iPhone SE vs. Galaxy A53 5G: Plenty of Value, Different Approaches

iPhone SE vs. Galaxy A53 5G: Plenty of Value, Different Approaches

Apple's $429 iPhone SE and Samsung's $450 Galaxy A53 5G both launched last month as more affordable alternatives to the Galaxy S22 and iPhone 13. Although both feature 5G connectivity and a similar price, they have little else in common, as the companies take opposite paths to cheaper phones. Samsung's A53 brings higher-end features like a multilens camera and a display with a high refresh rate to a more affordable device. The iPhone SE, on the other hand, has an old-fashioned design packed with Apple's latest mobile processor.

Which one is right for you will largely depend on whether you prefer Android or iOS. But these devices also illustrate how differently Apple and Samsung approach the market for lower-priced phones. Samsung cares about imitating its high-end phones, while Apple prioritizes performance and drawing customers into its ecosystem of services and accessories.

Here's a closer look at how the two phones compare.

Samsung goes for a modern design; Apple sticks with its classic build

The Galaxy A53 5G

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

Appearance is perhaps the biggest difference between the Galaxy A53 and the iPhone SE. The Galaxy A53 could easily be mistaken for other Samsung devices such as last year's Galaxy A52 5G and the Galaxy S21 FE. Like those phones, the A53 has a nearly borderless screen with a hole punch-shaped cutout for the front camera. The back of the device has a matte finish with a rectangular module for the device's camera. Samsung is clearly trying to replicate the general look and feel of its Galaxy S phones on the Galaxy A53, but with some compromises. For example, the Galaxy A53 has a plastic construction that doesn't feel as luxe as the glass build found on the iPhone SE and Samsung's more expensive Galaxy S22. 

The iPhone SE has a retro look that's distinctly different from the iPhone 13 and Apple's other recent phones. It essentially has the body of an iPhone 8 packed with the guts of an iPhone 13. That means it has the same thick bezels above and below the display as Apple's older iPhones, along with its Touch ID home button. It's the only iPhone Apple still sells that has the home button, which might make it the right choice for those upgrading from an older phone. But the iPhone SE's classic design and lower price also means it's missing Face ID. The Galaxy A53, by comparison, has a fingerprint sensor built into its display and also supports facial recognition for unlocking the devices. (However, Samsung cautions its facial recognition feature is considered less secure than other lock types). 

The 2022 iPhone SE

Chris Parker/CNET

More importantly, both phones also have drastically different screen sizes. The Galaxy A53 has a 6.5-inch screen that makes it around the same size as the Galaxy S21 FE and Galaxy S22 Plus. Samsung's phone can also boost its refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling, a feature Apple only offers on the pricier iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. 

The iPhone SE's 4.7-inch screen is essentially the same as the one on Apple's 2017-era iPhone 8, making it the smallest Phone Apple currently sells in terms of display size. It's ideal for those who prefer smaller-sized phones and are upgrading from an aging device like the iPhone 8 or iPhone 7. But it'll certainly feel like a dramatic shift from phones like the iPhone X or iPhone XS, both of which have larger 5.8-inch screens. 

Samsung's camera has multiple lenses, but Apple's still has good image quality

The Galaxy A53's camera has more lenses and a main sensor with a higher resolution than the iPhone SE. But Apple's camera still performs well for the price. The Galaxy A53 technically has four lenses: a 64-megapixel main lens, 12-megapixel ultrawide lens, 5-megapixel macro lens and 5-megapixel depth lens, although it's really the main and ultrawide lens that matter most. The iPhone SE, on the other hand, only has one 12-megapixel main lens.

Samsung's phone offers more flexibility since it has dedicated shooting modes for ultrawide, macro and night shots. If you often find yourself taking crowded family photos or sweeping landscape shots, you'll benefit from the Galaxy A53' wider field of view. The same advice applies if you frequently take photos in dim environments, such as a candlelit bar or music venue, since the iPhone SE lacks night mode.

Galaxy A53 5G 

A photo taken with the Galaxy A53's ultrawide camera. 

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

iPhone SE

The iPhone SE lacks an ultrawide camera. 

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

Galaxy A53 5G

This was taken on the Galaxy A53 using night mode.

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

iPhone SE

This photo was taken on the iPhone SE, which doesn't have night mode.

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

But the iPhone SE's single-lens camera also takes great photos that are colorful and sharp enough for casual users. There were even a couple of scenarios in which I preferred the iPhone SE's photo over the Galaxy A53's, such as the photo of my cat below, although it was generally a close call between the two. 

Galaxy A53 5G

This photo was taken on the Samsung Galaxy A53. 

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

iPhone SE

A photo taken on the iPhone SE.

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

Image quality can also depend on your preference. Some might prefer the bolder color in the iPhone SE's image below, while others might find Samsung's to be more natural. 

Galaxy A53 5G

A photo taken with the Galaxy A53 5G.

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

iPhone SE

A photo taken with the iPhone SE.

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

The Galaxy A53 also takes better selfies with brighter lighting than the iPhone SE in my experience, considering it has a 32-megapixel selfie camera compared to Apple's 7-megapixel front camera.

Take a look at the difference below.

Galaxy A53 5G

A photo taken with the Galaxy A53 5G's selfie camera. 

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

iPhone SE

A photo taken with the iPhone SE's selfie camera. 

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

All told, you're getting more for your money with the Galaxy A53. But the iPhone SE takes solid photos even though its camera is more limited. And Apple's phone can record in 4K at up to 60 frames per second, whereas the Galaxy A53 only supports 4K video capture up to 30fps. 

Apple wins at performance, but Samsung has other extra perks

The iPhone SE may be tiny, but it has the same powerful A15 Bionic processor as the iPhone 13. The Galaxy A53, meanwhile, runs on Samsung's Exynos 1280 instead of the faster processor found in the Galaxy S22 series. 

You probably won't notice the difference most of the time. The Galaxy A53's 120Hz refresh rate also makes scrolling around the phone's home screens and settings menus feel fluid. But there are moments when the Galaxy A53's less powerful processor shows. There were instances in which the Galaxy A53's keyboard wouldn't show up as quickly as it should, for example. Sometimes I also had to press the home button multiple times to quit an app. It's not disruptive enough to discourage me from recommending the phone, but it was occasionally noticeable.

That's one area where the iPhone SE really shines. Since it has the same processor as Apple's top-of-the-line iPhones, it performs just like a flagship phone. In his review of the iPhone SE, my colleague Patrick Holland said, "the SE flies and iOS animations look smooth." My own experience with the iPhone SE has been similar. Apps launch quickly, the keyboard pops up instantly and search results for local apps stored on the phone appear right away. 

Benchmark tests told a similar story. The iPhone SE scored much higher on tests meant to evaluate general processor and graphics performance compared to the Galaxy A53.

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Note:

Higher scores are better.

Geekbench 5 Multicore

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

Note:

Higher scores are better.

3DMark Wild Life Extreme

Note:

Higher scores are better.

Both phones can provide all-day battery life, although longevity will always vary depending on how you use your device. I'm typically able to get about a day and a half out of the Galaxy A53 before plugging it in, even with the refresh rate set to high. The iPhone SE, which has a lower refresh rate than the Galaxy A53, usually had between 20% and 30% of battery left at the end of the day, according to CNET's review. But unlike the Galaxy A53, the iPhone SE supports wireless charging. That's not a deal-breaker, but it might be something to consider if you already have a charging pad. 

Yet Samsung's phone has a couple of other extras you won't find on the iPhone SE, such as 128GB of internal storage on the cheapest model, a microSD card slot for adding up to 1TB of extra space and support for both millimeter wave and sub-6 Ghz 5G. The iPhone SE starts with half the storage (64GB) and lacks a microSD card slot, meaning you'll have to buy the $479 version to get 128GB of space. It also isn't compatible with millimeter wave 5G, although that might not matter much since that faster variant of 5G isn't widely available and only operates at short distances. 

Both phones are rated for IP67 water resistance, which means they can endure being submerged in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

You also shouldn't have to worry about either phone feeling outdated anytime soon when it comes to software support. The Galaxy A53 is guaranteed to get four generations of Android operating system updates and five years of security updates. Apple's iOS 15 software works on phones as old as the iPhone 6S from 2015, so it seems safe to say the new iPhone SE has a long road ahead of it.

The bottom line

The iPhone SE (left) and Galaxy A53 5G (right)

Amy Kim/CNET

The Galaxy A53 and iPhone SE both provide plenty of value for the price, but in different ways. With long battery life, a large display, an in-screen fingerprint sensor and multiple cameras, the Galaxy A53 feels like a light version of Samsung's pricier Galaxy S phones. Just remember: You may have to deal with occasional lag. 

The iPhone SE, on the other hand, has a retro design that makes it a strong choice for those who may be upgrading from an older iPhone. It doesn't have modern features like a multilens camera or a large, borderless screen, but it's as fast as the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro thanks to Apple's A15 Bionic processor.

But perhaps most importantly, it's the cheapest way into Apple's services and accessories. That might make it appealing to longtime iPhone users that don't want to spend $500 or more on a new phone, but also aren't willing to abandon their AirPods or switch to Android. 

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs. Apple iPhone SE (2022)

	Samsung Galaxy A53 5G	Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Display size, resolution	6.5-inch AMOLED (2,400x1,080 pixels); 120 Hz	4.7-inch LCD; (1,334x750 pixels); 60 Hz
Pixel density	405ppi	326ppi
Dimensions (Inches)	6.28 x 2.94 x 0.32 in	5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in
Dimensions (Millimeters)	159.6 x 74.8 x 8.1 mm	138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams)	6.67 oz; 189g	5.09 oz; 144g
Mobile software	Android 12	iOS 15
Camera	64-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 5-megapixel (macro), 5-megapixel (depth)	12-megapixel (wide)
Front-facing camera	32-megapixel	7-megapixel
Video capture	4K	4K
Processor	Exynos 1280	Apple A15 Bionic
Storage	128GB	64GB, 128GB, 256GB
RAM	6GB	Undisclosed
Expandable storage	Up to 1TB	None
Battery	5,000mAh (charger not included)	Undisclosed (charger not included)
Fingerprint sensor	In-display	Home button
Connector	USB-C	Lightning
Headphone jack	None	None
Special features	5G-enabled; IP67 rating; supports 25-watt fast charging, lacks wireless charging; Samsung Pay	5G-enabled; Water resistant (IP67); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging
Price off-contract (USD)	$450	$429 (64GB), $479 (128GB), $579 (256GB)
Price (GBP)	£399	£419 (64GB), £469 (128GB), £569 (256GB)
Price (AUD)	AU$699	AU$749 (64GB), AU$829 (128GB), AU$999 (256GB)

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

New for 2022, the Galaxy A53 gets you an abundance of Samsung features and power at a fraction of the S-series price. It boasts a far larger screen and more versatile camera cluster than the iPhone SE, though Apple's budget model delivers snappier performance. 

Still, Samsung fans will appreciate what they're getting here considering the affordable price. The Galaxy A53 5G has an ultrawide lens for taking photos with a broader field of view and also supports night-mode photography. Image quality isn't as good as what you'd get on a more expensive Samsung phone like the Galaxy S21 FE or Galaxy S22, but it's certainly clear and colorful enough for basic shots. Other highlights include a long-lasting battery, four guaranteed generations of Android operating system updates and a microSD card slot for expandable storage.

Overall, the Galaxy A53 5G is a suitable choice for those who prioritize having a large screen and long battery life for less than $500. Just keep in mind, you might have to deal with some occasional lag, and the camera isn't as advanced as those found on pricier phones. Read our Samsung Galaxy A53 5G review.

Patrick Holland/CNET

The long-awaited successor to the iPhone SE (2020) was announced by Apple during its March 8 "Peek Performance" event. It features Apple's A15 chip (which is the same one found in the iPhone 13 series), 5G and stronger glass, but the same overall design as the previous generation.

Pricing for the new iPhone SE starts at $429 and is available now.

Read our iPhone SE (2022) review.

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Samsung's less expensive Galaxy S20 FE is 'very much a response' to the pandemic

Samsung's less expensive Galaxy S20 FE is 'very much a response' to the pandemic

Samsung has another Galaxy S20 for its fans, and the device has been tailored for our unusual times. The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, also known as the Galaxy S20 FE, packs some high-end features found in the rest of the S20 lineup -- like low-band 5G connectivity -- but at a starting price of $700 (£699, AU$999). That's $300 less than the regular Galaxy S20 -- and you can currently get it for $100 less. Adding superfast millimeter wave 5G connectivity for the Verizon model brings the price up to $750 (though the carrier is currently offering a promotional $50 discount). 

The 6.5-inch S20 FE has the same Snapdragon 865 processor as the rest of the lineup and includes IP68 water resistance. It sports three rear camera lenses, including a 30x Space Zoom like what's featured in the S20 and S20 Plus. It's available in six bright colors. One of the device's biggest differences from the rest of the lineup: The back is made of plastic instead of glass.

Read more: Galaxy S20 FE vs. other S20 phones: How is the new Fan Edition so much cheaper?

Samsung, which unveiled the FE during a virtual Unpacked event, hopes to attract people who shy away from a $1,000 phone but still want the flashier features of the company's Galaxy S lineup. And it's those people who want that Galaxy S brand instead of the cheaper, simpler Galaxy A devices. During the coronavirus pandemic, that could turn out to be a lot of potential buyers. 

"It's very much a response [to the pandemic]," Drew Blackard, vice president of product management for Samsung Electronics America, said in an interview ahead of the news. "We've seen the need for a really more value-segmented offer that focuses on those core features that we know our users love the most and prioritize the most."

The company had considered introducing a device that fell between the A Series -- which ranges from $110 to $650 in the US -- and the bottom end of the S Series, which starts at $999, Blackard said. It's done something similar in the past, like introducing the $650 Galaxy S10 Lite in January at CES 2020. 

But the pandemic caused Samsung to speed up the FE's development and release, something it could do because it controls many parts of its supply chain. The FE, which goes on sale in the US on Oct. 2, arrives about seven months after the other S20 phones hit the market, whereas the S10 Lite became available in the US over a year after its siblings went on sale. 

"One of Samsung's core advantages and competitive advantages in the market is speed," Blackard said. "We can very quickly design new products and get to market."

Samsung, which lost its crown as the world's biggest phone maker to Huawei in the second quarter, has been introducing its new devices in a difficult environment. Instead of facing a strong market for phones, with 5G and foldable screens getting people to upgrade their devices, most handset makers are seeing reduced demand amid the raging novel coronavirus pandemic. Nearly a million people have died, over 31 million have been infected and millions more are out of work, unsure when they'll next earn a steady paycheck. 

While tech overall has seen a spike in demand during the pandemic, the phone market has struggled. Consumers are opting for less expensive devices, saving their money altogether or spending their cash on PCs and other work-from-home and entertainment supplies. This year, smartphone sales are expected to hit a 10-year low because of the pandemic, according to CCS Insight. 

Samsung, despite launching its new Galaxy S20 lineup in March and its less expensive Galaxy A phones over the following months, saw the biggest year-over-year drop of the world's top five phone makers in the second quarter, Canalys said. Samsung's 30% decline allowed Huawei to leapfrog it to become the world's biggest smartphone vendor for the first time, Canalys noted. It was the first time in nine years that a company other than Samsung or Apple shipped the most phones.

Samsung now hopes the S20 FE will help turn things around. 

"The new Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is ideal [for the current environment]," said Avi Greengart, an analyst at Techsponential. "It gives people differentiated features … all at a price people are looking to pay."

Pandemic problems

Samsung was counting on this year's Galaxy S20 lineup -- its first crop of phones that all feature 5G connectivity in the US -- to woo buyers who'd been waiting to upgrade their devices. Then COVID-19 swept across the globe. The US went into lockdown about a week after Samsung's Galaxy S20 lineup hit stores. Because consumers were worried about money -- and couldn't see the new devices in person -- demand fell. In July, Samsung said its mobile business revenue tumbled 18% from the previous year. 

In the US, Samsung sold about 44% fewer Galaxy S20 models in the first four months of sales than the Galaxy S10 last year, according to M Science, a data analytics provider that tracks stats like mobile adoption. 

The Galaxy S20 FE comes in six colors, including Cloud Mint. 

Samsung

What Samsung has found is that its less expensive S20 model has attracted the most buyers in recent weeks. In a normal year, it's the priciest Galaxy S or Note phone that sells in the highest numbers, at least at first, Blackard said. About six to eight weeks later, after the megafans have made their purchases, the lower-end models sell better. 

That happened this year but in a more pronounced way, Blackard said. The Galaxy S20 Ultra was the top-selling device of the lineup at launch, he said, just as the Note 20 Ultra surpassed sales of the cheaper Note 20. But then the less expensive models became more popular. 

"Within the first six to eight weeks [after] launch, you start to see that transition happen," Blackard said. "And in this case, it just happened more sharply than it did the year before."

Cheaper is king

Phone-makers have responded differently to the pandemic. In the case of Apple, it likely developed the iPhone SE well before the coronavirus spread widely, but its launch timing proved to be fortuitous. At $399, the SE is the cheapest new phone in Apple's lineup, and it includes a feature that's perfect for the times: a Touch ID fingerprint reader. That makes it easier to unlock the device while wearing a mask, versus the Face ID technology in Apple's pricier phones. 

That device helped Apple report strong financial results, even as the company delayed its high-end iPhone 12 lineup, in part because of pandemic-related production issues. Instead of arriving in September, as iPhones normally do, the devices will likely launch in October.  

Samsung's answer to the iPhone SE was its Galaxy A lineup, a batch of devices available overseas for years but arriving in the US for the first time. The four new 4G LTE models ranged from $110 for the Galaxy A10 to $400 for the Galaxy A51. Samsung even introduced two 5G devices, the $500 Galaxy A51 5G and the $600 to $650 Galaxy A71 5G, giving the South Korean company two of the cheapest 5G phones in the US.

The Galaxy S20 FE falls more in line with Apple's iPhone 11. It's part of the premium range but lower in price. The iPhone 11 has been one of Apple's top sellers over the past year.

Samsung hopes the FE will perform the same way. 

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The iPad Air Got an Overdue Upgrade. Here's What Apple Changed

The iPad Air Got an Overdue Upgrade. Here's What Apple Changed

The iPad Pro, iPad and iPad Mini all received an update last year, but Apple forgot the iPad Air. That is, until Tuesday, when the company announced a new iPad Air during its "Peek Performance" event. It looks like it was worth the wait -- and, maybe, the best iPad for its price.

The Air has the M1 processor of the existing iPad Pro model and recent Macs, but an otherwise similar design to the 2020 model, with an eight-core GPU. It also adds an ultrawide, 12-megapixel Center Stage camera, similar to existing iPad models. 5G is onboard, too, for faster mobile data. But the iPad Air still has the same display as before: no Mini-LED or OLED. It comes in a new blue color, and starts at $599 (£569, AU$929), the same as previously, with 64 and 256GB configurations, also the same as before. The new iPad Air is available March 18, the same date as the new iPhone SE. Preorders open Friday.

Read more: iPad Air 2022 vs. iPad Pro 2021: Apple's 11-Inch Tablets Compared

A new iPad Air was expected at this event; it's the iPad model that was clearly most in need of an upgrade. Reports indicated that the Air would gain the M1 chip, 5G, boosted entry-level storage (128GB instead of 64GB), and a wider-angle front-facing camera with the same digital-zooming Center Stage tech that's already on the other iPad models from 2021. All of these updates happened, with the exception of the starting storage boost.

The Air line has been around for years, and iPad Air models have tended to be midrange models that incorporate some of the iPad Pro's features at a lower price. The 2020 iPad Air looked and felt like a more affordable version of the iPad Pro, adding the Pro line's thinner-bezeled, curved-edge display, USB-C support, and compatibility with smart keyboard cases and the Pencil 2. But it started to feel a step behind Apple's other iPads last year: the 2021 iPad Mini looked like the iPad Air in a smaller size, but with its CenterStage camera and 5G, it had some features the larger Air lacked.

For more, take a look at everything else Apple announced Tuesday, including the iPhone SE 3 (here's how it compares to the 2020 model and why it's for people "who just want an iPhone"), new iPhone 13 colors and Apple's M1 Ultra processor, as well as the Mac Studio and Mac Studio Display. The products arrived alongside a release date for iOS 15.4, Apple's latest iPhone operating system update. You can check out everything Apple debuted at its "Peek Performance" event here.

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