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Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos Smartphone Review

All good things... With the update of its attractive Galaxy J series, we have the third generation of the J5 in our test. Samsung has radically changed the design and otherwise performs meaningful fine tuning. Fans of removable batteries will be disappointed, since the battery is now also built into the J5. Update: OTA update with bug fixes released.

For the original German review, see here.

Compared to the predecessor, Samsung has implemented the most extensive changes in the design of the Galaxy J5 (2017) SM-J530F. While earlier, there was only an aluminum frame and the rest was poly-carbonate, the manufacturer has now decided to wrap the whole smartphone into aluminum. The battery is now built-in and even shrunk slightly. In addition, the Galaxy J5 finally has a surrounding-light sensor to control the display brightness. Instead of the Snapdragon, there is now an in-house Exynos processor inside. Samsung has also updated the cameras. The front camera offers a generous 13 megapixels and the main camera is nominally more light sensitive at f/1.7. Nothing has changed in terms of the storage equipment, though. Besides 2 GB of working memory, there are 16 GB of eMMC storage, which can be expanded via a microSD card. We have the Duos model which can accept two SIM cards in our test. 

Positive: the recommended price remains unchanged at 279 Euros (~$315). Anyone with a little patience can save even more, since by now the J5 (2016) costs 100 Euros (~$113) less. Already one month after its release, the price has fallen to under 220 Euros (~$249) and since December it has continued to drop.

The competitors include the Huawei P10 Lite, the Lenovo Moto G5 Plus, the BQ Aquaris X5 Plus, the Sony Xperia XA1, and the BlackBerry DTEK50. By now, even the Apple iPhone SE is part of this price range and can offer a real alternative for fans of a small display.

Update 11/06/2017: A firmware update has been released. Details can be found in the software section.

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos (Galaxy J5 Series)
Processor
Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa 8 x 1.6 GHz, A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
, LPDDR3, 933 MHz
Display
5.20 inch 16:9, 1280 x 720 pixel 282 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, 5 multitouch-points , Super AMOLED, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 10.1 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combined audio/microphone connection, Card Reader: microSD up to 256 GB (SDHC, SDXC), 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: proximity, rotation, accelleration, and G sensors, magnetometer, BeiDou, Wi-Fi Direct
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1, LTE Cat. 6, Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8 x 146.2 x 71.3 ( = 0.31 x 5.76 x 2.81 in)
Battery
3000 mAh
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix (Sony IMX258, f/1.7, autofocus, photo LED)
Secondary Camera: 13 MPix (Samsung S5K3M3, f/1.9, front flash, fix focus)
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: virtual, modular charger, USB cable, SIM tool, earphones, quick-start instructions, security and warranty regulations, TouchWiz 8.1, 24 Months Warranty, Micro-USB, FM radio, head SAR: 0.349 W/kg, body SAR: 1.36 W/kg, fanless
Weight
158 g ( = 5.57 oz / 0.35 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
279 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

In the 2017 model, Samsung has completely redesigned the Galaxy J5, following more their A series. Although this looks good, it also makes the smartphone large, slightly growing it around all the edges. We like the fact that not only is the camera flush with the case, but even recessed slightly, which protects the glass from scratches. Samsung does not specify anything about the glass in the front, but where it transitions into the aluminum can be clearly seen. The antenna recesses fit excellently into the design.

Due to the aluminum body, the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) is very sturdy and can neither be twisted, nor does anything creak when trying. Even though the material changes are clearly apparent, it is cleanly built and the gaps are small and even. It is a bit unfortunate, that the card trays and their covers are made entirely from plastic, which may lead to a color change over time compared to the aluminum case, although originally the colors are identical.

The smaller card tray accepts a Nano-SIM card and the wider one, a second Nano-SIM as well as a microSD card. While the battery could still be removed in the Galaxy J5 (2016), it is built into the case and fixed in this model and cannot be replaced by the user. The smartphone is available in the colors black, gold, and blue. 

Size Comparison

153 mm / 6.02 inch 76 mm / 2.99 inch 8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch 177 g0.3902 lbs150.2 mm / 5.91 inch 74 mm / 2.91 inch 9.7 mm / 0.3819 inch 155 g0.3417 lbs147 mm / 5.79 inch 72.5 mm / 2.85 inch 7.4 mm / 0.2913 inch 135 g0.2976 lbs146.2 mm / 5.76 inch 71.3 mm / 2.81 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 158 g0.3483 lbs145.8 mm / 5.74 inch 72.3 mm / 2.85 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 159 g0.3505 lbs146.5 mm / 5.77 inch 72 mm / 2.83 inch 7.2 mm / 0.2835 inch 146 g0.3219 lbs145 mm / 5.71 inch 67 mm / 2.64 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 143 g0.3153 lbs145 mm / 5.71 inch 70 mm / 2.76 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 145 g0.3197 lbs123.8 mm / 4.87 inch 58.6 mm / 2.31 inch 7.6 mm / 0.2992 inch 113 g0.2491 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos has maintained its features that are almost unchanged in comparison to the predecessor. However, the SoC and LTE have become faster. The latter now supports one more band.

The bottom edge still provides a micro USB port. Samsung does not use the newer Type-C form factor in its entry-level series yet. This interface does not support video output, but OTG. Hence you cannot only connect external storage devices, but also peripherals. Unfortunately, the audio jack is also placed at the bottom edge. We would have wished it were on the top edge.

Our test model is the so-called Duos variant. This means that the smartphone can use two nano SIM cards simultaneously. It is a fully-fledged dual SIM variant, which also allows using a microSD card. The microSD slot supports the SDXC standard and therewith all usual storage media. Hence, it is possible to expand the storage capacity by up to 256 GB. However, it cannot be formatted as internal storage. Nevertheless, it is possible to move bigger apps to the optional microSD card.

Moreover, the Galaxy J5 supports Bluetooth 4.1, Ant+, Wi-Fi Direct and features an NFC chip as well as FM radio. A notification LED is not available.

The top edge is free of interfaces.
The top edge is free of interfaces.
Left: Volume control, SIM slot, SIM and microSD slot
Left: Volume control, SIM slot, SIM and microSD slot
Right: Power-in, speaker
Right: Power-in, speaker
Bottom edge: microphone, USB, Audio
Bottom edge: microphone, USB, Audio

Software

The Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) uses Google Android 7.0 Nougat as operating system, which is skinned by the manufacturer's own TouchWiz UI. Among others, the Galaxy S8 also uses this UI. The software features are not restricted in any way. Apart from multitasking, the Game Tools and the Game Launcher are also available. The radio app appears very well-made to us. It starts an automatic channel search upon first launch and allows saving favorites, and recording channels. Moreover, several Microsoft apps are pre-installed, which cannot be completely uninstalled, but only deactivated.

The Android security patches are from 06-01-2017 and therewith up-to-date.

Update 11/06/2017: Samsung has started rolling out a new firmware, build NRD90M.J530FXXU1AQI3 (392 MB). In addition to stability improvements and bug fixes it is also supposed to contain new and enhanced features. However, we were unable to discover what exactly these were supposed to be. Google’s security patches have been updated to 08/01/2017.

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): home screen
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): quick settings
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): apps
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): upday
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): app switcher
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): radio app
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): radio app
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): software
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): software

Communication and GPS

The Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) can connect to the mobile data network via HSPA+ or fast LTE Cat. 6, which allows download rates of up to 300 MBit/s on paper. Therewith, it is at least double as fast as its predecessor and supports the current standard of mobile network operators. The frequency coverage is also fully sufficient for Europe. Moreover, the Galaxy J5 supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Wi-Fi telephony if this is also offered by the provider. Reception is okay, but connections sometimes dropped in the street in between houses, while other devices worked flawlessly there.

The Wi-Fi module of the smartphone supports the IEEE-802.11 standards a/b/g/n/ac and transmits in the 2.4 and 5.0 GHz frequency bands. The measurements with our reference router Linksys EA8500 showed very good and stable transfer rates. The range of the Wi-Fi is also very good. Even through an inside wall and in about 12 m (~39 ft) from the router, we still had a strong signal and could stream HD videos without problems.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
Mali-T830 MP1, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
281 MBit/s
Huawei P10 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 658, 32 GB eMMC Flash
232 MBit/s -17%
Sony Xperia XA1
Mali-T880 MP2, Helio P20 MT6757, 32 GB eMMC Flash
112 MBit/s -60%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
Adreno 506, 625, 32 GB eMMC Flash
100 MBit/s -64%
iperf3 receive AX12
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
Mali-T830 MP1, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
278 MBit/s
Huawei P10 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 658, 32 GB eMMC Flash
229 MBit/s -18%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
Adreno 506, 625, 32 GB eMMC Flash
121 MBit/s -56%
Sony Xperia XA1
Mali-T880 MP2, Helio P20 MT6757, 32 GB eMMC Flash
108 MBit/s -61%
GPS test: outdoors
GPS test: outdoors
GPS Test: in a building
GPS Test: in a building

The positioning of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) is done via the satellite networks GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou. The satellite fix is quite fast, but it is not particularly accurate at the beginning and it takes some time to reach an accuracy of about six meters (~20 ft). Inside the building, the positioning is less accurate, yet possible. Overall, the result is satisfactory.

We took the Galaxy J5 on a short outing and compared it to the bike computer Garmin Edge 500 in order to better evaluate its positioning accuracy. The total deviation of the whole bike tour is just 10 meters (~33 ft). Furthermore, the smartphone also performs very well and records the course relatively accurately at a closer look.

Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): GPS
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): GPS
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): GPS
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)

Telephone and Call Quality

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): telephony app
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): telephony app

The design of the telephony app is simple and clear. Hence, everyone should find their way around quickly. The tab places is a nice features and searches the area for amenities in order to directly show their contact data. This way, you can for example find the closest restaurant and book a table.

The call quality of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) is not quite satisfactory. Voices sound dull on both sides. Furthermore, the voice of the J5 user is occasionally interrupted by small dropouts. Ambient noise suppression is missing. The situation gets even worse with speakerphone. Those who plan a long phone call had better not use it. While the included headset does also lack noise cancelling, it performs quite well otherwise.

Cameras

Front camera shot
Front camera shot

The front and the rear camera feature a resolution of 13 MP each. On paper, the camera above the display has improved a lot. With an f/1.9 aperture, its light sensitivity is relatively high. However it only features fixed focus. The recordings are quite decent under good light conditions as long as the subject does not move too fast. A LED can be used for brighter images in the dark.

The main camera has improved a lot and uses the same sensor from Sony, which is also used in the LG G6. An f/1.7 aperture suggests good light sensitivity. However, the relatively small pixels sized at 1.12 put this into perspective; even more so as the light sensitivity already reaches its maximum at ISO 1.250 (in manual mode ISO 800). LG has done a significantly better job in its flagship, but this belongs to an entirely different price category.

The shots of the Samsung Galaxy J5 are quite homogeneous in day light and deliver good results. In comparison to more expensive competitors, its dynamic range is quite limited. Thus bright parts could quickly get too bright. The smartphone compensates this by making the subject slightly darker, which shows in the comparison below. While the Galaxy collects much light and suppresses noise well under bad light conditions, contours and details get very blurry. As a result, shots already appear muddy at low magnification.

The J5 can record videos in Full HD (30 fps) at best. Due to the lack of image stabilization, the recordings blur quite easily and fast panning results in visible blurring.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
Photo taken by Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Photo taken by Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Photo taken by Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Photo taken by Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Photo taken by Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Photo taken by Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Photo taken by Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Photo taken by Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Photo taken by Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
X-Rite ColorChecker Passport: The lower part of each field depicts the target color.
ColorChecker: The lower part of each field depicts the target color.

We took a closer look at the camera of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) under controlled light conditions. The X-Rite ColorChecker Passport shows quite a bright color reproduction. Only few colors such as orange and light green have a slightly higher saturation. The basic colors of blue, red, and green are slightly too pale. On the other hand, the J5 achieves a quite accurate white balance, which is only tends to be slightly warm.

The Galaxy J5 performs well in reproducing our test charts. At the center of the image all details are represented sharp and rich in detail. However, the sharpness falls relatively sharply towards the edges.

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Galaxy J5
LG G6
LG G6
Sony Xperia XA1
Xperia XA1
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
Moto G5 Plus
Chart illustration of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Chart illustration of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)

Accessories and Warranty

Samsung includes a 24-month warranty with the Galaxy J5 (2017) SM-J530F. Warranty is 12 months for the battery and 6 months for the accessories. Warranty extensions are not available. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

The scope of delivery includes a modular power adapter rated at 7.75 watts (5 Volt, 1.55 Ampere), a USB cable, a headset and a small tool for opening the card slot. In addition, the package includes a small printed quick start guide and a few flyers with warranty information, security hints and regional restrictions.

Optional accessories were not offered in Samsung's shop at the time of testing.

Input Devices and Handling

The Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) features a capacitive touchscreen, which can recognize and handle up to five simultaneous inputs. The gliding traits are very good and inputs are recognized quickly and reliably. Moreover, the display can be easily cleaned.

The variant known from the Galaxy S8 is used as default keyboard layout. It has a very clean design and also supports features such as swiping and automatic word suggestions. If you do not like it, you can install any layout from the Play Store.

The fingerprint sensor sits in the home button and appears to be very good. It proved to be responsive and reliable and upon unlocking the user gets direct access to the system without pressing the button even if the smartphone is in standby. The two sensor buttons beside the home button also react reliably. However, unfortunately, they are not lit. One-hand mode is kept simple, yet effective.

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): keyboard in landscape format
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): keyboard in portrait format
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): one-hand mode

Display

Subpixel grid of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Subpixel grid of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)

The Super AMOLED display of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) measures 5.2 inches and has a 1280x720 pixel resolution. Thus, it could be a little sharper, especially since most of the competitors in this price range already offer Full HD. On the other hand, there is finally an auto-brightness sensor which controls the brightness of the display. The maximum brightness can only be achieved with the sensor active. If the brightness is adjusted manually, we can only measure 300 cd/m² in the screen center. In the more relevant measurement with an even distribution of bright and dark areas (APL50) we were able to measure up to 546 cd/m².

Due to the Super AMOLED technology being used, each pixel is illuminated separately, which leads to a perfect black value. In theory, this results in a contrast ratio trending towards the infinite. Clouding or light halos are alien to this panel technology. For evenings, there is a blue-light filter which is supposed to be easy on the eyes in the dark.

450
cd/m²
449
cd/m²
432
cd/m²
468
cd/m²
448
cd/m²
441
cd/m²
476
cd/m²
452
cd/m²
440
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 476 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 450.7 cd/m² Minimum: 3.93 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 448 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.06
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
Super AMOLED, 1280x720, 5.20
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
AMOLED, 1280x720, 5.20
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.00
Huawei P10 Lite
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Sony Xperia XA1
IPS, 1280x720, 5.00
BlackBerry DTEK50
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Apple iPhone SE
IPS, 1136x640, 4.00
Screen
-34%
-71%
8%
-55%
-57%
-23%
20%
Brightness middle
448
289
-35%
503
12%
640
43%
507
13%
522
17%
535
19%
603
35%
Brightness
451
291
-35%
495
10%
609
35%
509
13%
499
11%
511
13%
579
28%
Brightness Distribution
91
96
5%
96
5%
85
-7%
95
4%
92
1%
89
-2%
93
2%
Black Level *
0.31
0.93
0.36
0.74
0.89
0.88
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.7
4.7
-74%
6.2
-130%
2.8
-4%
5.1
-89%
4.2
-56%
4.3
-59%
1.8
33%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.8
7.3
26%
9.8
-0%
5.7
42%
9
8%
11.5
-17%
8.2
16%
3.5
64%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.6
3
-88%
6.8
-325%
2.6
-63%
6.1
-281%
6.4
-300%
3.6
-125%
2.3
-44%
Gamma
2.06 107%
2.03 108%
2.33 94%
2.35 94%
2.28 96%
2.18 101%
2.21 100%
2.21 100%
CCT
6557 99%
6291 103%
8113 80%
6477 100%
8143 80%
7044 92%
6352 102%
6955 93%
Contrast
1623
688
1408
705
601
685
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
62.13
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
96.74

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 240.4 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 240.4 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 240.4 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

maximum brightness
maximum brightness
63 % brightness
63 % brightness
minimum brightness
minimum brightness

OLED displays use PWM for brightness control. This is also true for the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017). PWM is also present at maximum brightness. However, the amplitude variation is very small. The flickering first increases at 63% brightness and lower and hovers at 240 Hz. It remains relatively constant down to the minimum brightness of about 4 cd/m². The amplitude variation is also relatively small here. Hence, only sensitive persons should feel the effects of PWM.

Samsung's Super AMOLED displays shine with intensive colors and crisp contrasts. This also conforms to our subjective impression of the Galaxy J5 (2017). Nevertheless, we have examined the panel more closely with the photo spectrometer and the CalMAN analysis software. The colors are very accurate and are oriented towards the big AdobeRGB color space, which is not fully covered however. Almost all color deviations remains below a DeltaE of 4. Hence, they are almost invisible to the naked eye. Only red is different and is displayed very saturated.

Grayscale (profile: simple, target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (profile: simple, target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (profile: photo, target color space: AdobeRGB)
Grayscale (profile: photo, target color space: AdobeRGB)
Grayscale (profile: cinema, target color space: P3)
Grayscale (profile: cinema, target color space: P3)
Mixed colors (profile: simple, target color space: sRGB)
Mixed colors (profile: simple, target color space: sRGB)
Mixed colors (profile: photo, target color space: AdobeRGB)
Mixed colors (profile: photo, target color space: AdobeRGB)
Mixed colors (profile: cinema, target color space: P3)
Mixed colors (profile: cinema, target color space: P3)
Color space (profile: simple, target color space: sRGB)
Color space (profile: simple, target color space: sRGB)
Color space (profile: photo, target color space: AdobeRGB)
Color space (profile: photo, target color space: AdobeRGB)
Color space (profile: cinema, target color space: P3)
Color space (profile: cinema, target color space: P3)
Saturation (profile: simple, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (profile: simple, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (profile: photo, target color space: AdobeRGB)
Saturation (profile: photo, target color space: AdobeRGB)
Saturation (profile: cinema, target color space: P3)
Saturation (profile: cinema, target color space: P3)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
5.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2.4 ms rise
↘ 2.8 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 12 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
5.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2.8 ms rise
↘ 2.8 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 12 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) performs quite well in outdoor use. This is primarily thanks to its high brightness and good contrast ratio. However the panel surface reflects visibly and it is particularly difficult to make out anything from flat angles in bright environments.

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): outdoors
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): outdoors

The viewing angle stability of the Super AMOLED panel in the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) is good. Regardless of the angle, color inversions and ghosting effects cannot be observed. Only a slight brightness decrease is noticeable and the image gets a slight cyan haze. However, the latter is only noticeable in dark environments and is masked by reflections otherwise.

Viewing angles of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
Viewing angles of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)

Performance

In the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) an Exynos 7870-SoC is used, just as in the Galaxy J7 (2016) or the Galaxy A3 (2017). The chipset has a processor with eight Cortex-A53 cores that each clock at up to 1.6 GHz and were manufactured in the 14 nm process. There are 2 GB of LPDDR3 working memory and 16 GB of internal storage. The graphics calculations are performed by an ARM Mali-T830 MP2.

The provided CPU performance is about on par with faster competitors. Within the comparison group, only the Moto G5 Plus (Snapdragon 625) performs slightly better. The smartphones from Lenovo and Huawei also perform better than our test model in system performance. In everyday life, these minor weaknesses are noticeable through short delays when switching between apps. Upday app in particular slows down the Galaxy J5.

In the graphics benchmarks, it quickly becomes apparent that the Samsung smartphone has very little reserves, since the manufacturer has incorporated the one core variant of the ARM Mali-T830. As the J5 only uses a 720p display, this is hardly noticeable in the onscreen tests.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
45613 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
27232 Points -40%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
45549 Points 0%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
64705 Points +42%
Huawei P10 Lite
60438 Points +33%
Sony Xperia XA1
59082 Points +30%
BlackBerry DTEK50
40876 Points -10%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
75533 Points +66%
Lenovo P2
63522 Points +39%
Apple iPhone SE
126969 Points +178%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
5006 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
4126 Points -18%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
5000 Points 0%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
6285 Points +26%
Huawei P10 Lite
5794 Points +16%
Sony Xperia XA1
4759 Points -5%
BlackBerry DTEK50
5234 Points +5%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
4964 Points -1%
Lenovo P2
4810 Points -4%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
3889 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
2913 Points -25%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
3756 Points -3%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
5039 Points +30%
Huawei P10 Lite
4464 Points +15%
Sony Xperia XA1
Points -100%
Lenovo P2
4810 Points +24%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
732 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
517 Points -29%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
844 Points +15%
Huawei P10 Lite
913 Points +25%
Sony Xperia XA1
828 Points +13%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
3704 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
1261 Points -66%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
4319 Points +17%
Huawei P10 Lite
3460 Points -7%
Sony Xperia XA1
3621 Points -2%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
8227 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
4400 Points -47%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
8550 Points +4%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
13929 Points +69%
Huawei P10 Lite
11135 Points +35%
Sony Xperia XA1
13734 Points +67%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
18127 Points +120%
Lenovo P2
13808 Points +68%
Apple iPhone SE
29538 Points +259%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
7484 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
3838 Points -49%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
7793 Points +4%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
13380 Points +79%
Huawei P10 Lite
10603 Points +42%
Sony Xperia XA1
13125 Points +75%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
21668 Points +190%
Lenovo P2
13398 Points +79%
Apple iPhone SE
44059 Points +489%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
12605 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
9022 Points -28%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
12954 Points +3%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
16267 Points +29%
Huawei P10 Lite
13510 Points +7%
Sony Xperia XA1
16394 Points +30%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
11532 Points -9%
Lenovo P2
15462 Points +23%
Apple iPhone SE
13717 Points +9%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
340 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
53 Points -84%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
490 Points +44%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
847 Points +149%
Huawei P10 Lite
610 Points +79%
Sony Xperia XA1
945 Points +178%
BlackBerry DTEK50
624 Points +84%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
1342 Points +295%
Lenovo P2
831 Points +144%
Apple iPhone SE
3149 Points +826%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
277 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
42 Points -85%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
407 Points +47%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
722 Points +161%
Huawei P10 Lite
520 Points +88%
Sony Xperia XA1
827 Points +199%
BlackBerry DTEK50
568 Points +105%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
1252 Points +352%
Lenovo P2
726 Points +162%
Apple iPhone SE
4255 Points +1436%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
1685 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
709 Points -58%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
1699 Points +1%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
2150 Points +28%
Huawei P10 Lite
1537 Points -9%
Sony Xperia XA1
1892 Points +12%
BlackBerry DTEK50
957 Points -43%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
1793 Points +6%
Lenovo P2
1682 Points 0%
Apple iPhone SE
1649 Points -2%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
231 Points
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
312 Points +35%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
469 Points +103%
Huawei P10 Lite
396 Points +71%
Sony Xperia XA1
677 Points +193%
BlackBerry DTEK50
386 Points +67%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
856 Points +271%
Lenovo P2
459 Points +99%
Apple iPhone SE
2298 Points +895%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
185 Points
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
253 Points +37%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
383 Points +107%
Huawei P10 Lite
326 Points +76%
Sony Xperia XA1
574 Points +210%
BlackBerry DTEK50
328 Points +77%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
745 Points +303%
Lenovo P2
380 Points +105%
Apple iPhone SE
2524 Points +1264%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
1727 Points
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
1670 Points -3%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
2152 Points +25%
Huawei P10 Lite
1592 Points -8%
Sony Xperia XA1
1804 Points +4%
BlackBerry DTEK50
1020 Points -41%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
1800 Points +4%
Lenovo P2
1673 Points -3%
Apple iPhone SE
1749 Points +1%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
20 fps
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
9.7 fps -51%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
19 fps -5%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
19 fps -5%
Huawei P10 Lite
18 fps -10%
Sony Xperia XA1
33 fps +65%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
31 fps +55%
Lenovo P2
23 fps +15%
Apple iPhone SE
59.2 fps +196%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
12 fps
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
5.2 fps -57%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
12 fps 0%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
23 fps +92%
Huawei P10 Lite
17 fps +42%
Sony Xperia XA1
22 fps +83%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
30 fps +150%
Lenovo P2
23 fps +92%
Apple iPhone SE
80.3 fps +569%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
10 fps
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
3.8 fps -62%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
9.8 fps -2%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
10 fps 0%
Huawei P10 Lite
7.7 fps -23%
Sony Xperia XA1
19 fps +90%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
14 fps +40%
Lenovo P2
10 fps 0%
Apple iPhone SE
58.1 fps +481%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
5.1 fps
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
1.8 fps -65%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
5 fps -2%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
9.9 fps +94%
Huawei P10 Lite
7.2 fps +41%
Sony Xperia XA1
9.6 fps +88%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
14 fps +175%
Lenovo P2
10 fps +96%
Apple iPhone SE
40 fps +684%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
7.4 fps
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
fps -100%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
7.3 fps -1%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
3.1 fps -58%
Huawei P10 Lite
4.8 fps -35%
Sony Xperia XA1
15 fps +103%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
9.4 fps +27%
Lenovo P2
6.7 fps -9%
Apple iPhone SE
57.9 fps +682%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
3.2 fps
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
fps -100%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
3.2 fps 0%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
7 fps +119%
Huawei P10 Lite
4.2 fps +31%
Sony Xperia XA1
3.4 fps +6%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
9.6 fps +200%
Lenovo P2
6.2 fps +94%
Apple iPhone SE
28.1 fps +778%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
3.7 fps
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
fps -100%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
3.9 fps +5%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
3.5 fps -5%
Huawei P10 Lite
3 fps -19%
Sony Xperia XA1
7.9 fps +114%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
5.5 fps +49%
Lenovo P2
3.7 fps 0%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
1.9 fps
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
fps -100%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
1.9 fps 0%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
3.8 fps +100%
Huawei P10 Lite
2.8 fps +47%
Sony Xperia XA1
3.7 fps +95%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
5.4 fps +184%
Lenovo P2
3.4 fps +79%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
1022 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
585 Points -43%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
1000 Points -2%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
1176 Points +15%
Huawei P10 Lite
1229 Points +20%
Sony Xperia XA1
1284 Points +26%
BlackBerry DTEK50
276 Points -73%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
1297 Points +27%
Lenovo P2
1226 Points +20%
Apple iPhone SE
2287 Points +124%
System (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
2218 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
1060 Points -52%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
2185 Points -1%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
2746 Points +24%
Huawei P10 Lite
2642 Points +19%
Sony Xperia XA1
2969 Points +34%
BlackBerry DTEK50
1310 Points -41%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
2582 Points +16%
Lenovo P2
1960 Points -12%
Apple iPhone SE
5179 Points +133%
Memory (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
1249 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
643 Points -49%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
1296 Points +4%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
991 Points -21%
Huawei P10 Lite
1592 Points +27%
Sony Xperia XA1
1063 Points -15%
BlackBerry DTEK50
675 Points -46%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
798 Points -36%
Lenovo P2
1451 Points +16%
Apple iPhone SE
1032 Points -17%
Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
534 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
312 Points -42%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
529 Points -1%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
1007 Points +89%
Huawei P10 Lite
829 Points +55%
Sony Xperia XA1
1016 Points +90%
BlackBerry DTEK50
696 Points +30%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
1635 Points +206%
Lenovo P2
1016 Points +90%
Apple iPhone SE
4175 Points +682%
Web (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
737 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
551 Points -25%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
666 Points -10%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
699 Points -5%
Huawei P10 Lite
654 Points -11%
Sony Xperia XA1
847 Points +15%
BlackBerry DTEK50
9 Points -99%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
843 Points +14%
Lenovo P2
783 Points +6%
Apple iPhone SE
1226 Points +66%

Legend

 
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP1, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916, Qualcomm Adreno 306, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei P10 Lite HiSilicon Kirin 658, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Sony Xperia XA1 Mediatek Helio P20 (LP4) MT6757, ARM Mali-T880 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
BlackBerry DTEK50 Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 MSM8952, Qualcomm Adreno 405, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 MSM8976, Qualcomm Adreno 510, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo P2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Apple iPhone SE Apple A9, Apple A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 64 GB eMMC Flash

The Samsung Browser 5.4 is pre-installed for web surfing. Subjectively, it browses quite quickly through the World Wide Web. Only opening more complex web sites sometimes takes a little longer. In the benchmarks, the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) delivers very good results in the comparison field. It has to do with only a mid-range place in the Java benchmark JetStream.

WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
80 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
47 Points -41%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
64 Points -20%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
85 Points +6%
Huawei P10 Lite
62 Points -22%
Sony Xperia XA1
78 Points -2%
BlackBerry DTEK50
64 Points -20%
Lenovo P2
84 Points +5%
Apple iPhone SE
186 Points +133%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
4968 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
2730 Points -45%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
3799 Points -24%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
4432 Points -11%
Huawei P10 Lite
4589 Points -8%
Sony Xperia XA1
3956 Points -20%
BlackBerry DTEK50
3527 Points -29%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
9138 Points +84%
Lenovo P2
4435 Points -11%
Apple iPhone SE
16550 Points +233%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
6784 ms *
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
13046 ms * -92%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
9669 ms * -43%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
8049 ms * -19%
Huawei P10 Lite
8591 ms * -27%
Sony Xperia XA1
9506 ms * -40%
BlackBerry DTEK50
10420 ms * -54%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
3465 ms * +49%
Lenovo P2
8463 ms * -25%
Apple iPhone SE
1709 ms * +75%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
26.37 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
16.8 Points -36%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
23.28 Points -12%
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
30.72 Points +16%
Huawei P10 Lite
30.05 Points +14%
Sony Xperia XA1
28.45 Points +8%
BlackBerry DTEK50
22.69 Points -14%
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
50.1 Points +90%
Lenovo P2
28.88 Points +10%
Apple iPhone SE
118.8 Points +351%

* ... smaller is better

The Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) features 16 GB of internal eMMC flash memory, 10 GB of which is available after the initial start. In view of the device category, the performance is alright, but most competitors perform slightly better in this respect. Smartphones from Lenovo in particular are significantly faster in reading and writing small data blocks.

We have checked the performance of the microSD card slot with our Toshiba Exceria Pro M401 reference card. While the potential of the card is not maxed out, the recorded performance is still good.

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) DuosSamsung Galaxy J5 2016Samsung Galaxy A3 2017Lenovo Moto G5 PlusHuawei P10 LiteSony Xperia XA1BlackBerry DTEK50BQ Aquaris X5 PlusLenovo P2
AndroBench 3-5
5%
-1%
160%
70%
73%
2%
18%
89%
Sequential Read 256KB
204.4
147
-28%
199.7
-2%
233.4
14%
264.3
29%
248.5
22%
226.6
11%
228.4
12%
270.1
32%
Sequential Write 256KB
52
72
38%
45.96
-12%
132.5
155%
129.2
148%
127.8
146%
72.8
40%
47.03
-10%
76.7
48%
Random Read 4KB
24.07
21
-13%
22.32
-7%
68
183%
72.5
201%
66.2
175%
15.76
-35%
36.85
53%
38.2
59%
Random Write 4KB
9.9
11.6
17%
9.62
-3%
67
577%
19.36
96%
13.2
33%
8.12
-18%
12.44
26%
44.4
348%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
72.2
79.8
11%
75.5
5%
74.7
3%
53.4
-26%
78.4
9%
74.1
3%
73.2
1%
79.3
10%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
44.21
46.61
5%
50.1
13%
56.9
29%
32.7
-26%
68
54%
48.87
11%
54.9
24%
59.4
34%

Games

As already mentioned above, Samsung was a bit stingy in terms of GPU and  has incorporated only a one core variant of the ARM Mali-T830. The graphics unit supports modern OpenGL ES 3.2 standard, but not the Vulkan API. Hence, gamers have to accept reducing the details in games. For example, the race game “Asphalt 8” runs smoothly at minimum details, but the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) only achieves an average of 22 fps at maximum details.

On a positive note, the Galaxy J5 also includes software features such as the Game Tools or the Game Launcher now, which were first introduced in the Galaxy S7. As the speaker sits on the sides, it cannot be covered and the sensors do not give rise to complaints. Furthermore, the J5 has pleasantly low power consumption during gaming.

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): Game Tools
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): Asphalt 8
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): GameBench mit Asphalt 8
Asphalt 8: Airborne
 SettingsValue
 high22 fps
 very low30 fps
Dead Trigger 2
 SettingsValue
 high30 fps

Emissions

Temperature

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): GFXBench battery test OpenGL ES 2.0
T-Rex
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): GFXBench battery test OpenGL ES 3.1
Manhattan

The surface temperatures of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) are flawless and even under prolonged load, the phone does not even get lukewarm. It just reaches a maximum of 31.9 °C (~89 °F) in some places.

In addition, we checked the behavior of the SoC under load with the GFXBench battery test. The performance remains constant in the older T-Rex test (OpenGL ES 2.0) as well as in the more demanding Manhattan test (OpenGL ES 3.1).

Max. Load
 31.4 °C
89 F
31.1 °C
88 F
30.1 °C
86 F
 
 31.8 °C
89 F
31.5 °C
89 F
30.1 °C
86 F
 
 31.1 °C
88 F
31.9 °C
89 F
30.5 °C
87 F
 
Maximum: 31.9 °C = 89 F
Average: 31.1 °C = 88 F
29.4 °C
85 F
29.5 °C
85 F
29.6 °C
85 F
29.1 °C
84 F
30.2 °C
86 F
30 °C
86 F
29.7 °C
85 F
29.7 °C
85 F
30.4 °C
87 F
Maximum: 30.4 °C = 87 F
Average: 29.7 °C = 85 F
Power Supply (max.)  29.6 °C = 85 F | Room Temperature 21.4 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.1 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 31.9 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 30.4 °C / 87 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.6 °C / 85 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speaker

Pink noise diagram of the Samsung Galaxy J5 SM-J530F
Pink noise diagram

Samsung has moved the mono speaker from the bottom edge to the side in the Galaxy J5 (2017). Hence, it is almost impossible to accidentally cover it. The component performs quite well at average volume and delivers a relatively decent sound. The mid tones in particular are accurate. At maximum volume, especially the medium highs distort. As a result, for example, sibilants appear very hard and sharp to the listener.

Subjectively, the audio jack of the smartphone appears good and transmits sound cleanly and with low noise. The included headset is very present in the lower middles and higher bass range. As a result, sound appears slightly muffled.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.6322525.438.43125.3344032.9305033.629.66331.628.58028.429.31002731.812520.834.91602243.420021.349.125020.855.531521.260.740019.463.750019.567.463017.770.280017.971.4100017.868.9125017.370160017.472.6200016.775.1250017.277.4315018.278.1400017.981.4500017.676.7630017.775.4800017.874.51000017.970.51250018.161.81600018.258.4SPL3086.8N1.370median 17.9median 70Delta1.48.529.62929.628.428.628.427.729.427.728.832.828.828.628.828.625.72525.724.925.424.926.627.726.634.228.734.233.521.833.543.621.843.648.822.348.85421.15458.721.658.760.921.360.962.718.162.765.220.365.267.319.667.369.419.569.473.616.373.674.116.174.175.715.675.775.415.575.468.115.468.172.615.172.674.115.274.176.215.176.276.815.176.870.71570.755.815.155.88529.78559.61.359.6median 67.3median 18.1median 67.310.63.410.631.635.125.434.825.330.432.929.433.627.231.635.728.434.92738.720.840.62245.421.348.420.852.821.259.319.462.119.56617.772.117.976.717.877.317.375.217.472.216.771.617.268.818.268.517.967.217.666.517.765.617.862.717.957.618.153.218.244.33083.51.354.4median 17.9median 65.61.49.2hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy J5 (2017) DuosHuawei P10 LiteLenovo Moto G5 Plus
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.2% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 16% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 75% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 38% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei P10 Lite audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.8% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 46% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 46% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 65% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 28% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo Moto G5 Plus audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 30% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 50% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 42% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes can be selected/de-selected!)

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Even though compared to the predecessor (3100 mAh), the battery size of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) has been reduced to 3000 mAh, the exemplary power consumption values point to an improved battery life. The measurements were taken with the highest manually adjustable panel brightness. If the auto-brightness sensor is allowed to increase the brightness to the maximum, the device uses 0.83 watts more power.

Although on paper, the Galaxy J5 does not support fast charging, the battery is recharged within 128 minutes, which is quite fast. Last year's model needed about 3 hours for a full charge. The 2017 variant of the J5 reaches 15% of the capacity in 15 minutes and 29% after half an hour. It takes 89 minutes to exceed the 80% level.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.05 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.52 / 1.17 / 1.24 Watt
Load midlight 1.66 / 2.94 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
3000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
3100 mAh
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
3000 mAh
Huawei P10 Lite
3000 mAh
Sony Xperia XA1
2300 mAh
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
3200 mAh
BlackBerry DTEK50
2610 mAh
Power Consumption
-24%
-68%
-57%
0%
-92%
-96%
Idle Minimum *
0.52
0.61
-17%
0.91
-75%
0.38
27%
0.64
-23%
0.87
-67%
0.78
-50%
Idle Average *
1.17
1.41
-21%
1.83
-56%
1.87
-60%
0.81
31%
1.33
-14%
1.72
-47%
Idle Maximum *
1.24
1.51
-22%
1.87
-51%
1.92
-55%
0.86
31%
1.35
-9%
1.77
-43%
Load Average *
1.66
2.56
-54%
3.17
-91%
3.82
-130%
2.09
-26%
5.44
-228%
4.33
-161%
Load Maximum *
2.94
3.1
-5%
4.87
-66%
4.9
-67%
3.31
-13%
7.11
-142%
8.21
-179%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): medium energy saving mode
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017): maximum energy saving mode

With 3000 mAh, the battery capacity of the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) might be slightly smaller than the model's from 2016. Nevertheless, all battery runtimes except for the Reader's test have improved. The tests at adjusted brightness (150 cd/m²) can be best compared. The Galaxy J5 also shows its strengths in this scenario and can almost unexceptionally outperform its competitors. Only the Moto G5 Plus lasts a few minutes longer in the Wi-Fi test.

The smartphone also proves to be very long-lasting under load. It might be the weak graphics unit, which makes extremely long battery runtimes possible. As we were slightly surprised, we monitored the values reported by the Stability test app, but the frame rates were as expected and the processor also worked consistently at 1.6 GHz. GameBench calculates a usage time of over 10 hours for the race game “Asphalt 8” and also the PCMark for Android Work 2.0 Battery test attest to the Galaxy J5’s excellent battery life of 12 hours and 48 minutes.

In addition, energy saving modes can be configured in order to extend the battery runtime.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
26h 04min
WiFi Websurfing
12h 18min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
15h 17min
Load (maximum brightness)
7h 29min
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
3000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
3100 mAh
Huawei P10 Lite
3000 mAh
Sony Xperia XA1
2300 mAh
BlackBerry DTEK50
2610 mAh
Lenovo Moto G5 Plus
3000 mAh
BQ Aquaris X5 Plus
3200 mAh
Battery Runtime
-12%
-23%
-20%
-44%
-16%
-32%
Reader / Idle
1564
1599
2%
1410
-10%
1433
-8%
1020
-35%
1206
-23%
H.264
917
658
-28%
586
-36%
751
-18%
472
-49%
799
-13%
WiFi v1.3
738
643
-13%
665
-10%
675
-9%
404
-45%
746
1%
504
-32%
Load
449
402
-10%
286
-36%
256
-43%
244
-46%
325
-28%

Pros

+ great display
+ Dual SIM plus microSD
+ excellent recharge times
+ good fingerprint sensor
+ fast Wi-Fi
+ good positioning

Cons

- only 720p display
- no USB Type-C
- modest voice quality
- PWM
- weak GPU

Verdict

In review: Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos SM-J530F
In review: Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos SM-J530F

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 Samsung Galaxy J5 is not the smartphone with the largest memory, the best camera, or the fastest SoC in its price category, but it offers a consistent overall concept, which is convincing.

The cameras are not reference models, but they deliver good results if the environment is bright enough. The Wi-Fi module does not only support all current standards, but finally also delivers good transfer rates. However, the performance of the SoC could be higher. The GPU in particular is relatively weak. In this respect, competitors such as the P10 Lite or the Moto G5 Plus perform simply better. The internal storage of 16 GB is also rather standard fare. However, the storage capacity can be expanded with a microSD without forgoing the dual SIM feature.

The Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) delivers excellent battery runtimes, which cannot often be reached even by smartphones with significantly higher battery capacities. The Samsung impressively demonstrates what it means to create an efficient product. However, customers will decide if Samsung was well-advised to also equip the J series with unremovable batteries.

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos - 07/05/2017 v6(old)
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
91%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
92%
Connectivity
45 / 60 → 74%
Weight
92%
Battery
96%
Display
86%
Games Performance
14 / 63 → 22%
Application Performance
47 / 70 → 67%
Temperature
93%
Noise
100%
Audio
52 / 91 → 57%
Camera
63%
Average
72%
83%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos Smartphone Review
Daniel Schmidt, 2017-06-30 (Update: 2020-05-19)