1. Specifications Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison of the Samsung Galaxy A72 and Honor Magic5 Pro, focusing on real-world implications:
Design
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Honor Magic5 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Size | 165 × 77.4 × 8.4 mm | 162.9 × 76.7 × 8.8 mm | A72 is slightly taller; Magic5 Pro is slightly thicker. Difference in hand feel will be marginal. |
| Weight | 203g | 219g | A72 feels lighter in the hand, potentially more comfortable for longer use. |
Display
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Honor Magic5 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.7" | 6.81" | Very similar screen size, minimal difference. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1312x2848 | Magic5 Pro has a much sharper display, noticeably clearer text and images, making for a more visually pleasing experience. |
| PPI | 394 | 460 | Magic5 Pro has a significantly higher pixel density, resulting in a crisper and more detailed image. |
| Technology | AMOLED | OLED | Both provide vibrant colors and deep blacks. Minimal difference in practical terms. |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 120Hz | Magic5 Pro offers smoother scrolling and animations, a more fluid experience, especially for gaming and fast-paced content. |
| Brightness | 800 nits | 1800 nits | Magic5 Pro is significantly brighter, making it much easier to use outdoors in sunlight. |
Performance
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Honor Magic5 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G (8 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Magic5 Pro offers drastically faster performance, with quicker app loading, smoother multitasking, and more demanding gaming capabilities. |
| Antutu Score | 285,000 | 1,406,562 | Magic5 Pro has a significantly higher performance, leading to much smoother and faster performance in all tasks. |
| GPU | Adreno 618 | Adreno 740 | Magic5 Pro provides superior graphics performance, especially beneficial for gamers and graphically intensive apps. |
Camera
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Honor Magic5 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 64MP, f/1.8, 0.8µm | 50MP, f/1.6, 1/1.12" sensor, 1.40µm pixel size | Magic5 Pro has larger sensor and wider aperture, capturing more light and detail, leading to superior low-light performance; A72 has higher megapixel count. |
| Telephoto | 8MP, f/2.4, 1/4.4" sensor, 1.00µm | 50MP, f/3.0, 1/2.51" sensor, 0.64µm | Magic5 Pro has significantly higher resolution and larger sensor, offering better zoom and portrait quality, while A72 has wider aperture. |
| Selfie | 32MP, f/2.2, 0.80µm pixel size | 12MP, f/2.4, 1.22µm pixel size | A72 has a higher megapixel count, while Magic5 Pro has larger pixel size, which should translate to slightly better low light selfies |
| Wide Angle Lens | 12MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm pixel size | Not present | A72 has a dedicated wide-angle lens, allowing for wider shots; Magic5 Pro lacks it. |
| Macro Lens | 5MP, f/2.4, 1.12µm pixel size | Not Present | A72 has a dedicated macro lens for capturing close-up images, which the Magic5 Pro lacks. |
| Wide Angle + Macro | Not Present | 50MP, f/2.0, 1/2" sensor, 0.70 µm pixel size | Magic5 Pro has a high resolution combined wide angle and macro lens, allowing for better wide and close-up shots. |
| ToF 3D Sensor | Not Present | 0.3MP sensor | Magic5 Pro provides depth information for better AR and portrait mode. |
| Video | 4K@30fps with EIS, 1080p@60fps with EIS | 4K@60fps with HDR, EIS, 1080p@60fps with HDR, EIS | Magic5 Pro offers better quality and features for video recording, including HDR and 60fps at 4k resolution, in addition to a greater slow-motion capture rate |
| DXOMark Mobile | 92 | 152 | Honor Magic5 Pro significantly outperforms in overall camera quality. |
| DXOMark Selfie | Not Present | 123 | Honor Magic5 Pro has been tested by DXOMark for selfie camera and achieved good scores. |
Battery
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A72 | Honor Magic5 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 5100mAh | Very similar battery capacity, suggesting comparable battery life, but real-world usage may differ. |
| Charging | 25W fast charging | 66W fast charging | Magic5 Pro charges much faster, reducing downtime significantly. |
| Features | 15W Fast Charger included | 50W Wireless, Silicon-carbon battery, Reverse Charging 5W | Magic5 Pro has additional wireless charging and reverse charging; A72 includes the 15W fast charger. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Samsung Galaxy A72 Advantages:
- Lighter Design: At 203g, it is noticeably lighter and might be more comfortable for extended use.
- Dedicated Wide Angle and Macro Lens: Offers dedicated lenses for wide-angle and macro shots for more versatility.
- Included Fast Charger: Ships with a 15W fast charger in the box
Honor Magic5 Pro Advantages:
- Superior Performance: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset offers a huge performance leap, making it much faster in all tasks.
- Higher Resolution and Brighter Display: Offers a sharper and much brighter screen, enhancing visual experiences, especially outdoors.
- Better Camera System: The significantly higher DXOMark score indicates superior photo and video quality. The telephoto, standard and wide angle + macro sensors are much higher in resolution and have better low light capture capabilities due to the sensor size. The video capture is also significantly better with 4K HDR at 60 FPS.
- Faster Charging: 66W fast charging, combined with 50W wireless charging.
- More RAM and Storage Options: Offers up to 16GB RAM and 512 GB of storage.
- Newer Connectivity Standards: Has newer standards for Wifi and Bluetooth for faster connections.
- eSIM support: The ability to use an eSIM and physical SIM simultaneously.
Trade-offs:
- The Magic5 Pro is heavier and thicker than the A72.
- The A72 has a dedicated wide angle and macro lens while the Magic5 Pro combines those into a single unit.
- The A72 has a much older operating system (Android 11) while the Magic5 Pro uses the newer Android 13.
- The selfie camera on the A72 has significantly higher megapixel count compared to the Magic5 Pro, but the Magic5 Pro has better pixel size.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Samsung Galaxy A72 Ideal Users:
- Budget-conscious users: Looking for a balance of features and affordability.
- Users who prefer a lighter phone: Prioritizing comfort over the latest performance.
- Users who value dedicated macro and wide-angle lenses: Prefer versatility over all-out image quality.
- Casual users: Do not require the latest processor for light multitasking.
- Users who don't need to use the phone in extremely bright conditions: Not a problem for users who mostly use the phone indoors.
Specific Use Cases:
- Everyday social media browsing.
- Casual photography and videography in decent lighting.
- Long-form content consumption.
Honor Magic5 Pro Ideal Users:
- Power users: Require top-tier performance for gaming, multitasking, and demanding apps.
- Photography enthusiasts: Want the best possible photo and video quality from their smartphone.
- Users who value a premium display: Desire a vibrant, sharp, and bright screen.
- Users who need fast charging: Want minimal downtime.
- Users who need the phone in bright sunlight: Need a high brightness screen for outdoor use.
Specific Use Cases:
- High-end mobile gaming.
- Professional-grade photography and videography.
- Heavy multitasking and productivity.
- Outdoor usage in all conditions.
4. Decision Framework
Here are three key questions for buyers to consider:
- What is your primary use case for the phone? If it's basic use, the A72 suffices. For heavy tasks, the Magic5 Pro is the clear winner.
- How important is camera quality? If you need the best possible imaging, the Magic5 Pro is better. If you prioritize wide angle and macro versatility at the expense of image quality, the A72 might suffice.
- What is your budget? The A72 is likely much more affordable, while the Magic5 Pro is a premium device.
Scenario-based recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Casual user, primarily uses the phone for browsing and social media, light games.
- Recommendation: Samsung Galaxy A72. It offers a good enough display, camera, and performance for these needs while being more affordable.
- Scenario 2: Photography enthusiast who also enjoys playing the latest mobile games.
- Recommendation: Honor Magic5 Pro. The performance, screen, and camera will provide a vastly superior experience.
- Scenario 3: User who needs a dependable device that can be used outdoors while capturing a decent video.
- Recommendation: Honor Magic5 Pro. The much brighter screen makes the device usable in bright conditions and the superior camera can capture excellent videos.
My Choice:
If I were choosing between these two phones, I would pick the Honor Magic5 Pro. While it is heavier and more expensive, the performance jump is significant, especially the vastly improved camera quality and significantly better screen make it a compelling choice for me. I prioritize performance for gaming, app usage, and video capture capabilities, which are areas where the Magic5 Pro excels. While the A72 offers good performance for the price, the overall experience on the Magic5 Pro will be significantly superior, due to the newer processor, faster memory, better screen and vastly superior camera system. The brighter screen will make outdoor use more enjoyable and the faster charging will make it more convenient for everyday usage.
