Update Samsung A12mobile Phone Review – Samsung gave its budget-friendly lineup a big boost with the Galaxy A12, adding a bigger screen, better camera and a comfortable design. It had to cut some corners in the power department, but it’s one of the best sub-$200 phones on the market.
Samsung’s budget smartphone, the Galaxy A12, is more than just an iterative update to the Galaxy A11, with a bigger battery, a second camera and more. Even value hunters appreciate that Samsung is able to maintain its sub-$200 price tag. How well are these new updates going? Let’s find out in our Samsung Galaxy A12 review.
Update Samsung A12mobile Phone Review
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A new version of this device is available: Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is here. It has a design inspired by the Galaxy S23, ditches the super-wide camera and sticks with the tried-and-true Dimensity 700 processor for another year. Check out our Samsung Galaxy A14 5G review.
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Samsung introduced its Galaxy A12 in November 2020 as a direct successor to the Galaxy A11, before bringing it to the US in April 2021. It was replaced by the Galaxy A13 series.
The Galaxy A12 offers a total of six different configurations to make it one of the best budget Samsung phones, starting with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. However, currently only three (listed above) are readily available in the United States. Whichever route you go, you also have access to four color options – red, blue, black and white.
Our Samsung Galaxy A12 arrived with Android 10, although an Android 11 update with Samsung’s One UI 3.1 is available via OTA. It was also running the July 1, 2021 Android security patch at the time of testing. It should receive two years of software updates and a total of four years of security patches, carrying the Galaxy A12 until late 2024 or early 2025. Our unit hasn’t received Android 12 yet, but it should be ready soon. .
Once you peel back the software, you’ll see that the MediaTek Helio P35 SoC powers Samsung’s entry-level device. RAM and storage options are 6GB and 128GB respectively, and you can go even further with a microSD slot. A 5000 mAh battery and a 6.5-inch HD+ panel tie it all together, and the display has an Infinity-V notch. A variant in India swaps the Helio P35 for Samsung’s own Exynos 850 chipset.
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Samsung has left its wired headphones out of the box this time around, though it still offers a charging pad and USB-C cable. You also get a SIM extraction tool and a basic start guide if you need help getting it off the ground. The Samsung Galaxy A12 is also available on Verizon, UScellular and AT&T.
The budget-friendly phones add a mirror finish and a fingerprint magnet finish to give it an air of quality. Thankfully, Samsung’s Galaxy A12 bucks the trend, opting instead for a matte finish that’s smoother in the hand. I also appreciate the raised diagonal edges as they add a little extra grip to the overall design.
The large 6.5-inch screen means a good grip is essential if you hope to miss the event. Although this screen sticks to HD+ resolution, it’s still big enough and clear enough to catch your latest shows. We’ve always praised the headphone jack, and wired headphones are a great way to enjoy the Galaxy A12’s audio, rather than the down-firing mono speaker.
Samsung has decided to leave the Galaxy A11’s rear fingerprint reader a thing of the past. Instead, the Galaxy A12 uses a side-mounted option, which is much faster, easier to use, and cleans up the overall look of the device.
Samsung A12 Review: A Solid Budget Phone For The Casual User
A side-mounted fingerprint reader and a matte finish give the Galaxy A12 a clean look and premium feel.
The rear panel is adorned with Samsung’s camera array, capped by a 48MP primary shooter that performs pretty well outdoors for an affordable camera phone (see later in this review for samples). You can also use macro and ultra-wide cameras for added flexibility. The camera app is a breeze to navigate, although it can take a moment or two to find the macro button since it’s hidden in the More tab.
Samsung’s One UI is one of the best Android skins on the market right now, and it’s as good as ever on the Galaxy A12. In particular, Samsung’s free app is similar to Google’s Discover feed, but it gives you an edge. Instead of just providing news, Samsung Free brings together Samsung TV Plus, Samsung Podcasts, Taboola News and Instant Plays. Best of all, you don’t have to spend a dime on it.
The Galaxy A12 is also a battery advisor, at least when it comes to charging. Between light gaming, answering emails and browsing social media I had no issues with two days of use.
Samsung Galaxy A12 Review
Samsung’s free app might be a nice addition to the overall package, but Samsung didn’t stop there when deciding how much to add to its Android image. Unfortunately, the Galaxy A12 has a bunch of extra apps that often take up space. It comes with a full suite of Google apps and Samsung apps that add a lot of redundancy. There are also Microsoft options like Office, OneDrive and Outlook. You’ll also see Samsung, Galaxy Shop and Galaxy Store – how many people really need two Samsung stores and an alternative to the Play Store?
The good news is that you can at least uninstall the Microsoft-based bloat, but it won’t do much to help the Galaxy A12’s trend. MediaTek’s Helio P35 doesn’t always seem up to the task of feeding the 6.5-inch display, and jumping between apps slows things down further. Limited RAM and storage doesn’t help, so you might want to look for the 4GB RAM/64GB storage version.
Three different apps, two different app stores, and a couple of Samsung stores is too much.
While the Samsung Galaxy A12 packs a powerful main lens, the funky peripherals aren’t always in good condition. The macro lens only offers 2MP and it took a few tries to get a reasonably clear sample image below. You also won’t find a dedicated night mode on the Galaxy A12, so you’ll have to endure some trial and error after daylight hours.
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While all phones add a bit of magic after you press the shutter button, photos taken with the Galaxy A12 are noticeably better than what the camera app showed. For example, the low-light image below looks noticeably darker when the shutter is pressed, and comparison images don’t look as clean as you can see. For the most part, it ended up being a pleasant surprise, but it makes judging the shot a bit difficult. Portrait mode wasn’t great at edge detection either, as you can see in the swatch around my hairline.
Samsung may have packed a decent battery into its Galaxy A12, but the 15W charging speed is pathetic even for such a cheap phone. While I was able to charge from 3% to 23% in 30 minutes, it took over two hours to fully charge.
The Samsung Galaxy A12 is a definite upgrade over the Galaxy A11 in every way. This budget-friendly phone brings a good 48 MP main camera, excellent battery life and Samsung’s crisp and attractive One UI software to the table. Unfortunately, external cameras lack robustness and slow performance is disappointing, but compromises are expected at this price point.
The Samsung Galaxy A12 is an upgrade over the Galaxy A11 in almost every way and is ideal for those buying their first smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy A12 Review: Cheap Can Be Fun
It’s been a while since the Galaxy A12 was released and Samsung’s budget phone has been replaced a few times. Samsung picks up the Galaxy A14 5G ($199.99 at Samsung), which trades in a Galaxy S23-inspired design that feels more premium in the hand. Thanks to the 2023 launch date, several software updates are scheduled for the new model. You can also check out the Motorola Moto G 5G ($199 at Amazon), which sits in a similar spot in Motorola’s lineup. It has a similar plastic design and 15W wired charging, though it can’t keep up with Samsung’s update commitment. Another option to consider is the OnePlus Nord N300 ($228 at OnePlus). With just two rear cameras and a clean black design, the affordable Nord is simplicity itself. It ranks first when it comes to wired charging speed.
The Galaxy A12 picks up where the Galaxy A11 left off with an extra camera, a bigger battery and a new textured back panel. Grab your Infinity-V Display and see what Samsung can do.Samsung Galaxy A12
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