Nokia 3 vs Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017)
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Nokia 3 and the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017), taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Nokia 3 | Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) |
|---|
| Price | $45 | $26 |
| Our rating | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Battery | 2,630 mAh | 2,600 mAh |
| RAM (max) | — | 5 GB |
| Storage (max) | 256 GB | 16 GB |
| Screen size | 5 in | 5 in |
| Main camera | 8 MP | 13 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 140 g | 142 g |
| Released | Jun 2017 | Jul 2017 |
Summary: Nokia 3 is ahead on battery, storage (max), weight (lower is lighter). Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) is ahead on main camera.
★ Which should you buy? Nokia 3 is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs. If budget matters more than the extra capability, Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) is the cheaper option.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Nokia 3 | Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) |
|---|
| Type | IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors | PLS TFT LCD |
| Size | 5.0 inches, 68.9 cm2 (~67.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.0 inches, 68.9 cm2 (~68.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~294 ppi density) | 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~294 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Undisclosed |
Platform
| Nokia 3 | Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) |
|---|
| OS | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie) | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6737 (28 nm) | Exynos 7570 Quad (14 nm) |
| CPU | Quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A53 | Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 |
| GPU | Mali-T720MP1/MP2 | Mali-T720 MP2 |
Memory
| Nokia 3 | Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) |
|---|
| RAM | 2 GB LPDDR3 | — |
| Internal Storage | 16 GB eMMC 5.0 | — |
| Card slot | microSDXC, up to 256 GB (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | — | 16GB 2GB RAM (International variant); some regional variants had 1.5GB RAM |
Main Camera
| Nokia 3 | Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, AF, f/2.0, 1.12 µm | — |
| Features | LED flash | LED flash, HDR |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Modules | — | 13 MP, f/1.9, AF |
Selfie Camera
| Nokia 3 | Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, AF, f/2.0, 1.12 µm, 84° FOV | — |
| Video | 720p@30fps | No official specification |
| Modules | — | 5 MP, f/2.2 |
| Features | — | LED flash (variant dependent) |
Battery
| Nokia 3 | Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) |
|---|
| Type | Non-removable Li-Ion | Li-Ion (Non-removable) |
| Capacity | 2630 mAh | 2400 mAh (some regional variants had 2600 mAh) |
| Charging | — | Standard 5W charging |
Body
| Nokia 3 | Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) |
|---|
| Dimensions | 143.4 x 71.4 x 8.48 mm (5.65 x 2.81 x 0.33 in) | 143.2 x 70.3 x 8.2 mm (5.64 x 2.77 x 0.32 in) |
| Weight | 140 g (4.94 oz) | 142 g (5.01 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Corning Gorilla Glass), plastic back, aluminum frame | Plastic frame, partial metal back (variant dependent) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM (single or dual SIM variants) | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
Comms
| Nokia 3 | Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE | 4.2, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS | — |
| NFC | Yes (market dependent) | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go |
| Positioning | — | GPS, GLONASS, BDS |
| Radio | — | FM radio |
Launch
| Nokia 3 | Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) |
|---|
| Announced | February 2017 | 2017, June |
| Status | Discontinued (September 2020) | Available. Released 2017, July |
| Release Date | June 2017 | — |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Nokia 3 or Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017)?
Nokia 3 — 2,630 mAh for the Nokia 3 versus 2,600 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017).
Which is lighter, Nokia 3 or Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017)?
Nokia 3 — 140 g for the Nokia 3 versus 142 g for the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017).
Which is newer, Nokia 3 or Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017)?
Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) — Jun 2017 for the Nokia 3 versus Jul 2017 for the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017).
Is the Nokia 3 or the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) rated higher?
We rate the Nokia 3 6/10 and the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) 6/10.
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