The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is based on the design of the Galaxy A52s 5G and incorporates some elements of the new Galaxy S22 series. Its overall design looks contemporary and refreshed. The center frame is still made of poly carbonate, but it is wider with flatter sides, similar to those of the Galaxy S22 devices. The back panel retains the look of the Galaxy A52s 5G, with a poly carbonate back panel with a matte finish that feels smooth and quality, as well as repelling fingerprints and smudges well.
The Galaxy A53 5G’s rear camera module blends with the back panel but barely protrudes from it, as this phone is thicker than its predecessor. The darkened camera lens inserts are impressive. The 6.5-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED display of the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G remains unchanged from the Galaxy A52s 5G. The flat display is made of Gorilla Glass 5 for scratch protection. The left and right edges are relatively thin, while the top and bottom edges are significantly thicker. The fingerprint reader is integrated into the display.
It works as expected and is reliable. I like that Samsung has hidden the earpiece slot between the display and the top bezel, as it is barely visible. Just like the Galaxy A52s 5G, the Galaxy A53 5G has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. In terms of hardware, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is very much inspired by the Galaxy A52s 5G. This year, Samsung used the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G from the Galaxy A52s in the more expensive Galaxy A73 5G, while the Galaxy A53 5G features a new Samsung SoC called Exynos 1280.
This is the same SoC that also powers the lower-priced Galaxy A33 5G. The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G supports 5G, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC and the usual satellite navigation systems. The Galaxy A53 5G loses the 3.5 mm headphone jack of the previous model and does not come with a USB Type-C audio adapter in the box. The phone supports dual-5G standby and the dual-SIM hybrid tray can accept a microSD card of up to 1 TB.
Samsung’s decision to reserve the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC for the Galaxy A73 5G does not seem to be a very smart idea. Samsung’s Exynos 1280 SoC, tested in the Galaxy A53 5G, is quite snappy with regular use, but the benchmark numbers do not reflect a better experience. The Galaxy A53 5G scored 498 and 1,806 in Geekbench’s single- and multi-core tests and 3,72,582 points in AnTuTu.
These scores are closer to what would be expected from lower cost smartphones, which shows that the Galaxy A53 5G is underpowered for its price segment. In comparison, the older Samsung Galaxy A52s scored 739 and 2,733 points in Geekbench, making it more powerful than its successor. The cameras of the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G are identical to those of its predecessor. The rear camera configuration consists of 64-megapixel primary, 12-megapixel ultra-wide, 5-megapixel macro, and 5-megapixel depth. A 32-megapixel front camera takes care of selfies. The layout of the camera app is customizable, and there are numerous shortcuts in the viewfinder.
