Introduction
Click here for our full and extensive review of the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, which the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is based on.
We've said it before, and we'll say it again - Samsung currently has a really strong Galaxy A lineup. They took their "Awesome is for everyone" slogan to heart with interesting and fresh designs, as well as good value specs. Better still, the Korean giant definitely recognizes it has a good product on its hands and is now investing even further in extending its life. Particularly the Galaxy A52, which now has a new A52s 5G variant.
Technically, it can be considered another generation of the product, compared to the vanilla A52 and the A52 5G, though there aren't too many new changes here. The first two A52 models came out back in March, with the 5G one swapping the original's Snapdragon 720G for a 5G-capable Snapdragon 750G and the 90Hz, 6.5 Super AMOLED display for a 120Hz one. All the while keeping the two devices physically identical.
Now the Galaxy A52s 5G takes the Galaxy A52 5G and builds on top of it even further, swapping the chipset once again with an even better Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset, effectively addressing one of the few issues we had with the original - a slightly underpowered chipset.
And that's about it - a significant leap forward in performance and a few other minor specs additions that the new chipset affords, like Wi-Fi 6 compatibility, but still the exact same phone. Arguably, with less changes than going from the vanilla A52 to the A52 5G.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G specs at a glance:
- Body: 159.9x75.1x8.4mm, 189g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back; IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins).
- Display: 6.50" Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits (HBM), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 405ppi.
- Chipset: Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm): Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Kryo 670 & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo 670); Adreno 642L.
- Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
- OS/Software: Android 11, One UI 3.1.
- Rear camera: Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.7", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree, 1.12µm; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 5 MP, f/2.4.
- Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm.
- Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps.
- Battery: 4500mAh; Fast charging 25W.
- Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); 3.5mm jack.
That's definitely not us complaining, though, since the price tag on the Galaxy A52s 5G is practically unchanged either. Plus, you are still getting an excellent device, with some highlights like that 120Hz, 6.5-inch, Super AMOLED panel we just mentioned, a solid quad camera setup - the same as before, a gorgeous and youthful, playful exterior, with a rubber-like finish, pastel colors and an IP67 rating.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
Once again, you physically get the exact same 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm phone, with a plastic yet sturdy frame and a Gorilla Glass 5 front. It even weighs the same at 189 grams, which makes sense since the battery is the same 4,000 mAh one. It can be charged at a rate of up to 25W, like before, but this time around, you get a 25W charger in the box, as well, which is even more added value on the Galaxy A52s 5G.
So, we have our work cut out for us. Since we have already reviewed both the original Galaxy A52 and the A52 5G in detail, you can refer to those articles for commentary on design, software and any other aspect that has been carried forward unchanged on to the A52s 5G.
Since the chipset has been swapped, we will go ahead and re-test everything related to that, including performance, battery endurance and charging. We'll test the camera performance as well, since a new chipset does also mean a new and potentially different DSP, even though the cameras remain the same.
Unboxing
Before we get to all that, let's go through the new box and its contents really quick. There is nothing particularly special about the box itself - it is a simple, two-piece cardboard affair, but is strong and does its protective job as intended.
The accessory package hasn't changed drastically, with the important exception of the included charger. The Galaxy A52s 5G comes with a 25W charger in some markets instead of the lesser 15W unit the A52 and the A52 5G came with. You do need to check your particular retailer, though. So, that's a nice little potential value-add bonus.
Beyond that and a relatively short USB cable, there is nothing extra inside the retail box. No case or anything like that, which you might get with budget offers from other manufacturers. Even so, it's all about perspective, since with something like the significantly more expensive Galaxy S21 series, you don't even get a charger at all.
Familiar 6.5-inch AMOLED display
Even though Samsung hasn't mentioned any changes to the display of the Galaxy A52s 5G, we still had to make sure. On paper the panel is identical to the one in the Galaxy A52 5G - 6.5 inches, 1080 x 2400-pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.
Indeed, after running our standard set of tests, we can conclude that the panel hasn't been changed. That's a good thing too, since it is a solid one, all around.
The Max Brightness, as achieved with the main slider, isn't all that impressive and just reaches a maximum of 383 nits. However, automatic brightness adjustment works great and managed to boost our unit all the way up to 800 nits - perfectly usable outdoors.
| Display test | 100% brightness | ||
| Black, |
White, |
||
| 0 | 1023 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 846 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 825 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 823 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 814 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 800 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 794 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 787 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 725 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 716 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 682 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 634 | ∞ | |
| 0.38 | 537 | 1413:1 | |
| 0.4 | 534 | 1335:1 | |
| 0 | 514 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 511 | ∞ | |
| 0.338 | 497 | 1470:1 | |
| 0.4 | 477 | 1193:1 | |
| 0 | 475 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 458 | ∞ | |
| 0.327 | 458 | 1401:1 | |
| 0 | 457 | ∞ | |
| 0.277 | 439 | 1585:1 | |
| 0 | 437 | ∞ | |
| 0.301 | 429 | 1425:1 | |
| 0.286 | 426 | 1490:1 | |
| 0 | 404 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 396 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 396 | 1494:1 | |
| 0.252 | 395 | 1567:1 | |
| 0 | 393 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 386 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 383 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 378 | ∞ | |
This are pretty much the same numbers we got from the original Galaxy A52 and the A52 5G, or within the margin of error.
In typical Samsung fashion, there are two color profiles to choose from. Natural is what you want for the best possible sRGB color accuracy. The accuracy is not exactly perfect, but pretty close to what we would consider great.
The default vivid profile aims to cover the DCI-P3 space. Color accuracy isn't as good as sRGB, but we are still looking at very low deltaE values.
There is a color temperature slider available in vivid mode, as well as custom whitepoint adjustment, but neither managed to give us better results in terms of color accuracy.
Speaking of colors, the Galaxy A52s 5G reports quite extensive HDR support in software, which includes HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG. Combined with the highest L1 Widevine certification, you should get access to HD+ and HDR content on streaming services like Netflix. However, at the time of writing, Netflix offers FullHD streaming, as it should with Widevine L1, but does not acknowledge any HDR support.
HDR and Widevine capabilities
The Galaxy A52s 5G offers two options for refresh rate - 60Hz (Standard) and 120Hz (High) Motion Smoothness. In either case, it's a fixed frame rate with no adaptive adjustments, which may end up hurting battery life.
When using the 120Hz mode, all apps work at 120Hz, including YouTube, Netflix, benchmarks, games, social networks. This doesn't mean all games can reach 120fps.
There are apps that specifically mandate 60Hz operation for one reason or another, and those would, of course, run at the lower refresh rate, but they are the exceptions to the rule. Notable examples include Google Maps and the Camera app, as well as apps that use a Maps UI component or call up a camera viewfinder.
We made sure to test the behavior in a well-lit room, as well, since that is sometimes a condition for any automatic switching to kick in. No such system seems to be in place on the A52s 5G. While not perfect for getting the optimal battery endurance, it does provide certain simplicity. The refresh rate switch is basically just that - a simple switch, you either get 60Hz or 120Hz all of the time, with very few exceptions in the latter mode, which we already mentioned.
Battery life
The Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G borrows its 4,500 mAh battery, straight from its A52 5G sibling. Yet another part that is carried over. Still, with the chipset swap in mind, we made sure to re-test the battery endurance as well. We ended up with almost identical numbers to the older Galaxy A52 5G.
In fact, the newer model and its more modern modem did slightly better in both our standby and 3G call tests. An hour or so more in the video test all add up to a couple of extra hours of total endurance rating for the A52s 5G.
Definitely nothing earth-shattering, but it is still great to see that the switch over to the Snapdragon 778G chipset has not negatively affected battery life.
Compared to some other recent devices with the same chipset in our battery endurance database, the A52s 5G holds up well, even if there are potentially a few more hours of endurance to be squeezed out. The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, in particular, seems to be getting markedly better standby numbers from the same chipset and a smaller 4,250 mAh battery. Then again, the A52s 5G stacks up well against the Realme GT Master and its 114 hours of endurance from a 4,300 mAh battery.
Our battery tests were automated thanks to SmartViser, using its viSerDevice app. The endurance rating denotes how long the battery charge will last you if you use the device for an hour of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. More details can be found here.
Video test carried out in 60Hz refresh rate mode. Web browsing test done at the display's highest refresh rate whenever possible. Refer to the respective reviews for specifics. To adjust the endurance rating formula to match your own usage patterns check out our all-time battery test results chart where you can also find all phones we've tested.
Charging
Charging capabilities haven't changed much from the original Galaxy A52, through the A52 5G and now to the new A52s 5G. All three can accept a peak of 25W via Power Delivery. With the new Galaxy A52s 5G, however, Samsung is now bundling a "full-fat" 25W charger in the box in some markets, instead of the weaker 15W one. It is a nice quality PPS PD unit too. That saves you the potential hustle of buying a charger separately or, alternatively, the FOMO involved with using a slower charger.
30min charging test (from 0%)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
100% - OnePlus Nord 2
98% - Motorola Edge 20
68% - Poco F3
67% - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
65% - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
58% - Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (25W)
57% - Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
54% - Samsung Galaxy A72
54% - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
53% - Samsung Galaxy A52 (25W)
52% - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
50% - Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (15W bundled)
37% - Samsung Galaxy M51
35% - Samsung Galaxy A52
34% - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
34% - Samsung Galaxy A02s
30% - Xiaomi Redmi 10
26% - Samsung Galaxy A32
25% - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
23% - Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
23% - Samsung Galaxy A12
20%
Time to full charge (from 0%)
Lower is better
- Realme GT Master
0:30h - OnePlus Nord 2
0:31h - Poco F3
0:56h - Motorola Edge 20
1:01h - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
1:04h - Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (25W)
1:10h - Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
1:11h - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
1:13h - Samsung Galaxy A72
1:15h - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
1:21h - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
1:28h - Samsung Galaxy A52 (25W)
1:30h - Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (15W bundled)
1:35h - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
1:39h - Samsung Galaxy M51
1:47h - Samsung Galaxy A52
2:03h - Xiaomi Redmi 10
2:13h - Samsung Galaxy A32
2:19h - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
2:24h - Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
2:29h - Samsung Galaxy A02s
2:36h - Samsung Galaxy A12
3:03h
That's not to say, though, that Samsung's 25W charging is going to be setting charging records any time soon. It manages to hold its own well against competitors without going to any extremes and potentially harming the battery's long-term health. We think it strikes a good balance between that and pure speed. If you want to be extra careful with your battery, you can also disable fast charging altogether.
Benchmarking performance
One of the main gripes we had with the older Galaxy A52 5G was its Snapdragon 750G chipset. Not a bad chip by any means, but a bit too underpowered for the particular price range. Well, that's now out and in comes the significantly newer and more powerful Snapdragon 778G. That's a 6nm chipset fabbed in TSMC's foundries that features four Kryo 670 cores (based on the Cortex-A78), with a high-end Adreno 642L GPU and an X53 5G modem (up to 3.3 Gbps downlink speeds). That's quite a step up from the two A77-derived cores and Adreno 619 in the Snapdragon 750G that is being replaced (not to mention that one is fabbed on a less advanced 8 nm process at the Samsung foundries).
The new chipset does not come with a memory upgrade, but you still get a fair amount of flexibility. The base configuration has 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage. This is the configuration of our review unit. You can get 8/128GB and 8/256GB, too, subject to local availability. Keep in mind that there is a microSD slot.
Other things you get with the Snapdragon 778G include a new Hexagon 770 DSP, with up to 12 TOPs of performance, compared to a Hexagon 696 (5.4 TOPs) in the Snapdragon 750G. The camera ISP is different too - a Spectra 570L, hence why we are also re-testing the camera quality. Modems are new, as well. There is now an internal X53 (5G and LTE) modem, which is faster and all-around than the X52 inside the Snapdragon 750G. The same goes for the FastConnect 6700 modem, upgraded from the FastConnect 6200. This means Bluetooth 5.2 support, as well as Wi-Fi ax (Wi-Fi 6).
Let's kick things off with some GeekBench and pure-CPU runs. Pretty much every other device with the 778G we have seen has the bigger Kryo 670 cores arranged in a three regular "Gold" cluster and one "Prime" one, all still with the same maximum 2.4 GHz clock speed. All the while, the Galaxy A52s 5G seems to just have two CPU clusters - 4x2.4 GHz Kryo 670 & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo 670. Again, same clock speeds, but a difference in how the cores are managed. We don't expect this to make a massive difference, but, theoretically, having all four big cores grouped in the same cluster affords less flexibility with things like clock management and thermal throttling behavior. But, we digress.
GeekBench 5 (multi-core)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
2917 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
2909 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
2832 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
2801 - OnePlus Nord 2
2792 - Realme X7 Max 5G
2614 - Poco X3 Pro
2574 - Motorola Edge 20
2550 - Poco X3 GT
2310 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
2009 - Motorola Moto G 5G
1980 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
1910 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
1820 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
1812 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
1796 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
1780 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
1673 - Samsung Galaxy A72
1627 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
1599 - Samsung Galaxy A52
1577 - Poco M3
1398 - Xiaomi Redmi 10
1294 - Samsung Galaxy A32
1277
GeekBench 5 (single-core)
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
967 - OnePlus Nord 2
814 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
803 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
787 - Realme GT Master
785 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
771 - Motorola Edge 20
762 - Poco X3 Pro
735 - Poco X3 GT
693 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
661 - Motorola Moto G 5G
659 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
643 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
641 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
636 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
569 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
560 - Samsung Galaxy A72
537 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
534 - Samsung Galaxy A52
525 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
505 - Xiaomi Redmi 10
361 - Samsung Galaxy A32
361 - Poco M3
308
The Snapdragon 778G clearly has no shortage of CPU performance. Samsung has also done a good job utilizing it, compared to other phones with the same chip that we have tested. In absolute terms, the 778G is about as powerful as the Snapdragon 780G in the CPU department. Slightly better than the MediaTek Dimensity 1100 and outpaced a bit by the MediaTek 1200.
AnTuTu is a bit less kind to the Galaxy A52s 5G and the Snapdragon 778G in general. Its compound score is about as good as that on Poco X3 Pro, with its Snapdragon 860, but still notably better than the Snapdragon 750G.
AnTuTu 8
Higher is better
- Poco F3
631850 - Realme X7 Max 5G
605819 - OnePlus Nord 2
512164 - Poco X3 GT
506800 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
465534 - Poco X3 Pro
453223 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
429675 - Motorola Edge 20
424031 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
334981 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
324686 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
318882 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
318672 - Motorola Moto G 5G
312461 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
295442 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
290172 - Samsung Galaxy A72
279342 - Samsung Galaxy A52
261282 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
226561 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
218788 - Poco M3
177904 - Samsung Galaxy A32
174332
AnTuTu 9
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
680671 - OnePlus Nord 2
598022 - Poco X3 GT
578505 - Realme GT Master
529263 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
527663 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
522490 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
506432 - Motorola Edge 20
488574 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
391770 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
386474 - Samsung Galaxy A72
333668 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
294251 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
222125
The same overall poll position is observable with GPU benchmarks, like GFXBench. The Adreno 642L inside the Snapdragon 778G is clearly a solid performer in the graphics department. Definitely not the best you can get at this price range, but still very respectable.
GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (offscreen 1080p)
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
129 - OnePlus Nord 2
123 - Poco X3 GT
116 - Poco X3 Pro
102 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
89 - Motorola Edge 20
78 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
78 - Realme GT Master
77 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
77 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
46 - Motorola Moto G 5G
46 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
46 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
45 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
45 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
43 - Samsung Galaxy A52
39 - Samsung Galaxy A72
39 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
24 - Samsung Galaxy A32
24 - Poco M3
19
GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
107 - Poco X3 GT
97 - Poco X3 Pro
93 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
78 - Motorola Edge 20
70 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
69 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
68 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
59 - OnePlus Nord 2
59 - Realme GT Master
57 - Motorola Moto G 5G
41 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
40 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
40 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
39 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
39 - Samsung Galaxy A52
35 - Samsung Galaxy A72
35 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
21 - Samsung Galaxy A32
21 - Poco M3
17
You gen generally expect more FPS from the likes of the Snapdragon 780G, the 860, as well as the MediaTek Dimensity 1100 and 1200 chips. Still, these numbers are a marked improvement over the ones achieved by the Snapdragon 750G and its Adreno 619.
GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
86 - Poco X3 Pro
75 - OnePlus Nord 2
75 - Poco X3 GT
74 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
65 - Motorola Edge 20
57 - Realme GT Master
56 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
56 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
56 - Motorola Moto G 5G
34 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
34 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
33 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
33 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
33 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
32 - Samsung Galaxy A52
29 - Samsung Galaxy A72
29 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
17 - Samsung Galaxy A32
15 - Poco M3
13
GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
79 - Poco X3 GT
68 - Poco X3 Pro
67 - OnePlus Nord 2
57 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
57 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
56 - Motorola Edge 20
51 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
49 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
49 - Realme GT Master
46 - Motorola Moto G 5G
30 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
30 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
29 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
28 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
28 - Samsung Galaxy A52
26 - Samsung Galaxy A72
26 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
15 - Samsung Galaxy A32
13 - Poco M3
11
GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
50 - OnePlus Nord 2
46 - Poco X3 Pro
45 - Poco X3 GT
44 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
40 - Realme GT Master
33 - Motorola Edge 20
33 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
33 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
33 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
19 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
19 - Motorola Moto G 5G
19 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
19 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
19 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
19 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
19 - Samsung Galaxy A52
17 - Samsung Galaxy A72
17 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
9.3 - Samsung Galaxy A32
9.3 - Poco M3
7.2
GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
44 - Poco X3 Pro
38 - Poco X3 GT
38 - OnePlus Nord 2
38 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
35 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
33 - Motorola Edge 20
29 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
28 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
28 - Realme GT Master
27 - Motorola Moto G 5G
17 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
17 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
17 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
16 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
16 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
16 - Samsung Galaxy A52
15 - Samsung Galaxy A72
15 - Samsung Galaxy A32
8.1 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
7.9 - Poco M3
5.9
The overall graphics scores of the Galaxy A52s 5G are also impressively consistent with those from other Snapdragon 778G devices. As a general reminder, comparing FPS numbers across different phones is only relevant with off-screen graphics tests, since the on-screen ones are also dependent on the phone's particular panel resolution.
GFX Aztek Vulkan High (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
31 - Poco X3 GT
28 - Poco X3 Pro
27 - OnePlus Nord 2
26 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
23 - Motorola Edge 20
20 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
20 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
20 - Realme GT Master
19 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
13 - Motorola Moto G 5G
12 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
11 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
11 - Samsung Galaxy A52
10 - Samsung Galaxy A72
10 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
5.3 - Samsung Galaxy A32
4.4 - Poco M3
4.1
GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
33 - OnePlus Nord 2
30 - Poco X3 GT
29 - Poco X3 Pro
26 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
21 - Motorola Edge 20
19 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
19 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
19 - Realme GT Master
18 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
11 - Motorola Moto G 5G
11 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
11 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
11 - Samsung Galaxy A52
10 - Samsung Galaxy A72
10 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
5.6 - Samsung Galaxy A32
5 - Poco M3
2.8
GFX Aztek Vulkan High (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- OnePlus Nord 2
20 - Realme X7 Max 5G
20 - Poco X3 GT
19 - Poco X3 Pro
18 - Realme GT Master
14 - Motorola Edge 20
14 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
14 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
14 - Motorola Moto G 5G
7.7 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
7.6 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
7.6 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
7.6 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
7.5 - Samsung Galaxy A52
7 - Samsung Galaxy A72
7 - Poco M3
4.2 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
3.5 - Samsung Galaxy A32
2.9
GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Realme X7 Max 5G
22 - OnePlus Nord 2
21 - Poco X3 GT
20 - Poco X3 Pro
17 - Realme GT Master
13 - Motorola Edge 20
13 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
13 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
13 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
7.5 - Motorola Moto G 5G
7.4 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
7.3 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
7.3 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
7.2 - Samsung Galaxy A52
7 - Samsung Galaxy A72
7 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
3.7 - Samsung Galaxy A32
3.3 - Poco M3
2.8
We are also happy to see that the Snapdragon 778G and the Galaxy A52s 5G perform equally well with the Vulkan API, as with OpenGL ES. This speaks well of things like GPU drivers and proper OS-level implementation.
3DMark generally tends to offer even more-consistent results from device to device, with the same hardware configuration than GFXBench and this is very much the case here as well. We thus get a pretty good and easy to read idea for the difference in performance between the Snapdragon 778G and other popular budget chipsets of recent years, like the Snapdragon 750G, inside the older Galaxy A52 5G or the Snapdragon 720G inside the original Galaxy A52.
3DMark SSE ES 3.1 (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
5010 - Realme GT Master
4988 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
4979 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
2819 - Motorola Moto G 5G
2810 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
2801 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
2789 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
2638 - Samsung Galaxy A52
2529 - Samsung Galaxy A72
2517 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
1471 - Samsung Galaxy A32
1323 - Poco M3
1175
3DMark SSE Vulkan 1.0 (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
4608 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
4231 - Realme GT Master
4020 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
2617 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
2609 - Motorola Moto G 5G
2608 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
2595 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
2509 - Samsung Galaxy A52
2406 - Samsung Galaxy A72
2395 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
1372 - Samsung Galaxy A32
1371 - Poco M3
1106
Our wild Life table throws more-powerful chipsets, like the Snapdragon 780G, 860 and the Dimensity 1100 and 1200 into the mix as well for an even broader picture.
3DMark Wild Life Vulkan 1.1 (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- OnePlus Nord 2
4224 - Realme X7 Max 5G
4216 - Poco X3 GT
3991 - Poco X3 Pro
3401 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
3136 - Motorola Edge 20
2494 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
2491 - Realme GT Master
2481 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
2477 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
1185 - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
1113 - Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
1107 - Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
1105 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
1103 - Motorola Moto G 5G
1099 - Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
1098 - Samsung Galaxy A52
1040 - Samsung Galaxy A72
1031 - Samsung Galaxy A32
686
482
368
All things considered, the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is an all-round excellent performer. The move from the Snapdragon 750G to the Snapdragon 778G is a great one. Not only do you get better RAW performance, both CPU and GPU, there are plenty of additional connectivity features up on offer here, like Wi-Fi ax (Wi-Fi 6) and Bluetooth 5.2, all without a notable price increase.
The same familiar quad-camera setup
The camera setup on the A52s 5G is "familiar" in the sense that most every modern mid-ranger that's worth its salt is rocking a main+ultrawide+macro+depth camera arrangement these days. Credit where credit is due, though, Samsung opted for a higher-res 64MP Quad Bayer main cam instead of a 48MP unit. One that has a fairly bright aperture of f/1.8 and a sensor size somewhere in the 1/1.7X" neighborhood. The ultrawide unit is also a higher-res option at 12MP, f/2.2, instead of an 8MP one. Same goes for the dedicated macro and depth sensors, which are 5MP, f/2.4, instead of the popular 2MP units.
Historically, we have had issues coaxing info on the particular camera sensor hardware from Galaxy devices. Surprisingly, this was not the case with our A52s 5G review unit, which offered info on the camera modules it supports in software. Our review unit can either use a Samsung s5kgw1p sensor, commonly known as the GW1, for its primary 64MP Quad-Bayer snapper or a Sony IMX682. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing which one our unit has without disassembling it. Same goes for the 32MP selfie, which can either be the Samsung s5kgd2 or the Sony IMX616.
The ultrawide uses a Samsung s5k3l6 sensor, which is technically a 13MP module, though it is being marketed and used at 12MP in the Galaxy A52s 5G.
Camera UI
Just like the camera hardware itself, Samsung hasn't really changed anything with the camera app on the A52s 5G. It is a truly familiar affair - shutter and a mode carousel on the right, along with toggles for cameras and zoom levels (in the case of the A52 - 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x and 10x), as well as a Scene optimizer indicator/toggle in the corner. The A52s 5G can distinguish between 30 scenes automatically. On the opposite side - resolution and aspect, timer, flash controls and some color filters.
Samsung main camera UI
Samsung did not skimp on the available modes either. In no particular order, users can enjoy AR DOODLE, FOOD mode and SINGLE TAKE. Most of these originally debuted on flagships, but have since made their way on to midrangers.
Samsung SINGLE TAKE
One new addition to the mix is FUN MODE. We won't bet too much into it, but at its core it is a nifty collaboration with Snapchat, meant to promote the new Galaxy A series. It bakes a frequently changing set of Snapchat filters right into the main camera app, alongside a link to get the full set within the Snapchat app.
Samsung FUN MODE
The camera settings menu and the available options haven't changed either. It is worth noting that the options change depending on whether you enter settings from a photo or video come. The latter is where you will find a toggle for the always-on by default video stabilization, in case you want to do some tripod shooting.
Camera settings
You get Pro mode for both photos and videos as well, with a similar, in-depth set of features. It offers adjustments for ISO from 50 to 4000, shutter speed from 1/6000 to 10 seconds, white balance from 2300K to 1000K, as well as exposure compensation and the ability to set different spot metering for the expose and autofocus.
Pro photo mode
One interesting and not-so-common addition to the Pro model is the separate Levels menu, which offers control over contrast, highlights, shadows, saturation and tint. These are parameters you typically find and tend to adjust in editors, but it's kind of nifty to have them separated into this way as you are capturing the shots.
Levels in Pro video mode
Daylight image quality
The default 16MP daylight photos from the main camera on the Galaxy A52s are quite decent, even if mostly unremarkable. Dynamic range is wide enough for what we're used to in the midrange, though a higher-end phone will still get you better developed tonal extremes.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G: 16MP main camera samples
The A52s 5G has auto HDR, as well as an AI scene optimizer. Both enabled by default and typically doing a pretty decent job. However, on occasion, we did notice that shots in sunny conditions can come out looking overexposed, or rather a bit too bright. Disabling both systems produces a bit more-toned-down stills, which some might like better.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G: 16MP main camera samples, HDR and AI off
Shooting in full-res 64MP mode also somewhat mitigates the lighting issues, which is kind of odd, since both Auto HDR and AI scene enhancement are still available and working in 64MP mode.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G: 64MP main camera samples
You don't really get noticeably more detail in these 64MP shots, but you do have to wait a bit more for the A52s 5G to capture them and then deal with significantly bigger files.
The Galaxy A52s 5G lacks a proper telephoto camera - that one is reserved for the A72 line. Still, we have seen 64MP Quad Bayer shooters do a pretty good job of cropping and demosaicing for some strong 2x results. Though we can't say for sure whether the A52s 5G is going that route or upscaling 16MP shots and then cropping instead, we are willing to give the 2x photos a soft pass. Pun intended since the extra softness is noticeable, though hardly obtrusive.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G: 16MP main camera 2x zoom samples
You can go all the way up to 10x zoom, with an intermittent toggle for 4x also part of the UI. We have to say that even at 10x the quality of the stills left us pleasantly surprised. Detail is plenty and more-importantly, noise is kept and bay well when there is enough light in the scene.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 16MP main camera zoom samples: 4x • 10x
The 12MP ultrawide shots also deserve plenty of praise. Softness, while still definitely visible around the edges of the frame is not nearly as much of an issue as we have seen from other mid-range and budget ultrawide. Perhaps, some of this is thanks to the higher resolution of the sensor Samsung is using, as well as the way it is using it, producing 12MP shots, in spite of the module's native 13MP resolution.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G: 12MP ultrawide camera samples
Perhaps the only gripe we have with the ultrawide photos is that they feature a noticeably different color rendition, compared to the main camera. Not necessarily a worse one, but definitely different, which is not typical for Samsung and their good track record in color consistency across cameras.
While on to topic of the ultrawide cam, there is a distortion correction toggle, buried deep inside the camera app settings. Here are some shots taken with it set to OFF, which showcase its usefulness and quite non-destructive nature.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G: 12MP ultrawide camera samples, distortion correction OFF
Moving on to the last two cameras on the back of the A52s 5G, we first have the 5MP macro, which is an all-round very competent snapper. Given proper expectations, naturally, since we are looking at a fairly dim f/2.4 lens here and nothing fancy like autofocus.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G: 5MP macro camera samples
Even so, the focus plane is fairly wide and forgiving. You still have to fiddle a bit to get just the right angle and distance, but the final results are worth it. Detail is excellent. Just make sure to have plenty of light in the scene as well.
The other 5MP snapper is a supplementary one, for depth information while taking Portrait shots on the A52s 5G. These look good, but aren't exactly perfect. As far as overall detail, colors and noise go, you get the same solid performance as with other shots from the main camera.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G: 16MP main camera portrait samples
The quality of the artificial bokeh is great too. It looks natural and convincing. The subject detection and separation, however, are prone to a lot of errors and not just with busier backgrounds. This aspect of the algorithm can use some work.
Portrait mode works surprisingly well on non-human subjects as well. Naturally, subject detection is a bit fiddlier, but perfectly usable.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G: 16MP main camera portrait samples, non-human subjects
Selfies
The Galaxy A52s 5G has a 32MP selfies camera, which, just like the main cam is a Quad Bayer module. Hence, it is meant to natively produce 8MP stills. And, indeed, in its default mode, it shoots at 3264 x 2448 pixels, or right around 8MP.
However, in typical Samsung fashion, the selfie cam has a narrow and wide mode. We wish this would become a thing of the past already. Anyway, in wide mode, selfies come out in 4000 x 3000 pixels or exactly 12MP. Presumably, there's some interpolation going on because a 32MP Quad Bayer camera should output 8MP photos. That being said, we can't notice any noteworthy difference in quality and detail between the two modes.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 8MP selfie samples
Overall selfie quality is solid, with plenty of detail in decent noise performance. Skin tones can be a bit inconsistent from time to time. Thankfully, there is both Auto HDR and Scene optimizer available on the selfie.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 12MP (wide) selfie samples
You can take selfie portraits as well. The results are surprisingly pleasing. The bokeh effect is nice, and so is subject separation.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 8MP selfie portrait samples
Naturally, you can still choose between the regular and "wide" selfie variant for portraits.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 12MP (wide) selfie portrait samples
FUN mode is available for selfies, as well and so is an extensive set of beauty filters, including the ability to create your own filters, based on an existing image or photo and its overall color palette. A nifty idea. You can also shoot 32MP selfies.
We won't be digging into any of those, though, since it has already become perfectly clear that the Galaxy A52s 5G captures pretty much identical shots, in terms of quality, to the older Galaxy A52 5G and even the original A52. The chipset swap and the new ISP don't appear to have caused any disruptions, which is great to see.
What we will include, however, are a set of our standardized poster shots, taken with the main camera of Galaxy A52s 5G in both its default 16MP mode, as well as 64MP mode. Feel free to compare them with any other samples in our vast database.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G against the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G and the Xiaomi Poco X3 GT in our Photo compare tool
64MP: Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G against the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G and the Xiaomi Poco X3 GT in our Photo compare tool
Low-light image quality
The Galaxy A52s 5G remains a competent photography machine in low-light conditions overall. The main camera offers plenty of detail, with relatively low noise. Samsung is noticeably applying some selective sharpening to the shots, but it's not too aggressive.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 16MP main camera, low-light samples
Light sources are handled quite well, but dynamic range is a bit more lacking in the shadows, where most of the detail tends to get crushed. Mind you, this is with Auto HDR mode ON and automatically triggered. So, that leaves a bit to be desired.
Even so, shooting in full-res 64MP mode often leaves you with even less smart processing and ultimately even worse dynamic range, with darker shadows still and blown-out light sources. We would avoid using it in low-light conditions.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 64MP main camera, low-light samples
Zooming from the main camera on the A52s 5G results in very decent 2x shots, with just a bit more noise and sharpening artifacts, compared to 1x shots.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 16MP main camera, 2x zoom, low-light samples
Shots can be considered usable at up to around 4x zoom, but anything past that is more akin to an artistic painting, with aggressive generated edges and a soft noisy filling than anything else.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 16MP main camera, zoom, low-light samples: 4x • 10x
The 12MP ultrawide camera on the A52s 5G captures pretty-decent low-light shots in its own right. Naturally, compared to the main cam, these photos come out looking softer, with slightly less detail.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 12MP ultrawide camera, low-light samples
Interestingly enough, though, dynamic range was not nearly as bad as we expected, perhaps thanks in part to Auto HDR doing its thing.
Since we are already comparing shots from the main and ultrawide cameras, it is definitely worth noting that the main cam seems to suffer from some rather major white balance inconsistencies that can crop up on occasion, particularly in low-light shots. These can come out looking yellow, especially when compared to shots from the ultrawide, which almost never have the same color rendition. While not a major issue, we wish Samsung would address it.
The Galaxy A52s 5G has Night mode on both its ultrawide and main camera. It can even capture zoomed Night mode shots. On the main camera, night mode is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it can balance out light and detail in the frame nicely, particularly boosting shadows a bit. On the other, Night mode shots tend to be quite over-processed with plenty of oversharpening. A look that many will still enjoy, though.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 16MP main camera Night mode samples
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 16MP main camera, 2x Night mode samples
The ultrawide camera stands to potentially gain more from Night mode. Once again, though, our impressions aren't solely positive. Night mode is a bit inconsistent. In some instances it manages to boost shadows slightly and generally improve shots. However, oversharpening can also be quite aggressive when the algorithm deems it necessary, resulting in some comical halos and other artifacts.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 12MP ultrawide camera Night mode samples
Low-light selfie shots from the A52s 5G are quite disappointing. When you do manage to get a non-blurry shot, it is actually not half bad, but for some reason, the A52s 5G is quite inconsistent in that department, which is rather odd, given that the 32MP selfie cam lacks autofocus and we made sure not to move in between shots.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 8MP low-light selfie samples
Some interesting further observations include a tendency for the wider, 12MP selfie shots to look better and sharper than their 8MP counterparts.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 12MP (wide) selfie samples
Night mode shots also seem to come out looking consistently sharper and overall better.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G Night mode selfies samples
Interestingly enough, the same tendencies are also observable with selfie portraits.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G low-light selfie portrait samples
So, overall, Samsung seemingly managed to mess up something with the "narrow" 8MP selfies shots in low light and their processing.
Video recording
The Galaxy M52s 5G is a surprisingly competent video recorder. It has 4K@30fps capture on all of its "real" cameras. That is to say, the main cam, the ultrawide, as well as the selfie. The ultrawide lacks 60fps capture, which is to be expected, and that's about the only limitation we spotted.
Both the main cam and the ultrawide manage to maintain a solid bitrate of around 48Mb/s for their 4K footage - AVC + 48kHz stereo audio, inside an h.264 MP4 container. Naturally, you can choose to do HEVC instead and save some space.
The main cam captures all-round excellent 4K video. Detail is great, and the processing is fairly natural. Noise is non-existent too. Dynamic range is reasonably wide. Colors are spot-on too. In fact, if you ask us, it's the natural color reproduction that really stands out in these videos.
Zooming is a thing with video as well and we find 2x clips looks quite OK. Definitely worse than 1x ones, but perfectly usable. The most noticeable artifact from zooming in is oversharpening. Since at 2x, the starting image isn't all that soft to begin with, it is not too harsh.
However, at anything higher than 2x, like the 4x and 10x samples we have included in the above playlist, oversharpening starts to looks quite aggressive to the point that the clips start to look like soft oil painting, with harsh outlines drawn on top. Even so, though, we have seen a lot worse from other mid-rangers.
The ultrawide camera captures very respectable 4K clips in its own right. Compared to the main camera, the ultrawide does leave behind a bit more noise.
Hardly enough to ruin the experience, though. The difference in color rendition between the two is also quite noticeable. Also not a dealbreaker by any means. Just worth pointing out.
The Galaxy A52s 5G has two separate video stabilization options. One is an EIS toggle in the camera settings. It works on both the main and the ultrawide camera and does a pretty good job of smoothing out bigger bumps and jitters.
Then there is also Super steady, which has an additional toggle within the video capture UI. It only works with footage from the ultrawide camera and offers quite impressive stabilization. You can see both samples in the playlist.
We also made sure to capture our standard test images on video with the A52s 5G. Pixel-peep away.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G against the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G and the Xiaomi Poco X3 GT in our Video compare tool
Last, but not least, here are some low-light video samples from the ultrawide, as well as the main cameras, at 1x and 2x. Quality-wise, these hold-up overall, though, we can't exactly praise them in any particular way.
The competition
It is not particularly hard to find viable competitors to the Galaxy A52s 5G within its rough mid-ranger price bracket. Though in fairness, Samsung has made the task significantly harder, in the best possible way, now that the refreshed model comes with a snazzy new Snapdragon 778G chipset, at little to no extra cost and at no notable expense to its other strengths.
And the A52s 5G has plenty of those - an excellent 120Hz, 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel, solid battery life from its 4,500mAh and decently-fast 25W PD charging, a very good stereo speaker setup, plus a 3.5 mm audio jack and ample power from that shiny new Snapdragon 778G chipset. Not to mention the excellent modern connectivity options, like 5G, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
The phone's excellent exterior should also not be overlooked, and we're not just talking about the eye-catching pastel colors that also include a great silky, rubbery finish. Just like its predecessors, the A52s 5G comes with Gorilla Glass 5 and, more impressively, IP67 official ingress protection rating. That alone is practically impossible to match at this price point, outside of Samsung's own offers.
Speaking of which, if your budget is not set in stone, why not look into the Galaxy S20 FE. It has a similar 120Hz AMOLED but offers much better performance thanks to the flagship-grade Snapdragon 865 5G chip. The S20 FE has a better camera on the back, too - there is a 12MP primary with OIS, a dedicated 8MP tele camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom, while the 12MP ultrawide shooter is a match to the A52s'. And if these aren't good enough reasons to spend more, then there is fast wireless and reverse wireless charging, too. Oh, and in case ingress protection matters to you, the S20 FE has an even better IP68 rating.
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE • Samsung Galaxy A32 • Samsung Galaxy A52
On the flip side, if you don't mind giving up a few extras in the name of saving a buck, then the Galaxy A32 is still a great option. Not to be confused with the A32 5G, though. You still get a solid 6.4-inch, 90Hz Super AMOLED panel, an even bigger 5,000mAh battery, with excellent 119 hours of endurance in our tests. You also get most of the same camera setup, with a few downgrades and nearly all of the same software features from One UI and excellent three-Android-release and four-year security packages software support promise. No stereo speakers, ingress protection and a significantly worse chipset, though.
Also, another a bit more "out-there" suggestion for you - if you really like the A52s 5G, but just wish you didn't have to spend as much for it, you can probably hunt around for a deal on the original Galaxy A52 and get most of the same experience. You will be sacrificing on 5G, the 120Hz refresh rate (though you still get 90Hz) and some performance overall in the chipset department and connectivity options. Technically, the same logic can be applied to the A52 5G, as well, though the price delta there just doesn't seem to be worth it at the time of writing.
There is plenty of value to be had outside camp Samsung, often for a notably lower price too. Some highlights include the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro. For just shy of EUR 250, it offers an excellent 6.67-inch, 120Hz, AMOLED, HDR10 panel, stereo speakers, a big 5,020mAh battery, with 118 hours of endurance in our testing and 33W fast charging and a quad main camera setup, with a 108MP snapper at the helm. Slightly worse Snapdragon 732G chipset, with no 5G, though and an IP53 rating.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro • Xiaomi Poco F3 • Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
Depending on your personal priorities, you can go for the Poco X3 instead and get a similar overall package, but with a significantly better Snapdragon 870, 5G-enabled chipset and just some minor sacrifices in other departments like a 48MP main camera and a smaller battery.
We would also be remiss if we didn't mention the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, which practically seems crafted as a direct competitor to the A52s 5G. Some of its highlights include a 6.55-inch, 90Hz AMOLED display, with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, stereo speakers, the exact same Snapdragon 778G chipset, a nearly-identical 4,250mAh battery, with 33W charging and a similar camera setup, with a 64MP main snapper, but also a dedicated 5MP 50MM telephoto. All of this for a notably lower price than the Galaxy A52s 5G.
Like we said, there is no shortage of great offers in the mid-range segment, so here are a couple more. Depending on where you live, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G might be a great one. A few of its standout features include a high-end MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset, 65W fast charging on its 4,500mAh battery, as well as a 50MP, OIS-enabled main camera.
OnePlus Nord 2 5G • Realme GT Neo2
Last, but not least, you could look into the Realme GT Neo2, again depending on local availability, though. It packs, among other things, a Snapdragon 870 5G chipset, 6.6-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display and a big 5,000mAh battery, also capable of 65W charging.
Our verdict
The Galaxy A52 line, in our opinion, has successfully managed to hit the "sweet spot" within Samsung's strong and compelling current Galaxy A lineup. The newest A52s 5G refresh has flawlessly executed a chipset upgrade, only bringing more value to the table. The Snapdragon 778G is not only all-around faster than the Snapdragon 750G it replaces, but it also brings along some nifty connectivity upgrades, namely Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Most importantly, though, it does so without harming or downgrading the other aspects of the Galaxy A52 and without really increasing its price tag either.
If you are after a great value-proposition from Samsung in 2021, or alternatively, really need an IP67 ingress protection rating for under EUR 450 at current pricing, then look no further than the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G. Or, perhaps the A52, if you can find a good deal and can live with the trade-offs. It's also important to note Samsung's promise of extended software support on the Galaxy A line as an extra value add. You can expect 3 major OS updates, as well as 4 years of security patches.
Even with all that said, though, we understand that many of you will look around at what many competitors are currently offering at this price point and still find the Galaxy A52s 5G a bit lacking and not quite hitting the right sports for you, personally. Samsung's MSRP is a bit on the higher end. However, price and value are not the same things. Also, value is, in a major way, a subjective matter, and thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives and competing formulas to choose and pick from nowadays.
Pros
- Nice color options and new silky finish, standout, stylish design, IP67 rating, Gorilla Glass 5.
- Bright AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate.
- Solid battery life. 25W charger in the box in some markets.
- Impressive hybrid stereo speaker setup for the price range.
- Latest One UI 3.1 and Android 11 setup, with plenty of advanced Samsung features and a promise of 3 major OS updates and 4 years of security patches.
- The Snapdragon 778G chipset offers a nice overall performance boost over the Snapdragon 750G, as well as some connectivity upgrades.
- Versatile quad camera setup, with OIS on the main 64MP snapper and solid camera quality.
- 4K video recording with every camera and at every zoom level.
Cons
- Still priced a bit too high compared to viable alternative devices.
- Color consistency in photos across the ultrawide and main cameras needs some work. So do white balance in low-light and Night mode.
- Selfie camera consistency leaves a bit to be desired.
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