Samsung Galaxy F12 Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Samsung Galaxy F12 is a budget smartphone that packs quite a punch. It was released on April 12, 2021, and has since garnered a lot of attention from both critics and consumers.

Design and Build Quality

When it comes to design and build quality, the Samsung Galaxy F12 has a lot to offer. The phone features a sleek and modern design that is sure to turn heads. It has a large 6.5-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate that provides a smooth and responsive user experience. The placement of the physical buttons and fingerprint sensor on the side of the phone is ergonomic and convenient.

The Galaxy F12 is made of high-quality materials, with a glass front and a plastic back and frame. While some may prefer a metal build, the plastic does not feel cheap and is lightweight, making it comfortable to hold for extended periods of time. The phone also has a solid construction and feels sturdy in the hand.

One of the standout features of the Galaxy F12's design is its triple camera setup, which is arranged vertically on the top left corner of the back panel. This gives the phone a unique and eye-catching look. The camera bump is not too pronounced, so the phone lays flat on a surface.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy F12 has an attractive design and solid build quality that should appeal to a wide range of users. Its combination of aesthetics and practicality make it a great choice for those looking for a budget phone that doesn't skimp on style.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy F12 boasts a 6.5-inch PLS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate. With a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio, the display offers a pixel density of around 270ppi. The screen-to-body ratio is around 81.9%, which makes for an immersive viewing experience.

The display technology used in the Samsung Galaxy F12 may not be the most advanced in the market, but it still delivers vivid colors and good contrast. The screen is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, which provides extra durability against scratches and accidental drops.

In terms of brightness and outdoor visibility, the Samsung Galaxy F12 is average. The display can get relatively bright, but it struggles a bit when exposed to direct sunlight. However, the touch sensitivity and responsiveness of the screen are excellent, making it easy to navigate through apps and menus.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy F12's display is a decent one. It's not the best in the market, but it's good enough for most users. The 90Hz refresh rate is a nice touch, providing a smoother scrolling experience. The display is also large enough to enjoy watching videos or playing games.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy F12 is powered by an Exynos 850 chipset that is built on an 8nm process. It is an octa-core processor with four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz and four more Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz. The processor is paired with Mali-G52 GPU. This combination delivers a smooth and lag-free experience while navigating through the phone’s UI.

The 4GB RAM onboard is sufficient for most day-to-day usage, and the 64GB of internal storage is expandable through a dedicated microSD card slot. Multitasking is a breeze, and the phone can run multiple apps simultaneously without any lag or stutter.

Even though the processor is not the most powerful in the market, the Galaxy F12 can handle most games with ease. There are no heating issues, and the phone does not throttle even after extended gaming sessions. In benchmarks, the Galaxy F12 performs similarly to other phones in its price range.

Real-world usage is smooth, and the phone handles most tasks with ease. Applications open quickly, and switching between them is seamless. The phone is ideal for casual users and can handle most tasks with ease.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy F12 delivers a competent performance that is on par with other phones in its price range. It is not the most powerful phone in the market, but it is more than capable of handling most day-to-day tasks with ease.

Software and User Interface

The Samsung Galaxy F12 runs on Android 11, with an upgrade option to Android 13, One UI 5. The user interface is clean and straightforward, providing a smooth and user-friendly experience. One UI 5 is known for its intuitive design, making it easy to navigate through menus and settings.

The phone also comes with various customization options, allowing users to personalize their experience. One of these options is the ability to change the app icons, which is a great touch for those who like to make their phone their own.

Pre-installed apps and bloatware are minimal, which is a relief for those who do not like a cluttered home screen. The apps that come with the phone are useful and practical, including Google apps and Samsung apps such as Samsung Health and Samsung Pay.

The user interface is also optimized for easy one-handed use, with features such as a one-handed mode and a floating keyboard. These features are especially helpful for those with smaller hands or for those who prefer to use their phone with one hand.

Samsung is known for providing regular software updates, ensuring that the phone stays up-to-date with the latest security patches and features. This is a significant advantage for those who want their phone to remain relevant for a long time.

Overall, the software and user interface of the Samsung Galaxy F12 provide a smooth and enjoyable experience, with customization options and regular software updates adding to its appeal.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy F12 comes with an impressive quad-camera setup at the back, consisting of a 48MP primary sensor with f/2.0 aperture, a 5MP ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture, a 2MP macro lens with f/2.4 aperture, and a 2MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture. On the front, there is an 8MP selfie camera with f/2.2 aperture.

In daylight, the primary camera captures images with good detail, accurate colors, and minimal noise. The ultra-wide-angle lens is useful for capturing wider landscapes and group photos, but it suffers from distortion at the edges. The macro lens also does a decent job of capturing close-up shots, but it struggles with focus in low light. The depth sensor helps in creating a natural bokeh effect in portrait shots.

In low light, the camera performance takes a hit, with images appearing noisy and lacking detail. However, the Night mode feature helps in improving the image quality by reducing noise and increasing brightness.

The camera app is easy to use and offers various shooting modes such as Pro mode, Live focus, and Super Slow-mo. The video recording capabilities of the primary camera are limited to 1080p at 30fps, which is a bit of a letdown. However, the camera app offers various video modes such as Super Slow-mo, Hyperlapse, and Short Clip.

Overall, the camera setup of the Samsung Galaxy F12 is quite impressive for its price range. It offers a versatile camera setup and decent camera performance in good lighting conditions. However, it could use some improvements in low light photography and video recording capabilities.

Battery Life

Connectivity and Networking

The Samsung Galaxy F12 offers robust connectivity and networking options that cater to the needs of modern-day users. The device supports GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks, enabling users to stay connected to the internet and social media platforms while on the go. Additionally, the device supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Wi-Fi Direct, ensuring seamless connectivity with wireless networks.

Bluetooth 5.0 and A2DP support allow for quick and easy file transfers between devices, while GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and BDS support provide accurate location tracking and navigation. However, the device does not support NFC, which may be a bummer for users who rely on contactless payments.

The Samsung Galaxy F12 features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that provides reliable and secure authentication. Furthermore, the device comes with a virtual proximity sensor that enables users to answer calls without pressing the power button. This feature is particularly useful in situations where users have wet hands or are wearing gloves.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy F12's connectivity and networking features are impressive, providing users with reliable and seamless connectivity options that cater to their daily needs.

Additional Features

The Samsung Galaxy F12 comes with a few additional features that make it stand out from other devices in its price range. For starters, the device has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is great news for those who prefer using wired headphones over wireless ones. The device also features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which is fast and accurate, and ensures that your device remains secure.

Another great feature of the Galaxy F12 is its expandable storage option. The device comes with a dedicated microSDXC card slot, which allows you to expand the storage up to 1TB. This is especially useful for those who need to store a lot of media files, such as photos, videos, and music.

In addition, the device's audio quality is impressive, thanks to its loudspeaker and Dolby Atmos technology. The device's speaker is loud and clear, and produces clear sound even at high volumes. The Dolby Atmos technology, on the other hand, enhances the audio quality of the device, making it ideal for watching movies and listening to music.

Lastly, the Samsung Galaxy F12 features a range of sensors, including an accelerometer and virtual proximity sensing. These sensors work together to provide an immersive and intuitive user experience, making it easier for you to navigate and use your device.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy F12 comes with a range of impressive additional features that make it a great device to own, especially for those who are looking for a budget-friendly option with great specifications and features.

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the Samsung Galaxy F12 with other related phones, there are a few devices that come to mind. One of the closest competitors to the F12 is the Redmi 9 Power from Xiaomi. Both devices feature similar specs such as a 6.5 inch display and a massive 6000mAh battery. The Redmi 9 Power also has a slightly better rear camera setup, featuring a 48MP primary camera compared to the F12's 48MP camera. However, the F12 has a faster 90Hz refresh rate display compared to the 60Hz display on the Redmi 9 Power.

Another phone that is worth comparing to the F12 is the Realme Narzo 30 Pro. Both devices feature similar specs such as a MediaTek chipset and a 6.5 inch display. However, the Narzo 30 Pro has a more powerful chipset, featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 800U compared to the Exynos 850 on the F12. The Narzo 30 Pro also has faster charging capabilities, supporting up to 30W charging compared to the F12's 15W charging.

Finally, the Poco M3 Pro 5G is another device that is worth comparing to the F12. Both devices feature similar specs such as a 6.5 inch display and a massive 6000mAh battery. However, the Poco M3 Pro 5G has the advantage of 5G connectivity, which is not available on the F12. The Poco M3 Pro 5G also has a slightly more powerful chipset, featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 700 compared to the Exynos 850 on the F12.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy F12 is a budget smartphone that offers remarkable value for its price. It has a sleek design, a large display, and a long-lasting battery life that can easily last you throughout the day. The performance is decent, and it can handle most apps and games with ease. The camera is also one of its strong suits, providing high-quality images and videos in various conditions.

However, it does have some drawbacks, such as the low-resolution display and the lack of NFC support. Additionally, it may not be the best option for heavy gamers or power users who demand high-end performance.

Overall, if you are in search of a reliable and affordable smartphone that can fulfill your basic needs, the Samsung Galaxy F12 is definitely worth considering. Its combination of features, performance, and affordability make it a great contender in the budget segment.