The Samsung Galaxy A12 is a “budget” smartphone powered by a MediaTek Helio P35 chipset with an octa-core CPU, PowerVR GE8320 GPU, and either 4GB or 6GB of RAM.
I tested its gaming performance by playing Mobile Legends, Call of Duty Mobile, and PUBG Mobile while measuring the average frame rate (FPS) using GameBench Pro. Take note that Samsung provided a 6GB review unit so the results might differ slightly compared to the 4GB model.
PUBG Mobile graphics settings on the Samsung Galaxy A12.
Before testing the FPS of each game on the Samsung Galaxy A12, I made sure that the graphics settings are set to the maximum level supported by the device.
Call of Duty Mobile only supports “Low” graphics quality. Meanwhile, PUBG Mobile sets the graphics quality to “Smooth” by default but can be changed to “Balanced” by the user.
Surprisingly, Mobile Legends sets the graphics quality to “Ultra” out of the box. However, the “Ultra” option becomes disabled once the user changes the graphics settings. For this test, I set the graphics quality to “High” because the device became very laggy on “Ultra”.
Here are the results of the FPS Tests conducted on the Samsung Galaxy A12:
| Game | Graphics Quality | Frame Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Legends | High | 47 fps |
| Call of Duty | Low | 48 fps |
| PUBG Mobile | Balanced | 24 fps |
These results are nowhere near the perfect 60 fps. For PUBG Mobile, the game automatically limited the framerate to 25 fps but the device still fell short of that.
FPS test result of Mobile Legends on the Samsung Galaxy A12.
Based on the results of the FPS tests, the Samsung Galaxy A12 doesn’t have a great gaming performance. This is what I expected because it’s powered by an entry-level chipset.
It can still make games playable like Mobile Legends but the graphics settings have to be reduced to the lowest level to prevent lags and stutters. More resource-intensive games can also be played but the overall experience won’t be as enjoyable.
On the positive side, the device doesn’t get too hot even during prolonged gaming sessions. It seldom reaches 38°C as long as the screen’s brightness is kept at around 50% only.
There are also several gaming features on the device such as its Game Booster app that can block notifications when playing. It can even record high-quality videos of games without any watermark.
Is the Samsung Galaxy A12 good for gaming?
The Samsung Galaxy A12 can run games like Mobile Legends smoothly at low graphics quality. It becomes laggy when playing heavy games like Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG Mobile even at the lowest graphics settings. I can only recommend it for casual gaming.
Nevertheless, it manages its temperature well and has several useful gaming features in its software including high-quality recording.
At a starting price of ₱7,990, it faces tough competition from the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, realme 6i, and Cherry Mobile Aqua Infinity. All three competitors have better chipsets for the same price.
