Ever since the 5G talk started in the tech community, a large portion of smartphone users were kept out of this conversation because this technology was first introduced in flagships with expensive price tags which is out of the reach of many buyers.
This rule no longer applies as many Android smartphone brands presented the market and its users with a range of reliable handsets that support 5G at an affordable cost and reasonable price tag.
In this post, we’re discussing two of the latest 5G Android phones that fall in the mid-range part of the smartphone price spectrum. This June, OnePlus released the Nord CE 5G and earlier this year, Samsung released the Galaxy A52, let’s check both phones to see which is better and which one you should get!
Samsung Galaxy A52: Simple Design & Innovative Features
- Sleek design
- 4-lens camera
- Under display optical fingerprint scanner
- Huge battery capacity
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Source: TechRadar
Starting with the A52, it is known that the Galaxy A series is made to meet the budget limitations of users who cannot afford the S series as the flagship phones of Samsung. While creating a budget phone usually means lower performance and lower specs, the A52 from Samsung is built carefully to meet the high-end performance needs that 5G network connectivity requires.
In terms of design, the Galaxy A52 focuses on providing a solid phone body without the additional features that comes with a flagship and causes the price to go up in an unnecessary way for a budget phone.
The aluminium frame and plastic back are sturdy enough to provide your every day use with the needed support. At the same time, the handset looks quite elegant with colourful options and the large camera module on the back that indicates great photography opportunities with that phone.
On the other hand, the Galaxy A52 has all the benefits and advantages of a mid-range phone which, of course, includes the lower price compared to flagship prices, as well as avoiding the additional costs that usually come with flagships. These costs include the wireless earbuds that are needed for all flagships since there is no longer a 3.5mm jack included in this range of smartphones.
With the Samsung Galaxy A52, we get a 3.5mm jack which means that you get to use your affordable regular wireless earphones without needing to spend a large sum on wireless earbuds.
As can be expected from a Samsung phone, the battery is one of the main aspects that is considered a strength point. The 4500 mAh battery supports many hours of continuous use as well as fast charging at 25W. This charging tech allows the A52 battery to charge up to 50% in only 30 minutes as described by Samsung itself.
OnePlus Nord CE 5G: Does It Match The Samsung?
- Standard OnePlus Nord design
- Triple main camera module
- Lower selfie quality
OnePlus Nord CE 5G
Source: Droidgig
The original OnePlus Nord was quite impressive. However, it is expected with the mid-range or budget version, CE, that OnePlus is going to cut corners to keep the price at bay.
This raises the question of whether the OnePlus Nord CE has the right specs that can support the required functionality to run 5G connectivity properly.
In terms of design, the CE has the same design as the original Nord. The difference is in the build of the phone which is, like the Galaxy A52, aimed to lower the cost of the phone by using a plastic body.
However, the Galaxy A52 has better support thanks to its aluminium frame whereas the Nord CE has a plastic frame.
For processing power, the Nord has the same core as the Galaxy, but with a higher RAM option which goes up to 12GB which is definitely a huge plus considering the 5G processing requirements.
The Nord CE has the same Li-Po battery as the Samsung Galaxy A52 with the same 4500 mAh capacity.
When it comes to camera, the Galaxy A52 5G would take over with a quad camera module on the back and a 32MP selfie camera! The Nord CE, on the other hand, as a triple lens camera module on the back and a 16MP selfie camera.
OnePlus Nord CE Vs Samsung Galaxy A52
Looking at the specs of those two phones side by side will show quite clearly that they are almost identical in most details. However, there are a few differences that sets each of them apart from the other. To determine which is the right choice for you among, check out these differences below
- OnePlus Nord CE: Plastic frame
- Samsung Galaxy A52: Aluminium frame
- OnePlus Nord CE: Glass
- Samsung Galaxy A52: Gorilla Glass 3
- OnePlus Nord CE: 6GB, 8GB, 12GB
- Samsung Galaxy A52: 4GB, 6GB, 8GB
- OnePlus Nord CE: No
- Samsung Galaxy A52:MicroSDXC slot
- OnePlus Nord CE: 64MP Wide + 8MP Ultrawide + 2MP Depth sensor
- Samsung Galaxy A52: 64MP Wide + 12MP Ultrawide + 5MP Depth sensor + 5MP Macro
- OnePlus Nord CE: 16MP Wide – 1080p Videos
- Samsung Galaxy A52: 32MP Wide – 4K Videos
- OnePlus Nord CE: Loudspeaker + 3.5mm jack
- Samsung Galaxy A52: Stereo speakers + 3.5mm jack
- OnePlus Nord CE: Adreno 619
- Samsung Galaxy A52: Adreno 618
- OnePlus Nord CE: Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 570)
- Samsung Galaxy A52: Octa-core (2×2.3 GHz Kryo 465 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 465 Silver)
- OnePlus Nord CE: Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm)
- Samsung Galaxy A52: Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G (8 nm)
- OnePlus Nord CE: 30W, 70% in 30 min
- Samsung Galaxy A52: 25W, 50% in 30 min
- OnePlus Nord CE: Charkoal Ink, Blue Void, Silver Ray
- Samsung Galaxy A52: Awesome Black, Awesome Blue, Awesome Violet, Awesome White
Besides the mentioned points, OnePlus Nord CE 5G and Samsung Galaxy A52 5G can be considered identical in all other aspects in terms of specs and even features such as having an under-display optical fingerprint scanner.
Both phones have a Li-Po battery with the same 4500 mAhcapacity. While we’re used to seeing Li-Ion batteries in most smartphones, even when they are budget phones, Li-Po batteries were chosen for these two budget phones to manage the cost as 5G phones do require high-end processing specs. This means that the cost had to be cut in another aspect other than the chip, core, or RAM.
In some aspects, Li-Po batteries are even better than Li-Ion as they are considered safer, more suitable for fast charging technologies, and register a lower self-discharge levels compared to Li-Ion batteries. For many reviewers, Li-Po batteries are replacing the Li-Ion batteries in the smartphone industry as they are considered the safer option!
While the Nord CE does exceed the Galaxy A52 in some aspects, we find that the Galaxy option would win this battle as it has the better camera, memory storage options, front camera video recording, and even colour variants.
Even in the aspects where the Nord is better, the differences between it and the Samsung phone is not that far apart, whereas the Samsung exceeds in its unique specs by leaps and bounds which makes it the better option.
Bonus: Can You Get a Flagship at a Limited budget?
Admittedly, having to choose between budget phones with somewhat limited capabilities isn’t the best activity or the most fun one, especially with all of those powerful and attractive flagships floating around!
Thankfully, there is a way around having a limited budget for your next smartphone and wanting a flagship!
Refurbished phones give you the perfect opportunity to get the smartphone of your dreams at a much less price. In other words, you can pay a mid-range or budget price and get the flagship you always wanted refurbished!
Most people are sceptical of refurbished phones because they think that there is no way to make sure the phone is original. Also, if you’re buying the phone online, how can you make sure that it is indeed in the condition that the seller is claiming?
Well, all of those problems can be solved with one simple solution: Choose a trustworthy refurbished phone seller!
If the seller is reliable, you can be assured that the phone is going to be original and, in the condition, and state that is advertised on the website. Also, reliable refurbished phone sellers should provide support in the form of a warranty policy for at least 1 year after the purchase and a return policy that would guarantee a full refund in case you don’t like the product.
Once you make sure that all of these conditions are met, you can purchase any flagship you want at a budget-friendly price.
Get the best refurbished phones in the UK from this website with all the benefits we mentioned above and more!
Whether you want the latest Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy Note, or OnePlus, it’s all there!