X

Galaxy A32 vs. Galaxy A42 vs. Galaxy A52 vs. Galaxy S20 FE: Samsung's 5G phones compared

A trio of 5G phones from Samsung's latest Galaxy A lineup will arrive in the US this week. Here's how they stack up against each other.

Sareena Dayaram Senior Editor
Sareena is a senior editor for CNET covering the mobile beat including device reviews. She is a seasoned multimedia journalist with more than a decade's worth of experience producing stories for television and digital publications across Asia's financial capitals including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Mumbai. Prior to CNET, Sareena worked at CNN as a news writer and Reuters as a producer.
Expertise Huawei, Oppo, smartphones, smartwatches Credentials
  • More than a decade of journalism experience
Sareena Dayaram
2 min read
galaxya42-5g-variants

Samsung's Galaxy A42 5G features three rear cameras -- one less than the Galaxy A32 5G and A52 5G.

Samsung

Samsung's popular Galaxy A series lineup will start hitting shelves in the US as early as this Thursday, starting with the $110 Galaxy A02S all the way up to the $500 Galaxy A52 5G. Of the five new Galaxy A models, there are three 5G-enabled phones, the Galaxy A32 5G, A42 5G and A52 5G. 

Only the A42 5G can connect to super fast millimeter-wave 5G, though mmWave is offered only by Verizon right now. The A32 5G and A52 5G tap into the slower but more widespread 5G networks preferred by AT&T and T-Mobile. The prices for these phones range from $280 to $500, giving Samsung bragging rights -- the $280 Galaxy A32 5G is one of the cheapest 5G phones on the US market. 

Watch this: Samsung's seriously cheap new Androids

The South Korean electronics giant needed to make some cost-saving compromises to hit that sub-$300 price. Those trade-offs include using an LCD screen as opposed to the AMOLED one featured in the A42 5G and A52 5G, and running a MediaTek chipset instead of one from Qualcomm.

Read more: Samsung's Galaxy A Series starts at $110 for 4G, $280 for 5G phone

screenshot-2021-04-07-at-8-12-14-pm.png

All five new members of Samsung's Galaxy A lineup.

Samsung

Still, it's worth pointing out that each of the new Galaxy A models has their own tradeoffs. For instance, even though the A42G has lower specs in some cases compared to the A32 and A52  (slower refresh rate and fewer rear camera lenses), it still costs more than the A32, probably because it's the only one that taps into mmWave. The A52's 4,500-mAh battery is smaller than the other two, but as the priciest phone of the trio, the A52 boasts features that are absent in its 5G siblings: an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, letting it withstand up to 3 feet (1 meter) of water for 30 minutes. It also has the best camera module, the highest-resolution display, and a stereo speaker system.

Read more: Samsung's new Galaxy A series looks good, but what about the S20 FE or S21?

If you're looking to upgrade to a future-proofed Samsung phone that won't break the bank, then the Galaxy A lineup is a good place to start given its mix of price, performance and features. Samsung opted out of releasing the Galaxy A72 5G in the US because it's too similar to the popular Galaxy S20 FE, so we've added that device to our side-by-side specs chart below. If you prefer to stick to 4G phones for now, take a look at our coverage on the Galaxy A02S and Galaxy A12.

Samsung Galaxy A32 vs. A42 vs. A52 vs Galaxy S20 FE


Samsung Galaxy A32 5GSamsung Galaxy A42 5GSamsung Galaxy A52 5G Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
Display size, resolution, 6.5-inch HD+ LCD display (1,600x900 pixels)6.6-inch HD+ AMOLED (1,600x900 pixels)6.5 inch FHD+ Super AMOLED, Infinity-O Display (2,400x1,080 pixels)6.5-inch super AMOLED; (2,400x1,080 pixels)
Pixel density 282ppi278ppi407ppi405ppi
Dimensions (inches) 3 x 6.46 x 0.36 in3 x 6.47 x 0.34 in2.95 x 6.29 x 0.33 in6.29 x 2.97 x 0.33 in
Dimensions (millimeters) 76 x 164 x 9.1mm76 x 164.4 x 8.6mm75.1 x 159.9 x 8.4mm 159.8 x 75.5 x 8.4mm
Weight (Grams) 205g193g189g190g
Mobile software Android 11Android 11Android 11Android 10
Camera 48-megapixel (main), 8-megapixel (ultrawide), 5-megapixel (macro) 2-megapixel (depth)48-megapixel (main), 8-megapixel (ultrawide), 2-megapixel (depth)64-megapixel (main), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 5-megapixel (depth), and 5-megapixel (macro)12-megapixel (standard), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 8-megapixel (3x telephoto)
Front-facing camera 13-megapixel13-megapixel32-megapixel32-megapixel
Video capture 4K4K4K4K
Processor MediaTek Dimensity 720Snapdragon 750GSnapdragon 750GQualcomm Snapdragon 865 (5G) Samsung Exynos 990 (4G)
Storage 64GB128GB128GB/256GB128GB
RAM 4GB4GB6/8GB 6GB
Expandable storage Yes, up to 1TBYes, up to 1TBYes, up to 1TBYes, up to 1TB
Battery 5,000 mAh5,000 mAh4,500 mAh4,500 mAh
Connector USB-CUSB-CUSB-CUSB-C
Headphone jack YesYesYesNo
Special features 90Hz display, 15W fast charging60Hz display, 15W fast charging5G-enabled, 120Hz display, IP67 rating, stereo speakers, 25W fast charging120Hz screen refresh rate, support for 30W fast charging and 15W fast wireless charging
Price off-contract (USD) $280$400$500$700