Intro
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G serves as the successor of the Galaxy A51 and pricier than the A51 because of the 5G functionality. It is similar to its predecessor, but features an upgraded 64 MP main camera, an increased-capacity 4500 mAh battery, and IP67 water and dust resistance.
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Samsung Galaxy A53 5G specs
- OS/Software: Android 12, One UI 4.1.
- Display: 6.5 inches | 1080x2400px resolution,
- Rear camera: 64 MP + 12 MP+ 5 MP + 5 MP
- Front camera: 32 MP
- Chipset: Exynos 1280 Octa-core
- RAM: 4/6/8GB
- Storage: 128/256 GB
- Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 25W.
Pros
- Good display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Expandable storage up to 1TB
- Nice design and build quality
- Excellent software support
Cons
- Mediocre performance
- Slow charging
- No charger included
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review: Design
One of the best things about the Galaxy A53 is its design being simple but effective. It’s almost identical to its predecessor, save for a few millimeters here and there. Honestly, the lack of change isn’t a bad thing for this device.
The plastic body feels nice and far from cheap, even if it does pick up fingerprint smudges rather easily. The plastic back isn’t as premium as glass, but the new colors still look and feel ‘Awesome.’ It’s resistant to pesky fingerprint smudges and comes in four “Awesome” shades: Black, White, Blue, and Peach.
It does feature an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, meaning it can survive submersion up to 1 meter (3 feet) for 30 minutes. The overall build quality and durability haven’t changed, however. This is still a very well-made phone.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review: Display
The phone boasts an impressive 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel, the same as you’d find on the previous Galaxy A52 5G. This is a bright, attractive screen capable of excellent colour range and smooth scrolling.
You get a sharp Full HD+ resolution, a smooth 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and up to 800 units of peak brightness. A $449 phone with a 120Hz display is definitely wild, and it’s the nicest display I’ve seen at this price. Unlike Samsung’s more expensive phones, the Galaxy A53 does not adjust that refresh rate automatically.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review: Audio
Audio is also impressive, with stereo sound delivered by the included speakers. This is another oddity at the price, and together with the screen this will make the A53 a tempting option for anyone who sits on their phone watching movies or playing games. Of course, there’s no headphone jack, but both USB-C and wireless headphones are supported.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review: Cameras
The Galaxy A53 needs to prove itself when it comes to cameras, since the Pixel 5a and iPhone SE (2022) are stellar in this regard. Samsung has essentially left the camera setup unchanged from the A52 and A52s, though with so much of modern smartphone photography handled computationally, the change in chipset could still have an impact on photo quality.
The device boasts of a quad camera setup with a 64MP main sensor joined by 12MP ultra wide, 5MP macro, and 5MP depth shooters. Around front, you’ll find a 32MP selfie cam.
The main 64Mp camera is capable of really bright, punchy shots in good light, and thanks to a wide f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization it holds its own in dimmer conditions too, preserving detail and contrast nicely. Photos taken by the Galaxy A53 5G avoid the oversaturation that has plagued Samsung cameras in the past. Quality certainly drops when it gets really dark, and this is still where flagship phones pull apart from the pack.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review: Performance
With its Exynos 1280 system-on-chip, the Galaxy A53 won’t win any performance races. That said, the phone does fine in day-to-day use, though it’s not the best gaming device you can get at this price. This phone is slow, whether you’re using one app or trying to multitask. RAM seems to be the main issue: despite my review sample boasting 6GB of memory the phone struggles to keep multiple apps running at once. It’s not all bad. 5G is supported, as is NFC for card payments and Bluetooth 5. The Galaxy A53 outperforms the Pixel 5a in every regard, though the latter features a chipset that’s almost two years old.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review: Battery life and charging
The Galaxy A53 packs a 5,000 mAh battery, which is pretty large. The phone comfortably lasts a full day, and light users will probably find it can stretch to two. Charging is less exciting, but that’s as true for Samsung’s most expensive phones as it is for this one really. Wired charging is limited to 25W speeds – resolutely sluggish by modern Android standards, even among cheap phones. Samsung also doesn’t include a charger with the phone, so you’ll have to buy your own.
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Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review: Software
Samsung did a great job with the Galaxy A53’s software. It’s the same One UI 4.1 that you’ll find on the Galaxy S22, and that means the device is running Android 12. That includes many customization features, better privacy and security, and Samsung’s commitment to updates.
Android 12 introduced a new theming engine under the Material You design language. It basically takes colors from your wallpaper and applies them as accents across the system. Samsung’s heavy interface can sometimes be sluggish even on high-end devices, and the sluggishness moving around the phone and opening apps can almost certainly be explained in part by the One UI software layer.
Finally, the Galaxy A53 will enjoy the best update schedule of any Android phone. Samsung has committed to providing four years of Android updates for its phones, including the Galaxy A53.
Price and availability
The Galaxy A53 comes in at a very attractive $449/£399 price. For that money, you get 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (with microSD card support up to 1TB). You can buy the phone directly from Samsung and other electronics retailers.
Verdict
The Galaxy A53 is the best cheap Android phone and a great phone for $449. The 120Hz display is really nice, especially at this price. The ultra-wide camera and dedicated night mode also go a long way to making the case for the Galaxy A53. The A53 looks great, it’s well-built, the camera and display are among the best at this price, and the software support is bested only by Apple. The performance is decent though not the best for gamers and high productivity users.
