Good general worth
At $349, it is laborious to argue with the Galaxy A53 5G’s worth. It is probably not as quick or have the digicam prowess of the Galaxy S21 FE, however what it lacks in brute power it makes up for in battery life. Plus, the Exynos 1280 inside continues to be loads quick for gaming and most of the people’s every day wants.

ForExcellent priceMuch sooner than the A52120Hz AMOLED displayDouble the battery lifeIP67 water and mud resistanceAgainstNo Wi-Fi 6Not for intense gaming

The apparent selection
The Galaxy S21 FE is the very best model of the Galaxy S21 line due to its worth proposition. It’s received the identical nice show and inside {hardware} from Samsung’s costlier Galaxy S21 line, simply in a barely completely different package deal. While it had a premium price ticket when it launched, it is now simply $399 for Black Friday — $50 greater than the Galaxy A53 — making it a standout worth in Samsung’s mid-tier portfolio. 

ForProcessor is twice as powerfulEven higher 120Hz AMOLED displayHigher-quality camerasIP68 water and mud resistanceAgainstWorse battery lifeRelatively costly

If you are in search of an incredible Samsung telephone that does not value as a lot as a flagship gadget like a Galaxy S22+ (opens in new tab), the Galaxy A53 5G and Galaxy S21 FE are nice decisions. But is the Galaxy S21 FE actually value it over the Galaxy A53 5G? We evaluate these two budget-friendly telephones (opens in new tab) to see which is best value your hard-earned {dollars}.Samsung Galaxy A53 vs. S21 FE: Design and displayWhy you possibly can belief Android Central

Our professional reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services and products so you possibly can select the very best for you. Find out extra about how we check.(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Both the Galaxy A53 5G (opens in new tab) and Galaxy S21 FE (opens in new tab) are unmistakably trendy Samsung units on the skin. The giant digicam hump on the again is led to steadily by curved sides, and the vertical orientation of the digicam sensors is extraordinarily comparable between the 2 units. However, the Galaxy S21 FE follows extra intently to the model of the Galaxy S21 or S22, aligning it higher with these premium telephones.Both telephones sport a polycarbonate again with a powdery matte end. Modern polycarbonate telephones do not feel something just like the previous shiny, greasy plastic that so many telephone producers — Samsung included — had used. The Galaxy S21 Fe’s sides are a matte end steel, whereas the Galaxy A53 5G sticks with a shiny trim, as an alternative. Both Harish and myself are likely to gravitate towards the matte edges as we each identified in our evaluations of those telephones.Where we differ in our opinion is with the flat sides of the Galaxy A53 5G. Personally, I choose the stockier, flatter sides of the Galaxy A53 5G, whereas the Galaxy S21 FE is a little more rounded out.(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Samsung outfitted the Galaxy A53 5G with a barely bigger show — that is 6.5-inches versus the 6.4-inch show on the Galaxy S21 FE — however each telephones sport a 120Hz refresh price. They additionally each use Samsung’s AMOLED show know-how, so you possibly can anticipate beautiful colours, excellent black ranges, and a number of the greatest image high quality you will discover on any telephone.Samsung Galaxy A53 vs. S21 FE: Performance and battery life(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)This class is the place the actual variations lie. The Galaxy S21 FE delivers excellent efficiency that is almost double that of the Galaxy A53, and whereas the telephone launched for twice the worth, that’s not true now. The S21 FE is simply $150 greater than the A53, and that makes it the very best worth that Samsung has to supply proper now. The S21 FE options the very same Snapdragon 888 chipset because the costlier Galaxy S21, whereas the Galaxy A53 5G packs in Samsung’s personal Exynos 1280, a chip that was constructed for effectivity above all else.Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryGalaxy S21 FEGalaxy A53 5GPrice$600$450Software programAndroid 12 with One UI 4.1Android 12 with One UI 4.1ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 888Samsung Exynos 1280RAM6/8GB6/8GBStorage128/256GB128/256GBDisplay6.4-inch AMOLED | 2340×1080 (491ppi) | 60Hz refresh rate6.5-inch AMOLED | 2400×1080 (473ppi) | 60Hz refresh rateProtectionIP68 water/mud resistance | Gorilla Glass VictusIP67 water/mud resistance | Gorilla Glass 5MicroSD card slot❌✅SecurityIn-display fingerprint sensorIn-display fingerprint sensorRear Camera 112MP, ƒ/1.8 Important64MP ƒ/1.8Rear Camera 212MP, ƒ/2.2 Ultrahuge12MP, ƒ/2.2 UltrawideRear Camera 38MP, ƒ/2.4, 3x optical zoom Telephoto5MP ƒ/2.4 MacroRear Camera 4❌5MP ƒ/2.4 PortraitFront Camera32MP, ƒ/2.232MP f/2.2Battery4,500mAh5,000mAhCharging25W wired quick charging, 15W wi-fi charging, 4.5W reverse wi-fi charging25W wired chargingConnectivity5G (sub-6, mmWave), Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 65G (sub-6), Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 5 (ac)ColoursWhite, Graphite, Olive, LavenderBlack, White, BlueDimensions155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9mm, 177g159.6 x 74.8 x 8.1mm, 189gAudioStereo soundStereo soundThat large gulf in efficiency goes to make the most important distinction for energy customers and cellular avid gamers, who’re going to be probably the most happy with the sooner telephone — the Galaxy S21 FE. It additionally implies that, due to the additional headroom, the Galaxy S21 FE is bound to attain regular 120Hz always, whereas the lower-powered chipset within the Galaxy A53 5G goes right down to 60Hz for video games with intense graphics, and you will see the occasional lag. But all that further {hardware} may not be the factor for you, particularly in case you worth battery life above all else. The Exynos 1280 contained in the Galaxy A53 5G is a extra energy-efficient chipset than the Snapdragon 888 as a result of it would not run as quick. On prime of that, the Galaxy A53 5G has a battery that is virtually 10% bigger than the Galaxy S21 FE.At the top of a single day, you are completely going to want to cost the Galaxy S21 FE so as to use the telephone once more the following day. Power customers may even have to prime it up a bit earlier than then on a very busy day. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A53 5G could have no downside getting by means of a full day it doesn’t matter what you do, and plenty of customers will even discover that they will get by means of a second day — or at the least partly by means of that second day — earlier than needing a top-up.Samsung Galaxy A53 vs. S21 FE: Cameras and video(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Here’s an space the place the spec sheet would not give the total image. On paper, the Galaxy A53 5G possible appears to be like extra spectacular. It’s 64MP foremost digicam sensor is kind of a bit increased decision than the 12MP one discovered on the Galaxy S21 FE, and it is even received a fourth devoted macro digicam that is likely to be enticing for sure sorts of close-up images and movies.However, within the case of cameras particularly, numbers do not imply very a lot. While the Galaxy A53 5G takes a number of the best possible footage in its worth vary, the Galaxy S21 FE handily beats its high quality in each single state of affairs. Part of that is as a result of sensors themselves. While the Galaxy S21 FE’s digicam is decrease decision, it makes up for the distinction by having bodily bigger pixels. This permits extra gentle to enter the sensor — suppose large home windows versus small home windows in a home — leading to much less noisy, extra detailed images in each form of gentle.The Galaxy S21 FE additionally has a way more highly effective processor — double the pace, roughly, of the Galaxy A53 5G — which is used for computational images and smoothing out video throughout recording. When taking a photograph, you will discover that the Galaxy S21 FE can produce pictures with wider dynamic vary and is extra usually in a position to seize transferring objects with larger readability.The Galaxy S21 FE additionally has a 3X telephoto lens which helps preserve issues clear when zooming in. It’s the identical degree of zoom element you will discover on all Galaxy S fashions — the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra are the exceptions right here — which helps add worth to the telephone any time you end up needing to digitally zoom into the body.Samsung Galaxy A53 vs. S21 FE: Which must you purchase?(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Both the Samsung Galaxy A53 and Galaxy S21 FE provide the “value phone” proposition, however just one really comes throughout feeling like a very stellar worth. While we initially picked the Galaxy A53 as a result of it was promoting for half the worth of the S21 FE, that state of affairs has modified. The Galaxy A53 is retailing at $350 for Black Friday, whereas the Galaxy S21 FE is discounted to only $399. The $50 distinction means the S21 FE is the plain selection between the 2, and if you would like a brand new Samsung telephone proper now, the Galaxy S21 FE is the one to purchase. Black Friday financial savings on the S21 FE successfully make it among the finest values of 2022, and having used each units side-by-side, it’s a straightforward advice over the A53. The Galaxy S21 FE is the higher telephone by almost all measurements, and whereas the Galaxy A53 has higher battery life, the S21 FE manages to final a full day with out an excessive amount of of a problem. The S21 FE takes beautiful images on par with the Galaxy S21 and S22, it’s considerably sooner in every day use, and the design feels extra elegant. 

Good general worth
Samsung’s A-series has gotten higher and higher through the years, and this 12 months’s Galaxy A53 5G is the very best one but. With an incredible processor from Samsung that is each battery-efficient and highly effective sufficient to run the 120Hz AMOLED show on the telephone, you will marvel on the Galaxy A53 5G each time you employ it. 

The apparent selection
Samsung is promoting the Galaxy S21 FE at an attractive low cost, and that makes the gadget the outright selection if you would like a value-focused telephone. It is best than the A53 in almost all areas, and the truth that it prices simply $50 extra throughout Black Friday makes it a downright steal.