Samsung Galaxy A52 5G and Galaxy A72, Are They Worth It?

They look like an S21, but they are not

At first glance it is obvious that both phones have a design completely inspired by the company’s highest range of mobiles.

At the back, the aesthetics of both are identical, with a silky plastic cover that ends, in the upper left corner, in a vertical module that houses its cameras, of which I will comment on all the details later.

A rear that I find very beautiful, all made in a single mold, without gaps between camera and rear. Both models can be purchased in 4 different colors: light blue, white, purple and the classic black . Aesthetically, as I was saying, identical.

The edges are also a tracing of each other, being able to find the same elements in the exact same place. If I would like to emphasize that both, obviously, incorporate the 3.5 mm headphone jack, something that many people still claim.

And, if we go to the front, once again we are facing the same screen except for two details. We are facing Super AMOLED panels with FullHD + resolution in which, at the top, we can see the hole in the screen where its only front camera is located.

A camera that they will use for the facial unlocking system and that, of course, will be supported by the fingerprint reader that both models include under the panel itself. Unlocking systems I’ve had a bittersweet feeling with. The facial unlocking is in the average that we can find in the market, it is not the fastest but it does not work too slow either.

What I would appreciate if the manufacturer changed is in reference to the fingerprint reader. The recognition in both mobiles seems to me that it does it well, that is, I have not found myself in the situation that no matter how much I place the fingerprint, it does not recognize me. But I think the sensation is terribly slow, which weighs on the experience. Although, I’m telling you, I think it’s something they could easily fix.

Returning to these panels, where we do find a clear difference between one and the other is in two aspects. Regarding the size, the Galaxy A72 has a larger panel that reaches 6.7 “ , while the Galaxy A52 5G stays at 6.5″ . Personally, I prefer the more restrained size of the A52 as it is easier to handle.

And, on the other hand, another of the differences between these panels is in the refresh rate. While in the A72 it is 90 Hz , in the A52 it goes up to 120 Hz . Something that, if you use your mobile a lot, you will be grateful, but that in day to day that extra does not make a huge difference either.

On both phones the content looks incredibly good, with very vivid colors and great contrast thanks to Super AMOLED technology. It is true that, for the issues of consuming series, perhaps that small plus of a larger size may be a better option. But, as I was saying, in this section I would stick with the Galaxy A52 5G because I prefer phones that are somewhat more restrained in size.

Power with small (but big) differences

Turning now to the section on what both models hide under their screens, I would like to focus more on the experience I have had with each one, since the data can be confusing. Although good, if you are one of those who enjoys seeing all these technical aspects, you can take a look at this comparative table:

As you can see, at a glance both models (once again) are extremely similar. On this occasion, Samsung has chosen to introduce a Snapdragon processor in both instead of its own Exynos. But, although they seem almost identical, in the small details are the differences.

Both mobiles work incredibly well in simple tasks, browsing web pages, checking social networks, moving through the system. That, as you already know, we are facing the latest version of the manufacturer’s layer, One UI 3.1 , which runs on Android 11 . There isn’t much we can tell you about this that you don’t already know. Every time they are doing it better, every time it is more polished and it works perfectly. Of course, remember that if you want pure Android, here you will find some more added details.

But, when it comes to squeezing the performance in both cases is where the differences are noticeable. It is nothing abysmal, but while in the Galaxy A72 I have noticed some jerks playing powerful games like the Asphalt 9 or the COD mobile, the A52 5G has worked everything like silk.

Other aspects at the specification level, and where I have to give Samsung a slap on the wrist, is the battery. While the A72 incorporates 5,000 mAh , the A52 5G opts for 4,500 mAh . And don’t get me wrong, I think that in battery volume both phones are very good. With both of them we will be able to reach the end of the day without many problems and, even, depending on the rod that you give it to reach a day and a half of use.

Where I think the manufacturer should have put the rest is in its charging system. In both we have a fast charge of 25W, which is good, not bad, but the competition already includes a much faster system in cheaper phones. Something that I hope Samsung will solve in future releases.

Solvent camera set, but not outstanding

And now I’m going to talk to you about that section that is already essential for many of us before buying a new phone: cameras . Once again, and so that you can see it and buy them in the best way, I want to leave you a table in which you can see what both alternatives offer:

In both cases we find, again, an almost identical camera pack except for the change between telephoto with x3 optical zoom of the Galaxy A72 by the depth sensor of the A52 5G.

How do both mobiles behave in this section? Well, to be honest, I find it difficult to differentiate between one and the other. When the light conditions are good they both take decent pictures, with correct colors and manage the HDR without too much trouble.

I want to positively assess that the wide angle , without being a panacea, seems to me to be somewhat better than other phones that I have tried at similar prices. In the telephoto section , as expected, the A72 wins, since the other model does a x2 zoom but it is digital. And, regarding the macro , I did not expect great displays and it has been.

And the same dynamic is the one that follows the selfie section . Photos that are in the average that we can find in the market, with somewhat duller colors than in the main sensor, yes.

Moving on to video, the two will record at a maximum quality of 4K at 30fps . The quality is still in the average of what I told you in the photographic section. When the light is good we can get the correct colors although, of course, do not expect the best sharpness in the world. If I would have liked in this section that Samsung improved stabilization a little more, since, when walking, you notice a lot of vibration in the image. Something that using the super stable mode improves in part.

Galaxy A72 vs A52 5G, which is better?

Now that I have told you about the main aspects of both phones, let me tell you about the price and which one I think is the best option.

The Galaxy A72 and the A52 5G hitting the market for a price of 449 euros and 429 euros respectively. However, right now we can find them on Amazon for a price of 409 euros and 375 euros .

I really like both phones in design, especially because of the back that is very beautiful, although it is still plastic and not a premium material. Then, regarding the operation, the two comply quite well although, yes, when it comes to squeezing them the A52 5G responds better. And, in the section of the cameras, we are facing a solvent pack but without too much fanfare.

Personally, if I had to go for one of the two, I would go for the Galaxy A52 5G. We have a traced design, with better specifications (including 5G), a somewhat more restrained size and at a lower price.

What about the competition? Is what Samsung offers with these phones enough? This is one of the most complicated smartphone ranges and the smallest detail marks the decision. I think they are good phones, although details such as fast charging or that do not stand out more in the photograph, can be a slight drag.

Of course, knowing and seeing how the prices of this range fall, I would not lose sight of future offers of both models that can be a great option for many people.