Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review: Value-for-money phone
The Galaxy A53 5G is premium mid-range phone. It is available in two configurations--6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 128GB storage-- for Rs 34,499 and Rs 35,999, respectively.
On paper, it comes with a good set of specifications on par with rival brands, but does it have any special notable feature that makes Samsung phone different from others? Let's check it out.
Design, build quality, and display
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has a beautiful slim design language and I am yet to get my head around understanding how the company has managed to keep the phone thin and yet able to incorporate a massive 5,000mAh battery. It measures 8.1mm in thickness, 159.6 mm tall, and 74.8 mm wide.
The phone comes with a smooth shell with a frosted glass finish and a sturdy rail around the edges. It is very easy to hold on to the device and also, and the back side manages to resist the fingerprint smudges to an extent, but not fully. Only when we look at a certain angle, we will be able to see the stains.
I also love how Samsung has designed the camera module in the top left corner; it protrudes a bit, but never obstructs while slipping in or out of the pant pocket.
However, there is one casualty of the slim structure design. There is no space for the 3.5mm audio jack and users have to rely on wireless earphones. No, you won't find any in the retail box and even the charger is not coming too. This is a move to reduce the negative impact on the environment of mining raw materials to make accessories and phones. The company wants you to care for nature and rightly so, use the old adaptor. Thanks for the guilt trip Samsung.
On the bright side, the Galaxy A53 5G is one of the most durable in its class, as the device comes with an IP67 rating, meaning the device survives water pressure up to one metre (around three feet) for close to 30 minutes. Also, the display is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 shield and this takes care of scratches. This way the phone will serve you longer.
On the front, the Galaxy A53 sports a 6.5-inch full HD+ (1080 x 2400p) super AMOLED Infinity-O screen design. It offers a peak brightness of 800 nits and a pixel density of 405 ppi (pixels per inch).
Having used the device for a little over a week, I'd like to say that the Galaxy A53 has the best display in its class period. It is a treat to browse the internet, watch TV series, and videos on social media platforms, and play games on this Samsung phone.
With 120Hz refresh rate support, it delivers a smooth scrolling experience and I had a delightful time reading content on the Galaxy A53.
Also, the in-screen fingerprint is also good. It responds fast to the finger impression and unlocks the screen with a low false rejection rate. However, if you have sweaty hands, you better dry your finger and then try unlocking the phone.
Performance
The new Galaxy A53 5G is powered by Samsung's very own Exynos 1280 octa-core backed by 6GB/8GB RAM and 128GB/256GB storage (expandable up to 1TB).
During the entire testing period, the device was able to deliver smooth performance to my satisfaction. While using the cellular internet network for playing any games, the phone turns a bit warm, but not overwhelming to be concerned about. It comes with in-built cooling technology to dissipate the heat and does a decent job of it.
Though I hate seeing a lot of pre-loaded bloatware apps on the Samsung phones, I am happy the company is offering long-term software support.
Samsung's new runs Android 12-based One UI 4.1 OS. It is guaranteed to get four years of Android updates (Android 13, 14, 15, and 16 till 2026) and five years of security software support (up to 2027). It is more than Google offers to the Pixel phones. This is a welcome gesture by the South Korean company and this is sure will build strong loyalty among customers. Also, the device will serve you long. Yes, it supports several bands of 5G bands and if things go as planned, cellular service providers offer the high-speed internet service most of the major cities in India by the end of 2022.
As said before, the device comes with a 5,000mAh battery. It was able to consistently offer one and half days of battery life under normal usage. I usually use the phone to browse the internet, doom scroll on the newsfeed of the social media apps, and watch an hour (max) of videos on YouTube while commuting from the home to the office (and vice versa).
Even if you are an extreme user and consume a bit more content on OTT apps, it will serve you a full day. One piece of advice to the prospective owners is that always download the episodes or the movies the previous day preferably via Wi-Fi at home and stream them offline the next day. This way, you will save a lot of battery.
The company offers just the Type-C-to-Type-C cable with the retail box and the device supports 25W charging adaptor.
Photography
Samsung phone features a quad-camera module-- main 64MP (f/1.8, OIS: Optical Image Stabilisation) + ultra-wide 123-degree 12 MP (f/2.2) sensor + 5MP (f/2.4) depth sensor + 5MP (f/2.4) macro with LED flash on the back.
Like all premium phones, the Galaxy A53 5G takes pretty good photos in natural sunlight conditions. But, what makes the device special is that it supports an object eraser and remaster feature that takes the photography experience to another level. It is on par with the premium Galaxy S22 Ultra (review).
The ultra-wide-angle mode covers a slightly more area in the frame and we can see the difference when compared with the normal view mode. With the 2X zoom, it manages to keep the image quality still fine with less noise.
In the night mode, the Galaxy A53 5G does a quite good job of maintaining the dark essence of the night. I have seen some phones absorb too much light around and the image ends up looking like, it was taken in the evening. Here, Samsung's native camera manages to keep it near-natural.
As for portrait mode, I had to bit struggle to get a good photo of the flowers, but for human faces, it does a fine job of demarcating the edges of the head and ears clearly from the blurry background.
For flowers, I suggest the users take it in normal mode. Samsung's native camera app does an excellent job of capturing perfect and clear photos and the background has the bokeh effect. It feels very natural and never looks artificial at all.
It also comes with gyro-EIS (Electronic Image Stabilistion) and can record good stable high-resolution videos up to 4K at 30 fps (frames per second) and full HD (1080p) at 30/60 fps.
On the front, it houses a feature-rich 32 MP (f/2.2, 26mm wide lens, 1/2.8-inch sensor, 0.8µm pixel size) and can take HDR selfie photos. It also comes with an array of tools and filters including the Fun mode that makes the photos come out really colourful. Also, the portrait mode capture absolutely top-class photos with a perfect bokeh effect.
The front-facing camera can also record up to 4K videos too and if you have a good internet connection, you can do high-resolution video chat.
Final thoughts
Samsung's Galaxy A53 5G is well designed slim phone with a top-class AMOLED display. Performance-wise in terms of functioning day-to-day tasks and battery life is decent.
The camera is really good too and appreciates that the company offers premium features such Object eraser and photo remaster, which were previously exclusive only with the premium Galaxy S series. These bring more value to the Galaxy A53 5G and make it stand out among its peers.
Also, the company is offering four years of Android OS support and an additional year of security software. And, combined with an IP67 rating and Gorilla Glass 5 shield, the device is certain to serve the customer longer than any of the rival brands. These make the Galaxy A53 5G a compelling buy.
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