introduction
It’s 2021 and we had previously reviewed the S21 trio of high-end Samsung phones. At the opposite end of the Galaxy spectrum is the Galaxy A12 (12, not 21) – an entry-level handset designed to deliver the Samsung experience, on a budget.
Announced late last year and available since January, the Galaxy A12 isn’t the most affordable phone Samsung sells – the Galaxy M02 gets that title. Samsung’s naming is a bit uncertain in the lower tier and it can be confusing between the A and M series, but the A12 sits just below the M12 and above the M02. Not all of these models are available worldwide, so you may or may not buy the most affordable Samsung in your neck of the woods.
The Galaxy A12 we have here is equipped with a 6.5-inch display and the consequences of budget constraints are easy to spot. It’s one of the few LCDs in the Galaxy line that’s dominated by OLED, and the 720p resolution is also below average for the diagonal. It’s a pretty standard size, tech, and resolution combo for the segment, so the A12 isn’t poorly equipped, in fact.
The Mediatek Helio P35 does the math inside the A12 and it’s also not particularly exciting hardware on its own. Again, however, it’s a great fit for the price – you get an octa-core processor and the chip is built on a 12nm manufacturing process, so it should be decently powerful and thrifty at the same time.
The quad-camera setup on the back actually makes a strong case for the Galaxy A12 in its market context. While the usefulness of the two 2MP modules is questionable (one for depth data, the other for “ macro ”), the 48MP main camera and a 5MP ultra-wide make this a nice tandem that’s hard to find. find. An 8MP selfie camera completes the picture in the imaging department.
Features of Samsung Galaxy A12 at a glance:
- Body: 164.0 x 75.8 x 8.9mm, 205g; Glass front, plastic back.
- Display: IPS PLS 6.50 “, resolution 720x1600px, aspect ratio 20: 9, 264ppi.
- Chipset: Mediatek MT6765 Helio P35 (12nm): Octa-core (Cortex-A53 4×2.35 GHz and Cortex-A53 4×1.8 GHz); PowerVR GE8320.
- Memory: 32 GB 3 GB RAM, 64 GB 4 GB RAM, 128 GB 4 GB RAM, 128 GB 6 GB RAM; eMMC 5.1; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
- OS / software: Android 10, OneUI 2.5.
- Rear camera: Large (main): 48 MP, f / 2.0, 26mm, AF; Ultra wide angle: 5 MP, f / 2.2, 123˚; Macro: 2 MP, f / 2.4; Depth: 2 MP, f / 2.4.
- Front camera: 8 MP, f / 2.2.
- Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p at 30 fps; Front camera: 1080p at 30 fps.
- Drums: 5000mAh; Fast charge 15W.
- Various: Fingerprint reader (mounted on the side); FM radio; 3.5mm jack socket.
One final important point – the Galaxy A12 is powered by a 5,000mAh battery and that’s a lot of battery for an entry-level 12nm chipset and 720p display, 6.5in as it can be. We expect solid numbers for battery life.
Unboxing Samsung Galaxy A12
The Galaxy A12 comes in a simple package that contains the regular cardboard box in a sleeve, a likeness of the phone printed on top. You get a few essentials – a 15W adapter and a USB-C cable and that’s it.
Pulling out the phone reveals a nicely textured back – more on that on the next page.
