Samsung Galaxy M53 review

introduction

Samsung’s mid-range M-series was updated earlier this year, and we got our hands on the Galaxy M53 after covering its A-series counterpart a couple of months ago. We said ‘upgrade’ in the previous sentence, but is it really? Let’s go through the specs to see where it is on the card.

For starters, cameras are a “neither here nor there” kind of situation: the main one has a larger, higher resolution sensor, but that’s at the expense of the ultra-wide and macro units which have both been downgraded.

Then there’s the chipset – there’s nothing wrong with the 5G-compatible Dimensity 900 we have here, but the predecessor’s Snapdragon 778 is more powerful.

The 6.7-inch OLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz is still here; no complaints. Battery capacity, while far from the M51’s class-leading 7,000mAh, remains at 5,000mAh as it was on the M52, so that too can be filed under “no change is a good thing”. The charging power of 25W also remains.

The specifications of the Samsung Galaxy M53 at a glance:

• Body: 164.7×77.0x7.4 mm, 176 g; plastic back, plastic frame.
• Screen: 6.70 inch Super AMOLED Plus, 120Hz, 1080x2408px resolution, 20.07: 9 aspect ratio, 394ppi.
• Chipset: MediaTek MT6877 Dimensity 900 (6 nm): Octa-core (2×2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 and 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G68 MC4.
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (uses the shared SIM slot).
• Operating system / software: Android 12, a 4.1 user interface.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f / 1.8, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f / 2.2, 1/4 “, 1.12 µm; Macro: 2 MP, f / 2.4; Depth: 2 MP, f / 2.4.
• Front Camera: 32 MP, f / 2.2, 26 mm (wide angle).
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K at 30 fps, 1080p at 30/60 fps; Front camera: 4K at 30fps, 1080p at 30fps.
• Battery: 5000 mAh; Quick charge 25W.
• Various: Fingerprint reader (side mounted).

Unbox Samsung Galaxy M53

Another downgrade, and very tangible, is in the packaging and its contents. The two-piece white cardboard box is now halfway up, which immediately tells you there isn’t a charger inside. There is still a USB-C cable – perhaps for the last time, as things are going.