Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)

“With the new edition of the Galaxy J5, Samsung has succeeded in creating a well-made new device of the upper entry-level class. Many smartphones will once again be compared to this smartphone this year. The Koreans have not focused on superlatives, but improved the core competences of the J5. Despite a slightly low resolution, the display convinces and is unrivaled in terms of color representation in its price class. On top of that, it convinces with high brightness and high contrast. Most important: Samsung has finally incorporated an ambient light sensor in the J5 - which has been long overdue.”

“The Galaxy J7 (2016) was the default phone to recommend last year for a complete package on a budget coming from one of the big names. With the Exynos 7870 made available to the 5 this season, and the metal build and design shared with the bigger brother, the J5 (2017) may as well be the standard for a no-frills all-rounder in 2017.”

“At the end of the day, the Galaxy J5 (2017) feels like an ‘okay’ affordable phone, but is not pushing any boundaries. It has one of the best interfaces around: sleek and modern-looking, it has Samsung’s excellent apps, and it has a very solid battery life. But its camera and, most importantly, performance are underwhelming. The phone often feels stuttery and the camera lacks in detail and speed. And we know the terrible state of Android updates for phones like the J5 (2017). In such a fiercely competitive market, the J5 (2017) does too little to stand out.”

“Samsung’s updated Galaxy J5 does everything you could ask for. It’s a solid performer when put side-by-side with its competition, battery life is excellent, the new design is top-notch and its camera is far improved over last year’s effort. The only issue is that price hike. For £140, last year’s J5 felt like a real bargain, despite its limitations. The new Galaxy J5 is a stronger phone in almost every way, but at £240 we’re starting to creep towards OnePlus territory, and that’s a fight the J5 can’t win. Overall though it’s still a fantastic deal - a brilliant smartphone for less than half the price of the popular flagships.”