After a low-key launch in the US last year, Samsung pulled out all the digital stops for the announcement of its new Galaxy A family members. The South Korean smartphone giant unveiled the Galaxy A52, Galaxy A52 5G, and Galaxy A72 last week at a virtual Unpacked event, declaring it's "bringing Awesome to everyone."
If you're a Samsung fan and you want to upgrade to a phone that won't break the bank, you're probably eyeing the newest members of the company's midrange A series. But it might be a good idea to consider the $700 Galaxy S20 FE (winner of CNET's Editors' Choice Award) and even the $800 Galaxy S21.
Samsung hasn't revealed US pricing for the Galaxy A series yet, but European prices converted to US dollars have the Galaxy A phones ranging from approximately $410 to $530. (For international prices, scroll down to our specs chart at the bottom of this page.) Of the newest Galaxy A phones, the A52 5G is the only one with 5G, whereas the highest-end A72 has the best camera system. It comes with a telephoto lens capable of 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom.
The Galaxy A52, A52 5G, and A72 share a series of premium features including AMOLED displays, speedy refresh rates, big batteries and fast-charging support. They aren't all as high-end as those found on the Galaxy S21 or the Galaxy S20 FE, but some are on par. For instance, the A52 5G has a 120Hz display, the same refresh rate seen on the S21, S20 FE and the $1,200 Galaxy S21 Ultra. By comparison, the entire iPhone 12 line relies on a 60Hz screen.
Keep in mind that even though the new Galaxy A phones run cheaper than the Galaxy S21, each packs popular features that have been eliminated from the S21 line, including a bundled charger and expandable storage.
