Samsung Galaxy J2 Core

A great option for those who want their first encounter with a smartphone, the J2 Core is one device that offers a lot for what it costs. The addition of the highly optimized Android Go version of Oreo makes the deal a bit sweeter, with Android Go being Google’s own initiative to get Android working flawlessly on Samsung devices.

The design of the phone is a welcome change from the typical plastic feels of budget smartphones, with the screen being protected by Corning Gorilla glass. The phone feels good in the hand and has enough power under the hood to deliver a decent smartphone experience. But it is worth the buy?

The body of the Galaxy J2 Core is plastic, but the glass-like shimmer gives it a more premium feel. The device feels sturdy and solid, with the trademark Samsung designs and button placements on the phone. The speaker is placed at the back of the phone, beside the camera, and the back cover can be removed to put in the SIM cards or tinker with the battery. A micro USB port with the 3.5 mm jack at the bottom complete the phone design, which is by far better than what most budget, INR 6000 phones offer.

A 5 inch LCD screen, with a resolution of 960 by 540 pixels, and a screen density of 220 pixels per inch is not the most amazing screen you would ever see on a smartphone. We would have loved to see a super AMOLED screen, such as that on the J2, but better in quality. The colour reproduction of the display is good, but it could have fared a bit better in the sunlight. The display does the job just fine for what it costs, but it isn’t the best in the market at this price, by far.

The Exynos 7570 powers the J2 Core, supported by the quad-core ARM Cortex A53 CPU clocking in at 1.4 GHz. 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage round up the internal specifications, with storage expandable up to 256 GB using a microSD card. Regular activities such as messaging and browsing the internet do not feel laggy, and the optimized version of the Android 8 Oreo OS, with Samsung’s experience UI on top feels really snappy.

Power users will be disappointed by this phone because it simply isn’t made for them. Therefore, there is no point of even trying to run heavy games such as Asphalt and PUBG on this device.

An 8MP snapper at the back, with LED flash and an f/2.2 aperture, is what the J2 Core offers. The phone camera isn’t the best by any means, but it gets the job done. Above average performance, clear images, albeit with a blue tint, are characteristics of the images clicked by the 8 MP shooter of the J2 Core. The camera also offers HDR and panorama modes.

The selfie camera is of 5 MP and a similar f/2.2 aperture. Beauty mode helps enhance your selfies, but they are in no way above average. For what it costs, the cameras should deliver a bit more than what they do

The phone is powered by a 2600 mAh removable battery, which is just enough to get past a day’s regular usage. This regular usage includes social media browsing, browsing the web, and watching videos. The numbers are good with the battery, and it rarely dies down before the end of the day. You will need to charge it overnight to get through the next day, however.

The J2 Core is a great device for those who want to buy their first smartphone, but for all other users, it is a solid skip. The phone has decent specs, a below average display and camera, and all other standard features that you would expect from an entry-level smartphone. So, if you want a backup device for yourself, or are looking for the first smartphone for your kids or teens, then go for the J2 Core. Otherwise, look for other options in the market.