Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 in a nutshell: Samsung’s latest version of its affordable 5.2-inch smartphone offers updated specs and new camera tech compared with the 2016 model. Here’s all you need to know about the Galaxy J5 2017, including how it compares with last year’s handset.
Last year’s Galaxy J5 was one of our favourite affordable phones of the year, offering some pretty decent specs and a solid all-round user experience for just £199. Design-wise it was a smart and attractive handset, retaining some of Samsung’s flagship touches despite the low asking price. Meanwhile the J5’s strong battery life, colourful screen and dependable camera tech rounded off a rather impressive package.
Which is why we’re excited that Samsung has updated the phone in the form of the fresh new Galaxy J5 2017. Of course, Samsung has some tight competition in this area these days, in the form of the Lenovo P2, Huawei P8 Lite 2017, Moto G5 and Wileyfox Swift 2 Plus. So already it looks like 2017 might be a real battle of the budget mobiles.
Here’s all you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy J5 2017, including how it compares with last year’s model.
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Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 specs
| Phone | Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 |
|---|---|
| Screen size | 5.2-inches |
| Screen resolution | 1280×720 |
| Water resistant? | No |
| Fingerprint sensor? | Yes |
| OS | Android Nougat |
| Processor | Exynos 7870 |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 16GB |
| Battery | 3000mAh |
| microSD? | Yes |
| Rear camera | 13MP f/1.9 |
| Front camera | 5MP |
Samsung Galaxy J5 2017: How does it compare with the 2016 model?
First up, there’s no massive change when it comes to looks. The 2017 update of the J5 once again sports a budget Galaxy S6 vibe, complete with curvy edging and a relatively compact set of dimensions. Good news if you wish to use it one-handed.
While the bigger J7 2017 model boasts splash resistance, the J5 2017 doesn’t – so no difference compared with the 2016 edition there. All the same, we’re expecting that you can use the J5 in a spot of rain with no ill effects. You do get a fingerprint sensor however, which is an update over last year’s model.
The new Galaxy J5 2017 once again sports a 5.2-inch screen, one step up from the 5-inch display of the more compact and affordable Galaxy J3 2017. This is once again a 720p panel like last year’s J5 handset, so you don’t get Full HD resolution.
Shame, as we were really hoping for a Full HD Super AMOLED panel in this year’s update. After all, the likes of the Lenovo P2 and Huawei P8 Lite 2017 have already impressed us with Full HD visuals for under £200, as did the Moto G5.
Regardless of the resolution, you can expect an impressively bright and vibrant panel despite the budget asking price of the Galaxy J5.
Android Nougat is the OS of choice, bringing us all of Google’s tasty Nougat updates – including split-screen multitasking. You’ll also get Samsung’s usual TouchWiz UI on top, offering a more colourful set of desktops and a few bonus features. You will likely get the Game Launcher tool for instance, which can silence any incoming notifications and also record your gaming sessions.
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Samsung’s new Exynos 7870 chipset will power the J5 2017, backed by 2GB of RAM. This should provide solid everyday budget performance, although those two gigs of memory might mean the odd stutter when attempting more complex tasks. We’ll be sure to test the phone’s prowess in our full Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 review, of course.
What about the new Galaxy J5’s camera tech? Well, you get a 13-megapixel camera housed on the rear with a f/1.9 aperture lens. That should hopefully prove quite capable when it comes to low light shots. You can record up to Full HD video.
On the front, you have a basic 5-megapixel camera that will no doubt be fine for those everyday selfies.
Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 UK price and release date
Expect the Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 to hit the UK packing a £249 asking price in June or the beginning of July. In Europe it’ll cost €280.