The Samsung Galaxy M52 5G is an example of Samsung’s commitment to adding 5G connectivity to its mid-budget smartphones.
This smartphone comes with a wide display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 5,000mAh battery, and a 32-megapixel camera at the front. However, Samsung draws attention to its device’s sleek design that measures 7.4mm in thickness, which is 21 percent slimmer than the older Galaxy M51 handset. For the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage version, prices begin at Rs 29,999, while the 8GB + 128GB model will cost Rs 31,999. Additionally, Amazon and Flipkart are offering discounts on the two models.
Design and display
The phone looks like any other high-end smartphone from Samsung, at least at first glance. Despite its large screen, the Galaxy M52 5G’s sleek design is impressive, and it doesn’t look like a clunky brick. On the display front, the Galaxy M52 5G offers proper brightness and deep black levels, suitable both for indoor and outdoor use.
As expected from a company that has a passion for display technology, the performance was crisp, and we binge-watched several shows without any complaints regarding the colors.Â
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Furthermore, the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G features a polycarbonate body that gives it an appearance similar to glass. However, the rear panel will still have a smooth glossy finish but you’ll also see some smudges and scratches. You may want to consider a protective case in that case. Even a large screen phone with a sleek design will still have trouble fitting into even the deepest trouser pockets. Despite these modest flaws, the back of the bag features a beautiful patterned pattern and a slim look.
Performance and software
Samsung Galaxy M52 5G features the 6nm Snapdragon 778G octa-core chipset that offered a smooth and efficient performance in the tests. Even heavy gaming was possible while browsing the Internet, sending emails, and interacting on social media.
The phone performed flawlessly with four to five apps in the background – the refresh rate was maxed out at 120Hz. Asphalt 9 and Garena Fire Max are notable racing and action games, with the 8GB RAM running both apps with minor stutters. The phone (at least inside) did not get hot during the gaming sessions.
In contrast, Samsung Galaxy M52 5G comes with lots of bloatware, which makes the initial experience difficult. Make sure that you carefully select what third-party apps to use like Snapchat, Amazon, and Facebook. There may be monthly promotions via the Galaxy Store. Samsung’s One UI 3.1 is based on Android 11, so we’ll see how quickly it can upgrade to the latest Android 12 OS.
Compared to mid-budget rivals, such as the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC, the phone’s single-core performance is not up to par, but it performs well in multi-core tests. The Samsung Galaxy M52 5G is an excellent choice for those looking for a phone at or below the Rs 30,000 mark for basic functions like email and social media.
Camera
On the other hand, the successor Galaxy M52 5G has triple back cameras inside a rectangular module that has a very minor bump on it, unlike the Galaxy M51’s quad cameras. As with its predecessors, the new smartphone does not offer a particularly good camera.
On Galaxy M52 5G, most photos were unusually sharp and saturated. Moreover, the secondary 5-megapixel macro camera was incapable of providing a sufficient level of performance. We had the same experience with the Galaxy M51 and Galaxy A52s 5G.
This does not mean the rear cameras were unreliable, but photography enthusiasts will miss capturing natural colors (plus some tweaks) on their digital stills and videos. If you are a casual photographer who enjoys taking pictures at family events or trips, the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G will deliver a decent quality picture with its dual cameras (64-megapixel wide + 12-megapixel ultra-wide + 5-megapixel macro).
If you were to take pictures with the 32-megapixel front camera, the images would not be grainy either, but the levels of saturation are very high. During most daylight periods, the Galaxy M52 5G front camera produced skin that had too little color and detail – the skin looked too fair. Nevertheless, selfies in low light are still relatively good. Anyone who enjoys taking selfies should consider this.
Battery
Batteries in Samsung phones rarely fail to deliver over the years. Additionally, the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G outperformed expectations when it came to battery life – the company claimed a higher capacity in one case. Despite Samsung’s claims, we managed to get about 20 hours out of the device with gaming at a high refresh rate. With the 60Hz refresh rate, the phone was barely used throughout the test.
Galaxy M52 5G supports 25W fast charging, not the fastest available, despite Samsung’s not being one of the most respected brands for fast charging technology. Galaxy M52 5G comes with a 220-watt charger. A full charge of the former took only a few minutes over an hour and a half. 62 percent of the battery could be charged in one hour. Mi 11X 5G supports 33W fast charging, while the Nord 2 supports 65W Warp Charge. Both of these phones, however, have smaller batteries.
It should be noted, though, that the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G, which sports very similar specifications to its Galaxy A52s 5G sibling, deserves much attention as a whole. Some might prefer the OnePlus Nord 2 5G as it features some better features like cameras and fast charging. With so many new phones coming out every year, Samsung’s after-sales service deserves a look.
As far as build quality and performance are concerned, the Galaxy M52 5G exceeded many expectations. While it does a good job in many areas, it does stumble in a few others, such as face unlocking where it barely works in low lighting. It can also be difficult to use the fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button. Also, users must buy a microSD card (sold separately) to expand memory beyond 128GB.
However, if you are looking to buy a new phone during the sale season, it is your best opportunity to get a phone with future-proof 5G connectivity. I would say the Galaxy M52 5G is a great mid-budget phone with great performance for the price and great battery life.
