Samsung Galaxy J6 (2018) Hands-on, Quick Review: A Much-Needed Update

We check out the Galaxy J6 (2018)!

Samsung gives an upgrade to its Galaxy J series with the Galaxy J6 (2018). The new entry-level offering from Samsung introduces the Infinity display for the first time. While it has its similarities to the Galaxy A6 (2018), the Galaxy J6 (2018) has the crucial internals to make it a gaming-centric and entertainment-centric phone while keeping the prices low. Given its target market, the Galaxy J6 (2018) aims to replace last year’s Galaxy J7 Core.

We got our hands on the Galaxy J6 (2018) during the media launch, and here are our first impressions:

Samsung Galaxy J6 (2018) Specs

Exynos 7870 octa-core processor
3GB RAM
5.6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display
32GB of expandable storage (Up to 256GB)
13-megapixel f/1.9 rear camera with LED flash, PDAF
8-megapixel f/1.9 front camera with LED flash
3G, LTE
Dual SIM
WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2
GPS, A-GPS
Fingerprint sensor, Face recognition, Dolby Atmos
3000mAh battery
Android 8.0 Oreo

Initial impressions: Affordable alternative to the Galaxy A6 (2018)

In spite of its similarities to the Galaxy A6 (2018), the Galaxy J6 (2018) is an affordable version of the former. It swaps the Galaxy A6 (2018)’s metal unibody for a polycarbonate unibody shell. Just like its metal-clad siblings (specifically the Galaxy J7+ and Galaxy J7 Pro), the Galaxy J6 (2018) sports a non-removable 3000mAh battery underneath that unibody shell. For the rear camera, you have a 13-megapixel f/1.9 snapper, which is the same one found on last year’s Galaxy J7 Core. Right below the camera is your fingerprint scanner.

On the front, the Galaxy J6 (2018) is very similar to the Galaxy A6 (2018) in terms of looks. That means you have a 5.6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display and on-screen navigation buttons—also a first for the Galaxy J series. On top of the display, you have your 8-megapixel f/1.9 camera, earpiece, and LED flash.

Let’s get into the usual tour of the phone: On the right side, you have your power button and loudspeaker, while you have your volume controls and two SIM slots on the left side.

With two card slots, you can have two MicroSIMs and a MicroSD card at the same time.

At the bottom, you have your MicroUSB port, microphone, and headphone jack.

Powering the Galaxy J6 (2018) is an Exynos 7870 processor paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. While it the same internals found on the Galaxy A6 (2018) and Galaxy J7 Pro, we will do our usual tests to see how it performs.

We will be doing our usual review once we get our hands on a review unit. The Galaxy J6 (2018) is priced at Php 13,990 and is now available at all authorized Samsung stores.