Only this weekend! Samsung Discover deals! Galaxy S24 Ultra, Watch 6, Z Fold 5 or, Z Flip 5.

SamMobile has affiliate and sponsored partnerships. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn a commission.

Notifications
    News for you

    Hands-on: This is the Galaxy J2 Core, Samsung’s Android Go smartphone

    Review
    By 

    Last updated: August 31st, 2018 at 16:41 UTC+02:00

    Samsung's first step into the Android Go segment comes in the form of the Galaxy J2 Core. We were the first to reveal the phone in live pictures ahead of its official announcement, and other than the absence of an AMOLED display, leaked specs were rather spot on as well. The J2 Core, like other Android Go phones, is designed to offer a light and relatively quick Android experience with basic specs, especially low memory. There's just 1GB of RAM on the Galaxy J2 Core, so it's up to lighter versions of Google's official apps and various memory management tools to ensure the phone runs well despite the low-end specs.

    Galaxy J2 Core hands-on

    We were finally able to get our hands on an actual Galaxy J2 Core following its launch in India. We have the phone in blue, and as you can see in the pictures, it looks pretty nice in that color. The J2 Core is priced at ₹6,190, roughly $90, and it's good to see Samsung is offering at least one funky color option. The back panel – which is removable – also feels different than Samsung's usual plastic backs for its budget phones. Well, that or we just haven't used a Galaxy phone with a basic plastic back cover in a while and have forgotten how it feels. It's smooth and a little slippery, but thanks to the 5-inch display, that shouldn't be an issue when it comes to handling.

    The front of the phone is all black, but sadly, Samsung has also placed its logo below the display. The bezels are also quite big, which is to be expected for a Samsung phone priced so low. And if you are wondering why software navigation keys were needed here, it's clearly Samsung's attempt to make things uniform across its Galaxy lineup. After all, now that flagship Galaxies have software keys, it's only natural for the same to trickle down to lower priced devices. However, that also means unlocking this phone is a chore, since there's no fingerprint sensor or physical home key.

    Okay, now let's talk about the reason this phone exists: Android Go. While a proper verdict on performance can only be given after a few days of usage, the J2 Core feels quick and smooth out of the box. There has been much contention about the fact that Samsung has slapped its custom interface on the J2 Core, but the company seems to have stripped away many features to keep things lighter than other Galaxy devices. For example, there's no Advanced features menu in the settings. The recent apps screen, meanwhile, just shows all running apps as separate cards instead of overlapping ones.

    But while general navigation feels smooth, browsing isn't as nice. Both Chrome and the Go version of Samsung's Internet app skip a few frames when scrolling through a website. That shouldn't come as a surprise, though, since the J2 Core is running off the entry-level quad-core Exynos 7570 chip. Thankfully, the Go versions of Google's proprietary apps, such as YouTube and Assistant, seem very optimized as they have a more basic interface than the full-fledged apps. Of course, it remains to be seen how good the phone's performance remains after a few weeks of usage. Samsung has built in the option to install apps directly to a microSD slot, and an uncrowded internal storage should help matters.

    To be frank, our time with the Android Go phone has been rather short at this point. It feels well optimized for the specs under the hood, but we will need to test it out extensively to come to any sort of conclusion. For its price tag, it certainly seems like a better option than Samsung's Tizen phones, so keep an eye out for our full review in the coming days.

    Review Android GoGalaxy J2 Core

    You might also like

    There it is: Galaxy J2 Core starts receiving April 2021 security update

    There it is: Galaxy J2 Core starts receiving April 2021 security update

    The Galaxy J2 Core is the newest Samsung smartphone to receive the April 2021 update. Or rather: the first to start receiving, that is. This particular software bundle is identified by PDA version J260T1UVS8AUD1. That very name already suggests there's more to be had here than just last month's security patch level. Either way, the […]

    • By Dominik Bosnjak
    • 3 years ago
    Samsung India relaunches Galaxy J2 Core (2020) with more storage

    Samsung India relaunches Galaxy J2 Core (2020) with more storage

    Samsung is re-launching the Galaxy J2 Core in India, perhaps in a bid to counter its rivals with more aggressive prices after the company lost second place to Vivo in Q1. The so-called Galaxy J2 Core (2020) was quietly released in India for INR 6,299 ($82), but despite the 2020 designation, it seems to be […]

    • By Mihai Matei
    • 4 years ago
    Galaxy A30 and J2 Core receive October 2019 security patch

    Galaxy A30 and J2 Core receive October 2019 security patch

    The October 2019 security patch is now rolling out for the Galaxy A30 and Galaxy J2 Core, specifically the model numbers SM-A305GT and SM-J260G, respectively. Google has yet to detail the changes brought forth by the latest Android security patch and it’s unclear if Samsung introduced any new features along with the latest software release. […]

    • By Mihai Matei
    • 4 years ago
    Android Go-powered Galaxy A2 Core launched in South Africa

    Android Go-powered Galaxy A2 Core launched in South Africa

    Samsung's third Android Go phone, the Galaxy A2 Core, has been launched in South Africa. Powered by the Go edition of Android 9.0 Pie, the device packs quite a punch at an affordable price. It comes with lighter versions of Google’s software suite to provide a fluid user experience on low-end hardware. The Galaxy A2 […]

    • By Sumit Adhikari
    • 5 years ago
    Galaxy A2 Core launches in India for the budget-conscious

    Galaxy A2 Core launches in India for the budget-conscious

    Following in the footsteps of the Galaxy J2 Core and Galaxy J4 Core, Samsung has launched its third Android Go handset. This time, however, it isn't a member of the Galaxy J series. It is instead a barebones model in the company's Galaxy A lineup. Being a bottom of the barrel Android Go device, the […]

    • By Josh L.
    • 5 years ago
    Android Go-powered Galaxy A2 Core user manual surfaces

    Android Go-powered Galaxy A2 Core user manual surfaces

    Samsung has been working on another Android Go smartphone which will most likely be out in the not too distant future. The Galaxy A2 Core has already been revealed in a leaked press render. The user manual for this device has now become available. This will be the first Android Go smartphone in Samsung's Galaxy […]

    • By Martin R.
    • 5 years ago