iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G: After-usage comparison, which one wins?

iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G: We compare the latest midrange phones from Apple and Samsung, and see which one wins.

iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G: We pit these 5G midrange phones against each other. (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G! This is the comparison that many have been waiting for ever since the rumours started coming out. The iPhone SE in its third generation avatar hasn't changed much from its predecessor but gets two crucial upgrades that changes the overall user experience. With the A15 chip from iPhone 13 and a slightly bigger battery, the iPhone SE still remains a good buy for those wanting to try a simpler iPhone, or as a secondary device.

Samsung, however, has a different formula. The Galaxy A53 5G offers everything you expect from a modern-day smartphone, complete with a high refresh rate display and a quad-camera setup. On paper, it makes the iPhone SE look dated. But the Samsung phone trades the flagship grade performance in that pursuit, and also drops the in-box charger.

Tough call then, if you had spend around Rs. 40,000 on your next smartphone. So, should you get the cheaper Galaxy A53 5G or spend more on the iPhone SE? We have both phones with us and hence, we decided to pit them against each other.

iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Design and build

Both phones bring extremely high-levels of build quality. It is the iPhone SE, however, that feels nicer to hold, thanks to its glass-and-metal body. It feels like a high-end phone. It also offers an IP67 certification and brings support for wireless charging. The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is made of plastic and it does not feel as nicer to hold as the iPhone. That said, the Galaxy A53 looks like a phone of today with its slim display bezels, unlike the iPhone SE's retro-style fat bezels.

Display

No confusion here, it is the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G that takes the prize. Its 6.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate is far superior to look at than the 4.7-inch HD LCD display on the iPhone SE. Samsung also offers a futuristic in-display fingerprint sensor while the iPhone SE retains its age-old Touch ID scanner on its Home button.

Performance

A section that the iPhone SE 3rd Gen rules. The A15 chip makes it the fastest phone in its class, letting it play all games and run apps at their best. We observed no lags, no stutters, nothing. The Galaxy A53 5G uses a midrange-level Exynos 1280 chip that cannot match the iPhone's performance levels. It can run the phone nicely for regular stuff but when it comes toggling and demanding tasks, it falls short of breath.

Software

iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

It is iOS vs Android here. The iPhone SE runs on iOS 15.4 at the moment and is expected to get at least 6 years of OS updates. iOS is limited in its approach but the overall user experience is highly polished and reliable. The Galaxy A53 5G runs on One UI 4.1 based on Android 12, which offers one of the nicer Android experiences. It is pre-loaded with third-party apps but there are hundreds of customisation options.Samsung promises 4 years of Android OS updates and 5 years of security support.

Audio

Both phones come with a stereo speaker setup but miss out on the audio jack. The audio quality is equally good on both of these.

Cameras

It is closer than ever. The iPhone SE has only a single 12MP rear camera but the still photo quality is class-leading (details, colours, white balance and exposures). The 64MP main camera on the Galaxy A53 matches the iPhone SE's quality but is tuned in a way to make photos look livelier. Additionally, Samsung also offers a decent 8MP ultra-wide camera, an average 5MP macro camera, and another depth camera. If you seek versatility, the Samsung wins here but both are neck-n-neck in terms of quality.

Similarly, the 7MP selfie camera on iPhone SE and the 32MP camera on the Galaxy A53 5G performa similarly in terms of image quality.

Battery

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G wins here by a huge margin. Its 5000mAh battery can easily last an entire day and then some with moderate weekday workloads (calls, texting, browsing, music and photography). The iPhone SE is now an all-day phone but if your usage is higher on a day, it will need a power source by the evening.

Both phones don't come with chargers in the box. The iPhone SE supports up to 20W wired charging that does a 0-100 percent refuel in over an hour. There's also support for wireless charging. The Galaxy A53 supports up to 25W wired charging that takes over 1.5 hours to fully recharge from 0 percent.

Price

The Galaxy A53 5G starts at Rs. 34,499 for the 6GB/128GB variant, and Rs. 35,999 for the 8GB/128GB variant. The iPhone SE 3rd Gen starts at Rs. 43,900 for the 64GB variant, Rs. 48,900 for the 128GB variant, and Rs. 58,900 for the 256GB variant.

Conclusion

iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

iPhone SE 3rd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

We think it as an easy decision to make. If you are after the most modern smartphone experience, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G will fit your bill, satisfy your wallet too. If you are after raw performance and that “famed iPhone experience”, the iPhone SE despite its slightly higher price and dated basics will leave a smile on your face.