Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro review

Introduction

2017 for some, Pro for others - seemingly identical Galaxies come in a number of different, market-specific flavors this year, and we now have the Galaxy J7 Pro for review. An offshoot of the ever-growing J7 family, the Pro is meant for India, South East Asia and Brazil, each of these getting a (very slightly) further localized version.

We'll be reviewing the J730GM/DS version, the GM signifying it's the one for India if you're to blindly trust Samsung's websites. As the DS lettering indicates, it's a dual SIM phone.

The rest of the Galaxy J7 Pro is very much like the J7 (2017), which we've already reviewed. You're getting a Super AMOLED 5.5-inch display with pixels galore - alright, it's FullHD, but most of last year's J7s were 720p. Coming straight from last year is the chipset, but then the 14nm Exynos 7870 was ahead of its time back then - for a midrange SoC, that is - so it still makes sense in 2017 and will probably remain relevant in 2018, too.

Our review unit comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, but 64GB versions are also available. You can theoretically save some cash and get this 32GB version, as there's a microSD slot, fully dedicated one at that so you won't be sacrificing the second SIM slot.

We weren't exactly thrilled about the camera when we reviewed the J7 (2017), but it got the job done, and the Pro receives the same 13MP f/1.7 setup. For selfies, you're also getting 13MP resolution and a flash.

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro key features:

• Body: Aluminum unibody
• Screen: 5.5" 1080p Super AMOLED screen (401ppi); Always On Display
• OS: Android 7.0 Nougat; Samsung Experience 8.1
• Chipset: 14nm octa-core Exynos 7870 (8 x 1.6 GHz Cortex-A53 cores)
• Memory: 3GB of RAM; 32/64GB storage, dedicated microSD slot for expansion
• Camera: Primary 13MP, f/1.7, LED flash; Secondary 13MP, f/1.9, LED flash
• Video: 1080p at 30fps
• Connectivity: nano SIM (dual SIM version available); LTE (Cat. 6); dual-band Wi-Fi ac; Bluetooth 4.2; FM Radio; microUSB; 3.5mm jack
• Battery: 3,600mAh
• Misc: Fingerprint reader, Samsung Pay

Main shortcomings

• Same GPU as the J7 (2016), yet twice as many pixels on the screen
• microUSB port isn't the least bit Pro
• No quick charging

With all the good stuff the Galaxy J7 Pro shares with the J7 (2017), there's no escaping the cons. For one, the sizeable 3,600mAh battery will take ages to fill up without any fast charging. And the power-efficient chipset isn't all too powerful, particularly in the graphics department - the Galaxy J7 (2016) could get away with it since it's got a lower-res display, but the FullHD displays of this year's J7s would be happier with a bit more oomph.

    
Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro press images

And the one that seems the easier bit to resolve - the microUSB port used on the Galaxy J7 Pro should have been USB-C to keep up with the times. But hey, you can't have it all, it seems.

We'll be unboxing the Galaxy J7 Pro on the next page, followed by the usual assessment of the design and controls

Unboxing

The Galaxy J7 Pro comes packed within a paper box accompanied by a cheap-looking pair of headphones, a regular microUSB cable, and a 5V/1.55A wall plug. The bundled set is not amazing, but it's nothing to frown at either.

Retail package

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro 360-degree spin

The Galaxy J7 Pro measures 152.5 x 74.8 x 8 mm - identical to the J7 (2017) and close to the Galaxy J7 (2016) footprint but slightly narrower thanks to the impressively slim bezels. The J7 Pro has gained 11g of extra weight compared to last year's uber-popular model, a change attributed to the solid aluminum unibody.

Hardware overview

Samsung has been trying out the premium metal build across different segments of its portfolio. The J series finally gets a taste, and hopefully, we'll see it in even more of Samsung's midrange devices.

The Galaxy J7 Pro is a well-built device with a sturdy 2.5D glass at the front and metal all across the rest of the body. The seamless aluminum unibody is an instant eyecatcher, along with the signature antenna strip design which Samsung has gone for. Instead of trying to hide those as most manufacturers do, the designers here have decided to turn them into a prominent design feature for the back.

For this to work, they've even chosen contrasting colors for the antenna lines on some of the color versions of the phone. Only on the black model are the lines black too, so they are less noticeable.

The display glass on the front gets easily smudged with fingerprints and is tough to clean, so there is no oleophobic coating there for sure. The back, however, is not only fingerprint resistant, but its smooth matte surface makes for a secure grip.

Handling the Galaxy J7Pro is a fine experience - the phone feels sturdy, fits well in hand, and won't slip in spite of its round edges. Sure, the J7 may not be the best device for single-handed use, but it's a very reasonably-sized phablet with a solid claim for a premium build.

 
Handling the Galaxy J7 Pro

Device overview

Above the 5.5" AMOLED screen is the earpiece flanked by the 13MP selfie camera and the front LED flash. A couple of sensors are also placed nearby. The good ol' clickable Home key is here on the Galaxy J7 Pro even if it's headed for extinction at the higher end Samsung models.

The other two keys under the screen, however - the Task Switcher and the Back key - are touch only.

The always-on fingerprint scanner is incorporated into the Home key surface and works quite well. You don't even have to press the Home button for it to activate - you only need to tap it - even if the phone's screen is off.

   
The always-on AMOLED • Galaxy J7Pro • The front LED flash • The keys

The left side of the Galaxy J7 Pro is quite busy - there are two ejectable trays below the independent volume keys. The first one holds the primary nano-SIM card, while the one to follow has places for another nano-SIM card and a slot for expanding the storage with a microSD card. We are glad Samsung found a way to fit all three slots in the Galaxy J7 Pro instead of choosing the hybrid option.

  
The left side of the Galaxy J7 Pro and its card slots

The loudspeaker grille and the power/lock key are on the right side of the Galaxy J7 Pro. While the speaker placement isn't that new - the 2017 A series has the speaker at the same spot - we have to remind you it's a tricky place for a speaker as you can easily muffle it accidentally, especially in landscape orientation.

 
The speaker is on the right • So is the power key

There is nothing of interest at the top of the Galaxy J7 Pro. The bottom has the microUSB port, the audio jack, and the mouthpiece. We wonder why Samsung went for the older microUSB port, while it has already phased it out in the A-series and the S-series for the newer reversible USB-C port.

  
The top is bare • The bottom isn't • 3.5mm audio jack is joined by a microUSB port

Finally, the 13MP main camera with f/1.7 bright lens is on the back coupled with a single LED flash. You can forget about swapping the battery on your own when you run out of juice - the unibody makes this a job for a proper service center.

 
Satin-finished aluminum back • Marginally recessed camera module