The Samsung Galaxy A53 has the ambition to impose itself on the mid-range with a 120 Hz OLED screen, a 64-megapixel main sensor, a simple but robust design and the promise of four years of major updates. Is it worth it? We tell you in this test.
The Galaxy A53 has a mission: to reconnect with the success of sales of a Galaxy A51, one of the best-selling smartphones in 2020, after an A52 that has not been able to conquer the crowds as much. To achieve this, Samsung must play on a fine balance, offering its vision of the average experience of a phone in 2022.
We are therefore facing a phone that does not seek in any way to claim the summits of excellence on the photo and performance of high-end smartphones. But it must still claim a certain standing compared to the entry-level. To do this, it relies on a beautiful 6.5-inch Oled screen in 120 Hz, a chip designed by Samsung, the Exynos 1280 and a sober, but effective design.
DESIGN
If we had to summarize the first impression of the Samsung Galaxy A53, we could say that it is a relatively basic smartphone, which looks like any Samsung released in recent years. If we find the codes of the Korean giant that allow to recognize the phone at a glance, especially the screen on, the newcomer does not come without some twists of use.
Starting with the disappearance of rounded edges, in favor of flat slices, very slightly curved on the edges. Coupled with a straight back, it gives a grip that I found reassuring. We feel that the smartphone holds well in hand, we can use it for hours without feeling embarrassed. The weight of 189 grams, rather light, is not for nothing.
Source: Frandroid – Anthony Wonner
In addition, the buttons, all located on the right, fall right under the thumb. To finish this favorable picture, let us add that the impression of lightness also takes advantage of the photo block, very erased, not very far from being flat.
Let’s look at the front side. The 6.5-inch slab is also very flat, with borders well present, but contained enough to be forgotten, with a chin not too protruding. The punch is located in the middle and there is a small speaker just above the screen.
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Let’s add for the robustness of the device that it benefits from an IP 67 certification and a Gorilla Glass 5 on the front to protect it a minimum. The SIM tray is located at the bottom, next to the second speaker. It has a SIM slot and a hybrid SIM or microSD slot.
SCREEN
The Galaxy A53 can rely on a 6.5-inch Oled panel if we count the full rectangle, or 6.3 inches with rounded edges. It has a non-variable 120 Hz refresh rate and full HD+ definition. On paper it is therefore a relatively classic technical sheet for this price range, nothing to complain about on this side.
Source: Frandroid – Anthony Wonner
In practice, rather than having something to complain about, we even tend to get excited about this smartphone screen, which would probably not swear in a higher price range. Samsung’s display know-how is once again demonstrated and our measurements with our probe and Portrait Displays’ CalMAN Ultimate software prove it.
As proof: its coverage of colorimetric spectra simply excellent for this price range. The live A53 covers up to 129% of the DCI-P3, a Gamut that is more demanding than the sRGB. The latter is swallowed by the A53, which provides 192%. The BT.2020 is not far away: it covers 87% all the same.
In natural mode, the A53 is logically more sober. It caps at 73% of DCI-P3 and 109% of sRGB. This explosion of colors probably has a slight impact on color accuracy: the average delta E in live reaches 5.19, a little far from the ideal target figure of 3. Normally, the screen offers an average delta E of 4.49.
The maximum measured brightness of 707 cd/m² is very good. It will save you from having to squint in direct sunlight. Unfortunately, the brightness sensor fishes a bit sometimes. It displays the screen too dark in the evening and struggles to adjust properly. Nothing very distressing, however, since the manual adjustment can remedy it.
Source: Frandroid – Anthony Wonner
Let’s finish with the color temperature. In vivid mode, it logically pulls towards the blues. We measured 6902K, a figure a little too high compared to the 6500K desired. In natural, the screen is very well calibrated since it offers 6481K. Samsung’s screen know-how struck again.
PHOTO
Here is the photo configuration of the Galaxy A53:
- A 64-megapixel main sensor with wide-angle;
- A 12-megapixel sensor for ultra-wide-angle;
- A dedicated 5-megapixel macro sensor;
- A sensor that helps with 5-megapixel portrait mode;
- A 32-megapixel selfie sensor.
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Overall, the photo part is very attractive with Samsung’s well-known photo processing. A small lack of dynamics is sometimes to be deplored (see the terrace below).
Up close, the phone offers a very good dive, but it gets tougher as soon as the subject moves a little away (see trees below). As flattering as the colors are, we can also point out some skies a little too blue and some plants that turn in fluorescent green.
ULTRA WIDE-ANGLE
The ultra-wide-angle is doing very well. The notable differences with the wide-angle are a significant loss of sharpness and overall darker shots. The treatment of bright colors is even a little course.
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NIGHT
Night mode is adequate. It offers a small boost of brightness in night shots, but it feels like a veil of noise has fallen on the shots. We also lose a lot of details.
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PERFORMANCE
The Samsung Galaxy A53 is based on an Exynos 1280, a chip created by Samsung, coupled with 6 to 8 GB of RAM depending on the price you put on it.
Initially, we thought that this SoC was already showing a serious lack of performance, with the phone running jerkily. The problem did not come so much from the chip as from the animations of One UI 4, the interface of the phone, which it is possible to accelerate in the developer options. Once this small adjustment is made, the phone does not show any particular slowdown on a daily basis. If he has to perform a task a little more energy-consuming (change the color of the icons, apply portrait mode on a shot, use night mode …) it may require two to three seconds of reflection, but nothing scandalous.
Better yet, at a time when all premium smartphones are hit by an intense heating phenomenon, this Galaxy A53 moderates its temperature very well.
BATTERY
Samsung promises two days of autonomy on the Galaxy A53, thanks to its 5000 mAh battery in particular. In fact, with a rather moderate use of the phone (some 30 minutes of social networks, an hour of display in maximum brightness, a quarter of an hour of photography, some 20 minutes on YouTube, 20 minutes playing chess and 20 minutes of messaging, for a total of just over three hours of screen time…), we reach 47% after 21 hours of use (counting one night).
However, we managed to hold 48 hours in a row with this phone, with moderate use, except for the activation of GPS for an hour and tethering for 1h30, to which we can add nearly two hours of social networks. Two days on without flinching, it’s still much better than most phones on the market, and it’s a real strength.
The two days therefore seem a little optimistic for any very active user.However, you can count on a day and a half without worrying too much about the percentage remaining if you are not too greedy. That’s not bad. If you tend to push your phone to its limits, you will easily hold the day with some solid reserves (between 50 and 30%) for the next day.
Source: Frandroid – Anthony Wonner
To support our impression, nothing like a passage on our SmartViser test protocol. We simulate mixed phone use and wait to see how long it takes the phone to reach 10% battery life. The Galaxy A53 reaches the average score of 11:12, rather located at the bottom of the table. It therefore appears that if it is used continuously, the phone will tend to discharge faster than the competition.
AUDIO
The Samsung Galaxy A53 has two speakers. It delivers sound at a volume sufficient so you don’t have to strain your ear, but don’t expect to cover a lively conversation between several people either.
The audio of the A53 is more fixed at the treble level, although it offers some bass that fades as the volume increases. The sound is therefore correct, but not to die for. It will be enough to consult TikTok or watch a small YouTube video.
