Samsung's Galaxy A12 and A02s offer big batteries at low prices

Samsung is revealing its first phones of 2021, and they’re good news if you want a long-lasting phone at lower prices. SamMobile reports the company has introduced the Galaxy A12 (pictured above) and A02s (below), two budget Android devices that pack large 5,000mAh batteries while costing under €200, or about $237.

The longevity is the highlight, but both also offer 6.5-inch “HD+” screens and a simple (likely plastic) body.

Your choice of phone comes down to processing power, cameras, and sign-in technology. Samsung gives the Galaxy A02s a modest 1.8GHz octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, and a rear camera array that includes a 13MP main cam, a 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor. A 5MP selfie camera sits up front. You won’t, however, find a fingerprint reader or any other form of biometric authentication — you’ll have to use passcodes.

Move to the Galaxy A12 and Samsung will deliver a speedier 2.3GHz octa-core chip, up to 6GB of RAM, between 32GB to 128GB of expandable storage, and a rear camera system that includes a 48MP primary shooter, a 5MP ultra-wide, a 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor. You’ll find an 8MP front-facing camera as well. More importantly, there’s a side-mounted fingerprint reader to sign in quickly.

Read more: The best phones under £300 in the UK

The two phones are unsurprisingly limited to LTE data. While 5G is becoming more affordable, it has yet to reach entry-level phones in earnest.

Samsung will release the Galaxy A12 in Europe this January, with prices starting at €179 ($212) for a 64GB model and €199 ($236) for its 128GB counterpart. The Galaxy A02s will follow in February, with Samsung offering the 32GB phone for €150 ($178). There’s no mention of US releases as of this writing, but predecessors like the Galaxy A11 did reach American networks. Don’t be surprised if the A12 and A02s make their way across the ocean.