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Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) Duos Smartphone Review

It's not all roses. The Samsung Galaxy J7 is the larger version of the Galaxy J5. It has similar features, but a larger, 5.5-inch display. After the redesign of the entire series, the J7, too, now has a non-removable battery. To find out about other changes, take a look at our detailed review. Update: new firmware with bug fixes released.

For the original German review, click here.

The model has entered the third round with the 2017 version of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (SM-J730F) Duos. It has had a full overhaul in the area of design. All smartphones of the Galaxy J series look almost identical with only the size differing among the various models.

It was slightly surprising to find that Samsung has chosen not to upgrade the processor and has stuck to the Exynos 7870 SoC, which was used in the 2016 version. The manufacturer has increased the device's working memory by 50% to a good 3 GB; internal storage remains unchanged at 16 GB. The communication modules have also been improved, and so have camera features. The J7 (2017) now has 3600 mAh (+ 300 mAh) and promises a significant increase in battery runtime. There was another surprise concerning the display: it now offers Full-HD resolution rather than simple HD.

We are testing the Duos version, which means that the Galaxy J7 (2017) has two fully-fledged Nano-SIM slots as well as a microSD slot. The device is available for about £340 (~$440).

We have chosen the Lenovo Moto Z Play, Asus Zenfone 3, Lenovo P2 and the Huawei Nova Plus as our comparison devices. They all have the same display size and are in the same price range.

Update 11/07/2017: Samsung has released a new firmware. Details can be found in the software section.

Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 (Galaxy J7 Series)
Processor
Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa 8 x 1.6 GHz, A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
, LPDDR3, 933 MHz
Display
5.50 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 401 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, Super AMOLED, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 9.9 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: combined headphone and microphone jack (3.5 mm), Card Reader: microSD up to 256 GB (SDHC, SDXC), 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelleration sensor, geomagnetic sensor, scher, Hall effect sensor, proximity and G sensor, BeiDou, Ant+, OTG, Wifi Direct
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1, GSM/GPRS/Edge (850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 900, 1900 and 2100 MHz), LTE Cat. 6 (Band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 and 40), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8 x 152.5 x 74.8 ( = 0.31 x 6 x 2.94 in)
Battery
3600 mAh Lithium-Polymer, Talk time 3G (according to manufacturer): 24 h
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix (Sony IMX258, f/1.7, auto focus, full-HD video)
Secondary Camera: 13 MPix (Samsung S5K3M3, f/1.9, fixed focus, full-HD video)
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: virtual, modular power supply, USB cable, SIM tool, headset, QuickStart guide, security and warranty information, TouchWiz 8.1, 24 Months Warranty, Micro-USB, FM radio , head SAR: 0.567 W/kg, body SAR: 1.33 W/kg, fanless
Weight
181 g ( = 6.38 oz / 0.4 pounds), Power Supply: 50 g ( = 1.76 oz / 0.11 pounds)
Price
340 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Compared to last year's model, Samsung has done a complete design overhaul of the Galaxy J7 (2017) and has equipped the device with an aluminum unibody case. Unlike the J5, our test unit's dimensions have not increased drastically, despite it having a larger battery. We like the fact that the camera is slightly recessed into the case, which protects the glass from scratches. Samsung has given no information regarding the glass at the front of the device, but the transition to the aluminum is clearly visible. The gaps for antennas fit nicely to the whole design.

The Galaxy J7 seems very stable and does not warp even under high pressure. We noticed hardly any creaking. Transitions between materials are clearly visible, but nicely done with even and small gap dimensions. Unfortunately, the card trays and their covers are made entirely of plastic, which might lead to a change of color compared to the aluminum case after some time. The colors are identical at purchase.

The smaller card slot is meant for the first Nano-SIM, while the wider slot contains both the second Nano-SIM and the microSD card. While the Galaxy J7 (2016) still had a removable battery, it is fully integrated in the current generation and can only be exchanged by authorized professionals. The Galaxy J7 (2017) is available in black, gold and blue.

Size Comparison

156.4 mm / 6.16 inch 76.4 mm / 3.01 inch 7 mm / 0.2756 inch 165 g0.3638 lbs153 mm / 6.02 inch 76 mm / 2.99 inch 8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch 177 g0.3902 lbs152.5 mm / 6 inch 74.8 mm / 2.94 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 181 g0.399 lbs152.6 mm / 6.01 inch 77.4 mm / 3.05 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 155 g0.3417 lbs151.7 mm / 5.97 inch 76 mm / 2.99 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 169 g0.3726 lbs151.8 mm / 5.98 inch 75.7 mm / 2.98 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 162 g0.3571 lbs146.2 mm / 5.76 inch 71.3 mm / 2.81 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 158 g0.3483 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The bottom edge of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) still has a Micro USB port, the manufacturer has not yet changed to the newer Type-C build for these entry-level phones. The port does not support video output, but it does support OTG, which means that peripheral devices can be connected as well as external storage devices. Unfortunately, the audio jack is also located on the bottom edge - we would have wished for it to be at the top.   

Our test unit is a so-called Duos version. This means that the smartphone can use two Nano-SIM cards simultaneously. It is a fully-fledged dual SIM version, which allows additional use of a microSD card. The microSD slot supports the SDXC standard and therefore all usual storage mediums. Storage can be expanded up to 256 GB. It is not possible to format it as internal storage, but you can save larger apps on the optional microSD card.

The Galaxy J7 supports Bluetooth 4.1, Ant+, and Wi-Fi Direct and has both an NFC chip and an FM radio receiver.

Software

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is supplied with Google Android 7.0 Nougat combined with Samsung's own TouchWiz 8.1 interface. Apart from multitasking, the Game Launcher and Game Tools, it also offers other software features, which are described in detail in our review of the Galaxy J5. Apart from some Samsung apps and its own app-store, the device also comes with preinstalled apps from Microsoft and Facebook, which can only be deactivated, but not removed completely.

Android's security patches are up-to-date at the time of testing with the last update being from June 1st 2017.

Update 11/07/2017: Samsung has released firmware build NRD90M.J730FFXXU1AQI5 (396 MB). In addition to stability 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 J7 (2017): homescreen
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): apps
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): preinstalled Microsoft apps
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): task manager
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): upday
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): telephone app
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): storage
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): software

Communication and GPS

The communication features are the same as in the smaller Galaxy J5 sibling. The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) connects via fast LTE Cat. 6 (max. 300 MBit/s download and 50 MBit/s Upload) on-the-move. The frequency range is also entirely sufficient within Europe. In addition, the phone supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Wi-Fi telephony if this is also offered by the provider. The reception performance was normal in the cellular network of a city.

While we complained about the slow Wi-Fi module in the predecessor, Samsung has improved this. The Galaxy J7 (2017) supports the IEEE-802.11 standards a/b/g/n/ac now and uses the 2.4 and 5.0 GHz frequency bands. The Wi-Fi range is very good. The Wi-Fi signal was even strong in about 12 m distance to the router and through a wall and we could stream HD videos without problem. When connected to our Linksys EA8500 reference router, the transfer rates are also fast. The competitors in our comparison group cannot keep up with our test model in this respect.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
Mali-T830 MP1, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash (Linksys EA8500, 5.0 GHz)
280 MBit/s
Lenovo P2
Adreno 506, 625, 32 GB eMMC Flash (Linksys EA8500, 5.0 GHz)
216 MBit/s -23%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
Adreno 506, 625, 32 GB eMMC Flash (Linksys EA8500, 5.0 GHz)
112 MBit/s -60%
Huawei Nova Plus
Adreno 506, 625, 32 GB eMMC Flash (Linksys EA8500, 2.4 GHz)
51.5 MBit/s -82%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
Adreno 506, 625, 64 GB eMMC Flash (Linksys EA8500, 5.0 GHz)
31.2 MBit/s -89%
iperf3 receive AX12
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
Mali-T830 MP1, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash (Linksys EA8500, 5.0 GHz)
251 MBit/s
Lenovo Moto Z Play
Adreno 506, 625, 32 GB eMMC Flash (Linksys EA8500, 5.0 GHz)
121 MBit/s -52%
Lenovo P2
Adreno 506, 625, 32 GB eMMC Flash (Linksys EA8500, 5.0 GHz)
88.8 MBit/s -65%
Huawei Nova Plus
Adreno 506, 625, 32 GB eMMC Flash (Linksys EA8500, 2.4 GHz)
53.4 MBit/s -79%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
Adreno 506, 625, 64 GB eMMC Flash (Linksys EA8500, 5.0 GHz)
32.9 MBit/s -87%
GPS test: outdoor
GPS test: outdoor
GPS test: in a building
GPS test: in a building

Geolocation is done by means of the GPS, Glonass, and BeiDou satellite networks. The satellite fix is quite fast. At first, it is not particularly accurate however. It takes a while until it reaches a good accuracy of about 13 meters in buildings. It is done significantly faster and more accurate outdoor.

We checked the accuracy of the Galaxy J7's geolocation with a small bike ride and compared the performance to the Garmin Edge 500 bike computer. The total deviation of the about 12 km long route is just 30 meters - a very good result. A closer look at single segments reveals that the Garmin navigation system records the route slightly more accurate. However, you cannot complain about the minimal deviations of the smartphone.

Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)

Telephony and Call Quality

The design of the phone app ist simple and clear. Hence, everybody should be able to find his 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 J7 (2017) is not quite satisfactory; something which we have already criticized in the predecessor. Voices sound quite dull on both sides. In addition, the voice of the J7 user is occasionally interrupted by short dropouts. Ambient noise suppression is not available. The situation gets even worse with active speaker. Those who plan a longer phone call, should not use it. The included headset also does not use noise cancelling, but it performs quite well.

Cameras

Front camera shot with the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Front camera shot

The cameras are identical to those of the Galaxy J5 (2017). At the front of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) there is a 13 MP camera with an LED flash. It has an aperture of f/1.9, which is supposed to support its low-light ambitions. Unfortunately, the camera only has fixed focus. The recordings are quite good under good light conditions as long as the subject does not move to quickly. In the dark, the LED flash can make images brighter.

The main camera on the back also has 13 MP with an aperture of f/1.7. Samsung has equipped the camera with a Sony IMX258 sensor with 1.12-µm pixels. This sensor is also present in the LG G6, for example. 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 J7 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 J7 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
click to load images
X-Rite ColorChecker Passport: ColorChecker: 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 main camera under controlled light conditions. The X-Rite ColorChecker Passport shows a good result. While many colors have a slightly higher saturation, they are definitely not over-saturated. The white balance is quite accurate. Skin color and blue colors are slightly too bright, light-orange is too faint.

The Galaxy J7 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. Moreover, fonts slightly fray on dark backgrounds.

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Galaxy J7 (2017)
LG G6
LG G6
Huawei Nova Plus
Huawei Nova Plus
Lenovo P2
Lenovo P2

Accessories & Warranty

Samsung has given the Galaxy J7 (2017) a 24-month warranty, while the battery has twelve months and the accessories six. The warranty cannot be extended. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

The smartphone comes together with a modular power supply with a nominal output of 7.75 watts (5 volts, 1.55 ampere), a USB cable, a headset as well as a small tool to open the card slots. You will also receive a short, printed QuickStart guide and a couple of leaflets regarding warranty, security information and regional restrictions.

Input Devices and Handling

The capacitive touchscreen of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) does not perform worse than the Galaxy J5 in terms of gliding traits. It supports 10 instead of 5 point input however. Inputs are recognized quickly and reliably. Moreover, the display can be easily cleaned.

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. However, the thumb has to be slightly stretched in order to reach the opposite corner.

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.

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): keyboard in portrait mode
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): keyboard in landscape mode
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): settings in one-hand mode
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): one-hand mode

Display

Das Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) besitzt ein Always-On-Display.
Always-On-Display
Subpixel grid of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)'s Super-AMOLED panel
Subpixel grid

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) has a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. This results in an increased pixel density of 401 PPI; content is therefore displayed with razor-sharp definition. It also finally has an ambient light sensor that can regulate screen brightness. The maximum brightness can only be reached when the sensor is activated. Otherwise, the Galaxy J7 (2017) reaches only 302 cd/m² in the center of the screen. If the sensor is allowed to do its work, it can increase the display's brightness to up to 454 cd/m² (at the same spot). During a measurement with evenly distributed light and dark surfaces (APL50), the brightness went up to almost 600 cd/m².

Because of the display's Super AMOLED technology, every single pixel is illuminated separately, which leads to a perfect black value. This, in theory, means good contrast that tends towards infinity. Clouding does not exist with this display technology. It has a blue light filter for the evenings, which is supposed to protect your eyes in the dark. The J7 also has an Always On display, which allows notifications, time and the calendar to be visible on the display even when this is turned off. The smaller J5 does not offer this feature.

Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
Super AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.50
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
Super AMOLED, 1280x720, 5.50
Lenovo Moto Z Play
AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.50
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
Lenovo P2
AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.50
Huawei Nova Plus
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
Screen
-38%
-1%
-61%
-13%
-54%
Brightness middle
454
287
-37%
509
12%
658
45%
479
6%
485
7%
Brightness
463
289
-38%
511
10%
633
37%
477
3%
481
4%
Brightness Distribution
86
91
6%
93
8%
93
8%
91
6%
90
5%
Black Level *
0.66
0.5
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2
2.9
-45%
2.2
-10%
4.9
-145%
2.4
-20%
4.2
-110%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.3
10.1
-91%
5.8
-9%
9.1
-72%
5.6
-6%
7.9
-49%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.7
2.1
-24%
2
-18%
5.8
-241%
2.8
-65%
4.8
-182%
Gamma
2.1 105%
2.05 107%
2.25 98%
2.26 97%
2.28 96%
2.36 93%
CCT
6394 102%
6228 104%
6768 96%
7840 83%
6702 97%
7568 86%
Contrast
997
970

* ... 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 257.7 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 257.7 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 257.7 Hz is relatively high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. However, there are reports that some users are still sensitive to PWM at 500 Hz and above, so be aware.

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.

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017): PWM at maximum brightness
PWM at maximum brightness

As expected, the Super-AMOLED screen of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) uses PWM for dimming the panel. Since the amplitude variation is very small, only very sensitive persons might feel its effects. A slightly higher frequency is first used from about 92 % brightness. Beyond that, the display even only works at 60 Hz, but shows longer lighting periods.

Samsung's Super AMOLED displays shine with intensive colors and crisp contrasts. This also conforms to our subjective impression of the Galaxy J7 (2017). Nevertheless, we have examined the panel more closely with the photo spectrometer and the CalMAN analysis software. We measured the manually selected color profiles. Each profile is optimized for a different color space. None of the color spaces is fully covered, albeit to a large extent. The white balance is exemplary in all profiles. Apart from a few exceptions, almost all color deviations remain below a DeltaE of 3. Hence, they are invisible to the naked eye.


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)
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)
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)
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
4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 2 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. » 10 % 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
4.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2.8 ms rise
↘ 2 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. » 11 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Outdoor use profits from the OLED display's high maximum brightness and strong contrast ratio. Moreover, the J7 finally has an ambient light sensor, which reacts quickly to changing light and adjusts the brightness of the display accordingly. Thus, the smartphone even remains relatively well legible in direct sun. Reflections on the surface glass are disturbing however.

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) outdoor
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) outdoor
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) outdoor

The viewing angle stability of the Super AMOLED panel in the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is good. Color inversions can never be observed and brightness loss is even limited at very flat angles. The light color haze that is typical for AMOLED panels appears starting at about 30 degrees. It does not overly disturb, but it is already visible to the naked eye, when the smartphone lies next to you on the table.

Viewing angles of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Viewing angles of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is equipped with the same processor as last year's model: the manufacturer's own Exynos 7870 SoC. This SoC is also present in other models such as the Galaxy J5 or the Galaxy A3. The chipset has a processor with eight Cortex-A53 cores that clock at up to 1.6 GHz and are manufactured in the 14 nm process. It has 3 GB of LPDDR2 RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. Graphics are taken care of by an ARM Mali-T830 MP1.

The CPU performance is similarly high as the Snapdragon 625's, which is used in most competitors. However, the GPU reaches its limits with the Full HD panel as shown by the graphics benchmarks. Depending on the benchmark, models from competitors perform between 80 and 164 better. The differences get most apparent when using the OpenGL-ES-3.0 API.

In regards of system performance, especially the Asus Zenfone 3 and the Moto Z Play deliver significantly better values. In everyday life, the Galaxy J7 delivers a good subjective performance however. This small weakness gets noticeable in short delays when switching between apps. In particular upday stutters.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
47339 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
45234 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
45613 Points -4%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
61345 Points +30%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL (6.2.1)
62484 Points +32%
Lenovo P2
63522 Points +34%
Huawei Nova Plus
64601 Points +36%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
4920 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
3691 Points -25%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
5006 Points +2%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
6767 Points +38%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
6785 Points +38%
Lenovo P2
4810 Points -2%
Huawei Nova Plus
5724 Points +16%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3722 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
3889 Points +4%
Lenovo P2
4810 Points +29%
Huawei Nova Plus
4672 Points +26%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
353 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
973 Points +176%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
1022 Points +190%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
1019 Points +189%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
1215 Points +244%
Lenovo P2
1226 Points +247%
Huawei Nova Plus
1262 Points +258%
System (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
2368 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
2127 Points -10%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
2218 Points -6%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
2069 Points -13%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
2923 Points +23%
Lenovo P2
1960 Points -17%
Huawei Nova Plus
2132 Points -10%
Memory (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1265 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
1319 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
1249 Points -1%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
795 Points -37%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
1042 Points -18%
Lenovo P2
1451 Points +15%
Huawei Nova Plus
1553 Points +23%
Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
533 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
512 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
534 Points 0%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
1013 Points +90%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
1019 Points +91%
Lenovo P2
1016 Points +91%
Huawei Nova Plus
1015 Points +90%
Web (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
10 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
624 Points +6140%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
737 Points +7270%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
649 Points +6390%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
702 Points +6920%
Lenovo P2
783 Points +7730%
Huawei Nova Plus
754 Points +7440%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
736 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
732 Points -1%
Huawei Nova Plus
880 Points +20%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3777 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
3704 Points -2%
Huawei Nova Plus
3148 Points -17%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
2371 Points
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
2332 Points -2%
Huawei Nova Plus
3401 Points +43%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
8318 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
8505 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
8227 Points -1%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
13920 Points +67%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
13955 Points +68%
Lenovo P2
13808 Points +66%
Huawei Nova Plus
13882 Points +67%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
7456 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
7746 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
7484 Points 0%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
13437 Points +80%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
13466 Points +81%
Lenovo P2
13398 Points +80%
Huawei Nova Plus
13412 Points +80%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
12955 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
12949 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
12605 Points -3%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
15923 Points +23%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
15984 Points +23%
Lenovo P2
15462 Points +19%
Huawei Nova Plus
15823 Points +22%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
340 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
475 Points +40%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
340 Points 0%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
827 Points +143%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
842 Points +148%
Lenovo P2
831 Points +144%
Huawei Nova Plus
844 Points +148%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
278 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
394 Points +42%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
277 Points 0%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
725 Points +161%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
719 Points +159%
Lenovo P2
726 Points +161%
Huawei Nova Plus
733 Points +164%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1535 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
1687 Points +10%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
1685 Points +10%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
1631 Points +6%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
2112 Points +38%
Lenovo P2
1682 Points +10%
Huawei Nova Plus
1795 Points +17%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
247 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
299 Points +21%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
231 Points -6%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
461 Points +87%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
465 Points +88%
Lenovo P2
459 Points +86%
Huawei Nova Plus
465 Points +88%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
199 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
242 Points +22%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
185 Points -7%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
382 Points +92%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
380 Points +91%
Lenovo P2
380 Points +91%
Huawei Nova Plus
384 Points +93%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1522 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
1681 Points +10%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
1727 Points +13%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
1636 Points +7%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
2109 Points +39%
Lenovo P2
1673 Points +10%
Huawei Nova Plus
1773 Points +16%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
12 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
19 fps +58%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
20 fps +67%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
23 fps +92%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
21 fps +75%
Lenovo P2
23 fps +92%
Huawei Nova Plus
23 fps +92%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
12 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
12 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
12 fps 0%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
23 fps +92%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
23 fps +92%
Lenovo P2
23 fps +92%
Huawei Nova Plus
23 fps +92%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
5.1 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
9.4 fps +84%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
10 fps +96%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
10 fps +96%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
9.7 fps +90%
Lenovo P2
10 fps +96%
Huawei Nova Plus
10 fps +96%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
5.1 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
4.9 fps -4%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
5.1 fps 0%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
10 fps +96%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
9.9 fps +94%
Lenovo P2
10 fps +96%
Huawei Nova Plus
9.9 fps +94%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3.2 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
7.2 fps +125%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
7.4 fps +131%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
6.7 fps +109%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
6.1 fps +91%
Lenovo P2
6.7 fps +109%
Huawei Nova Plus
6.6 fps +106%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3.3 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
3.2 fps -3%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
3.2 fps -3%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
6.2 fps +88%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
6.2 fps +88%
Lenovo P2
6.2 fps +88%
Huawei Nova Plus
6.2 fps +88%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1.9 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
3.6 fps +89%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
3.7 fps +95%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
3.7 fps +95%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
3.4 fps +79%
Lenovo P2
3.7 fps +95%
Huawei Nova Plus
3.4 fps +79%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1.9 fps
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
1.8 fps -5%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
1.9 fps 0%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
3.4 fps +79%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
3.4 fps +79%
Lenovo P2
3.4 fps +79%
Huawei Nova Plus
3.7 fps +95%
Lightmark - 1920x1080 1080p (sort by value)
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
5.3 fps
Basemark X 1.1
Medium Quality (sort by value)
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
21210 Points
High Quality (sort by value)
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
10438 Points
Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal - offscreen Overall Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
138 Points

Legend

 
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP1, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016 Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP1, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo Moto Z Play Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo P2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei Nova Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 32 GB eMMC Flash

The Samsung Browser 5.4 is pre-installed for web surfing. Subjectively it works quite fast. Only more complex web sites occasionally need slightly longer to load.The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) performs slightly worse than the competitors in the comparison group and ranks at lower places in most cases. It is only faster in Mozilla Kraken 1.1.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Lenovo Moto Z Play
31.8 Points +22%
Huawei Nova Plus
31.3 Points +21%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
31.12 Points +20%
Lenovo P2
28.88 Points +11%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
26.37 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
25.97 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
24.12 Points -7%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Lenovo Moto Z Play
4979 Points +9%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
4968 Points +9%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
4905 Points +8%
Huawei Nova Plus
4730 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
4560 Points
Lenovo P2
4435 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
3905 Points -14%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
9671 ms * -42%
Lenovo P2
8463 ms * -24%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
8169 ms * -20%
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
8041 ms * -18%
Huawei Nova Plus
8028 ms * -18%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
6821 ms *
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
6784 ms * +1%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
84 Points +12%
Lenovo P2
84 Points +12%
Huawei Nova Plus
83 Points +11%
Lenovo Moto Z Play
83 Points +11%
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
80 Points +7%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
75 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
66 Points -12%

* ... smaller is better

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) features 16 GB internal eMMC flash memory. After the first start of the phone, 10 GB are free. The memory performance is decent, but the competitors are equipped with faster components.

The test model belongs to the first products of which  we test the microSD card slot with our new Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 (UHS-II, class 3, writing: max. 270 MB/s, reading: max. 150 MB/s) reference card. The recorded values are relatively good, but they cannot not reach the potential of the mircoSD card by far.

Samsung Galaxy J7 2017Samsung Galaxy J7 2016Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) DuosLenovo Moto Z PlayAsus Zenfone 3 ZE552KLLenovo P2Huawei Nova Plus
AndroBench 3-5
-8%
-8%
71%
73%
75%
35%
Sequential Read 256KB
198.5
189.4
-5%
204.4
3%
254.8
28%
282
42%
270.1
36%
241.6
22%
Sequential Write 256KB
53
46.24
-13%
52
-2%
73.1
38%
188
255%
76.7
45%
82.1
55%
Random Read 4KB
25.86
22.33
-14%
24.07
-7%
38.78
50%
74
186%
38.2
48%
35.64
38%
Random Write 4KB
10.54
10.11
-4%
9.9
-6%
45.58
332%
7.4
-30%
44.4
321%
30.12
186%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
76.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
75.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-1%
72.2 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-5%
74.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-2%
79.2 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
4%
79.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
4%
41.64 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-45%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
63.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
58.2 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-9%
44.21 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-31%
50.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-21%
50.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-22%
59.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-7%
33.32 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-48%

Games

We could only recommend the Galaxy J5 for games to some extent. This is especially due to the weak ARM Mali-T830 MP1 GPU. The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) uses the same SoC, but it features 1 GB more RAM. However, this cannot compensate the extra performance required by the higher resolution Full HD panel. The Asphalt 8 race game can show this well. While the J5 reaches 22 fps with high details, the test model only achieves 18 fps. We recommend reducing the detail level in this game. Other performance-hungry titles such as Iron Blade (14 fps) are a real pain on the Galaxy J7 and cannot be enjoyed. Less demanding games such as Angry Birds 2 (51 fps) run without problems.

It is great that the Galaxy J7 also comes with software features such as the Game Tools or the Game Launcher now, which have first been introduced in the Galaxy S7. Thanks to the location of the speaker on a side, it can not be covered. You cannot complain about the sensors.

Asphalt 8
Asphalt 8
Temple Run 2
Temple Run 2
Asphalt 8: Airborne
 SettingsValue
 high18 fps
 very low30 fps
Temple Run 2
 SettingsValue
 default59 fps
Dead Trigger 2
 SettingsValue
 high30 fps

Emissions

Temperature

Galaxy J7 (2017): GFXBench Akkutest T-Rex (Open GL ES 2.0)
T-Rex
Galaxy J7 (2017): GFXBench Akkutest Manhattan (Open GL ES 3.1)
Manhattan

The surface temperatures of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) are comfortably low. The smartphone does not even get lukewarm under permanent load.

We checked the performance stability of the SoC with the battery test of GFXBench. The device shows constant performance in the lighter T-Rex test (OpenGL ES 2.0) as well as in the demanding Manhattan test (OpenGL ES 3.1). We could not detect throttling. However, the frame rates are significantly lower as in the Galaxy J5. This is caused by the higher resolution display of the J7.

Max. Load
 32 °C
90 F
32.2 °C
90 F
31 °C
88 F
 
 32.6 °C
91 F
32.1 °C
90 F
31.6 °C
89 F
 
 31.7 °C
89 F
32.5 °C
91 F
31.6 °C
89 F
 
Maximum: 32.6 °C = 91 F
Average: 31.9 °C = 89 F
30.3 °C
87 F
30.8 °C
87 F
31.5 °C
89 F
30.4 °C
87 F
31 °C
88 F
31.2 °C
88 F
30.9 °C
88 F
31.3 °C
88 F
31.3 °C
88 F
Maximum: 31.5 °C = 89 F
Average: 31 °C = 88 F
Power Supply (max.)  30.4 °C = 87 F | Room Temperature 21.7 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.9 °C / 89 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 32.6 °C / 91 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 31.5 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.7 °C / 87 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Wärmebild: Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Wärmebild: Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)

Speakers

Pink Noise diagram of the Samsung Galaxy J7 SM-J730F
Pink Noise diagram

The small mono speaker on the right edge of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is surprisingly loud and significantly better positioned as in the last-year's model, which had the speaker on the rear side. Hence, it is possible to place the smartphone on a table without affecting the sound now.

The size alone already limits the potential of the speaker. However, Samsung got still much out of it. While you should not expect wonders, the sound is quite ok for on-the-move. In particular mid-tones are well represented. However, high tones around 4 kHz are very present at maximum volume. 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 Highs2031.630.82525.430.53125.331.24032.930.75033.631.76331.628.88028.422.6100272612520.836.81602240.220021.349.225020.853.731521.257.140019.462.650019.567.463017.767.880017.969.5100017.870.7125017.372.1160017.474.6200016.775.2250017.275.5315018.277.9400017.981.4500017.679630017.775.6800017.875.41000017.971.31250018.162.61600018.255.8SPL3087.1N1.370.5median 17.9median 70.5Delta1.410.231.64225.437.625.331.432.936.333.651.731.634.328.431.72736.920.8262229.921.341.820.853.921.259.419.463.619.567.417.766.117.970.117.869.817.373.417.474.616.776.717.277.218.278.917.979.617.67617.772.917.873.217.971.118.164.518.257.23087.41.368.4median 17.9median 69.81.48.431.640.525.432.925.334.132.932.933.635.931.633.628.430.7272620.826.82229.521.336.920.846.921.251.819.456.919.561.617.76417.969.317.869.517.372.917.471.116.770.617.268.918.273.817.97617.669.417.771.617.873.517.971.118.170.418.268.23083.71.356.5median 17.9median 69.31.410.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy J7 2017Huawei Nova PlusAsus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.1% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 27% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 64% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 47% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei Nova Plus audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.5% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (15.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.7% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 34% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 58% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 54% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 39% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 33% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 37% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 56% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 37% 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

The power consumption of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is extremely low. While running idle, the smartphone only exceeds the 1 Watt level by a small margin if all loads are active and the display is set to maximum brightness. However, the energy demand might be higher, wenn the ambient light sensor is active, since the display can get brighter in this case. If the sensor increases the brightness to the panel's maximum, the power consumption increases by 0.73 Watt, which is closer to the level of the competitors.

Unfortunately, the Galaxy J7 neither supports wireless charging nor fast charging. Hence, a full load needs above 2.5 hours.

Charging time of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Charging time of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.06 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.39 / 1.06 / 1.08 Watt
Load midlight 1.82 / 3.21 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 J7 2017
3600 mAh
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
3300 mAh
Lenovo Moto Z Play
3510 mAh
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
3000 mAh
Lenovo P2
5100 mAh
Huawei Nova Plus
3340 mAh
Power Consumption
-47%
-3%
-93%
-10%
-52%
Idle Minimum *
0.39
0.67
-72%
0.51
-31%
0.83
-113%
0.54
-38%
0.49
-26%
Idle Average *
1.06
1.71
-61%
0.87
18%
2.11
-99%
1.01
5%
1.63
-54%
Idle Maximum *
1.08
1.83
-69%
0.9
17%
2.12
-96%
1.03
5%
1.76
-63%
Load Average *
1.82
2.37
-30%
1.69
7%
3.41
-87%
1.78
2%
2.98
-64%
Load Maximum *
3.21
3.31
-3%
4
-25%
5.46
-70%
3.98
-24%
4.99
-55%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

With 3600 mAh, the battery of the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is larger than the model's from 2016 by 300 mAh. Unfortunately, the test model cannot profit from this, but surprisingly delivers worse battery runtimes than its predecessor. In the comparison field, the J7 can also not take a top place, but ranks in mid range. Nevertheless, the battery runtimes are still very good as such. The Lenovo P2 offers a significantly longer battery life, but it is also equipped with a significantly more powerful battery.

The battery runtimes in our tests with adjusted display brightness (150 cd/m²) can be compared best. Only the P2 lasts longer when surfing the web via Wi-Fi. In our video loop, the Moto Z Play also proves to have more stamina. Various energy saving modes allow extended the battery life. These can also be found in the Galaxy J5.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
32h 30min
WiFi Websurfing
15h 04min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
18h 16min
Load (maximum brightness)
8h 45min
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3600 mAh
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
3300 mAh
Lenovo Moto Z Play
3510 mAh
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
3000 mAh
Lenovo P2
5100 mAh
Huawei Nova Plus
3340 mAh
Battery Runtime
15%
14%
-21%
16%
-17%
Reader / Idle
1950
2030
4%
2540
30%
1502
-23%
2841
46%
2048
5%
H.264
1096
1220
11%
1190
9%
905
-17%
1199
9%
732
-33%
WiFi v1.3
904
1025
13%
824
-9%
797
-12%
978
8%
820
-9%
Load
525
681
30%
652
24%
352
-33%
528
1%
366
-30%
PCMark for Android - Work 2.0 battery life
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Duos
768 min +15%
Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
681 min +2%
Huawei Mate 9
677 min +1%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
669 min
Sony Xperia XZ
482 min -28%
HTC U11
476 min -29%

Pros

+ great Full-HD display
+ Dual SIM plus microSD
+ fast wireless internet
+ great battery runtimes
+ good geolocation
+ good fingerprint sensor

Cons

- PWM
- weaker battery runtimes than predecessor
- modest call quality
- no USB Type-C
- GPU too weak

Verdict

In review: Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) Duos SM-J730F
In review: Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) Duos SM-J730F

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) is a well-made smartphone. However, it cannot dominate its competitors as much as the Galaxy J5. This gets especially apparent in terms of battery life. However, this is complaining on a high level, since they are still very good. Despite larger battery, they are unfortunately worse than last year's J7. Samsung might be able to improve this with an update.

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) did not improve in all respects. Nevertheless, it is a great smartphone.

The Galaxy J7 (2017) can shine with its great Super-AMOLED display, which is finally controlled by an ambient light sensor - which was long overdue. Moreover, it features Full HD resolution now. Unfortunately, Samsung did not equip the phone with a slightly more powerful SoC in order to cope with the higher pixel density. This is noticeable in weak gaming performance, but might also be a reason for shorter battery runtimes. 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. 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.

What remains is a visually improved smartphone. However, its battery is unremovable now. In return, it comes with a fingerprint sensor and 3 GB of RAM. It might be worth to buy last year's model for some.

Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 - 07/28/2017 v6(old)
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
91%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
94%
Connectivity
44 / 60 → 73%
Weight
90%
Battery
98%
Display
88%
Games Performance
14 / 63 → 22%
Application Performance
43 / 70 → 61%
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 J7 (2017) Duos Smartphone Review
Daniel Schmidt, 2017-07-31 (Update: 2020-05-19)