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The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you value a better camera and are willing to pay a higher price, the Apple iPhone 12 might be a better choice. It delivers high-quality photos and supports advanced video features like Dolby Vision. On the other hand, if battery life and a larger screen are more important to you, and you would like to save money, the Samsung Galaxy A53 could serve you well; it offers a bigger battery and a slightly larger display than the iPhone 12. The iPhone 12 has a more premium build with glass, whereas the Galaxy A53 has a plastic build. Both devices provide OLED screens for sharp and vibrant visuals, but the Samsung has a higher refresh rate for smoother scrolling. Keep in mind, the operating systems are different, with the iPhone on iOS and the Galaxy A53 on Android, which could influence your app preferences and user experience. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 12
- Good for taking photos
- Good for recording videos
- Very good display quality
- Good performance
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy A53
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
7.3
5.9
The Apple iPhone 12 has good overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy A53 has poor overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 12 has better cameras for selfies, supported by an excellent photos software experience, contributing to its effective dynamic range and low light performance. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy A53 has a photos software experience and selfie quality that are good, but do not reach the same levels as the iPhone 12, reflecting a tradeoff in camera performance, especially in selfies.
Photo Quality
7.1
6.2
The Apple iPhone 12 takes good photos, while the Samsung Galaxy A53 takes only fair photos.
The Samsung Galaxy A53 takes very good selfies because it has a more capable selfie camera compared to the iPhone 12, which results in better selfie photos overall. The iPhone 12 has a reputable photos software experience and dynamic range in its photography, but the Galaxy A53's higher resolution and dedicated selfie improvements give it an edge in selfie performance.
Video Quality
7.2
5.2
The Apple iPhone 12 takes good videos, while the Samsung Galaxy A53 takes poor videos.
The Apple iPhone 12 provides excellent video quality with top-of-the-line video stabilization and dynamic range, ensuring smooth and vivid footage even in varying lighting; its microphone quality is also high, capturing clear audio for your videos. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy A53 excels in video resolution and framerate, allowing for crisp, detailed videos, but its video stabilization and dynamic range are less impressive, which might result in less consistency across different shooting conditions, though its microphone quality still ensures good audio capture.
Battery
6.2 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple iPhone 12 has 6.2 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy A53 has 8 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 12 has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Samsung Galaxy A53 is 6.5 inches.
Cost
$600
$200
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Apple iPhone 12 has a price of $600 and the Samsung Galaxy A53 costs $200.
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How the Apple iPhone 12 and the Samsung Galaxy A53 compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 12 | Samsung Galaxy A53 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $200 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 23, 2020 | March 24, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.1" | 6.5" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 460 | 405 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A14 | E1280 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 4 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.1/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 7.3/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide, Macro | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 12 megapixels + OIS | 64 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.2 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 2815 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | No | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 0 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.78" x 2.81" | 6.28" x 2.94" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.78 oz | 6.67 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Plastic | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | No | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.1 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 5 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6) 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)2, 5, 48, 66, 77, 78, 260, 261 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Blue, Purple, Green, White, Black, Red | Blue, White, Black | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | Yes | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 12
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Pocket-lint
Stuart Miles | March 2022
"The iPhone 12 offers many of the important things that you want from the iPhone: a decent camera, 5G, great screen, fast processor. For the group of people who want a new iPhone without the price tag of the iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 13 range, this is a great choice. There's no settling for second best with this smartphone."
Samsung Galaxy A53
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
Ryan Haines | May 2023
"Samsung’s quartet of rear cameras delivers the goods, both day and night, with the only blemish being the lack of 4K/60fps video recording. The large, 6.5-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display is crisp and smooth, making video streaming enjoyable. You should have no issues pushing the 5,000mAh battery to its limits and it’s not too slow to charge relative to its competitors in the US."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 12 or the Samsung Galaxy A53
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
About Samsung
Samsung is one of the most recognizable names in the smartphone industry, standing as the undisputed best-selling brand of Android smartphones in the United States for many years now. Samsung is known for offering a variety of smartphones in all available price points, as well as for implementing cutting-edge technology and innovative features in their flagship devices, ones that often shape the market going forward. The company offers its own unique spin on Android, called One UI, which focuses on offering a multitude of features and is heavily customizable, according to user preference.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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