Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) vs Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)

A spec-by-spec comparison of the Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) and the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016), taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.

Head to head

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016)Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
Our rating6/106/10
Battery2,600 mAh2,600 mAh
RAM (max)5 GB5 GB
Storage (max)—16 GB
Screen size5 in5 in
Main camera8 MP8 MP
Weight (lower is lighter)138 g138 g
ReleasedJul 2016May 2016
Summary: Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) and Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) are evenly matched on the measured specs.
★ Which should you buy? Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) and Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) are evenly matched — either is a safe buy.

Display

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016)Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
TypeSuper AMOLEDSuper AMOLED
Size5.0 inches, 68.9 cm2 (~68.1% screen-to-body ratio)5.0 inches, 68.2 cm2 (~68.2% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~294 ppi density)720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~294 ppi density)
Protection—Asahi Dragontrail Glass

Platform

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016)Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
OSAndroid 6.0.1 (Marshmallow)Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop), upgradable to 6.0.1 (Marshmallow) or 7.0 (Nougat) depending on region/carrier
ChipsetSpreadtrum SC8830Spreadtrum SC9830 (most regions) or Exynos 3475 (some regions) or Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (some US variants)
CPUQuad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A7Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A7 (Spreadtrum) or Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 (Exynos) or Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 (Snapdragon 410)
GPUMali-400MP2Mali-400 MP2 (Spreadtrum) or Mali-T720 (Exynos) or Adreno 306 (Snapdragon 410)

Memory

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016)Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
Card slotmicroSDXC (dedicated slot)microSDXC (dedicated slot)
Internal8GB 1.5GB RAM8GB 1.5GB RAM, 16GB 2GB RAM (USA models)

Main Camera

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016)Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
Single8 MP, AF8 MP, f/2.2, AF (most regions) or 5 MP (some US variants)
FeaturesLED flashLED flash, HDR
Video720p@30fps720p@30fps

Selfie Camera

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016)Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
Single5 MP5 MP, f/2.2 (most regions) or 2 MP (some US variants)
VideoNoYes

Battery

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016)Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
TypeRemovable Li-Ion 2600 mAh batteryRemovable Li-Ion 2600 mAh battery
Charging5W wired—
Talk time—Up to 22 h (3G)
Music play—Up to 77 h

Body

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016)Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
Dimensions142.4 x 71.1 x 8 mm (5.61 x 2.80 x 0.31 in)142.3 x 71 x 7.9 mm (5.60 x 2.80 x 0.31 in)
Weight138 g (4.87 oz)138 g (4.87 oz)
BuildGlass front, plastic back, plastic frameGlass front (Asahi Dragontrail), plastic back, plastic frame
SIMDual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by)Micro-SIM (Single SIM or Dual SIM) or Nano-SIM (USA models only)

Comms

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016)Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspotWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth4.1, A2DP, LE4.0, A2DP, LE
GPSYes, with A-GPS, GLONASS—
RadioFM radio, RDS, recordingFM radio, RDS, recording
USBmicroUSB 2.0, OTGmicroUSB 2.0, OTG
Positioning—GPS, GLONASS, BDS
NFC—Yes (market/region dependent)

Launch

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016)Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
AnnouncedJuly 2016March 2016
StatusDiscontinuedDiscontinued

Frequently asked questions

Which is newer, Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) or Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)?

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) — Jul 2016 for the Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) versus May 2016 for the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016).

Is the Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) or the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) rated higher?

We rate the Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) 6/10 and the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) 6/10.

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