Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Unboxing & First Impressions
April 8, 2022Performance: Octa-Core (2.4GHz, 2GHz), 8GB RAM / 120Hz
Main Display: 6.5-inch FHD Super AMOLED (1080×2400)
Weight: 189g
Dimensions & weight: 74.8 x 159.6 x 8.1mm
Storage: 256GB
Battery: 5,000 mAh
Features: 4K /1080 Video recording
Rear Camera: 12 MP Ultra wide, 64 Wide, 5 MP Macro, 5 MP Depth
Front Camera: 32 MP, 4K / 1080 Video Recording
Price:RM1,849.00
Samsung seems to be on the right path when it comes to improving its A series devices. The original A50 was a decent phone with a dated design for the time. The A51 heralded a more flashy look and capable hardware. However, the A52 is what cemented the company’s commitment towards offering good phones for an acceptable price.
This year’s A53 5G builds upon this by featuring more pronounced contours, chunkier looks and overall better choice of materials. This is the same for the A Series phones as it is for the S line. Samsung’s QC department stepped it up a notch for 2022. Though it has the same matte finish as its predecessor, the hue and saturation are a little better.
It can be purchased in four different colors: Black, White, Blue and Peach. Regardless of which one you choose, the colors offer a sense of youthfulness that adds to the overall appeal. The finish is visibly better than what was offered on the A52s 5G.
If you choose to buy one, what do you get in the box?
Well, a brick less than previous years. The compact packaging is a dead giveaway of its omission. Like the wired earphones, the power brick is no longer offered in the box. Samsung expects you to use the one you already have. Since the phone supports 25W fast charging, you’ll need to buy a new charger if your current one has a considerably lower rating.
Underneath the phone is a USB Type-C charging cable and literature on phone functions and warranty. Besides this, you get a SIM ejection tool and warranty stickers. If you were expecting more, tough luck. Most manufacturers are omitting items like the power brick and earphones in the name of reducing e-waste to bring their activities in line with their eco-conscious goals.
But, if you’re interested in purchasing a pair of wireless earbuds, here are a few Samsung ones that might be of interest to you:
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
Samsung Galaxy Buds2
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
The phone is slightly taller, narrower and thinner than the A52s 5G. This is despite it having the same 6.5-inch, 120Hz, super AMOLED display. Some clever construction methods were probably used because it also uses a larger battery at 5,000mAh. Its predecessor had to make do with a 4,500mAh one, which offered about 1.5 days of use.
Samsung claims that the new phone should offer two days of service life on a single charge. That is fairly accurate because our test results concluded that the A52 5G battery life yielded close to the claimed 1.5 days battery life.
There’s no support for wireless charging, which is what we didn’t want for 2022. This tech should be commonplace in mid-range phones by now. Hopefully things change next year. As a result, the phone weighs the same as its predecessor but due to the difference in dimensions, the cases meant for the A52 or A52s 5G probably won’t fit it well.
Powered by the Exynos 1280 it offers an incremental speed bump over the A52. Performance should be on par with that of the A52s 5G, which wowed us in gaming and multitasking work. It offers near flagship-like performance for people who use their phones for moderate tasks.
The A53 5G has the same cameras as its predecessors. This includes the 64MP wide lens that is supported by optical image stabilization. It should offer comparatively similar picture and video quality, but we will need to test it thoroughly to come to a definitive conclusion.
Based on our time with the phone so far, we can say that it’s an incremental step forward in terms of build quality and overall useability over its predecessor. Stay tuned and we will let you know how it’s capabilities stack up against the older phones as well as that of its competitors.
UPDATE: In-Depth Review is out, check it out here
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Review: It’s A Flagship-Lite Device
