Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro first impressions: Can this phone take on the OnePlus 3T?
The premium mid-end smartphone war is still alive. A few weeks back, we saw the release of Micromax Dual 5, and now Samsung brings its Galaxy C7 Pro to India. Samsung’s Galaxy C7 Pro features a 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, a 16-megapixel sensor on the front and back, a fingerprint scanner and a price tag that’s at par with OnePlus 3T.
The Galaxy C7 Pro is squarely aimed at the premium mid-tier due to its hardware specifications. It might be a tough sell, however, given the tough competition at this price point. I spent around fifteen minutes with the Galaxy C7 Pro during the launch event, and here’s our first impression of the phone.
It looks neat but…
Galaxy C7 Pro is a good looking smartphone, but there’s nothing captivating here. The ‘Navy Blue’ colour variant of the Galaxy C7 Pro has a metal frame on the side, and curved 2.5D glass on the front. The super sleek (7mm), metal-bodied smartphone has a familiar look. The phone feels very comfortable in the hand, and you can easily use it with one hand.
Galaxy C7 Pro is a good looking smartphone, but there’s nothing captivating here.
Bright AMOLED display
For a smartphone pegged as premium mid-range offering, the screen quality has to be the top-notch. This one comes with a 5.7-inch FHD, sAMOLED display. You get the trademark Samsung colour profile with no visible pixel dots and deep blacks. There’s no doubt this is an impressive screen.
Mid-end hardware
Galaxy C7 Pro is powered by a 2.2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 626 SoC coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage, which can be further expanded up to 256GB via a microSD card slot. All this should equate to a smooth user experience, and decent power efficiency. I’ve yet to put the Galaxy C7 Pro fully through its paces, but I have no complaints when it comes to performance. Apps loaded quickly, the camera was impressively fast to open, and general swiping proved fast as you would expect.
The Galaxy C7 Pro features a 16-megapixel sensor on both the front and back with f/1.9 aperture
Android Marshmallow
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The smartphone ships running Android 6.0 Marshmallow (instead of Android Nougat) topped with Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface. Samsung has stopped adding a lot of the bloatware found on the company’s previous smartphones. There’s still a handful of Samsung’s own apps pre-loaded, such as S Health, S Voice and other Galaxy Apps. You’ll also find a folder of Microsoft apps, including Word and Skype.
Nice Cameras
The Galaxy C7 Pro features a 16-megapixel sensor on both the front and back with f/1.9 aperture, plus, the rear camera gets gets PDAF and a dual-LED flash. The cameras shoot images very quickly. Photo quality seems impressive, and pictures look decent on a 1080p display. Unfortunately the main camera doesn’t come with optical image stabilization (OIS).
Galaxy C7 Pro’s rear camera looks impressive for now.
Battery life
The Galaxy C7 Pro features a 3,300mAh battery with fast charging support. I’m hoping the battery will last a day on a single charge.
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Samsung is touting the slim form factor of the Galaxy C7 Pro as its key feature.
First impressions
The Galaxy C7 Pro is fairly a plain looking device. Sure, it does come with the metal build and slim design. However, it doesn’t quite match up to the OnePlus 3T, which is considered to be the best smartphone in its class, at least in this price range. Of course, there are other competing phones in this segment which are equally good. At Rs 27,990, the Galaxy C7 Pro appears to be an expensive proposition, but you will have to wait until my full review to see if it has the camera and battery life to really help raise it above OnePlus 3T.
Anuj Bhatia is a seasoned personal technology writer at indianexpress.com with a career spanning over a decade. Active in the domain since 2011, he has established himself as a distinct voice in tech journalism, specializing in long-form narratives that bridge the gap between complex innovation and consumer lifestyle.
Experience & Career: Anuj has been a key contributor to The Indian Express since late 2016. Prior to his current tenure, he served as a Senior Tech Writer at My Mobile magazine and held a role as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. His professional trajectory reflects a rigorous commitment to technology reporting, backed by a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University.
Expertise & Focus Areas: Anuj’s reporting covers the spectrum of personal technology, characterized by a unique blend of modern analysis and historical context. His key focus areas include:
Core Technology: Comprehensive coverage of smartphones, personal computers, apps, and lifestyle tech.
Deep-Dive Narratives: Specializes in composing longer-form feature articles and explainers that explore the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture.
Global & Local Scope: Reports extensively on major international product launches from industry titans like Apple and Google, while simultaneously covering the ecosystem of indie and home-grown tech startups.
Niche Interests: A dedicated focus on vintage technology and retro gaming, offering readers a nostalgic yet analytical perspective on the evolution of tech.
Authoritativeness & Trust
Anuj is a trusted voice in the industry, recognized for his ability to de-jargonize trending topics and provide context to rapid technological advancements. His authority is reinforced by his on-ground presence at major international tech conferences and his nuanced approach to product reviews. By balancing coverage of the world's most valuable tech brands with emerging startups, he offers a holistic and objective view of the global technology landscape.
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4 min read
Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro first impressions: Can this phone take on the OnePlus 3T?
Galaxy C7 Pro is a good looking smartphone, but there’s nothing captivating here.
The Galaxy C7 Pro features a 16-megapixel sensor on both the front and back with f/1.9 aperture
Galaxy C7 Pro’s rear camera looks impressive for now.
Samsung is touting the slim form factor of the Galaxy C7 Pro as its key feature.
