Samsung Galaxy J7+ Hands-On, Quick Review: New King of the J Series

Samsung Galaxy J7+ Hands-On, Quick Review: New King of the J Series

It’s Got Dual Cameras!

It’s no secret that Samsung had been aggressively pushing their mid-range smartphones prior to the release of their current darling, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. We’re pretty sure that at some point you had Liza Soberano’s “Capture the Night” song stuck in your head and that helped keep the Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro in mind as well. Today, Samsung just pulled the wraps off the newest member of the J series — the Samsung Galaxy J7+ — a phone that they’ve armed with dual rear cameras; a first for Samsung’s mid-range line.

Let’s take a look at its spec sheet.

Samsung Galaxy J7+ Specs

  • 2.4GHz MediaTek MT6757 aka Helio P20 octa-core processor
  • Mali T-880 MP2 GPU
  • 4GB of RAM
  • 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display; 1920×1080 resolution
  • 32GB of expandable storage (up to 256GB via microSD card)
  • Dual SIM
  • 4G, LTE
  • 13-megapixel at f/1.7 aperture + 5-megapixel rear cameras at f/1.9 aperture, autofocus with LED flash
  • 16-megapixel front camera at f/1.9 aperture
  • WiFi, Bluetooth
  • GPS, A-GPS
  • Fingerprint Scanner
  • 3000mAh battery
  • Android 7.1 Nougat

Familiar Looks and Feel

In terms of design and build quality, not much has changed from the J7 Pro to the J7+. Both share the same dimensions and it still sports the signature Samsung look we’ve come to know and love. In fact, it would be hard-pressed to tell the two apart by looking at them face up. You have the same aluminum unibody build as the J7 Pro, but the antenna lines of the J7+ follow along with the more traditional path we’re used to seeing from most smartphones these days.

As far as button layout and port placement goes, there hasn’t been much of change either.

You still have the power button on the right side with the speaker above it.

On the left, you’ll find the volume rocker and access to the SIM tray.

The MicroUSB port and the 3.5mm audio port are located at the bottom.

The front is, of course, dominated by the 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display covered in 2.5D, scratch-resistant glass. Super AMOLED displays are one of the best displays available on smartphones these days and we’re pretty glad that Sammy hasn’t changed things around from the Galaxy J7 Pro. As expected, you’ve got really vibrant colors and an awesome contrast ratio with this panel plus enough legibility to use it outdoors as well.

Below the screen sit the home button that doubles up as a fingerprint scanner, which is flanked by the navigation buttons. The fingerprint scanner on most A and J series devices from Samsung require a frequent wipe down to ensure it can actually read your prints, so we’re hoping this one fares a little better in that department though so far we’ve gotten a respectable margin of error with it.

Above the screen, is the 16-megapixel front camera for taking selfies; a step up from the J7 Pro’s 13-megapixels. Samsung has also added a Selfie Focus mode on the J7+ for your self-portrait aficionados out there.

Flip the phone over and you’ll see the dual camera setup of the Galaxy J7+. You have a primary 13-megapixel primary camera at f/1.7 with an RGB sensor, which is probably inherited from its sibling and the secondary 5-megapixel camera that has a monochrome sensor at f/1.9.

You’re also getting Live Focus with the J7+ so you can have that bokeh effect to highlight the subject of your photos; just like its big brother — the Note 8. We’ll reserve our thoughts about the camera performance of the J7+ for our full review, but here are a couple of snaps from the camera.

Photo is a bit backlit, but the details are really sharp!
Sleepy kitty is sleepy!
Heart-shaped nose!
Selfie Focus ON!

Let’s talk about what’s under the hood of the J7+.

Another big change for the Samsung Galaxy J7+ is that it is no longer rocking Samsung’s homegrown Exynos SoC; opting for a MediaTek MT6757 aka the Helio P20 octa-core processor instead. This has been paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. While this decision to go MediaTek has left us scratching our heads a little bit, it should be more than enough for moderate users though we can already hear the complaints in the comment section about ditching the Exynos chipset.

You have the latest version of Android Nougat running the show, but it wouldn’t be a Samsung devices without a few software additions by the Korean brand. With the J7+ you’re also getting part of Sammy’s assistant, Bixby, in the form of Bixby Home and Bixby Reminders. No dedicated Bixby Button for Bixby Voice here. The Samsung Galaxy J7+ is powered by a 3000mAh battery.

That’s pretty much it for this quick look at the Samsung Galaxy J7+, which has been priced at Php 19,990. We’ll be waiting on our review unit so we can put the device through its paces, so sit tight and watch out for our full review in the coming days.

You can also check out our latest reviews for Sammy’s smartphones by hitting the links below:

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro Review: The Mid-Ranged Phone for Low-light Photography?

Samsung Galaxy J7 Core Review: Underrated Smartphone with a Great Camera

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Review: Is The Most Expensive Android Flagship Worth It?

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