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The sub-$200 Samsung Galaxy J3 handles well

You won't get impressive hardware or performance on the ultrabudget J3, but you will find an Android 6.0 phone that's nice to use and does the basics.

Jessica Dolcourt
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Jessica Dolcourt
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1 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

The Samsung Galaxy J3 is a pleasantly surprising package for a very low price.

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2 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

You can get a lot out of its lower-end specs, which include a 5-inch, 720p display and a quad-core processor.

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3 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

Luckily, it has the current version of Android (6.0) rather than last year's software.

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4 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

The 5-megapixel camera takes nice outdoor photos, but selfies on the 2-megapixel camera won't wow you with detail (that may be a good thing).

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5 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

Unlike higher-end Samsung phones, you can pop off the back cover to replace the battery.

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6 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

You'll also find a microSD card slot to supplement the 16GB of storage -- or 8GB in one Galaxy J3 variant.

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7 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

It's a pretty slim phone that fits nicely in the hand and doesn't generate as many smudges as glossier phones.

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8 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

We paired it with CNET Magazine to give you a better idea of the size.

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9 of 9 Josh Miller/CNET

The Samsung Galaxy J3 is kind on your bank account, too. It sells for under $200, under £150 for UK buyers, and for around AU$330 in Australia. Read the full Galaxy J3 review here.

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