How can a good midrange phone be improved? If you’re Samsung, you replace the built-in charger with an external one, increase the battery capacity, and reduce the cost by $50. By following that formula, you can obtain the $449 Galaxy A53 5G.
Samsung adhered to the fundamental principle of not fixing what is not broken. The design, screen, and other components are all carryovers from the previous year’s model. Even though the Exynos chipset replaced the Snapdragon CPU, performance has remained fairly consistent. Although losing the previously provided charging brick is disappointing, it was inevitable.
The fact that Samsung has strengthened its already robust software support policy is much better than the modest spec increases. Four years of platform upgrades for Android OS and five years of security updates will be provided for the A53 5G. As long as Google continues to provide security updates for its premium Pixel 6 phones, that is. While receiving any form of update five years after launch is amazing for a midrange Android handset, don’t anticipate receiving frequent upgrades as the device nears its end of life.
Some of the software issues we had with Samsung have also been rectified. One UI 4.1, which runs on Android 12 and is preinstalled on the A53 5G, is a tad cleaner than the previous version. But because it’s still a Samsung device, with its own app store, virtual assistant, and collection of pre-downloaded apps, Samsung still badly wants you to live in their universe.
The Galaxy A53 5G could provide a good return on your investment if you’re content to live in Samsung’s world or at least don’t mind putting up with it.
It’s about the greatest phone screen you can get for the money at this price point
The 6.5-inch OLED on the A53 5G has a 120Hz refresh rate and provides good quality at 1080p resolution. However, under all other circumstances, it is a rich, brilliant display, and the rapid refresh rate keeps things looking fluid. It can be a little challenging to see in particularly bright outside conditions. It’s about the best you can get from a phone screen at this price point.
For biometric unlocking, an in-display fingerprint scanner is available. I believe Samsung when they say it’s the same one used in the A52 5G. However, I’m finding it easier than I did with the old model, and it seems like I’m getting fewer reminders to try again. Perhaps the software has improved. I might be more patient now. Who is to say? Although it is a beat slower than the best optical fingerprint sensors seen in premium devices, such as the OnePlus 10 Pro, it is typically accurate and quick enough not to be a significant source of daily aggravation.
It’s still uncommon in this class for a device to have IP67 dust and water protection, but the A53 5G does. As a result, the A53 5G should be resistant to spills, splashes, and mild water immersion. You can appreciate how important that water resistance is if you’ve ever witnessed a phone drown after an unintentional drop into water (let’s not speak about what occurred at West Seattle Summer Fest 2019).
The boost from a 4,500mAh battery to a 5,000mAh capacity is the other significant spec upgrade. If you’re a light user or mostly use Wi-Fi, Samsung’s claim that the new battery will last two full days of use is reasonable. I can easily get through a full day, even if I stream some video and use 5G for the majority of the time, but not exactly two days. Though I did download Genshin Impact on day two, I wasn’t able to finish it before I starting receiving reminders to charge the phone. Light users can typically go two days without needing to recharge, but if you’re a moderate or heavy user, it could be better to do so overnight to prevent your battery percentage from falling below 10%.
The A53’s packaging does not contain a charging brick
Although a USB-C connection is provided, the A53’s packaging does not contain a charging brick. All good things must come to an end, thus the headphone jack that the A52 had is now gone. I wish that these two flagship characteristics hadn’t made their way down to the A53.
The A53 will only work with low- and mid-band 5G if you purchase it via AT&T, T-Mobile, or unlocked; it won’t work with ultrafast high-band millimeter wave (mmWave). This is okay because mmWave is difficult to find otherwise. Although it costs $50 extra, the phone sold by Verizon does support mmWave.
If you purchase your phone from Verizon, it is likely that you will pay for it on your monthly bill rather than at full retail price; in this case, your only option is the mmWave version. Even if you’re on Verizon, if you do have the opportunity to get the phone unlocked, go ahead and save $50 by purchasing it without mmWave. You won’t miss it, and it’s possible that your wireless package didn’t even initially include it.
The Galaxy A53 5G utilizes the 64-megapixel f/1.8 standard wide camera from its predecessor. In the intermediate class, optical stabilization is a rare and welcome feature. (In moderate lighting, you’re more likely to get a sharp shot.) A 12-megapixel ultrawide, 5-megapixel macro, and 5-megapixel depth sensor are also included.
Expect to take high-quality pictures in daylight with vibrant, vivid colors. The primary camera performs admirably in dim and even very low light, and it has a night mode that, as long as your subject doesn’t move around too much, brings out a lot of information. In good lighting conditions, portrait mode shots are also passable but not as good as those taken with the Galaxy S22. You are limited to using the normal camera’s wider perspective for portraits because there is no telephoto lens available.
The advertisements that were formerly at the top of the weather app have been removed by Samsung
The hardware of the A53 5G accomplishes pretty much all you could expect a $450 phone to do, therefore I have very few complaints about it. However, I can discover a few flaws in Samsung’s software, mostly the fact that it is Samsung software.
If Samsung has its way, your phone will come pre-loaded with a ton of Samsung apps when you first use it. Fortunately, you have the option to skip downloading several of these during setup. Whether you want them or not, your phone will still have an extra voice assistant and an extra app store. I discovered that Bixby frequently hears some radio DJs pronounce “KEXP” as their own name. Although this is a Pacific Northwest issue, it hasn’t made me feel any better because I was already annoyed by Bixby.
To be fair, Samsung has made a few improvements since One UI 3.0, such as getting rid of the adverts that were over the weather app. If you wish to live your life without a second login, you may put all of the unnecessary Samsung apps in a folder and use the phone without ever setting up a Samsung account. Just be aware that you might desire to alter your phone’s typeface in the future and learn that you must have a Samsung account to download a new one from the Galaxy Store. Some wins, some losses.
