In this review, you will be provided with a detailed report of how the smartphone performs in various aspects. Its performance in aspects like the display, camera, battery, security & sensors, and storage will be reviewed. Additionally, the design and build of the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime will be thoroughly analyzed and accessed. At the end of this review, you will have enough information to make your decision.
My Initial Thoughts
Samsung’s high-end smartphones, like the Galaxy S7, have always been the people’s choice when it comes to leading smartphones. However, not everyone can afford the brand’s high-end smartphones.
To cater to budget-conscious consumers, Samsung has released a lot of mid-range smartphones over the past few years – the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime is one of those budget smartphones. In the first instance, this smartphone is attractive in every bit with promises of near perfection. However, it happens to neglect some of the essential basic features, which makes it rank a bit below par in comparison with other smartphones in its range.
Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime Design, Dimension & Weight Review
The Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime looks like an offspring of the Samsung Galaxy S7 – but with more cost-cutting measures. It feels like an attempt to recreate the Galaxy S7 with a much lesser budget. As a result, the choice of production materials is a bit different, even though the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime still feels very much like the Galaxy S7. For example, in areas the more expensive Galaxy S7 has glass or aluminum, the Samsung Galaxy J5 Prime uses plastic instead. However, its plastic build doesn’t take anything away from its beauty. After all, the high-end smartphones that Samsung released a few years ago were built with plastic. A typical example of such a plastic-built high-end smartphone is the Samsung Galaxy S5. Furthermore, while the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime looks very much like a high-end smartphone, it feels like an old-fashioned smartphone. This is because of its all-plastic build – aside from areas like the glass used on its front and the home button, which is metal. Samsung clearly invested more into building the home button to make it feel good. Moreover, the home button offers the same highly-sensitive click experience seen on the brand’s high-end smartphones. Also, Samsung’s intention to make the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime look classier is clear to the trained eye. For instance, the sides of the smartphone have been designed to look like an expensive icy aluminum finish. Although the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime has an old-fashioned feel because of its plastic build, I cannot deny that it feels great regardless. It feels so comfortable that you could literally forget you are holding it. Its 140.7 x 70.1 x 8.6 mm dimension explains why it’s so comfortable to hold. Moreover, with a weight of 148 g, it is also very light. Moving on to other design features of the phone, on the right-hand side of the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime, you have the power button. The volume button is located on the left-hand side – when you hold the display facing forward. Above the display, you’ll find the front-facing camera, the Samsung logo, a speaker, and an LED notification light. Meanwhile, the recent apps button, home button, and back button are situated below the display. Turning the device over to its back reveals its rear camera and a flashlight – both positioned on a thick brushed metal wide enough just to accommodate them. Aside from that, you will see just the Samsung logo on the back of the device. Overall, the design of the smartphone is applaudable, considering its price. Therefore, it scores an eight in this review.
Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime Display Features Review
Remember when I stated that Samsung neglected some essential basic features? The most annoying omission in terms of basic features was made in its display. After producing a nearly perfect cheaper alternative to its high-end line-up, it is rather frustrating that a simple omission would affect the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime. For some reason, Samsung didn’t equip the smartphone with an ambient light sensor. Hence, there’s no auto-brightness mode. Aside from that, Samsung delivered a bright and beautiful display, as usual. The Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime comes with a 5.0-inch TFT display that has an HD resolution of 1280 x 720. The colors on this smartphone are super saturated and extremely beautiful. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime offers richer colors than many budget smartphones. Hence, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime scores a seven in this review for its beautiful color reproduction despite its lack of auto-brightness.
Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime Camera Features Review
This is another aspect where Samsung took cost-cutting measures. The Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime features an 8 MP rear camera. In comparison with most budget smartphones with 13 MP rear cameras, this smartphone’s camera resolution is awfully low. Fortunately, having an 8 MP rear camera does not seriously affect the image quality – the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime still takes great snaps. However, this smartphone’s shutter speed is a bit slower than usual. Also, this smartphone’s dynamic range isn’t as good as many would want it to be when using auto shooting. For instance, the Motorola Moto G has a much better dynamic range. Furthermore, the quality of images taken in dark environments is also poor. Though the images appear nice, they lack fine detail. Nonetheless, this smartphone’s camera is fair for its price. Moreover, the 5 MP front camera does a much better job. As a result, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime scores a seven in this review.
Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime Battery Life and Talk Time Review
The Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime features a removable 2600 mAh battery which seems capable enough in relation to its specs. However, it was a different case when I tested the smartphone. On a video playback test, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime didn’t perform as expected. It lost approximately 22% of its battery when it played a 720p video at the highest brightness. Furthermore, it took 30 minutes to drain about 10% of the smartphone’s battery when I played a game on it. This suggests that the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime will last for about 5 hours of gaming. For general use, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime’s battery is just okay. However, you should not expect the phone to last up to 2 days! One major factor causing the quicker battery drain is the lack of auto-brightness to conserve battery in dark environments. In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime scores a seven in this review for its average battery life.
Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime Storage Options & Performance Review
The Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime comes with 16 GB internal storage capacity. This storage capacity is impressive, considering that the smartphone is very affordable. Moreover, it is hard to be disappointed since many budget smartphones usually come with 8-16 GB of internal storage. However, like many other smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime’s operating system makes use of part of this storage. So much space is consumed by some pre-installed apps, such as the Microsoft Office apps. As a result, you could fill up the phone’s storage within a few days without even installing heavy apps. Fortunately, there is an option to expand storage with a microSD card. You can expand your storage with up to 256 GB microSD card. Hence, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime scores an eight in this review for its good storage option.
Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime Security Features & Sensors Review
Smartphones have been subjects of incredible evolution over the years. In recent years, smartphones have evolved to become more than just communicating devices. They are becoming more like personal assistants by monitoring our behavior, guessing our needs, and monitoring our movements. All of this is made possible by sensor technology. As with most smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime comes with some sensors as well. It comes with an accelerometer that detects the orientation (horizontal or vertical) of the phone and flips the app accordingly. In addition, Samsung equipped this smartphone with a proximity sensor that detects how close the smartphone is to an external object, such as the ear, and dims the display. One application of the proximity sensor is to detect that the phone is close to your ear when you are making a phone call and dim the display. This saves the phone’s battery and prolongs the battery life. Lastly, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime features a geomagnetic sensor. Unfortunately, this smartphone doesn’t come with a fingerprint sensor for fingerprint unlock. In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime scores a seven in this review.
My Final Thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy J5 Prime is a solid option if you are considering the purchase of a more affordable smartphone. It provides a number of standard features with a decent design and body quality. However, you have to accept the lack of very few essential features, like the absence of an ambient light sensor. If you are willing to accept this and a few other minor limitations, then the Samsung Galaxy J5 Prime is a good budget smartphone to consider. I hope you found this Samsung Galaxy J5 Prime review helpful. If you found the review helpful, share your thoughts with our community platform at Itechguides Community Forum. You may also ask questions or make comments regarding this review at Itechguides Community Forum. Our team and other community members will respond to your questions or comments as soon as possible. For more smartphone reviews, visit our Smartphone Reviews page. You may also find our Smartphone Specs page very helpful.
