Boost Mobile has plenty of affordable smartphones to choose from, but the $229.99 Samsung Galaxy J7 is one of the better phablets of the bunch. Think of it as a bigger, more powerful version of the entry-level Galaxy J3, boasting the latest Android software, a good processor, and an attractive display. It also comes with some relatively rare features for a midrange phone, like dual-band Wi-Fi and NFC for mobile payments. It's a solid option for if you're looking for a capable phablet that won't break the bank.
Design, Features, and Display
Measuring in at 6.0 by 3.1 by 0.3 inches (HWD) and 6.0 ounces, the J7 is basically a bigger version of the J3 (5.6 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches, 4.9 ounces), which in turn resembles the Galaxy S4. The phone has Samsung's standard design language, including two capacitive controls and a physical home button on the front, a band of faux-chrome plastic along the sides, and a back made of sturdy white polycarbonate.
The J7 is about the same size as the stylus-equipped LG Stylo 2 (6.1 by 3.1 by 0.3 inches, 5.1 ounces), though nearly an ounce heavier. It's a bit of a stretch to use one-handed, but the relatively slim build make it easy to grasp and slip in your pocket.
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On the right side you'll find a power button, and there's a volume rocker on the left. A 3.5mm audio jack and micro USB port sit on the bottom. The back is removable; peeling it off gives you access to the replaceable battery and a SIM card slot. There's also a microSD card slot, which worked with a 200GB SanDisk card. Samsung disables moving apps to internal storage for Marshmallow devices, but you can store music, images, and videos on a card.
Samsung has long excelled at making quality display panels, and the J7 is no exception. It has a bright 5.5-inch, 1,280-by-720-pixel Super AMOLED screen. That 720p resolution is lower than I normally prefer on a phone this size, but its pixel density is still fairly strong—267 pixels per inch (ppi), crisper than the 5.7-inch Stylo 2 (258ppi). Icons and graphics look sharp, viewing angles are great, and the screen is easily usable outside, thanks to Outdoors mode, which kicks up maximum brightness.
Network Performance and Connectivity
Boost Mobile is one of Sprint's low-cost arms, so you'll find network performance is identical on both carriers. The J7 supports LTE bands 2/4/5/12/25/26/41. Sprint hasn't had the best data speeds, but our latest Fastest Mobile Networks tests show the provider is making a major comeback, with faster download and upload speeds than ever. Unfortunately, I didn't experience these improved speeds while testing in midtown Manhattan. For the most part, downloads and uploads remained in the single digits, but that's in line with other Sprint phones we've tested in the same area.
Voice calls are clear, but have a harsh robotic edge, which makes conversations a bit unpleasant. On the plus side, earpiece volume is loud and noise cancellation is good at blotting out background sound.
Rare for a midrange phone, the J7 has dual-band Wi-Fi and NFC. The former makes for improved Wi-Fi performance, while the latter allows you to use Android Pay and other payment services.
Processor, Battery, and Camera
The J7 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor clocked at 1.4GHz. It scored a solid 33,107 on the AnTuTu benchmark, which tests overall system performance. That's a lot better than the Snapdragon 410-powered Stylo 2 (26,822) and the Exynos 3475-powered Galaxy J3 (17,284). Performance is smooth when it comes to launching apps and multitasking. I didn't notice any slowdown even with several apps running in the background; with 2GB of RAM, you're not likely to hit the RAM usage limit. High-end games like Asphalt 8 and GTA San Andreas play smoothly, with minimal control latency.
Battery life is also good. The J7 clocked 6 hours and 21 minutes in our rundown test, in which we set screen brightness to maximum and stream full-screen video over LTE. That's about the same as you'll get with the Stylo 2 (6 hours, 6 minutes), though the smaller Galaxy J3 outstrips both with an impressive 9 hours and 27 minutes. In any case, all day usage isn't a problem, and you can always swap out the removable battery.
Camera performance isn't as strong. The 13-megapixel rear sensor is capable of taking clear shots, especially outdoors, but it often loses fine details like individual branches and tree leaves. Taking a picture of several intricate objects, like a row of bushes, resulted in the closest bush appearing finely detailed, but those in the middle of the shot or off to the side looked noisy. Color reproduction also tends to vary dramatically. Outside, colors like reds and greens tend to take over, while indoors colors are more accurately represented. On the plus side, 1080p video records at a steady 30fps. And the 5-megapixel front-facing camera takes good, crisp shots in all but low-light settings.
Software and Apps
The J7 joins the growing rank of new phones shipping with the latest Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow software. You'll find Samsung's TouchWiz UI extensions running on top, which brings a number of visual changes including custom app icons, an altered notification shade, and a different settings menu.
There's also some custom features like the aforementioned Outdoors mode, a Theme Selector (which is self-explanatory), and a Smart Manager, which cleans up used space and background processes. Two particularly useful features include Power Saving mode, which reduces performance and turns off network connectivity to sip battery, and Ultra Power Saving mode, which sets the phone to black and white.
As with all carrier offerings, there's some bloatware on the J7. Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Music, Amazon Photos, Amazon Video, Boost Fun & Games, Boost Zone, Facebook, Gadget Guardian, Galaxy Apps, Instagram, and Samsung Milk Music apps are all pre-installed. It's not a heavy load, but combined with the operating system and UI tweaks, it takes up nearly half of the 16GB of internal storage, leaving you with 8.41GB.
Conclusions
For $230, the Samsung Galaxy J7 is a very capable phablet held back only by mixed camera performance and lackluster call quality. Unless you're keen on a stylus, the J7 is a better buy than the $180 Stylo 2, thanks to its more powerful processor, dual-band Wi-Fi, and NFC support. It's also a better deal than the aging ZTE Boost Max+ ($199.99), which has outdated hardware and software. Short of an expensive, high-end phone like the Apple iPhone 6s Plus, you won't find a better phablet on Boost Mobile.
The Samsung Galaxy J7 is an affordable midrange phablet on Boost Mobile that offers good bang for the buck compared with rivals.
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