Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Samsung’s Galaxy J1 Mini Prime is for those with a tight leash on their wallets

By Williams Pelegrin December 5, 2016

samsung galaxy j1 mini prime news

You might have gotten used to the idea of Samsung announcing mid- to high-end smartphones, but the South Korean tech giant is capable of making simpler hardware. Thus, the Galaxy J1 Mini Prime is available for purchase, even though the company has not formally announced the phone.

In terms of looks, the Galaxy J1 Mini Prime certainly has Samsung’s DNA in its genes, with the home button flanked by multitasking and back buttons on either side. Since the phone is a low-end option, however, do not expect the home button to double as a fingerprint sensor. Above those buttons and below the VGA camera is a 4-inch, 800 x 480 resolution display, which is functional but not much more. Meanwhile, a 5-megapixel sensor sits around back.

Related Videos

Under the hood is when things get a bit interesting, with the Galaxy J1 Mini Prime powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Spreadtrum SC9830 chipset, a chipset we do not normally see in the West — and 1GB RAM. Adding to the low-end nature of the phone is its 1,500mAh battery, which seems laughably small during a time when power packs twice as large have become the norm. However, given the meager processing package and low-resolution display, the battery should last through the evening.

The Galaxy J1 Mini Prime only includes 8GB of native storage out of the box, but the MicroSD card slot does allow for up to an additional 256GB. That slot can also be used as a second SIM card slot in the event that you live a two-SIM card life. Finally, the phone runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, though we presume there is no update to Android Nougat in the pipeline.

It will not set the world on fire, but the Galaxy J1 Mini Prime seems like a solid-enough first smartphone for your kiddies or elders. The phone is currently available through Amazon for $90. Keep in mind that, even though AT&T’s 3G network is supported, T-Mobile customers need to deal with 2G speeds.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Mobile

These Android apps are spying on you — and there’s no easy way to stop them

Illustration of a giant eye stalking through a phone

Android’s security woes need no introduction, but another threat that hasn’t received its fair share of awareness relates to spyware and stalkerware apps. These apps can secretly be installed on a victim’s phone to monitor their activity and can be exploited to harass victims of domestic abuse and engage in online stalking. All someone needs is physical access to the victim's phone to install these apps, which is not too difficult in cases of domestic abuse.

Call it an app-fueled version of AirTag stalking, but on steroids, because these spyware apps can steal everything including messages, call logs, emails, photos, and videos. Some can even activate the microphone and the camera, and secretly transfer these recordings to a remote server where the abuser can access it. Since Google Play's policies don't allow stalking apps, these apps are sold via third-party websites and need to be sideloaded.

Mobile

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 may get a feature we’ve never seen before

Render of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 with two cover screens.

As we get closer to the launch of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, details have started surfacing more regularly. In February, we learned that the cover display will be much larger than the one found on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Now, rumors seem to suggest that the new foldable will be the first of its kind sporting two discrete cover displays.

According to renders shared in a recent video by mobile insider SuperRoader, the Galaxy Z Flip 5's dual cover screens will greatly differentiate the foldable from the rest of its kind. The two screens are vastly different in size, and seem to serve two distinct functions.

Mobile

You aren’t ready for this Galaxy S23 vs. iPhone 14 Pro camera test

Deep purple iPhone 14 Pro and Cream Galaxy S23 crossed over

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 is here, and it's quickly become one of the best phones you can buy in 2023. For $800, you’re getting a small but mighty phone with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, long-lasting battery life, and a powerful triple lens camera system with a 50-megapixel main shooter.

But how does one of the best Android phones stack up against Apple’s smallest flagship, the iPhone 14 Pro? It has just as many cameras as the Galaxy S23, a powerful 48MP main camera, and costs $200 more than Samsung's handset.