Smartphone Comparison: Samsung Galaxy A02 vs. Honor Magic5 Pro
1. Specifications Comparison
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A02 | Honor Magic5 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 164 × 75.9 × 9.1 mm | 162.9 × 76.7 × 8.8 mm | A02 is slightly taller and thicker; Magic5 Pro is slightly wider. Difference is minimal, mainly affects pocketability. |
| Weight | 206g | 219g | A02 is slightly lighter, might be noticeable during extended use, but not a significant difference. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.5" | 6.81" | Magic5 Pro offers a more immersive experience with a larger screen for multimedia consumption and gaming. |
| Resolution | 720x1600 | 1312x2848 | Magic5 Pro has a much sharper display, resulting in crisper text, images, and better overall viewing quality. |
| Pixel Density (PPI) | 270 | 460 | Magic5 Pro display is significantly sharper and detailed due to higher pixel density. |
| Technology | PLS LCD | OLED | Magic5 Pro's OLED display offers superior color reproduction, deeper blacks, and better viewing angles compared to A02's LCD screen. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | Magic5 Pro display is smoother and more fluid, which is beneficial for gaming and overall responsiveness, while A02 may appear less fluid. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 1800 nits | Magic5 Pro screen offers dramatically better outdoor visibility in sunlight thanks to much higher brightness. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6739W (28 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Magic5 Pro is significantly faster for all tasks, including demanding apps and gaming. A02 will struggle with heavier workloads. |
| AnTuTu Score | 50,774 | 1,406,562 | Magic5 Pro offers vastly superior performance, making it suitable for demanding tasks, while A02 will be limited to basic usage. |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8100 | Adreno 740 | Magic5 Pro's GPU provides significantly better graphics performance for gaming and graphic intensive tasks, while A02 will struggle with demanding graphics. |
| Battery | |||
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 5100mAh | Both have similar battery capacity, likely providing comparable battery life on a single charge, although usage will affect this. |
| Charging | 7.5W fast charging | 66W fast charging, 50W Wireless Charging, 5W Reverse Charging | Magic5 Pro charges significantly faster, reducing wait times. A02 charging will be much slower. |
| Features | Non-removable | Non-removable, 50W Wireless charging, Silicon-carbon battery, 5W Reverse Charging | Magic5 Pro offers more advanced battery features, including fast wireless and reverse charging, which is useful for charging other devices. |
| Camera | |||
| Standard Camera | 13MP, f/1.9, 1.12µm pixels | 50MP, f/1.6, 1/1.12" sensor, Sony IMX878, 1.4µm pixels | Magic5 Pro's camera has significantly higher resolution, a wider aperture for better low-light, and larger pixels leading to better image quality. |
| Telephoto + Portrait Camera | None | 50MP, f/3.0, 1/2.51" sensor, Sony IMX858, 0.64µm pixels | Magic5 Pro has a dedicated telephoto lens, while A02 has no telephoto capabilities. |
| Selfie Camera | 5MP, f/2.0 | 12MP, f/2.4, 1.22µm pixels | Magic5 Pro's front camera has higher resolution and larger pixels, while A02 has a wider aperture for better low light. |
| ToF 3D Sensor | None | 0.3MP | Magic5 Pro has a ToF 3D sensor for depth information. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.4 | None | A02 has a dedicated macro lens, while Magic5 Pro has no macro capabilities, but instead offers a wide angle + macro. |
| Wide Angle + Macro Camera | None | 50MP, f/2.0, 1/2" sensor, Omnivision OV64B, 0.70µm pixels | Magic5 Pro has a dedicated wide angle + macro lens, while A02 has no wide angle capabilities. |
| Video Recording | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps with HDR, EIS; 1080p@30/60fps with HDR, EIS | Magic5 Pro records higher quality video with better stabilization and HDR, while A02 is limited to 1080p and no stabilization. |
| DXOMark (Mobile) | N/A | Main Score: 152; Photo Score: 154; Video Score: 144 | Magic5 Pro demonstrates a high-quality camera system based on DXOMark scores; the A02 has no provided score. |
| DXOMark (Selfie) | N/A | Main Score: 123; Photo Score: 116; Video Score: 136 | Magic5 Pro's selfie camera shows solid scores. No score available for A02. |
| Camera Features | Digital zoom, Dual camera, Autofocus, Touch focus, Continuous shooting, Geotagging, Panorama, HDR, Face detection, White balance settings, ISO settings, Exposure compensation, Scene mode, Self-timer | 4K Video, Digital zoom, Optical zoom, Quadruple camera, Digital image stabilization, Optical Stabilization (OIS), Ultra stable video, Autofocus, Touch focus, Continuous autofocus, Manual focus, Laser AF, Phase detection autofocus (PDAF), Laser autofocus (LAF), Dual front camera, Continuous shooting, Geotagging, Panorama, HDR, Face detection, White balance settings, ISO settings, Exposure compensation, Scene mode, Self-timer, RAW, Night Mode | Magic5 Pro offers significantly more camera features. |
| Software | |||
| Operating System | Android 10 (up to 11) | Android 13 (up to 14) | Magic5 Pro has a more recent operating system version with more features and security patches, and is also future-proof compared to A02. |
| Connectivity | |||
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be/WiFi 6E/WiFi 7, Dual band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, Wi-Fi MiMO | Magic5 Pro has advanced Wi-Fi capabilities, including newer standards for faster speeds and better stability. |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 LE | 5.2 LE, A2DP, EDR, APT-x, LDAC, SBC, AAC | Magic5 Pro offers newer version, better audio codecs for better quality and more features. |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, Beidou, QZSS, Galileo, GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BeiDou (B1), Galileo (E1+E5a), BeiDou (B2), NavIC System, QZSS (L1 + L5) | Magic5 Pro offers more GPS bands and accuracy, which can be critical in specific situations. |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano) | Dual SIM (Nano/eSIM) | Magic5 Pro offers an eSIM option for digital carrier switching. A02 is limited to physical SIM cards. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal | 32 GB or 64 GB | 128GB, 256 GB or 512 GB | Magic5 Pro has significantly more storage space for photos, videos, apps, and games. |
| RAM | 2 GB, 3GB or 4 GB | 8GB, 12GB, or 16GB | Magic5 Pro has much more RAM, allowing smoother multitasking and app performance. |
| Expandable | No | No | Neither phone offers expandable storage, limiting future storage upgrades. |
| Audio | |||
| Audio Quality | Dolby Atmos | DTS / DTS X, Stereo Speakers | Magic5 Pro provides higher quality audio with stereo speakers for better immersion, while A02 relies on Dolby Atmos, which is not as versatile. |
| Security | |||
| Features | Basic security features | Fingerprint sensor | Magic5 Pro has a physical fingerprint sensor for secure and easy unlocking, while A02 lacks this feature. |
| Build Quality | |||
| Protection | Unknown | Unknown | Both phones have unknown protection against elements. |
| Sensors | |||
| Sensors | Proximity, Accelerometer | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Magic5 Pro has more comprehensive sensors enabling a wider range of functionality, for example: gaming and VR experiences. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Samsung Galaxy A02 Advantages:
- Lighter: At 206g, it's 13g lighter than the Honor Magic5 Pro, which could be beneficial for users who prefer a lighter phone.
- Lower price: A02 is significantly cheaper, making it accessible to users on a tight budget.
- Macro lens: Offers a dedicated macro lens, allowing users to capture close-up shots (although image quality may be inferior to Magic5 Pro's main and wide-angle lens).
- Wider aperture selfie camera: Has a wider aperture selfie camera, which should perform better in low light (though it has lower resolution than the Magic5 Pro).
Honor Magic5 Pro Advantages:
- Superior Display: Larger, higher resolution OLED display with higher refresh rate, offering better image quality, sharpness and fluidity.
- Much Higher Performance: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset offers significantly better performance for multitasking, gaming, and demanding applications.
- Advanced Camera System: Superior main sensor, a telephoto lens, a wide-angle lens, better low light capabilities, and extensive features like 4K recording, optical image stabilization and more.
- Faster Charging & Wireless Charging: Offers much faster wired and wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, a significant advantage.
- More RAM and Storage: Significantly more RAM and storage, providing better multitasking, more space for apps and media.
- Better connectivity: Supports advanced Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards, enabling faster and more reliable connections.
- More features: Offers additional features, including an eSIM, fingerprint sensor and more comprehensive sensors.
- More future-proof: Newer OS, and better hardware, the Magic5 Pro is more future-proof than the A02.
Trade-offs:
- Price: The Honor Magic5 Pro comes at a much higher price point than the Samsung Galaxy A02.
- Weight: The Magic5 Pro is slightly heavier.
- Macro lens: The A02 has a dedicated macro lens, which the Magic5 Pro lacks.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Samsung Galaxy A02:
- Ideal User: Budget-conscious users who need a basic smartphone for everyday tasks like calling, texting, browsing and light social media.
- Use Cases:
- Basic communication and messaging.
- Casual web browsing.
- Simple social media usage.
- Users needing a lighter phone.
- Value: Provides basic smartphone functionality at a very low price point, focusing on essential use rather than premium experience.
Honor Magic5 Pro:
- Ideal User: Power users, tech enthusiasts, professionals, or anyone who requires a high-performance device with a premium camera system, fast charging, and advanced features.
- Use Cases:
- Demanding mobile gaming and heavy multitasking.
- High-quality photography and videography.
- Professional use with enhanced productivity features.
- Extensive media consumption.
- Users looking for top-tier features.
- Value: Justifies its price with exceptional performance, a premium display, versatile camera system and cutting-edge technology. It is a flagship-level phone.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- Budget: How much are you willing to spend on a smartphone? (A02 is very budget friendly while Magic5 Pro is a premium device.)
- Primary Use: What will be the primary use of your smartphone? (Basic tasks or demanding use cases?)
- Importance of Features: Which features are most important to you (e.g., camera, display quality, performance)?
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Tight Budget, Basic Needs: If your budget is very limited and you only need a phone for essential tasks, the Samsung Galaxy A02 is the better choice.
- Scenario 2: High-Performance and Premium Features: If you want the best possible performance, camera quality, display and all the latest features, then the Honor Magic5 Pro is the clear choice, despite its higher price.
- Scenario 3: Decent Performance, Good Value: If you are looking for something in between the two phones, the Magic5 Pro is still a clear winner as the A02 would not be able to keep up with usage requirements, thus resulting in a frustrating experience.
My Choice and Why
If I had to choose between these two phones, I would choose the Honor Magic5 Pro. While the Samsung Galaxy A02 is a very affordable phone, it is just not suitable for my use cases. The Magic5 Pro provides a vastly superior experience due to its:
- Significantly better performance: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a much more powerful chipset than the Mediatek MT6739W, and it ensures that tasks are done quickly without stutter.
- Superior display: The OLED screen with higher resolution, brightness, and refresh rate makes viewing content a joy.
- Professional level camera system: The versatile camera system with a great main sensor, telephoto, and wide angle lens enables fantastic photos, as well as 4K video with professional features.
- Faster charging: The 66W charging is much faster than the 7.5W charging on the A02, which is a great time-saver. The 50W wireless charging is also amazing and very useful when not wanting to deal with cables.
- More features: The Magic5 Pro also has more features like the fingerprint sensor, eSIM, better GPS, and better Wi-Fi and Bluetooth versions.
While the Magic5 Pro is more expensive, the sheer difference in functionality justifies the increased price. I personally value performance and camera quality and the Magic5 Pro excels in these areas and more, thus easily making it my choice.
