Samsung Galaxy A02s Review: Budget Phones Are Getting Good
February 7, 2021
Performance: Snapdragon 450, 4GB RAM
Display: 6.5-inch (720 x 1600)
Weight: 196g
Storage: 64GB
Battery: 5,000mAh
Features:1080p video recording
Rear Camera:13MP Wide, 2MP Marco, 2MP Depth
Front Camera:5MP
Rating: 8/10
Price: RM 529.00
Just a few years ago, budget smartphones were barely worth the effort. They had underwhelming hardware, poor display resolution and dismal battery life. Anyone unfortunate enough to use one, would know how woefully inadequate they were. But this is no longer the case, today. Cheap phones are getting good, and thank goodness for that.
An accurate depiction of this can be witnessed with the Samsung’s A02s. An affordable smartphone that has a lot going for it despite the low asking price. It’s targeted at a demographic who appreciate ‘important things’. While it has the basic recipe of a mid-range device, the specs have been watered down significantly in the name of ‘affordability’.
It’s about the size of an M31 or A11, not that large, but certainly not that small either. The rear panel has a unique triangular pattern, each consisting of propagating ridge lines. It lends a sophisticated look to the less than stellar plastic shell. This is especially true if you opt for the Black coloured one instead of the White or Blue.
The Performance
Samsung has given this phone a 6.5-inch 720P screen. The display doesn’t have very good viewing angles but it has a decent level of brightness and passable color contrast. Bear in mind, that this is a budget display, so you shouldn’t expect anything more than a mediocre level of clarity, legibility and color gamut.
That said, it’s decent enough to stream videos, surf websites and play simple mobile games. The experience is decent without any major drawbacks. It is to be expected of a phone in this price range. It’s a fair assumption to say that the A02s’ display is good enough for a budget phone.
The same is true of the hardware. The A02s is powered by a Snapdragon 450 chipset coupled with 4GB RAM. It’s a marked improvement over last year’s phones such as the A11. That’s because the extra 1GB RAM does provide a little extra breathing space. As such, transitioning between different apps or launching a fresh one, isn’t much of a problem.
It’s surprising that such fluidity can be expected of a phone of this caliber. The A11 was a good budget device, but this is better, especially when you consider how much it has to offer. The A02s should hold up well against light to moderate tasks. You’ll only notice a hit in performance when playing mobile games or switching between the camera and messaging apps.
Now the A02s does also come in a 3GB RAM configuration. But we hope that you stay clear of this model. Remember that the phone has to make do with eMMC storage, so anything lower than 4GB RAM won’t do the device any favours. If you’re buying this phone for a young child or elderly parent, then opt for the 4GB one.
Camera Performance
Despite only having a 13MP, f/2.2 (wide) main camera, 2MP (macro) and 2MP (depth) sensor, the A02s is able to pull off some decent photo taking skills. In broad daylight, it is able to capture half decent shots, with each image having just enough exposure and contrast to look pleasant. It won’t win any awards, but the results are surprisingly good.
It keeps the subject somewhat in focus and retains an acceptable level of sharpness for both foreground and background. The colors are quite pleasing to the eye, but this won’t be the case if you have anything less than perfect lighting conditions. In darker environments, the phone’s camera performance is nothing short of abysmal.
Images seem washout and over exposed. It’s a stark contrast to what can be obtained with decent lighting. But that’s to be expected of a budget phone – corner cutting had to be done somewhere. It also goes to show that megapixel count doesn’t necessarily correlate to a fixed set of results. More expensive phones with 12MP sensors will wipe the floor with the A02s.
The same is true when it comes to video recording. The phone can capture up to 1080p @ 30fps footage with decent accuracy. It’s passable for sharing on social media platforms or with friends and family. But anything north of that, isn’t a good idea. The lack of proper image stabilization and post processing, make content look a little shaky and less sharp.
These weaknesses aren’t deal breakers because buyers who are looking for a phone in this price range, aren’t concerned with such things. Instead, they want a device that takes decent shots when needed. And for this, the A02s should feel right at home.
The dismal hardware may not do it any favours for computational tasks, but it is less demanding on the phone’s 5000mAh battery. As such, you should be able to power through the day without having to reach for the charger. Even with heavy usage, the A02s should be able to offer at least a full day’s worth of battery life.
In addition to this, the phone also supports 15W fast charging tech, so keeping it plugged in for about 30 minutes should net you about 40% to 50% charge. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but will prove convenient when you have limited time to juice it up. That said, Realme and Xiaomi are a little more generous when it comes to offering rapid chagrin technology.
However, the A02s is a decent package. It offers a good blend of practicality and performance. It’s a proper phone to have especially if you aren’t used to mid-range and flagship devices. It’s capabilities seem ‘snappy’ enough for most use cases.
Should I Buy One?
If you’re looking for a budget phone that you can use and abuse, then this is the phone for you. It’s a decent all-rounder that takes good pictures, performs admirably for moderate tasks and has a pretty big screen. It’s perfect for kids, elderly parents or as a second phone. It’s one of those devices that can take a beating without skipping a beat.
That’s because its plastic shell is quite hardy. And it will take more than a few scraps and drops to cause it any permanent damage. And since it isn’t glossy, any physical damage inflicted on it isn’t easily noticeable. This is especially true for the Black coloured casing.
Budget devices aren’t what their predecessors used to be. The A02s is a prime example of this. It’s relatively cheap without feeling ‘bargain-basement’. And within reason, it’s more than enough for the frugal tech consumer.
