Samsung Galaxy A52 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – Could Cheaper Be Better?
How about comparing Samsung Galaxy A52 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE? Which one is better? Since the release of the new mid-range Samsung Galaxy A52 and since we got our hands on it, we have found here at Latest Tech Gist that it is cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, while still having a high refresh rate and an improved camera. Plus, it keeps its headphone jack and offers water resistance. The Galaxy A52 would be the budget-conscious choice here, but so was the S20 FE when it came out. So we wondered which Samsung is the best Samsung for the money right now.
With that in mind, we pulled these two devices out to compare and see what makes them so sharp and attractive. So read on if you want to see which phone looks the best.
Samsung Galaxy A52 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – Design
Starting with the design, we like them both. The A52 has a redesigned look with the camera bump more like a natural bump. The phone is matte and completely made of plastic on the back. On the other hand, the S20 FE has the rear of the previous generation of the S range, but we have to note that it is also made of plastic. The camera bump has sharper edges and looks more like a separate element on the back, but we still think the overall design is okay.
An advantage of the overall plastic construction for these two devices is that it is more resistant to drops and cheaper to replace. There are also some new colors on the A52 such as Awesome White, Awesome Black, Awesome Blue, and the one shown here, Awesome Violet. The FE we have here is a bit duller but sleek with a Cloud Navy color, but you can also get them in some interesting colors such as Cloud White, Cloud Red, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Orange, and Cloud Mint.
Where the FE differs, however, is the feel of the device’s metal sides, which gives it a nice premium finish. It’s only because of the design that we have a hard time choosing either of the two. However, if you’re looking for premium items, the S20 FE is your device.
Samsung Galaxy A52 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – Display
Fast refresh rate and beautiful AMOLED colors on both
When it comes to the display, making a decision is easy.
The A52 comes with a breath of fresh air from other mid-rangers, a 6.5-inch 1080p panel with a 90Hz refresh rate which is great for the price-inch screen on the S20 FE would be a better choice.
Both devices have the iconic AMOLED colors that we expected, so there are no complaints there. In terms of quality and sharpness, they also come close, but the smoothness of the S20 FE is on a different level. And also in terms of brightness, we have a, albeit a small, difference from the S20 FE with 742 nits compared to 715 nits in the A52. We, therefore, recommend that you base your decision here on a budget and a preferred update rate.
Samsung Galaxy A52 versus Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – Camera
The A52 lacks a zoom camera, but otherwise is not far behind
And now let’s move on to the camera segment we’ve been waiting for.
The Galaxy A52 has a 64-megapixel main gunner with surprising optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12-megapixel ultrawide, and a 5-megapixel macro camera, while the S20 FE has a 12-megapixel main gunner OIS, a 12-megapixel ultrawide, and an 8-megapixel telecamera.
Maybe Samsung has actually put more into its mid-range lineup. Exposure, dynamic range, and sharpness were also on par.
Where the phones certainly differ, however, can be seen in the third camera. For example, the S20 FE has a camera with an optical zoom lens. With the A52 you can take zoom photos, but they are not that sharp.
Then what about the macro camera on the A52, is it better than not having one on the S20 FE? Well, it’s hard to say. To put it this way, the A52’s macro camera was convenient to use when shooting close-ups because the focus was set at a greater distance. At the same time, the S20 FE can take pictures from an even greater distance if you have a steady hand and use the optical zoom camera.
What about night photography then? The S20 FE’s main camera was better for noise and colors in the dark, but for some reason, the A52 kept producing slightly wrong colors in that particular scene.
Finally, Samsung has made several good improvements to the A52. And while it lags behind the Galaxy S20 FE, it still manages to bring decent quality to the table.
Samsung Galaxy A52 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – Performance
A52 can be improved over its predecessor, but it still runs on a midrange processor compared to a top processor on the FE
In terms of performance, the S20 FE may be older, but still a lot better. As mentioned before, the S20 FE tried to be a phone that did the best at a lower cost, and the SoC corroborates that claim. It is equipped with a high-end flagship vessel. On the other hand, the A52 has a slightly slower mid-range processor. Looking at it here, you can see quite clearly how the S20 FE blown the A52 out of the water by our yardstick.
In terms of gaming and heavier tasks, you’ll find the FE to be the better phone overall, but in terms of light tasks like watching videos, browsing the web, and even some light gaming, the Galaxy A52 is just a really good one, a good choice.
In daily use, we rarely noticed any shocks, but of course, there can be some hiccups now and then, while the FE is just a lot softer in that regard. In addition, both devices use a fingerprint under the display, which we found relatively equally fast for the FE and A52. We also rarely got a cool, misinterpreted finger. But overall, we still leave this as a win in Samsung Galaxy A52 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE performance for the Galaxy S20 FE.
Samsung Galaxy A52 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – Battery life
The Samsung Galaxy A52 is an impressive upgrade over last year’s A51 as it now has a larger 4,500mAh battery that has the same capacity as the S20 FE. However, after a few tests, the S20 FE fared worse. That’s not to say it had bad battery life, it took us all day and longer, but it was worse compared to the A52. In other words.
The Galaxy S20 FE lasted an average of 12 hours and 30 minutes while surfing the web at 60 Hz, while the A52 withstood dust biting for 16 hours. So this is a big win in our books for the cheap champ. And if you’re interested in our full results, check them out here:
Samsung Galaxy A52 vs. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – Features
The cheaper A52 has a headphone jack but lacks the wireless charging that the S20 FE offers
Then we come to the section with the functions. Believe it or not, this is where the A52 brings a strong match. You see, while we know the S20 FE is a bit more expensive and also better in terms of performance, we would also expect it to do a lot better in terms of additional features, but it isn’t.
In some cases, the FE offers water resistance with a rating of IP68, expandable storage, and wireless charging, while the A52 almost matches the water-resistance of IP67, which is the same, meaning the phone can go up to 30 meters in water for 30 minutes before it possibly dies, while the FE can withstand a depth of five feet for the same time. The A52 also has expandable memory and a headphone jack. Of course, there is no wireless charging, but we would argue that the lack of a headphone jack on the S20 FE is also a downgrade. So we would say both are preferable as they cover almost everything you could ever need.
Samsung Galaxy A52 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – Price and availability
MSRP difference of about $ 200 between the two
Starting with the Galaxy A52, it costs 350 euros in Europe but is expected to be around $ 500, while the S20 FE starts at $ 699, but is regularly reduced to around $ 550. Both are within your budget.
The phones we currently tested were the regular Galaxy A52 and S20 FE, but we should add that the A52 is available with 5G and is an option to consider for around $ 500. At the same time, the S20 FE can also be bought with 5G support.
The A52 only supports speeds below 6 GHz, which is a shame if you’re looking for the connectivity of a lifetime, but at least it will be solid. The S20 FE also supports sub-6GHz but is also available from Verizon with mmWave support, which is a good bonus. Depending on what you need, Samsung has you covered. How about Samsung Galaxy A52 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – check which is better here.
