Samsung has a presence in the budget segment in India for some time now. The company has been aiming to cater to our needs on a budget with the Galaxy M series by producing different phones from time to time. The most recent entrant in the arena is the new Samsung Galaxy M02s, which tries to make a powerful machine for under 10K. And when ‘Max Up’ is prefixed with every aspect of the smartphone, we do hope for a powerful performance more than ever.
With the same thought, I got to use the Galaxy M02s for some time to see how the device is. Hence, here are my initial thoughts about the new budget smartphone:
It’s a new design (for Samsung Galaxy M02s at least!)
Samsung has been following one design type for a while now. But, with the launch of the Galaxy M02s, it has added some changes, in the Galaxy M series at least. If you look at the Galaxy M02 or the Galaxy M01s, the Galaxy M02s seems like quite a refresh, especially with the ‘Haze and Matte’ design. The matte look is always a winner for it doesn’t attract smudges. This proved more attractive on a black chassis, which I actually got to use. Apart from the black color, there are red and blue color options to choose from, which will appear equally good. But, it still features the Samsung-proprietary rectangular rear camera setup, which is no more refreshing.
Upfront, there is a 6.5-inch Infinity-V display, which is Samsung’s way of referring to a waterdrop notch. The display is meant to ‘Max Up’ the viewing experience, which is the new way for us to pass our time. The smartphone is easier to hold and watch content but is relatively on the heavier side. With us wanting lightweight phones, this proves to be a problem, especially while trying to the phone with one hand.
The display has an HD+ screen resolution and the lesser bezels allow for a better experience. While I didn’t use the device long enough to figure out about the display, there is one thing that proved disappointing. The display wasn’t as bright as I have experienced with the other Samsung phones. I understand a budget phone ought to lack features seen on a high-end phone but I would love Samsung to bring its display magic to the phones under Rs. 10,000 to stand out and give a competition to rivals such as Xiaomi and Realme.
As for the aesthetics, the Galaxy Mo2s gets a SIM slot on the left side, and a power on/off button and a volume rocker on the right side. The top has a mic and the bottom end has a 3.5mm audio jack, USB Typ-C port, and speaker grille. The bottom-placed headphone jack is one of the good things about the device. What’s not good is the absence of a fingerprint scanner and even Face Unlock. In the days when we are all well-versed with biometrics, not having any sounds obsolete. This could be improved!
Overall, I like the fact Samsung has adopted a different texture for its budget phone and it sure appears good-looking. The build quality is decent but the phone is prone to scratches and the slightest of fall can cause some. So, it needs to be handled with care.
The cameras have been upgraded with the addition of an additional rear camera sensor. The phone supports the bokeh effect, macro photography, beauty filters, and more. But, I couldn’t really a chance to test fully. Hence, stay tuned to this space for a full review of the smartphone coming up soon.
Galaxy Mo2s: Specs, Features
To give you a reminder, the Galaxy M02s comes with a 6.5-inch HD+ Infinity-V display and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor. It comes in two RAM/Storage variants: 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB. It is backed by a 5,000mAh battery and runs Samsung One UI based on Android 10. Camera-wise, there are three rear cameras (13-megapixel, 2-megapixel, 2-megapixel) and a 5-megapixel front camera.
The Galaxy M02s sure appears promising
The smartphone, starting at Rs. 8,999, is a competitive device with a lot of ‘goods.’ You get a big 5,000mAh battery, a big display, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor to make the sailing smooth. It is good enough to compete with the likes of other devices offered such as the Realme C15 or any other Realme C device, and the Xiaomi Redmi 9 Power. Talking about the UI, Samsung One UI based on Android 10 calls for a neat and streamlined usage. There isn’t bloatware but a couple of pre-loaded apps might prove problematic for some if you just don’t need them. Although, Netflix’s presence doesn’t count as one for me, and for many who love to binge-watch.
The Samsung Galaxy M02s is a definite upgrade to the Galaxy M01s or even the Galaxy M02 and the good thing is that it falls under Rs. 10,000 and is a member of the segment that is sure to attract more and more users. But, the absence of a fingerprint sensor or facial recognition is questionable.
That said, it is a bit early for me to tell how the device is. Hence, you will have to for a full review of the same!
