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MagyarSamsung Galaxy M52 5G review - A powerful 120-Hz smartphone that is destined to fail?
One of the highlights of the Galaxy M52 5G might be the 6.7-inch Super-AMOLED Plus display, which offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz and an FHD+ resolution. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G used here, which is accompanied by 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB internal UFS storage in the German version, is quite impressive at a recommended retail price of 379 Euros (~$431).
In the recent past, the defining characteristic of the Galaxy M series was the relatively powerful battery. For example, the Galaxy M51 had a 7000-mAh battery. At a capacity of 5000 mAh, the battery of the Galaxy M52 5G is still fairly large but doesn't stand out from the masses anymore.
Find out in this review, how the newest mid-range smartphone from Samsung fares against the powerful competitors in this price segment, particularly the very similar Galaxy A52s 5G.
Possible Competitors for Comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84.7 % | 01/2022 | Samsung Galaxy M52 5G SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L | 173 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.70" | 2400x1080 | |
| 86.4 % | 12/2021 | Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L | 158 g | 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.55" | 2400x1080 | |
| 81.5 % | 11/2021 | Motorola Edge 20 Lite Dimensity 720, Mali-G57 MP3 | 185 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.70" | 2400x1080 | |
| 85.1 % | 09/2021 | Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L | 189 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.50" | 2400x1080 | |
| 86 % | 05/2021 | Xiaomi Poco F3 SD 870, Adreno 650 | 196 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.67" | 2400x1080 | |
| 85.1 % | 08/2021 | OnePlus Nord 2 5G Dimensity 1200, Mali-G77 MP9 | 189 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.43" | 2400x1080 |
Case - Galaxy M52 5G with a punch hole
We find the visual appearance of the Galaxy M52 5G very attractive. The 6.7-inch OLED display is framed by slim bezels on the side, and thanks to the punch hole, the bezel on top also turns out fairly slim, leading to an efficient display-to-surface ratio of almost 87% at the front of the device. However, compared to the Galaxy A52s 5G, there is some cost-cutting in terms of the display glass - or at least the Samsung M series smartphone doesn't use Gorilla Glass.
Some more cost-cutting also becomes apparent in the case of the Galaxy M52 5G. The Samsung smartphone doesn't offer an IP certification, so that there is no protection from dust or splashes, and the metal frame of the A52s 5G was replaced with one of plastic in the Galaxy M52 5G. However, the haptics, workmanship, and choice of materials are still at a good level. The built-in keys sit tightly in the frame, and their pressure points feel comfortably firm.
In contrast to some other representatives of the mid-range, the Samsung smartphone is relatively light at 173 grams (~6.1 oz). The plastic back of the Galaxy M52 5G, which is available in Icy Blue, Blazing Black, and White color options, surely has an effect on this. All color versions have a striped appearance in common, but unfortunately this hardly hides any fingerprints due to the shiny surface, and it often looks dirty from some greasy smudges.
Equipment - Samsung smartphone without a 3.5-mm audio port
In contrast to the Galaxy A52s 5G, buyers of the M52 5G unfortunately have to make do without a headphone jack. The UFS storage offers a capacity of 128 GB, and a 256-GB option is not available. Due to the operating system and preinstalled apps, the actually available storage space is significantly smaller at 107 GB. However, you can expand the internal storage by using a microSD card.
The 5000-mAh battery can be charged via the Type-C port that supports the USB 2.0 standard and recognizes external peripheral devices such as storage sticks via USB-OTG without any problems in the test. Wireless transfer of the display contents to external monitors via Miracast is also supported.
You can watch video contents on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or other streaming services in HD quality, since it is certified for Widevine L1. The Camera2 API of the Galaxy M52 5G is available at Level 3.
microSD Card Reader
The integrated microSD slot supports the current SDHC and SDXC standards up to 1 TB. In combination with our AV PRO V60 reference storage card (128 GB), the microSD performance in the Cross Platform Disk Test is convincing, and when copying data, the Samsung smartphone also operates at an above average level with a speed of 50 MB/s.
| SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Angelbird V60) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G (Angelbird V60) | |
| Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE (Angelbird AV Pro V60) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Angelbird V60) | |
Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)
Software - Galaxy M52 5G with Android 11
As usual, Samsung combines the Android operating system with its own in-house One UI surface in version 3.1, which also includes the Bixby smart assistant. However, the mid-range model does not offer an extra desktop mode via Samsung DeX.
Samsung's Knox security environment is integrated into the software and hardware of the Galaxy M52 5G. Another interesting feature that is also used by other manufacturers at this point is "RAM Plus." This allows the Galaxy smartphone to analyze the user behavior and offer up to 4 GB additional virtual working memory. The Settings menu also includes an extensive always-on display functionality.
At the time of this test, the Galaxy M52 5G is based on Android 11 with the security patches from November 2021. Even though Samsung doesn't list an official date for the update to Android 12, the Korean manufacturer already announced that Galaxy devices will get regular security updates for at least 4 years after their initial introduction. Among others, the M51 predecessor is also listed here. However, in contrast to the Galaxy A series, the M series is only provided with updates every quarter.
The M52 5G probably won't get three major Android updates like the flagships, but there might be two years of updates and with that, two major Android versions. We expect an update to Android 12 including OneUI 4 with the new look-and-feel of the start screen and extensive personalization options as well as a privacy dashboard in Q2/Q3 of 2022.
Communication and GNSS - Samsung smartphone with 5G
In terms of the communication modules, Samsung uses an NFC chip for Near Field Communication and Bluetooth 5.0. In addition, the X53 modem of the Snapdragon 778G supports the 5G standard with a series of frequencies below 6 GHz.
The chipset in the Galaxy M52 5G also offers access to the mobile Internet via 4G with a total of 13 LTE bands, covering all the LTE frequencies relevant for German-speaking countries, including LTE Band 20 and Band 28. However, traveling abroad, for example to the USA, might create some problems, since Band 13 and 25 are not covered.
In the WLAN network, the mid-range smartphone offers a fast standard for wireless networks with WiFi 6. This allows for high transfer rates, and in combination with our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router, the Galaxy M52 5G shows a level that is as solid as that of the A52s 5G sibling model. Values higher than 400 Mbit/s on average aren't bad, but those of the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE or OnePlus Nord 2 5G are even significantly better.
In order to evaluate the locating accuracy of our test unit in practice, we record a route in parallel with the Garmin Venu 2 for comparison. The location is determined via the GPS (L1), GLONASS, BeiDou, and Galileo (E1) satellite systems as well as SBAS support.
The deviations are relatively low, with the difference between the mid-range smartphone and smartwatch being only about 20 meters (~66 ft) at the end of the 4-km (~2.5 miles) test route. In the detailed route of the GPS recording, the Galaxy M52 5G also impresses us with similarly accurate locating capabilities as the Garmin device, allowing us to recommend the Samsung smartphone for navigation tasks in the private arena.
The satellite fix outdoors succeeds quickly with an accuracy of about 3 meters (~10 ft), and even indoors, the Galaxy M52 5G is able to determine its location very quickly and accurately.
Telephone Functions and Voice Quality - Samsung Galaxy M52 5G with VoLTE
We really like the voice quality of the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G. There are also some useful calling features such as WLAN calling and VoLTE included onboard, where the voice data is transferred via the 4G mobile communication network.
If you use the earpiece, the Galaxy smartphone delivers an easily understandable voice reproduction. Although the delivery via the mono speaker sounds slightly duller and a bit tinny, using the speaker for a video call still works well. To do this, we used the Skype app in our test.
Cameras - Samsung smartphone with a triple camera
While the front camera is housed behind a small punch hole and offers a resolution of 32 MP, selfies are recorded using pixel binning, resulting in pictures that only have an 8-MP resolution. Pictures taken with the front camera in daylight look really good, but the quality quickly diminishes in weaker light conditions.
The camera setup in the back of the Galaxy M52 5G also looks very similar to that of the A52 model. Buyers of the Galaxy smartphone receive a 64-MP main sensor that is accompanied by a 12-MP wide angle lens and a 5-MP macro sensor. The Sony IMX682 combines four pixels each into a more light sensitive super pixel by default. This results in 16-MP images, but you can also use the full resolution with a special mode.
In contrast to the Galaxy A52s 5G, the main camera has to make do without an optical image stabilizer. In daylight, the results end up at a decent mid-range level, and the Galaxy M52 5G is able to score with good dynamics in our test photos. However, you can still see some slight deficits in terms of image sharpness, and the same goes for the color reproduction.
Using the ColorChecker Passport, we analyze the color reproduction of the 64-MP lens in controlled light conditions compared to the actual reference colors. In addition to the brighter illumination typical for smartphones, the Galaxy M52 5G also shows fairly large deviations in the ColorChecker. However, the color accuracy is still acceptable for this price range.
While the macro lens will probably only offer few advantages in everyday usage, the 12-MP ultra-wide angle camera distinguishes itself with a viewing angle of 123 degrees. Even though wide angle recordings from our test unit offer a better quality that that of the entry-level Galaxy's, the M52 5G doesn't really impress us in this regard. The edges are blurred to a significant degree, and the basic sharpness is low.
Videos can be recorded at UHD and 30 fps at most, while 60 fps are also possible in a Full-HD recording. Fortunately, you can also switch between the main and the wide angle camera while recording a video.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
HauptkameraHauptkameraLow LightWeitwinkel
Accessories and Warranty - Charging the Galaxy M52 5G only at 15 watts
The box of the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G includes a modular charger (USB-A) and a data or charging cable (USB-A to USB-C). Although the Galaxy smartphone supports a quick charge function up to 25 watts, the included charger offers only 15 watts.
Samsung offers a 24-month warranty for its smartphone. In contrast to the Galaxy A52s 5G, you cannot order Samsung Care+ with the M model. At the time of the test, the manufacturer also does not offer any specific accessories for the Galaxy M52 5G. This is unfortunate, since the mid-range smartphone doesn't include a case. Owners of the Samsung smartphone will also look in vain for a 25-Watt charger in the online store.
Input Devices and Operation - Samsung smartphone with face unlocking
Even though the Galaxy M52 5G has an OLED panel, the active fingerprint sensor is located in the frame of the case. The biometric finger recognition is usually accurate, but at times we have to reposition our finger, for it to be recognized. In addition, the speed of the sensor isn't really very high.
As an additional unlocking option, simple 2D face recognition is available, which is implemented via the front camera. The recognition rate is convincing, but the 2D face unlocking function isn't very secure.
Inputs on the 6.7-inch AMOLED display are accurately and quickly recognized up to the corners of the touchscreen. Thanks to the high refresh rate of 120 Hz, the Samsung smartphone offers a smooth operation.
Display - Galaxy M52 5G with OLED
The 16.5-cm (6.7 in) Infinity-O display of the Galaxy M52 5G is based on the in-house Super-AMOLED technology. While the manufacturer officially does not advertise an HDR10 certification, according to the "DRM Info" app, the OLED panel, which has a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, supports HDR contents. Considering the brightness of 1012 cd/m² that we measured in the APL50 test, users should also benefit from this, particularly since the APL50 also leaves some headroom.
To control the brightness, the mid-range smartphone uses pulse width modulation at a low frequency of 236 Hz. The OLED flickering is noticeable across the whole spectrum in the Samsung smartphone. We do not see a DC Dimming mode in the Settings menu.
The refresh rate of the display can be set to either 60 or 120 Hz. There is no adaptive control. This means that the panel of the Galaxy M smartphone is unable to adjust automatically to the displayed content, like the Premium devices of the manufacturer, for example.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 95 %
Center on Battery: 666 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.28 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
95.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.246
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G OLED, 2400x1080, 6.70 | Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.55 | Motorola Edge 20 Lite AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.70 | Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.50 | Xiaomi Poco F3 AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.67 | OnePlus Nord 2 5G AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.43 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 35% | -42% | 1% | 38% | -26% | |
| Brightness middle | 666 | 797 20% | 420 -37% | 736 11% | 889 33% | 594 -11% |
| Brightness | 674 | 800 19% | 428 -36% | 751 11% | 902 34% | 594 -12% |
| Brightness Distribution | 95 | 97 2% | 89 -6% | 96 1% | 95 0% | 99 4% |
| Black Level * | ||||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 2.28 | 0.9 61% | 3.15 -38% | 2.18 4% | 0.9 61% | 2.74 -20% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 4.28 | 2 53% | 7.1 -66% | 5.69 -33% | 1.9 56% | 6 -40% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.4 | 1.1 54% | 4 -67% | 2.1 12% | 1.3 46% | 4.2 -75% |
| Gamma | 2.246 98% | 2.26 97% | 2.233 99% | 2.27 97% | 2.26 97% | 2.278 97% |
| CCT | 6538 99% | 6397 102% | 7413 88% | 6563 99% | 6614 98% | 7322 89% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 235.8 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 235.8 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 235.8 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17924 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The Galaxy M52 5G does not offer a lot of setting options for color adjustment, but at least users can choose among two different profiles. While the color temperature can be adjusted in the Standard profile, you cannot change the separate parameters such as Saturation or Gamma.
In our tests with the CalMAN software and spectral photometer, the AMOLED panel of the Samsung smartphone appears to have a decent calibration and delivers satisfactory color deviations for this price class (in the Natural profile). Due to the OLED technology where separate pixels can be completely turned off, there is an "absolute" black, and the contrast (theoretically) tends towards being infinite.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 3 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 5 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 17 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 11 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 6 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 5 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 20 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
Due to the relatively high brightness, the Galaxy M52 5G shows itself well-equipped in daily usage also outdoors. Even in direct sun light with some reflections on the glass surface, the image contents should still remain easily readable due to the high brightness and contrast.
The viewing angle stability of the AMOLED panel is very good, and you can only notice a slight loss in brightness from very steep viewing angles.
Performance - Samsung smartphone with a Qualcomm SoC
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G processor running in the Galaxy M52 5G contains eight cores distributed in two clusters. The Cortex A78 cluster offers four cores (2.4 GHz), while the remaining four cores are based on the A55 architecture (1.8 GHz). The "G" in the processor label indicates some specialization for games. According to Qualcomm, several WiFi features were adjusted for this, and the Adreno 642L graphics unit was accelerated.
In everyday operation, the mid-range processor in combination with the built-in 6 GB of LPDDR4x-RAM ensures a good system performance. Thanks to the fast 120-Hz display, animations are rendered smoothly and the load times of applications are also fairly short. However, other mid-range smartphones such as the OnePlus Nord 2 5G set a significantly faster standard with the UFS 3.1 specification. This is also demonstrated by our measurements in AndroBench.
In our benchmark package, the Samsung smartphone follows the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G sibling model, which also uses the Snapdragon 778G. The overall results are at a good performance level for this price class, even if the Poco F3 with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 offers even more power.
| UL Procyon AI Inference for Android - Overall Score NNAPI (sort by value) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (7622 - 19875, n=5) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (207 - 84787, n=149, last 2 years) | |
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=172, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE (Chrome 96) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (58.8 - 86.8, n=11) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G (Chrome96) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Chrome 93) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chrome 92) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE (Chrome 96) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (102.6 - 155.3, n=7) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G (Chrome96) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Chrome 93) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chrome 92) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=157, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE (Chrome 96) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (52.5 - 61.5, n=9) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Chome 93) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G (Chrome96) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chome 92) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - Overall | |
| Average of class Smartphone (39 - 304, n=122, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE (Chrome 96) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Chrome 93) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (93 - 131, n=10) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G (Chrome96) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chrome 92) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=210, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE (Chrome 96) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (23915 - 31915, n=11) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chrome 92) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G (Chrome96) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Chrome 93) | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite (Chrome 94) | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G (Chrome 92) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G (Chrome 93) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G (Chrome96) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (1323 - 1893, n=11) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=172, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE (Chrome 96) | |
* ... smaller is better
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G | Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE | Motorola Edge 20 Lite | Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G | Xiaomi Poco F3 | OnePlus Nord 2 5G | Average 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | 16% | -6% | 3% | 27% | 81% | -23% | 72% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 907 | 944 4% | 954 5% | 951 5% | 1378 52% | 1827 101% | 760 ? -16% | 1505 ? 66% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 487.3 | 679 39% | 478.3 -2% | 486.5 0% | 684 40% | 1256 158% | 297 ? -39% | 1112 ? 128% |
| Random Read 4KB | 165 | 208.7 26% | 141.4 -14% | 168.2 2% | 208 26% | 223.7 36% | 152.9 ? -7% | 247 ? 50% |
| Random Write 4KB | 187.8 | 178.8 -5% | 161.9 -14% | 192.5 3% | 170.6 -9% | 239 27% | 131.6 ? -30% | 271 ? 44% |
Games - The Galaxy M52 5G reaches more than 100 fps
The fact that you can also play demanding games smoothly on the Galaxy M52 5G is ensured by the Adreno 642L, which includes selected Snapdragon Elite gaming functions such as the "Game Smoother" or the "Game Network Latency Manager." In addition, Samsung implements its in-house "Game Booster," which is supposed to control the temperature and RAM usage, among other things.
However, buyers of the Galaxy smartphone should still understand that the M52 5G is not a gaming smartphone. For example, PUBG Mobile can only be played in the HD setting, and the highest detail level (UHD) cannot be selected. We take a more detailed look at the gaming performance with the GameBench app. The Adreno 642L is able to reach about 40 fps at medium graphics settings and significantly higher with 60 fps at low detail settings.
Even though the Armajet arena shooter, which supports 144 fps in theory, is not reproduced with constant frame rates, the Samsung mid-range smartphone still reaches more than 100 fps at times. Our measurements show 89 frames per second on average.
Emissions - The Samsung Galaxy M52 5G gets quite warm
Temperatures
The inhouse cooling system doesn't always keep the heat development of the Snapdragon SoC under control. In contrast to the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, the case of the Galaxy smartphone can get relatively warm and even hot under longer loads. We measure a maximum value of almost 45 °C (113 °F). On the other hand, it hardly gets warm during idle operation.
The Galaxy M52 5G completes the battery test of GFXBench without any problems, even in the demanding Manhattan test (OpenGL ES 3.1). The Wild Life stress tests also run without any problems.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.6 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 44.5 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 22.6 °C / 73 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
3DMark Wild Life Stress Test
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite | |
| Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G | |
| Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G | |
| Motorola Edge 20 Lite | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 | |
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G | |
Speaker
Unfortunately, the M52 5G has to make do without the stereo sound of the Galaxy A52s 5G sibling model. The mono speaker offers a solid sound experience, but not more than that. The low frequency range sounds a bit thin, but the mids and highs are reproduced fairly linear.
Wired headphones or external speakers can be connected via the USB-C connection. Those who prefer Bluetooth for wireless sound output can also use the SBC, AAC, aptX, and LDAC audio codecs. However, we miss some codecs such as LHDC or aptX HD and aptX Adaptive.
Samsung Galaxy M52 5G audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.3% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 33% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 58% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 54% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 39% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.2% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 20% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 72% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 41% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 51% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery Life - Galaxy M52 5G with 5000 mAh
Power Consumption
Using the included 15-Watt charger, the 5000-mAh battery can be completely recharged in about 115 minutes. The power consumption is inconspicuous compared to the mid-range competitors.
| Off / Standby |   0.05 / 0.2 Watt |
| Idle |  0.9 / 1.3 / 1.6 Watt |
| Load |
3.9 / 7.4 Watt |
    
| |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G 5000 mAh | Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE 4250 mAh | Motorola Edge 20 Lite 5000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco F3 4520 mAh | OnePlus Nord 2 5G 4500 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -8% | 13% | -6% | -2% | -15% | -28% | -14% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.9 | 0.78 13% | 0.8 11% | 1.2 -33% | 0.76 16% | 0.8 11% | 1.106 ? -23% | 0.897 ? -0% |
| Idle Average * | 1.3 | 1.97 -52% | 1.2 8% | 1.4 -8% | 1.29 1% | 1.2 8% | 2.07 ? -59% | 1.452 ? -12% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.6 | 1.99 -24% | 1.5 6% | 1.7 -6% | 1.45 9% | 1.6 -0% | 2.32 ? -45% | 1.629 ? -2% |
| Load Average * | 3.9 | 3.23 17% | 3.7 5% | 3.6 8% | 4.6 -18% | 5.7 -46% | 4.17 ? -7% | 5.55 ? -42% |
| Load Maximum * | 7.4 | 7.08 4% | 4.7 36% | 6.9 7% | 8.87 -20% | 10.9 -47% | 7.81 ? -6% | 8.31 ? -12% |
* ... smaller is better
Power Consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Power Consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)
Battery Life
The battery life of the Galaxy M52 5G turns out at a good level for a smartphone with a fixed 120-Hz frame rate. It is easiest to compare our competing devices with the brightness adjusted to 150 cd/m². Lasting almost 13 hours in our WLAN test and more than 21 hours in the video test, the Galaxy M52 5G ends up in the middle of our comparison field. However, the predecessor of the Samsung smartphone offers a significantly better battery life.
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G 5000 mAh | Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE 4250 mAh | Motorola Edge 20 Lite 5000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco F3 4520 mAh | OnePlus Nord 2 5G 4500 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -16% | 8% | -7% | -9% | -3% | |
| Reader / Idle | 2953 | 1648 -44% | 2163 -27% | 1897 -36% | 1562 -47% | 1926 -35% |
| H.264 | 1286 | 1215 -6% | 1443 12% | 1109 -14% | 918 -29% | 1126 -12% |
| WiFi v1.3 | 777 | 705 -9% | 972 25% | 721 -7% | 805 4% | 958 23% |
| Load | 242 | 233 -4% | 294 21% | 309 28% | 329 36% | 272 12% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict on the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G
With the Galaxy M52 5G, Samsung succeeded in creating an attractive and light mid-range smartphone, which doesn't have too much bulk despite its large size. The successor to the Galaxy M51 convinces us with a successful combination of a bright 120-Hz OLED display, fast Qualcomm processor, accurate locating capabilities, and good battery life.
Without the large 7000-mAh battery of its predecessor, the Galaxy M52 5G loses some of its identity.
However, with the M52 5G, Samsung lost sight of the "DNA" of its Galaxy M series, consisting of a very long battery life due to a huge battery capacity, which is also to some extent the reason for the existence of the M52 5G in the Galaxy family. The similarities to Galaxy A52s 5G, which is similarly priced and better in many areas, make the representative of the M series look worse in the direct comparison than it really is.
If your budget supports this, we would rather recommend an A model from Samsung (A52 5G or A52s 5G). In addition, with its Lite versions of the Mi 11 generation, (11 Lite 5G or 11 Lite 5G NE), Xiaomi offers a similar concept of a light-yet-powerful mid-range smartphone, with both Xiaomi smartphones offering a better overall package than the Galaxy M52 G in combination with a low price.
Price and Availability
At the time of this test, interested buyers can purchase the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G from local web shops in various European and Asian countries such as Samsung India or Amazon India.
Samsung Galaxy M52 5G
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08/30/2022 v7
Marcus Herbrich
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