Samsung Galaxy A52 is coming: A great phone with best performance at a low price

Recently, Samsung just released a lot of Galaxy A phones at its latest debut event, but none might be more important than the A52 and A52 5G. Both represent upgrades to the heart of the A series, the A51, and this year they push the boundaries of what you’d expect from a mid-range Samsung phone.

Unlike the ostensibly higher-end Galaxy A72, the A52 comes in a 5G variant and boasts the most powerful display technology of Samsung’s budget range . This is the device you want if you’re looking for a few Galaxy S-like features while spending far less.

Without any doubt, Samsung wants you to focus on the Galaxy A52’s display. The 5G model centers on a 6.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate — the first time such a fast display has reached a Galaxy A phone. You’ll have to settle for a 90Hz rate with the LTE model, but you’re still getting smooth visuals regardless of the device you pick.

The Samsung has primarily focused on the Galaxy A52’s cameras. Like the A72, you’ll now get a higher-resolution 64MP main camera with a brighter f/1.8 aperture. Other cameras are largely unchanged, but they still offer versatility with a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, a 5MP f/2.4 macro cam and a 5MP f/2.2 depth sensor. A 32MP f/2.2 front camera handles selfies.

There is no need to worry about the 120Hz screen impacting battery life — Samsung has increased the Galaxy A52’s battery to 4,500mAh (from the A51’s 4,000mAh) regardless of model. Both A52 variants are reasonably lifeproof with IP67-rated water and dust resistance.

Samsung will say that both of the phones are using “octa-core” processors, topping out at 2.2GHz in the 5G phone and 2.3Ghz in the LTE edition. Rumors have swirled that Samsung might switch from Exynos chips to the Snapdragon 720G (in the base A52) and Snapdragon 750G (A52 5G), but those haven’t been confirmed as we write.

Full price details for Samsung’s Galaxy A52 line were unavailable as of this writing. Samsung said that it’ll have more to share on the Galaxy A52 series US launch “in the coming weeks.” However, UK customers can expect to buy the A52 5G for £399 (~$554). We’d expect US pricing to sit closer to the $499 of the A51 5G. That’s well below the original $699 price of the Galaxy S20 FE, Samsung’s most affordable 120Hz phone until now.