Alcatel 1X Evolve was recently launched and it is offered through Metro by T-Mobile (MetroPCS was recently rebranded).
It is the second edition of Alcatel 1X which was released a few months ago and sold unlocked through retail stores and Amazon. Unlike the Alcatel 1X, the Alcatel 1X Evolve won’t be using the Android Go Edition operating system.
The Android Go is an optimized operating system created for budget phones with less than 1GB of RAM.
Phones with 1GB (or less) RAM would normally lag with heavy usage from social media or gaming apps. But with an Android Go operating system, the phone can use lite versions of apps that were customized for the Android Go OS, like Facebook Lite, Gmail Go, Google Maps Go, etc.
Nonetheless, the Alcatel 1X Evolve’s speed and performance is not at all bad. It’s still sporting 2GB of RAM which we think is fair enough for a phone with a sub $100 price tag.
At a glance, Alcatel 1X Evolve is a basic phone that offers basic features and use. It has a premium-looking suede finish, but it’s only offered in color Blue with its current carrier.
This budget phone only retails at $109 when you buy it outright from Metro, and for the price, it’s well worth it.
It has the typical 2016 look; fingerprint sensors at the back below the rear camera, a premium suede finish, and a boxy but not too bulky frame. It is arguably light and not too heavy to hold comfortably with one hand.
It has bezels on all 4 sides of the screen, but it has a 5.3 inches full view display in an 18:9 aspect ratio. It has a blue suede finish on a durable 2D Dragontrail™ Glass.
Alcatel assures their users that the phone can withstand scrapes and scratches because of it’s durable Dragontrail glass cover.
The fingerprint sensor which is conveniently located at the back also serves other purposes apart from unlocking the phone. You can assign other fingerprints to quickly launch your most used or important apps.
The phone has a sizable battery which is 2460mAh and can have 14 hours of talk time (based on a 3G network).
This budget beauty is fast, considering its price tag. As mentioned, it is running on Android Oreo on a Quad-core processor with up-to 1.1GHz in speed.
The camera is the usual so-so cameras you get from budget phones. The rear camera is 8MP and the front camera is 5MP.
And yes, it comes with camera features but they are not as great as your $300 mid-range phones.
Alcatel 1X Evolve vs Other Budget Phones
Alcatel 1X Evolve is the third Go Alcatel variant to be released within this year; the other two variants were Alcatel 1X and Alcatel 1, the latter was released in Russia.
But among the three, the 1X Evolve has the best and most sophisticated features.
On the other hand, compared to its other budget phone competition, the 1X Evolve does not particularly possess a feature that makes it stand out; if there is, it would be its glass back and body frame which is way better than the plasticky finish Motorola E5 play and ZTE Avid 4 has.
The Alcatel 1X Evolve definitely changed the way we’ll look at budget phones again. We thought the Alcatel 7 is the best budget Alcatel yet, but it turns out we can get almost the same features with Alcatel 1X Evolve for almost half the price. With budget phones like this, midrange and flagship phone manufacturers are going to have a good run for their money.
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The Sony Xperia XZ3 is the last flagship phone in the XZ series released this year.
Unlike its predecessors, this flagship phone comes with an impressively bigger 6in screen display. What makes this phone a beast is that it’s the first ever Sony Xperia phone to have an HDR OLED display, making images as crisp as watching them in a Sony Bravia TV.
The phone looks like your typical 2018 Samsung; its screen had the iconic curves at the edge. Unlike most Android phones this year, this one thankfully doesn’t have a notch.
A notch would have ruined its beautiful display.
Going by the book, the Sony Xperia XZ3 came out with the latest Android operating system, customized into the Sony graphic user interface. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 with 64 GB internal memory supported by 4 GB RAM.
It has a 19MP rear camera with a motion eye technology that can also record in 4K HDR. At the front, there is a 13.2MP camera, which we think is a total letdown, since it can do so much better for selfies.
Sony Xperia XZ3’s Build and Design vs Samsung Galaxy Note 9
In its borderless slim appearance, Xperia XZ3 came in with four different color variations you can choose from; Black, White Silver, Forest Green, and Bordeaux Red.
Both theSamsung Galaxy Note 9 and the Sony Xperia XZ3 have aluminum frames and curved glass panels in the front and back. Both are also IP68 water and dust resistant. As mentioned earlier, the Xperia XZ3 has a cunning resemblance to Samsung Galaxy phones.
The XZ3 stands 6.2 inches with bezels at the top and bottom leaving 6 inches for the screen display, but Note 9 is still a bit taller. But the XZ3’s size is more ergonomic to hold than that of Note 9, which are too large to hold.
And since the XZ3’s screen is HDR OLED, it’s arguably better than Note 9, which has Super AMOLED. It has a slightly bigger pixel density, which means it has high contrast ratios and deep blacks.
However, Note 9 has a bigger display and slightly smaller bezels than that of the XZ3.
HDR video support, Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor
Camera
Main: 19MP
Front: 13MP
Main: 12MP
Front: 7MP
Main: 12MP
Front: 24MP
Dimensions
6.22 x 2.87 x 0.39 inches (158 x 73 x 9.9 mm)
6.20 x 3.05 x 0.30 inches (157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm)
6.23 x 3.04 x 0.33 inches (158.2 x 77.2 x 8.3 mm)
Colors
Black, White Silver, Forest Green,
Bordeaux Red
Gold, Silver, Space Grey
Black, Gold, Green, Blue
Weight
6.81 oz. (193 g)
7.34 oz. (208g)
6.63 oz. (188g)
Materials
Main: Glass
Accent: Aluminum
Main: Glass
Accent: Stainless Steel
Main: Glass
Accent: Metal
Biometrics
Fingerprints
Face ID
Face ID
Fingerprints
System Chip
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SDM845
Apple A12 Bionic APL1W81
HiSilicon Kirin 980
Processor
Octa-core, 2800 MHz, Kryo 385, 64-bit, 10 nm
Hexa-core, 2490 MHz, 64-bit, 7 nm
Octa-core, 2600 MHz, ARM Cortex-A76 and ARM Cortex-A55 , 64-bit, 7 nm
RAM
4 GB
4 GB
4 GB
Internal Memory
64 GB
512 GB
128 GB
Storage Expansion
Up to 512 GB
Up to 256 GB
Sony Xperia XZ3 Camera
Motion eye system is still in-use and the predictive capture in this phone that gives you the opportunity to capture 4 photos before clicking the capture button has been showcased to its predecessors already.
Just like the Note 9, the XZ3 has slow-motion recording, but the latter has higher resolution. The XZ3 can record in 1080p at 960fps while the Note 9 can record 720p at 960fps. However, recording on Note 9 is way easier because it has motion detection.
The Sony XZ3 also has a bigger front camera 13MP with f/1.9 on portrait mode, while the Note 9 has 8MP with f/1.7 selfie focus.
Sony Xperia XZ3 Performance
The processor of this smartphone is the Snapdragon 845. Having a faster processor means conserving energy since it cannot take so much time in optimizing a command.
The XZ3 has 4GB of RAM, while the Note 9 has 6GB and 8GB RAM variants. We think this is what a $100 price difference is worth.
Nonetheless, the XZ3 is compatible with wireless charging and comes out of the box with Android Pie, the latest Android operating system.
The biometrics of this phone is still in fingerprints. We are still waiting if Sony has a plan to follow Apple through their Face ID, Samsung’s Iris Scanner or they’ll be able to develop a much safer and convenient way to secure phones in the near future.
Sony Xperia XZ3’s display is definitely way ahead than that of Samsung Galaxy’s Note 9. It’s arguably better than Note 9 in so many aspects, and we think that with the Xperia XZ3, this is Sony’s golden year for smartphones.
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After the release of Xperia XA2 and Xperia XA2 Ultra, Sony released another phone for the mid-range market, the Xperia XA2 Plus.
Just like many of Sony’s flagship phones, the Xperia XA2 Plus is designed for entertainment. It has a huge screen, a conventional design, and a huge battery capacity. It is built with a 6 inches aluminum and glass body, and had two different sets of memory capacity and RAM; 32GB with 4GB RAM and 64GH with 6GB RAM. You can get in 4 different colors; silver, black, gold, and green.
What makes this phone stand out in the upper midrange arena is its 23MP rear camera. If you’re greatly inclined to photography and filmmaking, you definitely need to check this phone out.
This high- level tiered phone is crafted with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 with metallic finishing. The edges are done with diamond cuts bringing an elegant curve that is ergonomic to your hands.
Its total height is 6.2 inches, but only 6 inches of it was spent to the 1080 x 2160 resolution full HD display screen. It’s not bezel-less and it a small chin at the top and at the bottom of the screen.
Thus, although the bezel is thinner than Xperia AX2 and Xperia Ultra, it can never be compared with other Android phones that already achieved the bezel-less look e.i. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone Xr.
Located at the top of this phone is the audio port for 3.5 mm headphones that enhance by DSEE and High- Resolution Audio technology. In addition, the LDAC that heightened the wireless music streaming is available on this phone too.
Sim and micro-SD slots are located at the upper left side of the phone. Located at the other side are the camera key, power button, and the volume adjuster.
The battery capacity of this phone is in 3580 mAh, however, the processor of this phone is still in Qualcomm Snapdragon 630. The performance is expected to be slower than Xperia XZ2 and shorter battery life.
Nonetheless, it’s one of the few mid-range phones that have a huge battery and the operating system is justified by its price.
It doesn’t have dual rear cameras but having a 23MP single rear camera compensates what it lacks. You won’t see this from mid-range phones coming from other manufacturers.
Even the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 only has a 12MP rear camera at the back, and it’s a flagship at that.
Having an 8MP front camera is not that bad, too. You still have a bokeh effect and other common camera features other phones of the same price range have.
The security feature of this phone is fingerprint scanning. It is located at the back along with the camera.
The touch system of the pre-installed keyboard to this phone is very smooth and there’s no delay. Other phones may pause if you’re typing too fast; there are none in this phone.
Sony’s XA2 series offered mid-ranger phones that really stand out in performing their daily tasks in serving you.
XA2 Plus is the upgraded version of the regular XA2. It has bigger RAM and internal memory more than its predecessor and the capacity to accommodate external memory has enlarged too.
On the flip side, after the release of XA2, XA2 Ultra is launched having the same specs with XA2 except for its front camera having the amount of mp twice as compared to XA2 and XA2 Plus.
Despite that, the XA2 Plus has a bigger RAM capacity. If you’re looking for speed, this is your best bet.
The Xperia XA2 Ultra is priced almost the same as the Xperia XA2 Plus, the latter doesn’t have lesser specs, it’s just a matter of deciding what you are able to compromise.
You really can’t have it all.
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Around the first quarter of this year, Sony offers another flagship phone to the market, the Sony Xperia XZ2.
It is your typical 2018 phone; it comes with a huge Corning Gorilla Glass 5 screen display powered by the latest processor octa-core unit Qualcomm Snapdragon 845.
To video vampires out there, this Android phone is supported by Sony’s Bravia TV; giving you an experience of a movie theatre within the size of your palm.
Xperia XZ2 released a refreshing pocket-friendly and palm-fit design with gentle curves at the back, trashing the brick-like structure of the older models of Sony.
The outer hard parts of this flagship phone are toughened by a Corning Gorilla Glass 5, the strongest glass available today. It’s accentuated with an Aluminum metal that contributed to earning its rating—IP68 dust- and water- resistance.
It’s 6 inches tall, with 5.7 inches of screen display.
The only caveat is that it is not coated with the anti-fingerprint coating. It should be cleaned regularly to keep its shiny look. It is still with IPS LED which is energy saving.
This is finished with four different color coatings—liquid black, liquid silver, deep green, and ash pink.
This phone has two variations, one has a single Nano sim and 4GB of RAM (H8216), and the other model has a Dual Nano sim with 6GB RAM (H8296).
In addition, the external memory is expandable up to 400GB. It is best for storing numerous videos, movies, music videos, and other entertainment kinds of stuff.
The battery capacity of this phone is a whopping 3180mAh. The energy consumption is lesser due to its faster Snapdragon 845 processor, the latest in Qualcomm technology.
Its powerful processor makes your battery last longer than your normal usage.
And if convenience is a major concern, Sony Xperia XZ2 has wireless charging capability. Its battery is refilled using a dock, and the hassle of using coiling wires is now gone.
In this phone, Sony sticks to fingerprint biometrics, which is not a bad move, since Face ID security is still shrouded with a lot of security and usability issues.
This flagship phone carries a 19 MP rear camera with their latest technology called Motion Eye, bringing photos and video experience into HDR. It is also draped with new photo features that will really boost your creativity.
Our favorite is their 3D capturing. You can now scan a 3D photo in 360˚ and share it.
On the other side of the leaf, its 5MP front camera is such a letdown, too low for the likings of selfie addicts.
Headphone jacks are out for this model. This is replaced by Sony’s LDAC technology, a wireless/Bluetooth headphone. But if you’re insistent in using headphones, a USB Type- C to 3.5mm Audio Jack adapter is included in the packaging.
Sony Xperia XZ2 vs Huawei Mate 20 vs. iPhone XR
This is the specs of Sony Xperia XZ2 versus the other flagship phones of two known brands circulating the market.
These three flagship phones offer HDR features in their camera. However, if you are into taking selfies, this might not be the best phone for you.
The output of its front camera is bad and looks cheap. Really bad, like taking a picture with a lot of mosquitos in it. Definitely not for your Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter stories. A big thumbs down.
On the other hand, if you’re engrossed in watching TV, movies, videos, and other forms of visual displays, Sony Xperia XZ2 is the better choice.
Still, choosing a phone will depend on your personal preference as a buyer.
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trademarks™ of their respective owners.
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and make no representations about them, their owners, their products or services.
The holiday season is here and surely there will be a lot of gatherings and parties everywhere. You are ready, but what about your phone? If you are looking for the best phone to bring to every party this holiday season, try checking the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 out!
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is accompanied by a powerful S pen that is now connected to Bluetooth for easier control in capturing photos, doing presentations, and watching videos. It is with a 6.3 inches screen display lighted with Super AMOLED technology. It comes with 256 GB internal memory expandable up to 512 GB.
Decades back, the term phablet was born, and it is used to describe phones with a screen size between that of a regular smartphone and a tablet. It gained a negative reputation for being too big for hands to hold and for not being pocket-friendly.
Samsung, being one of the pioneering manufacturers of phablets, did not disappoint the world by releasing the Galaxy Note series, which we know are truly remarkable when it comes to design and build quality. And this year, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 made its debut.
Just like it’s predecessors, the outer parts of Galaxy Note 9 is made with glass and accented with aluminum; it has smooth curves at its edges really identical to the former Galaxy Note 8. Its outer appearance is polished with three different colors— Ocean Black, Midnight Blue, and Metallic Copper.
Its height is 6.4 inches- having an almost bezel-less Super AMOLED screen display.
The processor of this device is the Google Android version 8.1 Oreo. It’s a total bummer because Android Pie was already released before its debut, and that could have added more features and security.
The sim slots of this are in dual nano sim or it could be a hybrid (one nano sim and one micro SD card).
The S pen in Note 9 is now connected via Bluetooth, and it has added functions, too. It can control the camera, pause videos, and much more. It is located at the base of the phone together with the 3.0 mm headphone jack and a USB type- C cable port.
In the back is its dual camera; having 12 mp for the main camera is not bad but still lacking compared to humungous models of other smartphone manufacturers. Its front camera is only in 8MP, which is also a big thumbs down.
We expected the price of this device to be justified by its camera’s finesse. You can get a better camera with other flagship phones for the same price.
The internal storage of this phone is in 256 GB and can be increased up to 512 GB, making it perfect for storing pictures, videos, and files for keeps from this holiday season.
This phablet rivals the iPhone Xs Max in terms of price but if you’ll look into the specs and features between the two, major differences can be seen.
Note 9 and Xs Max have main cameras both in 12 mp. However, Note 9’s front camera is 8MP while the Xs Max only has 7MP. That’s a slight difference in numbers but a huge difference in picture quality.
On the other hand, besides being a little bit cheaper compared to the two, Huawei’s Mate 20 leave a huge gap in the camera aspects, having 24 mp in its front camera, but having only a 12MP main camera.
The only edge the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has it its improved S-pen.
Conclusion
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, is one of the most powerful phones out in the market today. You’ll never go wrong with an 8GB RAM in any day. Whether you use this phablet for work or for just having fun, this phablet could be the perfect gift to yourself for this year’s holiday season.
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and make no representations about them, their owners, their products or services.
If you’re having second thoughts about Samsung or the rest of the flagships, you must really take a look at LG V Series’ newest release, the LG V40 ThinQ. It comes with five (5) cameras that will definitely turn your camera experience around.
No, it’s not just hype; its 3 smart rear cameras will give you 3 different options in capturing a picture.
It has a huge 6.4” QHD OLED FullVision Display with a notch, and it’s powered by an Octacore unit Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with 64GB internal memory, built-in battery, and of course, the crowd favorite, a headphone jack.
LG V40 ThinQ’s look came in four different colors—Platinum Grey, Aurora black, Moroccan blue, and Carmine red.
Standing 6.4 inches tall, this smartphone is comparably lightweight, weighing only 5.96 oz (169 g) following the standard weight for LG V series.
The screen is almost bezel-less except for a notch at the top. Trying to copy the iPhone X’s design may not be such a bad thing after all. As they say, imitation is the best form of flattery.
This smartphone uses Plastic OLED (P-OLED) instead of AMOLED which is the glass version of OLED. However, there are known issues of burn-ins in other models using P-OLED. We hope this will not happen in this flagship phone.
Its main feature is its 5 cameras: 2 in front and 3 at the back. We’re used to seeing dual lenses for wide angle shots, but LG chose to have a third rear camera solely meant for taking zoomed in portrait shots of your subject.
There are three (3) lenses located at the back of the phone—- 45˚ Telephoto Zoom Camera in 12 megapixels, 107˚ Wide Angle Camera in 16 megapixels and 78˚ Standard Camera in 12 megapixels.
They added a feature that allows you to take photos using the rear cameras at the same time and it is quite handy if you want to have the perfect angle for your pictures.
The two remaining lenses are located at the front—-Wide in 5 megapixels and Standard in 8 megapixels. They are perfect for selfie shots.
Also, the Cine Shot feature makes photos livelier and will surely be loved by Instagram users and aspiring filmmakers. This revolution in taking pictures is happening, thanks to LG.
Not only that, it is rated with IP68 water and dust resistance, so you can take on more pictures with your adventures.
And yes, LG V40 ThinQ is keeping the headphone jack- it’s not a common sight on most flagship phones nowadays, even on the iPhone Xs Max. LG is surely dominating the audiophile niche.
In the table are the features of the three newest released smartphones by their companies.
LG V40 ThinQ
iPhone XS MAX
Huawei Mate 20
Display size
6.4 inches
6.5 inches
6.5 inches
Dimension
6.25 x 2.98 x 0.3 inches (158.8 x 75.7 x 7.6 mm)
6.20 x 3.05 x 0.30 inches (157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm)
6.23 x 3.04 x 0.33 inches (158.2 x 77.2 x 8.3 mm)
Resolution
1440 x3120 pixels
1242 x 2668 pixels
1080 x 2240 pixels
Pixel Density
537 ppi
458 ppi
381 ppi
Color
Black, Silver, Blue, Red
Silver, Gold, Grey
Black, Gold, Green, Blue
Weight
5.96 oz (169 g)
7.34 oz (208 g)
6.63 oz (188 g)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SDM845
A12 Bionic Chipset
APL1W81
HiSilicon Kirin 980
RAM
6 GB
4GB
4 GB
Internal Storage
64 GB
64, 256, 512 GB
128GB
Battery
3300 mAh
3179 mAh
4000 mAh
Camera (front)
8 mp
7mp
24mp
The pricing difference between these expensive phones is not too big. It all goes down in each phone’s specs and features.
If you love taking pictures and making videos, LG’s V40 ThinQ is your bestie. The upgrades they’ve done in this field really blew up other smartphone manufacturers. They have greater and clearer resolutions compared to iPhone Xs Max and Huawei Mate 20.
LG V40 ThinQ also has power and processor advantage, it’s a phone with a ginormous 6GB RAM and spacious 64GB Internal Memory.
In terms of outer appearances, the matte coating effect of LG V40 ThinQ is such a letdown. It looks so plain and cheap looking compared to the other two.
Moreover, if you already own V35 upgrading to V40 is not really advisable.
Yes, LG V40 ThinQ has new features that are not available to V35 but if you’re not into selfies or video making, you might not enjoy the fact that this phone costs around $920 when bought outright.
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and make no representations about them, their owners, their products or services.
If you are looking for a budget phone with a good camera, advanced security features, fast processor, and the latest operating system, then you should definitely check out the Samsung J7 Star from T- Mobile.
The Samsung J7 Star (SM-J737T) is one of the few budget phones that came with a Facial Recognition feature. The phone retails at $250 on T-Mobile, and if you don’t buy it outright, you can also get it for $10 per month for 24 months with $10 down payment.
You will pay the remaining device balance if you cancel before the contract ends.
Do note that it comes locked with T- Mobile, so if you want it unlocked (for use with another carrier), you can definitely use UnlockBase’s service for Device Unlock App Permanent Unlock.
On the outside the phone looks nothing spectacular; it is available only on color blue just as the Samsung J3 Star is only available on color pink. We are assuming this phone was meant for the masculine market because it has a bigger battery than the J3 Star, which is more likely for gaming purposes.
Let’s first discover its overall features to help you decide whether the Samsung J7 Star could be your next phone.
Below is a table that compares the key features of Samsung J7 Star to that of other budget phones that are also available through the T-Mobile network.
Features
Samsung J7 Star
Moto E5 Plus
LG Stylo 4
Display Size
5.5 in
6.0 in
6.2 in
Screen Technology
TFT
IPS LCD
TFT
Screen Features
Scratch- resistant
Scratch- resistant
Front Camera
13MP
8MP with Flash
5MP with Autofocus HDR mode
Rear Camera
13MP
12MP
13MP
Aperture
f/1.7
f/2.0
f/2.2
Video Recorder
1080p HD, 30fps
1080p HD, 30fps
1080p HD, 30fps
Build (body) Material
Plastic
Metal
Ruggedness
Splash Resistant
Security Features
Facial Recognition
Fingerprint
Facial recognition, Fingerprint touch
Features
Stylus
Colors
Blue
Black, Gold, Gray, Blue
Black
System Processor
Octa-core, 1600 MHz
Octa-core, 1400 MHz
Octa-core, 1800 MHz
RAM
2GB
3GB
3GB
Internal Memory
32GB
32GB
32GB
Storage expansion
up to 400 GB
up to 128GB
up to 2000GB(2TB)
OS
Android (8.0 Oreo)
Android (8.0 Oreo)
Android (8.1 Oreo)
Battery Capacity
3300 mAh
5000mAh
3300 mAh
Samsung Galaxy J7 Star Design And Build Quality
The J7 Star is a minimalistic looking phone; it could be because of the price or it could be just because they’re trying to keep it consistent with the J3 Star. It has more of a “2016-ish” design compared to the LG Stylo 4, which adopted a more 2018-like design.
The latter also has a bigger screen size, 6.2 in compared to 5.5 in on the Samsung Galaxy J7 star. The LG Stylo 4 also has a better 1080p resolution compared to the 720p resolution on the J7 star. This means that the visual experience with the Stylo 4 is going to be better than that of the J7 Star.
On the front, there is a 13MP camera, which makes it a winner in that department. Selfies with the J7 Star are definitely better than the Stylo 4.
There’s also a 13MP camera at the back with a f/1.7 aperture (a low f-stop means wider aperture and more light comes in). With a better aperture, the Samsung Galaxy J7 Star will have better low light photos compared to the Moto E5 Plus and Stylo 4.
It has a scratch-resistant screen and a handy Home button below the screen
How To Set Up Face Recognition On Samsung Galaxy J7 Star
The Samsung Galaxy J7 Star, unfortunately, doesn’t have any Fingerprint reader, so the only way to secure your phone is to setup a password/pin/pattern or to setup the Face Recognition feature.
But no worries, it’s fairly easy. Just like most Samsung phones, here’s how to get it done.
Go to Settings.
Tap on Lock Screen and Security.
Tap Face Recognition.
Tap Continue.
Set Up A Secure Screen Lock (Pattern, Pin, Password).
Tap Continue.
Re-enter Your Screen Lock Security Key.
Tap Confirm.
Read Disclaimer. Hit OK.
Tap Continue.
Follow Screen Prompts To Setup Face Recognition.
Tap Continue.
Tap Turn On (Face Unlock).
Tap Done.
Congratulations! You’ve setup your Face Recognition security successfully! If you ever have problems opening up your phone using the Face Recognition feature, you can always use your screen lock security key (password, pin, or pattern) to unlock your phone.
How To Unlock Samsung J7 Star For Any GSM Network
As mentioned in the earlier part of this article, the Samsung J7 Star from T-Mobile can only be unlocked using the Device Unlock App. This helpful app will be the only way to get your phone Temporarily or Permanently unlocked for use with any GSM network, and it will be granted as long as you qualify with T-Mobile’s unlock policies.
If you otherwise don’t, you can always use our services to get your phone permanently unlocked! To do it now, simply go to our T-Mobile Device Unlock App service page! Should you have any questions we’re always here, 24/7 to help you out!
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trademarks™ of their respective owners.
The authors of this web site are not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the third-party trade mark or third-party registered trade mark owners,
and make no representations about them, their owners, their products or services.
The Samsung Galaxy J3 Star (SM-J337) is probably the least among the brand’s phone releases this year, but it is definitely worth the second look. Not only does this phone look chic on the outside, but it is also in every sense worth every penny.
Samsung Galaxy J3 Star Tech Specs vs Other Budget Phones
Samsung Galaxy J3 Star
Motorola Moto E5 Play
LG Aristo 2 Plus
T-Mobile Revvl Plus
Height
5.62
5.94
5.70
6.49
Screen Size
5.0HD Display
5.2HD
5.0HD
6.0FHD
Front Camera
5MP
5MP Autofocus
5MP
8MP
Rear Camera
8MP
8MP with LED flash
13MP Autofocus
13MP+5MP Dual rear cameras
Battery Size
2600mAh removable
2800mAh removable
2410mAh removable
3380mAh removable
Processor
1.4GHz Quad-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon 427
1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon
Octa-core 2.0 GHz
Operating System
Android 8.0
Android 8.0
Android 8.0
Android 7.0
RAM
2GB
2GB
2GB
2GB
Internal Memory
16GB
16GB
16GB
32GB
Fingerprint Sensor
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
The Samsung Galaxy J3 Star doesn’t have any particular specs that make it stand out, and one of the major deal breakers we could easily detect is its lack of a fingerprint sensor.
Other phones in the same price range were able to have it, so why Samsung, why?
Samsung Galaxy J3 Star: Chic Design
If there’s one thing more noteworthy on the outside for the Samsung Galaxy J3 Star, it is its chic design. It has a pale pink color, giving us an impression that it appeals to a more feminine market. It also has curved edges, giving it a smooth feel in the hands, and it is also lightweight weighing only 5.36 ounces. (Perfect gift for mom!)
All the quick access buttons are on the side. The volume rockers are on the left side, while the power button is on the right. It still has the home button located at its usual location.
This phone supports T-Mobile’s Band 71, assuring you of a better connection even when indoors.
One thing is for sure, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Star is not the phone for gamers. Sure, you can play games, but if you use it for heavy apps and gaming you may not totally enjoy using it.
It is because the phone only has 2GB of RAM, which we believe is still fair for the price. We also do not expect budget phones (within the same price range as this one) to have a bigger RAM capacity because budget phones aren’t usually made for gamers. In a real-world experience, the phone would do great if you are doing pretty much just the basic stuff, which includes, emails, Facebook, Google, and some games.
But if you are going to multi-task and use several heavy apps at once, say Facebook and web-based gaming apps, you might experience certain lags. This phone is just not cut out for heavy gaming.
Samsung Galaxy J3 Star: Camera, UI Experience
The cameras on the J3 Star are also just on the so-so scale. Nothing spectacular or special about it, aside from the fact that we know Samsung cameras are always better, crisper, and clearer than most phones out there.
You can also play with your photos and enhance it, but you can always install other photo editing apps. The phone comes with a 16GB internal memory that is expandable upto 400GB so you can store pretty much a lot of data and pictures on this phone.
The Samsung Galaxy J3 Star has a removable battery, so whenever you run out of battery, you can always insert a spare one while you have the other charged up for next use.
Good thing, this phone has a powerful 1.4GHz dual-core processor, which helps improve its power efficiency.
Samsung Galaxy J3 Star: Going Big with Bixby
Last but not least, the J3 Star has the Bixby assistant on board. Samsung’s infamous Bixby will help you with “social streaming.” It is not that helpful for you if you don’t like setting up or dealing with voice commands.
This is Samsung’s version of iPhone’s Siri. Bixby on the other hand just doesn’t have a specific personality like Siri or Amazon’s Alexa.
Among Bixby’s most common uses are social media sharing, like snapping a selfie and sharing it on Facebook using your own voice in the process. Simply tell Bixby to “take a selfie” and “post this on Facebook,” and voila, the errand is done.
Unlocking the Samsung Galaxy J3 Star
People hate bloat apps, but there is one pre-installed app from T-Mobile that you should be thankful for, and that is the Device Unlock App.
With the Device Unlock App on board, you are able to choose between a Temporary or a Permanent Unlock on your device; all can be done if you pass T-Mobile requirements for your phone.
All products, and company names, logos, and service marks (collectively the "Trademarks") displayed are registered® and/or unregistered
trademarks™ of their respective owners.
The authors of this web site are not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the third-party trade mark or third-party registered trade mark owners,
and make no representations about them, their owners, their products or services.
Choosing a good phone is not an easy thing to do. Price always matters and we always end up sacrificing one good feature or more.
Good phones come in the shape of a flagship and they are oftentimes too expensive. Budget phones exist unfortunately, they only offer a good camera and not enough battery life or the other way around. We can’t seem to have the best of both worlds, especially in the budget phone department.
Good thing, those days are now over. And luckily, Motorola has created the phone that meets all of our needs.
And yes, that beast is the new Motorola Moto e5 Plus. Whether you game or vlog, this phone should be number one on your list.
For starters, it has a 12MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera, but that’s not the most amazing thing about the Moto E5 Plus.
It has a whopping 5000mAh battery! For a budget phone, this is definitely a road less taken, and Motorola Moto E5 Plus is a certified trailblazer.
This phone also comes with 6” HD display meant for less scrolling, more fun, and wider gaming screen.
Camera and battery life? 100! You got the beast and the beauty all in one phone.
You’ll never have to compromise about the specs and the price, because you can get this phone from MetroPCS for only $49 if you port over. The phone comes locked to them, but you can easily have a temporary or permanent unlock using the Device Unlock App.
You’ll never be sorry buying the phone outright because it’s only sold for $209.
Moto E5 Plus: A Certified Beast
This phone will always come handy for when you are travelling. Say goodbye to the not-so-nice sight of charging in the airport or losing battery when you are lost in a new city. You will never have to look for an outlet and charge every hour just to make sure you have enough power until you arrive at your hotel.
For a gamer, a huge battery is great, but having a huge RAM is even better. Well, the Moto E5 will never disappoint you with a 3GB of RAM and 1.4GHz Octa-core processor.
This beastly phone will give you both the power and the speed even for an entire day of gaming.
And the phone is designed with an ergonomic weight; it looks and feels so compact you can’t even tell it has a huge battery in it.
Though it has a big battery, charging for 6-8 hours is not necessary because you only need 15 minutes to use it for another 6 hours non-stop.
All thanks to the TurboPower charger on board.
Moto E5 Plus: A Budget Beauty
You can also unleash your vlogger-wannabe side with this phone.
The 12MP Rear Camera with laser autofocus technology can help you capture sharp, bright, and livelier photos or videos in an instant.
Whether you are shooting inside your room or in any dark places, this phone will still encapsulate all the beautiful details of your selfie in the best light because of the 8MP front camera that has its own LED flash for the low-light environment.
Now, you don’t have to worry about blurry pictures, you can take them anywhere and anytime!
Though it is truly a big phone, it still comes handy and can be use with one hand because it has a slim design that can fit in your pocket or palm. The 6in edge-to-edge screen is packed with a Max Vision display that will help you enjoy the “crazy-wide” landscape view.
One of the things we so love about the Moto E5 Plus is the fingerprint scanner. You don’t always see a budget phone that offers all of these convenience!
If you think that’s all that this phone can offer, well, there’s more to that!
Both the Moto E5 Play and E5 Plus are water-repellent; you don’t have to worry about a little splash of water.
Don’t get it wrong for being waterproof, this phone can handle sprinkles, but not submersion to water.
If you plan on taking a lot of photos, this phone can house all of them. It is packed with a 32GB internal memory and has an expandable external memory of up to 128GB via microSD.
Last but not the least, this phone runs on the Android 8.0 Oreo operating system. You get to enjoy all the beautiful features the new Android system has to offer, like a split screen when you have to do too many things like play and text people at the same time.
Now that’s what you call a phone! If you want this phone, grab one through MetroPCS and enjoy the life without worries.
All products, and company names, logos, and service marks (collectively the "Trademarks") displayed are registered® and/or unregistered
trademarks™ of their respective owners.
The authors of this web site are not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the third-party trade mark or third-party registered trade mark owners,
and make no representations about them, their owners, their products or services.
Let me start off by saying that you can get this phone for FREE if you are planning to port over to MetroPCS. The same model is also available through T-Mobile (different version) with a $150 price tag, a little higher than MetroPCS, but with no significant difference on the tech specs. Do note that this phone may be cheap, but it doesn’t come unlocked. There’s only one way to permanently unlock your phone and that is through the Mobile Device Unlock app already pre-installed in the unit.
The Motorola E5 Play does not boast any fancy features, it doesn’t have a striking look that will make you “wow” in its appearance, but for the affordable price tag, it is no wonder one of the best value budget phones for the year 2018.
Although this phone came out together with its brother the Motorola E5 Plus, they are two worlds apart, and the latter is priced a little higher but for good reasons. It has a whopping 5000mAh battery and more advanced tech specs.
It runs on the Android Oreo 8.0 and has a 2GB of RAM packed together with a 1.4GHz Quad-core processor. It also has a huge 2800mAh battery that can last you a day on a single charge and comes with a 16GB built-in storage space which is expandable through a microSD card.
What makes this model a winner for us for its price is its 3.5mm headphone jack and fingerprint reader located at the back.
With these features on board, it tells us that Motorola had been all out on the technical specs and the quality of experience you would get for a budget phone.
The Motorola E5 Play is has a straight up plastic back cover- it’s nothing shiny or glass-like on the outside, but it has a huge screen standing 5.2 in tall.
This is complemented by good front and rear cameras that both hhavea flash and autofocus features; giving you bright and crisp photos. The back camera is 8MP and the front camera is 5MP.
Despite having the tagline “Everyday. Extraordinary,” there is pretty much nothing extraordinary about the Motorola E5 Play on the outside that would make it stand out; only that it is fairly priced and has decent enough features for a smartphone in 2018.
But the unique selling point of this phone compared to the other budget smartphones is its water-repellent coating.
It is not waterproof; it is just water-repellent. This means that it cannot survive underwater submersion, but it cannot be easily penetrated by water.
It is indeed the bottom line Motorola phone but it doesn’t mean the E5 Play had compromised all the good stuff. It has a remarkably loud and clear speaker, ga ood camera with a flash, and a fingerprint sensor.
Moto E5 Play vs LG Aristo 2
It’s a bit unfair if we compare the Moto E5 Play to the Moto E5 Plus because they have a considerable price difference, so we will compare it to another phone within the same price range, which is the LG Aristo 2 when it comes to the features.
Specs
Motorola E5 Play ($139)
LG Aristo 2 ($139)
Processor
1.4GHz Quad-core processor
1.4GHz Quad-core processor
Phone Height
5.95in
5.7in
Front Camera
5MP with Selfie flash
5MP with Selfie light
Rear Camera
8MP with Autofocus with flash
13MP PDAF with LED Flash
Internal Memory
16GB (8.64GB usable)
16GB (9GB usable)
External Memory
Up to 128GB via microSD card
Up to 32GB via microSD card
Battery Size
2800mAh
2410mAh
RAM
2GB
2GB
Features
Fingerprint Sensor, Water-repellent coating
Face Unlock, Fingerprint scanner
It’s clear to see that both phones have almost similar features. The better phone actually depends on personal preferences, whether you like a big phone like Motorola Moto E5 Play or a smaller phone like LG Aristo 2.
If you’re more concerned about the quality of the images and having a better camera, the LG Aristo 2 might be the best for you. But if you are more concerned about power and longer battery life, the Moto E5 Play is clearly the better option.
Moto E5 Play – Conclusion
The Motorola Moto E5 is a budget phone so if you plan to get this phone, always remember to manage your expectations. Nothing about it has a wow factor, but it offers a remarkably clean Android experience and all the complete security necessities we would be looking for in a smartphone.
With the Moto E5 Play, Motorola has once again proven that they are truly a lord of budget phones always going beyond the price and giving a better experience every time.
All products, and company names, logos, and service marks (collectively the "Trademarks") displayed are registered® and/or unregistered
trademarks™ of their respective owners.
The authors of this web site are not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the third-party trade mark or third-party registered trade mark owners,
and make no representations about them, their owners, their products or services.
