Review: Samsung Galaxy A52 5G – good successor comes with downsides

Specifications: Samsung Galaxy A52 5G

The Samsung Galaxy A52 5G comes with a 6.5-inch Super Amoled Display in a resolution of 2,400 by 1,080 pixels with a refresh rate of 120Hz. On board we find the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G, 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage memory. The storage memory is expandable with a micro SD card. The battery has a capacity of 4,500 mAh. Fast Charging up to 25W is supported, but a 15W charger is included.

This device is of course ready for the 5g network and comes with wifi, nfc, usb-type-c, bluetooth 5.0 and gps. A 3.5mm headphone jack is also provided. Unlocking is possible through facial recognition and the fingerprint sensor in the display. The dimensions are 159.9 mm x 75.1 mm x 8.4 mm and the weight is 189 grams.

On the back we find four cameras. The main camera is 64 megapixels (f/1.8) with auto focus and optical image stabilization, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens (f/2.2), a 5-megapixel macro sensor (f/2.4) and a 5-megapixel (f/2.4) depth sensor. At the front we find a selfie camera of 32 megapixels (f/2.2).

Design: Plastic (not so) Fantastic

When I first took the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G out of the box, I was a bit shocked. The device has a plastic back. Now there is nothing strange about this, because the Samsung Galaxy S21 is also equipped with a plastic back. However, the plastic that is used with the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G is of much poorer quality. It looks and feels like you’ve picked up a plastic children’s toy from a cheap toy store. It stands in stark contrast to the front and side of the device, which can be called sturdy and premium. The design has two faces and that is a shame. The device is water and dustproof with IP67.

In addition to the black 5g model in this review, we also had the blue 4g model in our hands. Here the plastic back looks even cheaper. With the black model, this is still fairly masked. You may think that a plastic back does not leave fingerprints. However, it does. On the back of the plastic back we find the camera module in the top left corner. On top we find space for the SIM card and memory card. It is a hybrid sim step. This means that you can insert either a second SIM card or a memory card. On the right you will find the on/off button and the volume buttons. At the bottom you will find the 3.5mm headphone jack. The front display has a small hole at the top of the display for the front camera.

Display and sound: excellent quality

Although the design is quite disappointing, luckily we now come to a good point of the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G and that is the display. In fact, it is unbelievably impressive what a good display you get on this affordable device. The flat 6.5″ amoled screen has a resolution of 2,400 by 1,080 pixels and a refresh rate of 120Hz.

We can immediately see from the screen that we are dealing with a Samsung smartphone. The color saturation has always been considerably increased, so that the bright colors seem to come out of the screen, as it were. You have to love it, but it makes for a colorful whole. The resolution on such a large display can still be called excellent and therefore sharp enough. You can adjust the refresh rate yourself via the settings. It defaults to 120Hz, which ensures smooth scrolling and smooth animations.

We are a little less pleased with the fingerprint sensor in the screen. In terms of speed, this does not match other smartphones of recent years. It is not really disturbing, but you sometimes have to wait until the screen is unlocked. Another point is the reflection of the screen. In direct sunlight, the screen reflects just a little too much, which can sometimes make reading difficult.

The sound is also fine. The device has two stereo speakers at the top and bottom and support for Dolby Atmos. The sound is clear and details in the sound come out well. The speakers on this device know how to measure themselves with the flagships of the moment. The display and sound are both excellent, so you will also like to grab this device for entertainment such as movies, TV series and games. And that is a nice compliment for a smartphone in this price range.

Battery life: 4,500 mAh and 25W charging

The battery in the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G has a capacity of 4,500 mAh. And that’s more than enough to get through the day. Two days without charging will not save you, but a day and a half is not a problem in most cases. Fortunately, unlike the Samsung Galaxy S21, a charger is included. Although this device supports up to 25W fast charging, you get a 15W charger included. That is of course a strange choice, because with 15W charging it all takes quite a long time. It will then quickly take you almost two hours to charge the device from 0 to 100, while the optionally available 25W charger would take much faster. You will therefore have to optionally purchase this if you want to charge faster. Wireless charging is not supported.

Cameras: five cameras, including 64-megapixel

In terms of camera capabilities, the device seems to be well equipped. The main camera of 64 megapixels (f/1.8) comes with auto focus and optical image stabilization. There are also an ultra-wide-angle lens of twelve megapixels (f/2.2), macro sensor of five megapixels (f/2.4) and a depth sensor of five megapixels (f/2.4). ) present At the front we find a selfie camera of 32 megapixels (f/2.2).

The cameras on the device are certainly not disappointing. The main camera has been upgraded from the previous model. The 64-megapixel main camera shoots good photos packed with detail and with good sharpness. The optical image stabilization naturally helps to correct any movements. The autofocus is sometimes a bit off. The ultra-wide-angle lens is also adequate, but performs slightly less than the main camera. Photos look a bit duller with less detail, but we certainly can’t complain in this price range. The macro camera is a nice extra, but does not manage to get subjects as close as on some other devices in this price category. The depth sensor helps with the bokeh effect for a sharp foreground and a blurred background. So you will mainly work with the main camera. And for this price range, this main camera performs excellently. It is a big step forward compared to its predecessors.

In terms of possibilities, you can get started with special functions such as Super Slow-mo, Portrait, Hyperlapse, Slow Motion, Food, Panorama and a Pro mode. There is also a night mode, but just like with the Samsung Galaxy S21, there is a lot of noise on photos taken in this mode. It seems as if Samsung has not yet fully developed the software for this. The regular automatic mode therefore regularly performs better in low-light conditions. You can also get started with Fun, which has been added through a new update. This way you can get started with various Snapchat filters. You can zoom in up to 10 times (digitally). The front camera shoots good photos, especially in portrait mode, the device manages to impress. The camera app is well-arranged and clear, which is what Samsung has done well.

You can film up to a 4k resolution with a maximum of 30 frames per second. In terms of quality, you shoot better photos than videos with this device, but for the price it is sufficient. In terms of videos, there is something strange going on. There is a stabilization mode, but as soon as you click it, the camera starts filming with the ultra-wide-angle lens and no longer with the main camera. And then the quality goes down. So you choose between a better quality without stabilization, or a lesser quality with stabilization.

Sample photos

The following photos were taken with the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G. It gives a good impression of the photo quality of this device. Photos are unedited, but made slightly smaller to make this page load faster. The first six photos show the photos from the main camera. In general, this produces excellent results. In photo 3 it is noticeable that the autofocus sometimes has some difficulty focusing. In photo 4 in a dark room you can see that noise quickly takes over. Photos 7 and 8 show the ultra wide-angle camera and the macro camera, respectively. Click on the slider below for an enlargement and a better quality of the photos shown.

Software: One UI based on Android 11

Samsung has gotten the software in order in recent years. We already saw that in the review of the Samsung Galaxy S21 and that is no different here. The One UI shell has turned out to be a big step forward. No longer all kinds of Samsung software is pushed, but you just have a clear software shell with space for the Google Discover Feed if you swipe from the home screen to the left. The menus are well-arranged with clear topics, so you can quickly find what you’re looking for. An app drawer is available as standard and those who wish can make some adjustments themselves to adjust One UI to their liking.

It is a pity that Samsung has apps such as Facebook, Spotify and Netflix pre-installed on this device. Just leave this to the user. Fortunately, you can simply remove these apps.

The big plus of Samsung compared to other manufacturers of Android phones is the update policy. You have recently received three major Android updates and four years of security updates for Samsung devices. This way you can be sure that you can use the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G for the next four years without worries.

Performance and usage

We have been able to use the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G recently and that has generally not been disappointing. The hardware with the Snapdragon 750G and the working memory of 6 GB are capable of running multiple processes simultaneously without delays. This was the biggest criticism of the predecessors. The Galaxy A50 and A51 often suffered from delays and did not immediately excel in performance. In any case, this has improved considerably with this successor. Note that the 4G version of the Galaxy A52 with the Snapdragon 720 has a slower processor. Also, the refresh rate of 90Hz is lower than the 120Hz of the 5g model. This 5g version therefore seems to be the better choice, despite the fact that you will have to spend a few tens more.

The performance is fine at the moment. We have not encountered any delays and games also seem to run well. It is doubtful whether you will still be able to play the latest demanding games in two years’ time. This device is fast enough for everyday tasks. Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram or TikTokken. Everything runs smoothly and quickly and thanks to the excellent cameras you immediately take good photos.

It is a pity that the plastic housing on the back is so disappointing. It is as if Samsung has put the luxurious interior of a Porsche Panamera in a Fiat Multipla. Fantastic on the inside, but disappointing on the outside. Fortunately, you can easily solve this with a case. Then you no longer see and feel the plastic back.

The Samsung Galaxy A52 has a lot to offer internally. The excellent display, excellent sound and good cameras make up for a lot and belong to the top of the mid-range segment. For most people, this device has everything you could wish for. And then we take the slightly slower fingerprint sensor in the screen for granted. The price of 429 euros is justified in terms of hardware, but a tad on the high side for a midranger. Are you looking for an excellent smartphone for less money than this device? Then take a look at the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro . And do you think the cameras are of minor importance, but do you just want very powerful hardware? Then take a look at the Poco F3 .

Samsung Galaxy A52 Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy A52 5G is a device with two faces. The poor-quality plastic back is well compensated by the excellent interior. The processor is satisfactory, the cameras are more than fine and the display and sound are at the top of the mid-range. The Samsung Galaxy A52 will undoubtedly become just as much of a sales hit as the predecessors within the series. It is an excellent device, but with some drawbacks. You certainly won’t go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, but make sure you get a case quickly.