Samsung Galaxy A72 vs A52s 5G: A Deep Dive into Samsung's Mid-Range Champions
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 778G chipset provides a noticeably smoother and more responsive experience, particularly in demanding tasks and gaming, despite a slightly lower endurance rating. The A72 remains a viable option for those prioritizing maximum battery life and a larger screen.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy A72 | 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 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 17 | 2021, August 17 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 26 | Available. Released 2021, September 01 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back |
| Dimensions | 165 x 77.4 x 8.4 mm (6.50 x 3.05 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 | 203 g (7.16 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 (~394 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~84.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 90Hz, 800 nits (HBM) | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits (HBM) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.3 GHz Kryo 465 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 465 Silver) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G (8 nm) | Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 618 | Adreno 642L |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB 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), 1/1.7", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) | 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 | 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 | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Ion 5000 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-A725F, SM-A725F/DS, SM-A725M, SM-A725M/DS | SM-A528B, SM-A528B/DS, SM-A528N |
| Price | £ 174.89 / € 359.99 | £ 112.98 / € 249.47 |
| SAR | - | 0.72 W/kg (head) |
| SAR EU | 0.23 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) | 0.88 W/kg (head) 0.84 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 117h | Endurance rating 113h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.4 LUFS (Good) | -27.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 279342 (v8) GeekBench: 6483 (v4.4), 1627 (v5.1) GFXBench: 15fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 429675 (v8), 506432(v9) GeekBench: 11060 (v4.4), 2801 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy A72
- Longer battery life (117h endurance)
- Slightly brighter display (825 nits)
- Potentially larger screen size (not specified, but typical for A72)
- Less powerful processor (Snapdragon 720G)
- Less efficient chipset (8nm process)
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
- Faster processor (Snapdragon 778G)
- More efficient chipset (6nm process)
- 5G connectivity
- Improved gaming performance
- Slightly shorter battery life (113h endurance)
- Slightly dimmer display (800 nits)
Display Comparison
Both the A72 and A52s 5G feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, typical of Samsung's AMOLED panels. However, the A72 edges out the A52s 5G in peak brightness, reaching 825 nits compared to the A52s 5G’s 800 nits. While the difference is subtle, it translates to slightly better visibility under direct sunlight. Both devices likely share a similar 120Hz refresh rate, though this isn't explicitly stated in the provided data. The A72’s larger size is the primary differentiator, offering a more immersive viewing experience, but at the cost of potentially reduced pixel density.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are equipped with versatile camera systems capable of both photo and video capture, but the provided data doesn't allow for a detailed sensor-level comparison. We can assume both feature a primary wide-angle lens, ultrawide, and macro. The A52s 5G’s newer image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 778G likely offers improved image processing capabilities, potentially leading to better dynamic range and low-light performance. The absence of specific sensor details makes a definitive judgment impossible, but the chipset advantage leans towards the A52s 5G.
Performance
The core difference between these two phones lies in their chipsets. The A52s 5G boasts the Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G, built on a more efficient 6nm process, while the A72 utilizes the older SM7125 Snapdragon 720G fabricated on an 8nm node. This architectural shift, coupled with the 778G’s Cortex-A78 based CPU cores (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) versus the A72’s Kryo 465 cores (Octa-core (2x2.3 GHz Kryo 465 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 465 Silver)), results in a significant performance advantage for the A52s 5G in CPU-intensive tasks and gaming. The 6nm process also contributes to better thermal management, reducing the likelihood of performance throttling during extended use.
Battery Life
The A72 achieves an endurance rating of 117 hours, slightly surpassing the A52s 5G’s 113 hours. This suggests the A72 will last longer on a single charge under typical usage. However, the A52s 5G’s more efficient chipset means it consumes less power during operation. Both devices support 25W wired charging, meaning 0-100% charge times will be comparable, likely around 1 hour 30 minutes. The A72’s advantage lies in overall capacity, while the A52s 5G mitigates the difference with improved efficiency.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy A72 if you absolutely need the longest possible battery life and prefer a larger display for media consumption, and are less concerned with peak performance. Buy the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G if you prioritize a snappy user experience, smoother gaming, and 5G connectivity, even if it means slightly less time between charges. The A52s 5G is the better all-rounder for the average user.