The Samsung Galaxy J3 and J5 smartphones return for 2017

Update: Samsung has now sent through full specs for both the 2017 Galaxy J3 and Galaxy J5. The pictures have also been updated.

So here are the key specifications of the J5:

• 5.2in Super AMOLED HD screen
• 1.6GHz Octa Core A53 processor
• 2GB RAM
• 13 megapixel, f/1.7 camera
• 3,000mAh battery

…and the J3:

• 5in HD TFT screen
• 1.4GHz quad-core processor
• 2GB RAM
• 13 megapixel, f/1.9 camera
• 2,400mAh battery

Given the two phones were just £10 apart last time, the specifications seem markedly different. The difference between a Super AMOLED and TFT screen alone would see that difference in price gobbled up on its own.

We still don’t have a price for either, so time will tell I guess.

The original article continues below

Although the Samsung Galaxy S8 comfortably gets the majority of the headlines, its budget range is not to be sneezed at. Gone are the days when a Samsung budget phone is best left on the shelf – last year’s Galaxy J handsets, the J3 and J5, were both excellent, pipped to the post by the slightly better Moto G4.

Well this time around the Moto G5 was a massive disappointment, leaving a very real chance for Samsung to win the crown. And it intends to do just that, having announced the Galaxy J3 and J5 models for 2017.

The handsets will launch in the UK “from July”, and promise a decent set of features – although the announcement is frustratingly short of detail – and pictures. The image at the top of the page is last year’s model for now. We’ve asked for more information, but for the moment, this is what we know.

The 2017 Galaxy J5 is the “more compact” of the pair, and will sport a full-metal body with a 1080p Super AMOLED screen. The processor is a 1.6Ghz number, a boost on last year’s 1.2GHz CPU. A 13 megapixel camera rounds off the limited specifications we have at the moment.

The Galaxy J3 is also short on detail, but it has a 13 megapixel camera in common, this time with its autofocus mode highlighted. Elsewhere we’re told it has an enhanced 2GB RAM, which is up on last year’s 1.5GB. No details on the processor in this one, but it’s also a full-metal design.

It’s not clear why the details of specifications are so patchy between the two handsets, but we’ll update this piece when we know more. In any case, with Lenovo dropping the ball with the Moto G5, these are two handsets definitely worth keeping an eye on, assuming Samsung can keep the price down. Last year’s models retailed for £150 and £160 respectively, though we have no pricing to go on this time around.

We’ll be back with more details and a full review as soon as we can.