Introduction
When I first got my hands on the Samsung Galaxy J6 Plus (also written J6+), the smartphone felt like a thoughtful upgrade within Samsung’s mid-range lineup, building on the J6 with a fresh model and device polish; its launch in Pakistan at PKR 33,000 made it clear Samsung was aggressively refreshing the mid-tier selection to stay competitive against Chinese players such as Huawei and Oppo, and the variety of colors — Black, Red, Gray, and Blue — added a bit of style to the priced offer, so in my real-life review.
The phone’s launch price felt competitively priced for a crowded market where brands and phones constantly push out new surprises in order not to lose ground in this crowded market; overall it’s a convincing pick for buyers who want a solid entry in the mid-range lineup without sacrificing looks or everyday performance, and from personal experience this existing lineup upgrade shows Samsung still tries to lead the industry rather than follow other brands.
Design and Display
The Samsung Galaxy J6 Plus (J6+) stands out as a stylish smartphone that blends simplicity with elegance. From my first impression, the device felt well-built yet a bit thick and big, making it tricky to operate with one hand — I often needed both hands to manage it easily. Compared to phones like the Nokia 6.1 Plus or Huawei Y7 Prime 2018, it’s definitely more good-looking, though not as compact. Still, the Galaxy J6 Plus delivers a modern vibe that’s hard to ignore.
Design Details
The phone’s vertical dual camera setup with a flash and Samsung logo at the center adds to its stylish charm. On the right side, the power button features a matte finish and cleverly doubles as a fingerprint reader. On the left side, there are volume buttons separated by a small space, while the lower portion of the device houses SIM trays — one SIM slot and another SIM 2 slot that supports a microSD card.
Display Experience
The 6-inches IPS LCD display offers a resolution of 720 x 1480 pixels, which, considering its price segment, feels a bit disappointing — especially when phones like P20 Lite or Oppo F7 Youth come with 1080p screens at similar prices. Yet, the screen of the Galaxy J6 Plus looks vibrant, vivid, and bright enough for daily use. Even under direct sunlight, videos remain visible, punchy, and the colors pop nicely. Though the sharpness could be better, the overall experience is far from unattractive, making it a solid pick for those who prefer brightness and clarity over pixel perfection.
OS
The Samsung Galaxy J6 Plus runs on Samsung Experience, which is an updated version of the old TouchWiz interface based on Android 8.1.0. This custom overlay gives the phone a modern and smooth feel. Unlike older skins full of bloatware and unwanted apps, this version focuses on minimalist software, keeping the interface clean and less heavy on system resources. The Experience 9.5 brings extra features like Game Mode, though I noticed that Asphalt 9 was blocked on the Play Store for some reason. The design feels subtle, almost stock Android-like, making it easy to control and navigate even for first-time users.
Security and Customization
The secure folder, similar to Huawei’s Safe, allows you to store important files and lock them for privacy. The software is highly customizable with icon packs, wallpapers, and fonts, letting you transform your phone screen into something different. However, pre-installed apps like Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn cannot be uninstalled, which can be annoying. The AI assistant Bixby is available but personally, I find Google Assistant better for its smoother integration and constant improvement across platforms. Overall, the Samsung Experience on the J6 Plus balances simplicity and functionality, giving a solid user experience similar to newer models like the a31.
Performance and Battery
Processing Power and Everyday Use
The Samsung Galaxy J6 Plus (J6+) is powered by a Snapdragon 425 chipset with an Adreno 308 GPU handling graphics processing. It comes with 3GB RAM and 32 GB internal memory, which is enough for moderate usage like calling, texting, browsing social media, or using the camera for occasional snaps. In my real-life performance tests, the phone showed noticeable lag when I completed the setup on a new unit, and the memory started to feel constrained quickly.
Compared to other lower mid-range phones like P20 Lite or last year’s Mate 10 Lite, the Galaxy J6 Plus struggles under extreme gaming or resource-intensive usage. Running heavy games like Deer Hunter in the background along with multiple apps caused significant hiccups, and the RAM management forced multitasking apps to restart frequently. Even the side-firing speaker quality felt just average, especially when compared to Huawei phones.
Battery Life
On the battery side, the J6+ performed decently during moderate usage; over 1 hour, it consumed around 16% juice. But under extensive usage with heavy gaming, video playing apps, and multitasking, battery consumption spiked to 25% battery in just an hour. All tests were done on a 4G LTE connection with both SIM cards utilized. Overall, while the Galaxy J6 Plus handles everyday tasks smoothly, pushing it with extreme gaming or multiple apps at once highlights its limitations in performance and battery efficiency for the midrange market.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy J6+ comes with a dual-camera setup on the back, featuring a 13MP primary sensor with a 28 mm wide-angle lens and a 5MP second lens for depth sensing. On the front, there’s an 8MP lens with an f/1.9 aperture, which is suitable for selfies and video calls. The camera app can feel complicated and non-friendly, especially when you try to toggle HDR in the settings, but with a little practice, it becomes easier to use.
In my experience, the camera captures great shots in bright outdoors, with rich colors and good detailing. Low-light shots can be a mixed bag, showing some noticeable loss of details, but the color reproduction in outdoor pictures remains close to nature. Unlike some phones, there’s no automatic beauty filter or enhancement feature making images look artificial. The HDR feature enhances highlights in photos, and the Galaxy J6+ excels at capturing details even in less-than-perfect lighting. Considering the price, it delivers a solid performance though it cannot match a flagship camera.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy J6+ is a mixed bag of compromised choices and sacrifices. If you choose this phone for its camera, you might have to deal with a mediocre display, and if the screen size is your priority, you’ll have to compromise on the sheer heft of the device. In my experience, this makes the J6+ feel like a phone that tries to do many things but doesn’t excel at all.
Even though Samsung tried to make a splash in the mid-range category, the offering doesn’t fully turn heads. Competing brands like Huawei, Oppo, and Xiaomi dominate the mid-range segment and use it as a major tool to capture maximum market share. For someone looking for a balanced mid-tier phone, the Galaxy J6+ has its strengths, but it clearly reflects the compromises made to keep it in the mid-range market.
