Samsung Galaxy J6+ Review: Offline Mode Only

Main Image
  • Like
  • Comment
  • Share

There was a time when Galaxy J-series used to be a go-to option for budget buyers looking for a familiar brand. Xiaomi had just started (and was struggling with Ericsson dispute), and domestic manufacturers were still breathing free of Chinese competition. (हिंदी में पढ़िए)

However, in recent times, the South Korean giant has been facing some flack from Chinese smartphone makers who have successfully made an impact by undercutting Samsung’s offering with better-specs at fairly aggressive pricing.

Samsung J-series phones that are still popular, particularly among offline buyers. Which explains why Samsung continue to timely refresh its affordable phone portfolio. The recently launched Galaxy J6+ gets a glass body and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor – features that Samsung usually reserves for its high-end phones. But is it really competitive enough by 2018 standards? Let’s find out in our full review:

What’s In The Box

  • Handset
  • Wall charger
  • USB Data cable
  • User Manual
  • Warranty Card
  • Earphones

Samsung Galaxy J6+ Review: Design and Build Quality

Aesthetics is one area which most Chinese smartphone markers don’t pay much attention to. In fact, Honor and Samsung are the only two brands who seem to rely on design as a differentiating factor. The Galaxy J6 is certainly a looker and feel premium.   The dual rear cameras sit flush with the phone’s glossy glass-finish back panel (material used is polycarbonate), which is prone to smudges. As expected, Samsung sticks to the evergreen notch-free screen with generous bezels on all sides.

On the right side frame, there is a mono loudspeaker and power key which is embedded with a Sony’s Xperia-style fingerprint sensor. The left edge, whereas, gets volume keys, dual sim tray, and a separate microSD card tray.

Despite tall the footprint, the phone is manageable as it offers decent grip. On the build quality front, the phone seems to hold up well as there are no flexing issues with the phone. The display is given a Dragontrail glass shield which is a capable Gorilla Glass substitute to protect from pocket scratches.

All in all, the Galaxy J6+ design feels more premium and handy than most other phones available in this price segment.

ALSO READ: Honor 8X FAQ with Pros and Cons – All Questions Answered

Samsung Galaxy J6+ Review: Display

Compared to the Galaxy J6 (review), Samsung has upped the display size, but the resolution remains the same. The Galaxy J6+ sports a 6-inch Infinity screen with HD+ resolution. Interestingly, Samsung has added the support for Widevine L1 support, which is one of the pre-requisites for HD streaming on apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

This isn’t an AMOLED screen but color are vivid and contrast are pretty high. Samsung adds an ambient light sensor this time, and auto-brightness works fine.

Samsung Galaxy J6+ Review: Performance and Software

Now, let’s move to the business end of this Samsung Galaxy J6+ review and discuss its software and hardware performance. The Galaxy J6+ runs on Android 8.1 Oreo based resource-intensive Samsung Experience 9.5 UI which bring a lot of intuitive features and animation. There are some proprietary India exclusive features like Samsung Mall, Samsung Pay mini, Samsung Max – some of which are really useful.

Where Samsung really missed the mark with the Galaxy J6+ is its choice of chipset. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 SoC powering the phone feels like a step down from Exynos 7870 octa-core chipset.

Stuttering is common, even while running regular apps like browser, scrolling through social feeds on Facebook or Instagram. The Adreno 308 GPU manages to handle casual games like Subway Surfers, and Dead Trigger 2 but the like of PBUG run in lowest settings (with some frame drops).

Despite featuring 4GB of RAM switching between apps takes time which means there is some scope for improvement in memory management. The good thing is 64GB storage which is expandable up to 512GB thanks to the separate microSD card slot. Samsung has enabled the option to move apps and app data on the SD card. 

One of the interesting thing about this phone is the fingerprint sensor which also acts a power button. Well, it takes some getting used to new positioning however, we are really fond of power button-cum-fingerprint sensors as they are most convenient and reliable. There is also an option of face unlock but we’d prefer fingerprint sensor over face unlock anyday.

ALSO READ: Xiaomi Redmi 6 Review: Not Much Of An Upgrade

Samsung Galaxy J6+ Camera Review

Samsung has equipped its latest J-series warrior with dual rear cameras with a 13MP primary sensor and 5MP secondary depth sensor. The two sensors have f/1.9 aperture and f/2.2 aperture respectively. At the front, you get an 8MP sensor with f/1.9 aperture to click selfies.

The camera app is similar to what we have experienced on most Samsung phones in 2018. There’s also a ‘Pro’ mode that only lets you adjust the ISO levels and tweak white balance. The mid-range offering from Samsung did a decent job in daylight where it manages to reproduce colours accurately. When we inspected the shot images more closely, we did notice noise grains. The camera can lock focus quickly and portrait mode could detect the edges and blur the background in the shots nicely in proper lighting. Low light performance is nothing to brag about.

Samsung Galaxy J6+ Review: Battery and Audio

Samsung ships the Galaxy J6+ with a 3300mAh battery. The use of HD+ display and power-efficient Snapdragon 425 SoC ensures that you get a comfortable mileage on most days.

However, it doesn’t support Samsung’s Adaptive fast charging. As for audio, there is a mono speaker which is average at best.

Samsung Galaxy J6+ Review Verdict: Should You Buy It?

This phone is clearly targeted towards offline buyers for whom brand’s name and reliable customer service are the biggest deciding factors. Its attractive design should further ensure that it gets its fair share of attention on offline retail shelves, as compared to its adversaries like Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro (review) or Oppo F7.

The Samsung Galaxy J6+ gets most things right, but the use of a feeble chipset weighs it down. If brand value and design don’t rank at the top of your priority list, and if you are comfortable buying online, the likes of Realme 2 Pro (review), and Nokia 6.1 (review) will serve you better.

Pros 

  • Design
  • Display quality
  • Dedicated card slot
  • Battery backup

Cons

  • No Dual 4G VoLTE
  • Feeble chipset
  • No fast charging
Deepak RajawatDeepak Rajawat
Experienced technology journalist with over 7-years of experience. Before embracing online journalism, he has worked with several legacy publications including print editions at Hindustan Times and The Statesman. He also has a keen interest in Sports, which he used to cover with equal enthusiasm in his early career.

Related Articles

ImageApple iPhone 16 Pro to gain AI-focused A18 Pro chipset

It has been reported by 9to5Mac that Apple is working on major improvements for its upcoming A18 chip, to enhance on-device AI capabilities for the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro series. According to information from an analyst report written by Jeff Pu of Haitong International Tech Research, some significant changes are coming. Here are the insights. …

ImageSamsung Galaxy J6+ and Galaxy J4+ with Side fingerprint sensor to launch soon

Samsung will soon launch two new mid-range J-series phones, the Galaxy J6+, and Galaxy J4+, in India. The two phones are expected to be priced between 10K and 20K and the official teaser page for both is now live. The teaser doesn’t reveal much but mentions a few interesting features. The next generation of J-series …

ImageSamsung Galaxy J6 Plus and Galaxy J4 Plus To Launch Soon: Report

Samsung is currently working on two new devices in the Galaxy J-series that are believed to succeed the earlier launched Samsung Galaxy J6 Plus and Galaxy J4 Plus, as per the latest reports. The upcoming devices, with model number SM-J610F and SM-J415F, were recently got Bluetooth certification and are most probably Galaxy J6 Plus and …

ImageSamsung Galaxy A55 5G Review: Flagship experience at a lower price point?

Samsung’s Galaxy A55 has arrived in India. It is Samsung’s costliest A series phone in 2024 priced starting Rs 39,999. In this week-long review, With Galaxy A55 Samsung is playing on its strengths, from the striking design to an impressive AMOLED display. But does it truly deliver on performance, battery life, and camera quality? Let’s …

ImageSamsung Galaxy S24 Plus 5G Review: Middle Member with Maximized Power

In January, Samsung unveiled the 2024 Galaxy S24 Series, emphasizing the innovative AI-powered capabilities that would redefine the smartphone experience worldwide. Rather than focusing solely on hardware enhancements, the brand tried to create a comprehensive package. While the Galaxy S24 Ultra model garnered the most attention, today we will discuss the often-overlooked middle member of …

Discuss

Be the first to leave a comment.