After setting the new standard for Android flagships with the Galaxy S line, Samsung wants to do the same for the mid-range with the Galaxy A line. Fantastic display, solidity in all technical departments, Android 12 and four years of update guaranteed. The new Samsung Galaxy A53 during the tests for this review has been able to prove itself to thel’height of the challenge for the title of the best mid-range smartphone. A smartphone indeed easy to recommend. But there remains some uncertainty in the fluidity of the software and some limitations that could be important for some users. Let’s try to understand if Galaxy A53 is for you in this review of the new Samsung smartphone.
Our Samsung Galaxy A53 review
Samsung (like Apple) has long ago decided that it wants to focus on a package that produces the least volume of waste possible. This unfortunately means that, as for the top of the range, also in the Galaxy A53 packaging you only find a USB-C cable for charging. But no power supply: if you don’t have a charger from 25W to take advantage of the fast recharge, you will have to buy it separately.
However, the smartphone demonstrates all of Samsung’s care in offering a minimal and elegant design. The back of the plastic device it is simple but still well made and pleasant to the touch. It also has the advantage of do not highlight the footprints, in case you want to use the smartphone without a cover. The detachment of the photographic module is more “classic” than what we are seeing in the Galaxy S line, but the fact that it maintains the materials and color of the cover and that the cameras are the same size fits in well with the overall design.
The metal profile and the screen with a punch-hole for the selfie camera are not particularly original. But the Samsung’s build quality is seen across the board. The volume and unlock keys on the right are solid and make a satisfying ‘click’ when you use them. By connecting the USB-C cable to our personal smartphone to switch apps with Samsung Smart Switch we were able to verify the solidity of the attack. All details, which Samsung does not take for granted. And that make us think that the mechanical parts of this smartphone can last well over the four years of software update.
Only 8.1 mm thick and weighing 189 grams, it is particularly light in the hand. Also thanks to the plastic cover. The certification IP67 it should ensure protection from splashing water and dust.
A superior category display
Samsung is in the tight circle of the world’s best display manufacturers and it shows. The Galaxy A53’s display makes the most of the vivid colors and contrast of the tecnologia SuperAMOLED and during this review we just loved it. The 6.5 inch panelIt has discreet frames and a resolution FullHD+ (1080 x 2400 pixel), with a refresh rate da 120Hz. Excellent specifications, which however are becoming more and more normal even in the mid-range. The Samsung quality, however, can be seen in all.
Bright while retaining natural colors, extremely fluid even in the fastest transitions. A panel of a superior category, without a doubt. By taking advantage of features such asAlways-on-Display and maybe using the animated wallpapers that Samsung offers, you will feel like you have a much more expensive device in your hands. Coupled with software support for four years, this is the ‘pearl’ that makes it simple recommend Galaxy A53.
Hardware equipment and performance
Samsung has decided to opt for a “homemade” processor, the new one Exynos 1280. A 2.4GHz octa core and 5 nanometer manufacturing process, equipped with Mali G68 GPU. They accompany the chip 6GB in RAM e 128GB of memory, expandable (but in that case you have to give up the slot for a second SIM).
From a performance point of view, we are not faced with a monster of power. Games with a lot of graphic transitions a la Genshin Impact almost always run smoothly, but we have noticed slight delays from time to time. Trying out some benchmarks, Geekbench 5 realizes 1907 in the multi-core test e 3DMark comes to 2.285. These are not the results you want for a game-phone, but they should satisfy the vast majority of users.
On the other hand, the performance is very good as regards the energy consumptioncertainly also helped by the capacious 5,000 mAh battery. But in stand-by the smartphone consumes very little and the same goes for everyday use.
Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi and 5G connectivity, NFC for payments: everything works very well, with excellent telephone reception as well. The on-screen fingerprint sensor and facial recognition work smoothly and without any delays. Unfortunately the 3.5mm audio jack is missing. But otherwise this smartphone does its duty very well.
Great autonomy for the 5,000 mAh battery
The battery from 5.000 mAh works perfectly in conjunction with the processor, ensuring you get to end of the day even with very intense use of the smartphone. During the tests for this review, the Galaxy A53 was able to close the day without even activating the energy saver on the first day. And with less intense use (the norm for many users) it is easy to get to second day.
Charging a 25W can not beat the records of other smartphones in this category: there are companies that have equipped smartphones under 400 euros to recharge from 80W. But in an hour you should recharge over 80% (while a 1 to 100% charge should take about an hour and twenty minutes).
Samsung Galaxy A53 review, the camera
Samsung has equipped its Galaxy A53 5G with one 64MP main camera with f / 1.8 focus and optical stabilization. But also find un’ultra-wide da 12MP (f/2.2)a camera from 5MP for the bokeh effect and a 5MP for macros. In front you find instead a solid camera from 32MP.
The main sensor is clearly the protagonist, capable of take really great pictures even in less than ideal lighting conditions. Putting it into difficulty with shots that include both subjects in the shade and in the sun, the colors are perhaps a little too bright. But we have to say that the result is above expectations. Excellent and quick focus, vivid colors. Above all, the Samsung software allows even less experienced photographers to shoot without worries, with good results.
The megapixel overhang of the camera ultra–wide you notice, but not as much as we feared. The wide-angle shots are from higher than average quality in this price range. And even the absence of telephoto does not make itself felt too much: it zoom is excellent in 2x and 3x, and Samsung’s software removes a lot of noise even at 10x (although the lack of detail is evident). The shots in macro they are nice for social media, but when you pass the file on your computer you can easily see that the quality is not at the level of the main sensor.
Find well-crafted features like the Portrait Mode, Night Mode and even i Snapchat filters to add to photos and videos. All functions are easily managed in the camera software, complete but not cumbersome.
For i video in 4K a 30 fps stabilization is not excellent but all in all of good quality. You can also record in 4K with the selfie camera.
Software: How is One UI 4.1 with Android 12
During the review of Galaxy A53 we had a hard time making a single judgment on the Samsung software. On the one hand, there are obvious merits. The smartphone comes with Android 12 in sauce Samsung One UI 4.1, with the certainty of receive updates for the next four years. In this price range there are no Android smartphones that boast this possibility, which alone is worth the purchase if you want to keep your smartphone for a long time.
One UI also has tons of cool features – a good one Game Launcher for games, the ability to easily connect to the computer as well as to allSamsung Ecosystem, from smartwatches to TVs. But on the other hand, many of the applications can be “too many” for most users. The Galaxy Store allows you to install Samsung applications, which are also found on the Google Play Store. Samsung’s browser is quick and snappy, but we would have preferred it to be able to choose which one to install. And then we also find third-party pre-installed apps, even if they are apps that many will still want to have such as Facebook and Spotify (you can always uninstall them).
In short, there are a little too much software for those like us who prefer a lean operating system to the maximum. With some inconvenient results: the gesture to view recent apps in Android (swipe up from the bottom, holding down) can start the shortcut for Samsung Paywhich we don’t even use.
However, these extra services would not be a problem if it were not for that occasionally some apps take a little longer to open or to play an animation. Nothing serious, the system is easy to use. If this smartphone were to be the answer to Apple’s iPhone SE, it would take a little more speed (and order). But it costs less than any iPhone and Google’s Pixels: in this price range, defends itself more than well.
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