Samsung Galaxy J3

If you’re looking for phones that are affordable and yet very efficient, the Samsung Galaxy J3 is the right phone for you. This phone can be an impulsive buy with a price tag under $150. You have a very nice entry level phone with a lot of the high-end features. It is available everywhere, and it does have its appeal.

• Camera

With its price, the noticeable compromise will be found in the camera application. The J3 has the same camera software similar to the Samsung Galaxy S7, but some functionality has been left out in the manual mode and auto HDR. It takes less detailed shots, but it does take a high resolution selfies with its 5-megapixel sensor. The back camera is an entry level set up with an 8 megapixel, but it does give decent photos with acceptable metering and white balance.

• Battery Life

Under the J3 plastic battery cover is a 2600 mAh battery which lasted 15 hours in some battery drain test. Real world scenarios may have a different result since the brightness needs to be adjusted manually.

• Processor and Software

The Galaxy J3 comes with a Spreadtrum quad-core 1.2GHz processor, alongside 1.5GB of RAM. It may not be as fast, but it is as reliable as the most common Qualcomm Snapdragon 210. The J3 may not be relatively faster than the other phones in the market, but it does a good job on high-end games. Users might also encounter occasional lag in launching applications, and a delay in taking snaps which might cost you an awesome photo. If you dig a little deeper, there are a lot of items on the J3 that can satisfy a smartphone fanatic like its customizability that makes the display strikingly gorgeous, and the freebies that come with it. On top of all the goodies, you will also discover that this phone came with the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

• Design

The design is a mix of Samsung S7 influence as well as a short trip down memory lane. It has a plastic case which is very reminiscent of the older S series, but the shape and overall feel will remind you of the S7. The pennies saved in the outer design is splurged on several items like an NFC chip and putting in a metal central select button to give that top-end Samsung experience with the pronounced click. It comes with an 8GB memory which is easily expandable up to 128GB microSD should you run out of space.

• Screen

Another expensive choice for Samsung is the OLED screen which makes the J3 stand out from the other phones in its category. This phone may be a little ordinary for the phones in its category. However, Samsung is a master at making OLED phone panels which give this phone a little oomph since the competition only comes with LCD screens.

Check out latest Samsung Galaxy Cases – the Galaxy S10 Case and Galaxy S10 Plus Case.

It has a 5 inch 720p resolution, which makes the colors pop with the same screen customization modes found in the more expensive S-series phones. Though the screen may be awesome with its OLED panels, the outer glass might need a little attention. The J3 does not come with a Gorilla Glass, but it does have Samsung’s much cheaper scratch-resistant glass which is fairly adequate.

One thing that consumers might miss on this phone is the ambient sensor that automatically changes the brightness setting on display depending on the surrounding light. It may be a bit of a hassle to manually change the setting when you step into direct sunlight, but it does come equipped with an “outdoor mode” which will adjust the settings for you.

Not everyone needs a high-end camera. This is the reason why there are Android phones: because the iPhone is seriously expensive. At the same time, not everyone needs the full functionality of a smartphone. If you want a bare-bones smartphone which can run Android, install apps but doesn’t have much need for a camera, the Samsung J3 is the camera to choose.

There is a myth that just because a cell phone is capable of doing other things, then it should be very good at those other things. The truth is that most people use their phones primarily to check the time. Maybe there are fewer people who use wristwatches. Then again, maybe not. Maybe a cell phone is just more convenient at showing the time, due to its relatively large screen. It is hard to say if people are getting lazy to check their watches because it usually takes two movements before you can see the time on a smartphone.

After checking the time, making phone calls and sending and receiving text messages, a smartphone is usually used for selfies, chat apps, internet browsing, games and listening to music. Anything else beyond that is gravy.

Heavier users would usually gravitate to cell phones with big fast processors, big RAM, and secondary storage. Those who maintain a social media presence would like to have a good camera. Those who use their smartphones for business would much rather have a large screen. Gamers would want a large screen with a fast processor and graphics.

The smartphone market is segmented. There is now a need for a second phone, even if their primary phone has space for a second or a third SIM. A lower powered smartphone can fit the bill. Something like the J3.