Samsung is bringing 5G to the masses with the Galaxy A51 5G and the Galaxy A71 5G. We have the smaller one for review to find out what’s changed from the 4G version with the inclusion of the next-gen connectivity.
For starters, the chipset is different – it’s the Exynos 980 that is bringing that 5G capability and, along with it, a bump in performance over the modest 9611 SoC of the older model. A bigger battery is also among the new bits, a welcome upgrade to meet the increased power demand.
If you’re willing to pay the premium for 5G this early in its adoption, even on a midranger like the A51 5G, chances are you’d probably enjoy a more upmarket build and Samsung has obliged. It’s replaced the plastic midframe with an aluminum one. This remodeling, complete with the battery capacity bump and the extra antennas all means that the A51 5G is now 15g heavier – a not insignificant increase that robs it of all claims for lightness.
And that’s about everything that’s changed when going from 4G to 5G on the Galaxy A51. Here’s a quick refresher on the other key specs.
The Galaxy A51 5G comes in the same retail packaging as the 4G version, but proudly flying a 5G banner. It’s a proper cardboard box with a lid as opposed to lesser A-series models that replace the lid with a sleeve.
Inside the box there’s a full set of accessories. A 15W Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging adapter is bundled, maxing out the phone’s charging capability, and there’s a USB-A-to-C cable to go with it. A pair of earbuds with a three button remote is included and a soft silicone case will give your phone protection straight out of the box.
Competition
2020 has been the year of 5G phones going mainstream and next-gen connectivity support can now be seen not just on flagships, but on more and more handsets in the midrange. The Galaxy A51 5G, Samsung‘s most affordable entry in the field, comes in at a price point of $500/£430/€470 and there are worthy competitors on either side of that number.
The most affordable 5G handset in the western world at the time of writing, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G, retails for about €330, making it a bargain next to the Galaxy. The Xiaomi will give you 60fps video in 1080p, an IR blaster, and an HDR10+ capable display – granted, none of these are really game-changers. The camera system is similar, as is the performance of the Snapdragon 765G chip. The battery tests on Mi are ongoing, but we think the Galaxy will prevail if by a little. Going for it, the Samsung has a MicroSD slot and FM radio capability.
Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G • Motorola Edge • Huawei P40 lite 5G • LG Velvet • Samsung Galaxy A71 5G
The Motorola Edge launched at €600, and that remains its MSRP, but we’ve seen it for €500, and at that price, it could make sense as a viable alternative to the Galaxy. It’s got a more versatile camera system with an extra telephoto cam, stereo speakers, and a 90Hz refresh rate OLED display. Come to think of it, these can be worth the premium to even get the Moto at full retail.
It’s harder to justify the €650 price of the LG Velvet against the Galaxy, if it’s solely for the 5G. The Velvet does offer IP68-rated dust and water resistance and stereo speakers, but unless you can get it in a bundle with the Dual Screen and have some use for said Dual Screen, LG’s posh midranger isn’t great value.
If you’d rather not splurge, but insist on the 5G support, the Huawei P40 lite 5G could be your thing – specifically the 5G version, because there’s a 4G P40 lite as well. Going the Huawei route might save you around €80/£70 but will also cost you Google Play services support and the OLED display which the A51 5G has.
In the US, the A51 5G should maybe become available at some point, but it isn’t for the time being. On the other hand, the A71 5G has been discounted to $430 (down from the $600 MSRP), and that’s not a half-bad deal, particularly in a market that’s missing affordable 5G options – the US doesn’t get the Moto Edge (just the Edge+) and LG Velvet, nor Xiaomi or Huawei altogether. The A71 5G is more or less the same phone as the A51 5G, with an extra 0.2 inches in display diagonal and larger main camera sensor.
Verdict
At a passing glance, the Galaxy A51 5G may look like a pointless addition to an already overpopulated lineup of Galaxy As. Closer inspection proves it to bring improvements in performance, battery endurance and even camera quality over the 4G version.
And that’s before you account for the fact that it’s the most affordable point of entry into 5G coming from Samsung. It’s not as good value as what Xiaomi can give you, but competing offers from other big names like LG and Motorola come at an even larger premium if they’re available at all. As such, the Galaxy A51 5G is shaping up to be an easy recommendation for early 5G adopters that would like to reap the benefits of the faster connectivity without shelling flagship money.
Pros
Upmarket build.
Excellent battery life, reasonably fast charging.
Super AMOLED display that’s plenty bright and good with colors.
Android 10 out of the box, One UI 2 has plenty going for it.
Competitive performance in the upper midrange segment.
Capable camera setup in daylight, decent low-light performance.
The cheapest 5G smartphone any given manufacturer currently has on the market has become sort of a weird competitive category in itself this year. For Samsung, that used to be the Galaxy A32 5G, which was released back in January, alongside the A52 5G and A72 5G. Now that title has officially been transferred over to the Galaxy A22 5G. Like its higher-tier sibling, the A22 is available in both a 5G variant and regular 4G. And once again, cramming in 5G, without deviating too much from the original price point has necessitated some major downgrades, compared to the LTE model.
For the Galaxy A22 pair goes, in particular, some of the major advantages the LTE model has over its sibling include its Super AMOLED display – slightly lower resolution, but otherwise better all around. Also, slightly better cameras, including an 8MP ultrawide, 2MP dedicated macro and a 13MP selfie cam. As of writing this review, all of this will set you back €209 for the base 64GB/4GB model.
On the flip side, the Galaxy A22 5G has an MSRP of €230, which will require you to settle for a 90Hz LCD display, a 5MP ultrawide, no depth camera and an 8MP selfie cam. However, the Galaxy A22 5G also has quite a few redeeming qualities. One thing that stands out, in particular, is its FHD+, 90Hz LCD display, which is notably better than the basic 60Hz, 720p+ LCD on the Galaxy A32 5G – a device that technically stands higher in the lineup and is still a bit pricier than the A22 5G. That’s what half a year’s worth of developments on the budget mobile scene can result in. Impressive stuff.
Video capture:Rear camera: 1152p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 15W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); FM radio; 3.5mm jack.
There are plenty of other interesting aspects of the A22 5G to examine beyond that as well, like its Dimensity 700 chipset, which on the surface sounds like just a slight downgrade compared to the Dimensity 720 powering the Galaxy A32 5G, yet has some particular limitations of its own, like a 2K maximum video capture resolution. But, we’ll get to all that in due time.
Circling back to the important bits, just like its siblings, the Galaxy A22 5G is part of Samsung‘s new and ambitious plan for the best-selling Galaxy A family. The new “Awesome is for everyone” tagline fits like a glove. The value proposition is a clear priority on all of these devices.
Offering both 4G and 5G versions of all of the handsets is another way of making the lineup as appealing as possible. Speaking of which, budget or not, the Galaxy A22 5G still gets all the benefits and goodies that come with One UI 3.1, on top of Android 11, as well as Samsung’s better and longer-term software support commitment, as of late.
Unboxing
As a budget offer, the Galaxy A22 5G understandably comes in a rather plain box. Perhaps Samsung can do a bit better for protection during transit.
On a more positive note, at least the A32 5G itself comes well wrapped in plastic all around, including thin strips stuck along the plastic frame, for extra protection.
Speaking of protection, or lack thereof, the Galaxy A22 5G does not have a pre-applied screen protector, nor is there a case in the box. Both are common with budget phones from other manufacturers. What you do get is a basic 15W wall charger (9V@1.67A or 5V@2A) and a simple and fairly short USB Type-A to Type-C cable. At last, there is no proprietary charging scheme at play here, so you don’t necessarily need to stick to the included cable to get the full 15W.
Our Galaxy A22 5G unit also came with a wired handsfree (buds with an inline microphone) in the box. This is a fairly basic Samsung-branded unit, nothing too fancy, though you do get an inline button as well. It is worth noting that this might be a regional accessory that not all packages get because we didn’t get buds with the higher-tier A32 5G.
Competition
At the time of writing, the Galaxy A22 5G will set you back about €250 for the base 4GB + 64GB variant. The A22 5G’s specs sheet appears to have been strategically downgraded to allow for the coveted 5G connectivity to be included while still keeping within the target price point of the A22 series.
The vanilla Galaxy A22 can currently be had for just over €200, while also offering an arguably better 90Hz Super AMOLED, 720p+ display, as well as a slightly-better camera setup. The point here is that 5G clearly comes at a cost. This is the reality all manufacturers currently have to deal with, especially in this price range.
If you don’t necessarily need 5G in your next phone, it is easy to get better overall specs in a 4G handset instead.
You don’t even have to look far either, as the vanilla Galaxy A32 is pretty much comparably priced like the A22 5G. Unlike the A32 5G, which also sacrifices on some specs for the sake of 5G, the vanilla offers things like a notably better FullHD, Super AMOLED, 90Hz display with 800 nits of advertised brightness. Also, a better all-around camera setup, plus a few extra features here and there, sprinkled within One UI 3.1. Better still, unlike the A22 5G, the A32 gets to partake in Samsung‘s new initiative for three major OS updates and four years of security patches.
There is arguably better value still to be had in camp Xiaomi. The Redmi Note 10 Pro costs as much as the Galaxy A22 5G while rocking hardware like a 120Hz, HDR10-enabled AMOLED panel and a 108MP main camera. Also, things like stereo speakers and an IP53 rating and 33W fast charging. Just to name a few. The list is definitely longer.
You can even save some money and go for something like the Redmi Note 10, which tones down many of the specs of the Redmi Note 10 Pro, but still manages to preserve the core experience. It outshines the Galaxy A22 5G in pretty much every hardware aspect. We are also throwing in the Poco X3 Pro for those out there seeking the best raw performance possible on a budget. While its raw power does come with some compromises here and there, a Snapdragon 860 chipset at just over €200 is almost a market anomaly and deserves due attention.
Circling back to the question of 5G, if you absolutely must have 5G for €250 or less, most manufacturers are clearly faced with the same general hardware decisions and compromises, which have resulted in the niche getting occupied by surprisingly similar devices.
Handsets like the Realme 8 5G, Poco M3 Pro 5G and the Redmi Note 10 5G all rock 90Hz LCD panels, just like the Galaxy A22 5G and even use the same Dimensity 700 chipset – the entry-level chip in MediaTek’s Dimensity line. All three also have triple camera setups, with a 48MP main snapper. Also, 5,000 mAh batteries with 18W charging. The list goes on, and it’s almost like some homework copying has taken place. Or rather – this is just currently the budget 5G hardware setup that makes sense. Sure, the Realme 8 5G does have a slightly better selfie cam, but it also costs a bit more than the others. Going for the Poco can probably get you the best value due to its lower price.
Our overarching point here, however, is that your decision on which €250 5G phone to get will mostly come down to subtle differences in specs and the software experience and features. Samsung might just have a leg up there for many, thanks to One UI 3.1.
Beyond that, you might just have to look around really hard, wait for promos or potentially even go for an imported unit, which definitely has its drawbacks. That way, it might be potentially possible to get more for your money. For instance, the Galaxy M42 5G costs about as much as the Galaxy A22 5G, but comes with a Super AMOLED panel, higher-res selfie, a macro camera and a Snapdragon 750G chipset. Its availability, however is pretty limited.
Verdict
Samsung has created a solid phone in the Galaxy A22 5G. While it’s not getting the full benefits of three major OS updates and four years of security patches, like its bigger siblings – A32, A52 and A72, it still gets most of the feature trickle-down. Its FullHD, 90Hz LCD display is not spectacular in terms of performance, but it is still a good neck above what you used to be able to get from Samsung’s previous cheapest 5G device – the Galaxy A32 5G.
The Dimensity 700 chipset delivers solid battery life from the 5,000 mAh pack, as well as modern features and connectivity and plenty of performance for most tasks. Even light gaming is no issue for the A22 5G, with most games we tried successfully making use of the 90Hz refresh rate of the panel for extra-smooth gameplay.
While very simple, Samsung’s software setup and handling for the high refresh rate mode is perfectly functional, which is not always a given with the competition.
In fact, most aspects of the One UI 3.1/Android 11 combo on the Galaxy A22 5G are well-crafted, polished and surprisingly feature-rich. With all said and done, the excellent user experience is a big part of the appeal of Samsung’s cheapest 5G phone. It’s likely the reason some might want to go for it instead of one of the many similar offers from other manufacturers like Realme and Xiaomi.
And that’s kind of leads to the elephant in the room – should you even get a 5G phone for under €250? If you really need 5G in your next device and can’t stretch your budget any further, then the Galaxy A22 5G is worth considering. If you can compromise and settle for a 4G model instead, there is much more overall value to be had from other devices in this price range.
Pros
FullHD+ resolution and 90Hz are a welcome sight at this price point, even if the panel has somewhat disappointing performance. 90Hz mode works great.
Very solid battery life.
Latest Android and One UI, with most features intact.
The MediaTek 700 is a modern, efficient and well-equipped chipset, with decent performance for the price.
Decent main camera performance, including potent and useful Night mode.
Cons
Body feels a bit hollow and there is no ingress protection, no pre-applied screen protector and no official info on display glass protection.
Pretty slow charging.
Just a single loudspeaker with underwhelming performance.
Poor all-round ultrawide performance. No 4K video capture. 2K capture is a mixed bag.
Samsung did an unquestionably great job with the latest batch of Galaxy A phones. The Korean giant clearly decided to focus its efforts on what is officially its best-selling line. The new “Awesome is for everyone” tagline fits like a glove. Devices like the Galaxy A32, A52 and even the slightly extraneous A72, with its extra telephoto, bring plenty of value to the table.
In its quest to be as trendy and appealing as possible, Samsung also went ahead and made 5G versions of the A52 and A32. These 5G variants tend to target roughly the same price point as their 4G counterparts, which inevitably means that some compromises are in place to accommodate the processor with 5G support. We already dug extensively into the matter of the Galaxy A52 5G and its slight yet still noticeable downgrades over the regular Galaxy A52 in those respective reviews. Now it’s time to do the same for the A32 5G, which, by all accounts, has suffered a much worse downgrade.
Video capture:Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 15W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); FM radio; 3.5mm jack.
In fact, we would go as far as to say that the Galaxy A32 5G is an entirely different device than the vanilla A32. The price point is roughly the same, which was clearly Samsung’s main goal, but for that to happen, the A32 5G comes with an LCD display instead of an OLED. A lower-res HD+ one, at that, stuck at 60Hz refresh rate. The panel is so different, in fact, that it even has a bigger diagonal at 6.5 inches. The entire A32 5G is bigger in every dimension, measuring 164.2 x 76.1 x 9.1 mm and tipping the scale at 205 grams. A whole 20, or so, grams more than the regular A32, yet still with the same 5,000 mAh battery.
The camera department has also experienced some changes, including a main camera swap to a lower-res 48MP unit. Interestingly enough, though, the A32 5G gets an extra 2MP depth sensor over its vanilla sibling. Also, it can do 4K@30fps video capture. That final intriguing bit comes courtesy of the MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G chipset found in the Galaxy A32 5G. An all-round upgrade over the MediaTek Helio G80 inside the regular A32.
So, it’s pretty clear how the budget was relocated to make the Galaxy A32 5G a reality. Now the question remains whether the downgrades were worth it to make room for a slightly better chipset, with 5G connectivity.
Unboxing
As a budget offer, the Galaxy A32 5G understandably comes in a rather plain box. It is a basic cardboard bottom piece, with a sleeve on top. You should definitely be careful about applying pressure to the top of said sleeve. Perhaps Samsung can do a bit better for protection during transit. On a more positive note, at least the A32 5G itself comes well wrapped in plastic all around, including thin layers stuck right on to the plastic frame, for extra protection.
Speaking of protection, or lack thereof, the Galaxy A32 5G does not have a pre-applied screen protector, nor is there a case in the box. Both common with budget phones from other manufacturers. What you do get is a basic 15W wall charger (9V@1.67A or 5V@2A) and a simple and fairly short USB Type-A to Type-C cable. At last, there is no proprietary charging scheme at play here, so you don’t necessarily need to stick to the included cable to get the full 15W.
Competition
The Samsung Galaxy A32 5G can currently be had for a bit under €250, which is about as much, or just slightly more than the vanilla Galaxy A32. And, in fact, the vanilla is a viable option if you don’t particularly care about 5G and would much rather get the much better 90Hz Super AMOLED panel and slightly better cameras. Though, with video capture capped at 1080p. Otherwise, you would still be getting the same in-depth and feature-rich Samsung One UI experience, as well as the Korean giant’s newfound promise for longer software support.
The Samsung Galaxy M42 5G also should not be glanced over, but unfortunately, it has limited availability. Otherwise, it successfully patches up the single biggest issue on the A32 5G – the display – by offering an HD Super AMOLED panel.
It is hardly surprising that Xiaomi has plenty of competing offers to pit against the Galaxy A32 5G. The Redmi Note 10 series instantly springs to mind. The clear direct competitor has to be the Redmi Note 10 5G. It is based on a very similar Dimensity 700 chipset, which brings the 5G connectivity to the table. It is also priced nearly identically to the A32 5G. Its main camera is also a quite similar 48MP Quad-Bayer one, but you will be losing an ultrawide going for the Xiaomi. On the flip side – the Redmi Note 10 5G has a noticeably better 90Hz IPS display. Honestly, however, Xiaomi had to downgrade strategically to fit 5G into that phone. Not unlike Samsung. If you don’t particularly care about 5G, you can get a lot more value for a significantly lower price with the vanilla Redmi Note 10. This includes a jump to a Super AMOLED display and a stereo speaker setup. Also, an official IP53 rating.
Then there is also Xiaomi’s Poco line. It is truly hard to beat its value propositions. The Poco M3 Pro 5G is a great all-around competitor to the Galaxy A32 5G. It is essentially the same phone as the Redmi Note 10 5G we mentioned earlier while managing to cost less on many markets. A no-brainer, really. If you would rather substitute 5G for a larger still 6,000 mAh battery and a stereo speaker setup, then the vanilla Poco M3 is worth considering. It gets totally upstaged by the Poco X3 Pro, though. No 5G on this one either, but what you do get at a shockingly low price includes a 120Hz, HDR10, IPS display, stereo speakers, IP53 and definitely not least – a powerful Snapdragon 860 chipset that almost seems unattainable in this price bracket. Looking for a great budget gaming experience – look no further.
Realme currently has a pretty strong budget lineup as well. The Realme 8, in particular, will set you back a bit less than the Galaxy A32 and yet brings a great Super AMOLED, HDR10 display to the table and an otherwise quite comparable set of other specs. Minus 5G, that is. If the latter is particularly important to you, you might also be interested in the OnePlus Nord N10 5G.
Verdict
There is a lot to love about Samsung‘s current Galaxy A family. The “Awesome is for everyone” marketing slogan actually fits the bill quite well. The value proposition is quite strong, especially for devices like the Galaxy A52 and vanilla A32. The design is fresh and trendy, the hardware is mostly on point, and the added-value features in One UI 3.1 are better than ever. Now with the added benefit of longer software support. A lot of that has rubbed off on the Galaxy A32 5G as well. There is plenty to love about it. And it has great battery life even if charging is a bit slow. The camera setup holds up surprisingly well too.
However, the A32 5G biggest folly is that Samsung went about creating it by taking its good-value sibling and cramming 5G into the mix, without really inflating the budget price point. This has resulted in a phone with an unfortunately-downgraded LCD display, in particular, among other things. It is the single biggest gripe we have with the Galaxy A32 5G, since it just fails to live up to current market standards. It’s as simple as that.
All things considered, the Galaxy A32 5G is currently one of the cheapest Samsung phones with 5G on offer. Until the Galaxy A22 5G becomes a thing. If it is absolutely imperative for you to get a budget 5G Samsung, in particular, today, then the A32 5G is the way to go. Otherwise, we would probably hold off a bit or consider alternatives for better value.
Pros
Excellent battery life.
Latest Android and One UI, bright software future.
The MediaTek 720 is a modern, efficient and well-equipped chipset, with decent performance for the price.
Decent all-round camera performance, including useful Night mode and 4K@30fps video capture with the main cam.
Cons
Body feels a bit hollow and there is no ingress protection.
Disappointing LCD display, just HD resolution, inaccurate colors and slow pixel response times.
Just a single loudspeaker with underwhelming performance.
Ultrawide lacks 4K video recording and its 1080p video stabilization is poor.
Samsung currently has a really strong Galaxy A lineup. They took their “Awesome is for everyone” slogan to heart with interesting and fresh designs, as well as good value specs. Better still, the Korean giant definitely recognizes it has a good product on its hands and is now investing even further in extending its life. Particularly the Galaxy A52, which now has a new Samsung A52s 5G variant.
Technically, it can be considered another generation of the product, compared to the vanilla A52 and the A52 5G, though there aren’t too many new changes here. The first two A52 models came out back in March, with the 5G one swapping the original’s Snapdragon 720G for a 5G-capable Snapdragon 750G and the 90Hz, 6.5 Super AMOLED display for a 120Hz one. All the while keeping the two devices physically identical.
Now the Galaxy A52s 5G takes the Galaxy A52 5G and builds on top of it even further, swapping the chipset once again with an even better Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset, effectively addressing one of the few issues we had with the original – a slightly underpowered chipset.
And that’s about it – a significant leap forward in performance and a few other minor specs additions that the new chipset affords, like Wi-Fi 6 compatibility, but still the exact same phone. Arguably, with less changes than going from the vanilla A52 to the A52 5G.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G specs at a glance:
Body: 159.9×75.1×8.4mm, 189g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back; IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins).
That’s definitely not us complaining, though, since the price tag on the Galaxy A52s 5G is practically unchanged either. Plus, you are still getting an excellent device, with some highlights like that 120Hz, 6.5-inch, Super AMOLED panel we just mentioned, a solid quad camera setup – the same as before, a gorgeous and youthful, playful exterior, with a rubber-like finish, pastel colors and an IP67 rating.
Once again, you physically get the exact same 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm phone, with a plastic yet sturdy frame and a Gorilla Glass 5 front. It even weighs the same at 189 grams, which makes sense since the battery is the same 4,500 mAh one. It can be charged at a rate of up to 25W, like before, but this time around, you get a 25W charger in the box, as well, which is even more added value on the Galaxy A52s 5G.
Both the original Galaxy A52 and the A52 5G in detail, you can refer to those articles for commentary on design, software and any other aspect that has been carried forward unchanged on to the Samsung A52s 5G.
Since the chipset has been swapped, we will go ahead and re-test everything related to that, including performance, battery endurance and charging. We’ll test the camera performance as well, since a new chipset does also mean a new and potentially different DSP, even though the cameras remain the same.
Unboxing
Before we get to all that, let’s go through the new box and its contents really quick. There is nothing particularly special about the box itself – it is a simple, two-piece cardboard affair, but is strong and does its protective job as intended.
The accessory package hasn’t changed drastically, with the important exception of the included charger. The Galaxy A52s 5G comes with a 25W charger in some markets instead of the lesser 15W unit the A52 and the A52 5G came with. You do need to check your particular retailer, though. So, that’s a nice little potential value-add bonus.
Beyond that and a relatively short USB cable, there is nothing extra inside the retail box. No case or anything like that, which you might get with budget offers from other manufacturers. Even so, it’s all about perspective, since with something like the significantly more expensive Galaxy S21 series, you don’t even get a charger at all.
The competition
It is not particularly hard to find viable competitors to the Galaxy A52s 5G within its rough mid-ranger price bracket. Though in fairness, Samsung has made the task significantly harder, in the best possible way, now that the refreshed model comes with a snazzy new Snapdragon 778G chipset, at little to no extra cost and at no notable expense to its other strengths.
And the A52s 5G has plenty of those – an excellent 120Hz, 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel, solid battery life from its 4,500mAh and decently-fast 25W PD charging, a very good stereo speaker setup, plus a 3.5 mm audio jack and ample power from that shiny new Snapdragon 778G chipset. Not to mention the excellent modern connectivity options, like 5G, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
The phone’s excellent exterior should also not be overlooked, and we’re not just talking about the eye-catching pastel colors that also include a great silky, rubbery finish. Just like its predecessors, the A52s 5G comes with Gorilla Glass 5 and, more impressively, IP67 official ingress protection rating. That alone is practically impossible to match at this price point, outside of Samsung’s own offers.
Speaking of which, if your budget is not set in stone, why not look into the Galaxy S20 FE. It has a similar 120Hz AMOLED but offers much better performance thanks to the flagship-grade Snapdragon 865 5G chip. The S20 FE has a better camera on the back, too – there is a 12MP primary with OIS, a dedicated 8MP tele camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom, while the 12MP ultrawide shooter is a match to the Samsung A52s‘. And if these aren’t good enough reasons to spend more, then there is fast wireless and reverse wireless charging, too. Oh, and in case ingress protection matters to you, the S20 FE has an even better IP68 rating.
On the flip side, if you don’t mind giving up a few extras in the name of saving a buck, then the Galaxy A32 is still a great option. Not to be confused with the A32 5G, though. You still get a solid 6.4-inch, 90Hz Super AMOLED panel, an even bigger 5,000mAh battery, with excellent 119 hours of endurance in our tests. You also get most of the same camera setup, with a few downgrades and nearly all of the same software features from One UI and excellent three-Android-release and four-year security packages software support promise. No stereo speakers, ingress protection and a significantly worse chipset, though.
Also, another a bit more “out-there” suggestion for you – if you really like the Samsung A52s 5G, but just wish you didn’t have to spend as much for it, you can probably hunt around for a deal on the original Galaxy A52 and get most of the same experience. You will be sacrificing on 5G, the 120Hz refresh rate (though you still get 90Hz) and some performance overall in the chipset department and connectivity options. Technically, the same logic can be applied to the A52 5G, as well, though the price delta there just doesn’t seem to be worth it at the time of writing.
There is plenty of value to be had outside camp Samsung, often for a notably lower price too. Some highlights include the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro. For just shy of EUR 250, it offers an excellent 6.67-inch, 120Hz, AMOLED, HDR10 panel, stereo speakers, a big 5,020mAh battery, with 118 hours of endurance in our testing and 33W fast charging and a quad main camera setup, with a 108MP snapper at the helm. Slightly worse Snapdragon 732G chipset, with no 5G, though and an IP53 rating.
Depending on your personal priorities, you can go for the Poco X3 instead and get a similar overall package, but with a significantly better Snapdragon 870, 5G-enabled chipset and just some minor sacrifices in other departments like a 48MP main camera and a smaller battery.
We would also be remiss if we didn’t mention the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, which practically seems crafted as a direct competitor to the Samsung A52s 5G. Some of its highlights include a 6.55-inch, 90Hz AMOLED display, with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, stereo speakers, the exact same Snapdragon 778G chipset, a nearly-identical 4,250mAh battery, with 33W charging and a similar camera setup, with a 64MP main snapper, but also a dedicated 5MP 50MM telephoto. All of this for a notably lower price than the Galaxy A52s 5G.
Like we said, there is no shortage of great offers in the mid-range segment, so here are a couple more. Depending on where you live, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G might be a great one. A few of its standout features include a high-end MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset, 65W fast charging on its 4,500mAh battery, as well as a 50MP, OIS-enabled main camera.
OnePlus Nord 2 5G • Realme GT Neo2
Last, but not least, you could look into the Realme GT Neo2, again depending on local availability, though. It packs, among other things, a Snapdragon 870 5G chipset, 6.6-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display and a big 5,000mAh battery, also capable of 65W charging.
Our verdict
The Galaxy A52 line, in our opinion, has successfully managed to hit the “sweet spot” within Samsung‘s strong and compelling current Galaxy A lineup. The newest Samsung A52s 5G refresh has flawlessly executed a chipset upgrade, only bringing more value to the table. The Snapdragon 778G is not only all-around faster than the Snapdragon 750G it replaces, but it also brings along some nifty connectivity upgrades, namely Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Most importantly, though, it does so without harming or downgrading the other aspects of the Galaxy A52 and without really increasing its price tag either.
If you are after a great value-proposition from Samsung in 2021, or alternatively, really need an IP67 ingress protection rating for under EUR 450 at current pricing, then look no further than the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G. Or, perhaps the A52, if you can find a good deal and can live with the trade-offs. It’s also important to note Samsung’s promise of extended software support on the Galaxy A line as an extra value add. You can expect 3 major OS updates, as well as 4 years of security patches.
Even with all that said, though, we understand that many of you will look around at what many competitors are currently offering at this price point and still find the Galaxy A52s 5G a bit lacking and not quite hitting the right sports for you, personally. Samsung‘s MSRP is a bit on the higher end. However, price and value are not the same things. Also, value is, in a major way, a subjective matter, and thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives and competing formulas to choose and pick from nowadays.
Pros
Nice color options and new silky finish, standout, stylish design, IP67 rating, Gorilla Glass 5.
Bright AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate.
Solid battery life. 25W charger in the box in some markets.
Impressive hybrid stereo speaker setup for the price range.
Latest One UI 3.1 and Android 11 setup, with plenty of advanced Samsung features and a promise of 3 major OS updates and 4 years of security patches.
The Snapdragon 778G chipset offers a nice overall performance boost over the Snapdragon 750G, as well as some connectivity upgrades.
Versatile quad camera setup, with OIS on the main 64MP snapper and solid camera quality.
4K video recording with every camera and at every zoom level.
Cons
Still priced a bit too high compared to viable alternative devices.
Color consistency in photos across the ultrawide and main cameras needs some work. So do white balance in low-light and Night mode.
Selfie camera consistency leaves a bit to be desired.
Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is one very odd smartphone. It was touted as the cheapest 5G phone and teased for weeks before its complete specs were finally outed. And it turned out the A42 has grown quite bigger since its compact A40 and A41 predecessors. Not only that but this new Galaxy A42 5G is also shaping to be an excellent gaming device with a pretty large battery at that. Yes, the Galaxy A42 5G is odd, but in a good way.
The Galaxy A42 5G doesn’t stray from the beautiful design we saw on the Galaxy A41 and comes with an even more glamorous Prism Dot look. But it is now bigger as Samsung opted for a 6.6″ Super AMOLED screen this time. Larger it may be, but the resolution has dropped to HD+, which may get some instant “ew”, but bear with us for a moment.
The latest mid-range Galaxy is powered by the 5G-capable Snapdragon 750 chip, which is a real powerhouse. And with that oomph under that HD+ display, we are looking at flagship-grade performance in gaming.
Then there is the beefy 5,000mAh battery, which can keep those gaming sessions for quite some time. The older A41 and A40 aced out battery life test with considerably smaller batteries, so we have high expectations for this one.
The Galaxy A42 5G borrows the Galaxy A41 camera setup and adds an additional 5MP depth sensor. This means you’d find a familiar arrangement on its back – a 48MP primary cam, an 8MP ultrawide shooter, a 5MP macro snapper, and the new depth sensor. The front camera is in the ballpark of the old one – a 20MP f/2.2 imager.
The A42 loses nothing since the A41 – it still offers a 3.5mm jack, an FM radio, a microSD slot, and many will appreciate the doubled storage of 128GB, UFS2.1 at that.
There is only one thing we would have liked even more on such a gaming-oriented smartphone, and that’s a stereo speaker setup. We know it’s a €299 phone with 5G and all, but seeing how Poco puts some outstanding speakers, it’s not that far-fetched thing to wish for, is it?
Anyway, we just can’t wait to put this phone through its paces. So, without further ado, here is the Galaxy A42 5G unboxed.
Unboxing the Galaxy A42 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is packed within a compact paper box. Its bundle contains a 15W charger, a USB-C cable, and one cheap-looking pair of headphones with a mic.
There is also a silicone protective case inside the box, hidden in the paper compartment that’s somewhat stuck inside the paper lid.
Competition
The Galaxy A42 5G was announced as the cheapest 5G smartphone back in September. But its specs were kept hush-hush for a month, and when it was finally launched in November, the mid-range 5G revolution was already in full swing.
The €300 Galaxy A42 5G is no longer the cheapest 5G smartphone, but it is still a very decent one. With such a powerful chipset under its HD screen, the A42 5G is easily the best gaming phone in this price bracket.
The first smartphone that comes to mind when thinking in mid-range 5G terms is the €280 Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G as it is powered by the same Snapdragon 750G chipset. This one impresses with a 120Hz 1080p LCD screen, loud stereo speakers, and 33W fast charging. While it doesn’t offer a Super AMOLED, the HRR LCD screen is a nice thing to have, and if gaming performance is what you want the most – just lower the gaming resolution, and you’ll match the Galaxy’s.
Then there is the Realme 7 5G, also priced at €280, which also tempts with a 120Hz 1080p LCD screen. It has a similarly powerful Dimensity 800U 5G chip; as for gaming at 720p is concerned, its 5,000mAh battery recharges much faster. The quad-camera on the back is a match for the Galaxy A42’s.
The €349 OnePlus Nord N10 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 690 5G chip – quite similar to the SD750, but with a less powerful GPU. The Nord beats the Galaxy with a 90Hz 1080p screen, stereo speakers, and faster charging, but its gaming performance isn’t a good match. And since this Nord is €50 more expensive than the A42, we’d go for the latter.
Finally, let’s mention the €380 Galaxy A51. It’s pretty much the Galaxy A42 but with a higher-res screen. If the screen resolution bothers you, but you want a Super AMOLED screen, this is an excellent alternative.
The Galaxy A42 5G is a cheap 5G mid-ranger, which excels in everything it does – gaming, browsing, multimedia, office apps, and whatnot. It has a large AMOLED screen and a beefy battery to keep whatever you are doing for quite some time. So, yes, the Galaxy A42 5G seems like a great chap.
It’s not the cheapest or the best offer in this class, though. Xiaomi and Realme sell similar phones but with high-res and high-refresh screens, priced less at that. They can’t offer an OLED panel, and the only way to match the Galaxy A42 in games is to manually lower, if possible, the games’ resolution.
In fact, that’s the most important question you should answer for yourself if you are getting a €300 5G phone for gaming – do you want to tinker with settings for every single game, or will you be alright with a great performance on this natively 720p screen, an OLED at that?
Pros
Bright Super AMOLED screen, small notch
Eye-catchy design
Outstanding battery life
Flagship-grade performance
Very good photo quality, day and night
Impressive 4K clips from the main cam
Android 10 and OneUI 2.5 are snappy and easy to use
Is 4 more than 5? It’s a pressing question if you’re looking at the Samsung Galaxy A32 in 4G spec and its 5G counterpart. We have the LTE version over for review and will try to answer that question in the absence of the A32 5G, but we’ll revisit if the handset with next-gen connectivity support arrives at our door.
You get entirely different displays for starters, and the 4G’s is a lot better – a 90Hz 1080p AMOLED vs. the 5G’s 60Hz 720p LCD. The LTE version also snatches a couple of wins in the camera department with high-res main and selfie cameras. The A32 5G counters with a chipset that’s not only 5G capable, but also more powerful thanks to its newer cores.
That last bit is perhaps where the Galaxy A32 will face the biggest challenge against competitors in its just-under-€300 price bracket – you can have a lot better than the Helio G80. The phone’s imaging system isn’t too shabby, however, with a 64MP primary unit joined by an 8MP ultrawide, and a 20MP selfie camera. But it’s the display that is among the most compelling bits about the Galaxy A32 – on paper and (spoiler alert!) in practice, too.
Some smaller things that are easier to overlook but still set the A32 4G apart from its more forward-thinking brother include the under-display fingerprint sensor and dedicated microSD slot (the A32 5G’s is hybrid). Meanwhile, a shared attribute is the choice of battery – a 5,000mAh power pack that Samsung seems to have settled on as the optimal capacity for the bulk of its phones.
Samsung Galaxy A32 unboxing
Another familiar sight is the Galaxy A32‘s retail package – a plain cardboard box inside a sleeve, with a likeness of the phone printed on top. The adapter inside is an old acquaintance too – the 15W Adaptive Fast Charging unit has been around since… 2014, was it? The only difference from back then is the cable, as it now has USB-C on the phone’s end.
You won’t find a headset inside this Galaxy’s box, but the phone does have a 3.5mm jack where you can plug in existing headphones. More about what’s where on the A32 – on the next page.
Competition
The Galaxy A32 in 4G spec is in a weird spot in the lineup. It obviously has no support for 5G connectivity but it has the 90Hz Super AMOLED and the 64MP camera as the key selling points, with the great battery life coming as a bonus. What else can you get at its price point of €280/£250/INR22000?
Turns out – a lot. Take, for example, the Xiaomi Redmi Note10 Pro (known as the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max in India). It one ups the Galaxy’s display by offering a 120Hz refresh rate and does so with a minimal hit to battery endurance, not to mention it charges much faster. Much faster is the Redmi’s chipset too, its camera is better (complete with 4K capture), and it has stereo speakers (loud ones too). The Indian version is cheaper than the Galaxy, but even if it were at a slight premium, we reckon it’ll still be well worth it. Price and availability for the global model are still murky, but we can’t imagine it going for over €300.
Moving on, the just-announced Realme 8 Pro starts at €280/£280/INR18000, and it’s arguably a more compelling package than the Galaxy. You’d get a beefier chipset and nicer camera (4K recording, too), plus quicker charging. Here, the Galaxy wins for display, however, with its 90Hz OLED being superior than the Realme’s conventional 60Hz one. Additionally, we can speculate with relative confidence that the Realme will be no match for the A32’s battery life.
Another brand new release, the Poco X3 Pro, is also an alluring alternative. At €250 for a 6GB/128GB configuration, it’s cheaper than the Galaxy, and comes with a flagship-grade Snapdragon 860 chipset that will run circles around the A32’s lower-end Mediatek. A stereo speaker setup and a modest but appreciated IP53 rating are both in its favor too, while the 120Hz LCD vs. 90Hz OLED is an entirely personal preference. Hardly a photographer’s dream, the Poco is about tied with the Galaxy for taking pictures (but does record 4K video).
If you’re in India, you could also look at the very popular Vivo V20 for about the A32’s asking price. The Galaxy has the better display (90Hz vs. 60Hz, brighter) and longer battery life, while the Vivo wins for charging speed and camera performance (image quality, 4K recording, AF on the ultrawide).
Despite the undeniably superb results in some areas, the Galaxy A32 has flaws that can be considered dealbreakers. The chipset is perhaps the worst offender, being too slow for the money. Likely related, the buggy Night mode can be really disappointing, and the phone underdelivers on the video recording front.
So what you’re left then is great endurance, an awesome display, and the Samsung badge. Can these make a strong enough case for the Galaxy A32? Typically, they could, but at the price that Samsung charges for this one, you can get so much more phone by giving up on the Galaxy name that we feel it’s not worth fixating on brand loyalty in this particular case.
Pros
Wonderful 90Hz Super AMOLED display.
Excellent battery life.
Latest Android and OneUI, bright software future.
Cons
Underpowered chipset.
Slow fingerprint reader experience.
Buggy Night mode on the main camera.
No 4K video recording, poor stabilization on the ultrawide camera.
Samsung Electronics Australia announced the Samsung Health Monitor application will launch in Australia providing access to blood pressure tracking and TGA-approved electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring via its latest Galaxy Watch series. From September 10, Australians will have access to on-demand ECG and blood pressure readings on Samsung’s latest wearables, the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic. These are the first Samsung smartwatches available in Australia to offer both blood pressure and ECG monitoring. The Samsung Health Monitor app with access to blood pressure and ECG monitoring will also become available on the Galaxy Watch3 and Galaxy Watch Active2 via a software update in the coming months[.
ECG monitoring on compatible Galaxy watches is registered as a medical device with the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) when connected to a compatible Galaxy smartphone. ECG tracking allows users to take an electrocardiogram reading, displaying heart rhythm as either atrial fibrillation (AFib) or sinus rhythm.
Mark Hodgson, Head of Content and Services, Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics Australia: “We know that Australians want access to the very best in health technology to not only allow them to keep track of their fitness goals, but critically, to be aware of their general health and wellbeing.
“We believe our Galaxy Watch and Samsung Health Monitor App offer a comprehensive and importantly, an accessible solution to help millions of Australians to help them improve and maintain their general health and wellbeing.”
ECG Tracking
It is estimated that around 33.5 million people worldwide are affected by Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), a common form of abnormal heart rhythm. Atrial fibrillation (AF) was the underlying or associated cause of over 14,000 deaths in Australia—9.0% of total deaths.
The electrocardiogram function works by recording the heart’s electrical activity via a sensor on the compatible Galaxy Watch. Users simply need to open the Samsung Health Monitor app while seated comfortably, and ensure the watch is fitted firmly to the wrist. Next, rest the forearm on a flat surface and lightly place a fingertip from the opposite hand on the top button on the smartwatch for 30 seconds. The app will then measure the users heart rate and rhythm, which will be displayed as either a Sinus Rhythm (a normal, regular heartbeat) or AFib (when the heart beats irregularly). Users can also export this data to PDF.
The ECG app feature was successfully included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) in Australia as a Class lla medical device. Devices undergo a rigorous approval process to be included in the ARTG to ensure that the safety of the device is acceptable and performs as intended, confirming the Essential Principles which is a set of fundamental design and manufacturing requirements for medical devices.
Blood pressure measurement
High blood pressure affects one-in-three people aged 18 and over in Australia and two-thirds of Australian adults with high blood pressure go undiagnosed. This is commonly linked to brain, kidney and heart diseases, and if left untreated, it can lead to stroke and heart failure. The blood pressure monitoring feature on the Galaxy Watch helps users to track their general health by allowing them to measure blood pressure conveniently from their smartwatch.To enable this feature, Samsung Galaxy users will need to install the Samsung Health Monitor application onto their Galaxy smartphone and connect it to their compatible Galaxy Watch.To monitor blood pressure on the Galaxy Watch device, users will need to first calibrate with a traditional cuff. They will then be able to tap to “Measure” the blood pressure anytime, anywhere. The device measures blood pressure through pulse wave analysis, which is tracked with the Heart Rate Monitoring sensors. The program then records the relationship between the calibration value and the blood pressure change to determine the blood pressure. To ensure accuracy, users are required to calibrate their device at least every 28 days. Once the calibration and set-up process is completed, users can access this information and export measurements to PDF.
Galaxy Watch4 and Watch4 Classic
Samsung’s latest Galaxy watch series also introduces a range of general health and well-being solutions including Body Composition (BIA) with key measurements like skeletal muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, body water and body fat percentage. It also offers sleep tracking that is designed to detect the sounds of a person’s snores and get their blood oxygen level while they sleep to provide Sleep Scores to help users get a better night’s sleep.
To ensure that help is never too far away in the event of a fall, Galaxy Watch4 includes fall detection, which helps identify a potential fall and can send an SOS notification to your chosen emergency contacts.These smartwatches also come packed with an array of fitness and wellness features to track a users daily activities and help them stay motivated to be their best.
Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic will be available to purchase in Australia from September 10, 2021. Both watches showcase a sleek, iconic silhouette, with thinner cases than previous generations—and a variety of straps and customisable watch faces.
Galaxy Watch4 – a modern, minimalist option designed for versatile all-day use – will come in 40mm and 44mm, starting at AUD $399 for Bluetooth versions and AUD $499 for LTE models. The Galaxy Watch4 Classic has a a timeless smartwatch design with the fan-favourite rotating bezel. This watch will start at $549 for Bluetooth versions and $649 for LTE models and will be available in 42mm and 46mm variants in Black and Silver.
This comes following approval from the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and the Australian Government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration. Samsung does note that to get the most accurate results, it’s recommended to calibrate the watch once every four weeks. As in other regions, these stats also require a companion app that is only available on Samsung Galaxy smartphones.
Beyond the Galaxy Watch 4 series, the Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch Active 2 will also be adding these features in Australia. Samsung doesn’t have a set date for this addition, however, only saying it will arrive in “the coming months.”
From September 10, Australians will have access to on-demand ECG and blood pressure readings on Samsung’s latest wearables, the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic. These are the first Samsung smartwatches available in Australia to offer both blood pressure and ECG monitoring.
The Samsung Health Monitor app with access to blood pressure and ECG monitoring will also become available on the Galaxy Watch3 and Galaxy Watch Active2 via a software update in the coming months.
Samsung‘s Galaxy A family has been a major success for the Korean giant in recent years. In fact, it now represents the largest portion of the company’s sales. That’s no coincidence either. There is only one way to pull off that level of success – and it’s by offering competitive features under high-profile branding for a reasonable amount. A daunting task that Samsung has been tackling like a true smartphone champ in nifty incremental steps throughout the last few Galaxy A generations.
The A family seems to constantly be growing as well. The lineup is sprawling, with new models seemingly popping up every few weeks. There is so much choice now, ranging from budget to nearly flagship-grade models, that Samsung could have easily spun it off into a sub-brand of its own. Not that we are suggesting they should.
the Galaxy A72 represents the highest-end model in the family. It is actually quite similar to the Galaxy A52, we recently reviewed. The vanilla version, that is, not the 5G one. Compared to the A52, the A72 offers a slightly bigger 6.7-inch, 90Hz display, an extra 8MP telephoto camera and a slightly bigger 5,000 mAh battery. Other than that, the vanilla A52 and the A72 are pretty much identical, including physically rocking a particular modern Samsung design.
Samsung Galaxy A72 specs at a glance:
Body: 165.0×77.4×8.4mm, 203g; Glass front, plastic back; IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins).
At the time of writing, the A52 starts at €350 for a 4GB/128GB unit, while the A72 costs €450 for its base 6GB/128GB tier. So the upgrades in the higher-tier model will set you back around €100 on top of the A52. Arguably, not quite as competitive on the value scale, but not bad either. Especially with features like the IP67 rating under its belt. Also, actual retail prices on both models have already come down a bit since their release, and the price difference should eventually shrink even further. Samsung is all too familiar with the kind of stiff mid-ranger competition it is facing in the space.
One more thing worth noting is that currently, there is no 5G variant of the A72 on offer. It is likely in the works, though, and has already been popping up in leaks. We can probably expect it to offer a 120Hz display, like the 5G variant of the A52 does. Potentially with a chipset swap from the Snapdragon 720G to the 750G 5G as well. That would make for yet another exciting model in the Galaxy A family. For now, however, we have a regular Galaxy A72 in for review in Awesome Blue, with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. Let’s dive in.
Unboxing
The Samsung Galaxy A72 ships in a fairly plain two-piece box. Nothing too fancy, no plastic, just paper. Thick and rigid, it gets the job done. You don’t get much in the way of accessories either – just a wall charger and a few leaflets, and that’s about it.
That being said, unlike the Galaxy A52, which ships with a simple 15W charger, the A72 comes with a proper 25W PD one, including a white USB Type-C to Type-C cable. This is great news since the phone can, in fact, charge at up to 25W, and you don’t need to go out and buy a compatible charger to make use of the higher speed charging with the A72 like with the A52.
Depending on how you look at this, a proper charger in the box can be deducted from the total price of owning the A72, or rather added to the potential math of getting the A52 instead and have you adjust the value calculation a bit.
Competition
Samsung really upped its value game with the latest batch of Galaxy A family devices. The new “Awesome is for everyone” slogan definitely goes beyond vague PR talk.
The Galaxy A52 is first on our list of alternatives to the Galaxy A72. If you can live without the telephoto camera and settle for a slightly smaller, but otherwise just as excellent, 6.5-inch AMOLED display and a slightly smaller 4,500 battery, then you can save up to EUR 100 and get the A52 instead of its bigger A72 sibling. You’d also be getting a faster 25W PD charger in the A72 box, whereas the A52 ships with a 15W unit. And with that, the differences between the pair are effectively exhausted, simplifying the decision-making.
Tnen there is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro. It comes with an even faster 120Hz AMOLED display, certified for HDR10 video. You get stereo speakers as well and a 3.5mm jack for a complete multimedia experience. The battery is a hefty 5,020 unit with 33W fast charging support and a comparable 118 hours of endurance rating, as per our review. You might be losing the telephoto, but the main 108MP snapper on the Redmi Note 10 Pro is plenty impressive. There is even an IP53 rating, which is something.
Speaking of trendy 108MP cameras, the Realme 8 Pro has been blowing up in popularity for a reason. Going for it would save you quite a few bucks, but also skips on certain niceties like high refresh rate, stereo speakers and IP rating and a telephoto cam, to name a few.
Naturally, we can’t ignore the allure of recent Poco phones either. Mainly the Poco F3, which also has a glorious 120Hz, HDR10+ AMOLED display, stereo speakers and a slightly smaller 4,500 mAh battery, though one with comparable endurance to the A72 in our testing.
Last, but not least, the shiny new Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite shouldn’t be ignored. Specifically, the 5G variant, if it is available where you live and you find yourself drawn to the trendy allure of 5G connectivity. You will, again, be missing out on a telephoto camera, compared to the Galaxy A72, though.
Verdict
Samsung has made the new Galaxy A-series phones hard to ignore. The A72 packs a feature set that brings it closer than ever to flagship territory.
The Galaxy A72 rocks an eye-catching and trendy design. It’s got a solid build with IP67 ingress protection. It might not be made of premium materials but still feels great to touch.
The 6.7-inch display has gorgeous colors and great brightness output thanks to modern AMOLED tech.
The impressive hybrid stereo speaker system with Dolby Atmos shapes the Galaxy A72 into a solid multimedia device. So does the inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack.
The quad main camera setup is versatile, with both an ultrawide and a surprisingly good 3x telephoto camera.
You can get plenty of use out of the 5,000 mAh battery, and the inclusion of a fast 25W charger in the box is much appreciated.
Last but definitely not least, there is a reason why One UI has persistently been drawing in and retaining users for years now and the A72 not only comes with the latest One UI 3.1 and Android 11 combo but also a newfound promise for long term software support – 3 major OS updates and 4 years of security patches.
Now for some downsides, or at least deficiencies on the Galaxy A72: A display with a faster refresh rate and HDR video capabilities would have been great to see. Speaking of high display refresh rates, we can’t help but think of high fps gaming – a challenge for the Snapdragon 720G chipset. While it is not holding back the current feature set of the A72 in any way, faster silicon is now readily available in the mid-range space. A higher-grade chipset would have meant some trendy extras like Wi-Fi 6 or 6e and perhaps Bluetooth 5.1 but there are now missing.
So bottom line then – just like the Galaxy A52, the A72 is a truly unique package, even on the current over-saturated mid-ranger scene. That being said, its value relies on a very particular mix of features. If it just happens to be something that resonates with you, there really is no reason to look elsewhere.
Welcome to the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE update hub. Here you’ll find the latest information on updates to Samsung’s flagship foldable phone. We’ll detail the current software versions for the device and alert you if there’s a new update rolling out. Samsung usually pushes out One UI updates regularly, but availability may be affected by variant, carrier, and region.
Current stable version: Android 11
When will the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE get Android 12? 2022 (Estimated)
Latest Samsung Galaxy S20 FE updates
July 30, 2021: Samsung has rolled out a new update to the Galaxy S20 FE, bringing the July 2021 Android security patch with it. Firmware version G780FXXU4CUG5 weighs in at just over 330MB and is available on the Exynos LTE version of the device, per SamMobile. Beyond the security patch, the update also packs unspecified fixes and improvements to the device.
Several Samsung devices are currently receiving the August 2021 Android security patch. So don’t be too surprised if the Galaxy S20 FE gains another update shortly.
To check if an update is available, head to Settings > Software updates on your device.
Previous Samsung Galaxy S20 FE updates
July 8, 2021: Firmware version G780FXXU4CUG1 arrived (h/t SamMobile) with several security patches in tow.
April 12, 2021: Firmware version G781BXXU2CUD1 rolled out to the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G. According to SamMobile, the update included no notable change bar the April 2021 Android security patch.
March 24, 2021: A host of camera updates arrived with firmware G781BXXU2CUC6 including new portrait mode effects and the ability to use the ultra-wide camera in Pro mode.
February 19, 2021: One UI 3.1 rolled out to devices after the initial update was pulled. The patch included firmware version G781BXXU2CUB5 and came in at a weighty 1.7GB.
December 25, 2020: One UI 3.0 arrived in the form of firmware version G780FXXU1BTL1 and G781BXXU1BTL4 for the 4G and 5G models, respectively. This came after reports that devices in Russia received the update a week prior.
Bottom line: Samsung’s Galaxy S21 is a great overall package, delivering 5G, the latest hardware, and all the extras you could ask for in a 2021 flagship.
Display
6.2-inch AMOLED, 2400×1080, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM
8GB
Storage
128 or 256GB
Cameras
12MP primary, 12MP ultra-wide, 64MP telephoto
Charging
25W wired, 15W wireless
Battery
4,000 mAh
Water Resistance
IP68
Dimensions
151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm
Weight
172g
Pros:
Compact and lightweight design
Snapdragon 888 is a performance beast
120Hz AMOLED display
Very capable cameras
All-day battery life
Cons:
Doesn’t have expandable storage
No MST for Samsung Pay
In 2021, Samsung has released a smaller and more affordable smartphone in the regular Galaxy S21. For shoppers that want a fully-fledged smartphone experience without completely breaking the bank, it’s well worth your consideration.
One of the best things the Galaxy S21 has going for it is the display. It’s a Full HD+ AMOLED panel, and when paired with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, it is nothing short of excellent. It’s not quite as sharp as the Quad HD+ resolution found on the S21 Ultra, but the picture still looks really crisp thanks to a smaller 6.2-inch display size. Combine that smaller display with plastic construction, and the S21 ends up being a really comfortable phone to use thanks to its small size and lightweight design.
Another highlight is performance; the Galaxy S21 features the Snapdragon 888 and 8GB of RAM. No matter what tasks you throw at the phone, it’ll handle them with ease. There’s also a 4,000 mAh battery for all-day endurance, an IP68 dust/water resistance rating, and your choice of 128GB or 256GB of storage. The camera experience isn’t as jaw-dropping as what you’ll find with the S21 Ultra, though it is a bit better than the S20 FE. Once again, it’s a nice middle-ground between the two.
You get three guaranteed Android updates and four years of security patches on the software front, making the Galaxy S21 one of the best phones for long-term use. That said, the Galaxy S21 shares the same cons as the S21 Ultra, meaning there’s no expandable storage or MST for Samsung Pay. Those are two features you do get with the S20 FE, but the S21 still manages to stand out thanks to its improved cameras, faster performance, nicer design, and more pocketable form factor.
Bottom line: The S21 Ultra stands out as the phone to get if you don’t want to spare any expense. Everything from the display, performance, cameras, and more are among the very best you can get — just be prepared for it to cost you a pretty penny.
What Samsung achieved with the Galaxy S20 FE is nothing short of amazing, and for the vast majority of you reading this, it’s the phone you should probably buy. But if you’re itching for a device that has even more to offer and you’re OK spending more to get that kind of experience, you’ll want to turn your attention towards the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
This is Samsung’s top-of-the-line flagship for 2021, and in virtually every regard, the premium nature of the S21 Ultra is easy to see. Starting first with the display, you’re treated to a massive 6.8-inch panel that’s capable of running a Quad HD+ resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate at the same time — something very few smartphones are capable of doing. This means you get razor-sharp text, buttery smooth animations, and the stunning colors of Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED screen technology.
Powering the S21 Ultra is the Snapdragon 888 chipset, paired with either 12 or 16GB of RAM. In real-world use, that means the Galaxy S21 Ultra is one of the fastest phones money can buy. Keeping with the theme of high-end specs, other niceties include a 5,000 mAh battery, up to 512GB of storage, an IP68 water/dust resistance rating, and a larger in-screen fingerprint sensor that’s much faster and easier to use than the one found on the S20 FE.
As if that wasn’t enough, the tour de force of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is its camera system. The primary camera is a 108MP sensor that captures extremely detailed and colorful shots. The 8MP ultra-wide lens is a strong performer. The two telephoto cameras — featuring 3x and 10x zoom distances — allow for some of the very best zoom pictures we’ve ever seen.
There’s no denying the impressiveness of the S21 Ultra, but that’s not to say it’s without its faults. Samsung got rid of expandable storage and MST for Samsung Pay, two hallmark features of Galaxy phones before it. If you’re alright with losing out on those features, the Galaxy S21 Ultra experience is well well worth the price of admission.
Bottom line: The OnePlus 9 Pro delivers a gorgeous new design combined with top-notch internal hardware, cameras tuned by Hasselblad, and clean software. OnePlus finally has a phone that measures up to Android’s best, and the OnePlus 9 Pro is an affordable alternative to the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
The OnePlus 9 Pro is gunning straight for the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The phone features the latest hardware you’ll find today, including the Snapdragon 888 chipset, along with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage modules, and a marquee addition this year is the cameras.
OnePlus always nailed the hardware, but it just couldn’t deliver cameras that held up to Samsung, Google, and Xiaomi. That has changed with the OnePlus 9 Pro. The device comes with an upgraded 48MP camera at the back that takes fantastic photos. OnePlus also partnered with German camera giant Hasselblad to deliver outstanding photos to capture every moment. The result: the OnePlus 9 Pro takes amazing shots in just about any lighting condition. There’s also a 50MP wide-angle lens that may just be the best on any phone today, and you get an 8MP module that offers 3x digital zoom.
The OnePlus 9 Pro is one of the fastest phones you can buy today, and a new 120Hz AMOLED display joins the top-notch hardware. The phone uses an LTPO display to dynamically change the refresh all the way from 1Hz to 120Hz, allowing it to conserve battery life while delivering a smooth and fluid user experience in daily use.
You’ll also find clean software without any bloatware at all in the Android 11-based OxygenOS 11. The interface has plenty of customizability, and unlike Samsung’s One UI, you will not find any errant ads anywhere. The clean UI combined with a focus on performance and customization make OxygenOS the default choice for enthusiasts.
The phone doesn’t miss out in other areas either — you get IP68 dust and water resistance, 5G connectivity over both Sub-6 and mmWave, and dual-band GPS along with NFC. But a key highlight is around battery tech — the OnePlus 9 Pro offers 65W wired charging along with 50W wireless charging, with the phone taking just 29 minutes to fully charge using the bundled charger. OnePlus also recently announced that its flagship phones would begin receiving three major Android updates — up from the two promised previously.
While it’s exciting to see the gains in this area, the one downside is that battery life itself isn’t on par with other Android flagships. For example, the OnePlus 9 Pro barely manages to last a day with heavy use, so you may want to take the charger along if you’re heading out.
That said, the OnePlus 9 Pro is a great overall package that nails the fundamentals. So if you’re not sure about the Galaxy S21 Ultra and are looking for an alternative, you will love what the OnePlus 9 Pro has to offer.
Bottom line: There are many good smartphone deals out there, but none of them are as amazing as the Pixel 4a. From its flagship-grade cameras, reliable performance, all-day battery life, and long-term software support, no other phone gives you this much for so little.
Display
5.81-inch OLED, 2340×1080, 60Hz refresh rate
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G
RAM
6GB
Storage
128GB
Cameras
12.2MP primary
Charging
18W wired
Battery
3,140 mAh
Water Resistance
❌
Dimensions
144 x 69.4 x 8.2mm
Weight
143g
Pros:
Flagship camera on a budget phone
Easy to use in one hand
AMOLED display looks great
Snappy performance
Three years of software support
Cons:
Boring design
The Pixel 4a is the best phone value available today, period. Google’s packed most of what makes the Pixel 4/5 series good into a smartphone that costs over 50% less. You also get a compact device that, despite its size, excels in the battery life department. Seriously, this phone lasts all day and then some.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the 4a is its camera, which is nearly on par with the Pixel 4 that preceded it. The main camera shoots exceptional photos in all lighting conditions, with Night Sight really showing its strength in poor lighting. Google even added Astrophotography mode this time around and improved the already impressive Portrait Mode. The front-facing camera is also tack-sharp and focuses more quickly than on the Pixel 3a from 2019. Both front and back, you’re getting flagship-level camera quality out of a phone that’s a fraction of the price. Google’s also improved the video quality on the 4a, thanks to an improved Snapdragon 730 chipset and 6GB of RAM standard.
So what do you lose by spending a third of the price of a more traditional flagship? Well, the Pixel 4a is made of plastic and lacks both water resistance and wireless charging, features you can take for granted at a higher price point. It also only comes in one size, a 5.8-inch variant, and one color, black. There are no storage size options, either: you get 128GB of internal memory, which should be plenty for most people, but a lack of microSD expansion may be a problem for the content collectors out there. Also, there’s no 5G support here.
All of these limitations shouldn’t impede your desire to buy the Pixel 4a, which proved to be one of the best smartphone surprises of 2020 — even if it did launch a few months late. Google’s latest budget phone is a winner, from the size to the performance to the battery life and camera quality.
Bottom line: They say that the best camera you have is the one you have with you, so make sure it’s the best it can be. Google’s Pixel 5 takes incredible photos in virtually any setting, and thanks to the company’s top-notch image processing, you don’t even have to be a pro photographer to get impressive shots.
Display
6.0-inch OLED, 2340×1080, 90Hz refresh rate
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
RAM
8GB
Storage
128GB
Cameras
12.2MP primary, 16MP ultra-wide
Charging
18W wired, 15W wireless, 5W reverse wireless
Battery
4,080 mAh
Water Resistance
IP68
Dimensions
144.7 x 70.4 x 8.0mm
Weight
151g
Pros:
Among the best cameras on the market
Compact and comfortable to hold
90Hz AMOLED display
Great battery life
Three years of software updates
Cons:
Might be too small for some users
The Pixel 5 is Google’s latest flagship smartphone that you can buy. Compared to past releases, it’s a huge departure. Rather than trying to have the absolute best specs possible, the Pixel 5 focuses on offering a great all-around user experience at a competitive price. And, in just about every regard, it succeeds.
First thing’s first, we have to talk about the Pixel 5’s camera performance. Simply put, if camera quality is a key priority for you, the Pixel 5 should be at the very top of your shopping list. The 12.2MP primary and 16MP ultra-wide cameras may not look all that impressive on paper, but combined with Google’s unmatched image processing, they kick out truly incredible results. The detail is sharp, colors are true-to-life, and the Pixel 5 handles low-light environments without a hitch. The best part? The Pixel 5 does all of this more reliably than any other smartphone.
Outside of killer cameras, the Pixel 5 has a bunch more to offer. We’re in love with its design, which is refreshingly compact and is made entirely out of aluminum. The paint job gives it an exceptional in-hand feel, and if you ask us. The Sorta Sage color is one of the best we’ve ever seen on a phone. Period.
Rounding out the Pixel 5 experience is a 90Hz AMOLED display, fast performance thanks to the Snapdragon 765G processor, and long-lasting battery life. For considerably less money than a lot of other flagships, the Pixel 5 is well worth your consideration.
Bottom line: Samsung’s Galaxy S20 FE is a solid, affordable 5G phone that offers most of what makes Samsung flagships so good in a cheaper, colorful package.
Display
6.5-inch OLED, 2400×1080, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
RAM
6GB
Storage
128GB
Cameras
12MP primary, 8MP telephoto, 12MP ultrawide
Charging
15W wired, Qi wireless charging
Battery
4,500 mAh
Water Resistance
IP68
Dimensions
161.6 x 71.1 x 9.3mm
Weight
190g
Pros:
Flat 120Hz display is terrific
All-day battery life
Promised three years of software updates
Impressive cameras with 3x optical zoom
Sturdy design with fun color options
Cons:
Not every color option is available everywhere
Camera can be slow to load
Samsung clearly understands that this is a time for people to pare back their expenses because the Galaxy S20 FE is a value flagship that really doesn’t skimp. It’s based on the successful foundation of the Galaxy S20+, featuring a spacious 6.5-inch 1080p AMOLED display with a luxurious 120Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 865, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and an all-day 4,500mAh battery.
Of course, to hit its affordable price point, Samsung needed to make some sacrifices, so it traded the Galaxy S20 series’ back glass for colorful plastic — the FE is available in six delicious colors — and cut back on the quality of the triple-camera setup ever-so-slightly.
Still, the S20 FE has everything you’d expect in a high-end phone and performs just as well. We especially love the IP68 water resistance and wireless charging, two features rare in this price bracket. Plus, it shares the same primary camera sensor as the Galaxy S20 and S20+, ensuring beautiful results in good light and bad.
Samsung’s One UI 3.0 is also on-board, and the company’s promising three years of platform and security updates, ensuring that you’ll be getting the latest Android features well into the next decade.
Finally, Samsung includes sub-6Ghz 5G in all variants of the Galaxy S20 FE, and we found performance to be excellent on both AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s 5G networks. If you want a Verizon version that supports mmWave, it’s also available for purchase.
Bottom line: The Moto G Power 2020 has reliable hardware combined with outstanding battery life and clean software. There are a few downsides — it’s limited to 10W charging and will only get one Android update, but you are getting a great entry-level package overall.
Display
6.4-inch LCD, 2300×1080, 60Hz refresh rate
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665
RAM
4GB
Storage
64GB
Cameras
16MP primary, 8MP wide-angle, 2MP macro
Charging
10W wired
Battery
5000mAh
Water Resistance
❌
Dimensions
159.9 x 75.8 x 9.6mm
Weight
199g
Pros:
At least two-day battery life
Clean software
Reliable hardware
Large 1080p display
3.5mm jack
Cons:
Will get only one Android update
Charging limited to 10W
Average cameras
If you’re in the market for an entry-level phone, the Moto G Power 2020 is still a great choice in 2021. Motorola has nailed the basics here, delivering a robust phone with all the features you’re looking for in a budget option.
The standout feature on the Moto G Power 2020 is the battery: featuring a large 5000mAh battery, the phone manages to last over two days without fail. The charging situation isn’t ideal, though; the Moto G Power 2020 has 10W wired charging, so you will want to plug in the device overnight.
The phone holds up pretty well in other areas too. You get a 6.4-inch 1080p LCD that’s decent enough in its own right, and the Snapdragon 665 is a reliable performer in normal use. The phone has stereo sound, a 3.5mm jack, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a microSD card slot. And as the phone is officially sold in the U.S., it works on all the major carriers.
In fact, it’s a better option than the Moto G Power 2021 in key areas — the 2021 model has fewer LTE bands, a lower-resolution 720p display, and a less powerful chipset. You’ll find positives on the software side as well, with Motorola offering a clean interface without any bloatware. The downside here is that the phone will get just one Android update — to Android 11 — and if you’re okay with that, the Moto G Power 2020 has plenty to offer in 2021.
Bottom line: If you’re looking for a value flagship and want a phone with a gorgeous design, the latest hardware, stellar cameras, fast charging, and clean software, the OnePlus 9 is the obvious choice.
Display
6.5-inch AMOLED, 2400×1080, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM
8GB/12GB
Storage
128GB/256GB
Cameras
48MP primary, 50MP wide-angle, 2MP portrait
Charging
65W wired, 15W wireless
Battery
4500mAh
Water Resistance
❌
Dimensions
160 x 74.2 x 8.7 mm
Weight
192g
Pros:
Sublime 120Hz AMOLED display
Top-tier hardware
Clean software with no bloat
Standout cameras
65W wired / 15W wireless charging
Three years of Android updates
Cons:
Single-SIM in the U.S.
With the OnePlus 9, OnePlus sets its sights on the Galaxy S20 FE. The phone delivers on the same fundamentals as Samsung’s value flagship, offering the latest internal hardware, a 120Hz AMOLED display, reliable cameras, and many extras from the OnePlus 9 Pro.
The 120Hz AMOLED display on the OnePlus 9 is one of the best you’ll find in this particular category, and thanks to the Snapdragon 888 chipset, the phone handles anything you throw at it without breaking a sweat. You also get 5G connectivity over Sub-6, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, AptX HD audio codecs, and an excellent vibration motor.
The phone has the same 4500mAh battery as the OnePlus 9 Pro, and you get 65W wired charging. What’s new this generation is the addition of 15W Qi wireless charging. It may not be quite the same as the insane 50W wireless charging on the 9 Pro, but the upside is that the OnePlus 9 works with any Qi-enabled wireless charger available today. This particular feature is missing on the Indian and Chinese models, but you’ll find it on the OnePlus 9 variants sold in North America and Europe.
Coming to the software, OxygenOS 11 continues to set the standard in terms of customizability. The bloatware-free UI is a delight to use, and recently OnePlus announced that it would begin supporting its flagship phones with three years of Android platform updates.
Overall, the OnePlus 9 is a solid contender to the Galaxy S20 FE. It has the latest hardware, great cameras, clean software, and fast charging, and for what it costs, you are getting a great overall value.
Bottom line: The ASUS ZenFone 8 is a bit of a departure from its predecessors, but it is the best smallest Android flagship you can buy right now. It has an excellent build, clean software, great cameras, 5G, and the powerful Snapdragon 888 SOC.
Display
5.9-inch OLED, 2400×1080, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM
6/8/16GB
Storage
128/256GB
Cameras
64MP primary, 12MP ultra-wide
Charging
30W wired
Battery
4,00 mAh
Water Resistance
IP68
Dimensions
148 x 68.5 x 8.9 mm
Weight
169g
Pros:
Easy to use one-handed
Gorgeous screen with 120Hz refresh rate
Solid cameras
3.5mm headphone jack
Killer price
Cons:
Boring design
No wireless charging
No telephoto camera
If you’re one of those people who still pines for a smaller, flagship-level phone, then we have some good news for you. The ASUS ZenFone 8 delivers one of the best Android experiences that you can get in mid-2021 for much less than the competition. Plus, it’s one of the smallest Android flagships around.
Unlike the ZenFone 6 and 7 series and the ZenFone 8 Flip, the ZenFone 8 has done away with the flipping camera module in favor of a more traditional design. While this new (older) form factor makes the device more pocketable, ASUS was able to retain an excellent camera setup nonetheless. It also means that it is now IP68 water-resistant. The ZenFone 8 features a gorgeous AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and it even retains an old-school fan favorite with its 3.5mm headphone jack.
The ZenFone 8 has top-notch internal specs, too, including the powerful Snapdragon 888 processor, fast 20W wired charging, and one of the cleanest builds of Android we’ve seen this year. However, you miss out on wireless charging, and ASUS’s track record for updates has left us wanting in the past.
This is the perfect phone for someone who admires the size and capabilities of something like the Google Pixel 4a but who also wants a more premium and performant Android phone.
Bottom line: Folding phones are here, and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the best one we’ve seen yet. It’s basically a smartphone and tablet in one device, and while it is costly, it’s also the best attempt yet we’ve seen for this form factor.
Cover Display
6.23-inch AMOLED, 2260×816, 60Hz refresh rate
Inner Display
7.6-inch AMOLED, 2280×1768, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+
RAM
12GB
Storage
256GB
Cameras
12MP primary, 12MP telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide
Charging
25W wired and 11W wireless
Battery
4,500 mAh
Water Resistance
❌
Dimensions
159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9mm (unfolded) and 159.2 x 68 x 16.8mm (folded)
Weight
282g
Pros:
Bleeding-edge design
Puts a mini-tablet in your pocket
Excellent displays
Great cameras and battery
Well-optimized software
Cons:
Price tag
App compatibility issues
Just like any piece of technology, smartphones evolve and change as time goes on. We’ve seen screens get bigger, cameras get a lot more capable, and processors rival those found in computers. The next big thing for phones is the folding form factor, and so far, the best yet in this niche is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2.
The best way to think about the device is as a phone and tablet in one. When the Z Fold 2 is closed, you’re treated to a 6.23-inch AMOLED display that you can use for anything you’d like — checking email, scrolling through Twitter, watching YouTube videos, you name it. Should you find yourself wanting a larger canvas, however, all you need to do is open up the Z Fold 2 up. There, you’re treated to a larger 7.6-inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s a lot like having an iPad Mini that you can fold up and take with you wherever you want, and if you ask us, that’s pretty amazing.
As you might expect for a new technology like a folding phone, the Z Fold 2 does come with some unique dilemmas. For example, the Ultra-Thin Glass for the tablet display is prone to scratches more than traditional glass. The folding design raises questions about long-term durability, and not all apps are properly optimized for that larger display size. There’s also the matter of price, with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 costing more than two OnePlus 8 Pros.
This isn’t a phone that we recommend everyone go out and buy right now, but as far as folding phones go, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the best we’ve seen to date. If you’re willing to spend the money and put up with those quirks, the Z Fold 2 has a lot to offer.
Bottom line: The Galaxy A52 5G gives you amazing hardware in the form of a 120Hz AMOLED screen and a Snapdragon 750G chipset with 5G connectivity. Although the design looks similar to the S21 series, you also get great cameras and all-day battery life, which is much more affordable.
If you want to switch to a 5G phone but don’t want to pay too much money, then the Galaxy A52 5G may just be the ideal option for you. Samsung has always delivered value packages with the Galaxy A series, and it is taking things to a whole new level in 2021.
The Galaxy A52 5G offers considerable upgrades over its predecessor; the 6.5-inch AMOLED panel now has a 120Hz refresh rate, giving you a level of immediacy during daily interactions that was missing in last year’s Galaxy A51. The internal hardware has also received a boost, and the Snapdragon 750G chipset is faster in almost every day-to-day scenario.
The camera has received some attention as well, with the A52 5G now offering a 64MP lens at the back. There’s even a MicroSD slot and a 3.5mm jack, two features you won’t find on the Galaxy S21 series. And thanks to a generous 4500mAh battery and 25W fast charging, you don’t have to worry about battery life.
Samsung added IP67 dust and water resistance to the Galaxy A52 5G, making it just that little more enticing. Oh, and there’s, of course, 5G connectivity here, so if you’re thinking of switching to a 5G plan this year and need a mid-range phone, the Galaxy A52 5G ticks all the right boxes.
Bottom line: The ASUS ROG Phone 5 is designed for gamers. It has an incredible build, a stunning 144Hz AMOLED display, and is paired with a massive 6,000mAh battery and 65W wired fast charging. There are also great accessories and extras to help you get the most out of your mobile gaming experience.
Display
6.78-inch AMOLED, 2448×1080, 144Hz refresh rate
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM
8/12/16/18GB
Storage
128/256/512GB
Cameras
64MP primary, 13MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro
Charging
65W wired
Battery
6,000 mAh
Water Resistance
❌
Dimensions
172.8 x 77.2 x 10.2mm
Weight
238g
Pros:
Huge battery (6,000mAh)
144Hz refresh rate
3.5mm headphone jack
Gaming inspired design
Fast and fluid performance
Cons:
This phone is BIG
No wireless charging
No water resistance
Gaming phones are definitely a niche category, but the folks who are interested in these devices really care how they perform. ASUS knows this subset extremely well and has been cranking out heavy-duty gaming phones for several years now. Its ROG line of phones complements its gaming PCs quite well, and there is undoubtedly a lot of crossover between owners of these computers and phones.
The latest in the vaunted ROG series is the ROG Phone 5. It boasts one of the largest capacity batteries we’ve seen (6,000mAh) for extended play sessions, as well as a brilliant AMOLED display with an high 144Hz refresh rate to make your content fly. You also get a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you don’t have to worry about audio latency, and it’s all powered by the latest and greatest Snapdragon 888 chipset.
There are several great accessories that you can purchase separately to help you get even more out of the experience, such as gamepads, coolers, and cases, but the phone looks great au naturale. The biggest drawbacks of the phone are that it doesn’t have wireless charging or an official IP rating, and it is quite a big and heavy device.
Bottom line: The Redmi Note 10 Pro takes things to a whole new level in the budget segment. The phone has a 120Hz AMOLED display, robust internal hardware, a 64MP camera that takes great photos in any lighting, and a gigantic 5020mAh battery with 33W fast charging. You can’t ask for much more in a budget phone.
Xiaomi knows how to deliver a value-focused package, and with the Redmi Note 10 Pro, it is setting a new standard for budget phones. The phone has features previously only seen on flagships, including a 120Hz AMOLED display that makes an immediate difference in day-to-day use.
The Snapdragon 732G delivers decent performance for most tasks, including intensive gaming. The phone also has generous memory and storage options, and you get a 3.5mm jack, microSD slot, NFC, and even an IR blaster that lets you control your TV or other AV gear. The phone also has IP53 dust and water resistance to withstand the occasional splash of water or be submerged in a pool without any issues.
The 5,020mAh battery on the Redmi Note 10 Pro easily delivers over a day’s worth of use as for battery. When you need to charge the phone, the bundled 33W charger ensures the battery is full in just over an hour. You won’t find wireless charging here, but honestly, the battery life is good that you don’t need to plug it in during the course of a day.
The 64MP camera is also new, and it takes great photos in just about any lighting condition. This may just be one of the best cameras you’ll find for under $300, making the Redmi Note 10 Pro that much more enticing. Xiaomi has made a lot of changes on the software front as well. MIUI 12 comes with Android 11 out of the box, and the UI is cleaner than earlier iterations. You get more customization options than you’ll end up using, and there are genuinely useful features here.
Ultimately, the main drawback is that the phone isn’t available officially in the U.S. You can pick up the global version of the Redmi Note 10 Pro from Amazon, but you miss out on the warranty.
How to pick the best Android phone
Android phones have never been better than they are right now. So regardless of how much or little money you can spend, you can go out and buy a phone that you’ll be thoroughly happy with. Out of every single phone on the market in 2021, however, we have to give our top recommendation for the best Android phone to the Samsung Galaxy S21.
Samsung makes amazing phones every year, but you need to pay out the nose for the privilege of owning one more often than not. With the Galaxy S21, you get a top-tier Samsung experience for less than previous years, and that makes it a better overall value.
Compared to a more expensive Galaxy handset like the S21 Ultra, the standard S21 does an admirable job of holding its own. It has a 120Hz AMOLED screen, excellent performance, great battery life, and the same One UI software experience. Even wireless charging and an IP68 rating are here, and the only area it misses out on is the Quad HD+ display and a glass back.
There are plenty of other options on this list if something about the Galaxy S21 just isn’t clicking for you, but we think it’s easy to see why it has our highest recommendation at the end of the day.
1. What size screen should I get?
You should consider many different things when buying a new Android phone, and it all starts with the display. This is the component you interact with more than anything else, so you must get one that you’ll enjoy using. Things like the resolution and refresh rate of a screen are worth talking about, but more so is the size.
Smartphones come in different shapes and sizes, and the biggest determining factor for that is the display. A 6.8-inch screen results in a much larger phone than one with a 5.8-inch one, and because of that, you need to know how big or small you’re willing to go.
Take the Galaxy S21 Ultra, for example. It has the largest display on this list (outside of the Z Fold 2, but that’s different), and because the screen is so huge, it’s a phenomenal canvas for watching movies, playing games, and browsing the web. Basically, any kind of content consumption you do looks better on a larger display because the more room you have, the bigger and easier to see your media is. The downside to this, however, is that phones like the S21 Ultra can be rather unwieldy. Especially if you’re someone with smaller hands, managing a phone like that can be a pain in the butt.
Then there are smaller-sized phones, such as the Pixel 4a. It’s substantially easier to manage and can actually be used with one hand, but you have less room for your movies and games on the flip side. It also means you can fit less content on the screen at one time, and if you’re someone who likes to increase your font size, things are easier to read, which could result in you having to do a lot of scrolling.
And, of course, there are plenty of phones that fall somewhere in the middle between these two extremes. If you’re really concerned about whether or not a phone will be too big or small, your best bet is to honestly go hands-on with it yourself at your local carrier store or Best Buy before making your purchase.
2. Are software updates important?
It’s easy to compare displays, processors, and cameras, but something that’s just as important to talk about is software updates. Android is constantly evolving and getting better, and unfortunately, only certain phones are backed by a few years of software support.
As it currently stands, Google, Samsung, and OnePlus are the best in the business when supporting their phones with long-term updates. All of the Pixels, Galaxy devices, and OnePlus phones mentioned on this list are backed by three years of major OS updates from their initial release, which is by far the best support any Android phone maker has to offer. Google even goes a step further with three years of guaranteed monthly security patches, and while Samsung does the same for its flagships, it is now starting to follow suit for its mid-range devices.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, you have a company like Motorola. Take the Motorola G Power, which is only promised to get a single update to Android 11. Security patches are even worse, with Motorola having a track record of falling multiple months behind on updates.
So, how important is it that your phone gets software updates? That ultimately depends on how much you care about new Android features. Google releases a new version of Android every year, and while these updates don’t tend to be that drastic from year to year, they give your phone important features and security settings that help keep it running in tip-top shape for a long time. It also ensures that your phone stays compatible with all the apps and games on the Play Store because as Android versions become too outdated, app developers eventually drop support.
A phone like the Motorola G Power won’t be unusable two years down the road just because it’s running Android 11 and not Android 13, but it’s also a bit disheartening to buy a product and know it’s backed by such a small window of post-purchase support. This divide in updates is something Android has been faced with for years, and while companies are gradually getting better in these regards, we still have plenty of room to grow.
3. How many cameras and megapixels do I really need?
Over the last couple of years, there’s been a trend going on with certain phone companies where they throw as many cameras onto their devices as possible. As it’s become more common for phones to ship with two, three, or even four cameras, there’s something of an expectation that phones have to have multiple camera sensors to be any good.
Spoiler alert — this isn’t true.
Let’s look at the OnePlus Nord 9, for example. It has a 48MP primary camera, 50MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP monochrome portrait camera. Compared to the single 12.2MP camera on the Pixel 4a, one would assume that the OnePlus 9 takes better photos, but that’s not always the case.
Having those extra camera sensors can be a lot of fun, but only if they’re high-quality. Far too often, we see companies throw in a bunch of extra cameras on their phones only to have these secondary lenses not be very good. The primary camera sensor is always the most important, so that’s the one you want to be concerned about the most.
On a similar note, more megapixels (referred to as MP) don’t always mean you’re getting a better camera. As mentioned above, the 48MP camera on the OnePlus 9 sometimes takes photos that aren’t as good as those taken from the 12.2MP camera found on the Pixel 4a. There are so many other factors that come into play with phone cameras, so don’t let the megapixel count be your only factor for judging them when you’re out shopping. Read reviews, look at camera samples, and you’ll have a much better understanding of what kind of camera you’re dealing with.
4. What size battery should I get?
Battery life isn’t the most fun thing to talk about with smartphones, but ultimately, it’s one of the most important components. Your phone can have the best display and processor around, but if it’s constantly dying throughout the day, what’s the point?
There are many different battery capacities for all of the phones on this list, and if you don’t regularly keep up with them, it can be difficult to know what a good size is and what isn’t. So, here’s a general rule of thumb. If you’re buying an Android phone in 2021, the ideal capacity is 4000mAh or larger. As phones move toward larger displays with faster refresh rates, more battery is needed to keep them powered throughout the day.
Of course, this can vary a bit depending on the type of phone you’re buying. The Pixel 4a, for example, only has a 3140mAh battery but can still get through a full day of use without a hitch. What gives? It has a small display by 2021 standards and only has a 60Hz refresh rate, resulting in substantially less power use.
These are factors you’ll need to consider when shopping for your phone, but generally, more mAh means more battery life.
5. What smaller features should I look out for?
Last but certainly not least, there are a few smaller features and specs that can be easy to overlook when doing your shopping — a prime example being NFC. NFC stands for Near Field Communication, and it’s the chip in most phones that allows you to pay with your smartphone with Google Pay at grocery stores, restaurants, etc. Most of the phones on this list support NFC, but many cheaper Motorola phones often lack the feature. You may not care about Google Pay, but if you do, it’s worth double-checking that the phone you want to buy does, in fact, have NFC.
Another spec to check for is an IP68 rating. This is a seal of protection many phones have, and it ensures they’re protected from a certain amount of dust and water. If you happen to get caught outside in the rain or take your phone to the beach, an IP68 rating is nice peace of mind that your phone should survive just fine.
Some phones lack this IP rating yet boast water resistance or have a water-repellent coating. Those devices are also probably fine to get splashed with water here and there, but you don’t have that same guaranteed protection. The best-case scenario is to avoid getting your phone wet whenever possible, but if you happen to be around the water a lot, it’s probably worth getting something with that IP68 protection.
We should also address a trend that’s been going through the smartphone space for a few years now — the death of the headphone jack. The vast majority of new phones coming out these days no longer have the port, but few holdouts continue to offer it. It’s certainly nice to have if you’re someone that primarily uses wired headphones or earbuds, but if you’ve moved on to the wireless bandwagon, it’s not something you need to be all that concerned with.
