Samsung gave a solid boost to its economic range of cell phones with the Galaxy A12, adding a larger screen, a better camera, and a comfortable textured finish. Had to cut some expenses in the energy variable, but this is one of the best cell phones under $400,000 on the market.
The economical smart mobile phone Galaxy A12 from Samsung is more than just an iterative update to the Galaxy A11: with a larger battery, another camera and much more on board. Bargain hunters will also appreciate that Samsung has managed to keep its price at less than 400 thousand pesos.
Samsung presented its Galaxy A12 as a direct successor to the Galaxy A11 in November 2020. It was replaced by the Galaxy A13 series and later by the Galaxy A14. The Galaxy A12 offered a total of six different configurations to be one of the best budget Samsung phones, starting with just 2 GB of operating memory (RAM) and 32 GB of storage.
However, only two are available in Mercado Libre, both with 4 GB of RAM, one of them with 64 GB and others with 128 GB, in color options blue and black. The Samsung Galaxy A12 hit the market with Android 10 on board.
Received your last major update to Android 12but the handset still has security patch coverage until late 2024 or early 2025. Once you get past the software, you’ll find the MediaTek Helio P35 SoC in this entry-level device from Samsung.
Storage options can be expanded with the microSD slot. A 5000 mAh battery and a 6.5-inch HD panel tie everything together, and the display comes complete with an Infinity-V notch. This time Samsung took its wired headphones out of the box, although it still offers a charging brick and a USB-C cable.
The Samsung Galaxy A12 cell phone stands out for its large screen.
Why is this Samsung Galaxy cell phone good?
Budget phones seem almost determined to add mirrored backs and fingerprint magnet finishes to give an air of quality. Fortunately, Samsung’s Galaxy A12 bucks the trend and opts for a matte finish which feels soft in the hand.
The raised diagonal ridges are also appreciated as they add a bit of extra grip to the overall design. The 6.5 inch large screen of this Samsung cell phone means that a good grip is essential.
While that screen has an HD resolution, it’s still big and clear enough to catch up on the latest shows. It is always positive to get a headphone jackand wired headphones are the best way to enjoy sound on the Galaxy A12 instead of the downward-pointing mono speaker.
Samsung also decided to leave the rear-mounted fingerprint reader of the Galaxy A11 in the past. Instead, the Galaxy A12 uses a side mountwhich is very fast, easy to use and cleans up the overall look of the device.
Adorning the rear panel is Samsung’s camera array, topped by a 48MP main shooterwhich works well enough outdoors for a budget camera phone.
You can also take advantage of the macro and ultra-wide cameras for greater flexibility. The camera app is very easy to navigate, although it may take a moment or two to find the button macrosince it is hidden in the More tab.
The red model of the Samsung Galaxy A12 cell phone is no longer sold in Argentina.
Samsung One UI It’s one of the best Android skins on the market right now and it’s as good as ever on the Galaxy A12. The Galaxy A12 is also a battery wizard, at least when it comes to holding a charge. It has no problem lasting two days of use between light games, answering emails and browsing social networks.
Why is this Samsung Galaxy cell phone not so good?
Unfortunately, there is a Tons of extra apps on the Galaxy A12 that mostly take up space. It comes with a full suite of Google and Samsung apps that create a lot of redundancy. There are even options from Microsoft like Office, OneDrive and Outlook.
The good news is that you can uninstall at least the software based on Microsoft, but it doesn’t do much to improve the Galaxy A12’s lag tendency. MediaTek’s Helio P35 doesn’t always seem up to the task of powering the 6.5-inch display, and jumping between apps only slows things down further.
Limited RAM and storage do not help, so it is recommended to look for the 128GB storage version if you can find it. Although Samsung included a solid main lens on the Galaxy A12, the fun peripheral options aren’t always in good shape.
The macro lens offers only 2MP. You won’t find a dedicated night mode on the Galaxy A12 either, so you’ll probably have to endure some trial and error beyond daylight hours.
Samsung may have installed a solid battery in its Galaxy A12, but the 15W charging speeds are woefully insufficient, even for a cheap cell phone like this. A full charge takes more than two hours.
Samsung Galaxy A12 cell phone specifications
- RAM memory: 4 GB.
- 6.5″ PLS screen
- Rear cameras: 48 MP wide angle (f/2.0), 5 MP ultra wide angle (f/2.2), 2 MP macro (f/2.4) and 2 MP depth (f/2.4).
- 8 MP front camera (f/2.2).
- MediaTek MT6765 Helio P35 Octa-Core 2.3GHz processor with 4GB of RAM.
- 5000mAh battery.
- 5000 mAh and 15 W wired charging.
- Internal memory of 64GB and 128GB.
- With facial recognition and fingerprint sensor.
- Prices: the 64GB model is available for $325,000 and the 128GB model is available for $362,999, both in Mercado Libre.
Samsung Galaxy A12 cell phone: should you buy it?
The Samsung Galaxy A12 is a solid improvement over the Galaxy A11 in almost every way. What this economical cell phone provides is a good 48MP main cameraexcellent battery life, and Samsung’s attractive, crisp One UI software.
Unfortunately, the peripheral cameras lack power and slow performance can be frustrating, but it is logical at this price level. More than three years have passed since the Galaxy A12 was launched and this budget Samsung cell phone was replaced several times.
The latest version from Samsung is the Galaxy A15, a 5G-enabled upgrade that offers more across the board, including an excellent promise of software support, an OLED display, and a strikingly premium look. It is available in the official Diggit store in Mercado Libre for $379,999.
The slightly older Galaxy A14 5G is also still a good one. He Samsung Galaxy A12 cell phone It is very suitable for someone who buys their first smart mobile phone.
