The Galaxy J7 6 is an evolution over the traditional look of plastic Samsung phones from way back in the day. In fact, save for the metal frame, it looks like your generic Samsung phone with that typical back layout with a silver speaker grill introduced way back in 2012, some four years ago. Yet, the metal frame carries the modern carve-outs we know from more modern Samsung phones, so all in all the design blends together the past and the present.
From a purely practical standpoint, the J7 6 design works: it’s sturdy, with no screaky, hollow parts, and the back does not accumulate fingerprints. Yet, the plastic back cover feels decidedly cheap and the phone lacks flare.
The buttons are well-crafted, though: all are made from metal and feel very clicky and nice to press. There’s a lock key on the right and two separate volume buttons on the left, while up front there is a single physical home key, but it’s just a regular button - no fingerprint here, sadly. On the bottom of the phone is a microUSB port for charging.
In terms of size and heft, the J7 6 is well balanced for a 5.5” phone: it’s not too wide at 2.99 inches(76mm) and thickness comes in at the rather thin 7.8mm. The phone tips the scales at 169g, which is neither too heavy, nor too light for a phone this size.