Samsung galaxy j7 camera review. Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) review: is it a worthy sequel? Comparison with competitors

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is the latest version popular smartphone Korean company, which is updated annually, receiving the year of manufacture in the name. The J-series has already emerged as a budget-friendly middle class, and the Galaxy J7 (2017) is designed to attract even more buyers to this segment, strengthening Samsung's position. The new product blurs the boundaries between the J series and the A series. We decided to find out whether it is worth buying the Samsung Galaxy J7 in 2017.

This year we have a smartphone with an expensive screen with a resolution of 1080p, which is made using AMOLED technology. New model based on the 2016 solution with more premium characteristics, splash-resistant, has a selfie camera with flash, large volume random access memory and newer Android.

The Exynos 7870 chip was the only part that was transferred from the older version that was stuck in 2016. This is a model with a 14nm process technology and low power consumption, so it should provide excellent battery life.

Characteristics

• Android Nougat
• Materials: aluminum alloy
• Screen: 5.5 inches with FullHD, AMOLED
• Chipset: Exynos 7870
• Memory: 3 GB RAM, 16/32 GB ROM
• Cameras: 13+13 MP
• Battery: 3600 mAh

The presence of an older generation chipset affects the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): there is no 4K video recording. But the main problem is graphics performance, since the computing power has not increased, and the hardware has to process twice as many pixels as it did with last year’s smartphone.

But then again, there are so many improvements that will probably make you turn a blind eye to the old processor. Whether the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) can deliver adequate performance or not, it's time to start the review and find out.

Design

Samsung uses premium metal for different segments of its smartphones. The J-series finally also received a body that cools the hand, and we hope that everything will follow more devices mid-level workers will switch to metal.

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is good assembled smartphone with durable 2.5D glass on the front and wear-resistant metal on the other sides. Unsurpassed aluminum alloy and unusual strips of plastic for antennas, which become a “feature” of the average budget smartphones Samsung. Instead of trying to hide the stripes, which is what most manufacturers do, the Korean company's designers decided to turn them into a noticeable design feature on the rear side. For this purpose, excellent colors have even been chosen, which are clearly visible on some color options of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017). Only the black model received the same black lines, which are less visible.

The glass on the front quickly becomes covered with fingerprints, which are difficult to erase, so we can conclude that there is no oleophobic coating. But the back is not only resistant to fingerprints, but also provides a reliable grip.

An interesting fact is that the "black" Samsung version The Galaxy J7 (2017) we picked up for review is actually more dark blue in certain lighting conditions.

The Galaxy J7 (2017) is a pleasure to use. The smartphone feels sturdy, fits well in the hand and does not slip, despite its round edges. Undoubtedly, the J7 is not the best device for one-handed use, but it is much more comfortable than many competitors with a similar display diagonal.

What's on the case

Above the 5.5″ AMOLED screen is a speaker slot, surrounded by a new 13-megapixel front camera and front LED flash. A pair of sensors are located nearby, but they are barely noticeable on the black model.

At the bottom there is the familiar Home button, which is supplemented by keys for going back and opening context menu. The mechanical key of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is combined with a fingerprint scanner, which responds instantly.

The left side of the Galaxy J7 (2017) is not empty - there are two pull-out trays under independent volume keys. The first is ready to accept a nano-SIM card, while the second tray has space for another nano-SIM card and microSD. We're glad Samsung found a way to fit all three slots into the Galaxy J7 (2017) instead of a hybrid variant.

The external speaker grille and power/lock button are on the right Galaxy side J7 (2017). The speaker placement isn't all that new - the 2017 A Series has the speaker in the same place. It is very easy to mute the speaker, especially when the smartphone is in landscape orientation.

There is nothing interesting on the top end of the Galaxy J7 (2017). The bottom has a microUSB port, an audio jack and a microphone. I wonder why the Samsung Galaxy J7 remained on the old microUSB, while the company is phasing it out in the A and S series, replacing new USB-C port?

Finally, a new 13-megapixel main camera with an f/1.7 lens is located on the rear panel, coupled with an LED flash. Unfortunately, the new J7 does not provide access to the battery due to a change in design towards an all-metal design and, frankly, this cannot be called a disadvantage (there are three trays on the case).

Display

Like most recent Samsungs, the Galaxy J7 (2017) has a Super AMOLED screen. It's upgraded from the (2016) model, presented at a higher resolution of 1080p and therefore offers adequate (if not flagship) 401ppi density. Galaxy screen The J7 (2017), as expected from Super AMOLED, has great contrast. The display is quite bright (348 nits).

Samsung has introduced several display modes available for user customization. Galaxy J7 (2017) display is great for use under bright conditions sunlight– its contrast ratio is quite high. The screen of the new product will certainly not disappoint, but rather, on the contrary, will surprise you with its quality and brightness.

operating system

Like the company's latest flagship, all new Samsung products immediately receive Android Nougat. The Galaxy J7 (2017) interface has been moved from the S8, which was released in the spring of this year. The shell is nice and quite comfortable; there are a lot of settings that will help turn your smartphone into an ideal device for work. The Always On Display function has appeared, as on the company’s top solutions. The function displays the time and some other information on the off screen, while consuming a minimum of energy. Considering that the Korean giant cares about its image, you can confidently count on frequent Samsung updates Galaxy J7 (2017) and, of course, receiving the upcoming version of Android, which should arrive in August.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is powered by the Exynos 7870 chipset, which, while incredibly power efficient, is the same as last year's model. We'd certainly like to see the more powerful Exynos 7880 found in the Galaxy A5 (2017).

While the 7870 processor features 8 Cortex-A53 cores with clock frequency At 1.6 GHz, its Mali-T830MP2 graphics chip is disappointing. This dual-core GPU was ideal for the 720p screen on the J7 (2016), but the move to FullHD in the new model clearly affected performance, and not in the best possible way.

AnTuTu 6

So, let's go through the hardware of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) with some benchmarks. In single-core testing, the Cortex-A53 J7 (2017) scores about the same as other mid-range processors, but is inferior to the A72 core of the Helio X20 chip. We get, in principle, the expected results.

GeekBench 4: single-core test
GeekBench 4: Multi-core test

Good news– the outdated chip is quite well optimized. Despite the low test scores, the Galaxy J7 (2017) handles games well. Yes, sometimes there are lags, especially in 3D games, but almost every game performs well at minimum graphics settings. Of course, arcade games work better, but freezes user interface and it doesn't happen at all.

Finally, thanks to the 14nm process technology, the Exynos 7870 operates stably and the smartphone does not overheat even during prolonged use.

There is a lot of memory. Firstly, 3 GB of RAM, which is enough for good multitasking. Secondly, 16 or 32 GB depending on the version of permanent memory. Let's add to this a separate tray for microSD, which will help expand the storage capacity quite well.

Cameras

The similarities between the Galaxy J7 (2017) and last year's Galaxy J7 Prime are, as you can tell, quite noticeable. Both smartphones use the main camera sensors from Sony – IMX258. However, this time it uses an f/1.7 lens. While the Sony sensor is used quite rarely in the Samsung smartphone line, it is quite popular in general. It is equipped with devices such as LG G6, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 and Sony Xperia XA.

Complementing the lens is a simple single LED flash - ideal for budget segment. OIS again did not descend to Samsung’s junior lines, of which the Galaxy J7 (2017) is a representative. The camera clearly lacks stabilization, so in terms of photographic capabilities you shouldn’t expect miracles from the J7 (2017).

The camera interface has undergone some changes. Just a couple of upgrades, nothing major. The left side displays a panel with filters. On the right you are taken to the shooting mode selector. Everything is quite convenient, at least at first glance. It's worth noting HDR here. The mode can only be turned on or off manually. There's also a Pro mode - you get control over exposure, ISO and preset white balance settings.

In terms of quality, the Galaxy J7 (2017)'s camera can best be described as "average". It is capable of taking quite decent pictures for an inexpensive smartphone. Focuses quickly and colors look nice, if a little softened. Low noise level. Despite having an f/1.7 lens, the Galaxy J7 (2017) tends to underexpose photos. Its dynamic range is narrow, resulting in a large number details lost in the shadows. HDR is ready to improve the situation in most cases. It does what it's supposed to do - save some parts.

Selfie camera

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) has a really high-quality 13-megapixel front camera. You might think that the front sensor is identical to the main one, but it is. The front camera has an f/1.9 aperture and does not have autofocus. However, you certainly can’t call it bad. The pictures come out great, better than most devices in this segment, and front flash It will appeal to lovers of selfies at night. The only thing I would like to note is that the camera of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) has problems with focusing, which also affects some of the company’s other smartphones.

Camcorder

The Galaxy J7 (2017) can record videos at up to 1080p and 30fps. Lack of 4K is now the norm in this price category, so we can't ask for more. Additionally, the J7 (2017) makes pretty good use of the video recording capabilities it has.

Clips are saved in standard MP4 format, with overall bitrates maintained at around 17 Mbps, AVC video stream and sound signal A.A.C. Video in FullHD is of high quality, with good levels of detail and low level noise. The colors look good too.

Communications

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is available in single and dual SIM variants, giving the buyer some flexibility in their choice. LTE supports Cat.6, providing speeds up to 300 Mbps.

Samsung has enhanced the J7 (2017)'s connectivity options over the 2016 model by adding Wi-Fiac support. The interface operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz bands. There is GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS and Beidou; Bluetooth v.4.1 and FM radio. NFC is also “on board” with a dedicated menu of options in settings.

The remaining specifications include a microUSB port and a 3.5mm jack. The microUSB port can be used to connect peripherals as it supports OTG. What's really missing is USB-C.

Autonomy

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) uses lithium-ion battery capacity of 3600 mAh, which is 10% more compared to J7 (2016). The smartphone does not support fast charging, and its 1.55 A charger fills only 24% of the discharged battery in half an hour.

The 14nm chipset process means long battery life, which has already been confirmed by the predecessors of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017).

Samsung promises that the J7 (2017) will last a day with frequent calls and 3G, or 18 hours of video playback with Wi-Fi turned off. Several days of testing confirmed Samsung's claims. Combined with low standby consumption, the Galaxy J7 scored a high battery rating with 108 hours of battery life.

Conclusion

Samsung feels confident in the mid-range segment, just as it dominates the top-class market. Perhaps this is why our requirements for the Galaxy J7 (2017) are so high. Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) really received a lot of innovations - an all-metal splash-proof body, good cameras, capacious battery and modern software.

However, it is not certain whether this will be enough to compensate for the aging equipment stuck in the past year. Obviously, the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is not worth looking at for gamers who want to enjoy the newcomers in the gaming industry.

Galaxy J7 (2017) – great smartphone middle class with decent characteristics. If the old chip is not a problem for you, then the new Samsung product will be an excellent choice.

What do we end up with for the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)

• • Flagship quality of materials and workmanship, IP54 certification. Antenna strips look interesting, but they won’t suit everyone.
  • The Super AMOLED display has very good maximum brightness and excellent contrast.
  • Excellent autonomy.
  • Fresh Android Nougat with a proprietary shell.
  • The Exynos 7870 processor is powerful enough to handle everyday tasks. On the other hand, the GPU is not only old, but also weak, being responsible for poor gaming performance.
  • Audio output, which will not be superfluous, loud speakers.
  • The quality of images from the main camera is good, although not impressive. Good video quality.
  • Excellent front camera with flash.

How do you rate the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)? Is it a worthy continuation of the line? You are welcome to comment.

And Galaxy J7 (2017). The first one still stands out, while the other two are clearly more expensive and more advanced. However, this time it was decided to highlight the Galaxy J7 (2017).

Nowadays, the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) looks more like a lightweight representative of the Galaxy A line. It does not have individual features such as water resistance, the characteristics are slightly worse, but in many features the device is very close to its older brothers. For example, it is distinguished by its support for the Always On function - this is something other “Jacks” simply do not have. There was also a fingerprint scanner and so on. I won’t list everything here, otherwise you won’t read the article. So let's get started: Galaxy review J7 (2017) in all details!

Video review of Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)

Design

So, in my Samsung hands Galaxy J7 (2017), the third generation of this smartphone.

I must say that it changed from year to year. So the very first device was made entirely of plastic and was a “standard Samsung”. The second one acquired a metal edging and received aluminum sidewalls. And now the Galaxy J7 (2017) is made entirely of metal.

From the front side, the handset looks very solid, somewhat reminiscent of the same Galaxy A. It has a thinner frame around the screen, and at the same time they added fashionable 2.5D glass.

The back is really all metal, with the exception of the antenna inserts at the top and bottom. But they don’t spoil the impression; on the contrary, they are designed quite well, not at all like other smartphones. In addition, the gold color looks good, that is, we had the Galaxy J7 (2017) gold. There are also black Galaxy J7 (2017) black, blue Galaxy J7 (2017) blue and pink Galaxy J7 (2017) pink.

The Galaxy J7 (2017) has a “normal” protection standard, that is, IP54. In other words, it is protected from small splashes and dust, but better phone don't drown. At the same time, the build quality is excellent, although I have never seen anything different from Samsung. And now this is more than expected - the case has become non-separable!

The smartphone turned out to be moderately thin (8 mm), but weighty - 188 grams. Even for a 5.5-inch tube this is decent. Apparently, the presence of capacious battery, although again, the thickness is small.

As a result, I can conclude about the Galaxy J7 (2017) that it looks good, feels great in the hand, the metal pleasantly cools the palm and generally leaves behind an extremely favorable impression.

Connectors and controls

In terms of connectors and buttons, the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is the most classic! They even left microUSB!

There are so many elements placed above the screen that I sinfully thought that the Galaxy J7 (2017) had somehow migrated the iris scanner from . In fact, there is nothing like it - there is LED lights for the face camera. There is a lens of this same camera, light and proximity sensors, as well as a speaker.

Below the screen you can see a mechanical Home button and two touch buttons Back and recent applications. The touch buttons are not backlit, and in Home, as I already said, a fingerprint scanner was built in - for the first time in the Galaxy J line.

Working with fingerprints is exactly the same as in all Samsung smartphones. In the Lock screen and security settings section, you can add multiple fingerprints. But before that you will need to enter a PIN code, password or graphic pattern.

Then all you have to do is scan your finger and that’s it – you can use it to unlock the phone. Moreover, you just need to touch the sensor and the screen will immediately turn on. Our short video will tell you how to work with the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) fingerprint scanner:

On the reverse side at the top you can see the main camera lens with LED flash and the antenna insert.

At the bottom rear there is only the antenna insert.

On the left side you can see two buttons for volume control, compartments for SIM cards and memory cards.

Samsung has stopped doing nonsense and now equips its smartphones with three full-fledged connectors: two for SIM cards and one for microSD. I note that the Galaxy J7 (2017) only supports nanoSIM - finally, even state employees are starting to switch to this standard. Card trays are removed using a paper clip or ejector. If something doesn’t work out for you, our short video will help you solve the problem:

The power button and speakerphone were placed on the right side.

All other elements are placed at the bottom: a conversational microphone, microUSB and an audio connector. As I said, Samsung has not yet switched to USB Type-C in the Galaxy J series, apparently this will happen in 2018.

The top end is empty - there is no microphone for noise reduction. There has to be some way to differentiate the Galaxy J from the Galaxy A, right?

In general, the Galaxy J7 (2017) is a classic in terms of ergonomics. All the buttons are in their usual places, the card slots are full, the microUSB is in place, the minijack for the headset is conveniently located at the bottom - what else is needed for happiness?

Buying a case or cover for the Galaxy J7 (2017) is very easy because it is extremely popular model smartphone. I’ll say more, I even got my hands on one case!

This silicone case for Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) costs about 1,000 rubles. Moreover, this is a branded accessory, and even made in the main color of the smartphone.

There are also books and other covers for the Galaxy J7 (2017) - they will be easy to find.

Galaxy J7 (2017) screen

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) stands out significantly from its predecessors. If anyone doesn’t know, both previous generations came out with Super AMOLED screens, but their resolution was 1280x720 pixels, clearly emphasizing the mass positioning of smartphones. But the new device, which was made for 2017, has a 5.5-inch Full HD display.

Galaxy J7 (2017), thanks to its 1920x1080 resolution, provides a noticeably higher pixel density - 401 ppi versus 267 ppi for previous phones. And the Galaxy J5 (2017) does not shine against its background, offering only 282 ppi. In general, in the new generation, the older model in the line stands apart, offering the best screen.

However, the new Galaxy J7 (2017) is not only good for its screen – the smartphone also supports the Always On Display function. If anyone doesn’t know, it was first introduced together with, and later the entire Galaxy A series got it. And now the J7 (2017), which became the first of the “Jacks” with this most useful feature.

For the uninformed, I’ll tell you what it does – the time and various notifications are always shown on the screen. Or this can be replaced with a calendar or just a picture. As a result, it appears before your eyes helpful information, well, little energy is spent on this matter, thanks to the Super AMOLED screen.

Meanwhile, the Super AMOLED matrix does its job and provides a very nice picture, with nice flowers, juicy and rich. The viewing angles are wide, the image is clear and does not fade in the sun. And finally, there is support for auto-brightness adjustment - a small but extremely useful option that its predecessors did not have.

Objective measurements also speak for the Samsung device. So the brightness was measured at 296.75 cd/m2, which does not seem to be that much, but in fact under the sun in automatic mode the phone can raise it noticeably higher. The black color is truly black, since we are dealing with OLED technology.

The color gamut, as expected, covers the sRGB color space, especially when the Adaptive profile is enabled. There are no problems with color rendering.

Color temperature is slightly higher than usual. In the case of the Adaptive profile it is at the level of 8000-8200K, and for the Basic profile it is much closer to the reference value of 6500K. However, Samsung devices usually have a slightly warmer picture.

The gamma curves look pretty good. Only when the Main profile is turned on does it appear in the middle, that is, the average brightness shades of the image appear lighter than they should be. But this is invisible to the eye.

As expected, the Galaxy J7 (2017) can handle dozens of touches at once.

In the screen settings you can now find a complete set: automatic brightness adjustment, selection color profiles and even customizing individual color channels.

As I already said, the Galaxy J7 (2017) in terms of screen seriously stands out both from its predecessors and from other smartphones in the Galaxy J series. It has a noticeably higher resolution and has Always On support - all this is typical for devices of the Galaxy A line, which cost noticeably more.

Galaxy J7 (2017) camera

The evolution in terms of cameras in the Galaxy J7 is not very noticeable for the average person: all three generations of smartphones offer a sensor with a resolution of 13 MP. Of course, its models differ, and the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) has the best optics - the lens aperture was increased to f/1.7, versus f/1.9.

The control application is standard for Samsung devices. The one that the Galaxy S8 has was taken as a basis. Swiping on the right opens color filters, and on the left – available modes.

For advanced shooting, the Pro mode may be of interest, where you can adjust white balance, ISO sensitivity and exposure compensation.

The maximum resolution of 13 MP is achieved when choosing an aspect ratio of 4:3.

The camera takes decent pictures. The footage comes out clear, with good white balance. Of course, the brightness is not always well adjusted, but this is unlikely to bother many. Even in the evening something comes out tolerable.

Video is captured in Full HD resolution.

The video looks decent, also sharp, with good colors.

The front camera has been updated much more seriously - instead of 5 MP, a 13 MP sensor is now used.

From the pictures taken from the front camera of the Galaxy J7 (2017), you can clearly see that the number of megapixels does not mean their quality. The resolution is high, but everything is blurry and not very beautiful. The white balance is normal, the brightness seems to be the same, but at night the camera does not produce the best pictures.

The video from the front camera also seems to be of “high quality”, with Full HD resolution.

However, it has all the same problems for photography: it lacks sharpness.

Moreover, given the positioning of the Galaxy J7 (2017), it takes good pictures and videos. I'm talking about the main camera - everything there is more or less decent. But the front camera blurs the picture and this is not very pleasant.

Specifications Galaxy J7 (2017)

The Galaxy J lineup for 2017 includes three main devices: J3 (2017), J5 (2017) and J7 (2017). Moreover, for certain markets, the latter was multiplied by budding in two more versions: Galaxy J7 Pro and Galaxy J7 Max. The processor and screen of the first one are the same as our J7 (2017), but in the minimum version it has more memory, both RAM and flash. As for the J7 Max, it is a 5.7-inch device based on the MediaTek chipset, with a PLS display and also a decent amount of memory: 4/32 GB. It is produced only for India.

Above, I described how many changes happened with the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) compared to the 2016 device: screen resolution, cameras, various interesting features appeared. But what about the rest of the hardware?

Everything is generally not bad, except for the fact that the processor has not been updated at all in a year. The same Exynos 7870 Octa with eight Cortex-A53 cores operating at 1.6 GHz is used. On the other hand, this is a decent mid-range chipset and we can’t say that it has become obsolete.

Installed inside it may not be the newest, but still not old video card Mali-T830 MP2. This accelerator is also not the fastest, nor the most budget-friendly, but there are still better options. Moreover, it has only two execution units.

But they installed more RAM – 3 GB, also available for the first time for the Galaxy J line, including among the 2017 models. But there is only 16 GB of flash memory, which is logical - 32 GB was left for individual local versions and for the older Galaxy A series.

As for the rest, I will note changes in terms of communications. So Wi-Fi was extended to support the 802.11ac standard, and at the same time the battery capacity was increased by 300 mAh. For this I had to pay for it by 11 grams of increased weight and a 0.2 mm thicker “waist”.

In principle, the parameters of the Galaxy J7 (2017) look more or less normal, but at the middle class level, but nothing more. There is nothing very outstanding about them.

Performance testing

The performance difference between the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) and Galaxy J7 (2016) shouldn't be major. Let me remind you that they have the same processor, and the amount of RAM is larger in the first device.

Basemark OS obviously leans more towards expanded RAM, as the 2017 smartphone was slightly faster here.

The JetStream browser test also remained with the J7 (2017), but its advantage here is much less significant.

Graphics benchmarks agreed that the platforms of the phones are the same, and therefore there is no need to strain - the results are almost identical.

Galaxy J7 (2017) in Antutu

Now let's see how things are going in the popular Antutu system-wide test.

The result is similar to Basemark OS, although the superiority of the Galaxy J7 (2017) is less obvious. The difference will not be noticeable to the eye.

Autonomy Galaxy J7 (2017)

We will check the autonomy of the smartphone using.

What can I say, the battery life of the Galaxy J7 (2017) is good, one of the best, I would say. True, the J7 (2016) has it even better. Yes, its advantage, according to the diagram, is minimal, but there is a nuance: the battery capacity of the 2016 model is 3300 mAh, while the current one is 3600 mAh. Again, this doesn’t mean anything, it’s just that a year earlier the phone showed almost a record result, and now it’s only slightly worse.

As you can see, the energy consumption profile is completely typical. The maximum falls on 3D graphics, while everything else consumes very little battery.

In addition, in latest version Clean UI shell has many ways to optimize energy consumption.

Among other things, different profiles have appeared where you can configure how the phone will work. Here you can set the brightness of the screen, how the processor works, turning off wireless networks etc.

Overall, the Galaxy J7 (2017) is a fast smartphone with excellent battery life. A sort of workhorse that will appeal to many.

Games on Galaxy J7 (2017)

No problems are expected with games on the Galaxy J7 (2017).

• 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;

• 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: did not start;

• Frontline Commando 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;
• Eternity Warriors 2: did not start;

• 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: not in Play Store;

• 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;

• Injustice: Gods Among Us: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Injustice 2: excellent, the game does not slow down.

As you can see, all games work without issue. Another problem may arise with the Galaxy J7 (2017) - 16 GB of flash memory is not enough for a large number of modern games

BY

Like all 2017 smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) comes with Android 7 out of the box. Undoubtedly, Android 8.0 will be released for it when all flagships and more expensive devices are updated.

Meanwhile, the device offers a solution that is well known to owners and users Samsung equipment Clean UI shell interface.

It differs from the original Android, but not very much. So the notification panel suggests various options display: from a thin strip of recent notifications and quick settings, to a fully expanded view.

Color

General characteristics

Type

Deciding on the type of device (phone or smartphone?) is quite simple. If you need a simple and inexpensive device for calls and SMS, it is recommended to choose a telephone. A smartphone is more expensive, but it offers a wide variety of options: games, videos, the Internet, thousands of programs for all occasions. However, its battery life is significantly less than that of a regular phone.

smartphone operating system Android OS version at the start of sales Android 7.0 Case type classic Housing material metal Office mechanical/touch buttons SAR level 0.57 Number of SIM cards 2 SIM card type

Modern smartphones can use not only regular SIM cards, but also their more compact versions micro SIM and nano SIM. An eSIM is a SIM card integrated into the phone. It takes up virtually no space and does not require a separate tray for installation. eSIM is not yet supported in Russia. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones

nano SIM Multi-SIM mode alternating Contactless payment yes Weight 181 g Dimensions (WxHxD) 74.8x152.5x8 mm

Screen

Screen type color AMOLED, 16.78 million colors, touch Type touch screen multi-touch, capacitive Diagonal 5.5 inches. Image Size 1920x1080 Pixels per inch (PPI) 401 Aspect Ratio 16:9 Automatic screen rotation There is

Multimedia capabilities

Number of main (rear) cameras 1 Main (rear) camera resolution 13 MP Main (rear) camera aperture F/1.70 Flash front and rear, LED Functions of the main (rear) camera autofocus Recording videos There is Max. video resolution 1920x1080 Max. video frame rate 30 fps Front-camera yes, 13 MP Audio MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA, FM radio Headphone jack 3.5 mm

Connection

Standard GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A Cat. 6 Interfaces

Almost all modern smartphones have Wi-Fi and USB interfaces. Bluetooth and IRDA are a little less common. Wi-Fi is used to connect to the Internet. USB is used to connect your phone to a computer. Bluetooth is also found in many phones. It is used to connect wireless headphones, to connect the phone to wireless speakers, as well as for transferring files. A smartphone equipped with an IRDA interface can be used as a universal remote control. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones

Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.1, USB, ANT+, NFC Satellite navigation

Built-in GPS modules and GLONASS allow you to determine the coordinates of your phone using signals from satellites. In the absence of GPS, a modern smartphone can determine its own location using signals from base stations cellular operator. However, finding coordinates using satellite signals is usually much more accurate. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones

GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou

Memory and processor

CPU

IN modern phones and smartphones usually use special processors - SoC (System on Chip, system on a chip), which, in addition to the processor itself, houses the graphics core, memory controller, input/output device controller, etc. Therefore, the processor largely determines the set of functions and performance of the device .Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones

1600 MHz Number of processor cores 8 Built-in memory capacity 16 GB Amount of memory available to the user 10 GB RAM capacity 3 GB Memory card slot yes, up to 256 GB

Nutrition

Battery type Li-Ion Battery capacity 3600 mAh Non-removable battery Operating time while listening to music 59 hours Charging connector type micro-USB

Other features

Speakerphone(built-in speaker) there is Management voice dialing, voice control Airplane mode yes A2DP profile yes Sensors illumination, proximity, Hall, gyroscope, fingerprint reading There is a flashlight

Before purchasing, check the specifications and equipment with the seller.

Top Samsung budget series – this is the new Galaxy J7 2017. Such words somehow don’t sound very impressive, because it doesn’t fit into my head how an “inexpensive” smartphone can cost 20 thousand rubles. But such is the J-series, Samsung's junior line of phones. Then comes the A-series, then the S, and the J works to attract attention.

With the older S-series everything is clear; the flagships get all the best. A-series is middle class, the design is from the older generation, and the filling is simpler. What then is the J-series? The answer to the ubiquitous Chinese smartphones, they are displacing Samsung, albeit from not the most profitable, but very popular niche.

About design

Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 looks like a typical Samsung - no jokes or irony, just recognizable features. There are neat contours of the body, a branded button under the screen with a pair of keys on the sides, and a convenient screen lock button on the right side. It may be boring, but it’s simple and clear - I have no questions about ergonomics or ease of use. It's comfortable to hold, you can press the buttons even blindly, you can't go wrong.

The body is all-metal, non-separable, there is no plastic in the decoration at all, except for thin strips of antennas. The Koreans took a chance and ran them through the body in a unique way, which, to my taste, turned out to be original and attractive.

In general, the J7 looks neat, you can’t complain about the assembly, and everything is in order with convenience. I would confidently classify it as a member of the A-series; it’s not a shameful device. This concludes my ode to Korean design, let’s move on.

About the screen

The screen is large – 5.5 inches, glass with a 2.5D effect and thin frames. Super AMOLED impresses with its bright picture, but if your eyes start to ripple from the rich palette, you can “turn up” the tones in the settings by choosing a neutral color profile.

In standby mode, the screen shows the date and time, battery level, and notification icons. It immediately becomes clear that it’s time to answer the letter or look into the messenger. It’s a simple thing, but convenient, and it doesn’t consume the battery at all. A kind of alternative to a light indicator, but only here everything is immediately clear, and the blinking of the sensor is not annoying at night.

If I criticized the budget J3 for the lack of a light sensor, then in the J7 this is completely fine - the sensor is in place, the screen brightness is adjusted automatically.

About power

There is an opinion that the main Samsung problem– software that is unimaginable in terms of brakes. Branded firmware, where there is no trace left of the native laconic Android, more and more powerful hardware is required. If the S-series flagships have at least 4 GB of RAM and the most modern processors, then the J-series has more modest makings. Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 received Exynos 7870, 3/16 GB of memory and shows modest results in a series of benchmarks. Among smartphones that sell for 20 thousand rubles, you can find more powerful options. Chinese companies have shown that they can do things inexpensively and well, but Samsung saves money and is in no hurry to invest in hardware.

In other words, if you don’t plan to play on your phone, everything will be fine, but if you want to play Tanchiki or something more vigorous, then you will feel how the filling has difficulty optimizing the toys for a Full HD screen. It's a pity.

But the rest is in complete order. I mean support for 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC and Samsung Pay.

A wise decision is that the phone has a separate tray for SIM cards and memory cards, so you don’t have to sacrifice an additional microSD in favor of a second SIM card. Convenient when you need a second number, on vacation, for example.

Software

Since we are talking about system brakes, I’ll tell you why a smartphone is good; it cannot be made of only shortcomings. For example, it works here multi-window mode, you run two programs at once. You can log into one application from two different accounts. One-handed operation is supported, where the interface shrinks to a more compact size. Little things, yes, but practical things. If the shell for Android 7.0 did not lag and worked faster, it would not have a price. And so, you walk around with Xiaomi Mi Max 2 and then you get sad when you see how leisurely Samsung can be.

About the camera

Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 is a representative of an inexpensive series of smartphones, but its camera is very good. It has a 13-megapixel camera with high-aperture optics - f/1.7. The front camera is also 13 megapixels, the aperture is slightly worse - f/1.9. The phone takes good photographs during the day: it has fast autofocus and pleasant color rendition. Again, shooting can be quickly started by double-tapping the button below the screen. Among the shortcomings, the quality of shooting in the evenings and at night is very average; optical stabilization is not enough here.

About sound

The media speaker was moved to the right side, a strange place at first glance, but convenient - you can’t cover it with your palm while playing games or watching videos, and the sound is not muffled. The sound in the headphones pleasantly surprised me; nominally the smartphone is no different from its competitors, but in practice it plays music perfectly.

After Meizu Pro 6 Plus, where everything is fine with sound, J7 2017 does not give the impression of an ugly duckling. Yes, maybe the bass is not so rich, and the high frequencies are not quite sonorous, but overall, the impression is very good. By tradition, Samsung has an equalizer - you can play with the settings and choose a mode to suit your mood.

About autonomy

MicroUSB for charging is somehow not an option in 2017; I want to finally switch to USB-C, and not carry around a bunch of wires for all occasions. But manufacturers cannot simultaneously migrate from one standard to another, so the J-series has become a hostage to the situation.

Battery capacity is 3600 mAh, the smartphone does not support fast charging, battery life is normal. The phone can withstand a day of active use, if you don’t play, then you can get 2 days without any problems. If you watch the video, the smartphone shows some unrealistic numbers, it turns it non-stop for 16 hours. I launched YouTube in the evening, and fell asleep with the phone working. I wake up in the morning and the J7 is still playing video, a long-playing phone.

What's good about the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017?

• Nice design and materials
• High quality camera
• Always On
• Separate slots for memory card and SIM cards
• Fingerprint's scanner
• Samsung Pay
• Good autonomy

What's not good about the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017?

• The filling is rather weak
• Slow shell
• microUSB port for charging

Alternatives

The Honor 9 is a little more expensive compared to the J7 2017, but in terms of hardware, this smartphone turns out to be a more interesting option, it is more powerful and better suited for games. In addition, for 22 thousand rubles you get a glass rather than a metal body, and a two-camera system is also an interesting thing.

I would recommend OnePlus 3, but it already costs around 25 thousand. But this is already a full-fledged top solution, albeit from last year.

They sell Meizu MX6 for 20 thousand - it will be much more powerful than Samsung, but it does not have a slot for a memory card, and it does not know how to pay for purchases in our stores.

Don’t be afraid of large sizes - take the Xiaomi Mi Max 2, it’s generally a fire-device in terms of operating time, performance, and budget, within the same 20 thousand rubles.

Conclusion

I liked the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017. I don’t play games on my phone, but stuttering in the menu is a matter of personal relationships. Some people worry about this, others don’t care at all, as long as the phone works longer and the camera takes good pictures. And the smartphone copes well with these tasks. Another thing is that you can pick up a vigorous “Chinese” for the same 20,000 rubles, so again the eternal dilemma: either sacrifice the filling, or take a more powerful competitor.

I would like to thank the friendliest gadget store for providing me with the smartphone for testing.

In the budget J line from Samsung, the device with number 7 after the 2017 revision turned out to be significantly closer to flagship models than the previous version. At the same time, the model cannot be called unambiguously successful due to some features of the filling and software. Thus, for the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017, the review did not reveal any progress in terms of the processor. But the screen has grown noticeably. But first things first.

Externally samsung phone Galaxy J7 2017 continues the corporate tradition. It is made in a classic form factor, the large screen on three-quarters of the front panel is covered by elegant narrow frames. All corners are smoothly rounded, even the glass for the display is made using 2.5D technology. There are 4 color options available: black, blue, gold and pink.

Above the display there is a speaker, a camera (and its flash), and a pair of sensors. At the bottom there is a central mechanical “Home” key, next to it there are touch buttons for going back and displaying the menu.

On the left side there are independent volume buttons. Below there are two pull-out trays: one holds only the SIM, the second holds the SIM and a memory card. The main speaker is located to the right above the power/lock key.

The top end has no connectors; the bottom has an input for traditional 3.5 mm headphones and microUSB.

The Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 itself came out quite large, but at the same time slender - with dimensions of 152.5 by 74.8 mm, the thickness fits into 8 mm. But the weight is 181 g, so you’ll have to get used to the weighty smartphone.

Design and ergonomics

Perhaps the most good decision designers - to abandon the plastic back, which was in the 2016 version, and use a solid metal body. Yes, the battery is now impossible to get, but how great it is to feel the cool aluminum alloy in your hand! Thanks to this, the smartphone is immediately perceived as an expensive model, and not a budget option.

The assembly leaves a similar impression. The parts fit tightly, there is no creaking - it’s not for nothing that protection against splashes and dust is declared according to the IP54 standard. The smooth metal surface, thanks to its high wear resistance, successfully retains its noble appearance. And it slips a little, so a cover would be useful.

The plastic in the case remains in the form of curved inserts at the top and bottom, under which parts of the antenna are located. In the black version, the inserts are almost invisible, while in the others they fit organically into the design of the backdrop.

Bravo, developers - they managed to maintain both the style and ensure stable reception. The look is complemented by the Samsung logo, above which is the main camera. It does not protrude from the body, so the smartphone fits naturally in your hand.

The side keys are made of narrow strips of metal and are pleasant to press. If you try really hard, you can find fault with a barely noticeable wobble. However, during typical smartphone use this is almost unnoticeable. But the fast and fairly accurate operation of the fingerprint scanner, which is hidden in the depths of the Home key, leaves a pleasant impression. You can save up to 3 fingerprints so that you can use them to log into accounts or confirm payments - both mobile and online.

The side main speaker leaves a contradictory impression. In a normal position it is out of reach, but in landscape orientation you can accidentally muffle the sound.

Display

Subjected to serious processing samsung screen Galaxy J7 2017. Now this is a full-fledged FHD display measuring 1920 by 1080. Taking into account the 5.5” diagonal, the pixel density reaches a decent level of 401ppi. The model uses Super AMOLED matrix with excellent display of both black and other colors regardless of viewing angle.

The picture may even seem overly saturated. In this case, you need to customize the display in the menu - in addition to the basic mode, photos, videos and adaptive are available. You can also activate blue filtering to relieve eye strain, and adjust the scale and font sizes.

The contrast is enough for use even in excess sunlight, and the brightness of the screen is excellent. Manually it can be adjusted to 350 nits, and automatic adjustment extends it to 550.

The display was also taught the Always on Display function. When activated, you can display the time, date, and notifications on the lock screen. This is convenient if you need to wait for a message in the messenger, since you do not need to constantly “wake up” the device.

2.5D glass on top of the display does not interfere with quickly and accurately reading presses, and even from minor scratches protects well. Some owners complain that encountering river sand guarantees damage to the surface - but in this case it is better to take extra care protective coating. Much more serious is that the display turned out to be fragile: if it falls, the glass can remain intact, and the matrix itself easily fails.

Equipment

The following kit comes with the phone:

• charger, and the USB cable is not very long;
• wired headphones combined with a microphone;
• a paperclip used to open SIM trays;
• instructions.

A branded case will have to be purchased separately; a wireless headset is also not included.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy J7 2017

The most interesting point is how much the characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 have changed. Let's start with memory: 3 GB are immediately available for the OS and applications. A compromise option that is quite suitable for a budget smartphone. This is enough for both programs and games.

The same cannot be said about the internal storage, the total volume of which is 16 GB. With the OS installed, only 10 GB remains for the user. Connectivity saves the situation microSD cards up to 256 GB. The card is not included in the package, it is better to purchase it immediately.

It is worth noting that some users regularly experience problems with their memory cards. Even if the application was installed on microSD, after updating to current version it is transferred back to main memory. Also, all files received via instant messengers are written to the built-in storage device. Perhaps Samsung will fix this in updates.

The processor is formally good: 8 cores, each 1.6 GHz. But in practical use, performance issues immediately arise.

Performance

Yes, the interface works smoothly. Yes, regular applications open quickly. However, in games it becomes noticeable that the performance is not enough to fully calculate graphics. And all because the processor and graphics subsystem moved in full from previous version smartphone.

In terms of power consumption, the Exynos 7870 with a 14 nm process technology is excellent: it treats the battery with care and does not heat up. But a comparison of the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 with Cortex-A53 cores will definitely be in favor of more modern chips. For example, Helio X20 with A72 cores (Redmi Note 4 from Xiaomi) has twice the results in a single-core test, and one and a half times better in multi-core mode.

The Mali-T830MP2 graphics are even sadder. It can handle 720p, but this is a 1080p screen. It is better to run games on minimum or close settings to ensure an acceptable frame rate. And according to tests, the smartphone’s results are slightly below the average price segment.

Cameras

Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 is equipped with a 13 MP camera with f/1.7 aperture. It is built on the basis of the popular IMX258 sensor from Sony. For illumination, a single LED flash, traditional for budget smartphones, is used. Unfortunately, optical stabilization did not appear in the model, which significantly affects the image quality.

The controls have been improved for one-handed use, in particular the shutter button is made floating. The second hand remains free to take the desired pose or frame the frame. However, there are some peculiarities: the modes can be selected quite conveniently, but HDR can be activated or deactivated only manually. But in Pro mode, you can customize the camera in every possible way - set the exposure, play with ISO and white balance.

Photo

With sufficient lighting, the pictures turn out to be quite decent, and autofocus works quickly. However, a budget sensor often produces underexposed photos.

Shadow details due to modest dynamic range can only be pulled out when HDR is enabled.

But in the evening, with a natural lack of light or when using artificial lighting sources (light bulbs in an apartment, for example), the quality photo Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 crashes. Autofocus tries hard, but it still takes a long time. Noise noticeably degrades the photo, and the lack of stabilization affects it.

Video

When recording video, the screen-appropriate FHD format is used (saved in MP4). 30 frames with a size of 1920 x 1080 are written per second. 4K mode or at least 60 fps are not available - the chipset is left over from the 2016 model, which cannot cope with them.

In terms of quality, the same comments apply as for photos: without stabilization, you need to avoid vibrations in every possible way and try to record in sufficient lighting. Then the details will be visible and there will be little noise.

Front-camera

But the front camera of the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 performed excellently. It also has a 13 MP sensor (only f/1.9 instead of f/1.7), and also has a flash. Even the lack of autofocus does not prevent you from taking selfies better than the segment average. In addition, you can take pictures by gesture - for the camera to work, you need to show your palm to the smartphone.

Sound and music playback quality

The main speaker, despite being located on the right side, produces a fairly loud sound. At the same time, the middle sounds soft and pleasant to the ear; one can only find fault with the bass (could have been richer) and high frequencies (there are simply not enough of them).

The situation with included headphones is similar. For an undemanding listener, they will be quite enough, but music lovers are better off purchasing a higher-quality model. Moreover, you can play a variety of audio file formats, including FLAC.

Communication capabilities

In communication support samsung smartphone Galaxy J7 2017 is good: it has 2 SIMs (both in nano version), and the ability not to give up a second SIM card with microSD installed. As a bonus, you can link both numbers to two messenger accounts and use them simultaneously in Dual Messenger mode.

It supports networks up to 4G LTE cat.6 – you can not only make calls, but also download data at 300 Mbit/s. Good and Wi-Fi module: It operates at 2.4/5 GHz and complies with the 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standard.

And yes, you can broadcast on external screen via Wi-Fi Direct. Bluetooth module supports version 4.1. Also included is GPS/Beidou/GLONASS support. Plastic inserts in the housing ensure stable signal reception from all of the listed modules.

Other devices can be connected via USB 2.0 with OTG support (for example, an external keyboard) or tethered via Ant+ (fitness trackers). You can connect Gear Circle, Gear Fit2, Gear S2, Gear S3, Gear IconX to your smartphone. The icing on the cake - NFC module for contactless payments.

operating system

The Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 smartphone is equipped with Android 7.0 OS, complemented by the Samsung Experience shell. As a result, the interface became similar to the design of the flagship S8. Users can change display options - with applications in a separate menu or with everything dumped on desktops.

For convenience, icons in the notification shade are grouped on 2 pages. You can enable one-handed control or set up a couple of apps to be displayed simultaneously in multi-screen mode. In other words, customizing the device for yourself is no worse than in the top line.

For example, with the Game Tools utility you can collect all gaming applications in one place, and also record video while playing the game or take screenshots.

Autonomy

Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 received a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3600 mAh. Despite the rather modest capacity, the charge is enough for a couple of days of moderate use or a day of active use. Such autonomy largely depends on an economical processor and optimized software (thanks to the OS and Samsung proprietary improvements).

In addition, Always on Display also works to save charge. With it, there is no need to backlight the screen every time, and very little energy is spent on the function itself. According to tests, per day of constant use it takes no more than 16% of the charge.

Data on duration of use in various modes are as follows:

• if you play audio – up to 59 hours (with the screen off, up to 91 hours);
• video – up to 18 hours;
• Internet via 3G/LTE/Wi-Fi – up to 12/15/16 hours, respectively;
• conversation over 3G network – up to 24 hours.
• The device will charge from 0 to full battery in 2.5-3 hours. Fast mode no – budgetary origins have an effect.

Pros and cons of a smartphone

While friendly, reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 show a wide range of opinions on certain points.

What are the advantages of the model?

1. solid, well-developed design;
2. high-quality metal case and no assembly problems;
3. bright and contrasting Super AMOLED matrix;
4. comfortable autonomy;
5. 7th Android version and branded improvements;
6. 3.5 mm audio jack;
7. quite loud sound;
8. 13 MP front camera with flash;
9. stable communication;
10. support for Samsung Apps in addition to Play Market;
11. 15 GB in cloud storage Samsung Cloud when purchasing a smartphone.

Cons of the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 smartphone

1. low performance in graphics calculations due to the old processor;
2. fragile display;
3. cameras have no optical stabilization;
4. NFC does not support the Troika card;
5. no fast charging;
6. The memory card does not always work correctly.

There are also controversial points:

• The light sensor sometimes does not work correctly. For example, when using Always on Display screen It glows noticeably in the dark, although it doesn't drain the battery too much. But you can configure the mode to turn off at night;
• volume control keys located on the left side may require some getting used to;
• The speaker located on the right is easy to close if you turn the smartphone horizontally;
• Not everyone will like the visually noticeable plastic inserts on the body.

Comparison with competitors

In terms of speed, many Samsung competitors Galaxy J7 2017 looks better. For example, Redmi 5/Note 5 from Xiaomi or M6 Note from Meizu win in tests due to a more powerful processor. And in terms of memory capacity (both permanent and RAM), they are equal or superior. The same can be said about the Sony Xperia XA1 - but it only supports 1 SIM card, and even inferior in terms of battery.

Another thing is the screen. Yes, the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 may be inferior in terms of resolution, but thanks to the use of Super AMOLED, it wins back in image quality. Thus, Huawei P10 Lite with similar characteristics looks dimmer.

In terms of photo quality, the main camera is approximately on par with its competitors - because many of them also use a Sony sensor. But the front one with 13 MP and a flash stands out from the general background. The sound can be assessed as average for the market.

Final review

A review of the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 smartphone shows that this is an excellent alternative to flagships if high performance in games is not required. The list of advantages of the device includes a very neat assembly and materials comparable to top models, a display that is always visible, a decent camera, careful handling of battery charge and modern Android with additives from Samsung. And even if it doesn’t have optical stabilization, even if the processor is inferior in tests, it fully pays for its price. An excellent choice among budget models.