Samsung Galaxy A50 vs A51 vs A52: Generational showdown

Just because you want to own a Samsung Galaxy phone, doesn’t mean you need to spend an arm and a leg on the top-tier Samsung Galaxy S range. The Samsung Galaxy A range includes options from budget through to just below flagship, with the A52 the latest mid-range contender. It’s set to replace last year’s A51 and may tempt A50 owners (the 2019 model) to upgrade.

The A52 has a 4G version and 5G model, with differences beyond merely paying for a connectivity upgrade. At the time of writing, the A52 4G and 5G specs are based on leaks from reputable sources. Let’s see how the Samsung Galaxy A50, A51, A52 4G and A52 5G compare.

Despite being a 2019 model, you can still pick up a Samsung Galaxy A50 for around $499RRP. That makes it the cheapest of the three Galaxy A handsets we’re comparing, but the A51 is priced at $599RRP and the price for the A52 has yet to be announced but, if our currency-converting estimations are correct, it’s rumoured to be around that same $599RRP price point for the 4G model and $749RRP for the 5G version.

From a pure price perspective, you can save money by opting for the A50, but expect the price of the A51 to drop once the A52 is released, too. You can also nab an A51 as part of a Postpaid plan with a number of providers. 

Below is a table with the full specs side-by-side comparison for the Samsung Galaxy A50, A51 and A52.

Surprisingly, there’s not a whole lot that’s changed on the display front between the Samsung Galaxy A51 and the new A52 models. The A50 is only just behind with a slightly smaller screen and lower overall resolution, plus it’s also a hair lower for pixels per inch, but not enough for the newer handsets to take an obvious lead.

Unlike the display draw, there’s a clear winner in terms of the cameras across generations. The Samsung Galaxy A50 lags behind with its lower-resolution rear tri-camera configuration and similarly lower-res front camera. Video resolution on the A50 also taps out at a max of 1080p whereas the A51, A52 4G and A52 5G can all record at up to 4K resolution.

It’s a draw for the front and rear cameras on the A51 and A52 4G, both of which have identical specs. Pay a bit more for the A52 5G handset, though, and you get a higher-resolution main rear camera (64MP vs 48MP), which is similar to the logic of an Ultra model camera upgrade in the Samsung Galaxy S line.

This is an area that you can safely assume will be upgraded each year. The Samsung Galaxy A50 has the slowest processor with the Exynos 9610, which is improved with the A51’s Exynos 9611 processor. According to the chip comparisons on NanoReview, the A51 has a slight performance and battery life edge over the A50.

The performance gap is more noticeable between the A51’s Exynos 9611 and the A52 4G’s Snapdragon 720g, which is a surprise move given Samsung’s tendency to stick with its own Exynos processors (especially in markets like Australia). Overall, the A52 4G has an 18% edge for CPU performance, a 38% lead for gaming performance, a 14% improvement in battery efficiency, and an overall lead just over 15%.

That advantage also applies to the A52 4G’s Snapdragon 720g processor when it’s stacked next to the A52 5G’s Snapdragon 750G CPU. According to NanoReview’s tests, you’re looking at a 10% lead for CPU performance, a 12% edge for gaming performance, and a 7% overall lead. Battery efficiency is identical between the two, though.

Additionally, the A50 only has 4GB of memory and 64GB internal storage, compared to the 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage of the A51. The A52 comes out on top again here, though, with 6GB in the base models of the 4G and the option to up RAM to 8GB in both alongside a storage boost. That said, it is worth noting that the base A52 4G handset only comes with 64GB of internal storage. All these handsets do have expandable storage via MicroSD slot (up to 512GB).

When it comes to battery life, there are a couple of reasons why the Samsung Galaxy A52 4G and 5G are better picks over the A51 and A50. For starters, both the A50 and A51 have 4,000mAh battery capacity, whereas the A52 4G and 5G handsets both have a 4,500mAh battery.

More importantly, that 14% improvement in battery life between the A51’s processor and the A52 processors means better longevity gains for the newest handset. It’s worth noting that because the 5G mobile networks aren’t yet optimised, the identical battery efficiency results between the A52 4G and 5G handsets likely means better longevity from the A52 4G (for now).

Short of a price blowout, it’s clear that your best bet is the Samsung Galaxy A52 in 2021. Whether you opt for the 4G or 5G model will depend on how futureproofed you want to be and how much you’re concerned about the potential battery life detractors of currently unoptimised 5G mobile networks.

If price is the be-all and end-all, you can save money on the A50 – likely even more after the A52 launch drives its price down – and expect a price drop for the A51, too. For across-the-board bang for your buck, though, our pick is the Samsung Galaxy A52 4G handset.