AT&T's Samsung Focus 2 tips the value scale in your favor with this midlevel Windows Phone smartphone.
Jessica Dolcourt
Jessica is a passionate content strategist and team leader across the CNET family of brands. She leads a number of teams, including commerce, performance optimization and the copy desk. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on the iPhone and Samsung devices. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds.
Jessica began her leadership role managing CNET's How To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones to home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick in the UK.
The deal-lover in me sits a little taller when I hear about a handset like the Samsung Focus 2. For $50, it offers essential smartphone functionality, plus 4G LTE speeds, a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, and some handy extras like a front-facing camera.
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Light it up
The Focus 2, which goes on sale May 20, comes in this glossy white hue. The backlit navigation buttons cast a stylish glow.
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Tailored look
I like the attention Samsung paid to the phone's design. Just one suggestion: rough up that butterfingers backing.
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Camera close-up
The 5-megapixel rear-facing camera took clear shots that I was happy to affix to e-mails and upload to social-networking sites. However, the sharpness level is set to medium by default, an annoying detail.
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Bottom
Plug in your standard Micro-USB charger here.
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Front-facing camera
There's a VGA camera up front, and Tango and Skype are two easy-to-download video chat apps.
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In profile
Optical illusions caused by the white color and curved silver accents on the spine make the Focus 2 look fatter than it is. At 0.5 inch thick, the width is completely typical. Read the full Samsung Focus 2 review for more details, photos, and a 360-degree video review.
