Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 Dual SIM Price in the Philippines is Php 11,990, Out Now
More expensive than its predecessor by Php 2,000 upon launch, the 2016 version of Samsung Galaxy J5 now features a real metal mid-frame and better technical specifications across the board.
But does it have enough compelling features to take on its main competitors in the Php 11,000 to Php 13,000 price echelon -- including Asus ZenFone 3, OPPO F1 Selfie Expert, as well the flagship level releases of local brands?
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 Dual SIM version was officially launched in the Philippines several days ago and last Saturday - June 2, 2016 - I saw several stores in SM San Lazaro CyberZone selling the new model for Php 11,990, which is its official suggested retail price.
So what's so interesting about this fresh release?
Design-wise, J5 2016 looks like a cross between the 2015 model and an Galaxy A-series handset. The mid-frame is crafted from aluminum while the removable back plate is still made of plastic.
If you ask me, both OPPO F1 and Asus ZenFone 3 look and feel far more elegant than this model. Heck, even Vivo V3 slays it in this department. But hey, that's just my opinion; After all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
In terms of internal hardware, J5 2016 is also hardly the leader. Running its TouchWiz-laden Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with but a Quad Core Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 chipset, having 2GB of RAM, and featuring 16GB of expandable storage, this model is inferior to even the far more affordable Asus ZenFone 2 Laser 5.5S, which runs on a Snapdragon 615 processor, has 3GB of RAM, and comes with 32GB of ROM. And that's just one of the handful of 2016 midrange handsets that can easily beat the J5 2016 in this area.
Nonetheless, Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 does have its own strengths. In fact, I think it can outside its competition in three aspects: Display Quality, Imaging Performance, and Software Innovations.
Like most of its siblings in the high-end category, this release flaunts a SuperAMOLED screen, which is by far the best mobile display type by in terms of color brilliance and energy-efficiency. If only J5 2016's 5.2-inch panel had a Full HD resolution instead of HD or 720 x 1280 pixels, it would have easily slain almost all devices in its price bracket. But as it is, J5 2016's screen is still quite a sight to behold.
This device also sports a 13 MegaPixel autofocus main camera with f/1.9 aperture, which can deliver clear and crisp shots even relatively low lighting conditions. The front cam is a 5 MegaPixel shooter with f/1.9 aperture and Soft LED flash, which means that the user can still snap bright self-portrait even in settings where there's little ambient light.
And finally, of course, this Dual SIM, 4G-enabled handset features the Korean Giant's TouchWiz experience for Android, which incorporates several software innovations including Ultra Data Saving (c/o Opera Max technology) that lets the user make the most of his or her mobile data subscription and Signal Max that boosts the handset's network signal reception for clearer call quality and - possibly - faster mobile data speeds.
To wrap this up, let me ask you: Do you think Samsung Galaxy J5 2016's strengths can outweigh its limitations enough to make it one of the better purchases in its price bracket? Or do you think Samsung should have tried to lower its SRP given its weaknesses when placed vis-a-vis its leading competitors? Let me know your thoughts.
But does it have enough compelling features to take on its main competitors in the Php 11,000 to Php 13,000 price echelon -- including Asus ZenFone 3, OPPO F1 Selfie Expert, as well the flagship level releases of local brands?
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 Dual SIM version was officially launched in the Philippines several days ago and last Saturday - June 2, 2016 - I saw several stores in SM San Lazaro CyberZone selling the new model for Php 11,990, which is its official suggested retail price.
So what's so interesting about this fresh release?
Design-wise, J5 2016 looks like a cross between the 2015 model and an Galaxy A-series handset. The mid-frame is crafted from aluminum while the removable back plate is still made of plastic.
If you ask me, both OPPO F1 and Asus ZenFone 3 look and feel far more elegant than this model. Heck, even Vivo V3 slays it in this department. But hey, that's just my opinion; After all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
In terms of internal hardware, J5 2016 is also hardly the leader. Running its TouchWiz-laden Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with but a Quad Core Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 chipset, having 2GB of RAM, and featuring 16GB of expandable storage, this model is inferior to even the far more affordable Asus ZenFone 2 Laser 5.5S, which runs on a Snapdragon 615 processor, has 3GB of RAM, and comes with 32GB of ROM. And that's just one of the handful of 2016 midrange handsets that can easily beat the J5 2016 in this area.
Nonetheless, Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 does have its own strengths. In fact, I think it can outside its competition in three aspects: Display Quality, Imaging Performance, and Software Innovations.
Like most of its siblings in the high-end category, this release flaunts a SuperAMOLED screen, which is by far the best mobile display type by in terms of color brilliance and energy-efficiency. If only J5 2016's 5.2-inch panel had a Full HD resolution instead of HD or 720 x 1280 pixels, it would have easily slain almost all devices in its price bracket. But as it is, J5 2016's screen is still quite a sight to behold.
This device also sports a 13 MegaPixel autofocus main camera with f/1.9 aperture, which can deliver clear and crisp shots even relatively low lighting conditions. The front cam is a 5 MegaPixel shooter with f/1.9 aperture and Soft LED flash, which means that the user can still snap bright self-portrait even in settings where there's little ambient light.
And finally, of course, this Dual SIM, 4G-enabled handset features the Korean Giant's TouchWiz experience for Android, which incorporates several software innovations including Ultra Data Saving (c/o Opera Max technology) that lets the user make the most of his or her mobile data subscription and Signal Max that boosts the handset's network signal reception for clearer call quality and - possibly - faster mobile data speeds.
To wrap this up, let me ask you: Do you think Samsung Galaxy J5 2016's strengths can outweigh its limitations enough to make it one of the better purchases in its price bracket? Or do you think Samsung should have tried to lower its SRP given its weaknesses when placed vis-a-vis its leading competitors? Let me know your thoughts.
| Name | Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 Philippines |
| Type | Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen) |
| Price Category | Midrange |
| Dimensions | 145.8 x 72.3 x 8.1 mm |
| Weight | 159 grams |
| Available Colors | Gold, White, Black, Rose Gold |
| Operating System | Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with TouchWiz UI |
| Display | 5.2 inches (~70.7% screen-to-body ratio), 720 x 1280 pixels (~282 ppi pixel density), SuperAMOLED, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, 5-point Multi-Touch |
| Processor | Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 = Quad-Core 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A53, Adreno 306 |
| RAM | 2 GB RAM |
| Internal Storage | 16 GB ROM, expandable via microSD card slot supporting up to 128 GB |
| Camera | Main: 13 MegaPixels, f/1.9 aperture, 28mm, autofocus, LED flash Front: 5 MegaPixels, f/1.9 aperture, Soft LED flash |
| Video Capture | Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second for main camera, HD for front camera (TBC) |
| Audio and Video Playback | MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264, ANT+ |
| Ports | microUSB v2.0, USB On-The-Go, 3.5 mm audio jack |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.1 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; LTE Cat4 |
| GPS | Yes, with GLONASS, BDS, and A-GPS |
| FM Radio | Yes |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Proximity |
| Network | 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2, HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100, 4G LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 17(700), 28(700) |
| SIM Card Type | Dual microSIM |
| Battery | Removable Li-Ion 3,100 mAh battery |
| Uptime | Around 11 Hours of Web Browsing, 22.5 Hours of Talk Time |
| Value-Added Features | TouchWiz UI, Data Saving |
| Announcement | June 2016 |
| Availability | June 2016 |
| Price | Official: Php 11,990 |
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Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 Dual SIM Price
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 Philippines
Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 Price
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