2020 might have been a tough year for most sectors, but the disruption and changes in work and education patterns created unique opportunities for tech majors. We travelled less and rarely flaunted our phones thanks to WFH routines and infrequent catch ups with friends and co-workers. This has also forced many consumers to rethink their priorities and spending on smartphones. It’s why devices that have found that price:value sweet spot are trending. The Rs 20,000 – 25,000 price band is one such sweet spot where devices like the OnePlus Nord, Samsung’s Galaxy M51 and the Mi10i hold sway. This is exactly where Samsung’s new Galaxy F62 lands.
The F62 is the second F series to debut after the F41 in Q4 of 2020. Samsung tells us that the F in this series refers to ‘Full-on’, crafted for demanding users in India who want it all at a reasonable price.
The first thing that caught my attention was the ribbed pattern that accentuates the colour gradient. It adds a premium element to the design that played out particularly well in the laser green variant that I tested. I like how it morphs from emerald green to metallic silver. It can pass off for a glass back, although it’s finished in polycarbonate. Samsung cheekily calls it ‘glastic’ — it’s almost a fair description.
In many ways, the F62 is the M51 upgraded. One of the many similarities you will notice is the 7000 mAh battery. It adds some serious heft to the device and yet it doesn’t feel very clunky in your hand. The heavy duty battery is something power users will appreciate. If you’re not a heavy gamer or ‘binge watcher’, you might manage close to two days on a single charge. Samsung has bundled a 25W fast charger in the box. The other identical feature is the 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display (1080 x 2400 pixels / 393 PPI). We would have liked to see a 90Hz refresh rate on this display though.
We enjoyed using the quad rear cam and the 32MP selfie shooter on the M51; the F62 delivers the same experience. It’s the same quad cam — a 64MP primary lens, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP depth sensor and a 5MP macro lens. The device scores in lowlight but it’s the live focus (portrait mode) and macro images that come as a pleasant surprise. While the camera experience is similar to the M51, it’s the placement of the rear camera module with its symmetrical design that adds to the cool quotient of the F62. It’s not just this cosmetic change that the F62 brings to the table. It’s the choice of processor that might be the clincher for this device.
The Samsung Galaxy F62 is propelled by the Exynos 9825 that is at the heart of the Note 10 series. There’s a choice of 6GB RAM/128 GB storage and 8GB RAM/128GB storage variants that both come with expandable memory (via a dedicated slot aside from a dual SIM slot). It’s a solid hardware package and makes the F62 one of the best all-round devices at this price point.
The Samsung Galaxy F62 comes in Laser Green, Laser Black and Laser Blue and costs Rs 23,999 (6GB/128GB) and Rs 25,999 (8GB/128GB).
Views expressed by the author are personal.