We’ve kept close tabs on the evolution of Samsung’s Galaxy M series. This line began (about two years ago) as an online exclusive aimed at India’s ever-expanding base of online shoppers with the uncanny ability to sniff out the best deals. The Samsung Galaxy M51 was one of the M series devices that we enjoyed checking out during the last six months. This device rode heavily on its 7000 mAh battery with a video playback of a whopping 34 hours. The M12 becomes the newest device to wear the Monster badge and drops with an aggressive price tag.
If slinky devices are your scene, then the M12 is not for you. This one’s for those who put a premium on battery life, an Energizer bunny of sorts that keeps chugging along. The 6000 mAh battery adds to the heft, the device crosses the 220 gm threshold. While it’s unmistakably heavy, it’s also a good-looking device for its price tag. Samsung opts for a refined and practical design that combines haze and matte. A large area of the back device wears an elegant striped pattern that also makes the device easier to grip, while the lower section of the device comes with a frosted matte finish. This contrast played out really well in our blue review unit that’s the pick of the colours on offer (that also includes black and white).
The 6000 mAh battery truly deserves the monster moniker; there’s a 15W fast charger bundled in the box. Samsung pegs the talk time (on a 4G network) at 58 hours. It won’t let you down and is geared for those extended video binge sessions. The battery comfortably lasted a day and a half in our tests that combined calls, camera usage and about 3-4 hours of videos. The highlight of the 6.5-inch display (720 x 1600 pixels / 20:0 ratio / 270 PPI) is the 90Hz refresh rate, a great value add at this price. It’s quite fluidic and colours are quite vibrant too. An Exynos 850 processor (that we first spotted in the first half of 2020) is at the heart of this device. We checked out the 6GB/128 variant, there’s also a 4GB/64 GB variant on sale. The device did reasonably well in everyday tasks and clocked a modest score of 898 in our Geekbench (multi-core) test. The fingerprint scanner (located on the power key on the right spine) is quite responsive too.
Quad cams are almost a given even in the Rs 10,000 – 15,000 price band. This one combines a 48MP primary lens with a 5MP ultra-wide lens (123 degree field of view), a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP Macro lens. There’s also an 8MP selfie shooter in the mix. It’s a decent set-up, the rear cam shot impressive wide-angle and macro images in optimal light but performance was overall average in lowlight. And yet this device can hold its own in the dark against rivals at a similar price point. We also like the placement of the rear lenses that adds to the aesthetic appeal.
The Samsung Galaxy M12 scores with its monster battery, design aesthetic and 90hz refresh rate that’s great to have at this price. It’s certainly not the fastest in class. If a robust battery and display are key considerations in your decision matrix, this device delivers good value for its price tag.
The Samsung Galaxy M12 comes in two variants – 4GB/64GB – Rs 10,999 or 6GB/128GB – Rs 13,499 and a choice of three colours (black, white and blue)
