Grandstream GRP2602Color screen on an entry-tier budget.

Why the GRP2602 is on the catalog.

The GRP2602 is exactly the same phone as the GRP2601, give or take a color LCD instead of a monochrome one. Same two SIP lines, same dual 10/100 ethernet, same PoE class 1, same handset, same Opus codec, same provisioning files. The screen upgrade is the only meaningful difference — and it is worth the extra $10 for almost any deployment that is not literally hidden in a closet.

Where it actually earns the upgrade: the GRP2602W variant adds built-in Wi-Fi, which means you can put this phone in a conference room, a satellite office, a back-of-warehouse spot — anywhere ethernet is a hassle to pull — without committing to a $150 phone just to get Wi-Fi. We sell the GRP2602W roughly twice as often as the wired GRP2602; if you have any chance of needing Wi-Fi on a single unit in your fleet later, just spec the W variant up front.

Where it does not make sense: any desk where someone needs to monitor coworker line status (only 2 hard keys, both consumed by your SIP lines), any desk that needs Bluetooth, or any deployment where the user is going to spend real screen time on the phone. The 2.4-inch screen is fine for caller ID and a name; it is not great for browsing a 200-person directory. For that, the GRP2612 is the next stop.