Back in May of this year, Samsung launched a phone in several Asian and European markets called the Galaxy Core. It had a 4.3 inch screen that pushed 800 x 480 pixels, it had a 5 megapixel camera, and under the hood there was a 1.2 GHz dual core processor and 1 GB of RAM. Today, on Samsung’s Taiwan website, a new device has appeared called the Galaxy Core Plus. So what’s been upgraded? Surprisingly … nothing. In fact, there’s only 768 MB of RAM in the Core Plus compared to 1 GB in the regular Core. About the only thing that’s “good” about the Core Plus is that it ships with Android 4.2 whereas the Core ships with Android 4.1.

Why is Samsung pulling this kind of bullshit with consumers?

We’ll never really know because we don’t have regular meetings with their product managers, but I have a feeling this device was created for logistical reasons. Right now, Samsung sells two devices with 3 GB of RAM, the Note 3 and the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition. That’s enabled thanks to the use of six 768 MB chips. Samsung would rather maximize their output of 768 MB chips than make both 768 MB chips and 512 MB chips, thus explaining (in my mind at least) why the Core Plus exists.

Should you buy the Core Plus? At 7,990 TWD ($270) you’re better off trying to find a used Galaxy S III and then slap a new battery in there. Shouldn’t be too hard in Taiwan given the number of places that sell second hand hardware. I know because I saw those places with my very own eyes earlier this year.