introduction
Our exploration of the complex world of the entry-level Samsung smartphone lineup continues – now we have the Galaxy A02 for you. Pushing the boundaries of what can fit a tight budget while still deserving the badge, the A02’s tradeoffs are what we’re here to assess.
We mentioned that Samsung has a confusing list and that the A02s are also available as M02 in some regions. Although they have separate model numbers, the hardware is the same, so it could be said that our conclusions here will also apply to M02s, even though it says A02 on the packaging of our review unit.
Samsung Galaxy A02s • Samsung Galaxy M02s
The “s” in these names means a lot, mind you. The Galaxy A02 and M02 non-s models also exist, identical to each other, but with degraded internal components compared to the A02 and M02. Keep your eyes peeled for what it says on the box.
So the Galaxy A02 packs a 6.5-inch LCD screen – AMOLEDs are too expensive for this segment. The chipset won’t win any awards either – the Snapdragon 450 is over three years old, despite being made on a 14nm process (compared to the 28nm Mediatek in non-S models).
The triple camera on the back is slightly misleading – the 13MP main module is joined by the usual (and very useful) duo of “ macro ” and 2MP depth cameras. That is, there is no ultra-wide camera – you’ll have to look at the A12 for one of them. Another small downgrade is the 5MP selfie camera.
Samsung didn’t bother with the battery, however, and the A02s come with a 5,000mAh power pack – just like the A12 and A02. We wouldn’t call the hardware demanding, so we expect to see good endurance numbers.
Features of Samsung Galaxy A02s at a glance:
- Body: 164.2 x 75.9 x 9.1mm, 196g; Glass front, plastic back.
- Display: IPS PLS 6.50 “, resolution 720x1600px, aspect ratio 20: 9, 270ppi.
- Chipset: Qualcomm SDM450 Snapdragon 450 (14nm): 1.8GHz octa-core Cortex-A53; Adreno 506.
- Memory: 32 GB RAM 3 GB, 64 GB RAM 4 GB; eMMC 5.1; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
- OS / software: Android 10; A user interface 2.5.
- Rear camera: Large (main): 13 MP, f / 2.2, AF; Macro: 2 MP, f / 2.4; Depth: 2 MP, f / 2.4.
- Front camera: 5 MP, f / 2.2.
- Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p at 30 fps.
- Drums: 5000mAh; Fast charge 15W.
- Various: Accelerometer, proximity; 3.5mm jack socket.
Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy A02s
There is nothing surprising in the presentation – the A02 comes in the same packaging as the A12 we had before and most other affordable Galaxies. Remove the cardboard tray from the sleeve and you’ll get the same set: the phone itself, a 15W adapter, and a USB-A-to-C cable. A simple case would have been nice, but every penny is important in this class, so we don’t mind its absence.
Much like the A12, the Galaxy A02s has a special rear texture – more on that on the next page where we take a look at its design and build quality.
