Samsung Galaxy A52 5G vs. S20 FE 5G: A Deep Dive into Samsung's 5G Mid-Range Champions
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a balance of features and affordability, the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G emerges as the winner. While the S20 FE 5G boasts a more powerful processor, the A52 5G’s comparable battery life, excellent display, and often lower price point make it the more sensible choice.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 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, 13, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 2, 5, 41, 66, 71 Sub6 - USA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1800/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 41, 78 Sub6 - International | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 17 | 2020, September 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 19 | Available. Released 2020, October 02 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm (6.30 x 2.96 x 0.33 in) | 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm (6.29 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 189 g (6.67 oz) | 190 g (6.70 oz) |
| IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~407 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~407 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (HBM) | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm) | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6.1 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| 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 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| 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 | - |
| Single | - | 2 MP |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto), 1/4.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 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), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio (market/region dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Browser | - | HTTP / WAP 2.0 |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| Virtual proximity sensing | Virtual proximity sensing Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, 50% in 30 min | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Stand-by | - | Up to 300 h |
| Talk time | - | Up to 5 h |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Violet, Awesome Blue | Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, Cloud White, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange |
| Models | SM-A526B, SM-A526B/DS, SM-A5260, SM-A526W, SM-A526U, SM-A526U1 | SM-G781B, SM-G781B/DS, SM-G781U, SM-G781U1, SM-G781W, SM-G7810, SM-G781N, SM-G781V |
| Price | $ 137.39 / £ 280.00 / € 115.49 | $ 137.00 / C$ 531.23 / £ 169.00 / € 199.00 |
| SAR | 0.74 W/kg (head) 0.53 W/kg (body) | 0.70 W/kg (head) 0.82 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.05 W/kg (head) 1.42 W/kg (body) | 0.50 W/kg (head) 1.35 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 361.99 |
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 589.97 |
| 256GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 769.99 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 111h | Endurance rating 110h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -27.5 LUFS (Good) | -26.3 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 334981 (v8), 386474 (v9) GeekBench: 1820 (v5.1) GFXBench: 16fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 543986 (v8) GeekBench: 3296 (v5.1) GFXBench: 45fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
- More affordable price point
- Better thermal management due to Snapdragon 750G
- Excellent display quality for the price
- Less powerful processor than the S20 FE 5G
- Lacks wireless charging capabilities
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
- Significantly more powerful Snapdragon 865 processor
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging support
- Brighter display for outdoor visibility
- Higher price tag
- Potential for thermal throttling under heavy load
Display Comparison
Both the A52 5G and S20 FE 5G feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, typical of Samsung’s AMOLED technology. However, the S20 FE 5G edges out the A52 5G with a measured peak brightness of 822 nits compared to the A52 5G’s 787 nits, resulting in better visibility in direct sunlight. While both offer smooth scrolling, the S20 FE 5G’s higher processing power may contribute to slightly more responsive animations. The A52 5G’s display is still excellent, but the S20 FE 5G provides a marginally superior viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but the S20 FE 5G’s camera benefits from the more powerful image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 865. While both capture photo and video, the S20 FE 5G’s ISP allows for faster processing and potentially better dynamic range. Details regarding sensor sizes are missing, but the S20 FE 5G’s overall processing capabilities give it an edge in image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The A52 5G’s camera is still capable, but lacks the refinement of the S20 FE 5G’s system.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The S20 FE 5G utilizes the Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+), a flagship-level processor featuring a 1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 prime core, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 cores, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 efficiency cores. The A52 5G, conversely, is powered by the Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8nm). This translates to a significant performance advantage for the S20 FE 5G in CPU-intensive tasks and gaming. The 7nm+ process node of the Snapdragon 865, while older, still delivers substantial power. However, the Snapdragon 865 is known to throttle under sustained load, a potential issue for extended gaming sessions, while the 8nm Snapdragon 750G in the A52 5G offers better thermal efficiency.
Battery Life
Battery life is remarkably similar, with both phones achieving an endurance rating of around 110-111 hours. Both support 25W wired charging, achieving 50% charge in approximately 30 minutes. The S20 FE 5G adds 15W wireless charging (Qi) and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the A52 5G. Despite the S20 FE 5G’s more power-hungry processor, efficient software optimization and a comparable battery capacity result in similar real-world battery performance. The addition of wireless charging on the S20 FE 5G is a notable convenience feature.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G if you need a reliable daily driver with a vibrant display, solid battery life, and 5G connectivity without breaking the bank. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G if you prioritize raw processing power for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, and are willing to pay a premium or accept potentially shorter battery life.