Review: Samsung Galaxy J5

If the Samsung won great prestige among high-end smartphones with the line Galaxy S, we cannot say the same for the basic cell phones of the company. Most low- and mid-range devices from the last few years didn't deliver a satisfying experience. This image makes many consumers fearful of the brand; but the attempt with the Galaxy J line is to change the scenario. Did the South Koreans make it? These are my impressions of the Galaxy J5:

Layout and Finishing

A Samsung did not bother to hide that the Galaxy J5 It's a cheap cell phone. The side finish is made of plastic with a chrome effect, which gives the impression of little care with the Design; Over time, the detail can peel off. Another aspect that can bother the most demanding is the plastic back with a pearl effect; it is removable and well flabby – at least it doesn't harbor fingerprints.

On the front we find the camera, proximity sensors an LED flash, and a little below the brand of Samsung. At the bottom, the company's classic “Home” button, next to a capacitive button for multitasking and another for the back function. The back again houses the Samsung branding and an indication that the device is dual-chip with 4G; we still have the camera, the LED flash and the speaker. On the right side is the power button and on the left is the volume control. Underneath the case, the removable battery and the slots for the two SIM cards and the microSD card, up to 128 GB.

Fabric

Samsung used its technology Super AMOLED no display of 5 inches of the cell phone, which has a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels (294 dpi). The number is about average for the category and the experience is very satisfying, with vivid colors, faithful white and deep black. The reddish tones can seem very vibrant at times, but with some use you get used to this detail.

The viewing angle is good and the brightness range is also within expectations. The disappointment here is lack of a light sensor; there is no way to leave the brightness setting to automatic. It is necessary to adjust the screen brightness several times according to the environment you are in; the manufacturer even tried to make the task easier by making the brightness control available quickly through the notification bar - there's even an "External" mode that leaves the screen with the maximum brightness level, making it easier to see under the sun.

speed and performance

I was left with a foot behind in relation to the performance of the Galaxy J5, thanks to Samsung's bad reputation with basic devices. In the end, I was wrong. The smartphone can be fast in daily tasks and even in situations that demand more from the hardware.

The processor Snapdragon 410 quad-core 1.2 GHz combined with 1.5 GB of RAM do the job and even surpass the speed of the third generation Moto G with 1 GB of RAM (which has the same processor clocked at 1.4 GHz).

It's amazing how 500 MB of RAM makes a difference in the performance of a cell phone Android. Even resource-hungry apps like Facebook didn't need to reload after some time in “standby” in multitasking.

System animations, video playback and basic games also ran well on the device.

System

O Galaxy J5 wheel the Android Lollipop 5.1.1 with the famous modification TouchWiz from Samsung. Personalization has improved a lot over the last few years, but it still carries a lot of unnecessary features and a lot of bloatware.

There are dozens of pre-installed apps, including voice recorder, file manager, notes, Recarga Certa, Apps Club, Internet, OneDrive, Skype, Microsoft's productivity suite and games like Green Farm, Spider-Man and Puzzle Pets. Despite this, there is an option to “disable” these apps, which helps to free up space on the internal storage.

The smartphone does not have great tricks. With two clicks on the main button, the camera is activated quickly; Software customization continues in the notification bar: with shortcuts for quick settings, brightness adjustment bar and chip selection option.

Speaking of selection of chip, management is efficient and Samsung has a feature similar to Motorola, which indicates the operator of the number you are about to call, indicating which is the best choice of use.

Camera

The Galaxy J5's rear camera has 13 megapixels with LED flash and is competent on most occasions. In natural lighting conditions, the sharpness and fidelity of the colors impressed me. When the environment is darker or the light is artificial, the sensor has the same shortcomings as most devices in this price range: graininess and slightly unfaithful colors.

The front camera has 5 megapixels and LED flash. For those who like to take a selfie, it is a good set, capable of taking pictures with good resolution to post on social networks.

O camera software works well for those who like to capture moments quickly and also for those who like to manually set ISO, exposure and white balance. In the settings, you can choose the mode "Pro" that brings these features.

Battery Life

Samsung's device has a larger battery capacity than most competitors, 2600 mAh. The smartphone not only wins in number, but also in autonomy. It is possible to use it a whole day away from the socket, without any worries.

In heavy use, using it most of the time on 4G connection, browsing for several hours, taking a lot of photos, exchanging messages and listening to music on Spotify; I reached 14 hours of use, with 15% of the remaining battery. On a day of moderate use, with Wi-Fi active most of the time, there was 35% battery left with the same 14 hours of use.

Price and availability

O Galaxy J5 can be found in most retail stores, with prices starting at R$749,90; you can buy it for that price at Kabum, at sight on the bank slip. At the Submarino the device costs R$ 854,10 and R$ 825,63 in the Magazine Luiza, also on the ticket.

Conclusion

O Galaxy J5 competes with great devices, including the 3rd generation Moto G, Redmi 2 Pro, Quantum go, ZenFone Go and several others.

He wins Featured from high quality screen, great battery life, good performance and good camera. There is still the option to expand the storage with up to 128 GB per microSD card; support for two chips and 4G complete the set.

The most demanding Design may be disappointed with the finish. And despite TouchWiz's improvements, there are those who still turn up their noses at Android customization.

In summary, the package is great for those looking for an average device with a fair price. The taste for the brand and the look can determine the purchase among the various options in the segment.

Image gallery

Technical Specifications

• Processor: Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53;
• RAM memory: 1.5 GB;
• Screen: 5-inch Super AMOLED with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels (294 dpi);
• Camera: 13 megapixels, autofocus, LED flash;
• Frontal camera: 5 megapixels with LED flash;
• Battery: 2600 mAh;
• Connectivity: 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, A-GPS, GLONASS, Bluetooth 4.1, microUSB 2.0, FM radio;
• GPU: Adreno 306;
• External memory: microSD card support up to 128GB;
• Internal memory: 16 GB;
• Dimensions: 142.1 x 71.8 x 7.9 mm;
• Weight: 146 grams;
• Sensors: accelerometer, proximity;
• Platform: Android 5.1 Lollipop with TouchWiz customization.