Can mid-tier Android 2022 beat the flagship Android of 2021?

In the market for a powerful Android phone with an immersive display but don’t want to pay the 2022 flagship prices? Buying an old flagship of a generation or a mid-range device is currently an option to save some money while still getting a good phone. Today, we take a look at the mid-range 2022 Samsung Galaxy A53 5G and see how it compares to the OnePlus 9, the still fully capable 2021 flagship today.

OnePlus 9 (left) and Samsung Galaxy A53 (right).

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Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs Apple iPhone 11: Specifications

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs OnePlus 9: Design and Hardware

The OnePlus 9 and Galaxy A53 5G both offer 120Hz, 2400 x 1080 OLED displays that are laminated to a minimum of bezel-less, cut-out only for a selfie camera. As for the back design, both phones use a plastic back, but the Galaxy A53 has a unique coating that makes it feel narrow and matte, unlike the slightly sticky texture of the OnePlus 9. However, you may want to wear a case. Galaxy A53 and OnePlus 9 are just for protection anyway.

Both phones share similar dimensions and weight, but the Galaxy A53 has a boxy feel thanks to the flat chassis, without the subtle curvature of the back panel seen on the OnePlus 9.

Screens look equally good on both devices, and with stereo speakers on both phones, they make for great media-consuming hardware.

Healer

The Galaxy A53 5G is powered by Samsung’s 5nm Exynos 1280, while the OnePlus 9 uses Snapdragon 888. The former is a 2022 mid-tier chip while the latter is a 2021 flagship, and despite its year-old age, the Snapdragon 888 is still the best performer. It scores higher on benchmarks, but more importantly, the OnePlus 9 feels faster in real-world usage scenarios. The Galaxy A53 5G isn’t slow, but it doesn’t navigate the way the OnePlus 9 does. Opening the Camera app, for example, is instant on the OnePlus 9 while there’s some waiting on the Galaxy A53. If we had to choose, we would definitely prefer the Snapdragon 888 over the Exynos 1280.

cameras

The Galaxy A53’s camera system is rugged but not amazing.

Both phones come with very good main cameras but they also felt the need to fill the total number of cameras with pointless sensors. The 64MP main camera on the Galaxy A53 features a fast aperture and uses pixel-binning technology to increase image resolution. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 9 has a 48MP camera with a larger 1/1.43-inch image sensor (while using pixel binning technology). The results were good photos from both cameras, but the OnePlus 9 is slightly better in really low-light situations.

Moving on to the ultra-wide shooter, the Galaxy A53 uses a 12MP f/2.2 sensor with a 123-degree all-round field of view, compared to the 48MP Ultra Wide OnePlus 9. It’s a clear win for OnePlus here, as the ultra-wide Galaxy A53 is very smooth in terms of detail and difficulty at night.

Finally, the Galaxy A53 has a pair of 5MP sensors for macro and depth and doesn’t do much else. OnePlus is no better off, as the third camera is also a useless monochrome sensor.

OnePlus 9 has a very good main camera and a super solid wide camera. However, the monochromatic sensor is somewhat meaningless.

Battery and other components

Despite its 8.1mm thickness, the Galaxy A53 5G is capable of packing a 5,000mAh battery, which is big enough for a device of this type. The OnePlus 9’s 4,500mAh battery is a bit smaller by comparison, and we can definitely see the difference in battery life. While both phones are suitable for light days of use, on weekends the Galaxy A53 can still run for a full 12 hours while the OnePlus 9 won’t make it to the finish line.

But the OnePlus 9 can be charged very quickly at 65W (0-100% in 29 minutes), and a charging brick is included. The Galaxy A53 does not include a charger at all, and it reaches its maximum at just 25W fast charging, which takes over an hour to fill up the phone.

Both devices have stereo speakers; The Galaxy A53 has an IP67 water and dust resistance, while the OnePlus 9 has an IP68 water and dust resistance. The difference in number only means that the OnePlus 9 can be submerged in water for a little longer.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs OnePlus 9: Software and Performance

The Galaxy A53 5G runs on Android 12 with Samsung’s OneUI interface on top. The OnePlus 9, since it was released a year ago, runs Android 11 out of the box, with OnePlus’ OxygenOS overlay. However, the phone got the update to Android 12 in many areas, including the T-Mobile variant, but there are no guarantees if you buy the phone unlocked. On top of that, the Android 12 update for OnePlus devices has more than its fair share of issues, and for many users, the experience deteriorated with the update. So keep that in mind as well when comparing the two phones.

As I mentioned in the processor section, the OnePlus 9 is a noticeably “faster” phone than the Galaxy A53. That speed is both real and tangible (OnePlus 9 can switch camera lenses and modes faster) and an illusion (OxygenOS has faster animations that seem to move faster than OneUI’s subtle animations). The Galaxy A53 is also prone to occasional animation stutter – not a huge issue, but this was clearly not intended to be a flagship phone, while the OnePlus 9 was a flagship phone only about 12 months ago.

Snapdragon 888 is better silicon than Exynos 1280. This will not be a problem for basic smartphone use like swiping Instagram or sending a tweet. But if you try to edit videos, even if it’s as simple as cropping the length directly into the phone’s camera app, the OnePlus 9 will get the job done faster.

It’s also worth noting that the Galaxy A53 can’t run Samsung DeX, which is a feature found in high-end Samsung phones like the Galaxy S22 or Galaxy Z Flip 3. Overall, a mid-range Samsung phone is quite a mid-range phone. The OnePlus 9 is a little better. But there is one major caveat that we haven’t touched on yet…

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs OnePlus 9: Which one is right for you?

This warning is the price! The Galaxy A53 5G can be had for $450 right now (with free Galaxy Buds Live, and some Galaxy A53 deals can drop even lower), while the OnePlus 9 hovers around $530. This makes it somewhat difficult to choose between the two phones as both are very good phones in their own way. If you have a tough budget and want a pair of earphones within that budget, the Galaxy A53 is well worth the price. You also get reliability and software support from Samsung, which makes it a very well-balanced option.

On the other hand, the OnePlus 9 for $530 is also good, especially if you intend to play on your smartphone. Android update status is somewhat questionable on OnePlus, but far from that it’s still the best phone overall, and you’ll have to pay a slight premium on the Galaxy A53 5G for it.