Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs Apple iPhone XS Max

65 out of 100

59 out of 100

Here we compared two smartphones: the 6.5-inch Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (with Exynos 1280) that was released on March 17, 2022, against the Apple iPhone XS Max, which is powered by Apple A12 Bionic and came out 43 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Differences
Review
Specs
Benchmarks
Battery life
Camera
Comments (1)

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

Higher display refresh rate – 120 Hz
Comes with 1826 mAh larger battery capacity: 5000 vs 3174 mAh
Shows 34% longer battery life (33:59 vs 25:23 hours)
Modern USB Type-C port
Delivers 26% higher peak brightness (837 against 663 nits)
Newer Bluetooth version (v5.1)
Expandable storage via MicroSD card up to 1024GB
Fingerprint scanner
The phone is 3-years and 7-months newer
Has an ultra-wide angle camera lens
Has 2 SIM card slots
The front-facing camera can record video at 4K

Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone XS Max

Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
The rear camera has a 2x optical zoom
54% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (665K versus 431K)
Handles Qi wireless charging up to 10W
Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
Apple releases software updates and supports their phones a few years longer than Samsung
13% higher pixel density (456 vs 405 PPI)
55% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1320 and 852 points
Ready for eSIM technology

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy A53 5G and Apple iPhone XS Max crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	Super AMOLED	OLED
Size	6.5 inches	6.5 inches
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels	1242 x 2688 pixels
Aspect ratio	20:9	19.4:9
PPI	405 ppi	456 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz	60 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	500 nits	625 nits
Max rated brightness in HDR	830 nits	-
HDR support	Yes, HDR10	Yes, Dolby Vision
Screen protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Tempered glass
Screen-to-body ratio	85.4%	85.41%
Display features	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display	- DCI-P3

RGB color space	97.6%	98.8%
PWM	250 Hz	240 Hz
Response time	9 ms	11.2 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	159.6 mm (6.28 inches)	157.5 mm (6.2 inches)
Width	74.8 mm (2.94 inches)	77.4 mm (3.05 inches)
Thickness	8.1 mm (0.32 inches)	7.7 mm (0.3 inches)
Weight	189 g (6.67 oz)	208 g (7.34 oz)
Waterproof	IP67	IP68
Rear material	Plastic	Glass
Frame material	Plastic	Metal
Colors	White, Black, Blue, Yellow	Silver, Gold, Gray
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, in-display	No

Chipset	Samsung Exynos 1280	Apple A12 Bionic
Max clock	2400 MHz	2490 MHz
CPU cores	8 (2 + 6)	6 (2 + 4)
Architecture	- 6 cores at 2 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 2 cores at 2.4 GHz: Cortex-A78	- 4 cores at 1.6 GHz: Tempest - 2 cores at 2.49 GHz: Vortex
Lithography process	5 nanometers	7 nanometers
Graphics	Mali-G68 MP4	Apple A12 GPU
GPU shading units	-	256
GPU clock	1000 MHz	1100 MHz
FLOPS	~487 GFLOPS	~576 GFLOPS

CPU	112133	167833
GPU	130492	157230
Memory	77548	121395
UX	107735	215799
Total score	431745	665855

Max surface temperature	45.2 °C	45.2 °C
Stability	99%	66%
Graphics test	13 FPS	34 FPS
Graphics score	2287	5704

Web score	9497	-
Video editing	7594	-
Photo editing	21637	-
Data manipulation	9220	-
Writing score	14992	-

RAM size	6, 8 GB	4 GB
Memory type	LPDDR4X	LPDDR4X
Memory clock	2133 MHz	-
Channels	2	2

Storage size	128, 256 GB	64, 256, 512 GB
Storage type	UFS 2.2	NVMe
Memory card	MicroSD	No
Memory card max size	Up to 1024 GB	-

Operating system	Android 12 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)	iOS 12 (Can be upgraded to iOS 17)
ROM	One UI 5.1	-
OS size	36 GB	16 GB

Capacity	5000 mAh	3174 mAh
Max charge power	25 W	18 W
Battery type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	No	Yes, Qi (10 W)
Reverse charging	No	No
Fast charging	Yes (45% in 30 min)	Yes (50% in 30 min)
Full charging time	1:24 hr	03:29 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	10:38 hr	09:13 hr
Watching video	15:55 hr	10:50 hr
Gaming	05:01 hr	04:38 hr
Standby	120 hr	80 hr

Main camera
Matrix	64 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	9000 x 7000	4032 x 3024
Zoom	Digital	Optical, 2x
Flash	LED	Quad LED
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
8K video recording	No	No
4K video recording	Up to 30FPS	Up to 60FPS
1080p video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
Slow motion	240 FPS (720p)	240 FPS (1080p)
Angle of widest lens	123°	-
Lenses	4 (64 MP + 12 MP + 5 MP + 5 MP)	2 (12 MP + 12 MP)
Wide (main) lens	- 64 MP - Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 0.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.72", Samsung S5KGW1P (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 28 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.5", Apple iSight X (CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization
Telephoto lens	-	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.4 - Focal length: 52 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/3.4" (CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization
Ultra-wide lens	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 13 mm - Pixel size: 1.12 micron - Sensor: 1/4.0" (CMOS)	-
Macro lens	- 5 MP - Aperture: f/2.4	-
Depth lens	- 5 MP - Aperture: f/2.4 - Pixel size: 0.8 micron - Sensor: 1/2.8", Sony IMX616 (Exmor-RS CMOS)	-
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support
Samples	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy A53 5G from DxOMark	Photo samples of Apple iPhone XS Max from DxOMark

Selfie camera
Megapixels	32 megapixels	7 megapixels
Image resolution	6464 x 4864	3088 x 2316
Aperture	f/2.2	f/2.2
Focal length	26 mm	32 mm
Pixel size	0.8 microns	-
Sensor type	CMOS	BSI CMOS
Sensor size	1/2.8"	-
Video resolution	2160p (4K) at 30 FPS	1080p (Full HD) at 60 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)
Wi-Fi features	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display
Bluetooth version	5.1	5
Bluetooth features	PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, HSP, HID, HFP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP	SPP, PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, LE, HSP, HFP, HDP, GAP, GAVDP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP
USB type	USB Type-C	No
USB version	2	2
USB features	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo
NFC *	Depends on the region	Yes
Infrared port	No	No

Number of SIM *	2	1
Type of SIM card	Nano	Nano
Multi SIM mode	Standby	-
eSIM support *	No	Yes
Hybrid slot	Yes	No
LTE Cat *	18	16
5G support	Yes	No

Speakers	Stereo	Stereo
Headphone audio jack	No	No
FM radio	-	No
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes

Category	Mid-range	Flagship
Announced	March 2022	September 2018
Release date	April 2022	September 2018
SAR (head)	-	0.99 W/kg
SAR (body)	-	0.99 W/kg
Sensors	- Hall-effect sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint	- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Face recognition sensor
Bundled charger	Not included	-

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs Apple iPhone XS Max

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs Apple iPhone XS Max

Key differences

Review

Value for money

Tests and specifications

Display

Design and build

Performance

Benchmarks

Memory

Software

Battery

Camera

DxOMark camera tests

Connectivity

Sound

Other

Conclusion