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Samsung Galaxy A02s (S124DL) Review: Triple Camera but No Fingerprint

In this Samsung Galaxy A02s review, we found out the greatest strength lies in the triple-camera and battery. However, it lacks a fingerprint reader.

Samsung Galaxy A02s Review

Samsung Galaxy A02s smartphone was released in January 2021. It seems like Samsung couldn’t stop releasing yet another budget model. This one offers some key improvement.

Having multiple cameras is common on the budget phone today. And Samsung is trying to embrace this trend as well. In this model, you’ll get a triple camera to consist of the main lens, depth lens, and macro lens.

Samsung Galaxy A02s also tries to lure in consumers with its big battery. With a 5,000mAh battery capacity, the phone promises hours of usage. Being durable is one of the phone’s key strengths.

What’s more? In this Samsung Galaxy A02s (S124DL) review, we’ll dissect the phone’s specifications in great detail. Find out if this is a device matching your needs.

Key Specs

Samsung Galaxy A02s (S124DL) specifications:

  • Weight: 198g
  • Dimensions: 166.5 x 75.9 x 9.2mm
  • OS: Android 10
  • Screen size: 6.5-inch
  • Resolution: 1600 x 720
  • CPU: 1.8GHz Octa-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Storage: 32GB
  • Battery: 5,000mAh, Non-removable
  • Rear camera: 13MP + 2MP + 2MP
  • Front camera: 5MP

Design

Samsung Galaxy A02s
Samsung Galaxy A02s (S124DL)

Samsung Galaxy A02s adopts a design that fits into the 2021 trend. With its dimension of 166.5 x 75.9 x 9.2mm, this phone is expansive, yet thin enough to hold comfortably. It weighs like an average phone at 198g. Plastic comprises the body and the frame, while glass is used for the display.

The back cover is matte black with a unique diagonal pattern. At a glance, it looks like two triangles meet at the tip. Perhaps, the purpose of this design is to add grips when a user is holding the phone.

The Samsung logo is located at the bottom. On the opposite end, lies the triple-camera and the LED flash. The overall vibe of the back cover is sleek and clean. However, you might notice there’s no fingerprint reader in this area.

The front area houses the display mostly. Samsung Galaxy A02s incorporate a notch design for its front camera. A thin line of bezels circling the display. All the buttons are located on the right side, while it is empty on the left side.

In short, Samsung Galaxy A02s’s design is quite unexciting. Phones these days look similar to each other, and this particular device clearly amplifies that statement.

Read also: Samsung Galaxy A02s User Manual

Display

Samsung Galaxy A02s Display

This phone comes with a gigantic 6.5-inch display. The PLS IPS screen possesses a 20:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1600 x 720. Therefore, the measurement translates into HD display quality for Samsung Galaxy A02s.

Samsung Galaxy A02s promises a bright and bold viewing experience on this high-definition screen. By minimizing the bezel size around the screen, users will also get an infinity display experience. As a result, the phone’s frame is easy to ignore. Even the front camera is barely noticeable.

As far as the size is concerned, we have no complaints about the screen. It is thoughtfully designed by minimizing distraction around the display itself. Aside from entertainment purposes, the 6.5-inch is also a spacious canvas for work and other daily operations.

However, we think the HD display doesn’t live up to its promises. HD display quality is actually quite inferior these days. It lacks brightness and colors liveliness when compared to a Full HD screen, for example.

Yes, there are no bad pixels and roughness like in lesser quality displays. However, today’s phone users know that they deserve better. For many potential buyers, an HD display isn’t what you call desirable on a phone’s screen.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy A02s Camera

The triple-camera is one of the attractive points of Samsung Galaxy A02s. It consists of the main 13MP lens, a 2MP depth lens, and a 2MP macro lens. On the other side of the phone, you’ll encounter the 5MP front-facing camera.

Looking at the camera spec initially, we thought the triple-camera is nothing but gimmicky. We’re not entirely wrong, but Samsung Galaxy A02s’s triple-camera is still fun to use. Users will have the choice to experiment with picture-taking.

In the case of this phone, there are several things you can play around with. The depth lens allows you to take a picture with a background blur. Using a lens, the result is more natural than using the software. AI-based bokeh is often used in-app without multiple-camera. Often, the result looks weird.

The triple-camera on Samsung Galaxy A02s is missing a wide-angle lens. In our experience, a wide-angle lens is the second most useful lens after the main camera. People often use it to capture vast landscapes or big group photos. For some, this phone not including this type of camera could be bad news.

Lastly, we assessed the camera on the front. It has a 5MP resolution, so it’s only average. The camera is a decent shooter for selfies and gives clear video calls. It is able to record Full HD video. The back camera also has a similar capability.

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Storage

Samsung Galaxy A02s comes with a standard 32GB storage. Out of this capacity, not 100% is available for users. You’ll get around 19GB of free storage space. The rest of it is utilized by the phone for its firmware, operating system, and pre-installed data.

As a result, you may want to add extra storage externally. The expandable storage option on this phone allows you to add an SD card with a capacity as big as 1TB. In gigabytes, that means 1000GB extra space. If you like to store multimedia files a lot, like movies and photos, getting an SD card would be your number one priority.

Performance

Samsung Galaxy A02s Left Side

For its core, this phone comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 CPU and 2GB RAM. The CPU itself has a frequency speed of 1.8GHz. It’s an Octa-core chipset and comes with an integrated GPU called Adreno 506. For its software, Samsung Galaxy A02s runs on Android 10.

The setup above shows how Samsung Galaxy A02s is designed to be an efficient-performing smartphone. There’s nothing extravagant about the phone’s spec. You can use the phone for everyday operations with ease. But up to a point, there are signs of struggles.

So far, the phone operates flawlessly when it comes to browsing, social media, and using everyday apps. App launch time is generally quick. The phone can handle multitasking. However, the 2GB RAM means you can’t open too many apps at once.

Samsung phones are generally well-performing despite being in the budget category. For video playbacks and light gaming, Samsung Galaxy A02s also excel with little to no issue.

As we mentioned earlier, Samsung Galaxy A02s runs on Android 10 for its operating system. The good news is, you can upgrade it to Android 11 after purchase. Therefore, you can enjoy improvements and more efficiency as promised in the newer version of Android.

The Android on Samsung Galaxy A02s will come with its custom skin. Additionally, you’ll also get a bundle of Samsung pre-installed apps, alongside the customary Google ones.

In this Samsung Galaxy A02s review, there’s one big disadvantage we noticed. This phone comes without a fingerprint reader. Today, having a fingerprint reader adds a tremendous amount of convenience. For example, you can quickly capture a photo with a touch. So, it’s just not about security. This is a weakness you should consider before buying.

Samsung Galaxy A02s is not without any other sensors, though. A handful of sensors are available assisting the phone in its day-to-day operation. There are Accelerometer, Barometer, Light Sensor, and Proximity Sensor.

Connectivity

Samsung Galaxy A02s Right Side

Samsung Galaxy A02s is a 4G phone, therefore isn’t what you’re looking for if you want the next-gen 5G. In most cases, 4G proves to be reliable enough for calls and high-speed internet. Since it is also the most widely available network, you won’t have to worry about coverage.

Alternatively, you can switch to WiFi for the internet. Samsung Galaxy A02s also provides Bluetooth, albeit it’s an older 4.2 version. The phone also has GPS and uses USB Type-C as its port connector. However, Samsung Galaxy A02s doesn’t have NFC. We’re not surprised since it’s a feature rarely present on a budget phone.

Battery

To run every day, Samsung Galaxy A02s relies on a 5,000mAh battery. This capacity is above average for a phone this cheap. Most importantly, this phone also comes with the latest battery trend, smart charging.

With every purchase, Samsung included a 15W charger. That makes refueling your phone, not a time-consuming task. When in a hurry, you can boost your Samsung Galaxy A02s easily in a short time.

The battery is able to endure a couple of days of usage when you’re rarely on-screen. Active use is around 16 hours, be it web browsing and video playback. 

Is the Samsung Galaxy A02s a good phone?

Quoting the brand, Samsung Galaxy A02s provides all the essentials you need but let’s take it up a notch. The triple-camera and the big battery are the proofs. Essentially, entry-level users don’t demand them. Samsung included these “bonuses” regardless.

Samsung Galaxy A02s’s retail price is $74.99, but you can get it at $34.99. Just looking at the price, this phone is attractive to buyers. It’s cheap yet packs a lot of interesting features.

Overall, this Samsung Galaxy A02s review ends on a positive note. This device is certainly not perfect. It is missing important features like a fingerprint reader. However, as a budget phone, it is exceeding expectations.

Samsung Galaxy A02s Pros

  • Big display
  • Large battery
  • Triple-camera
  • Fast charging
  • Affordable price

Samsung Galaxy A02s Cons

  • Small internal storage
  • Average display quality
  • No fingerprint reader

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