Your Galaxy A52s deserves a real replacement, Samsung already made one

Without a doubt, the Galaxy A52s is one of the best mid-range phones Samsung has ever made. And you most likely already know this if you've held on to it for the past four years.

But nothing lasts forever, and neither did the A52s. As we mentioned earlier today, the phone is no longer supported with new firmware updates and security patches as of this month. And unless you're okay with that, it's finally time for an upgrade.

We know it's been difficult to find an awesome replacement for the stellar Galaxy A52s all these years. But in 2025, we can confidently say that the best Galaxy A phone that can and should replace your retired Galaxy A52s is the Galaxy A56.

Unless you want to spend more on a higher-end S-series device, the Galaxy A56 is, in essence, the perfect upgrade.

Apart from the lack of a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm headphone port, the Galaxy A56 is vastly superior in every aspect. Some highlights include:

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the Galaxy A56 really is better than the sum of its parts. It's the first mid-range Galaxy A phone we have experienced to boast more than two-day battery life and flagship-like UI performance.

Why is the Galaxy A56 as good as it is compared to all of its predecessors? Perhaps Samsung knew that long-time Galaxy A52 and A52s users would look for a proper replacement this year. And, fortunately, they've got it.

The Galaxy A36 may also seem tempting, but it's a bit of a mixed bag. On paper, the Galaxy A36 possesses many qualities that are similar to the A56, and it's cheaper. So it might seem like a better and more sensible replacement for your Galaxy A52s if you're on a tighter budget.

And in most ways, it is. Just like the A56, the Galaxy A36 is better built, has a vastly superior screen, improved cameras, a bigger and faster battery, a modern design, and extended firmware support with access to One UI 8.0.

So what's the issue? Well, the main and arguably only reason why Galaxy A52s users may want to avoid the Galaxy A36 is performance, or lack thereof.

While the Galaxy A56's Exynos 1580 chip is surprisingly decent, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 powering the A36 falls a bit short.

In fact, your Galaxy A52s' Snapdragon 778G was so powerful when it debuted a few years ago that it can still keep up with the performance levels displayed by the newer Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip.

You might get better energy efficiency from the Gen 3 solution, but if your main concern is to gain more performance from your Galaxy A52s replacement, the A36 isn't it. And, once more, the A56 is your best option.

If performance gains are secondary and you can manage expectations in this area, you can still benefit from many upgrades and new features if you pick A36 in the end.