has a screen diagonal of 5.5 inches. The resolution is FHD matrix, and the gadget doesn’t require more. If we compare the device with its main competitors in 2016-2017, its significant superiority will become obvious.

This budget model has Always On Display option. A pleasant surprise, considering that it is more typical for flagships and some smartphones in the company’s mid-price segment. The implementation of the “non-switchable display” is not without its drawbacks; rather, this is the point when one should rejoice at its presence. What immediately catches your eye is the greatly reduced ability to select the information that will be displayed on the screen. In this case, it all comes down to showing the time, message notifications and a few application icons. The clear advantage is low power consumption in this display mode.

In general, the display of the Galaxy J7 smartphone is its clear advantage, which distinguishes it from other gadgets in this price category.

Memory and performance

The characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 show good performance. Three gigabytes of RAM allow you to keep several applications running at once. The amount of internal memory is quite small by today's standards, but the available 16 gigabytes are easily expand with a memory card. The device supports flash drives up to 256 gigabytes.

The device's processor remains the same as in last year's version. This decision was made because the architecture has proven itself well. The available capacity is sufficient for everything needed. Besides, The chipset does not overheat, and this is a very important indicator for an entry-level processor.

On a note! The smartphone scores 47 thousand points in Antutu. Not a bad result for an inexpensive device.

The power of the Samsung Galaxy G 7 is enough for undemanding games and most applications. It is possible to play the latest games in the gaming industry, but they will not work at maximum graphics settings. However, the device was not positioned as a gaming device.

operating system

The Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 phone runs on the Android operating system version 7.1. At the time of the model's release, Nougat was the current OS for most new products. Of course, the interface has undergone some modifications by Samsung. This is not a completely pure Android, but it is not a full-fledged graphical shell either. Unlike the "empty" OS here There are several software improvements, which are inherent in many mid- and high-end smartphones. An example would be the AoD mentioned above.

Important! There is full hardware and software support for two SIM cards, which is very convenient. Users who are used to switching between accounts to use different numbers will be pleasantly surprised by the improved synchronization.

Most of the Android OS features have not undergone major changes. The user has a phone with a simple, understandable and very convenient system in his hands. And, importantly, with a minimum of pre-installed applications.

Call and sound quality

Since Samsung Galaxy J7 smartphones are a budget solution, you definitely shouldn’t expect exclusive sound from them. The available equalizer is capable of processing different bitrates, depending on the format and quality being played. The settings provide a minimum level of comfort, but lovers of high-quality sound will definitely pass this device by.

As for the signal reception level, everything is at a decent level. During a conversation, the user hears his interlocutor perfectly. The signal level rarely drops to a low level. When switching to speakerphone, the speaker may distort your voice slightly.

Communication with navigation satellites is quite fast. The error level is low, so the phone is quite can be used instead of a navigator. The transmission of Internet traffic is not satisfactory. Measurements show that the gadget provides excellent throughput in third generation networks.

Battery and autonomy

The Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 smartphone is equipped with a battery with a capacity of 3600 mAh. This is slightly more than last year's version. On the other hand, the screen diagonal has grown. However, the increase in diagonal is compensated by a change in the manufacturing technology of the matrix itself. SuperAMOLED has slightly reduced power consumption.

At the maximum brightness level, the smartphone is capable of play the video for nine hours. Of course, if all communication modules are active, the operating time will be significantly reduced. However, user reviews indicate improved battery life compared to last year's revision. On average, this figure increased by 20%.

There is no fast charging function, but there are energy-saving modes. They can significantly improve autonomy. On average, under moderate load, the phone lasts about a day or a little more.

Camera specifications

The Samsung Galaxy J7 review should end with the parameters of the photo module. The main camera has a resolution of 13 megapixels. This is quite enough to create good pictures in natural light. In a dark room, using a flash, it will most likely not be possible to achieve high-quality photography. However, in comparison with last year’s model, progress is, again, obvious. Manual settings now allow set white balance. There are several more options for debugging at your discretion.

The front camera has also increased its resolution, now it has 13 megapixels versus 5 in the previous model. This is quite enough to create a high-quality self-portrait. Built-in set of filters and high-quality flash will help all selfie lovers take many interesting and bright pictures.

Conclusion

The device feels quite confident in its class. It costs a little more than Chinese devices, but outperforms them in quality. At the time of its release, the model gained great popularity and remained in high demand for a long time. Smartphone price at the time of sales ranged from 15 to 20 tr. depending on the store. There are no differences in technical characteristics within the model; the user can only choose the color.

• wonderful screen;
• metal case;
• excellent assembly;
• good camera;
• optimized OS;
• high autonomy;
• there is a fingerprint sensor;
• the case does not heat up.

• there is no possibility of fast charging;
• little internal memory;
• outdated processor model.