One of the cheapest phones you can find in the market is the Samsung Galaxy A02, which is nothing but an economical version of the A02s. In the entry-level realm, the Galaxy A02 has to deal with a series of tough opponents who have quite tempting specifications in their class.
Then, what are the advantages offered by the Galaxy A02 to be able to steal the hearts of users? Come on, just look at the brief review:
Attractive design and comfortable grip
Honestly, I immediately fell in love when I first held the Galaxy A02. There’s really nothing special about the design. The materials used are like entry-level phones in general.
What I like, Samsung uses a matte finish and diagonal striped texture which is very comfortable to grip, and certainly not slippery and not easily dirty by finger marks. The gray color that I reviewed also looks quite unique with a sweetener in the form of small white spots.
The dimensions of the Galaxy A02 are still quite right for me who has rather large hands. It is 9.1mm thick, and weighs 206 grams. Of course not including slim and light, but also not too excessive especially to interfere with the comfort to operate and put in a trouser pocket.
On the front you’ll find the Infinity-V display with minimalistic bangs. The glass that covers the screen tends to get dirty easily. Since there is no information about the strength of the screen, I suggest you to install a scratch-resistant.
The Samsung Galaxy A02 is equipped with a triple-slot consisting of two nano SIM-card slots and one specifically dedicated to microSD. At the bottom, you will find a 3.5mm audio jack port, speaker hole, and a charging port which is unfortunately still microUSB.
Please note that the Galaxy A02 does not have a fingerprint sensor. Quite unfortunate, but still understandable considering the price is not up to 1.5 million. I also couldn’t find face unlock. That means, the locking system is only limited to PIN, pattern, and password.
A little about the sales package, in the box you will only find the charger and cable. There is no softcase let alone a headset.
Screen without auto brightness
The Samsung Galaxy A02 comes with a 6.5-inch Infinity-V PLS LCD screen with HD + resolution. As mentioned above, this screen still has bangs. The bezel around it is also quite thick.
For daily use, the Galaxy A02 screen is capable of displaying content properly. The level of brightness and sharpness is quite okay in its class. The color presentation did not disappoint at all.
One thing I don’t like is the absence of an auto brightness feature which is very useful for automatically adjusting the screen brightness level according to the surrounding light. Instead, Samsung buried the ‘Adaptive Brightness’ feature. What is the difference?
Adaptive Brightness on the Galaxy A02 utilizes the front camera to detect the light around the user when unlocking the screen. Yes, only when unlocking. So if you unlock your house in a slightly dim light, then walk out of the house in the hot sun, the screen can’t automatically adjust the brightness level. The solution? Lock the phone then unlock it again.
Camera for the price
This smartphone with the Android 10 operating system (One UI Core 2.5) carries a dual rear camera consisting of a 13 megapixel main sensor and a 2 megapixel sensor with a macro lens. For selfies, there is a 5 megapixel camera on the front.
No need to expect much on its ability to take pictures or record video. Everything is presented in accordance with the selling price. To take pictures in ideal light conditions, the photos are still worth showing off to social media. Likewise with the selfie camera. Macro camera? I think it’s just a complement.
At least the camera configuration on the Galaxy A02 is still ideal for online learning needs. For example, when attending a virtual study room, or when you need a camera to capture objects as a complement to school assignments.
Performance suitable for light use
From the performance sector, the Galaxy A02 relies on the Mediatek MT6739W chipset with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage. If the storage space is still lacking, users can add a microSD up to a maximum capacity of 1 TB. Suitable for storing large files such as photos and videos.
For daily needs that do not really require heavy computing capabilities such as chatting, browsing, and social media, the performance of the Galaxy A02 is still quite adequate. But it must be admitted, its performance is not too smooth. Sometimes I still encounter lag.
What if it is used to play games? As long as the games you play are light games like Ludo King, Candy Crush, and the like, I don’t think there’s a problem. But don’t expect too high when playing 3D games like PUBG Mobile. Mobile Legends can still be set at low settings, but there will be a lot of frame drops in crowded scenes.
Battery? 5,000 mAh. Enough for a day or more, depending on the style of use. Unfortunately the charging ability is quite slow. It took more than 3 hours to be fully charged using the default charger.
Affordable phones for fans of the Samsung brand
In conclusion, the Galaxy A02 is an option that should be considered if you are a fan of the Samsung brand. In addition, although in some sectors it still lags behind its competitors, the Galaxy A02 still has an appeal in its design and large battery.
For those who are interested, the Samsung Galaxy A02 is sold at a price of Rp. 1,499,000. If you have more budget, I would recommend buying the Galaxy A02s directly. The price is indeed a difference of 300 thousand, but of course it is more satisfying.
Samsung Galaxy A02 is suitable for:
- Schoolchildren : The low price makes the Galaxy A02 ideal for children’s online learning needs during the pandemic.
- Beginner users : Galaxy A02 is a phone with pretty simple features. This device is suitable for novice users who have just switched to smartphones.
- Online drivers : Those of you who work as drivers can make the Galaxy A02 a device for daily work. The battery is large and quite durable.
- Housewife : If you are a housewife who does not need special features and only uses a smartphone for communication, then the Galaxy A02 can be the right choice.
Pros of Samsung Galaxy A02:
- Attractive design and comfortable grip
- Wide screen, the quality is quite good in its class
- Big battery
- Triple-slot
- Pocket friendly price
Disadvantages of Samsung Galaxy A02:
- Underpowered performance
- No fingerprint sensor and face unlock
- Adaptive Brightness can only adjust the screen brightness level when unlocking
- It would be more interesting if the sales package included a softcase
