Samsung Galaxy A52 5G vs S21 5G: A Deep Dive into Samsung's 5G Lineup
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G offers the better value. Its superior battery endurance (111h vs 93h) and comparable display brightness (787 nits vs 856 nits) outweigh the S21 5G’s performance advantage, especially considering the price difference. The S21 5G remains a strong choice for power users prioritizing raw speed.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | 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 | 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, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-G991U1 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G991U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G991B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 17 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 19 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm (6.30 x 2.96 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 | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 189 g (6.67 oz) | 169 g (Sub6), 171 g (mmWave) (5.96 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 Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~407 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 94.1 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (HBM) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570) | 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 | Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6.1 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB 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 | - |
| 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 | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| 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) | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Virtual proximity sensing | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) 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 |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Violet, Awesome Blue | Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink |
| Models | SM-A526B, SM-A526B/DS, SM-A5260, SM-A526W, SM-A526U, SM-A526U1 | SM-G991B, SM-G991B/DS, SM-G991U, SM-G991U1, SM-G991W, SM-G991N, SM-G9910, SM-G991Q, SCG09 |
| Price | $ 137.39 / £ 280.00 / € 115.49 | € 194.00 / $ 153.58 / £ 149.99 |
| SAR | 0.74 W/kg (head) 0.53 W/kg (body) | 0.74 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.05 W/kg (head) 1.42 W/kg (body) | 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 111h | Endurance rating 93h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -27.5 LUFS (Good) | -26.4 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 334981 (v8), 386474 (v9) GeekBench: 1820 (v5.1) GFXBench: 16fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 584055 (v8) GeekBench: 3238 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
- Significantly better battery life (111h endurance)
- More affordable price point
- Capable 5G performance for everyday use
- Less powerful processor than the S21 5G
- Potentially lower camera quality in challenging conditions
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
- Flagship-level performance with Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888
- Brighter display for better outdoor visibility
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities
- Shorter battery life (93h endurance)
- Higher price compared to the A52 5G
- Potential for thermal throttling under heavy load
Display Comparison
Both the A52 5G and S21 5G feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, indicating excellent black levels. However, the S21 5G edges out the A52 5G in peak brightness, reaching 856 nits compared to the A52 5G’s 787 nits. This translates to slightly better visibility in direct sunlight. While both offer smooth scrolling, the S21 5G’s display technology is likely superior, though not explicitly stated in the provided data, given its flagship status. The A52 5G’s display is still very good, offering a pleasant viewing experience for everyday use.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but the S21 5G likely has an advantage in image processing and low-light performance, though specific sensor details are missing. The S21 5G’s flagship status suggests a more sophisticated camera system with potentially larger sensors and better optical image stabilization (OIS). While both phones likely capture good quality images, the S21 5G will likely offer more detail and dynamic range, especially in challenging lighting conditions. The A52 5G provides a solid camera experience for the price, but won’t match the S21 5G’s capabilities.
Performance
The performance gap between these two devices is significant. The S21 5G, equipped with either the Exynos 2100 (International) or Snapdragon 888 5G (USA/China) on a 5nm process, boasts a considerably more powerful CPU and GPU than the A52 5G’s Snapdragon 750G (8nm). The S21 5G’s Cortex-X1 prime core (2.9 GHz or 2.84 GHz depending on region) provides a substantial boost in single-core performance, crucial for responsive app launching and multitasking. The 5nm fabrication process also contributes to better thermal efficiency, potentially reducing throttling during sustained workloads. The A52 5G’s Snapdragon 750G is capable for everyday tasks, but will struggle with graphically intensive games at higher settings.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy A52 5G demonstrates a clear advantage in battery endurance, achieving a measured 111 hours compared to the S21 5G’s 93 hours. This difference is likely due to the more efficient Snapdragon 750G chipset and potentially a larger battery capacity (not specified in the data). Both phones support 25W wired charging, with the A52 5G reaching 50% charge in 30 minutes. The S21 5G adds 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, offering greater convenience, but these features come at the cost of overall battery life.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G if you prioritize all-day battery life, a vibrant display for media consumption, and a capable camera system without breaking the bank. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G if you demand the fastest possible performance for gaming and demanding applications, and appreciate features like faster charging and a more premium build quality, and are willing to pay a premium.