The Galaxy Ace 2 represents the relatively low-end line of the Samsung Galaxy series. The second generation of the Ace features major improvements and is a superb phone for anyone looking for a basic smartphone. However, just because it carries the “Galaxy” name, don’t expect it to be nearly as good as the flagship model: Galaxy S3.

 

 

Pros

Improved hardware

Enhanced UI

Solid Build

5MP camera

 

Cons

Android 2.3 only (not 4.0)

Limited customisation options

Limited Samsung apps

Display could be better

 

 

 

 

Hardware

 

 

The Ace 2 features a 3.8” PLS TFT capacitive touchscreen with 480 x 800 pixels resolution (~246 ppi pixel density). This screen is vivid but it isn’t as sensitive as the S3 or other high-end phones so if you are going to play something like Fruit Ninjas, you’ll be doing a lot more swiping that necessary.

It only features 3 physical buttons: the Home Key in front of the screen, the volume control key on the leftside, and the sleep/power button on the rightside. Despite the fact that the Ace 2 boasts a larger display, its overall profile, 118.3 x 62.2 x 10.5 mm, is not obtrusive. The device features a solid build and feels quite sturdy.

 

The Samsung Ace 2’s most noticeable differences are actually under the hood. It features a dual-core 800 MHz processor and 768MB of RAM. Internal memory is only 4GB but the Ace 2 also features a memory card slot that would allow users to add a further 32GB. The Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 also features a Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery with almost 7 hours and 30 minutes.

The camera is a decent (for this price) 5MP featuring autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging and smile detection software. This is not as good as a stand-alone camera, but the pictures are certainly good enough for Facebook.

The Ace 2 also features a full range of sensors including a proximity sensor, accelerometer, GPS, and a compass.

 

Interface

 

Disappointingly, the Ace 2 only features Android 2.3 and not 4.0 but this is not entirely surprising because even with the improved hardware it would be difficult to imagine it smoothly running 4.0. However, it does feature Samsung’s TochWiz 4.0 UI, which provides a number of shortcuts and rapidfire options. However, in terms of functionality it doesn’t have any amazing features that set it apart from the custom UIs of its rivals such as HTC (HTC Sense).

 

Conclusion

The Galaxy Ace 2 will provide users with a solid performance and features Android at its best. It is both decently priced and well built but don’t expect to use this phone as your primary entertainment or gaming device, unless you want to be disappointed with mediocre performance.

At the end of the day, this is not entirely a spectacular smartphone but this is certainly a superb option for someone who is not too interested in all the bells and whistles of high-end devices. This is also great for those looking for their first smartphone. 

 

 

By Navam Niles