OnePlus Nord vs Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G: A Deep Dive into Mid-Range Champions
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is the better choice. Its Snapdragon 778G chipset provides noticeably smoother performance, and its brighter display enhances outdoor visibility. While the Nord offers competitive pricing, the A52s 5G’s overall package justifies the slight price premium.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | OnePlus Nord | Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Europe | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 7, 28, 78 SA/NSA - Europe | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 78 SA/NSA - India | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, July 21 | 2021, August 17 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, August 04 | Available. Released 2021, September 01 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back |
| Dimensions | 158.3 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm (6.23 x 2.89 x 0.32 in) | 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm (6.30 x 2.96 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 184 g (6.49 oz) | 189 g (6.67 oz) |
| - | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~408 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.44 inches, 100.6 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Fluid AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 620 | Adreno 642L |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 12, OxygenOS 12 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.3, 119˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm 8 MP, f/2.5, 105˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | - |
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| - | Virtual Proximity Sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, 70% in 30 min | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4115 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Blue Marble, Gray Onyx (Gray Ash) | Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Purple, Awesome Mint |
| Models | AC2001, AC2003 | SM-A528B, SM-A528B/DS, SM-A528N |
| Price | € 101.45 / £ 119.99 | £ 112.98 / € 249.47 |
| SAR | - | 0.72 W/kg (head) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.88 W/kg (head) 0.84 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | $ 299.00 | - |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | $ 329.99 | - |
| 64GB 6GB RAM | C$ 865.00 | - |
| RENEWED | £ 172.00 | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 100h | Endurance rating 113h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -29.6 LUFS (Average) | -27.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 315641 (v8) GeekBench: 7844 (v4.4), 1953 (v5.1) GFXBench: 19fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 429675 (v8), 506432(v9) GeekBench: 11060 (v4.4), 2801 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
OnePlus Nord
- Potentially lower price point
- Faster 30W charging
- Solid performance for everyday tasks
- Older Snapdragon 765G chipset
- Less bright display
- Shorter battery life
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
- More powerful Snapdragon 778G chipset
- Brighter display for outdoor use
- Longer battery life
- Likely superior camera processing
- Slower 25W charging
- Potentially higher price
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G boasts a brighter display, reaching 800 nits compared to the OnePlus Nord’s 756 nits. This 54-nit difference translates to significantly improved visibility in direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting similar black levels and color vibrancy. However, the A52s 5G’s higher peak brightness is a tangible advantage for outdoor users. While neither manufacturer specifies refresh rates in the provided data, the A52s 5G is known to have a 120Hz display, offering smoother scrolling and animations, a feature absent in the standard Nord.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, but specific details are lacking. However, the A52s 5G’s chipset generally enables more advanced image signal processing (ISP) features. While sensor sizes and apertures aren’t provided, the Snapdragon 778G’s ISP is known for its improved noise reduction and dynamic range. The absence of detail regarding the cameras makes a definitive comparison difficult, but the A52s 5G’s superior processing power likely gives it an edge in image quality, especially in challenging lighting conditions. We can assume both phones will have similar limitations with the ubiquitous 2MP macro lenses.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the OnePlus Nord utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G (7nm), while the A52s 5G features the Snapdragon 778G (6nm). The 778G’s 6nm process node is more efficient, leading to better thermal management and sustained performance. Architecturally, the A52s 5G’s CPU configuration – a Cortex-A78 prime core – offers a performance advantage over the Nord’s Kryo 475 Prime. This translates to faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and a more responsive user experience, particularly noticeable in demanding applications and games. The A52s 5G’s GPU will also deliver superior graphics performance.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G edges out the OnePlus Nord in battery endurance, achieving a rating of 113 hours versus the Nord’s 100 hours. This 13-hour difference suggests the A52s 5G’s more efficient Snapdragon 778G chipset contributes to longer battery life. While the Nord supports 30W wired charging, reaching 70% charge in 30 minutes, the A52s 5G’s 25W charging is slower. However, the A52s 5G’s overall battery efficiency likely means users won’t need to charge as frequently, mitigating the slower charging speed.
Buying Guide
Buy the OnePlus Nord if you prioritize maximizing value and are comfortable with slightly older hardware. It’s a solid option for everyday tasks and media consumption, especially if you find a significant discount. Buy the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G if you prioritize performance, a brighter display, and slightly longer battery life. It’s ideal for users who enjoy mobile gaming, multitasking, or frequently use their phone outdoors.