Huawei nova 9 SE vs. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G: A Detailed Comparison

The mid-range smartphone market is fiercely competitive, and the Huawei nova 9 SE and Samsung Galaxy A53 5G represent compelling options for budget-conscious buyers. While both aim to deliver a well-rounded experience, they take different approaches to performance, battery life, and charging speed. This comparison dives deep into the specifications to reveal which device best suits your needs.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing long-term battery life and a well-established ecosystem, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is the better choice. However, the Huawei nova 9 SE’s significantly faster 66W charging and potentially more responsive Snapdragon 680 make it ideal for users who frequently top up their battery and value quick power boosts.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei nova 9 SE Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - JLN-LX1HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - JLN-LX11, 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 / HSPA / LTEGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66 - JLN-LX32, 5, 48, 66, 77, 78, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-A536V
Launch
Announced2022, March 082022, March 17
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, March 20Available. Released 2022, March 24
Body
Build-Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back
Dimensions164.6 x 75.6 x 7.9 mm (6.48 x 2.98 x 0.31 in)159.6 x 74.8 x 8.1 mm (6.28 x 2.94 x 0.32 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight191 g (6.74 oz)189 g (6.67 oz)
 -IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1080 x 2388 pixels (~387 ppi density)1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density)
Size6.78 inches, 111.4 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio)6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~85.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCD, 90HzSuper AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits (HBM)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (4x2.4 GHz Kryo 265 Gold & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo 265 Silver)Octa-core (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetQualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm)Exynos 1280 (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 610Mali-G68
OSAndroid 11, EMUI 12, no Google Play ServicesAndroid 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaLED flash, panorama, HDR
Quad108 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 112˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens64 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
Single16 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide)32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm
Video1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
Features-HDR
Single16 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide)32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm
Video1080p@30fps4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE5.1, A2DP, LE
NFCYes (JLN-XL1 only)Yes (market/region dependent)
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (market/region dependent)
 Virtual proximity sensingVirtual proximity sensing
Battery
Charging66W wired, 75% in 20 min25W wired
TypeLi-Po 4000 mAhLi-Po 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsMidnight Black, Pearl White, Crystal BlueBlack, White, Blue, Peach
ModelsJLN-LX1, JLN-LX3, JuliaQN-L01B, JuliaQN-L21B, JuliaQN-L23A, RMX2190, FIO-BD00, JLN-AL00SM-A536B, SM-A536B/DS, SM-A536U, SM-A536U1, SM-A5360, SM-A536E, SM-A536E/DS, SM-A536V, SM-A536W, SM-A536N, SM-S536DL
PriceAbout 150 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 9 SE

  • Significantly faster 66W charging
  • Potentially more efficient Snapdragon 680 chipset
  • Competitive price point (likely)

  • 4G connectivity only
  • Limited software update support (Huawei)
  • Display specs unknown

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

  • 5G connectivity
  • Brighter display (830 nits)
  • Established software ecosystem and updates

  • Slower 25W charging
  • Exynos 1280 may throttle under sustained load
  • Potentially higher price

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured peak of 830 nits, which translates to better visibility outdoors compared to the nova 9 SE (brightness data unavailable). While the nova 9 SE’s display specs are not provided, Samsung’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a strong AMOLED panel. The A53’s larger screen size (assumed, based on market positioning) also contributes to a more immersive viewing experience. However, without knowing the nova 9 SE’s panel type and resolution, a definitive display winner is difficult to declare.

Camera Comparison

Both devices offer photo and video capabilities, but detailed sensor information is limited. The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G likely benefits from Samsung’s established image processing algorithms and potentially a larger main sensor (based on typical A-series specifications). The nova 9 SE’s camera performance will depend heavily on its sensor size and lens aperture, data not provided. It’s reasonable to assume the A53 offers more sophisticated image stabilization and potentially better low-light performance. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on either device is largely a marketing feature with limited practical benefit.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G utilizes the Exynos 1280 (5nm), featuring a Cortex-A78 prime core for demanding tasks and six Cortex-A55 efficiency cores. The Huawei nova 9 SE, however, is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 (6nm). While the Exynos 1280 has a higher clock speed on its prime cores (2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz), the 5nm process node generally offers better power efficiency than 6nm, potentially leading to improved sustained performance and thermal management. The Snapdragon 680’s architecture, while less powerful on paper, is known for its efficiency, which could translate to better battery life during less intensive tasks. The A53’s 5G capability is a significant advantage over the 4G-only nova 9 SE.

Battery Life

Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 113 hours, indicating similar overall battery life. However, the charging speeds are drastically different. The Huawei nova 9 SE’s 66W wired charging can replenish 75% of the battery in just 20 minutes, a significant advantage over the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G’s 25W charging. This means the nova 9 SE can quickly recover from heavy usage, while the A53 requires a longer charging time to reach full capacity. The A53’s endurance rating suggests it can comfortably last a full day, but the nova 9 SE’s faster charging mitigates the impact of a potentially smaller battery capacity (data unavailable).

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei nova 9 SE if you need blazing-fast charging and a phone that can quickly recover from heavy use. This is the phone for users who don't want to wait around for their device to power up. Buy the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G if you prefer a phone with a proven track record of software updates, a more mature 5G implementation, and all-day battery life, even if it means slower charging speeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 1280 in the Galaxy A53 5G tend to overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Exynos 1280 is known to exhibit some thermal throttling under sustained heavy load, such as extended gaming. While it won't shut down, performance may decrease slightly after 30-45 minutes of intensive gameplay. The Snapdragon 680 in the nova 9 SE, being a more efficient chip, is less prone to overheating, but also offers lower peak performance.
❓ Is the 66W charging on the Huawei nova 9 SE compatible with Power Delivery (PD) chargers?
Huawei typically uses its own SuperCharge protocol for 66W charging. While it *may* work with some PD chargers, it's unlikely to achieve the full 66W speed. It's best to use the charger included in the box or a Huawei-certified SuperCharge charger to ensure optimal charging speeds.
❓ How does the lack of 5G on the nova 9 SE impact real-world usage?
For users in areas with limited 5G coverage, the lack of 5G on the nova 9 SE won't be a significant drawback. 4G LTE remains widely available and provides sufficient speeds for most tasks. However, if you live in a 5G-dense area and frequently stream high-resolution video or download large files, the Galaxy A53 5G's 5G connectivity will offer a noticeable speed advantage.
❓ What is Huawei's software update policy for the nova 9 SE?
Huawei's software update support has been inconsistent in recent years due to geopolitical factors. While the nova 9 SE will likely receive some updates, they may be less frequent and take longer to arrive compared to Samsung's Galaxy A53 5G, which benefits from Samsung's robust software update commitment.