Skip to main content

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G goes on sale, will take on iPhone SE

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is finally hitting the shelves in the U.S. carrying a $450 price tag. Samsung’s latest mid-range phone is up for grabs from AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and the company’s official website. Folks purchasing it from Samsung.com will get the Galaxy Buds Live earbuds as a freebie for a limited time. That’s a sweet offer, as the bean-shaped noise-canceling earbuds cost $170 when they made their debut in 2020.

As for the phone itself, the Galaxy A53 5G has a lot going for it. Samsung has armed its “iPhone SE 3 killer” with a 6.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with some 120Hz refresh rate goodness on top. Apple’s latest budget phone is far behind due to its LCD display with an HD resolution and outdated bezel-heavy design.

The in-house Exynos 1280 processor keeps things running under the hood. Buyers get to pick between configurations offering 6 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes of RAM, and a choice between 128GB and 256GB of onboard storage. A neat addition is the micro SD slot that can accept cards of up to 1TB in capacity for storage expansion. A 5,000mAh battery powers the innards, and can be topped up at a peak charging output of 25 watts. Unfortunately, there is no bundled charger in the retail package.

A hand holds the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G in blue.
Samsung Galaxy A53 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

There are a total of four cameras at the back. The main snapper is a 64-megapixel unit, sitting alongside a 12-megapixel camera for ultrawide photography. A 5MP shooter is there for capturing macro scenes, while depth information for portrait shots is collected by another 5-megapixel camera. Selfie and video calling responsibilities are shouldered by a massive 32MP sensor. As far as imaging hardware and camera versatility go, the Galaxy A53 5G absolutely crushes the 2022 iPhone SE refresh.

On the software side, Android 12-based One UI 4.1 runs the show. Samsung has promised four Android OS upgrades and security updates for five years. Those figures are unmatched in the Android ecosystem, and go head–to-head with Samsung’s pricey flagship phones. The build is IP67-certified, while color options on the table are black, white, light blue, and a beautiful peach shade. Overall, the Galaxy A53 is a pretty compelling package, especially for buyers who want more bang for their bucks than what Apple has to offer with the $430 iPhone SE 3.

Editors' Recommendations

Nadeem Sarwar
Nadeem is a tech journalist who started reading about cool smartphone tech out of curiosity and soon started writing…
I spent 3 days with the Galaxy Z Fold 5. It’s not what I expected
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 half folded on a showcase.

Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 5 looks like an incremental update on paper. It’s got the same camera hardware, the same form factor with a narrow cover screen, and the same battery capacity as its predecessor. Much like most of you, I thought it to be a minor upgrade over the Fold 4 when it was unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked event last month. But it’s not.

While the differences over the Galaxy Z Fold 4 can’t be seen in photos of the two phones side by side, they can be experienced. I’m calling the Galaxy Z Fold 5 an experiential upgrade because most of the upgrades can only be felt once you hold the device in your hand or use it for a couple of days. And once you do that, you quickly realize how much better it really is.
The thinner, lighter design is a game changer
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 (left) and Galaxy Z Fold 5 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more
I made a mistake with my Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 in Mint and blue colors.

If you order the Galaxy Z Flip 5 through Samsung’s own online store, there are several exclusive colors to choose from, including the ones available at your local carrier. When I decided to get the Z Flip 5 instead of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, I also decided to go for one of the online-only colors too.

But while I know I chose the right phone, I’m not absolutely sure I chose the right color.
Samsung's Z Flip 5 colors, explained

Read more
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 waterproof?
Back of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the slimmest and lightest Galaxy Fold device yet. It's also the most technically capable, offering a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a brighter inner display, slightly improved cameras, and more. Simply put, it's one of the best folding phones you can buy in 2023. But did the thinner and lighter design have any impact on the Fold 5's water resistance?

Last year's Galaxy Z Fold 4 offered an IPX8 rating for water resistance, not waterproofing. The two terms are used interchangeably every now and then, but there’s a clear difference between the two. Does the Z Fold 5 keep that IPX8 water-resistance rating? Does it have something better? Something worse? Here's what you need to know.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is not waterproof

Read more