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Budget Phone Comparison: Apple's iPhone SE vs. Samsung's Galaxy A53 5G

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Apple in March came out with the updated 2022 iPhone SE, a budget iPhone that's equipped with 5G. Samsung also recently came out with its own budget 5G smartphone, the Galaxy A53 5G, so we thought we'd compare the two to see how they measure up. In short, the A53 5G is offering up a better feature set, but it can't match the iPhone SE in terms of lifespan and build quality.



On paper, the Galaxy A53 5G offers a wide suite of features that the iPhone can't match. When it comes to the display, for example, the Galaxy A53 5G has a more modern edge-to-edge 6.5-inch 1080p AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the iPhone SE is sporting a smaller 4.7-inch display with thick, outdated bezels. The display is bright, vibrant, and at 1080p, noticeably better than the iPhone SE display.

Samsung has also equipped its smartphone with an ultrasonic fingerprint reader that's under the display and facial recognition, while the iPhone SE is using a standard Touch ID Home button, but Samsung's ultrasonic fingerprint reader is slower and less accurate than Touch ID, and the facial recognition is not on the Face ID level. It can be used for unlocking the smartphone, but not for making payments or authenticating passwords. Touch ID is being phased out from the iPhone, but it's still quick, responsive, and simple to use.

a53-vs-iphone-se-1.jpg

The Galaxy A53 5G is made from plastic, and it just feels cheaper than the iPhone SE, which is fully glass with aluminum siding. It's clearly made from better quality materials, and it has a more premium feel than the Galaxy A53 5G, which feels like your average budget Android device.

The A53 5G wins out when it comes to battery life because it offers almost double the capacity of the iPhone SE. The iPhone SE is, however, much, much faster than the A53 because it's using the same A15 chip that's in the iPhone 13. Samsung's smartphone is equipped with an Exynos 1280 chip that doesn't even come close to measuring up. Samsung does have the edge when it comes to storage, as the base model starts with 128GB and it can be expanded with an SD card slot (the iPhone SE starts at 64GB), plus it has more camera lenses.

a53-vs-iphone-se-3.jpg

Apple's iPhone SE has a single-lens 12-megapixel wide-angle rear camera, while the Galaxy S53 5G has a 64-megapixel wide-angle camera, an ultra wide lens, and a depth and macro sensor. Of course, more megapixels and more lenses does not equal better quality, and the iPhone SE has texture, detail, and HDR features powered by the A15 that set it apart.

a53-vs-iphone-se-4.jpg

Both phones have 5G and are equal in that department, and as for pricing, the Galaxy A53 5G is technically priced at $449, but it's available for $349 right now. That's cheaper than the iPhone SE, which is priced starting at $429.

a53-vs-iphone-se-5.jpg

Though the Galaxy A53 5G seems like the better phone right now, it's the A15 chip that makes the iPhone SE stand out. Apple will provide software updates, new features, and support for the iPhone SE for a good five to seven years, while Samsung is not going to support the A53 5G that long. The Galaxy A53 5G has a flashier set of features that may be immediately appealing, but those looking for a phone that's going to last for years to should check out the iPhone SE.

What do you think of the Galaxy A53 5G, do you prefer it to the iPhone SE? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Budget Phone Comparison: Apple's iPhone SE vs. Samsung's Galaxy A53 5G
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/04/04/iphone-se-vs-galaxy-a53-5g/
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I'm no fan of either brand of phones but comparing Apples and Oranges in this case is much more about eco systems than the devices on face value. In my experience, people aren't quick to jump mobile platforms regardless how green the other side of the grass is.
 
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The gap is larger if you compare against even more competitive devices.

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Apple's aluminum chassis and security focus can only go so far. Most prepaid and price sensitive buyers in the SE group are looking for a large display and basic functions. A15 sounds great, but not if the display window into the web and apps is so small.
 
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Andres Cantu said:
I would argue that the budget consumer cares much more about a larger screen than about the latest chip.

Perhaps in the future once Apple releases an SE with the design of the XR, then it would be a much more interesting comparison.
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It seems to me the SE buyers (of which I have 7 family members of mine an friends) care more about retaining touchID than anything else.
 
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For me, I'd never buy an Android phone (YOU are the product with Android, not the phone - there's a reason the OS is free). That said, I'd probably recommend bumping up one model from the iPhone SE unless you absolutely need the cheapest version or need the home button (some people love it). Unlike most, I don't think the iPhone looks outdated, just classic. Maybe it should be called the 'iPhone Classic'?
 
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As others have noted here and elsewhere, it's more about the ecosystem than anything else for most customers... but the SE is definitely a compromise on multiple fronts, there's no arguing that. I honestly thought Apple was done with that design with the iPhone 8 -- and when the somewhat more budget friendly XR was released, I was sure of it. Then there was the 2nd Gen SE, and I thought maybe that one would be the final death throes of the Home button. Now we have a 3rd Gen SE.

Apple is clearly catering to a crowd that still wants what that aging platform offers, and I suppose they know the statistics better than we do -- as they literally know exactly how many of each iPhone model they sell, while we're all just guessing. But it still seems like a bit of an oddity.
 
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NT1440 said:
It seems to me the SE buyers (of which I have 7 family members of mine an friends) care more about retaining touchID than anything else.
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My mom was the same until due to her age, the fingerprints on her fingers started fading away and her 1st gen SE wasn't unlocking with TouchID. I bought her the 11 and she's pretty happy with FaceID and now my dad wants it as well. They could care less about A15 let alone 5G as the A13 and LTE are plenty fast for them. The bigger screen is much welcome as she can view her messages and email bigger than in the tiny screen of her previous phone.
 
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MattA said:
For me, I'd never buy an Android phone (YOU are the product with Android, not the phone - there's a reason the OS is free). That said, I'd probably recommend bumping up one model from the iPhone SE unless you absolutely need the cheapest version or need the home button (some people love it). Unlike most, I don't think the iPhone looks outdated, just classic. Maybe it should be called the 'iPhone Classic'?
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AOSP is free... Google's version of Android is not. ;)
OEM's have to license (pay) to integrate Google's features into their devices.
Google makes billions off of these licensing agreements.
 
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NT1440 said:
It seems to me the SE buyers (of which I have 7 family members of mine an friends) care more about retaining touchID than anything else.
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That can be solved with an iPad Air-like Touch ID power button on the side and still get a XR design, minus Face ID to cut cost. Best of both worlds, minus anyone who likes smaller displays.
 
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I'm typing on my Samsung Galaxy A53, it's a really solid phone for the price, and it came with the Galaxy Buds Live for FREE as part of a pre-order deal! Battery life is awesome, lasts me about a day and a half. Camera is good. Love the Samsung Pay feature. ?
 
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VaruLV said:
No written word about how long Samsung plans to offer OS updates and security updates?
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Officially, they offer "at least four years" of software support, while Apple officially offers five years... but even that one year difference doesn't tell the entire story, as Apple routinely goes beyond their "official" support lifespan and Android manufacturers hardly ever go even a day beyond -- and many Android manufacturers have offered even shorter support cycles, including Alphabet with their own hardware.

But don't just take my word for it. You don't have to be reading the reports here at MacRumors to find people who are unimpressed with Android manufacturers' support for their platform; try reading a few articles over at Ars Technica, for example. Here's one to start you off: After three years, Google ends Pixel 3 support with February patch
 
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I got it as a 2nd (actually 5th) testing device from work and I love it. It is so much lighter than my Pro Max. Only the camera is pretty crap but that’s the only downside. The SE looks embarrassing next to it.

There are many basic functions I wish Apple would finally copy from Android like being able to set your own apps on the lockscreen, the always on display, gimmicks like „different scenery background every time you wake the phone and many more small details. Ah and of course the finger print under the display, which actually works damn well!
 
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