Even as the spotlight continues to shine on the high-profile Galaxy S22 flagship series, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A53 5G in India. The A series is now Samsung’s most significant line in terms of global sales at a time when many customers are seeking affordable smartphones that tick key boxes. We enjoyed testing the A52 last year with its elegant build and immersive screen, and it also boasted a versatile camera. The Samsung A53 5G builds on that proposition with some handy enhancements.
Scandinavian chic
We’ve said this before, it’s easy to imagine the Samsung A53 rolling out of a Nokia assembly line in the 2010s. The clean lines, the placement of the rear camera lenses and the choice of pastel shades (there’s a peachy orange in the mix too) all add up. This is minimalist Scandinavian design at its best. Just the kind of smartphone that belongs in a hipster café. The device feels good in your hand despite a 5000 mAh battery and a large 6.5-inch display. It may not boast of a glass display but that doesn’t take away from its charm. The flagship level features kick in with the IP67 dust and water resistance. We also approve of the smudge-resistant back.
Brilliant colours
The 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display on the Galaxy A52 was our favourite feature. It’s the same with the A53 5G. It’s the same vibrant 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display (1080 x 2400 pixels / 405 PPI). Samsung has bumped up the refresh rate form 90Hz to 120Hz and it makes it buttery smooth. The stereo speakers add to its appeal as a binge watch screen. Samsung omits a 3.5mm headphone jack.
A refreshed camera
On paper, the camera specs are similar to the A52 but Samsung’s software optimisations give the A53 an edge. It’s a versatile camera that combines four lenses including a 64MP primary lens with OIS that impacts lowlight photography. Results were quite impressive on the macro mode too. There’s also fun mode that can help you kill time with Snapchat-style filters. Add the 32MP selfie cam and it’s a solid proposition, one of the best at its price point.
Hardware specs
Samsung has prioritised the camera and the display over the hardware firepower but it should satisfy your need for speed. At its heart is an Exynos 1280 chipset. Our review unit came with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, there’s also a 6GB/128GB version. The device clocked an impressive 1821 in our Geekbench (multi-core) test. The A53 comes with Android 12 layered with Samsung’s One UI 4.1 out of the box. Samsung’s user interface is quite easy on the eye but we wish there was less bloatware and pre-installed apps. Battery life is solid, there’s no charging brick in the box however.
It all adds up
With the Samsung A53 5G, you can tell there have been key improvements to last year’s Samsung Galaxy A52. This device is 5G-ready and boasts an improved processor and camera performance. The 120Hz refresh rate adds to the immersive appeal of the 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display. It all makes the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G a serious contender in the affordable flagship segment.
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G comes in two variants – 6GB/128GB (Rs 34,499) and 8GB/128GB (Rs 35,999), and a choice of four colours (Orange, White, Awesome Black and Light Blue)
