Huawei nova 10 vs. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G: A Mid-Range Showdown

The mid-range smartphone market is fiercely competitive, and the Huawei nova 10 and Samsung Galaxy A53 5G represent compelling options. The nova 10 aims to deliver a stylish design and fast charging, while the Galaxy A53 5G focuses on a well-rounded experience with a vibrant display and long-term software support. This comparison dives deep into their specifications to determine which device offers the best value.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For users prioritizing raw performance and charging speed, the Huawei nova 10 emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 778G 4G chipset and 66W charging significantly outperform the Galaxy A53 5G’s Exynos 1280 and 25W charging. However, the A53 5G’s 5G connectivity and Samsung’s software ecosystem remain strong advantages.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei nova 10 Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Europe1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 14, 20, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66 - SM-A536U
5G bands-2, 5, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-A536U
SpeedHSPA, LTEHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTEGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China2, 5, 48, 66, 77, 78, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-A536V
Launch
Announced2022, July 042022, March 17
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, July 10Available. Released 2022, March 24
Body
Build-Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back
Dimensions162.2 x 73.9 x 6.9 mm (6.39 x 2.91 x 0.27 in)159.6 x 74.8 x 8.1 mm (6.28 x 2.94 x 0.32 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight168 g (5.93 oz)189 g (6.67 oz)
 -IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density)1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density)
Size6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~85.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits (HBM)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (4x2.4 GHz Kryo 670 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 670)Octa-core (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetQualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 4G (6 nm)Exynos 1280 (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 642LMali-G68
OSHarmonyOS 2.0 (China), EMUI 12 (Europe), no Google Play ServicesAndroid 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotNomicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, panorama, HDRLED flash, panorama, HDR
Quad-64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7X", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens
Single60 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm
Triple50 MP, f/1.9, 27mm (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 112˚ (ultrawide) Auxiliary lens-
Video4K, 1080p, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single60 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE5.1, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes (market/region dependent)
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/a/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (market/region dependent)
 Virtual proximity sensingVirtual proximity sensing
Battery
Charging66W wired 5W reverse wired25W wired
TypeLi-Po 4000 mAhLi-Po 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Silver, Green, VioletBlack, White, Blue, Peach
ModelsNCO-AL00, NCO-LX1, NCO-LX3SM-A536B, SM-A536B/DS, SM-A536U, SM-A536U1, SM-A5360, SM-A536E, SM-A536E/DS, SM-A536V, SM-A536W, SM-A536N, SM-S536DL
PriceAbout 500 EUR$ 151.42 / £ 185.00 / € 169.14
SAR-0.75 W/kg (head)     1.58 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.89 W/kg (head)     1.60 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 113h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -26.5 LUFS (Good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 329802 (v8), 379313 (v9) GeekBench: 1891 (v5.1) GFXBench: 19fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei nova 10

  • Significantly faster 66W charging
  • Potentially better CPU performance with Snapdragon 778G
  • 5W reverse wired charging

  • Lacks 5G connectivity
  • Limited information on display specifications

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

  • Brighter display for outdoor visibility
  • 5G connectivity for faster data speeds
  • Samsung’s software update commitment

  • Slower 25W charging
  • Exynos 1280 may exhibit throttling under sustained load

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured peak brightness of 830 nits, making it more legible under direct sunlight. While the nova 10’s display specs aren’t provided, Huawei typically prioritizes color accuracy. The A53 5G’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) suggests a typical AMOLED panel, offering deep blacks. The lack of high refresh rate information for the nova 10 puts it at a disadvantage against the A53 5G’s likely 120Hz panel, resulting in smoother scrolling and animations.

Camera Comparison

Both devices offer photo and video capabilities, but detailed sensor information is limited. The A53 5G likely features a larger main sensor, typical of Samsung’s A-series. The nova 10’s camera performance will heavily rely on Huawei’s image processing algorithms. Without specific aperture and sensor size details, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner. The inclusion of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) on either device would be a significant advantage for low-light photography and video recording, but this information is not provided. We can safely assume both phones include a standard suite of camera modes, but image quality will be the deciding factor.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Huawei nova 10 utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 4G (6nm), while the Galaxy A53 5G features the Exynos 1280 (5nm). Despite the 5nm process of the Exynos, the Snapdragon 778G’s Kryo 670 cores, clocked up to 2.4 GHz, provide a performance edge in CPU-intensive tasks. The Snapdragon’s Adreno GPU is also generally more capable than the Mali-G68 MP5 in the Exynos 1280. However, the A53 5G has 5G connectivity, a feature absent in the nova 10 due to the 4G Snapdragon chipset. Both phones feature an octa-core CPU configuration, but the architectural differences favor the Snapdragon in terms of raw processing power.

Battery Life

Both the Huawei nova 10 and Samsung Galaxy A53 5G achieve an endurance rating of 113 hours, indicating similar overall battery life. However, the charging speeds are drastically different. The nova 10’s 66W wired charging is significantly faster than the A53 5G’s 25W charging. This translates to a much quicker 0-100% charge time for the nova 10. The nova 10 also includes 5W reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the A53 5G, allowing it to top up accessories like earbuds.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei nova 10 if you need a phone that charges incredibly fast, offers solid performance for everyday tasks and light gaming, and prioritize a sleek design. Buy the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G if you prefer a phone with 5G connectivity, a brighter display for outdoor visibility, and the peace of mind of Samsung’s long-term software update commitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 1280 in the Galaxy A53 5G overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Exynos 1280 is known to exhibit some throttling under sustained load, meaning performance may decrease slightly during extended gaming. While not a severe issue, users engaging in long gaming sessions may notice frame drops. The Snapdragon 778G in the nova 10 generally handles thermal management more efficiently.
❓ Is the lack of 5G on the Huawei nova 10 a significant drawback?
The absence of 5G on the nova 10 is a notable limitation, particularly if you live in an area with widespread 5G coverage and frequently download large files or stream high-resolution video. However, if 5G isn't readily available or you primarily use Wi-Fi, it may not be a major concern.
❓ How long does it realistically take to fully charge the Huawei nova 10 with the 66W charger?
Huawei’s 66W SuperCharge technology can typically charge the nova 10 from 0% to 100% in around 40-45 minutes, significantly faster than the Galaxy A53 5G’s 25W charging, which takes over an hour.
❓ What is Huawei’s software update policy for the nova 10?
Huawei’s software update policy has been inconsistent in the past due to geopolitical factors. While the nova 10 will likely receive updates, the frequency and duration of support may not match Samsung’s commitment to several years of OS and security updates for the Galaxy A53 5G.