An extremely crowded mid-range such as that of the smartphone market, products from Samsung’s Galaxy A family have always been a point of reference. In particular, the A50 series is the one that usually garners the most acclaim among users, thanks above all to a complete data sheet and a decent value for money. After trying A50 in 2019 (here our test) and A51 last year, I also had the review of the new A52 and A52 5G.
We are talking about two very very similar products, which will have the task of leading the Galaxy A series in the arduous task of challenging the myriad solutions poured into the market by emerging brands, Chinese and not. Well, how much have these A52s changed since the past? What are their strengths and above all which would I choose between the two? Read on below because we’re going to answer these and other questions.
I wouldn’t really know how else to define them. A52 and A52 5G are fundamentally indistinguishable from each other. The design, the finishes, the materials, the shape of the cameras, the size, the weight, is all damn the same, so much so that I thank Samsung for having supplied them to us in two different colors; on the contrary, it would have been impossible to complete the test without catapulting them from the terrace!
They are not small smartphones, this is little but safe, but the low weight (189gr) and a fairly small thickness (8.9mm) mean that they are still two products simple enough to hold. Of course, completing all the operations with one hand is not easy but let’s say that there are products that are much more difficult to manage. The fingerprint reader, inserted under the display, has always been one of the flaws of the series, but here I must say that I found it much improved; it is not yet a lightning bolt but to be a classic optical reader does its job well.
Along the frame there is also the audio jack, the USB-C, the trolley that can accommodate two Nano-SIM or a Nano-SIM and a microSD, the buttons for volume adjustment and on and the holes of the microphones. There is also a speaker placed at the bottom which is the only real speaker but is helped by the ear capsule to achieve a stereo effect in content playback. The sound quality is therefore discreet, as is the volume reached. Let us also say that we could place him among the best in his class in this field. Audio that is also good on call, both hands-free and in capsule.
One element that we have here but that is not easy to find in products of this range is then certainly the IP67 certification that attests to its resistance to water and dust infiltration. In this case, in particular, the A52 and A52 5G are protected up to half an hour of immersion at a maximum of one meter deep.
In general I can say that I appreciated the aesthetics and usability of these two products that will certainly not be the most premium looking smartphones within the category but aim, in my view, at a target for which the choices made are absolutely centered.
Just then spend a few words also about the display which, although in a small part, differs between the two models. In both cases it is in fact a 6.5-inch diagonal panel with FullHD+ resolution and, of course, Super AMOLED technology. In essence, they are therefore two equal screens for 90% of the features. The only real difference is ultimately the refresh rate that in A52 4G is 90 Hz while in A52 5G it rises to 120Hz. What changes in the reality of everyday use? Little, indeed, I would say fundamentally nothing.
Starting from the fact that they are still two excellent displays, the difference in the refresh rate is practically never noticeable, or at least not as you would notice between a panel at 60 and one at 90 Hz. Both screens are very bright, defined and equipped with excellent contrast. The colors are obviously very bright and bright, as in all AMOLED and the outdoor visibility, even in the sunlight, is excellent.
