The Galaxy M02s is Samsung's first phone to launch in India in 2021. It is a budget phone and primarily competes with the likes of Xiaomi Redmi 8, 9 series, other brands such as Tecno, Itel, and Infinix.
The Galaxy M02s is being offered in two variants-- 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage-- for Rs 8,999 and Rs 9,999, respectively.
I have spent some good time with the Galaxy M02s and here are my thoughts.
Design, build quality and display
Samsung's new Galaxy M02s sports an Infinity-V display design with a small camera placed right at the top center. It gives an obstruction-free viewing experience and with the big 6.5-inch HD+ (1560 × 720p) resolution, I had a good time watching multimedia content on OTT (Over-The-Top) apps.
On the back, it features a visually pleasing pattern and also offers a good grip to hold on to the phone.
It has just a mic on top and at the base, it features 3.5mm audio jack with Type-C USB port and a single-grille speaker.
On the left side, it has a SIM tray slot with space for two SIMs (type: nano+nano) and a microSD card. On the right, you will find the power button along with volume rocker.
You won't find any fingerprint sensor, but the phone does offer facial recognition feature. It works fine in a well-lit environment, but can't rely on it during the night. During such a scenario, we just have to type the passcode or draw the security pattern.
Performance
Samsung phone houses a 14nm class 1.8GHz Snapdragon 450 octa-core processor backed by Adreno 506 GPU. It runs Android 10-based One UI 2.0 with 3GB/4GB RAM, 32GB/64GB Storage, expandable up to 1TB via micro SD card.
The Galaxy M02s works smoothly in terms of day-to-day chores such as launching apps, operating the camera, switching between multiple apps, browsing the web and even small games such as Angry Birds or Temple Run series. But, like other phones in the budget class, they are not made for extreme gaming.
Parents may find this as a boon to give this phone to children and not worry about getting addicted to online games. This can be well utilised for online classes for long hours.
Talking of long hours, the Galaxy M02s comes with a massive 5,000mAh battery. It can easily last more than a day under mixed usage which includes streaming media content (on Wi-Fi) and making or answering calls, playing not-so-intense games and other stuff.
The phone's retail package comes with 15W Type-C charging cable.
Camera
Samsung is one of the very few budget phones to boast a triple camera module. It comes with -- a main 13MP (f/2.2) + 2MP depth (f/2.4) + 2MP macro (f/2.4)-- with LED flashlight.
It takes pretty good pictures in the bright sunlight. The photos retain the details with near accurate colours. In the dark, the autofocus seems to show some lag-ness. You should have a steady hand to get a stable shot and is worth the patience. It can also record full HD (1080p) at 30 frames per second (fps).
As far as the front camera is concerned, it features a 5MP (f/2.2) sensor. It takes decent quality selfies in its class of phones.
Final thoughts
Over-all, the Galaxy M02s is a decent budget phone worth the asking price. It is a good option for people looking for an affordable mobile with long battery life for senior citizens.
Also, with online classes being the new normal, the children can make good use of the Galaxy M02s' big display and battery life.
Samsung Galaxy M02s comes in Blue, Red, and Black colours and will be offered in two configurations-- 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage-- for Rs 8,999 and Rs 9,999, respectively on Amazon, Samsung E-Store and leading retail outlets.
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