Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 in a nutshell: We round up all the latest rumours and what we want from Samsung’s affordable 5-inch smartphone, the Galaxy J5, which has been updated for 2017. Here’s all you need to know about the Galaxy J5 2017’s specs, camera tech and other features.
Last year’s Galaxy J5 2016 was one of the better budget phones of the year, offering decent specs and a solid user experience for just £199. Performance was acceptable given the affordable asking price, while strong battery life, a crisp and colourful display and dependable cameras rounded off an impressive package.
Samsung has updated the Galaxy J5 for the new year, and the Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 is set to be launched very soon. We’ve already seen some basic leaks and here’s what we know so far about – and what we’re hoping to see from – the updated J5.
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Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 specs (rumoured)
| Phone | Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 |
|---|---|
| Screen size | 5.2-inches |
| Screen resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Water resistant? | No |
| Fingerprint sensor? | No |
| Processor | Snapdragon TBC |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 16GB |
| microSD? | Yes |
| Rear camera | 13MP |
| Front camera | 5MP |
Samsung Galaxy J5 2017: Rumours, leaks and what we hope to see
So far Samsung has kept the lid pretty tight on the new 2017 model of the Galaxy J5. In other words, while we know that the smartphone exists thanks to benchmarking leaks, we know very little else about it.
You can be almost certain that the new Galaxy J5 2017 will once again sport a 5.2-inch screen, one step up from the 5-inch display of the more compact and affordable Galaxy J3 2017. And while last year’s model had a 720p screen, we’re really hoping for a Full HD Super AMOLED panel in this year’s update. After all, the likes of the Lenovo P2 and Huawei P8 Lite 2017 have already impressed us with Full HD visuals for under £200.
Failing that, you can still depend on a quite crisp 720p resolution with punchy colour reproduction and strong brightness levels.
Android Marshmallow is the OS of choice, as it was on the 2016 edition, so you’ll miss out on those tasty Nougat updates. For now, at least – Samsung may release a Nougat update for the Galaxy J5 2017 in the near future. You’ll also get Samsung’s usual TouchWiz UI on top, offering a more vibrant set of desktops and a few bonus features.
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The cheaper Galaxy J3 2017 is likely to pack Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 430 processor, so we’re expecting a jump in chipset performance from the Galaxy J5 2017. Personally we’re hoping for a 600-series processor like the 625, backed by at least 2GB RAM. 3GB of memory of course would be ideal, for a smoother everyday performance.
What about the Galaxy J5 2017’s camera tech? Well, again we know nothing so far. But we get the sneaking suspicion that we’ll see the same solid 13-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras found on last year’s Galaxy A5 2016, as Samsung recycles its old optics for a more affordable handset.
Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 UK price and release date
Expect the Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 to hit the UK packing a £199 asking price.
As for the Galaxy J5 2017 UK release date, we’re hoping to see the phone launched at MWC 2017 at the end of February. Samsung’s press conference is scheduled to kick off at 6pm UK time on Sunday February 26, and if we see the J5 2017 there, the handset could arrive in UK stores around March or April 2017.