LG K52 vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G: A Deep Dive into Value and Performance
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing performance, camera quality, and a premium experience, the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is the clear winner. However, the LG K52 provides a functional smartphone experience at a significantly lower price point, making it ideal for users on a tight budget or those with basic needs.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG K52 | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - International | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 28, 38, 66 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-G991U1 |
| 5G bands | - | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G991U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 - Australia | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G991B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, September 23. Released 2020, November 23 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165 x 76.7 x 8.4 mm (6.50 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 188 g (6.63 oz) | 169 g (Sub6), 171 g (mmWave) (5.96 oz) |
| MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~266 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 105.2 cm2 (~83.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 94.1 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - InternationalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6765 Helio P35 (12 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8320 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 10 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| eMMC 5.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 5 MP, f/2.2, 115˚ (ultrawide), 1/5.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n or Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | - | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 4000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | White, Blue, Red | Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink |
| Models | LMK520, LM-K520, LMK520E, LM-K520E, LMK520Y, LM-K520Y, LMK520H, LM-K520H | SM-G991B, SM-G991B/DS, SM-G991U, SM-G991U1, SM-G991W, SM-G991N, SM-G9910, SM-G991Q, SCG09 |
| Price | About 220 EUR | € 194.00 / $ 153.58 / £ 149.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.74 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.46 W/kg (head) 1.51 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 249.00 |
| 256GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 289.99 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 317.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 93h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.4 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 584055 (v8) GeekBench: 3238 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG K52
- Extremely affordable price point
- Decent battery life for basic usage
- Functional for everyday tasks
- Significantly underpowered processor
- Limited camera capabilities
- Lower quality display
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
- Powerful processor for gaming and multitasking
- High-quality display with vibrant colors
- Versatile camera system with advanced features
- Higher price tag
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load
- Battery life, while good, isn't exceptional
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G boasts a significantly more advanced display, reaching a measured peak brightness of 856 nits, compared to the LG K52’s unspecified brightness. While the K52’s display specifications are limited, the S21’s panel likely utilizes a higher refresh rate and superior color accuracy. The S21’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) suggests a deeper black level, enhancing visual clarity. This difference is crucial for outdoor visibility and immersive media consumption, favoring the S21.
Camera Comparison
Both devices feature camera systems, but the S21’s capabilities are far more advanced. While both are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, the S21 benefits from a more sophisticated image signal processor (ISP) within the Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888. The S21 likely includes features like optical image stabilization (OIS) and advanced computational photography algorithms, resulting in superior image quality, especially in low-light conditions. The LG K52’s camera is likely focused on basic functionality, and any 2MP macro lens included would offer limited practical benefit.
Performance
The performance gap between these devices is substantial. The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, equipped with either the Exynos 2100 (5nm) or Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm), features a cutting-edge CPU architecture – a Cortex-X1 prime core, Cortex-A78 performance cores, and Cortex-A55 efficiency cores. This contrasts sharply with the LG K52’s MediaTek Helio P35 (12nm) and its four Cortex-A53 cores operating at varying frequencies. The 5nm fabrication process of the S21’s chipset delivers superior power efficiency and thermal management, preventing throttling during intensive tasks. The S21’s RAM, likely LPDDR5, further enhances multitasking capabilities compared to the K52’s unspecified RAM type.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G achieves an impressive endurance rating of 93 hours, despite a potentially smaller battery capacity than some competitors. This is thanks to the efficient 5nm chipset and intelligent power management. The S21 supports 25W wired charging with Power Delivery 3.0, 15W wireless charging (Qi), and even 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The LG K52’s battery specifications are not provided, but given its less powerful chipset, it likely prioritizes longevity over rapid charging. The S21’s charging versatility provides a more convenient user experience.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG K52 if you need a reliable, affordable smartphone for everyday tasks like calling, texting, and light social media use. It’s a practical choice for users who prioritize battery life and don’t require demanding performance. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G if you prefer a flagship-level experience with a vibrant display, powerful processor for gaming and multitasking, and a versatile camera system capable of capturing high-quality photos and videos.