Review: Samsung’s Galaxy A52 is the perfect budget phone for most people

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Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

The Galaxy A52 has loads to dwell as much as. Its predecessors — the Galaxy A51, A50s, and the A50 — bought tens of tens of millions of models round the world, with the A51 particularly turning into the best-selling Android phone of 2020. Samsung affords the best cheap Android phones with the Galaxy A lineup, and the A52 must do effectively for the firm.

While the Galaxy A51 had loads going for it, the phone was restricted in its efficiency as a consequence of an outdated Exynos chipset. Thankfully, Samsung is fixing that with the Galaxy A52, switching from its Exynos chipsets to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 720G platform. The Galaxy A52 additionally will get a brand new design that appears very completely different to the A51, an upgraded 64MP digital camera at the again, and 25W quick charging.

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But the greatest improve is at the entrance: the Galaxy A52 options an AMOLED show with a 90Hz refresh fee, with Samsung bringing the tech to its budget telephones this 12 months. In doing so, it is making the tech accessible to a mainstream viewers for the first time.

Another standout addition is IP67 water resistance — it is commonplace on all variants of the Galaxy A52 and A72. This is not the first time we’re seeing water resistance in the Galaxy A sequence — the 2017 Galaxy A lineup and the Galaxy A8 2018 had IP68 score — and it is nice to see Samsung reintroduce this explicit function.

In this Galaxy A52 overview, I’ll speak about how all the new upgrades make a distinction over its predecessor, and why it is best to contemplate the phone when you’re trying to improve in 2021.


Samsung Galaxy A52

Samsung Galaxy A52

Bottom line: The Galaxy A52 brings thrilling upgrades in all key areas. You get a stunning design with pastel hues, lag-free efficiency, responsive 90Hz show, IP67 water resistance, excellent battery life, cameras that take nice images, and three assured Android updates.

The Good

  • 90Hz AMOLED show
  • Reliable efficiency
  • Three assured Android updates
  • IP67 mud and water resistance
  • Much higher cameras

The Bad

  • No 4K 60fps video recording
  • Lot of bloatware out of the field
  • Not pretty much as good worth as rivals

Samsung Galaxy A52: Price and availability

Samsung Galaxy A52 review

Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

The Galaxy A52 was unveiled on March 17 alongside the Galaxy A72. The phone is now up for sale in India, set to go on sale quickly in Europe, and is scheduled to make its method to the U.S. in April. The Galaxy A52 is bought in 4 colour variants: Awesome Blue, Awesome Black, Awesome White, and Awesome Violet.

The Galaxy A52 is obtainable in two configurations in India: a 6GB/128GB model that retails at ₹26,499 ($365), and an 8GB/128GB mannequin that is obtainable for ₹27,999 ($385). Samsung is incentivizing the launch by providing ₹2,000 ($30) off the asking worth for HDFC Bank prospects in India. The 6GB/128GB mannequin is now on sale for €349 ($420) in most European international locations.

Samsung is additionally promoting a 5G-enabled model of the Galaxy A52 in the UK, EU, and different western markets, with the variant set to debut in the U.S. The Galaxy A52 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 750G platform and has a 120Hz AMOLED show. The remainder of the {hardware} is the similar, and the phone is obtainable for £399 ($550) in the UK and €430 ($510) in EU for the 6GB/128GB variant.

Samsung Galaxy A52: Design and show

Samsung Galaxy A52 review

Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

Samsung likes to modify up the design of its Galaxy A telephones with each new technology — we have seen that with the Galaxy A50, A50s, A51 — and that is now the case with the A52. This 12 months, Samsung transitioned to a minimal design aesthetic that appears significantly better than its predecessors.

The minimal design with the pastel hues and matte end offers the Galaxy A52 an upmarket look.

There are not any flashy gradient results anymore; as a substitute, you get a clear design with pastel hues and a digital camera housing that is almost similar to the Galaxy S21 sequence. The three fundamental digital camera modules are arrayed vertically and have rings round them, with the fourth module sitting to the proper above the LED flash unit.

The housing would not jut out as a lot as the S21 sequence, however there is an precise digital camera bump this time, in contrast to the Galaxy A32 — the place the digital camera rings simply protrude from the chassis. Like the Galaxy A32, the A52 eschews the curvier designs of its predecessors for a extra rectangular chassis à la iPhone 12.

My favourite half is the matte end. The Galaxy A52 has a polycarbonate again like its predecessors, however Samsung used a matte coating this time that makes it simpler to carry and use the phone. The matte texture ensures the A52 stands out a bit extra, and it prevents fingerprint smudges. The mid-frame itself is made out of steel, and it has a shiny end.

Continuing with the design, the Galaxy A52 has the SIM card slot at the high, and also you get a full-width slot that permits you to home two SIM playing cards in addition to a microSD slot. Of course, this is going to vary in world markets — notably North America — the place Samsung solely affords single-SIM slots.

The energy and quantity buttons are situated on the proper, and at the backside you will discover a 3.5mm jack to the left of the USB-C charging port. The main speaker sits to the proper, with the earpiece doubling as the secondary speaker.

Overall, the design of the Galaxy A52 is very elegant and differentiates it from its predecessors. The swap to a minimal aesthetic makes it look upmarket, and I like the pastel hues that Samsung is providing for this technology. The Awesome Blue particularly appears nice, and the matte end is a delight to make use of.

Samsung Galaxy A52 review

Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

High refresh fee shows have been a mainstay on Xiaomi, Realme, and different budget telephones from Chinese producers for some time now, and Samsung is following go well with with the 2021 Galaxy A sequence. That ought to be thrilling information for prospects in North America, as a result of the A52 is certainly one of only a few budget telephones in that area with a 90Hz AMOLED panel for beneath $500.

The Galaxy A52 incorporates a 6.5-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080) AMOLED show, and the 90Hz refresh fee offers it a major benefit over final 12 months’s A51. The 90Hz panel makes day-to-day interactions far more easy; you will instantly see the distinction in searching, scrolling via social media, and nearly every thing else you do on the phone.

Switching to a 90Hz AMOLED show offers the Galaxy A52 a giant benefit over its predecessor.

The common 60Hz choice is enabled out of the field, so you’ll have to go into the phone’s settings to modify the show over to 90Hz. In phrases of customization, you get two display screen modes to select from — Vivid and Natural — and you may modify the white stability manually.

The display screen itself is certainly one of the greatest you will discover on this class, with glorious distinction ranges, vibrant colours, and nice viewing angles. It goes as much as 800nits peak brightness in choose use circumstances, and there are not any points viewing the display screen even beneath harsh daylight. The panel is protected by a layer of Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5.

Other options embrace always-on show, and you may select from varied clock types and arrange a schedule to show off the function at night time. You additionally get stereo audio system, and whereas each audio system aren’t similar — like the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max — you do get first rate output and it makes a distinction whereas gaming or streaming movies.

Overall, the show is certainly one of the standout options on the Galaxy A52. Samsung is providing a high-quality AMOLED panel right here, and the proven fact that it has 90Hz refresh means it is on par with different telephones on this class.

Samsung Galaxy A52: Performance and battery

Samsung Galaxy A52 review

Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

I didn’t like utilizing the Galaxy A51 final 12 months; the phone was gradual out of the field, and the Exynos 9611 chipset simply could not deal with even mundane day-to-day duties. Thankfully, Samsung has sorted out the efficiency points with the Galaxy A52.

Specs Samsung Galaxy A52
Software One UI 3.1 based mostly on Android 11
Display 6.5-inch (2400×1080) 90Hz AMOLED
Chipset 2.30GHz Snapdragon 720G
RAM 6GB/8GB
Storage 64GB/128GB/256GB
Rear Camera 1 64MP ƒ/1.8 (main)
Rear Camera 2 12MP ƒ/2.2 (wide-angle)
Rear Camera 3 5MP ƒ/2.4 (macro)
Rear Camera 4 5MP ƒ/2.4 (portrait)
Front Camera 32MP ƒ/2.2
Connectivity Wi-Fi ac, BT5.0, NFC
Battery 4500mAh | 25W
Security In-screen fingerprint
Colors Awesome Blue, Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Violet
Dimensions 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4mm
Weight 189g

The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 720G, and it has two Cortex A76 cores that go as much as 2.3GHz and 6 energy-efficient A55 cores at 1.8GHz. The Adreno 618 GPU is clocked at 750Hz, and it holds up simply high quality for all however the most visually-intensive video games on Android.

The efficiency on supply with the Galaxy A52 is a refreshing change from its predecessor. There is no lag in day-to-day use, and the chipset has sufficient energy to drive the 90Hz display screen with out inflicting any slowdowns. The phone does a good job in relation to gaming as effectively, and you may play demanding video games at medium settings with out working into too many points.

As acknowledged earlier, the Galaxy A52 comes with 6GB or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and it is going to be obtainable with 64/128/256GB of UFS 2.1 storage. Memory configurations will differ by area, however the reality that you simply get a beneficiant quantity of RAM even with the base mannequin means there are zero points with multitasking in day by day use.

Another attention-grabbing addition on the Galaxy A52 is IP67 water resistance. It implies that the phone is absolutely protected in opposition to mud ingress, and will be submerged in as much as a meter of water for 30 minutes with none points. The solely distinction between the A52 and the IP68-rated Galaxy S21 fashions is that the latter will be submerged past one meter. But for most use circumstances, the A52 ought to maintain up simply high quality, and it is nice to see Samsung convey again this explicit function to its budget telephones.

Samsung Galaxy A52 review

Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

Elsewhere, you get Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC. There are not any issues with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, and the phone holds up simply high quality for calls. There’s an in-screen fingerprint reader for authentication, however the module itself takes far too lengthy to acknowledge your biometric information. You’re higher off switching to the software-based face unlock function, however observe that this mode is not as safe as the in-screen sensor.

As for battery life, the Galaxy A52 has a 4500mAh battery with 25W quick charging. There is no wi-fi charging right here, and also you get a 15W charger in the field, so you’ll have to choose up a standalone charger to completely unlock 25W charging speeds. The Galaxy A52 would not final fairly so long as its predecessors — that is all the way down to the 90Hz panel — however you continue to get a full day’s value of use with out fail.

Samsung Galaxy A52: Cameras

Samsung Galaxy A52 review

Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

The Galaxy A52 has 4 cameras at the again: a 64MP main lens joined by a 12MP wide-angle module, and a 5MP macro in addition to 5MP portrait lenses. There’s additionally a 32MP digital camera at the entrance, and apart from the 64MP main digital camera, the remainder of the sensors are unchanged from final 12 months’s Galaxy A51.

The digital camera interface itself ought to be acquainted when you’ve used a Samsung phone in the quick. You can simply entry the taking pictures modes, add extra modes to the ribbon by navigating to the More part, use toggles for flash, timer, and beautify results, and alter between the main and wide-angle lenses.

Samsung made a number of tweaks to its digital camera algorithms for 2021, and a few of these are being carried over to the Galaxy A sequence. Night mode now makes use of pixel binning to ship extra detailed pictures, and there is additionally a professional video mode. There’s no 4K at 60fps right here — the phone did not even have 1080p at 60fps till a software program replace added that specific function — however the inclusion of a professional video mode offers you that rather more management when taking pictures video with the gadget.

The Galaxy A52 takes higher images than its predecessor in nearly each lighting situation. Daylight pictures have loads of element and dynamic vary, with saturated colours that look nice on social media. The phone struggles in low-light eventualities, with the digital camera struggling to focus and numerous seen noise in the pictures, however the devoted Night mode makes a distinction right here.

As the remainder of the sensors are unchanged from final 12 months, you do not actually see a lot of a distinction. The wide-angle lens is not fairly as much as the mark — there’s seen distortion and also you miss out on element round the edges — and the similar goes for the fixed-focus macro lens. The portrait lens manages to ship first rate background separation for portrait pictures, and the entrance digital camera is serviceable in daylight situations.

To sum it up, the Galaxy A52 is not the greatest digital camera you will discover on this class, nevertheless it is a far sight higher than what the A51 managed final 12 months.

Samsung Galaxy A52: Software

Samsung Galaxy A52 review

Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

On the software program facet of issues, the Galaxy A52 runs One UI 3.1 based on Android 11 out of the field. Samsung made a daring transfer final 12 months the place it promised three assured Android updates to its telephones — together with the mid-range Galaxy A sequence — and the Galaxy A52 is on that checklist. In addition, Samsung may even ship 4 years of safety patches, outmatching even Google on this space.

One UI 3.1 would not supply loads in the method of visible upgrades, however there are a couple of tweaks to the residence display screen, new dynamic backgrounds, Android 11’s Conversations view and media controls in the settings tile, and new Bixby Routines.

The Galaxy A52 will get three Android updates, however Samsung wants to handle the bloatware problem.

While most producers have switched to Google’s dialer with Android 11, Samsung continues to supply its personal phone dialer, and in One UI 3.1 you will discover added customization choices. There’s no scarcity of options in One UI 3.1, and Samsung continues to guide the method on this explicit space.

While it is nice to see Samsung make large strides on the software program entrance, the Galaxy A52 is no higher than its predecessors in relation to bloatware. You’ll discover numerous bloatware out of the field, and also you’re inundated with notifications to put in extra. You’ll see an interstitial for IronSource’s “suggestions” when you arrange the phone, and you will not be capable to head to the residence display screen until you end this course of.

You’ll must unselect all the choices in IronSource’s checklist to make sure you do not find yourself with any errant apps in your phone. Once you get to the residence display screen, you are continually bombarded by adverts from the likes of Galaxy Store, My Galaxy, and different first-party apps. The problem with adverts and bloatware is not simply restricted to Samsung’s budget telephones — even the Galaxy S21 sequence is not resistant to this.

While Xiaomi and Realme additionally resort to adverts on their units, they achieve this on budget telephones that price beneath $300. Samsung, in the meantime, does it on telephones that price 4 instances as a lot, and that is inexcusable. Samsung actually wants to handle this problem in2021, as a result of it is getting to a degree the place the adverts and bloatware are hindering what is an in any other case nice software program expertise.

Samsung Galaxy A52: The competitors

Samsung Galaxy A52 review

Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

For this part, I’m going to interrupt issues down based mostly on the area. In North America, the chief rival to the Galaxy A52 is the Pixel 4a. Google’s mid-range Pixel continues to be a standout worth, with the phone providing an OLED panel, dependable {hardware}, and unimaginable cameras. It would not fairly ship the similar {hardware} package deal as the A52, however you get cleaner software program and a extra compact design. There’s additionally the Pixel 5a to look ahead to in the coming months.

The OnePlus Nord N10 5G is additionally a robust contender. The N10 5G has a 90Hz LCD panel and has strong internals backed by 5G connectivity, and the phone retails for $300. But the draw back is the software program replace state of affairs; the phone will get only one replace — to Android 11 — making it a non-starter if you need common updates.

In the UK, EU, and India, the common OnePlus Nord is a viable different to the A52 — notably provided that the phone prices simply ₹26,999 ($370) in India. The Nord has significantly better {hardware}, a 90Hz AMOLED panel, 30W quick charging, and a UI with none bloat. You’re getting a couple of extras with the A52 — like IP67 water resistance, 3.5mm jack, microSD slot, and Samsung Pay — however when it comes to day-to-day use, each units are on an equal footing. You also can choose up the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite (Mi 10i in India) or the Realme X7 (7 Pro in the UK).

Over in India, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is a standout selection on this explicit class. It incorporates a 120Hz AMOLED display screen, Snapdragon 732G chipset, 108MP digital camera at the again, and an enormous 5020mAh battery with 33W quick charging. At ₹21,999 ($300), it is far more inexpensive than the Galaxy A52. Sure, you miss out on IP67 and an extra Android updates, however in relation to worth, Xiaomi’s newest budget phone is the one to beat.

Samsung Galaxy A52: Should you purchase it?

Samsung Galaxy A52 review

Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

You can buy this if …

You need a 90Hz AMOLED show

The Galaxy A52 lowers the barrier to entry for 90Hz AMOLED panels in markets like North America. The excessive refresh fee show makes a right away distinction, and you may love the responsiveness.

You want a phone that can get common software program updates

The Galaxy A52 runs Android 11 out of the field, and it’ll obtain three assured Android updates. Samsung may even ship 4 years of safety patches to the phone, so you don’t have anything to fret about on this explicit space.

You need a water resistant budget phone

The Galaxy A52 has an IP67 score, making it immune to mud and water. You do not discover some other phone on this explicit class that gives the similar degree of water resistance, so when you’re fascinated about selecting up a budget phone that you should utilize at the pool or in the tub, the A52 is the default selection.

You mustn’t purchase this if …

You need a phone with out bloatware

While the Galaxy A52 will get numerous software program updates, the phone has loads of bloatware out of the field and annoying adverts all through the interface.

You’re trying for the greatest worth

The Galaxy A sequence would not essentially ship the greatest worth, and there are options that provide an identical {hardware} for lower than the A52, notably in international locations like India and the UK.

Samsung Galaxy A52 review

Source: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central

The Galaxy A52 is certainly one of the greatest budget telephones that Samsung has launched thus far. The firm mounted numerous the efficiency points by switching to the Snapdragon 720G platform, and the consequence is that the phone holds up significantly better than the A51 in day-to-day use. The AMOLED show is certainly one of the greatest you will discover on a budget phone, and with 90Hz refresh fee, you will note a noticeable distinction when scrolling via social media or searching.

The 64MP digital camera takes significantly better images than the 48MP shooter on the A51, and the design — with the pastel hues and the matte end — makes the Galaxy A52 stand out. You additionally get glorious battery life, and the A52 will get extra updates than some other Android phone on this class. Samsung hasn’t overlooked any of the extras both; the Galaxy A52 has IP67 mud and water resistance, you get a 3.5mm jack, NFC, and Samsung Pay.

4
out of 5








The Galaxy A52 would not measure as much as the OnePlus Nord when it comes to efficiency or the Redmi Note 10 Pro in relation to worth, nevertheless it would not must do this stuff; it simply must outmatch its predecessor, and Samsung has managed to just do that. So when you’re utilizing an older Samsung phone or one other budget phone and need to improve in 2021, the Galaxy A52 is the apparent selection.


Samsung Galaxy A52

Samsung Galaxy A52

Bottom line: The Galaxy A52 has a 90Hz AMOLED show that makes it a delight to make use of for day-to-day duties, and the 64MP digital camera at the again takes implausible images. The phone is lag-free in day by day use, has excellent battery life and 25W quick charging, and can get three assured Android updates.

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