Just like most of the recent Samsungs, the Galaxy J7 (2017) sports a Super AMOLED panel. It upgrades over the (2016) model with higher 1080p resolution and thus offers an adequate (if not flagship-worthy, right, OnePlus?) 401ppi density. The AMOLED matrix is based on the familiar Diamond Pixel arrangement.
Just as expected from a Super AMOLED unit, the Galaxy J7 (2017)'s screen offers great contrast. The display is decently bright at 348 nits. If you rely on the auto brightness option, the screen can even light up as bright as 482 nits when the surrounding light is very bright.
Display test
100% brightness
Black, cd/m2
White, cd/m2
Contrast ratio
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
0
348
∞
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) Max Auto
0
482
∞
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016)
0.00
353
∞
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) outdoor mode
0.00
484
∞
Sony Xperia XA1
0.512
537
1049
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
0.00
421
∞
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) max auto
0.00
601
∞
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
0
413
∞
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) max auto
0
559
∞
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (X20)
0.38
439
1158
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
0.322
484
1503
Nokia 6 (Chinese version)
0.377
522
1385
Honor 8
0.37
460
1243
Samsung Galaxy C7
0.00
422
∞
Oppo R11
0
410
∞
Naturally, Samsung has included several display modes. The "punchy" kind of color palette is achieved with the default Adaptive color. There is also Basic mode, where colors are most accurate with deltaE below 2 for almost every hue, but you also get a somewhat washed-out, drab look, which we are not big fans of. The AMOLED Photo mode is perhaps a nice compromise as the screen is relatively accurate but remains nice and contrasty at the same time.
The the Galaxy J7 (2017)'s display is perfectly usable under bright sunlight - its contrast ratio is typically high at 3.812 - an excellent mark by our book.
Sunlight contrast ratio
Samsung Galaxy S8 4.768
Samsung Galaxy S8+ 4.658
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ 4.615
Oppo R11 4.454
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge 4.439
OnePlus 3 4.424
Samsung Galaxy S7 4.376
HTC One A9 4.274
Samsung Galaxy Note7 4.247
Samsung Galaxy A3 4.241
OnePlus 3T 4.232
Google Pixel XL 4.164
ZTE Axon 7 4.154
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge 4.124
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) 4.124
Samsung Galaxy Note5 4.09
Huawei Nexus 6P 4.019
Vivo Xplay5 Elite 3.983
OnePlus X 3.983
Apple iPhone 7 3.964
Oppo R7s 3.964
Huawei P9 Plus 3.956
Meizu Pro 6 Plus 3.935
Lenovo Moto Z 3.931
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016) 3.918
OnePlus 5 3.914
Samsung Galaxy C5 3.911
Samsung Galaxy C7 3.896
Samsung Galaxy A5 3.895
Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor 3.879
Samsung Galaxy J2 outdoor 3.873
Samsung Galaxy A8 3.859
Sony Xperia XZs 3.818
Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016) 3.817
Motorola Moto X (2014) 3.816
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) 3.812
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) 3.804
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) outdoor mode 3.802
LG V20 Max auto 3.798
Xiaomi Redmi Pro 3.798
Sony Xperia XZ 3.795
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) 3.789
Apple iPhone 6s 3.783
Meizu Pro 5 3.781
Microsoft Lumia 650 3.772
Xiaomi Mi 6 3.767
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) 3.756
Oppo F1 Plus 3.709
Vivo X5Pro 3.706
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) 3.688
Apple iPhone SE 3.681
Huawei Mate 9 3.68
Samsung Galaxy A7 3.679
Meizu PRO 6 3.659
BlackBerry Priv 3.645
Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra 3.597
Apple iPhone 7 Plus 3.588
LG G6 3.556
Apple iPhone 6s Plus 3.53
Motorola Moto Z Play 3.526
Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) 3.523
Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) outdoor mode 3.523
Acer Jade Primo 3.521
Microsoft Lumia 950 3.512
Oppo R7 Plus 3.499
nubia Z11 3.466
Huawei P10 Plus 3.456
HTC U Ultra 3.453
Samsung Galaxy J7 3.422
Meizu MX5 3.416
LG V20 3.402
Huawei P10 3.379
Oppo R9s 3.352
Honor 8 Pro 3.341
Oppo R7 3.32
Lenovo P2 3.316
Honor 9 3.289
Xiaomi Mi 5s 3.276
Nokia 6 (Chinese version) 3.244
Samsung Galaxy J2 3.235
Sony Xperia X Performance 3.234
Xiaomi Mi Note 2 3.228
Motorola Moto X Play 3.222
Oppo F3 Plus 3.218
Huawei Mate 9 Pro 3.206
Huawei P9 3.195
ZTE Nubia Z17 3.159
Lenovo Vibe Shot 3.113
Motorola Moto X Force 3.105
LG Nexus 5X 3.092
HTC U11 3.089
Huawei Mate S 3.073
Microsoft Lumia 640 XL 3.065
Sony Xperia XA1 3.012
Sony Xperia L1 2.994
Sony Xperia X 2.989
Huawei P10 Lite 2.974
Samsung Galaxy Note 2.97
Huawei Mate 8 2.949
Xiaomi Redmi 4 2.92
Xiaomi Redmi 3S 2.913
Sony Xperia XA Ultra 2.906
LG G5 2.905
HTC One S 2.901
Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime 2.893
Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus 2.884
Sony Xperia XZ Premium (sRGB) 2.877
Sony Xperia XZ Premium 2.877
Sony Xperia Z5 2.876
Nokia 3 2.871
Microsoft Lumia 550 2.851
Lenovo Moto M 2.813
Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro 2.803
Sony Xperia Z5 compact 2.784
Meizu MX6 2.751
LG V10 2.744
Xiaomi Redmi 3 2.735
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625) 2.714
Meizu M5 2.71
Sony Xperia M5 2.69
Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime 2.679
Huawei P9 Lite 2.679
Vivo V3Max 2.659
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2.658
Xiaomi Mi 4i 2.641
Xiaomi Redmi 4a 2.635
Sony Xperia XA 2.609
Motorola Moto G4 Plus 2.582
Motorola Moto G4 Plus (max auto) 2.582
Meizu M5s 2.58
Xiaomi Mi 4c 2.574
LeEco Le Max 2 2.567
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL 2.563
Microsoft Lumia 640 2.563
Lenovo K6 Note 2.544
Lenovo Moto G4 2.544
Oppo F1 2.528
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium 2.525
Huawei Honor 7 Lite / Honor 5c 2.506
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua 2.503
Oppo F1s 2.481
Motorola Moto G 2.477
Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus 2.473
Huawei G8 2.471
Huawei nova 2.467
Sony Xperia Z 2.462
Lenovo Vibe K5 2.459
Meizu m3 max 2.447
HTC 10 evo 2.407
Huawei Honor 7 2.406
Sony Xperia E5 2.386
ZUK Z1 by Lenovo 2.382
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) 2.378
HTC 10 2.378
Oppo F3 2.376
vivo V5 Plus 2.371
Meizu m1 note 2.362
Huawei nova plus 2.329
HTC One E9+ 2.305
Alcatel One Touch Hero 2.272
Lenovo Vibe K4 Note 2.254
Sony Xperia C5 Ultra 2.253
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek) 2.249
Sony Xperia C4 Dual 2.235
Xiaomi Mi Note 2.234
Motorola Moto G (2014) 2.233
Huawei P8 2.196
Meizu M5 Note 2.189
Huawei Honor 6 2.169
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 2.166
OnePlus Two 2.165
HTC One X 2.158
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (X20) 2.145
LG Aka 2.145
Archos 50 Diamond 2.134
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2.119
Xiaomi Mi 4S 2.095
Acer Liquid X2 2.084
Huawei P8lite 2.078
vivo V5 2.059
Moto G 3rd gen max manual 2.026
Xiaomi Mi Max 1.996
Sony Xperia E4g 1.972
OnePlus One 1.961
Meizu m3 note 1.923
BlackBerry Leap 1.892
Meizu m2 note 1.892
HTC Butterfly 1.873
ZTE Nubia Z9 mini 1.759
Sony Xperia U 1.758
Asus Zenfone Selfie 1.68
Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen) 1.675
ZTE Nubia Z9 1.659
Motorola Moto E 1.545
Sony Xperia M 1.473
Sony Xperia L 1.351
Xiaomi Redmi 2 1.311
HTC Desire C 1.3
Meizu MX 1.221
Sony Xperia E 1.215
Battery life
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) utilizes a sealed 3,600mAh Li-Ion battery, which is a 10% increase in capacity over the J7 (2016). The phone does not support fast charging, and its 1.55A charger fills only 24% of a depleted battery in half an hour.
The 14nm chipset manufacturing process used for the chipset means solid battery life and we have already witnessed how frugal the Exynos 7870 can be in a few previous Galaxies (the 2016 J7 model included).
Samsung promises the J7 (2017) can last a day on 3G calls, 18 hours on video playback, or 16 hours when browsing on Wi-Fi. A few days of testing confirmed Samsung's claims and that combined with a low standby consumption, the J7 scored a top-notch 108h endurance rating in our test.
As usual we employed our typical two-test approach to see how much of a difference the Always On Display feature has. As expected, the AOD shrinks the standby endurance, but even though it took a hit, the J7 (2017) still posted a respectable endurance score.
Our endurance rating denotes how long a single battery charge will last you if you use the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) for an hour each of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. We've established this usage pattern so our battery results are comparable across devices in the most common day-to-day tasks. The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you're interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones we've tested will compare under your own typical use.
Connectivity
The Galaxy J7 (2017) is available in single-SIM and dual-SIM variants, so you can get some flexibility in terms of carriers and plans. The LTE is rated Cat.6 for up to 300Mbps downlink.
Samsung improved the J7 (2017) connectivity compared to the 2016 model by adding Wi-Fiac support, which also means it will readily work on both the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands. There's GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, and Beidou; Bluetooth v.4.1, and an FM radio receiver. NFC is also on board with a dedicated options menu in the Settings.
Wired options include a microUSB port and a 3.5mm jack. The microUSB port can be used to attach an external accessory as it supports USB On-The-Go. We really wish Samsung started using USB-C ports on all of its new products - not just for the higher-end ones - as this would really help establish the new standard more quickly.
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