Samsung Galaxy A52 5G vs A52s 5G: Is the 's' Worth It?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is the superior choice. The Snapdragon 778G chipset delivers noticeably faster performance and improved efficiency, making it better suited for demanding tasks and gaming. While the A52 5G offers excellent value, the A52s 5G's performance uplift is substantial enough to warrant the slightly higher price.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 17 | 2021, August 17 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 19 | Available. Released 2021, September 01 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back |
| Dimensions | 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm (6.30 x 2.96 x 0.33 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 + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 189 g (6.67 oz) | 189 g (6.67 oz) |
| IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | 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 (~407 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (HBM) | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits (HBM) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm) | Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 642L |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6.1 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Quad | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7X", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm 5 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@30/60fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio (market/region dependent) | 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, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| Virtual proximity sensing | Virtual Proximity Sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, 50% in 30 min | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Violet, Awesome Blue | Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Purple, Awesome Mint |
| Models | SM-A526B, SM-A526B/DS, SM-A5260, SM-A526W, SM-A526U, SM-A526U1 | SM-A528B, SM-A528B/DS, SM-A528N |
| Price | $ 137.39 / £ 280.00 / € 115.49 | £ 112.98 / € 249.47 |
| SAR | 0.74 W/kg (head) 0.53 W/kg (body) | 0.72 W/kg (head) |
| SAR EU | 1.05 W/kg (head) 1.42 W/kg (body) | 0.88 W/kg (head) 0.84 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 111h | Endurance rating 113h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -27.5 LUFS (Good) | -27.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 334981 (v8), 386474 (v9) GeekBench: 1820 (v5.1) GFXBench: 16fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 429675 (v8), 506432(v9) GeekBench: 11060 (v4.4), 2801 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
- Often available at a lower price point.
- Excellent battery life for everyday use.
- Solid overall feature set for the price.
- Noticeably slower performance compared to the A52s 5G.
- Less efficient chipset may lead to slightly warmer temperatures.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
- Significantly faster performance with the Snapdragon 778G.
- Brighter display for better outdoor visibility.
- More efficient chipset for potentially longer battery life.
- Typically costs slightly more than the A52 5G.
- Performance gains may not be noticeable for very light users.
Display Comparison
Both the A52 5G and A52s 5G feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, indicating excellent black levels. However, the A52s 5G boasts a slightly brighter panel, reaching 800 nits compared to the A52 5G’s 787 nits. This 13-nit difference translates to improved visibility in direct sunlight. While both share a 120Hz refresh rate, the improved brightness of the A52s 5G provides a more vibrant and usable experience outdoors.
Camera Comparison
Both devices share similar camera setups, focusing on photo and video capabilities. While detailed image quality analysis requires dedicated testing, the A52s 5G’s more powerful processor aids in faster image processing and potentially improved low-light performance. The Snapdragon 778G’s ISP (Image Signal Processor) is more advanced, allowing for more sophisticated noise reduction and detail enhancement. However, without specific camera samples, it’s difficult to quantify the difference in real-world results.
Performance
The core difference between these phones lies in their chipsets. The A52 5G utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G (8nm), while the A52s 5G steps up to the Snapdragon 778G (6nm). This shift to a 6nm process and the newer Cortex-A78 cores in the 778G results in a significant performance advantage for the A52s 5G. The A52s 5G’s CPU configuration – 1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78, 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78, and 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55 – is demonstrably faster than the A52 5G’s 2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570. This translates to quicker app loading times, smoother multitasking, and a more responsive user experience.
Battery Life
Battery endurance is remarkably similar, with both phones achieving an Endurance rating of 111-113 hours. The A52s 5G’s slightly more efficient Snapdragon 778G chipset offsets the minimal difference in battery capacity. Both support 25W wired charging, achieving 50% charge in approximately 30 minutes. The A52s 5G’s improved efficiency may lead to slightly longer real-world usage, but the difference is unlikely to be substantial for most users.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G if you prioritize maximizing value and are a light user primarily focused on everyday tasks like browsing, social media, and casual video consumption. Buy the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G if you demand smoother multitasking, enjoy mobile gaming, or anticipate using your phone for more resource-intensive applications. The A52s 5G is the clear choice for power users.