Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G Review: Feature-Packed Yet Not Worthy

Samsung recently launched a new 5G smartphone within their A-series line of smartphones. The Galaxy A52s 5G succeeds the already available Galaxy A52 5G in India and brings significant upgrades and changes to the overall device. The Galaxy A52s 5G features a starting price of Rs. 35,999 for the 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant and Rs. 37,499 for the 8GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant. 

So let’s take a look into the device and see how good of an upgrade it is. I have been using the device for a couple of weeks now and here is my take on the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G.

Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is available to buy in two variants i.e 6GB and 8GB RAM variants. In terms of storage, you don’t get many options but only 128GB of internal storage. The device is available in three colour variants Black, White, and Violet. You can purchase the device online via Amazon or Flipkart, while it is also available through Samsung’s online & offline stores.

Here’s what the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G comes with in box

• A protective case
• 15W fast charging adapter
• USB-A to USB-C cable
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G device
• Documentation

Let’s talk about the on-paper specifications of the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G at first:

• Display: 6.5 inches AMOLED Display with 1080 x 2400 pixel resolution 
• Camera: 64MP + 12MP + 5MP + 5MP | 32MP Front Camera
• Battery: 4500 mAh Battery with 25W fast-charging
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G Processor
• RAM & ROM: 6 GB & 8 GB RAM | 128 GB ROM
• Dimensions: 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm
• Weight: 189 grams

Before you decide to purchase this device, consider that this is not a medium-sized device. It is a pretty big phone that comes with a 6.5-inch screen that many people will find normal now. I love the extra screen real estate because it is a pleasure to experience multimedia and makes it easy to type on. One of the drawbacks that I faced was that if you have small to medium hands, you might face difficulty reaching all four corners of the screen with one hand (unless you have large hands like Marques Brownlee). 

The phone does not have that premium finish that I would like, but I found its simple aesthetics good enough. The smartphone’s back is made up of plastic and has a soft matte finish that is pleasant to naked eyes. The review unit I was using was in White, and that kind of reminded me of the first-generation iPod. So the overall build quality of the device is good, and the phone feels solid in hands with the excellent build quality. 

Also, Read Samsung Galaxy M32 5G Review: Buy This Only For 5G Nothing Else!

For protection, the display does have a Gorilla Glass 5 in front. On the back, there is a rectangular camera module on the left top side that looks similar to the Galaxy A52. In the front, the phone has a hole-punch camera cut out through which you can take your selfies, while the rear panel has Samsung engraved on the bottom. The power button and volume rocker buttons are located on the device’s right side, while the SIM tray sits on the top. Additionally, you get the USB Type-C port, speakers and, surprisingly, a headphone jack at the bottom of the device.

And the best thing about this device that I found is that it comes with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance which is quite rare to be seen at this price point. The smartphone also comes with stereo speakers that surprisingly pump out good audio quality. Overall the device has an excellent design and minimalistic look; while it may not be easy for everyone to use with one hand, it certainly offers a solid build quality.

The Galaxy A52s 5G offers a 6.5-inch FullHD plus Super AMOLED display that offers a 120 Hz refresh rate. One unfortunate thing that I found about the display is that it can only switch between 60 Hz and 120 Hz. This puts users in a difficult position who want to set the device in auto mode and save some battery life while also enjoying the occasional higher refresh rate. 

This screen does get plenty bright even under direct sunlight. It also includes an in-display fingerprint scanner which is quite reliable and fast. As the AMOLED display is excellent and the content looks quite bright with vibrant colours that you will enjoy watching movies or during gaming sessions. 

While the display may not be flagship-grade, I’ve found it quite good and offers many features for its price point. Additionally, the higher refresh rate makes scrolling through the display relatively smooth. It offers excellent viewing angles for watching movies. The one thing that I found missing on display is HDR video playback which is quite a shame considering the price Samsung demands this device. But you also get WideVine L1 certification that allows you to stream content in HD quality from various OTT services.

The Galaxy A52s 5G comes powered by the Snapdragon 778G chipset with 6GB or 8 GB of RAM. The previous Samsung Galaxy A52 had a Snapdragon 720G processor and in terms of performance, I did not feel any major difference between these two processes. The Snapdragon 778G is a newer chipset, but on paper, it provides the same performance as that of the Snapdragon 720G. It does perform very well for a mid-range device, and comparing it to the smartphone that is powered by Snapdragon 888 is not justified. Also, if you are an average user, neither benchmarks nor the onboard specs of the processor really make any difference. 

Also Check: Most Promising Mid-Ranger, the Realme X7 Max Review

Talking more about games, I played Call of Duty: Mobile and the phone delivered a smooth, fluid gameplay experience with the settings turned up to max. It even ran Asphalt 9 legends without any glitches and ran most of the games that I threw at this processor. When you compare it against processes like MediaTek Dimensity 1200, it does lack somewhat. But it will be quite difficult to see the difference as the phone provides an overall satisfying user experience.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy A22 Review – Needs A Lot Of Tuning

In my review, I found the Galaxy A52s 5G to be really snappy that can handle any game you throw at it. It performs well in terms of social media apps and other day-to-day tasks better than most mid-range smartphones. The review unit I was using came loaded with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Additionally, you also get the option to expand your storage using a MicroSD card for up to 1 TB. The SIM tray is hybrid which you should keep in mind in case you want to use a second SIM card.

Samsung has refined their One UI a lot, which seems evident from their latest One UI 3.1 based on Android 11. The One UI is packed with features and customization, but what I didn’t like about this interface is there are a lot of unwanted first-party apps pre-installed when you receive the phone. However, Samsung promises three years of guaranteed Android updates and four years of security patches with this device.

Also Read: Most Annoying Problems with Xiaomi Smartphones

If you neglect all the pre-installed bloatware, there is not much to complain about the software part of this device. One UI 3.1 is arguably one of the most feature-rich third-party skins that provide the best Android and Google services. I would also like to mention that I was able to remove most of the third-party pre-installed apps that came with the device.

In terms of camera performance, the Galaxy A52s 5G includes a 64MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultrawide sensor, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 5MP macro sensor. Overall it has a quad-camera rear setup while the front has a single camera 32MP selfie shooter. 

The primary 64MP camera also comes with optical image stabilization (OIS) and produces some good shots and is capable of producing well-balanced and bright photos during natural daylight. As usual with all the Samsung phones, the colours are a bit saturated, but the low-light performance is good if not great. 

I would give the Pixel 4A an edge over this Galaxy A52s 5G in terms of camera performance, especially in low light conditions where there is not enough natural light for the camera to work with. The ultra-wide camera is also not that terrible; it takes better shots when the light is adequate. There is also a macro camera and depth camera, both of which perform very average according to their sensor size. 

Photos that I clicked overall using the ultrawide camera provided consistent colour accuracy compared to the wide camera. Even the dynamic range on the ultrawide sensor are quite decent, but you notice some visible softening on the edges. In low-light conditions, I found the night mode to be a reliable option in restoring parts of overblown highlights, cleaning noise, and fixing some details in shadows. 

The front-facing 32MP selfie camera is very good. In case you are a selfie enthusiast, Samsung has added a new ”fun” mode in which the camera provides you with AR filters powered by Snapchat. This is a good thing as you don’t need to have a separate Snapchat account to use these AR filters. I’m not a big fan of these filters, but I know people who post at least one self-portrait in a day on their Instagram or Snapchat story, and for them, these filters might come in handy. 

Mi 11x Review – Is it the right time to buy Xiaomi Flagship Killers? 

You can also capture 4K video at 30fps using both the front and rear cameras. Both the wide and ultraviolet cameras in the rear can record 4K video at 30fps. The main camera also provides good video stabilization while capturing 1080p videos due to its OIS. The main camera produces accurate colours, excellent contrast, and good dynamic range while capturing videos in 4K resolution. Overall I can say that both the front and rear cameras on the Galaxy A52s 5G are quite reliable during most scenarios in which the selfie camera excels in almost all the instances.

In terms of battery life, the Galaxy A52s 5G packs a 4500 mAh battery that comes with 15-watt fast charging, and it will easily get you through a full day of average use. Even with the refresh rate set at a maximum of 120 Hz, the battery was more than adequate to last through an entire day with still some power left to take on the next day. One of the things that I don’t like about this device is the 15-watt charger that Samsung offers in the box. The phone officially supports fast charging up to 25 watts which are still slow compared to other options that provide up to 120 watts of fast charging at this price point. But I think we should be grateful that Samsung is offering a charging adapter in the box, unlike the flagship Galaxy S series devices, which don’t get one at all.

Also Read: Best Gaming Phones Of 2021 To Play BattleGrounds Mobile India!

The stereo speakers are a great addition to the Galaxy A52s 5G, and they enhance your movies or gaming experience, but I found the audio output from the speakers a bit on the lower side. And my only complaint with Samsung is that they should have provided loud enough speakers on the smartphone. In terms of connectivity, you do get 5G support, and also, not a few but 12-bands are supported. I feel this will be a major point for many users to decide whether they should buy the phone. The in-display fingerprint scanner is fast and responsive, while you also get the option to unlock the device using face ID.