Kelsey Herald, Negosentro | After the exploding Galaxy Note 7 fiasco of 2016 that led to billions of dollars’ worth of financial losses, Samsung has since been on a roll, delivering smartphone after smartphone with top-notch specifications and affordable price points. So while it’s easy to say “just get the latest model,” choosing a Samsung phone isn’t quite that simple. The Korean tech giant has a robust lineup of smartphones in all price categories, not to mention entry-level and mid-range products that are so close in terms of specifications, which makes picking just one all the more confusing.
To help you single out a choice, here’s a list of Samsung Galaxy smartphones that are worth your time and money this 2018.
Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus
Of course, this list will include the flagships. Samsung built on the success of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, improving on the overall design and hardware, with the most significant difference being the cameras. The S9 and the S9 Plus now sports dual 12MP rear cameras with a dual aperture mode that can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4. Both phones can also take slow-motion videos at 960 fps in 720p.
Inside their metal frames, the S9 and S9 Plus pack Samsung’s in-house Exynos 9810 SoC processor, (the US versions got the Snapdragon 845) and either 4GB (S9) or 6GB (S9 Plus) of RAM. Both models also have Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, and sport curved screens and an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. For your viewing pleasure, the S9 and the S9 Plus have a quad HD+ resolution screens and Dolby Atmos technology in its speakers.
Both phones also come with 64GB of internal memory, which can be expanded up to 400GB via a microSD card slot. They also come with a 3000 mAh battery, which supports fast wireless charging.
Galaxy J7 Pro
The J7 Pro is the perfect balance between topnotch specifications and affordable price. For under P16,000, you get a 5.5-inch full HD display with approximately 401 ppi, Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, a fingerprint scanner, an Exynos 7870 octa-core processor with 3GB of RAM, expandable storage up to 256 GB, and a long-lasting 3,600 mAh battery housed in an all-metal body. It is definitely a gorgeous phone that delivers great value.
Its photography features are also nothing to sneeze at, packing 13MP shooters for both the rear and front cameras with autofocus, and various shooting modes and options. And with its HD super AMOLED display, photos and videos are a delight to look at. In fact, the J7 is one of the most color-accurate smartphones today.
Galaxy A7 and A5 (2017)
The Galaxy A series is part of Samsung’s mid-range family. They are a considerable step down from the S series, obviously, but these phones still deliver considerable power under the hood. Both phones are essentially the same, with the A7 sporting a 5.7-inch display and a 3600 mAh battery, and the A5 a 5.2-inch display and a 3000 mAh battery. Otherwise, the two sport the same 1080p super AMOLED displays, and Samsung’s Exynos 7 Octa 7880 with 3GB of RAM. Both phones also have 16MP main and front cameras and 32GB of internal memory that’s expandable up to 256GB.
One downside is that the software is still Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box, although both can be easily updated to the Nougat OS. It has also been reported that the A7 will be receiving the Oreo as its second major upgrade, while the Oreo update for the A5 is allegedly already under development.
Galaxy J2 Pro (2018)
The newly released Galaxy J2 Pro doesn’t scrimp on the features considering its price point of just under P7,500. It sports a 5.0-inch super AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 425 quad core processor, an Adreno 308 GPU, and 16GB internal memory that’s expandable via microSD up to 256GB. It’s biggest drawback is the rather low 1.5GB RAM, but for modest users who focus more on social media, casual browsing, and a little bit of photography, this is more than enough to get you through the day. For imaging, the J2 Pro is equipped with an 8MP main camera with autofocus and f/2.2 aperture and LED flash; the 5MP front camera also has the same features. The J2 Pro also comes with Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box.
Samsung’s wide range of smartphones for all price points can be considered one of its competitive edges over its main rival, Apple. And with budget conscious Pinoys who also love gadgets, Samsung definitely has something to offer for everyone.
