Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) review: Quality control

Final words

As far as the design is concerned the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) lays a solid foundation for the company's upcoming mid-range smartphones. There'll be few people to complain as the phone looks better than its price tag suggests and is rocking top-notch build quality.

However, in terms of hardware the Galaxy J5 (2016) feels like a pretty minor update. The bigger screen and battery are always a good way to lure customers in, but the chipset is feeling decidedly dated at this point. And the camera certainly can't live up to the promises that its specs make.

Running the latest available Android - Marshmallow 6.0 and having 2GB of RAM help keep things smooth, but we are left somewhat worried about things slowing down after longer usage. We'd say the Galaxy J5 (2016) polishes many of the rough edges of its predecessor, but simple refinement might not be enough to stay relevant in the fast developing mid-range market.

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) Key test findings

• Excellent build quality and good looking design
• Display has perfect colors and is always legible; The lower than the previous model pixel density isn't a real issue
• Decent battery life, but video playback could be better
• Full software package; Too much storage is reserved for the system though
• Snadpragon 410 chipset from previous year's model is a disappointment, but the phone runs rather smoothly
• Great multimedia app package with advanced music player, FM radio too
• The loudspeaker isn't on par with a large part of the competition
• Perfect audio quality if you have an external amp, but volume drops when you plug in headphones
• In sunny weather, the still image quality is good, but detail is lacking. Colors and contrast are excellent; Front-facing camera with LED delivers similar results; no HDR.
• Video quality at 1080p is lacking detail, but retains the good colors and contrast from the still camera

You see the Galaxy J5 (2016) faces tons of competition, including plenty of other nice-looking phones. Starting off, we have the Oppo F1, which for its cheaper price tag features a more modern Snapdragon 616 chipset with 3GB of RAM. The screen is a tad smaller at 5.0", but the cameras on that one are better.

Oppo F1

Yet another Chinese contender is the Xiaomi Redmi 3. With a price tag lower than the Galaxy J5 (2016) it again delivers a Snapdragon 616 chipset, but with just 2GB of RAM. However, you get a lot more battery for your money at 4,100mAh.

Xiaomi Redmi 3

The Sony Xperia M5 is an all around better device with waterproofing, scratch-resistant glass and Helio X10 chipset. The battery is a tad smaller, but we're okay to overlook that when we take into consideration the phone's 1080p 5" display and 21MP snapper.

Sony Xperia M5

Huawei offers the P9lite, featuring its in-house made Kirin 650 chipset, which is way more powerful than the S410. The 5.2" 1080p display is a noticeable jump over the 720p screen of the Galaxy J5, and the 13MP camera with 27mm lens offers better shots.

Huawei P9 lite

Finally, the Moto G (3gen) is a nice option, boasting IPX7 certification. Its Snapdragon 410 is similar to the Galaxy J5 (2016), but the almost vanilla Android experience might be the preferred option for many.

Motorola Moto G (3rd gen)

All in all we are pleased with the change in styling that the Galaxy J5 (2016) brings. The company has been refining the looks and build quality of its devices lately and it has been producing some pretty handsets across the board.

However, in the case of the Galaxy J5 (2016) that seems to come at too high a cost. A quick look around the competition is enough to convince you that the Galaxy J5 (2016) finds itself out of its league. With better screens, camera and chipsets easy to come by at this price point, the company will need to seriously consider a price cut if it is to give its smartphone a fighting chance.