The middle class of mobile devices is in great demand. Released in 2012, the Ace 2 attracted the attention of many buyers. And even after a few years, the smartphone looks pretty good.
Design
The low-key Galaxy Ace 2 is likely to be overlooked by the consumer. Now this design is more like a "state employee", but in 2012 this type of device was very solid.
Korean craftsmen made the Galaxy Ace 2 as convenient as possible. Adults and children will be equally comfortable working with the device. The phone does not try to slip out of the hand. Dimensions are small, which is to be expected from a device with a diagonal of 3.8 inches. Although for such sizes, the weight of 122 grams is intimidating.
In addition to plastic, metal was also used in the case. Of course, there is not much of it, but it definitely affected the weight of the device. As with all Samsung products, it’s not worth talking about build quality. All parts fit perfectly, there are no squeaks or gaps.
The design of the device will appeal to the buyer with its simplicity, but not without flaws. The smartphone is available in only one color option, namely black with a small silver trim. Of course, the decision of the designers is quite typical for 2012, but I would like more.
Functional elements
The front part is divided between a small screen, earpiece, sensors and, of course, the front camera. Under the display, the company placed two touch buttons and one mechanical. On the back of the Galaxy Ace 2 is the main camera, flash, speaker and Samsung logo.
On the right, on the side, placed the power button. The opposite side was taken under the volume control and the connector for a flash card. The nest is closed with a plate. Connector 3, 5 for the headset is located on the top end. From above, you can see a small gap designed to remove the back cover. The USB connector and the speaking microphone are nestled on the bottom end.
The arrangement of the elements is quite familiar. The power button and volume control are located in convenient places for the user. No side overload, which is often found in mid-range devices.
Screen
In the Galaxy Ace 2 GT-i8160, the manufacturer installed a small, 3.8-inch display. The diagonal is not the largest, but enough for work. The resolution of 800 by 480 pixels fit perfectly into the characteristics. It will be difficult to notice imperfections in the image with the naked eye, since the phone has 245 ppi.
Most of allsurprises multitouch. The screen supports as many as 10 touches, which was a rarity even in the top devices of that year. Although Ace 2 would be quite enough and 5 points.
The matrix used in the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 GT-i8160 does not cause delight. The manufacturer equipped the device with outdated TFT technology. Accordingly, in the sun or in bright light, the display fades strongly. Maximum brightness slightly improves the situation, although it quickly drains the battery. The owner will also be upset by the viewing angles. Looking at the screen from the side, you can see a strong distortion of the picture.
The smartphone does not have automatic brightness adjustment. The user will have to manually adjust the backlight strength. Such a disadvantage looks rather strange for a device belonging to the middle class.
In general, the display looks pretty good. For a device released back in 2012, the characteristics are on top. Naturally, the screen will not be able to compete even with modern state employees, but this is not required of it.
Hardware
NovaThor U8500 was chosen as the processor in the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 GT-i8160. Increases the performance of the device two cores at 800 GHz. The Mali-400 accelerator is responsible for video and graphics. It is enough for most everyday tasks.
The Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 has only 768 megabytes of RAM. Only 500 MB is available to the user. With the necessary applications, the RAM copes, but you will have to forget about most entertainment.
Memory
Smartphone Galaxy Ace 2received only 4 gigabytes of internal memory, some of which is reserved for the Android system. The user has a little more than a gigabyte left, or rather 1.1 GB. The memory problem is quite critical and needs to be addressed.
You can increase the capacity with a memory card up to 32 GB. The user should immediately add the price of the flash drive to the total cost of the device. The smartphone supports instant card replacement. The flash drive slot is located on the left side, behind a thick plate.
Autonomy
Under the back cover of the Galaxy Ace 2 is a 1500 maH battery. It may seem that the capacity is not enough, but we should not forget about the characteristics of the device. Not particularly "gluttonous" filling and a frankly weak screen require a minimum of energy.
Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 without any problems with average activity will work for a day. In HD-quality video mode, the time will be reduced to five and a half hours. The battery drains much faster when using Wi-Fi and setting the screen brightness to maximum.
The battery in the device is removable, and this hints that the user does not have to save power all the time. By replacing the native battery with an analogue of a larger capacity, the user will get rid of the problem of constant recharging.
Camera
Matrix Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 GT is only 5 megapixels. The camera of the device will not particularly surprise the modern buyer. The resolution is quite standard for such a matrix and is 2592 by 1944 pixels. The pictures are quite acceptable. Don't expect high detail, but there are no major drawbacks either.
Recording commercials was also acceptable. The smartphone shoots video in HD quality. Unfortunately, the sound is recorded exclusively in mono.
Front camera Galaxy Ace 2 will not surprise the buyer. The device of the middle class received only 0.3 megapixels from the manufacturer. The user will be forced to forget about self-portraits. The camera can handle video calls, but no more.
System
The Galaxy Ace 2 GT runs on the outdated Android 2.3.6 platform. The owner can easily replace the system with a more advanced one. Available for Galaxy Ace 2 "Android 4.1", which is very good. There are also good custom firmware.
On top of the native system, the manufacturer installed its TouchWiz 4.0 shell. The interface has not changed much. The user still has access to seven desktops, weather information and other little things.
It is of interest to be able to mute the sound when calling by simply flipping the device. The company has even added a voice assistant. Otherwise, there are no fundamental differences. The user will receive a standard set of programs and several applications from Yandex.
Communication
Supports Galaxy Ace 2 GT to work with popular GSM, WCDMA networks. There is also standard navigation, for which regular Google maps are used. Location discovery is not the fastest process. The first launch will take approximately 2-5 minutes. Then the smartphone will be able to determine the coordinates in 30-40 seconds.
Device navigationvery "gluttonous". This applies not only to the battery charge, but also to the consumed traffic. However, the function justifies itself in full. The phone is able to display not only the route, but also the traffic situation. Driving directions are calculated in several ways.
Not without standard features. The company equipped the device with GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth version 3.0 and the expected Wi-Fi 802.11.
Price
Only having entered the store shelves, the novelty cost about 9 thousand rubles. Now the price has dropped significantly, given that the device is outdated. Today, you can become the owner of Ace 2 for 3-4 thousand rubles. If the cost corresponds to the modern "state employees", then the characteristics are noticeably inferior to new products.
Package
In addition to Ace 2, the set includes a branded headset, AC adapter, USB cable, documentation, battery. Given the plastic case, it would be useful to complete the kit with a cover. There is also an urgent need to increase memory. The user will be forced to purchase a flash card.
Positive Feedback
Despite the fact that a similar design has already been seen in the company's devices, appearance is a definite plus of Ace 2. The high-quality plastic of the case is able to withstand a strong blow. The assembly of the device does not cause any complaints either. The only slot that can be seen is located on the top and is designed to remove the cover. Unfortunately, many buyers are disappointed by the meager choice of colors.
A well-executed screen is one ofGalaxy Ace 2's advantages. The small display characteristics appealed to almost all users. Although the device uses a TFT-matrix, it only played a positive role. The image attracts with warm and rich tones. Naturally, because of the matrix, the screen's behavior in the sun is not the best, and the viewing angles are not high. Although the maximum brightness is enough to smooth out almost all sharp corners.
Users also appreciated the possibility of switching to a more recent system. Almost all owners hastened to replace their Android 2.3 with 4.1. The system really turned out to be much better than the factory one.
Ace 2 owners are very positive about the sound of the phone. Of course, there are slight crackles, but only at maximum volume. I was pleased with the smartphone and the presence of a built-in equalizer with many settings and sittings. With headphones, things are much better. Using the headset, the user gets clear sound with rich low frequencies.
An undoubted plus is the battery. It is especially pleasing that the battery is removable and can be changed to a larger capacity. Battery power is fully consistent with the characteristics of the device. The phone will work for a day without additional charging.
The device's camera is ideal for everyday use. The matrix of 5 megapixels does not inspire confidence only at first. The owners of the device appreciated the sharpness and vivid colors of the pictures.
Negative reviews
In the device, users are most confused by the processor. Previously released phones based on NovaThora similar version had two cores, each of which was one gigabyte. The decrease in performance is puzzling, although it does not affect the operation of the device.
Besides the processor, there is a more tangible drawback. It's about the amount of built-in memory. Only 1.1 GB is available to the user. Memory is definitely not enough even for the most necessary applications and functions. Saves the device the ability to install a card with additional volume.
The smartphone has received good navigation abilities. However, judging by the reviews, working with applications is tedious. Programs process data for a very long time, the time sometimes reaches several minutes of waiting.
Result
At one time, Ace 2 caused a real sensation. The device was able to compete even with the flagships of some companies. Despite many minor flaws, the device has interested fans.
