Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G review
The Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G is a mid-range smartphone that boasts a sleek design with a soft matte finish in various colors. The device's build quality is impressive, featuring IP67-rated dust and water resistance, a rarity in this price segment. The most significant upgrade over the regular A52 5G is the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset, which provides improved performance and graphics capabilities. In our testing, the A52S 5G delivered great CPU performance, comparable to flagship-grade phones like the Poco X3 Pro. Graphics performance was respectable for its price range, making it a better choice for gaming enthusiasts. The device's battery life is also solid, with a nearly identical endurance rating of 113 hours as the regular model. The camera setup remains unchanged from the A52 5G, featuring a quad-camera setup with a 64MP primary sensor, 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 32MP front-facing camera. Image quality was decent during the day, with accurate colors and dynamic range, while nighttime shots showed some improvement. The ultrawide camera performed reasonably well at night. Other features on the A52S 5G include a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, an under-display fingerprint reader, stereo speakers, and a headphone jack. Storage options are expandable through microSD, and the device runs on Samsung's OneUI 3.1 based on Android 11. In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G offers improved performance, graphics capabilities, and battery life over its predecessor, all at the same price point. With no sacrifices in features or pricing, this device is worth recommending over the older model for anyone seeking a solid mid-range smartphone experience.
Build Quality and Design
The Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G boasts an impressive build quality and design that sets it apart from its competitors in the mid-range market. The phone's signature soft matte finish is a standout feature, available in various pastel colors and black. This design choice not only provides a premium look but also offers excellent grip and resistance to fingerprints. One of the most notable aspects of the A52S 5G's design is its use of plastic, which is often associated with cheaper devices. However, Samsung has successfully employed this material to create a durable and water-resistant phone (IP67 rated) that's capable of withstanding the rigors of daily life. The phone's build quality is equally impressive, with a sturdy feel that belies its plastic construction. The matte finish provides a comfortable hold, making it easy to navigate through the interface or make calls without accidentally dropping the device. Furthermore, the A52S 5G's design doesn't compromise on style for substance. The phone looks and feels like a premium device, with attention to detail that's often seen in more expensive handsets. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G's build quality and design are significant upgrades over its predecessors, making it an attractive option for those seeking a reliable and stylish mid-range smartphone.
Battery Life
One of the standout features of the Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G is its impressive battery life. With a 4500mAh battery, this device is capable of delivering a solid performance that can last for an extended period. In our testing, the A52S 5G was able to score a nearly identical endurance rating of 113 hours, which is a testament to its efficient power management. This means you can expect to get through a day and a half with moderate use, or even two days with light use. What's more impressive is that this battery life is not compromised by the new chipset, which might have been expected to increase power consumption. The A52S 5G manages to deliver its performance without sacrificing battery life, making it an excellent choice for users who need a reliable device. The addition of a 25W charger in some markets also helps to speed up charging times. While this feature is not available everywhere, it's a welcome inclusion that can help top up the battery quickly when needed. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G's battery life is a significant improvement over its predecessor, making it an excellent choice for users who want a device that can keep up with their daily needs.
Display
The display on the Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G is a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 1080p. It boasts gorilla glass 5 protection and a super-fast 120Hz refresh rate, which provides smooth swiping and scrolling compared to phones with standard refresh rates. While the display's fast refresh rate is a major advantage, it does come at a cost in terms of power consumption. In the 120Hz mode, the screen stays fixed even when not touched, which may lead to increased battery drain. However, this is a small price to pay for the improved responsiveness and smoothness. The panel itself is quite nice quality-wise, with deep OLED blacks and HDR10+ support. Color accuracy is also pretty close to perfect, although it may not be 100% accurate. The maximum brightness of around 380 nits is similar to its predecessor, but it's worth noting that it boosts up to 800 nits in auto mode when exposed to bright sunlight. One notable feature of the display is its HDR10+ support, which provides a wider range of colors and contrast levels compared to standard HD displays. However, it's worth mentioning that the display's peak brightness may not be sufficient for optimal viewing experience in extremely bright environments. Overall, the display on the Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G is an impressive feature that rivals those found on more premium devices. While it may have its drawbacks, such as increased power consumption and limited HDR10+ support, it provides a compelling reason to consider this device over other options in its class.
Camera
The camera on the Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G is a significant aspect to consider, and I'm pleased to report that it delivers solid performance across various scenarios. The quad-camera setup consists of a 64MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultrawide sensor, a 5MP macro lens, and a depth sensor. During the day, 16MP photos from the primary camera are quite decent, boasting enough detail, accurate colors, and wide dynamic range thanks to autoHDR. Portraits taken with the main camera and depth sensor look good in terms of quality, but subject detection can get tripped up by busier backgrounds. 12MP photos from the ultrawide camera are great for the class, featuring a good level of detail and sharper images than expected at this price point. The color rendition is proficient too. The macro camera performs well when there's sufficient light, capturing plenty of detail without autofocus issues. However, night photography is where the main camera shines, delivering excellent results with plenty of detail, well-handled light sources, and low noise. Night mode doesn't bring a significant improvement but does restore some blown highlights. The ultrawide camera also performs decently at night, offering okay exposure and some detail, along with respectable dynamic range. It supports night mode, which enhances exposure and boosts shadows, albeit with added sharpening. Selfies are captured using a 32MP front camera, although its quality is not explicitly mentioned in this review. The primary camera can record 4K videos at 30fps, featuring spot-on colors and reasonably wide dynamic range. However, the ultrawide camera's 4K video captures look nice but are noisier, with less-than-ideal color rendition. Electronic image stabilization (EIS) is available on both cameras but only works in 1080p resolution, doing a good job of smoothing out bigger bumps and jitters. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G's camera setup offers solid performance across various scenarios, making it an excellent option for those seeking a reliable mid-range smartphone camera experience.
Price and Value
The Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G is the latest iteration in the company's mid-range lineup, boasting improved performance and features without a significant price hike. This sleek device offers a great value proposition for those seeking a high-performance smartphone at an affordable price. One of the standout aspects of the A52S 5G is its pricing strategy. Despite the upgraded chipset, Samsung has managed to keep the price in line with its predecessor, making it an attractive option for those looking to upgrade without breaking the bank. The device retails at a competitive price point, putting it in contention with other mid-range offerings from rival manufacturers. In terms of value, the A52S 5G delivers across various fronts. The inclusion of IP67 dust and water resistance is a welcome addition, providing peace of mind for those who frequently find themselves in adverse weather conditions or accident-prone situations. Furthermore, the upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset provides noticeable improvements in performance, making it an ideal choice for gaming enthusiasts. While some may argue that the S model's enhanced features might not be worth the extra cost, Samsung has effectively neutralized this concern by keeping the price tag unchanged. For those who value a more powerful device without sacrificing too much, the A52S 5G offers exceptional value for money. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G presents a compelling case as an affordable, high-performance smartphone. Its price and value proposition make it a strong contender in the mid-range market, making it worth considering for anyone seeking a reliable and feature-rich device without breaking the bank.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G boasts a significant performance upgrade over its predecessor, thanks to the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset. This mid-range powerhouse is built on a 6nm process, making it a notable improvement from the Snapdragon 750G found in the regular A52 5G. In CPU-intensive tasks, the A52S 5G performs remarkably well, rivaling flagship-grade phones like the Poco X3 Pro with its Snapdragon 860. Graphics performance is respectable, although not as impressive, but it's a significant improvement over the A52 5G. This makes the S model an ideal choice for gamers who want to enjoy smoother and more detailed graphics. One of the notable aspects of this chipset change is its impact on battery life. Surprisingly, the A52S 5G features the same 4500mAh battery as the regular A52 5G, and both devices scored nearly identical endurance ratings in our tests – a solid 113 hours. This indicates that Samsung has optimized their software to ensure the new chipset doesn't compromise battery performance. The inclusion of a 25W charger in some markets is also a welcome addition, allowing users to quickly top up their device from 0 to 53% in just half an hour. In our tests, using this charger on the A52S 5G produced similar results as the regular A52 5G. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A52S 5G's performance upgrade makes it a compelling choice for those seeking a powerful mid-range device. While it may not be essential for non-gamers, the improved chipset and unchanged price make it an attractive option for anyone looking to future-proof their device without breaking the bank.
Pros
1. Faster Performance
2. Great Camera Quality
3. Long-Lasting Battery Life
4. Smooth Display Experience
Cons
1. No Adaptive Refresh Rate
2. Limited Night Mode Improvement
3. No Autofocus on Front Camera