I’m a Samsung girl at heart. Offer me any other brand of phone and I’m completely reluctant to even consider trying it. Can’t make me. Nuh-uh. No way. So I supposed this review is going to be a little biased in that aspect, but when I got the chance to look at the new Samsung Galaxy A52 5G I couldn’t pass it up.
Keep in mind, the Galaxy A52 5G is more of a mid-range phone, and I’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, so I’ve been a bit spoiled with phone quality as of late; but in all honesty, that didn’t sway my opinion negatively at all.
I’m your regular user. I don’t need a phone that can do every trick in the book. I need it to take great photos of my kids, text constantly across several different apps, stand up to the torture of the bottom of my purse and the constant carnage from my toddler, answer dozens of work emails throughout the day and still keep the battery alive long enough to indulge my TikTok binge before bed. The Samsung Galaxy A52 5G met all my needs and then some. The battery alone made the phone worth it for me. With 4500 mAh and 25W super fast charging, not only did the phone last around 28 hours before I needed a single charge, but when it did need it, it got to full battery very quickly. As a working mom, I’m constantly on the go, so a phone that can keep up with me is invaluable.
The A52 is very slightly smaller than my S20, coming in with a 6.5 inch screen. Though it’s a minimal difference, I actually preferred it to my S20; it fit my hand better and felt very light while I was using it. The phone comes with 6 or 8GB of RAM depending on the model, with either a 128 or 256 GB ROM. With dozens of apps and over 500 pictures and videos I haven’t even used half the storage capability. For anyone with large storage needs, the A52 comes equipped to take on up to 1TB SD cards, so storage should never be an issue.
One of the features most important to me in a phone is a quality camera. I have small children who are changing every day and it’s very important to me to be able to capture those moments with quality images, especially with a camera that handles movement well because toddlers never stop, not even for a photo. With four rear lenses the A52 remains competitive with its higher end models. Though the main camera quality is slightly lower quality than the S20 Ultra at 64MP, I still found the phone took great photos and rarely had any trouble capturing moments I didn’t want to miss. The A52 5G also has the ability to shoot video in 4k at 30fps, or 1080p at 30 or 60fps giving me all the quality I need as a casual and sometimes professional user.
More detailed specs on the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
| Display | Size Resolution 6.5″FHD+ sAMOLED. 120Hz Display Infinity-O Display |
|---|---|
| Camera | Rear 64MP AF (F1.8) + 12MP FF (F2.2) +5MP FF(F2.4) + 5MP FF (F2.4) Video 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps Front 32MP FF (F2.2) Video 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Processor | SD5750G |
| Memory | RAM 6/8 GB Storage 128/256 GB Micro SD Up to 1TB |
| Battery | Capacity (Typical)9 4,500 mAh Charging 25W Super Fast Charging |
| Dimensions | 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4mm / 189 g |
| Features | On-Screen Fingerprint Samsung Pay Stereo Speakers Water Resistance (IP67) |
Shaky photos are no longer a worry with Samsung’s optical image stabilization, and it actually works. Trying to take photos at a distance, or with a baby on my hip usually came out blurry, but with the A52 I rarely had to retake a photo — for camera quality anyway, kids are a whole different story. I played around a little with the camera’s night mode. It worked very well for images in low light, not that I need that often, but it is good to know I have options.
To my personal eye, I found the display on the A52 brighter than previous phones. Colours felt more crisp and clear, even compared to my S20. Though I felt the S20 showed deeper tones better, the A52 shines when it comes to bright, sharp images and videos. The display is made up of Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits. I also found it interesting that “SGS, the world’s leading certification company, awarded Galaxy A series’ display the Eye Care Certification based on its ability to reduce the blue light.” This is great news with people on their devices more than ever. This being a mid-range phone in price means it will likely end up in the hands of younger users, ones that may be less likely to protect their eyes with something like Blue Light Lenses, so a company that is looking out for our protection from the get go is a plus for me.
The Samsung Galaxy A52 5G impressed me all around. It managed to meet all my needs, even despite coming to the phone from a more powerful model from the same company. If you’re already a Samsung fan, the A52 5G will feel familiar but fresh. If you’re just coming to Samsung for the first time, I’d highly recommend the Galaxy A52 5G as a place to start. It is user-friendly, easy to set up and powerful. What more could you need in a phone?
