The new Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is the brand's latest proposal within the premium mid-range, and in this review we are going to learn about a mobile that bets on a 120 Hz screen, a good 64 MP main camera with optical stabilization and even incorporates water resistance.

With a price of around 400 euros, depending on the version, store and current offers, the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G offers features that are not common in this price range. In addition, it provides a careful design with bright colors, which can make it attractive to young audiences.

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Careful design with casual colors

The Galaxy A52s 5G is a smartphone that feels solid and premium in the hand, and whose design we liked. Its size is quite generous, we are talking about a 6.5-inch screen that has dimensions of about 16 x 7.5 cm, a thickness of 8.4 mm and a weight of 189 g.

In front we have a screen that occupies about 85% of the front, with the selfie camera centered in a hole in the upper area:

The rear shows a camera that does not protrude too much, less exposed than most current smartphones, although buying a case and a screen protector (not included) would be a very good idea anyway:

On the left side it is completely clean, on the right the volume and lock/off buttons are located, all in a shiny metal frame that seems solid:

On the upper edge we discover a microphone next to the tray for the SIM and microSD, an unusual location, but that does not make any difference in practice:

In the lower area we have the 3.5 mm headphone jack, the main call microphone, a USB C port and finally a speaker (the other is next to the call headset):

In addition to the striking light green (Awesome Mint) color of our review unit, the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is also sold in purple (Awesome Violet), white (Awesome White) and black (Awesome Black) versions.

On a physical level, it only remains to mention the IP67 resistance to dust and water, which in theory allows the Galaxy A52s to be kept up to 30 minutes under 1 meter of fresh water.

In practice, it is a fairly high level of protection, which will most likely resist immersion, but considering that the protection against water is designed for specific accidents and not for submerging a phone on a daily basis.

Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G, specifications

At the level of specifications, we are facing a mobile that could be framed in the mid-high range, with weaknesses such as a fairly slow load, and strengths such as the camera with OIS and resistance to water. These are the details:

1. Screen: 6.5-inch Super AMOLED, FHD + (2,400 × 1,080 px) at 120 Hz, brightness up to 800 nits.
2. Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 8-core.
3. Memory: 6GB + 128GB or 8GB + 256GB, microSD slot up to 1TB.
4. Rear camera: 64 MP main + 12 MP ultra wide angle + 5 MP macro + 5 MP depth.
5. Front camera: 32 MP.
6. Connectivity: 5G SA/NSA, 4G, dual SIM WiFi 5 (ac), Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC.
7. Ports and sensors: USB C 2.0, 3.5 mm jack and on-screen fingerprint reader.
8. Extras: IP67 resistance to dust and water, double stereo speaker with Dolby Atmos.
9. Battery: 4,500 mAh with fast charge at 25 W.
10. Operating system: Android 11 with One UI customization.
11. Dimensions and weight: 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm and 189 g.
12. Price: around 400 euros.

Buy: Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Fnac)

Buy: Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Amazon)

Good camera with OIS stabilization

We have already mentioned that the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G plays a prominent role at the photographic level, the 64 MP main camera includes optical stabilization (OIS), and also a good 12 MP ultra wide angle.

On the other hand, the macro and depth sensors, both 5 MP, have much less utility, although it is something very common in the mid-range.

These are the rear camera sensors that are included:

1. 64 MP: main sensor, OIS optical stabilization, f / 1.8 aperture
2. 12 MP: ultra wide angle of 123º, aperture f / 2.2.
3. 5 MP: macro, aperture f / 2.4.
4. 5 MP: depth, aperture f / 2.4.

Let's look at some example photos, starting with the 64 MP main sensor for the day, which performs well:

We have also been convinced by the 123º ultra wide angle, whose results do not stray too far from the main camera. Of course, we are talking about a very considerable angle, so the distortion on the edges is noticeable:

Finally, we have tried to apply a x2 digital zoom, which has a direct access in the camera app, and whose loss of sharpness is not very high:

The bokeh effect or portrait mode also looks good, in fact one of the 5 MP cameras is dedicated to detecting depth:

The 5 MP macro sensor plays a discreet role, its objective is to take very close shots at a distance of 4 cm:

It is a slightly better macro than those we normally see in the mid-range, but its usefulness is just as low, and rather responds to the desire of brands to talk about a quad camera in their marketing without shooting up costs.

In fact, the main camera resolves close shots better, so we will hardly use the macro:

If we use the main sensor in night mode, a lot of light is captured, without noise or glare, here optical stabilization is key:

When using the ultra wide angle at night, the shots are very correct, although inferior to the main sensor:

We have also applied a x2 digital zoom at night from the main camera, the photo is usable, logically the quality drops quite a bit:

On the front we have the 32 MP f/2.2 selfie camera, which offers adequate results in indoor shots with medium lighting:

Samsung's camera app is very neat and full of options, including "Fun" filters that allow you to apply eye-catching effects for social networks without the need for external tools:

In addition to filters, Samsung's camera app includes a "Single Shot" mode that takes photos and chooses the best ones just by holding down the shutter for a few seconds and moving the frame a little. It also lets us create AR Emojis, similar to Apple's Animojis, among other options.

Very high level screen and sound

In the Galaxy A52s 5G we have a 6.5-inch FHD+ screen (2,400 x 1,080 px) and Super AMOLED panel, with very good quality, as Samsung has accustomed us to. It scores at a high level in sharpness, color, contrast and viewing angles, plus the brightness of up to 800 nits ensures good visibility outdoors.

The refresh rate at 120 Hz provides great fluidity, it is also possible to adjust it to the traditional 60 Hz if we want to prioritize battery saving, however we do not have adaptive refresh that allows us to use intermediate frequencies.

The always-on-display is not missing, which even with the Galaxy A52s 5G locked allows us to keep the time, date, notifications, battery level and even decorative elements on the screen, all with very low power consumption.

We found the fingerprint reader under the screen, with an adequate size and function, although it is not one of the most precise sensors that we have tested. As an alternative we have facial recognition, but without a depth sensor, which reduces your security.

The Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G integrates a double stereo speaker with Dolby Atmos, one of them on the lower edge and the second next to the call earpiece. Its power and quality is very remarkable for a mobile device, so the audio has been well resolved.

Generous in power

In command of the mobile we have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G processor that, apart from providing 5G connectivity, also provides considerable power. It is a current chip, manufactured at 6nm, which we have seen in direct competitors such as the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE or the Realme GT Master Edition.

We will be able to move the interface and the apps with great fluidity, the Snapdragon 778G is placed in the mid-high range of Qualcomm, and it defends itself very well in almost any situation. Only very demanding users (for example, enthusiastic gamers) might need more power at times.

This is the internal hardware of the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G:

1. Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G as processor, with 8 cores up to 2.4 GHz (manufactured at 6nm).
2. Adreno 642L as graphics card.
3. 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM.
4. 128 GB or 256 GB of storage (expandable by microSD).

We have passed GeekBench Benchmark, a performance test that yields 775 points with one processor core, 2,844 points in multi-core, and 2,210 points in graphics power:

The Galaxy A52s 5G is a valid smartphone for gaming, not at the level of high-end dedicated models, but in the price range of 400 euros it is perfectly possible to play the latest fashion games in good conditions.

We have tried advanced 3D titles like Fortnite, Genshin Impact or the recent PUBG New State and all of them have offered a good experience with medium settings.

Sufficient battery with not very fast charging

Inside the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G there is a 4,500 mAh battery, a figure in the average of current mobiles. We will have no problem completing the autonomy day, although those who want to "squeeze" it to the fullest can deactivate high-energy consumption functions such as 120 Hz refreshment or 5G.

Fast charging at 25 W is one of the weak points of the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G. Since the serious incidents of the Galaxy Note 7, the brand is very cautious with batteries, but it cannot be denied that its direct rivals are above it. For example, the Huawei Nova 8i charges at 66 W, the Oppo Reno 6 reaches 65 W and the Xiaomi 11 5G Lite NE charges at 33 W.

The Galaxy A52s 5G comes with a charger and USB cable included, without the rubber cover and screen protector that most of its competitors in this price range come with by default.

Samsung-style Android 11

In the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G we find Android 11 with the One UI 3.1 customization layer, which we generally liked a lot. Not only does it run smoothly, but Samsung is making its software less invasive every time, with an aspect not too far from Google's "pure" version of Android and few pre-installed apps.

The customization options are extensive, including visual themes, we can also add a sidebar with access to the most frequent apps and open some of them as floating windows on top of other applications, for example, the calculator.

Samsung continues to apply certain peculiarities to its layer, such as an organization of settings that is different from the rest of the Android manufacturers. On the other hand, in the initial configuration it allows us to choose which pre-installed apps we want to add, avoiding the high number of useless icons that appeared in previous models.

In general, Samsung's software is very good, we already mentioned the neat camera app, we also have great integration with Windows 10 and 11 through Microsoft's Your Phone app and within the ecosystem of Galaxy devices.

The Galaxy A52s 5G integrates a Game Center with all the options related to gaming (performance, notification pause, gameplay recording, etc.) that even allows us to download additional plugins or add-ons.

During games, the Game Booster bar gives us access to the most common settings and actions without leaving the games:

It is very noteworthy that the Galaxy A52s 5G is already on the Samsung mobile calendar with the update to Android 12 / One UI 4.0, and will receive it in January 2022. Among its novelties, the new visual design Material You and improvements in privacy or security.

Galaxy A52s 5G stands out in its segment

The Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G has seemed to us to be an excellent premium mid-range, which fans of the South Korean brand will surely like, and it is also a very solid proposal for any consumer who is thinking of renewing their mobile.

It is true that it has very tough competitors in its price range, with larger batteries and faster charging, while among its rivals the camera with optical stabilization or water resistance is not common. Without forgetting that Samsung's One UI layer, although not everyone likes it, is an increasingly careful operating system.

Also noteworthy is the excellent Super AMOLED screen at 120 Hz, as Samsung has accustomed us, and a graceful design, with a classic cut if we opt for the black or white versions, and which becomes much more youthful in purple or green tones.

In summary, we can recommend the Galaxy A52s 5G as one of the best options in its segment, something very meritorious if we think about how competitive the mid-range is at the end of 2021.

Buy: Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Fnac)

Buy: Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Amazon)

Strengths of the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G in our review

1. 120 Hz screen with high quality Super AMOLED panel.
2. Good main camera with OIS.
3. High power.
4. Waterproof.
5. High quality double speaker.
6. One UI is getting better software all the time.

Weak points of the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G in our review

1. Charging at 25 W is not very fast.
2. The macro sensor has little use.
3. Case and screen protector not included.

Our assessment

1. Layout: 8
2. Display: 9
3. Hardware: 8
4. Autonomy: 7
5. Camera: 8
6. Software: 9
7. Price: 8
8. Overall score: 8.1

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