Samsung Galaxy A52 review: A reliable daily driver with the promise of software update for 3 yrs

GET IT FOR: Starts at Rs 26,499
HIGHLIGHT: Battery life, cameras

The Galaxy A51 was one of the most shipped Android smartphones in 2020.


Now, Samsung is aiming to repeat the success of the Galaxy A51 with the launch of the Galaxy A52. The new smartphone aims to provide an affordable flagship experience with focus on camera quality, display, performance and battery life.

Samsung has promised to provide Android upgrades for three generations, and regular security updates for a minimum of four years. As for the design, the Galaxy A52 has a matte plastic body that feels sturdy. It is a slim device and looks stylish.

The device comes with a punch hole display featuring a 32MP selfie camera. The screen measures 6.5-inch and houses a FHD+ resolution Super AMOLED panel with 90 Hz refresh rate. Overall, the display quality is pleasing and colours appear vibrant with good viewing angles.

The Galaxy A52 bets big on cameras and there’s a 64MP quad-camera module. The primary sensor is of 64MP with optical image stabilisation, auto focus and an aperture of F1.8. Other sensors include 12MP ultra wide, 5MP macro and 5MP depth. There’s 10X digital zoom. The smartphone is capable of clicking good pictures in well-lit conditions but you will need to be patient and use the Pro mode to capture decent images in low light. The images appear grainy if you stretch the zoom beyond 5X.

The smartphone is powered by the tried-and-tested Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chip and comes with 6GB and 8GB RAM options. Both models come with 128GB internal storage and support microSD cards of up to 1TB. Qualcomm had launched Snapdragon 720G last year in January 2020. This is the same 4G chipset that powers budget phones like Poco M2 Pro, Redmi Note 9 Pro and others. It caters well to the daily performance needs but there are occasional lags while gaming.

It is a dual SIM phone having an hybrid SIM-microSD card slot. On the software front, the Galaxy A52 runs One UI 3.1-based on Android 11 operating system. It’s a smooth interface with a range of handy features. The phone is backed by a 4,500mAh battery with 25W fast charging support and has a headphone jack.

With the Galaxy A52, Samsung is not trying to do something different, apart from revisiting the spec-sheets that have worked for the company. This is a reliable daily driver and the promise of software update for three years makes the deal sweeter.

- The writer is with gadgetsnow.com