Budget-friendly Samsung Galaxy J3 now available for AUD$329

Samsung's latest budget smartphone, the Galaxy J3, is now available in Australia at an asking price of AUD$329.

Hardware is fairly typical for the phone's price bracket. The Galaxy J3 features a 5-inch 720p display, 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable storage, a 2,600mAh battery, and an 8MP rear-facing camera. The handset runs Android Lollipop (with Samsung's TouchWiz overlay), but precedent suggests it won't see too many software updates. Marshmallow and Android N are both likely out of the question.

Samsung's online store, Big W, The Good Guys, and Bing Lee are all ranging the Galaxy J3. Samsung has it in a choice of black, white, or gold. Other retailers are only carrying black and white.

Readers looking for a smartphone at the AUD$300 or so mark will however find better value in either OPPO's F1 or the third generation Moto G. Both smartphones offer better hardware at a cheaper price. The OPPO F1 offers up a predominantly metal build and higher-end hardware, whereas the third generation Moto G offers some water resistance, runs an unfettered version of Android, and is upgradable to Marshmallow.