We've touched on what the Samsung Galaxy A52 (4G) model has to offer. It's one of the best "premium" mid-range smartphones and would do especially well for those who fancy the Samsung ecosystem and experience.
While other market options beat the A52 4G (on paper), you cannot ignore its irresistible first-party apps and UI, its iconic Samsung AMOLED display quality and its great overall design.
With that being said, we were not too surprised that Samsung released a 5G variant too. This 5G model looks exactly just like the 4G variant. You probably would've guessed it, but features of the Galaxy A52s 5G are also similar to the A52 4G apart from the 5G connection.
Well, that and two other things are different: The display and the processor + GPU.
Today, our review will primarily touch on the aforementioned attributes. For an in-depth commentary on almost everything else, check out our Samsung Galaxy A52 4G review below:
Editor
Jodee Tan chevron_right
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- What's in the box?
- Specifications
- Display
- Processor & Gaming (Performance)
- Everything else - Design, Camera, Battery, Security & UI
- Conclusion
What's in the box?
Specifications
- Processor: Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm), Octa-core, Adreno 619 GPU
- Display: 6.5 inches, Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR+10, 800nits (brightness), 20:9 ratio
- Memory: 6GB + 128GB / 8GB + 128GB / 8GB + 256GB
- Rear Camera: 64 MP + 12 MP + 5 MP + 5MP
- Front Camera: 32 MP
- Battery: Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable, fast charging 25W (50% in 30 minutes)
- Connectivity: USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go
- 3.5mm Jack: Yes
- Operating System: Android 11, One UI 3.1
- Other Features: IP67 dust/water resistant, endurance rating 111H, Dolby Atmos Sound, Fingerprint (under display, optical) scanner, accelerometer, gyro, compass
Display
Among the Galaxy A52s 5G's upgrades is its display. The 4G variant has a 6.5-inch AMOLED 1080P panel with a 90Hz refresh rate along with gorilla glass protection.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy A52s 5G has the same AMOLED display panel but supports a 120Hz refresh rate instead. This rate is rare for a mid-range device and it is here that we see the most obvious upgrade between the two models.
Overall, performance is smoother and fluid. This attribute is obviously advantageous for tasks like playing fast-paced games and will do well to please any gamer as the 120Hz offers a more immersive gaming experience.
In terms of visual quality, the 5G model is the same as the 4G's. To recap, just like the A52 4G model, blacks on the A52s 5G model are gorgeously deep with images always having great contrast levels. Brightness on a bright day is also adequate.
We have to bring this up; while the 120Hz refresh rate is supported across most popular apps such as Facebook, Youtube and Instagram, there are still many games that do not support it.
Also, keep in mind that the A52 5G model comes with two refresh rate options: 60Hz (Standard) and 120Hz (High) Motion Smoothness. With no adaptive adjustments, be careful and remember to switch in between or you might intentionally eat more battery than intended.
Processor & Gaming
As you've already read, the A52s 5G comes with a Snapdragon 750G chipset compared to the A52 4G's Snapdragon 720G chipset. As the 5G variant is powering a 120Hz screen, we were wary about the Snapdragon 750G being able to power the demanding screen smoothly.
Based on our research and time with the phone, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G offers about 15-20% better performance output for the A52s 5G than the A52 4G model. With that, you should have no problem achieving a stable gaming experience as well as multitasking.
Everything runs and looks pretty fluid especially with the 120Hz refresh rate support.
With the Snapdragon 720G being able to run games such as Call Of Duty, PUBG or Asphalt, this 5G model does just as fine and performs great at medium resolution and higher framerates.
Tapping into that minor GPU upgrade; the Adreno 619 GPU has about the same performance output as the Adreno 618 GPU in the A52 4G model. For games, you will hardly see a difference (especially for those that do not support a 120Hz refresh rate). But when it comes to running the ONE UI 3.2 OS, the Adreno 619 offers a more stable & fluid experience.
All in all, everything felt smooth and consistent throughout with no lag or stuttering issues (which is also thanks to the 120Hz feature). For tasks like gaming, the A52s 5G has great thermal performance, and we hardly faced any overheating issues.
Everything else - Design, Camera, Battery, Security & UI
1. Design
With an eye-catching design, the A52 duo is one of the simplest but best looking mid-range phones. As expected from Samsung, the build quality and design of the A52s 5G is sturdy but is encased with a plastic back like the A52 4G model.
In our hands, the matte back is smooth-to-the-touch and should be able to deter any fingerprint marks. Not forgetting, the phone has an IP67 water protection rating.
Like the 4G model, the quad-camera setup at the back has a raised bump but protrusion is minimal. You can indeed place the phone on a flat surface without triggering your OCD or your need for perfection.
In terms of ports & connectivity, there's the Type-C input and 3.5 mm jack at the bottom with a bottom-firing speaker beside them.
2. Camera
We've loved what the A52 4G model has to offer in its camera capabilities. Like it, the 5G model also has a main sensor (64MP with f/1.8 aperture) that allows for great low-light shooting conditions. Photos in general also have great dynamic range and clarity.
Video reproduction is just the same, with the Samsung A52s 5G supporting 4K UHD videos at 30fps for both the front and back camera. That combo works really well for the likes of Vlogs With 4K recording, it helps with future-proofing the phone in the longer run.
3. Security & UI
When it comes to security and biometrics, the under-display fingerprint sensor on the A52s 5G is the same as the 4G model. Although the system is not going to be fast like the S21 Ultra, it's decent enough.
With the minor bump from the 120Hz and GPU upgrade, running the UI on the A52s 5G is more fluid which will satisfy most users.
The Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G sports the same biometrics features as the Galaxy A52 4G (pictured here).
Like the 4G model, this phone’s running is on the one UI 3.1 which is based on Android 11 and is the same as other Samsung devices including the flagships.
4. Battery
Lastly, the A52s 5G recorded a 111H total endurance rating according to GSMArena. The A52 duo has a 4,500 mAh battery that has 25 watts fast charging support though the phone comes with a 15 watts charger upon purchase. Like the 4G model, you should be able to charge the phone from 0% to 50% in 30 minutes.
With good optimisation, we are also able to get a day's worth of battery life on the A52s 5G model, ending our day with about 15-20% of battery life (with average use).