The Galaxy A53 is Samsung’s new commitment to the mid-range, the most competitive in the industry; perhaps that is why the company has had to invest more in offering a very attractive alternative.
When buying a mobile, one of the worst mistakes we can make is to aim higher than we should. It is too easy to get carried away by the luxury and high technology of the most advanced models, when it is very likely that we do not need so much for a mobile that we are going to use daily.
If you want a Samsung, for example, you may be tempted by one, with its quality materials, its cutting-edge processor and its spectacular screen. But the truth is that the new Galaxy A53 that I have been able to test more than meets all the requirements of the common user, and with a much lower price, 448.99 euros.
This is the Galaxy A53 5G
Samsung recently revamped its “A” range, dedicated to mid-range devices. In the case of the A53, on paper we have little news compared to its predecessor, the A52; but there are, and they can be the ‘nudge’ we needed to opt for this model and not a superior one.
All this means that the A53 is not exactly revolutionary within the Samsung range, but it is capable of striking the balance between cutting-edge technology and a tighter budget. We have the best example in the design, whose great novelty is the metallic edge that is very reminiscent of the same edge used on the S22; I guess it’s no coincidence, and the truth is that it gives it that ‘premium’ touch. But when we pick up the mobile, we realize that this edge is not made of metal; in fact, the A53 is made of plastic, something necessary to contain costs.
It’s not just that the metallic appearance ‘fools’ us, it’s that the touch also does it. The manufacturing quality is exceptional, at the level of an S22 despite not being made of the same materials. And aesthetically, it is a beautiful mobile, thanks in large part to the new colors implemented; The unit I’ve tested, in “Awesomeblue”, has a very pretty pale blue color on the back.
A back that, by the way, has a pleasant touch, like the rest of the mobile; It is well balanced, and at no time have I been afraid of breaking it. I feel like I could easily carry it without a case and that it would hold up just fine; On the other hand, I am afraid that the metallic edge will lose its shine over time, and that with that it will lose its attractiveness. All in all, this is a mobile designed to last, something that the software will confirm later.
Special mention for the set of cameras. While the rest of the manufacturers highlight it as much as possible, Samsung has opted for a small bulge that blends perfectly with the rest of the back, so that in some angles it even looks more like the S22 Ultra.
Unfortunately, this commitment to quality seems to have made a significant sacrifice, the 3.5mm audio jack, which disappears completely. At least, the microSD card support (in the same SIM slot) is maintained, so this mobile does not completely break with its mid-range roots.
With a weight of only 189 grams, and excellent weight distribution, the A53 is very usable and easy to carry; in fact, in terms of usability, the only ‘but’ that I can put is the location of the fingerprint reader under the screen, which is too low and means putting the finger in a forced position.
A great screen for this price range
While we’re on the screen, I can’t help but praise Samsung. We already knew that at the moment it produces the best screens in the sector, and with this A53 it has not cut costs. We are facing a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel that could well be used in a 200-euro more expensive mobile without problems.
This panel has all the advantages of AMOLED, including perfect blacks and exceptional color treatment; the resolution of 1080 x 2400 is sufficient for a device of this size, so it is possible to enjoy all kinds of content. The brightness reaches 800 nits, a very respectable figure that allows outdoor use without problems. Regarding the last generation, Samsung has told us that it has improved the edges, and although it is true that they are not very thick, they are still noticeable if we look for them. The treatment of the colors is good enough to review the photos we take without using a separate computer, with the assurance that the colors are faithful.
On paper it is a great screen to enjoy HDR content; however, I have had some trouble with it. The YouTube app, for example, does not detect this mobile as capable of playing HDR content, something really strange since technically there should be nothing to prevent it. Most likely it’s a simple certificate issue, and it can be fixed over time. If nothing else, the speakers offer a good stereo experience in surround content.
As usual, this is a fast panel, but what is striking is that it reaches a refresh rate of 120 Hz, so the interface is very smooth and the feeling when using the device is very good, without jumps or moments when that we feel that it goes ‘slow’. That also implies that it is good for video games. However, Samsung has not implemented variable refresh technology, so if we decide that the panel goes to 120 Hz, it will never go below that figure.
That is not a problem, except if we want the battery to last longer. Other models have implemented methods that make the screen drop as low as 1 Hz, depending on the content, but we don’t have that on the A53. The only option if we want to improve battery life is to put the screen at 60 Hz, like a normal mobile.
Hardware: Samsung’s bet has a long way to go
Perhaps for this reason, Samsung has decided to increase the capacity of the battery, which goes up to 5,000 mAh; a very good figure, but that in conventional use has not had an impact on more hours with the mobile on. At least, it is possible to complete a day of continuous use without much trouble; Plus, we’ve got fast charging, but as usual with Samsung, there’s a lot of fine print. The company does not specify in the data sheet how powerful the fast charge is, but the consensus is that it is 25 W, which leaves it one step below other alternatives, which use at least 65W chargers. That means that it will take a little longer to recover the full charge. Also, Samsung has made the decision not to include the charger in the box; in return, the box is smaller and more ecological, in a clear attempt to give a more ‘green’ image. In the price range of the A53, I don’t see it as such a big problem, but we’ll see if we can say the same about the other models in the range.
Another hardware decision that can bring controversy is the processor. Instead of playing it safe, and opting for a Qualcomm Snapdragon, Samsung has opted for its new processor, a model so secret that it was not announced until the A53 reached the hands of the press.
The new Exynos 1280 has eight cores, two at 2.40 Ghz and six more at 2.00 Ghz. It has been developed in collaboration with AMD, and therefore, in that sense it is very similar to the Exynos 2200 used in the S22, saving the gap. For example, it is also committed to a new manufacturing process, in this case 5 nm, which makes the processor more efficient, consuming less and emitting less heat; It is something that I have been able to verify first hand, since this mobile does not get hot even if we ‘crush’ it with all kinds of consecutive tests. That has pleasantly surprised me, given the tendency of Snapdragon phones to get too hot.
The improvements of the new processor are not only noticeable in the pure performance, but also in all the functions of the mobile. For example, I am convinced that it affects photography. Although the cameras of the A53 are not bad, the truth is that they have not improved at all compared to past generations; in fact, the sensors are the same as those used in the Galaxy A52. So the 64 MP main sensor is good, but it won’t surprise anyone; What I have noticed is that it captures the colors in a more vibrant way than what we are used to in this type of configuration, perhaps the result of Samsung’s algorithms. I suspect that the Exynos 1280 works in that direction to improve photos, something that is also noticeable in the 12 MP wide angle and 5 MP macro camera. Be careful, they do not exactly produce spectacular photos, but they are better than I expected.
But not all are good news. I already said in the analysis that the union of Samsung and AMD still has a way to go, and this model confirms it for me. In terms of raw power, this Exynos 1280 is clearly behind, and has not achieved good scores in any of the ‘benchmarks’ tests that I have tried; for example, it gets only 1890 points in Geekbench and 2288 points in 3DMark Wild Life. Ok, if we crush it it won’t get hot, but it won’t be able to keep up with the most demanding users either.
In real tests, the blow has not been so hard. I have been able to use the mobile without problems, and it has responded well to my requests. Whether it’s browsing the web, using apps, or watching videos, it’s a good experience, and I think Samsung’s One UI layer has helped that a lot. While the hardware work can be improved, I think it is ‘saved’ by the software work, with a fast, clean interface that offers everything we could want from a Samsung mobile, including access to its platforms. Gaming is where the software can’t do much, and while games like PUBG run fine, the frame rates aren’t very high, and other titles like Genshin Impact require lowering the quality of the graphics.
The new Exynos may lack some optimization, but something I want to make very clear is that it is something that you will only notice in the most demanding apps. In conventional use, I highly doubt anyone will be able to tell the difference between the A53’s performance and the A52’s performance, even though the latter is superior based on the tests.
It’s a Samsung, and that’s enough
In the end, that’s what I really want to keep from the Samsung Galaxy A53: that it’s a real Samsung experience. This is not a reduced or limited version. For the average user, there really isn’t much of a difference on a day-to-day basis between the A53 and the S22; only enthusiasts will notice the difference in performance, the better screen or the better materials. But everyone…
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