Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G review

Benchmarking performance

One of the main gripes we had with the older Galaxy A52 5G was its Snapdragon 750G chipset. Not a bad chip by any means, but a bit too underpowered for the particular price range. Well, that's now out and in comes the significantly newer and more powerful Snapdragon 778G. That's a 6nm chipset fabbed in TSMC's foundries that features four Kryo 670 cores (based on the Cortex-A78), with a high-end Adreno 642L GPU and an X53 5G modem (up to 3.3 Gbps downlink speeds). That's quite a step up from the two A77-derived cores and Adreno 619 in the Snapdragon 750G that is being replaced (not to mention that one is fabbed on a less advanced 8 nm process at the Samsung foundries).

The new chipset does not come with a memory upgrade, but you still get a fair amount of flexibility. The base configuration has 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage. This is the configuration of our review unit. You can get 8/128GB and 8/256GB, too, subject to local availability. Keep in mind that there is a microSD slot.

Other things you get with the Snapdragon 778G include a new Hexagon 770 DSP, with up to 12 TOPs of performance, compared to a Hexagon 696 (5.4 TOPs) in the Snapdragon 750G. The camera ISP is different too - a Spectra 570L, hence why we are also re-testing the camera quality. Modems are new, as well. There is now an internal X53 (5G and LTE) modem, which is faster and all-around than the X52 inside the Snapdragon 750G. The same goes for the FastConnect 6700 modem, upgraded from the FastConnect 6200. This means Wi-Fi ax (Wi-Fi 6), although the Bluetooth implementation is only v5.0.

Let's kick things off with some GeekBench and pure-CPU runs. Pretty much every other device with the 778G we have seen has the bigger Kryo 670 cores arranged in a three regular "Gold" cluster and one "Prime" one, all still with the same maximum 2.4 GHz clock speed. All the while, the Galaxy A52s 5G seems to just have two CPU clusters - 4x2.4 GHz Kryo 670 & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo 670. Again, same clock speeds, but a difference in how the cores are managed. We don't expect this to make a massive difference, but, theoretically, having all four big cores grouped in the same cluster affords less flexibility with things like clock management and thermal throttling behavior. But, we digress.

GeekBench 5 (multi-core)

Higher is better

• Realme GT Master
  2917
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  2909
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  2832
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  2801
• OnePlus Nord 2
  2792
• Realme X7 Max 5G
  2614
• Poco X3 Pro
  2574
• Motorola Edge 20
  2550
• Poco X3 GT
  2310
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  2009
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  1980
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  1910
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  1820
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  1812
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  1796
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
  1780
• Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
  1673
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  1627
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  1599
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  1577
• Poco M3
  1398
• Xiaomi Redmi 10
  1294
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  1277

GeekBench 5 (single-core)

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  967
• OnePlus Nord 2
  814
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  803
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  787
• Realme GT Master
  785
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  771
• Motorola Edge 20
  762
• Poco X3 Pro
  735
• Poco X3 GT
  693
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  661
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  659
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  643
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  641
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  636
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
  569
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  560
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  537
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  534
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  525
• Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
  505
• Xiaomi Redmi 10
  361
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  361
• Poco M3
  308

The Snapdragon 778G clearly has no shortage of CPU performance. Samsung has also done a good job utilizing it, compared to other phones with the same chip that we have tested. In absolute terms, the 778G is about as powerful as the Snapdragon 780G in the CPU department. Slightly better than the MediaTek Dimensity 1100 and outpaced a bit by the MediaTek 1200.

AnTuTu is a bit less kind to the Galaxy A52s 5G and the Snapdragon 778G in general. Its compound score is about as good as that on Poco X3 Pro, with its Snapdragon 860, but still notably better than the Snapdragon 750G.

AnTuTu 8

Higher is better

• Poco F3
  631850
• Realme X7 Max 5G
  605819
• OnePlus Nord 2
  512164
• Poco X3 GT
  506800
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  465534
• Poco X3 Pro
  453223
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  429675
• Motorola Edge 20
  424031
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  334981
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  324686
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  318882
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  318672
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  312461
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
  295442
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  290172
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  279342
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  261282
• Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
  226561
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  218788
• Poco M3
  177904
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  174332

AnTuTu 9

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  680671
• OnePlus Nord 2
  598022
• Poco X3 GT
  578505
• Realme GT Master
  529263
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  527663
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  522490
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  506432
• Motorola Edge 20
  488574
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  391770
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  386474
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  333668
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  294251
• Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
  222125

The same overall poll position is observable with GPU benchmarks, like GFXBench. The Adreno 642L inside the Snapdragon 778G is clearly a solid performer in the graphics department. Definitely not the best you can get at this price range, but still very respectable.

GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  129
• OnePlus Nord 2
  123
• Poco X3 GT
  116
• Poco X3 Pro
  102
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  89
• Motorola Edge 20
  78
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  78
• Realme GT Master
  77
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  77
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  46
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  46
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  46
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  45
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  45
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  43
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  39
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  39
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  24
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  24
• Poco M3
  19

GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  107
• Poco X3 GT
  97
• Poco X3 Pro
  93
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  78
• Motorola Edge 20
  70
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  69
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  68
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  59
• OnePlus Nord 2
  59
• Realme GT Master
  57
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  41
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  40
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  40
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  39
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  39
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  35
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  35
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  21
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  21
• Poco M3
  17

You gen generally expect more FPS from the likes of the Snapdragon 780G, the 860, as well as the MediaTek Dimensity 1100 and 1200 chips. Still, these numbers are a marked improvement over the ones achieved by the Snapdragon 750G and its Adreno 619.

GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  86
• Poco X3 Pro
  75
• OnePlus Nord 2
  75
• Poco X3 GT
  74
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  65
• Motorola Edge 20
  57
• Realme GT Master
  56
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  56
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  56
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  34
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  34
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  33
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  33
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  33
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  32
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  29
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  29
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  17
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  15
• Poco M3
  13

GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  79
• Poco X3 GT
  68
• Poco X3 Pro
  67
• OnePlus Nord 2
  57
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  57
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  56
• Motorola Edge 20
  51
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  49
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  49
• Realme GT Master
  46
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  30
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  30
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  29
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  28
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  28
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  26
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  26
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  15
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  13
• Poco M3
  11

GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  50
• OnePlus Nord 2
  46
• Poco X3 Pro
  45
• Poco X3 GT
  44
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  40
• Realme GT Master
  33
• Motorola Edge 20
  33
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  33
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  33
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  19
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  19
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  19
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  19
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  19
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
  19
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  19
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  17
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  17
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  9.3
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  9.3
• Poco M3
  7.2

GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  44
• Poco X3 Pro
  38
• Poco X3 GT
  38
• OnePlus Nord 2
  38
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  35
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  33
• Motorola Edge 20
  29
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  28
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  28
• Realme GT Master
  27
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  17
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  17
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  17
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  16
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  16
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
  16
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  15
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  15
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  8.1
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  7.9
• Poco M3
  5.9

The overall graphics scores of the Galaxy A52s 5G are also impressively consistent with those from other Snapdragon 778G devices. As a general reminder, comparing FPS numbers across different phones is only relevant with off-screen graphics tests, since the on-screen ones are also dependent on the phone's particular panel resolution.

GFX Aztek Vulkan High (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  31
• Poco X3 GT
  28
• Poco X3 Pro
  27
• OnePlus Nord 2
  26
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  23
• Motorola Edge 20
  20
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  20
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  20
• Realme GT Master
  19
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  13
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  12
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  11
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  11
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  10
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  10
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  5.3
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  4.4
• Poco M3
  4.1

GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  33
• OnePlus Nord 2
  30
• Poco X3 GT
  29
• Poco X3 Pro
  26
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  21
• Motorola Edge 20
  19
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  19
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  19
• Realme GT Master
  18
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  11
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  11
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  11
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  11
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  10
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  10
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  5.6
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  5
• Poco M3
  2.8

GFX Aztek Vulkan High (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• OnePlus Nord 2
  20
• Realme X7 Max 5G
  20
• Poco X3 GT
  19
• Poco X3 Pro
  18
• Realme GT Master
  14
• Motorola Edge 20
  14
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  14
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  14
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  7.7
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  7.6
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  7.6
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  7.6
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  7.5
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  7
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  7
• Poco M3
  4.2
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  3.5
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  2.9

GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Realme X7 Max 5G
  22
• OnePlus Nord 2
  21
• Poco X3 GT
  20
• Poco X3 Pro
  17
• Realme GT Master
  13
• Motorola Edge 20
  13
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  13
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  13
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  7.5
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  7.4
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  7.3
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  7.3
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  7.2
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  7
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  7
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  3.7
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  3.3
• Poco M3
  2.8

We are also happy to see that the Snapdragon 778G and the Galaxy A52s 5G perform equally well with the Vulkan API, as with OpenGL ES. This speaks well of things like GPU drivers and proper OS-level implementation.

3DMark generally tends to offer even more-consistent results from device to device, with the same hardware configuration than GFXBench and this is very much the case here as well. We thus get a pretty good and easy to read idea for the difference in performance between the Snapdragon 778G and other popular budget chipsets of recent years, like the Snapdragon 750G, inside the older Galaxy A52 5G or the Snapdragon 720G inside the original Galaxy A52.

3DMark SSE ES 3.1 (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  5010
• Realme GT Master
  4988
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  4979
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  2819
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  2810
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  2801
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  2789
• Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
  2638
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  2529
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  2517
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  1471
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  1323
• Poco M3
  1175

3DMark SSE Vulkan 1.0 (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  4608
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  4231
• Realme GT Master
  4020
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  2617
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  2609
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  2608
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  2595
• Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
  2509
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  2406
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  2395
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  1372
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  1371
• Poco M3
  1106

Our wild Life table throws more-powerful chipsets, like the Snapdragon 780G, 860 and the Dimensity 1100 and 1200 into the mix as well for an even broader picture.

3DMark Wild Life Vulkan 1.1 (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• OnePlus Nord 2
  4224
• Realme X7 Max 5G
  4216
• Poco X3 GT
  3991
• Poco X3 Pro
  3401
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
  3136
• Motorola Edge 20
  2494
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
  2491
• Realme GT Master
  2481
• Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
  2477
• Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
  1185
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
  1113
• Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  1107
• Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  1105
• OnePlus Nord CE 5G
  1103
• Motorola Moto G 5G
  1099
• Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
  1098
• Samsung Galaxy A52
  1040
• Samsung Galaxy A72
  1031
• Samsung Galaxy A32
  686
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
  482
• Poco M3
  368

All things considered, the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is an all-round excellent performer. The move from the Snapdragon 750G to the Snapdragon 778G is a great one. Not only do you get better RAW performance, both CPU and GPU, there are plenty of additional connectivity features up on offer here, like Wi-Fi ax (Wi-Fi 6) and Bluetooth 5.2, all without a notable price increase.