Photo: Samsung |
“Although the upgrading is not as huge compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy A53 5G is still a beauty, capable, and enticing comes with Samsung's assurance of quality, and is available at a fair price.”
Overview
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is not all recognizably distinct
from the A52 and A51 that came before it. However, Samsung visibly feels it did
not need any significant refit to an already recognized and at that a very
well-received formulation. Particularly, Samsung has not only raised to a
higher standard the A53 wherever needed, but it also writes down $50 off the
previous price and put the phone alone in a spot that makes a difference. But
was the decision, just? I think it is! Well, at least effectively. Let us find
out whether Samsung’s $449 Galaxy A53 5G is still a good buy.
The Design
Photo: Samsung |
Does Samsung’s design department have been somewhat lazy, lately? Maybe, but then how come when the Galaxy A53 seems impressively splendid. In terms of design, there is almost nothing to set apart the Galaxy A53 5G from the Galaxy A52 5G. The back may be built of plastic but possesses a great deep feel and a gratifying distinctiveness that provide enough grip. The Gorilla Glass 5 over the screen is just like the A52 and Galaxy A52S. For this article which is the milky-whitish finish, it does not show fingerprints or blotches except if you thoroughly dagger-look the device.
Additionally, the sweeping, integrated camera module is
stylish and does not extend beyond too much. Though, there are some tiny
differences in size – it is 8.1mm thick, compared to 8.4mm thick like the A52
5G. The weight is still the same at 189 grams. An IP67 water-resistance rating
gives you peace of mind and is not done often on phones at this price level.
Samsung has removed the 3.5mm headphone jack on the Galaxy A53 which may mostly
frustrate others who are music minded. The Galaxy A53 is rather chunky that may
find one-handed use a bit of a concern which is not helped by the fingerprint
sensor being placed relatively low on display.
Ergonomically, Samsung gets fixed the whole thing that was
horrendous with regards to the Galaxy A52. Though it is not fairly as fast as
the finest fingerprint sensors available on phones like the OnePlus 10 Pro, what matters most is that it is reliable.
It is a huge enhancement over that bad fingerprint sensor on the Galaxy A52. As
we all know, a fingerprint sensor was indeed the only most important downside
of the Galaxy A52. So, a better sensor is a great deal here.
Samsung was justified in not changing the Galaxy A53’s
trendy design and durability. Yes, it may perhaps be a familiar one, but with
its nitty-gritty enhancements, it is by far excellent.
The Display and Performance
Photo: Samsung |
The Galaxy A53 with a wide range of viewing angles, blaring
stereo sound, and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate is what makes the Galaxy A53 and
excellent, multimedia phone. An ideal choice for someone who often watches a
video or listens to music but barely gets a passing interest in games. All of
this is viewed on a 2400 x 1080-pixel resolution 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display
at a 120Hz refresh rate. The same panel as the Galaxy A52. Colors are so vivid
and bright that it echoes the images generated by the phone’s camera.
Interestingly, the Galaxy A53 is run with a Samsung Exynos 1280 octa-core processor, which is
different than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750 or Snapdragon 778 used in the A52
phones series. This Galaxy A53 is available in 6GB or 8GB RAM and 128GB or
256GB storage space options. It is one of the few phones to come with space for
a MicroSD card slot, so you do not have to directly get the 256GB model.
Yet, the Galaxy A53 points it gained with the much-improved
fingerprint sensor, is a loss, for this phone is not always a performer. It is
not always the speediest with noticeable hesitations and sluggishness which
sometimes appear throughout the software. Though, not a bit of them are
deal-breakers and not a bit is drastically affecting the phone daily, you will
notice them. Such as it takes the Galaxy A53 a substantial amount of time to
start, and apps take a second longer than expected to open. The camera is a bit
slow to take photos, and a few transitions and animations are not all that
slick.
Though it may seem strange, it may not be caused by the
Exynos 1280 processor entirely, since the problems tend to become worse after
waking up the phone after it has been left alone for a while. This suggests
that some aggressive power management may well be at work. Still, this does not
affect games. In a moment, the hesitation would disappear and there was no
telling evidence of harsh frame rate drops. However, the Galaxy A53 is ‘good’
enough for the casual gamer but it is not for the serious player. This phone
does get warm to the touch when playing for a while, indicating that the
processor is working hard to keep up.
The Camera
Photo: Samsung |
The Galaxy A53 5G comes with a quad-camera at the back: a 64-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization (OIS), a pair of 5MP cameras for macro and depth, and a 12MP wide-angle camera with a 123-degree field of view. The camera set-up is the same as the Galaxy A52 and the same 32MP selfie camera is mounted at the top center of the display. Additionally, it features Night mode and a Pro mode, Samsung’s Single Take mode, and video recording of up to 4K and 30fps or FHD at 60fps. Furthermore, the augmented reality effects work very well, plus there are also various Snapchat Lenses built into the camera.
Realism is not at all the aim here. In its place, it is
giving you the picture-perfect social media photo without any need for editing.
Generally, the Galaxy A53 takes good photos. Consistency is adequate between
the main and wide-angle cameras. Lowlight performances are good without
excessive noise in images plus the selfie camera captures skin tones and details
effectively.
The photo editing suite of Galaxy A53 is great which adds
versatility to the camera system. With the Object Eraser mode, it seems to work well in the same way
it does on more expensive Galaxy smartphones. In addition, it comes with a Spot
Color mode plus plenty of filters as well. Overall, the A53 camera is great for
casual and fun use. It may not be going to challenge the best
camera phones out there, but the sure thing is, if you want to take
good photos and share them online, it will not frustrate you!
The Software
In this review, the Galaxy A53 comes with an Android 12 with
Samsung’s One UI 4.1 installed, along with Google’s May 1 security patch. The
same software you will find on the Galaxy S22, the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and the Galaxy Z Fold 3. In addition, Samsung has promised four
years of software updates and five years of security updates. The best
long-term support one can get on any phone outside of Google’s Pixel series or
an Apple iPhone. This is especially a welcoming package for a phone that does
not cost $1,000 or more.
Moreover, Samsung’s One UI suits most personal preferences
for software on a smartphone. It is wisely conceived and retains a lot of what
makes Android 12 appealing. From the HOME screen is Google
Discover which is just a swipe away along with loads of customizations. And
since the default settings are sufficient, you will not be promptly directed to
force change much. The Galaxy A53 always-on display is informative enough with
reliable and interactive notifications. Also available is Google Pay if Samsung Wallet is not your type of payment option.
Connectivity
Connectivity is not an issue here. Call quality or
connecting to 4G and 5G networks and pairing it with Bluetooth headphones,
especially Samsung’s models is fast and stable. Short-range wireless high-speed
data connections (WLAN) between mobile data devices and nearby Wi-Fi access
points are provided by Wi-Fi 802.11 dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct. USB is Type C
On-The-Go
The Battery
Photo: Samsung |
The A53 has a 5,000mAh battery, which can last for two days if you are not a devoted gamer. On average use, such as browsing, messaging, some video, and the camera, the battery has not seen to dip below 50% on a day’s use. However, it is different if you are a power-hungry gamer, the A53 will gobble up the battery’s power. It may still last a day or two unless you are playing for hours. But if you are pushing the phone hard, a trip to the charger at the end of the day will surely avoid any anxiety.
Moreover, the phone supports 25W fast charging, using
Qualcomm’s Power Delivery 3.0 standard. Charging takes about 80 minutes.
Samsung charges $35 for the official version, but cheaper ones such as PD 3.0
compatible chargers can be purchased from other manufacturers. That will do the
same job.
The Price and Availability
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G costs around $ 315 or £282 British
pounds. It can be available to purchase through retailers including Amazon and
Best Buy, and through most other networks with a contract. Likewise, all other
carriers and the unlocked models support Sub-6 5G. Interestingly, Verizon sells
a version called the Galaxy A53 5G UW, that connects to its mmWave 5G network
costing around $500.
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is a fairly priced, reliable,
appealing, interesting, and everyday capable smartphone.
Full Specifications
NETWORK
Technology: GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
BODY
Dimensions: 159.6
x 74.8 x 8.1 mm (6.28 x 2.94 x 0.32 in)
Weight: 189
g (6.67 oz)
Build: Glass
front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back
SIM: Single
SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
IP67
dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins)
PLATFORM
OS: Android
12, One UI 4.1
Chipset: Exynos
1280 (5 nm)
CPU: Octa-core
(2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU: Mali-G68
DISPLAY
Type: Super
AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits (HBM)
Size: 6.5
inches, 102.0 cm2 (~85.4% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution: 1080
x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density)
Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 5
MEMORY
Card slot: microSDXC
(uses shared SIM slot)
Internal: 128GB
4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM,
256GB 8GB RAM
MAIN CAMERA
Quad: 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm
(wide), 1/1.7X", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS
12
MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm
5
MP, f/2.4, (macro)
5
MP, f/2.4, (depth)
Features: LED
flash, panorama, HDR
Video: 4K@30fps,
1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS
SELFIE CAMERA
Single: 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide),
1/2.8", 0.8µm
Features: HDR
Video: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps
SOUND
Loudspeaker: Yes,
with stereo speakers
3.5mm jack: No
COMMS
WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band,
Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth: 5.1,
A2DP, LE
GPS: Yes, with A-GPS,
GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
NFC: Yes
(market/region dependent)
Radio: No
USB: USB
Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go
FEATURES
Sensors: Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer | Virtual proximity sensing
BATTERY
Type: Li-Po
5000 mAh, non-removable
Charging: Fast
charging 25W
MISCELLANEOUS
Colors: Black, White, Blue, Peach
Models: SM-A536B,
SM-A536B/DS, SM-A536U, SM-A536U1, SM-A5360, SM- A536E, SM-A536E/DS,
SM-A536V
SAR: 0.75
W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body)
SAR EU: 0.89
W/kg (head) 1.60 W/kg (body)
LAUNCH
Announced: 2022,
March 17, 2022
Status: Available March 24, 2022
PRICE: $ 314.98 / € 322.99 / £ 282.00 / C$ 419.97
________________________________________________________________________
This site is reader-supported. Hence, it may earn
a small commission from affiliated partners for qualifying purchases should you
choose to buy through our links.