Samsung is one of the big names in the local and international smartphone markets because the company offers devices at virtually every price point and delivers with quality and ingenuity. In Bangladesh, the Galaxy J1 NXT and Galaxy J2 have proven to be very popular. We got to play around with the two for a while and here’s what we found out.
Both devices feature a classic Samsung design language comprising of a removable back and plastic chassis. The sides are glossy but comfortable to hold. The J1 NXT has a more modern look introduced first in the Galaxy S6 with flattened sides for improved ergonomics.
The plastic back is a standard affair and is very useful as it allows access to the removable battery, microSD card slot and sim slot. The speaker grille is to the right hand side on both devices however the J1 NXT is missing the LED flash found on the J2. Both camera modules feature a shiny faux metal trim.
The J1 NXT has a 4 inch 480 x 800 WVGA TFT display. The J2 on the other hand has a 4.7 inch 540 x 960 qHD Super AMOLED display. Pixel density is clearly not the main concern here, rather price reductions are given greater emphasis. However it is great to see Samsung utilise its signature display technology in budget handsets.
Inside, the J1 NXT sports a quad core 1.2GHz processor along with 1GB RAM and 8GB built in storage. Installing Asphalt 8 and Modern Combat 5 used up almost all the space so it is great that you also get microSD expandability up to 128GB. The J2 has a slightly faster 1.3GHz quad core processor but the RAM and expandability figures stay the same. The J1 NXT has a small 1,500mAh battery and the J2 has a larger 2,000mAh battery.
The J2’ 5MP CMOS camera actually takes good looking photos given the resolution and the 2MP front camera does not disappoint either. The J1 NXT on the other hand is a tad tougher to use due to lack of tap to focus. Still, the 5MP CMOS main camera and CMOS VGA camera can get the job done in ideal lighting situations. A big surprise was the presence of a Pro Mode in the camera of both devices allowing for manual control of white balance, ISO and exposure.
Android 5.1 Lollipop runs the J1 NXT whilst 5.1.1 is found on the J2 but the skin on the J1 NXT is more akin to the one found on the Galaxy Note 5. There’s also a built in theme engine which allows you to customise the look of the user interface.
The Samsung Galaxy J1 NXT retails for Tk/- 6.990 and the J2 goes for Tk/- 11,490. These devices are budget models that are performing well in the Bangladeshi market and allowing more and more people access to smartphones in Bangladesh. Both products are available in white, gold and black colors.
