Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro: Plans | Pricing | Specs

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Samsung's Galaxy J series smartphones typically operate on a yearly release cycle, with new handsets retaining the same name but incorporating more advanced hardware and features. The Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro bucks this trend slightly, as it's the direct successor to the 2016 Galaxy J5 despite bearing the new "Pro" moniker.

Released in June 2017, the Galaxy J5 Pro stays true to the budget-friendly ethos of other Galaxy J series phones. It packs hardware that would have been considered cutting edge just a few years prior, with similar specs to the 2015 premium Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone. But thanks to the rapid pace of mobile technology, the Galaxy J5 Pro is significantly cheaper than the Galaxy S6 was back when it launched.

Design

• All-metal body and curved-glass surface add a premium feel to the budget handset
• Fingerprint sensor and Samsung Pay support add an extra layer of functionality

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro's design

  Samsung tends to play it safe with the design of its Galaxy J series handsets, opting for a pleasant yet basic aesthetic that has served the company well in the past. The Galaxy J5 Pro does make a few notable advances in this area, however, incorporating a curved "2.5D" glass shield to protect the phone's screen as well as a rounded full-metal body designed to sit in your hand more comfortably than the 2016 Galaxy J5's square frame.

  On the display front, the Galaxy J5 Pro retains the 5.2-inch super AMOLED screen and 720 x 1280 resolution of its predecessor. This means that while Samsung positions the J5 Pro's display as HD, it's not full HD. 1080p content may consequently look a little less clear than it would on a full HD display.

  Storage capacity sees a considerable bump up in the Galaxy J5 Pro. Onboard storage has doubled from 16GB to 32GB, and support for microSD cards has expanded to include cards as big as 256GB.

  The Galaxy J5 Pro also introduces a few new features drawn from Samsung's more expensive smartphone lines. There's now a fingerprint sensor for use in place of a passcode when unlocking the phone or authenticating purchases. This is paired with the inclusion of Samsung Pay, Samsung's digital wallet service that allows you to make in-store payments by scanning your phone instead of your credit card.

Camera

• Features a f/1.7 lens on the rear camera for better shots in low light
• 13MP front-facing camera for high-resolution selfies

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro's camera

  Samsung has opted for refinement rather than revolution with the camera on the Galaxy J5 Pro. At the rear, you'll find the same 13MP sensor present on the 2016 Galaxy J5, albeit with a larger f/1.7 aperture for better performance in low-light conditions. The front-facing camera has changed more noticeably, increasing from a 5MP sensor to a 13MP sensor but retaining the smaller f/1.9 aperture lens.

  Alongside the upgraded hardware, the Galaxy J5 Pro benefits from Samsung's redesigned camera app which adds the handy ability to undock the shutter button and reposition it anywhere on the screen. This is especially useful when taking one-handed photos as it saves you from fumbling with the shutter button's default position right next to other, easily mispressed buttons.

  If you're looking to shoot video with the Galaxy J5 Pro, it's capable of recording full HD (1080p) clips at 30fps.

Performance

• Eight-core 1.6GHz processor is a big step up from the 2016 Galaxy J5
• 3GB of RAM gives the Galaxy J5 Pro more capacity to multi-task

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro's performance

  Of all the improvements Samsung has made to distinguish the Galaxy J5 Pro from its predecessor, the biggest is its raw power. Where the 2016 Galaxy J5 ran on a quad-core 1.2GHz processor and sported just 2GB of RAM, the Galaxy J5 Pro features an eight-core 1.6GHz processor plus your choice of 2GB or 3GB of RAM. In practice, this should translate to a considerably smoother performance in apps and games, especially when multi-tasking.

Battery

• Double-digit battery life claims from Samsung promise plenty of runtime
• The shift to a sealed battery means no more swapping in spares

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro's battery

  The one area where the Galaxy J5 Pro isn't necessarily superior to the 2016 Galaxy J5 is the battery. Raw capacity has dropped from 3,100mAh to 3,000mAh, though according to Samsung this hasn't had a negative impact on the Galaxy J5 Pro's battery life. Estimates peg its stamina at up to 17 hours of continuous video playback and up to 74 hours of audio playback, which is actually higher than the estimates for the 2016 Galaxy J5.

  Unfortunately, those improvements are offset by the fact that the Galaxy J5 Pro's battery is sealed inside its frame. The 2016 Galaxy J5 featured a removable battery, which was useful for folks who travel a lot since they could carry around a spare battery and slap it in whenever necessary. That's no longer possible with the Galaxy J5 Pro.

Pricing and availability

Price

RRP: $154.00

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Specifications

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