1. Specifications Comparison
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A52 | Honor 70 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 159.9 × 75.1 × 8.4 mm | 161.4 × 73.3 × 7.9 mm | Honor 70 is slightly taller and thinner, while the A52 is a bit wider and thicker. The Honor 70 might feel more sleek in hand. |
| Weight | 189g | 178g | Honor 70 is slightly lighter, which may be more comfortable for prolonged use. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.5" | 6.67" | Honor 70 has a slightly larger screen, providing a more immersive experience for media consumption. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1080x2400 | Both phones have the same resolution; image sharpness will be similar. |
| Pixel Density | 407 PPI | 395 PPI | Negligible difference; both displays are sharp enough for everyday use. |
| Technology | AMOLED | OLED | Both are excellent display technologies, offering vibrant colors and deep blacks. |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 120Hz | Honor 70 provides smoother scrolling and animations, enhancing the visual experience, especially for gaming and fast-paced content. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 0 nits | Both phones have the same brightness, but as the value is 0, this is not reliable. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G (8 nm) | Qualcomm SM7325-AE Snapdragon 778G+ 5G (6 nm) | Honor 70 has a significantly more powerful chipset, leading to faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. |
| AnTuTu Score | 341,212 | 600,525 | Honor 70 is considerably faster, evident in real-world tasks like gaming and demanding apps. |
| GPU | Adreno 618 | Adreno 642L | Honor 70’s GPU is superior, offering better graphics processing for gaming and video editing. |
| Camera | |||
| Main Camera Resolution | 64MP | 54MP | Samsung A52 has slightly higher resolution, but this doesn't always mean better image quality. |
| Main Camera Aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.9 | Samsung A52 has slightly wider aperture allowing more light. |
| Main Camera Sensor Size | 1/1.7" | 1/1.49" | Honor 70 has larger sensor, which can capture more light and offer better low-light performance. |
| Selfie Camera Resolution | 32MP | 32MP | Both have the same resolution. |
| Selfie Camera Aperture | f/2.2 | f/2.4 | Samsung A52 has slightly wider aperture. |
| Selfie Camera Sensor Size | 1/2.8" | 1/3.2" | Samsung A52 has slightly larger sensor. |
| Wide Angle Camera Resolution | 12MP | 50MP | Honor 70 has a much higher resolution, resulting in much better quality wide-angle photos. |
| Portrait Mode | Yes | No | Samsung A52 has a dedicated depth camera for portraits. |
| Macro Lens Resolution | 5MP | 2MP | Samsung A52 has a higher resolution macro camera. |
| Video Recording | 4K@30fps | 4K@30fps | Both offer 4K video recording at 30 fps, but the Honor 70 offers improved slow motion. |
| DXOMark Score | N/A | 115 (Mobile) | Honor 70 has a good camera system performance according to dxomark. |
| Battery | |||
| Capacity | 4500mAh | 4800mAh | Honor 70 has a slightly larger battery, potentially leading to slightly longer battery life. |
| Charging | 25W | 66W | Honor 70 charges much faster, significantly reducing charging time. |
| Battery Features | QC2.0, AFC | Reverse Charging | Honor 70’s reverse charging feature can be useful for charging other devices. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 11 | Android 12 | Honor 70 has a more recent OS out of the box and theoretically has a longer update support window. |
| Max Version | Android 14 | ||
| Connectivity | |||
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 | Honor 70 supports the newer Wi-Fi standard, offering faster speeds and better network performance. |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 | Honor 70 features a more modern Bluetooth version with potentially better energy efficiency and more modern codec support. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal Storage | 128 GB or 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB | Honor 70 offers a larger 512GB storage option. |
| RAM | 4 GB, 6 GB or 8 GB | 6 GB, 8 GB or 12 GB | Honor 70 offers a 12GB option for heavy multitasking. |
| Expandable Storage | No | No | Neither phone supports external storage. |
| Audio | |||
| Quality | Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, Stereo Speakers | Hi-Res Audio, Stereo Speakers | Samsung A52 has Dolby enhancements, while Honor 70 is Hi-Res certified. Both offer stereo sound. |
| Security | |||
| Fingerprint Sensor | Basic | Basic | Both have standard fingerprint sensor. |
| Build Quality | |||
| Screen Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Unknown | Samsung A52 provides better screen scratch resistance. |
| Sensors | |||
| Sensors | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Gyroscope | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Honor 70 has a compass for navigation, and the A52 has Hall and Geomagnetic sensors. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Samsung Galaxy A52 Advantages:
- Optical Image Stabilization (OIS): The main camera has OIS, which can improve photo and video quality, especially in low light, resulting in sharper pictures.
- Depth sensor: Dedicated depth sensor for better portrait shots.
- Slightly better front-facing camera: slightly wider aperture and a larger sensor for better low-light selfies.
- Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos: Offers a more immersive and enhanced audio experience.
- Gorilla Glass 5 protection: Provides better screen protection from scratches and minor impacts.
- Hall and Geomagnetic sensors: Can be useful for specific applications requiring those.
- Lower Price: The Samsung Galaxy A52 would likely be the more affordable option in the second hand market.
Honor 70 Advantages:
- Significantly Faster Performance: The Snapdragon 778G+ chipset provides a much faster and smoother user experience.
- Higher Refresh Rate Display: 120Hz display for smoother scrolling and animations, improving the visual experience for general use and gaming.
- Larger Battery and Faster Charging: Offers better battery life and much faster charging, reducing downtime.
- Better Main Camera Sensor: Larger sensor size for main camera, likely leading to better low light performance.
- Much Better Wide Angle camera: Higher resolution for better quality wide angle photos.
- Newer Software & Bluetooth: Comes with Android 12, and supports bluetooth 5.2.
- Hi-Res Audio: Provides a higher quality audio output.
- Reverse charging: Offers the flexibility to charge other devices.
Trade-offs:
- The Samsung Galaxy A52 sacrifices processing power for potentially better camera stabilization and a more immersive audio experience with Dolby Atmos.
- The Honor 70 sacrifices OIS and depth sensor for more powerful processing, a smoother display, faster charging, and better low-light camera performance due to its larger sensor.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Samsung Galaxy A52 Ideal User:
- Casual Photographers: Users who want a reliable camera with OIS for everyday photography and do not need a particularly high-end camera.
- Multimedia Consumers: Those who appreciate an immersive audio experience with Dolby Atmos and who want a display with good quality.
- Budget-Conscious Users: Buyers looking for a good mid-range phone with balanced features and are more price sensitive.
Use Cases:
- Taking everyday photos and videos with decent stability.
- Watching movies or TV shows with enhanced audio.
- Everyday general use with less demanding apps.
Honor 70 Ideal User:
- Mobile Gamers: Users who prioritize high performance for gaming and demanding applications.
- Power Users: Users who need fast charging and a smooth experience for multitasking.
- Social Media Enthusiasts: Users who prioritize high-quality photos, especially wide-angle, and fast performance.
Use Cases:
- Playing graphically intensive games.
- Heavy social media usage and content creation.
- Demanding multitasking.
- Users that want to charge less often, and to charge faster.
Price-to-Value Ratio:
- The Samsung Galaxy A52 offers a balanced feature set for its price, making it suitable for budget-conscious users.
- The Honor 70 offers a more premium experience, including much better performance, faster charging, and a better camera for its price.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- How important is performance and gaming to you? If you prioritize gaming and heavy app usage, the Honor 70 is the better choice. If you need something more basic, the A52 will do the job.
- Do you prioritize camera features such as OIS and portrait mode, or do you need a good main and wide-angle lens and better low-light performance? The A52 offers OIS and depth sensor while the Honor 70 offers a larger main sensor and a significantly better wide-angle camera.
- How important is fast charging and smooth display to you? The Honor 70 charges much faster and has a smoother 120Hz display.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Everyday Use with a Focus on Reliability. If you prioritize a reliable phone for daily use, media consumption, with good stabilization for pictures and video, the Samsung Galaxy A52 is a solid choice.
- Scenario 2: Gaming and Heavy Usage. If you prioritize high performance, speed and want a device for heavy gaming or for content creation that needs to be smooth, the Honor 70 is the clear winner.
- Scenario 3: High quality Pictures/Videos, with a focus on wide-angle. If the user prioritizes high quality and low-light photos, especially wide angle, the Honor 70 is the best option.
What I Would Choose and Why
If I were choosing between these two phones, I would pick the Honor 70. While the Samsung Galaxy A52 has some strengths, like OIS, a depth sensor, and Dolby Atmos, the Honor 70's advantages in crucial areas like performance, display smoothness, battery charging speed, and its much better wide-angle camera are more compelling for my needs.
I personally value a fluid, responsive experience, and the Honor 70's Snapdragon 778G+ chipset and 120Hz display would provide a noticeably better user experience, especially for gaming, and heavy social media usage which are the main uses I have for a mobile phone. The faster charging is also a significant advantage, reducing downtime and making it more convenient for daily use. While I might miss the OIS, the other improvements in the camera, especially with the wide-angle lens and the main sensor, make the Honor 70 the better choice for me. The larger main sensor, along with the higher resolution wide-angle camera on the Honor 70, would probably be more useful to me than OIS and a depth sensor. Additionally, the newer Bluetooth version and overall software give the Honor 70 a slight edge.
