The Samsung Galaxy A53 can be a mid-level miracle with IP67 protection, four years of Android updates and a cheerful, colorful design.
Samsung’s A-series smartphones have a reputation for affordable performance at an affordable price, and the A53 seems ready to continue the trend with a few key improvements that make it more attractive than ever.
With a larger battery and a new chipset, the A53 should outperform last year’s model, backed by Samsung’s promise of four-year Android updates for the phone. Here’s what you need to know.
When will the Samsung Galaxy A53 be released Date?
Samsung announced the Galaxy A53 along with the A33 on March 17, but the phone is not yet on sale. Pre-orders begin today, and the phone will officially go on sale on April 1 – but will only be available in the US a day before T-Mobile and Verizon.
The A52 series consisted of three models: A52, A52 5G and A52s. So far, Samsung has only announced the A53 5G this year, and it seems unlikely that there will be a 4G option – though we can see the A53 arriving with an improved chipset later in the year.
How much Galaxy A53 5G
Galaxy A53 starts at £399 / $449 / €449.
While this offer isn’t available worldwide in some markets, including the US, a pair of Galaxy Buds Live will be free with initial orders. Check out our best Galaxy A53 deals; This is the place to go for all our pre-order offers for the UK, US and elsewhere.
What are the features of the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G?
The Samsung A52 has retained most of the core features of 5G, although there have been a few key changes.
As before, you’ll be back with a 6.5-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display and stereo speakers (with Dolby Atmos support). In the UK, the phone will come with standard 6GB of RAM and 128GB of memory – expandable up to 1TB via microSD – although models with 12GB of RAM or 256GB of memory are available in other markets.
Even the camera with the quad mount on the back hasn’t changed drastically: 64Mp main lens with OIS, 12Mp ultra-wide and 5Mp macro and depth sensors. You will find a decent 32 Mp selfie camera with a hole punched in the front. However, the software has been tweaked and the phone will offer portrait options, including enhanced night mode and studio lighting.
The design and construction are similar, although adjustments have been made. As before, the screen is covered with Gorilla Glass 5 and the phone has an effective IP67 waterproof rating. The back of the phone is still plastic, but the plastic now bends perfectly above the camera module, similar to the design of the flagship Oppo Find X5 Pro. It is also available in a new range of “gorgeous” colors: black, white, blue and peach.
Samsung Galaxy A53
Again, there have been some changes elsewhere. First, the battery is bigger – the new 5,000mAh battery should provide two days of battery life, according to Samsung. The 25W wired charger is the same as before and although there is no wireless charging option, you will get 50% of the battery back in half an hour.
The chipset is also new. The A53 marks the debut of the new 5nm Quad 1280 chip. Since this is completely new we still don’t know exactly how powerful it is but we’re probably expecting something mediocre despite having decent gaming performance.
Perhaps the biggest improvement is software. The A53 5G is powered by Android 12 and OneUI 4.1, but more importantly, Samsung promises four years of Android version updates and a fifth year of security support. This is what it promises for advanced devices and is now unmatched at this level – the A53 delivers the best for miles at a price point. Except for the new iPhone SE and Samsung’s cheaper A33 5G, no phone will get updates at this price for long.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Specifications
Key Specs
| RAM | 6 GB |
| Processor | Samsung Exynos 1280 |
| Rear Camera | 64 MP + 12 MP + 5 MP + 5 MP |
| Front Camera | 32 MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Display | 6.5 inches |
General
| Launch Date | March 21, 2022 |
| Operating System | Android v12 |
| Custom UI | Samsung One UI |
Performance
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 1280 |
| CPU | Octa core (2.4 GHz, Dual core, Cortex A78 + 2 GHz, Hexa Core, Cortex A55) |
| Architecture | 64 bit |
| Fabrication | 5 nm |
| Graphics | Mali-G68 |
| RAM | 6 GB |
Display
| Display Type | Super AMOLED |
| Screen Size | 6.5 inches (16.51 cm) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Aspect Ratio | 20:9 |
| Pixel Density | 405 ppi |
| Screen to Body Ratio (calculated) | 85.5 % |
| Screen Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass v5, |
| Bezel-less display | Yes with punch-hole display |
| Touch Screen | Yes, Capacitive Touchscreen, Multi-touch |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
Design
| Height | 159.5 mm Compare Size |
| Width | 74.8 mm |
| Thickness | 8.1 mm |
| Weight | 189 grams |
| Colours | White, Peach, Light Blue, Awesome Black |
| Waterproof | Yes, Water resistant (up to 30 minutes in a depth of 1 meter), IP67 |
| Ruggedness | Dust proof |
Camera
| Main Camera | |
| Camera Setup | Quad |
| Resolution | 64 MP f/1.8, Wide Angle, Primary Camera(26 mm focal length, 0.8µm pixel size)12 MP f/2.2, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera(1.12µm pixel size)5 MP f/2.4, Macro Camera 5 MP f/2.4, Depth Camera |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| OIS | Yes |
| Flash | Yes, LED Flash |
| Image Resolution | 9000 x 7000 Pixels |
| Settings | Exposure compensation, ISO control |
| Shooting Modes | Continuos Shooting High Dynamic Range mode (HDR) |
| Camera Features | Digital Zoom Auto Flash Face detection Touch to focus |
| Video Recording | 3840×2160 @ 30 fps 1920×1080 @ 30 fps |
| Front Camera | |
| Camera Setup | Single |
| Resolution | 32 MP f/2.2, Wide Angle, Primary Camera(26 mm focal length, 2.8″ sensor size, 0.8µm pixel size) |
| Video Recording | 3840×2160 @ 30 fps 1920×1080 @ 30 fps |
Battery
| Capacity | 5000 mAh |
| Type | Li-Polymer |
| Removable | No |
| Quick Charging | Yes, Fast, 25W |
| USB Type-C | Yes |
Storage
| Internal Memory | 128 GB |
| Expandable Memory | Yes, Up to 1 TB |
Network & Connectivity
| SIM Slot(s) | Dual SIM, GSM+GSM |
| SIM Size | SIM1: Nano, SIM2: Nano (Hybrid) |
| Network Support | 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G |
| VoLTE | Yes |
| SIM 1 | 4G Bands:TD-LTE 2300(band 40) FD-LTE 1800(band 3)3G Bands:UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz2G Bands:GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS:AvailableEDGE:Available |
| SIM 2 | 4G Bands:TD-LTE 2300(band 40) FD-LTE 1800(band 3)3G Bands:UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz2G Bands:GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS:AvailableEDGE:Available |
| Wi-Fi | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11, a/ac/b/g/n/n 5GHz |
| Wi-Fi Features | Mobile Hotspot |
| Bluetooth | Yes, v5.1 |
| GPS | Yes with A-GPS, Glonass |
| NFC | Yes |
| USB Connectivity | Mass storage device, USB charging |
Multimedia
| Loudspeaker | Yes |
| Audio Jack | USB Type-C |
| Audio Features | Dolby Atmos |
Sensors
| Fingerprint Sensor | Yes |
| Fingerprint Sensor Position | On-screen |
| Fingerprint Sensor Type | Optical |
| Other Sensors | Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope |
Read the list of the best mid-range phones to get acquainted with other devices that the Galaxy A53 encounters.