Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G First Impressions
October 22, 2021Samsung’s A52s is a marked improvement over the standard A52, but is that enough?
Performance: Octa-Core 5G, 8GB RAM
Main Display: 6.5-inch FHD + Super AMOLED
Weight: 189g
Storage: 256GB
Battery: 4500 mAh
Features: 1080p FHD+ / UHD 4K video recording
Rear Camera: 64MP Main, 12MP Ultra Wide, 5MP Macro, 5MP Depth
Front Camera: 32 MP
Price:RM1,899.00
Samsung is proud of its mid-range line, which is why it keeps toying with the idea of building the next best replacement. Case in point is the A52. launched in March, 2021 it was one of the better mid-range phones we tested at the time. Good looks, decent battery life and very capable camera sensors. The A52 5G, which debuted alongside it, was its slightly faster 5G brother.
Not content with ending the year with said phones as the only weapons in its mid-range arsenal, the Korean giant has decided to launch the A52s. Though a spitting image of the A52 5G, it has newer hardware, which should entice buyers who have been holding off from buying the regular phone.
What do you get in the box?
Like the A52 and A52 5G, it comes in a standard size phone box. Sitting right on top is the A52s in Awesome Black. The phone is also available in Awesome Violet, Awesome White and Awesome Mint (Green). The rear surface has the same matte texture as the regular A52. However, it feels a little more settled and more grown up.
Its metal frame is coloured to complement the hue of the rear shell. This is true of the entire pallet of colours that the A52s is offered in. It’s a nice touch that adds to the premium feel of the entire device. When placed next to an A51, it becomes immediately apparent that in terms of looks and feel, how much things have changed in just over 12 months.
Directly underneath, are the warranty and instruction manual, USB Type-C cable and charging brick which is rated for 15W. The omission of wired earphones is expected because it was a similar story with the unboxing of the A52. Despite this, the A52s does still come with a headphone jack, in case you aren’t ready to ditch the cord just yet.
If you are willing to join the wireless revolution, here are a few earbuds that might be of interest to you:
Galaxy Buds2 Review
Galaxy Buds Pro Review
Galaxy Buds Live Review
What is it like?
The A52s features a newer Snapdragon 778 5G chipset that is markedly superior to the Snapdragon 720G of the A52. This is especially true for graphically intensive tasks, but we will get into those details once we’ve concluded our full review.
Though it’s an all-new phone, the phone has the same dimensions and weight as the regular A52. This means that silicone casings and screen protectors made for the A52, will fit the A52s perfectly. Like the A52 5G, it too has a buttery smooth 120Hz display, which you can choose to keep on (adaptive mode) or switch to the lower 60Hz for better battery life.
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It has the same camera sensors but greater emphasis has been placed on features like single take, Fun (AR filters), Portrait mode etc. The 64MP (F1.8) supports optical image stabilisation which allows for crisper and more detailed shots. Videos benefit from OIS as well, because the focus is kept on the subject even when the phone is panned about.
There’s also a 5MP (F2.4) Macro, 12MP (F2.2) ultra-wide and 5MP (F2.4) depth sensor. Working together with the main 64MP camera, they allow users to capture decent photos in various lighting conditions. We will talk about this topic in greater detail in our full review.
Oddly enough, Samsung seems to have pushed the A52s directly into the firing line of the S20 FE. Similar in size to the Fan Edition phone, the mid-range upstart looks poised to upset the heavy hitters. The Snapdragon 778 chipset is a pocket rocket that doesn’t seem to know its limits.
Coupled with 8GB RAM it adds to the briskness of the 6.5-inch super AMOLED, 120Hz display. Whatever you do on the phone, feels like it’s taking place instantly. No extra time is needed for the phone to figure out what you want, then deliver it a moment or two later. This was the case with the A52 – brilliant phone in its own right, but not as good as the A52s.
The underlying software works in the background to keep the phone ready at your beck and call. Its UI will offer helpful pop-up screens that inform you of new features or help you find what you’re looking for. It’s something that’s available across most of Samsung’s newer range of phones.
It also has the same 4,500mAh battery as the A52 5G with support for 25W fast charging. Sadly, it lacks wireless charging capabilities too, so we will have to wait till the A53 to see if that changes. It takes close to 2 hours to charge the phone if the battery is nearly depleted. We suggest that you refrain from allowing the charge level to dip below 20% to preserve its health.
Our initial test suggests that the A52s feels complete and devoid of “corner-cutting” measures which is a characteristic usually associated with mid-range phones. This is why we suggest that it could give the S20 FE a run for its money. However, we will only be able to confirm this once we have concluded our extensive testing.
We should be able to let you know how well it stacks up against the competition very soon. Like its predecessor, we will toss everything but the kitchen sink at it to see if it’s worth the hype. Come back soon for the full review.
