Samsung Galaxy A12 vs Galaxy S10: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Galaxy S10 is the clear winner in terms of performance, camera quality, and display technology. However, the A12 provides excellent value for budget-conscious buyers. If you prioritize premium features, the S10 is the choice; if affordability is key, the A12 is a solid option.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy A12 (India) | Samsung Galaxy S10 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global, USA |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, August 12 | 2019, February 20. Released 2019, March 08 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 12 | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164 x 75.8 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) | 149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8 mm (5.90 x 2.77 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 205 g (7.23 oz) | 157 g (5.54 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~270 ppi density) | 1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~550 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~82.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 93.2 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | PLS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2x2.31 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEA/LATAMOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Exynos 850 (8 nm) | Exynos 9820 (8 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Mali-G52 | Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| eMMC 5.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), AF 5 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, AF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@60fps (no EIS), 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.2 | 10 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio, RDS, recording | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| Virtual proximity sensing | ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 15W wired | 15W wired, PD2.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 3400 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, White | Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Green, Prism Blue, Canary Yellow, Flamingo Pink, Cardinal Red, Smoke Blue |
| Models | SM-A127F, SM-A127F/DS | SM-G973F, SM-G973U, SM-G973W, SM-G973U1, SM-G9730, SM-G973N, SM-G973X, SCV41, SM-G973C |
| Price | About 160 EUR | About 150 EUR |
| SAR | 0.79 W/kg (head) | 0.93 W/kg (head) 0.79 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.48 W/kg (head) 1.59 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -92.2dB / Crosstalk -92.7dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 79h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.498 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 82dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 85dB |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 328366 (v7) GeekBench: 10174 (v4.4) GFXBench: 23fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy A12 (India)
- Affordable
- Decent battery life
- Large display (likely)
- Expandable storage (likely)
- Lower performance
- Less impressive camera
- Basic display
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S10
- Premium display
- Powerful performance
- Excellent camera
- Wireless charging
- Reverse wireless charging
- Sleek design
- Higher price
- Older model (potential software support concerns)
- Battery may degrade over time
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S10 boasts a significantly superior display with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio and excellent sunlight visibility. Its AMOLED technology delivers richer colors and deeper blacks compared to the A12's likely LCD panel (spec not explicitly provided, but common for this price range). The S10 also likely has a higher resolution and potentially a smoother refresh rate.
Camera Comparison
While both phones offer 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the Galaxy S10's camera system is considerably more advanced. It likely features a wider range of lenses (ultrawide, telephoto), better image processing, and superior low-light performance. The A12's camera is adequate for casual snapshots but won't match the S10's quality.
Performance
The Galaxy S10's Exynos 9820 or Snapdragon 855 (depending on region) chipset blows the A12's Exynos 850 out of the water. Expect noticeably faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the S10. The S10's CPU architecture is also more advanced, contributing to its overall speed.
Battery Life
Both phones are reported to have an endurance rating of 79h, which is impressive. However, the S10 has the added benefit of wireless charging (Qi) and reverse wireless charging, features absent in the A12.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy A12 (India)? Users seeking a budget-friendly phone for basic tasks like calling, texting, and social media. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S10? Users who want a premium experience with a better camera, faster performance, and a vibrant display, and are willing to pay a higher price.