The Galaxy A12 was Samsung's entry-level workhorse from late 2020, and it sold in enormous numbers for a simple reason: it covered the basics and the battery lasted. The 5,000mAh cell will still carry most people through two days of light use, and the 6.5-inch screen is large enough for video and browsing. The compromises sit exactly where you would expect. The display is only HD+ and runs at 60Hz, so it looks soft and less fluid alongside newer budget phones, and the MediaTek Helio P35 was modest when new and now labours with anything demanding. The 48MP main camera is respectable in daylight and unremarkable indoors, while the pair of 2MP macro and depth sensors add very little. What it does keep, and what newer phones increasingly drop, is a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD slot, so you can add storage cheaply and use wired earphones. Samsung's software support for it has now ended, which matters most if you handle banking or work email on your phone. It works as a spare or a first phone for a child, but it is not one to keep for years.