Samsung Galaxy C7 review: A Note for the masses

Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy C7

Being essentially a midrange device, the Galaxy C7 doesn't do anything extravagant regarding packaging or presentation, but still, comes with a pretty full set of accessories. We would gladly give up a fancy-looking box for the sake of getting a full set of accessories, and the C7 doesn't leave you wanting in this respect.

Samsung Galaxy C7 retail box

Opening the simple two piece container reveals the device itself on top. Right underneath is another box with leaflets and a SIM ejector. Underneath is the main compartment, with a Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging A/C adapter.

You also get a simple USB type A to micro USB cable and a pretty decent pair of wired headphones with a microphone and controls. All the supplied accessories are stylishly finished in white.

Samsung Galaxy C7 360-degree spin

Samsung must have drawn inspiration for the new "C" series design from at least a few sources. The metal exterior is an instant throwback to models like the A5 (2016) and A7 (2016), but Samsung has changed some parts of the chassis quite a bit this time around. The distinctive grooves on the sides are gone, and the chamfered back edges are now a lot deeper and smoother.

This doesn't help with handling all that much, but does make for a gorgeous back panel that gently slopes in on all four sides. The impression the C7 makes is somewhat reminiscent of an iPhone 6s, an HTC A9 or a OnePlus 3. If nothing else, the latter has very similar and prominent antenna cutouts.

Hardware overview

Apart from the updated design, there isn't anything all that notable or different about the Samsung Galaxy C7. What you get is a sturdy metal unibody with a nice matte finish that luckily isn't prone to get smudged up with fingerprints, all put together with great precision in a neat phablet package. The materials and the build quality are immaculate - we'd certainly give them that.

Clean front side

On the front, the C7 has a typical Samsung appearance. The most recent one as well, complete with little details like the subtle color accents around the front camera and sensors and the slightly taller home button. The device looks very clean from this angle. Besides the already mentioned pair of controls, there is only a Samsung logo on top of the display and the earpiece, of course.

Samsung Galaxy C7 next to the smaller C5

Below the screen, the home button integrates a snappy fingerprint reader and has a pair of capacitive buttons either side. These are in the typical Samsung layout of menu key on the left and back on the right and are invisible when not backlit. The design is tied together nicely by the slight 2.5D effect on the top glass.

Samsung Galaxy C7 in the hand

Going round the back, there aren't many things to note. It is very clean as well. As already mentioned, this particular antenna design is a novelty on a Samsung phone, and we still can't shake the feeling it is slightly out of place - it's like we are reviewing a phone by another brand. However, the latter likely stems from some of our preconceived notions and the new design certainly helps the C7 stand out among its Samsung siblings.

Clean back side as well

The camera bump protrudes noticeably but still looks reasonable and is almost justifiable considering the phone's 6.8mm slim profile. Right next to the lens, there is a Dual-tone LED flash and that about covers the back.

The sides are pretty conventional as well. On the left, we only have the volume controls, a power key, and a SIM card tray on the right. The latter has a total of two slots, one being a hybrid slot so that you can choose between a second SIM and a microSD card. A dedicated memory card slot would've been better, but hybrid slots seem to be the norm lately.

Mostly empty sides

The bottom of the Galaxy C7 feels a bit busier. It houses, in order of appearance, a 3.5mm audio jack, the primary microphone, a microUSB port and a single speaker grille. As for the top, it only has a tiny pinhole for the secondary noise-canceling microphone.

Top and bottom sides