The brand positions the J line as an initial level, even though the cost of the upper models can reach the mark of 20 thousand rubles. The price spread could not but affect the technical characteristics of the devices. The most prominent representatives of the series are the gadgets J3, J5 and J7.
The company presents new models as an alternative to the more noble A-series. That is, J-devices are designed for those who need advanced, as well as expensive functionality, without need, but want to have a gadget from a well-known brand in their pocket, and not some kind of no-name device from China with an unclear guarantee and incomprehensible service.
Nevertheless, the abundance of more than competitive "Chinese" makes the younger J-series (J3 / J5) not so attractive. So here we are talking more about the purchase of a venerable brand, rather than functionality and some notable features. Consider the most attractive option for domestic consumers - the J3 model, the youngest in the series.
So, the subject of today's review is the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) smartphone. Characteristics, owner reviews, advantages and disadvantages of the gadget, as well as the appropriateness of the purchase will be discussed in our article.
Positioning
The first step is to clarify some of the price points that can be confusing. After all the press releases, where the company introduced a brand new model to journalists for 9,990 rubles, the device was supposed to go on sale a little with different characteristics.
Here we are talking about the AMOLED-screen, which is equipped with older models in the series. In fact, the gadget received even a good, but still TFT-matrix. Conveyor versions of the smartphone (J330F) began to differ not only in the "filling", but also in price. Total consumer received, in fact, an ordinary gadget for 12 thousand rubles.
Naturally, the “Chinese” from the budget segment look much more attractive. “Huawei”, “Meizu” and “Xiaomi” can offer almost the same thing, but for less money - 9, 8, or even 7 thousand rubles. But if you look at all Samsung models, the J3 device received a minimum price. That is, for 12 thousand rubles, the consumer has a branded smartphone with a unique design in a metal case.
Looking at the specifications and reviews on the Samsung J3 (2017) as a whole, users, in principle, are ready to overpay for the name and better housing at the expense of the matrix. So here everyone has their own preferences and views on this situation.
Equipment
The smartphone is sold in a small box of cardboard in a single color design. There are no beautiful landscapes, girls or cars on the packaging - only a blue background and the name of the series with emphasis on the year of release.
On the flip side there is a very modest specification and manufacturer markers. At the ends you can see the accompanying labels and stickers of distributors. The interior is organized quite sensibly and accessories do not "swear" with each other. Actually, there’s nothing special to fit in there, because it’s a budget package.
Contents of delivery:
- the device itself;
- mains charger;
- USB cable for PC synchronization and recharging;
- wired headphones;
- SIM card extraction tool;
- Warranty documentation.
The set is rather meager, but nothing more is needed here. Any additional accessory adds value to the gadget, and the price already bites. Judging by the reviews of the owners of Samsung J3 (2017), they are quite happy with the available equipment. It is very difficult to please the consumer with regular cases or styluses, so users prefer to buy everything themselves, as they say, to their taste and color.
Accessories themselves look reliable and expensive: the charging is perfectly assembled, the cords are elastic and protected, and the clip for the SIM card is made of a good alloy. In general, it feels like a venerable brand has completed the device. The same is confirmed by numerous reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017) in a positive way.
Appearance
The manufacturer did not become wise with color schemes and released the J-series in the usual classic colors. In stores you can find blue gadgets, golden, pink and black. Judging by the reviews on the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Black smartphone, buyers are fed up with black, and a good half of users prefer blue or gold colors. Pink devices are extremely rare, but due to the specificity of the shade, it is almost not in demand, so this point is difficult to record in cons.
The dimensions of the device can be called acceptable for its diagonal - 143 x 70 x 8 mm. With a weight of 142 grams, the model fits well in the hand and there is no feeling of discomfort even with prolonged use. Reviews about the smartphone Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) in terms of ergonomics are completely positive: the device is really convenient and fits perfectly in the palm of your hand.
The case of the device received a metal, but with extensive inserts in the upper and lower parts. Comparing older models with J3, you can see that the brand saved on design: visually the device looks like a budget employee, and only an expensive case can hide it. Judging by the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Gold, the “golden” solution saves the appearance a bit, helping to merge plastic inserts with a metal case. But with careful consideration, the budget segment of the gadget is still felt.
The next thing the manufacturer saved on are the sensors. The smartphone does not have a fingerprint module, as well as an automatic light sensor. The latter is worth a penny, and such savings are not entirely clear. Users in their reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) have repeatedly blamed the brand for such a solution. Even frankly cheap Chinese models have a light sensor, and some have a fingerprint scanner. So here the manufacturer clearly went too far with cutting out the excess.
Interfaces
The usual Samsung physical button is located on the front panel, and two touch keys are arranged on the sides. They work perfectly and respond well, only they are completely deprived of backlighting - again, savings.
In the upper front part there is a peephole of the front camera with a flash. On the left side is the volume rocker, and on the right is the power key. The speaker is also located at the end just above the power button. This decision caused a mixed reaction in reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) smartphone.
On the one hand, the speaker does not cause any problems and even looks original. But on the other, his voice was noticeably reduced. And if other gadgets from Samsung differed not only in high-quality sound, but also in a good supply of volume level, then here we have only a solid middling.
The bottom end is reserved for a standard 3.5 mm mini-jack and a micro-USB interface for synchronization with a computer, peripherals and recharging. The slots for SIM and SD cards are located on the left side: one for the nano format, the other for an external drive or the same SIM card.
Assembly
As for the build quality, there are no complaints. Users in their reviews of the smartphone Samsung J330F Galaxy J3 (2017) did not note any creaks, backlashes, gaps and other shortcomings that are characteristic of gadgets of the budget segment.
All parts are tightly fitted to each other and the device looks monolithic. So here we have a solid five: the affiliation of the gadget to a noble brand is still felt.
Display
The device received an ordinary screen on the same unremarkable TFT-matrix. The maximum that it is capable of is an HD scan. Judging by the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017), almost the only thing that pleased the matrix was the good readability of the data in the sun, and nothing more.
There is no automatic adjustment of brightness and contrast, but there are several presets for different operational scenarios. For example, the included "Outdoor" mode twists the brightness to its maximum value and the screen becomes easy to read even in direct sunlight.
The screen has no specific settings. In general, users in their reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017) are perplexed about this. Yes, the smartphone did not get the best TFT-matrix, but it is also capable of some “tricks”. And why manufacturers did not include the appropriate tools in the firmware is not entirely clear.
There are small complaints about the viewing angles, and only the mediocre TFT-matrix is to blame for this. Therefore, flipping through a photo and watching a video in the company of friends will not work: when you change the angle, the picture starts to distort, losing saturation and color.
Performance
The proprietary Exynos 7570 chipset set, working on four cores with a frequency of 1.4 GHz, is responsible for performance. 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory is enough for ordinary needs. The interface does not slow down and responds quickly, and all the tables and icons are turned over and work, as intended. If the internal drive is not enough, then there is the opportunity to increase the volume with the help of external SD-cards, up to 256 GB.
Judging by the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) SM J330F, users are generally satisfied with the performance of the gadget. In fact, for what paid, then received. There are no questions about the work of regular applications, but some serious problems may arise with serious third-party programs. “Heavy” and modern toys already have 2 GB of RAM, so sometimes you have to reset graphic presets to the average, or even the minimum value (if the application starts up at all).
Cameras
The main camera received a 13-megapixel matrix with autofocus and some kind of flash. Photos at the output are not bad, but only in good light. The capabilities of the camera can be compared with the same "Chinese" - nothing outstanding, but there is nothing to blame.
Users, judging by the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Black, are generally satisfied with the capabilities of the matrix. Yes, in the dark, there’s practically no sense from the camera, but the budget gadget was bought for the most part as a phone, and not as a camera.
The front camera has more modest capabilities with a 5-megapixel matrix. There is no autofocus here, but there is a flash and a variety of modes. The camera is perfect for taking a selfie and further processing the latter right on the spot. The benefit of tools for this, as well as decorations in the stock firmware, is enough. If you analyze the reviews on the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) J330F, you can see that the main consumer of the gadget is young people. So the brand did not fail, adding similar functionality for selfies to your device.
Communications
All the same savings for the sake of the manufacturer equipped the gadget with a single-band Wi-Fi module. Users in their reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017), especially city dwellers, have repeatedly complained about this decision. In large cities, the air is packed to the maximum, and with one range of normal operation it will not work.
In addition, the device lacks ANT +; it does not even have the necessary NFC module in it today. There are no complaints about the Bluetooth wireless protocol: version 4.2 works as it should and transfers data quite quickly. The GPS module, it can be said, functions as standard, and there are no questions about it either. The only thing worth noting is that he “eats” the battery fairly, so you should not get involved in it.
As for conventional cellular communications, judging by the user reviews of the Samsung J3 (2017), there are no problems: the reception is stable, no interruptions or sagging were noticed. The Internet also works well, including LTE, and packets are not lost. So, if the connection began to fail or behave strangely, then the mobile operator, not the device, is to blame.
Platform
The smartphone runs on the Android operating system version 7.0.1. In addition to the standard set of applications, the manufacturer finally included an intelligent FM radio in the firmware. Previous versions of the latter were so buggy that they caused a storm of negative emotions among users. In the latest versions of the platform, the holes patched up, and now everything works as it should.
We should also mention the KNOX function, where the user has the opportunity to install any application in two copies at once. This is very convenient if you actively use instant messengers like WhatsApp on your working and home SIM cards.
But, as usual, the brand crammed its device with proprietary software. A good half of the applications are either through advertising, or simply useless. Removing all these “useful” programs from the stock firmware is quite difficult, so you have to resort to the help of third-party utilities that cut all unnecessary software to the root. As one of the options, you can immediately take care of changing the firmware to an amateur one. Fortunately, there are a lot of them in specialized forums, and some are even marked by the manufacturer as recommended or approved.
Standalone time
The gadget received a 2400 mAh lithium-ion battery. For the voracious "android" brother, this is clearly not enough. The tacit minimum in the budget segment ranges from 3000 mAh, but here we have a very modest battery.
If you use a smartphone specifically as a phone or messenger and, with rare exceptions, allow yourself to play games or watch high-quality videos, then the charge will last for two, or even three days, with a margin.
Fans of games and other multimedia entertainment will be sorely lacking in battery life. The device in this mode is barely enough for daylight hours, and already closer to dinner, it begins to "ask" for the outlet. So autonomy is one of the weakest features of the model.
Wireless charging, like the older generation, is not here, but for most users this is not critical. But what I wanted to get was a quick charge. Owners in their reviews have repeatedly complained about the manufacturer because of the lack thereof. With such a modest indicator of autonomy, such a necessary thing as instant recharging is simply necessary. In normal mode, the battery is recharged in 2.5-3 hours.
Summarizing
As for the phone, there are no complaints against our respondent: the connection is good, the vibrating alert is palpable, the caller is heard very well, as well as you. The speaker volume is average, but you can’t call the device quiet.
The smartphone is suitable for those who need a telephone gadget. For those who often surf the Internet and like to play games or watch movies, J3 is far from the best option. Here we have a mediocre TFT-matrix and the same performance. All this is perfectly optimized for standard tools, but something really serious he, alas, will not pull. Yes, even if it pulls, it will last no more than an hour with such a modest battery.
J3 is the youngest model in its series and costs about 12 thousand rubles. The next generation (J5 / J7) has more serious components and costs respectively - 15 and 18 thousand rubles. If you are looking for a normal gadget in the mid-price segment, then the J5 and J7 models are very good options, which cannot be said about J3. It is difficult to attribute it to the budget category because of the price, but it does not reach the average in its characteristics.
If you are not an ardent fan of the Samsung brand, and you need an intelligent device up to 10 thousand rubles, then it is better to pay attention to the solid "Chinese" from "Meizu", "Huawei" and "Xiaomi". They prevail in the budget segment and offer really high-quality and inexpensive gadgets.