The budget smartphone market is fiercely competitive, offering incredible value for the price. Today, we're pitting two contenders against each other: the T-Mobile Vivacity and the Samsung Galaxy J7 Max. Let's see which phone emerges as the champion.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy J7 Max takes the win due to its known specifications and generally better performance thanks to the Helio P20 chipset. The Vivacity's lack of detailed specs makes it difficult to recommend, despite potentially offering a competitive price.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | - | 1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 40 |
| Speed | HSPA | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2011, November. Released 2011, November | 2017, June. Released 2017, June |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, aluminum/plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 115 x 58 x 10.5 mm (4.53 x 2.28 x 0.41 in) | 156.7 x 78.8 x 8.1 mm (6.17 x 3.10 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 118 g (4.16 oz) | 179 g (6.31 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Resolution | 480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~267 ppi density) | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~386 ppi density) |
| Size | 3.5 inches, 34.9 cm2 (~52.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.7 inches, 89.6 cm2 (~72.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT, 256K colors | PLS |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | - | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.65 GHz Cortex-A53) |
| Chipset | - | Mediatek MT6757 Helio P20 (16 nm) |
| GPU | - | Mali-T880MP2 |
| OS | Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo) |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 512MB | 32GB 4GB RAM |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | 5 MP | 13 MP, f/1.7, AF |
| Video | Yes | 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | LED flash |
| Single | Yes | 13 MP, f/1.9, 1/3.1", 1.12µm |
| Video | - | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Yes | 4.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | - | No |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | GPS, GLONASS |
| Radio | Stereo FM radio, RDS | FM radio |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | microUSB 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| | MP4/WMV/H.264 player
MP3/WAV/WMA/eAAC+ player
Organizer
Document viewer
Voice memo/dial
Predictive text input | - |
| Battery |
|---|
| Music play | - | Up to 72 h |
| Stand-by | Up to 200 h | - |
| Talk time | Up to 4 h | Up to 20 h (3G) |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery | Li-Ion 3300 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black | Black, Gold |
| Models | - | SM-G615F, SM-G615FU |
| Price | About 170 EUR | About 170 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.57 W/kg (head) 1.06 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.46 W/kg (head) 1.52 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Performance | - |
GeekBench: 3509 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 4fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
T-Mobile Vivacity
- Potentially lower price
- Compact size (assumed)
- Unknown specifications
- Likely weaker performance
- Uncertain camera quality
- Limited features
Samsung Galaxy J7 Max
- Known specifications
- Better performance (Helio P20)
- Likely better camera
- Samsung brand recognition
- Super AMOLED display (likely)
- May be slightly more expensive
- Older chipset
Display Comparison
While the J7 Max likely featured a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display (common for the J7 series), the Vivacity's display details are unknown. AMOLED generally offers better contrast and color accuracy, giving the J7 Max an edge. Resolution is likely similar, around 1080p.
Camera Comparison
The J7 Max typically featured a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. The Vivacity's camera capabilities are unknown. Samsung's camera software often provides better image processing and features, making the J7 Max the likely winner here.
Performance
The J7 Max's Octa-core Mediatek Helio P20 chipset provides a significant performance advantage. The Vivacity, lacking detailed specs, likely uses a less powerful processor, resulting in slower app loading times and potentially stuttering performance. Gaming will be noticeably better on the J7 Max.
Battery Life
The J7 Max typically had a 3300mAh battery, offering decent battery life. The Vivacity's battery capacity is unknown, but it's likely in a similar range. Battery life will depend heavily on usage patterns.
Buying Guide
The T-Mobile Vivacity might appeal to users prioritizing a very basic smartphone experience and a potentially lower price point, assuming it offers decent call quality and messaging. The Samsung Galaxy J7 Max is a better choice for those seeking a smoother experience, a better camera, and more reliable performance for everyday tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the T-Mobile Vivacity still available?
The T-Mobile Vivacity is an older device and is likely no longer readily available for purchase new. You might find it on the used market.
❓ What operating system did the T-Mobile Vivacity run?
Given its age, the Vivacity likely ran Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or Android 7.0 (Nougat). Updates were likely limited.
