Samsung Galaxy M53 vs Galaxy S20 FE 5G: A Clash of Mid-Range Titans

Choosing a new smartphone can be overwhelming, especially within the same brand. The Samsung Galaxy M53 and Galaxy S20 FE 5G both offer compelling features at competitive prices, but cater to slightly different needs. Let's break down the key differences to help you decide which one is the perfect fit.

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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Galaxy S20 FE 5G offers a superior overall experience thanks to its Snapdragon 865 chipset, faster charging, and wireless charging capabilities. While the M53 boasts impressive battery life, the S20 FE 5G's performance and feature set make it the stronger contender, especially considering current pricing.

PHONES
Phone Names	Samsung Galaxy M53	Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA
5G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6	2, 5, 41, 66, 71 Sub6 - USA
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1800/200 Mbps, 5G
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	-	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 41, 78 Sub6 - International

Launch
Announced	2022, April 07	2020, September 23
Status	Available. Released 2022, April 22	Available. Released 2020, October 02

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back, plastic frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame
Dimensions	164.7 x 77 x 7.4 mm (6.48 x 3.03 x 0.29 in)	159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm (6.29 x 2.93 x 0.33 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	176 g (6.21 oz)	190 g (6.70 oz)
	-	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution	1080 x 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~407 ppi density)
Size	6.7 inches, 108.1 cm2 (~85.3% screen-to-body ratio)	6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Super AMOLED Plus, 120Hz	Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+
	-	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Mediatek Dimensity 900 (6 nm)	Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)
GPU	Mali-G68 MC4	Adreno 650
OS	Android 12, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1	Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
	-	UFS 3.1

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, panorama, HDR	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad	108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens	-
Single	-	2 MP
Triple	-	12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto), 1/4.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	-	HDR
Single	32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide)	32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers
	-	32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG

Comms
Bluetooth	5.2, A2DP, LE	5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes (market/region dependent)	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Browser	-	HTTP / WAP 2.0
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass
	-	Virtual proximity sensing Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)

Battery
Charging	25W wired	25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Stand-by	-	Up to 300 h
Talk time	-	Up to 5 h
Type	Li-Ion 5000 mAh	Li-Ion 4500 mAh

Misc
Colors	Green, Blue, Brown	Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, Cloud White, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange
Models	SM-M536B, SM-M536B/DS, SM-M536B/DSN	SM-G781B, SM-G781B/DS, SM-G781U, SM-G781U1, SM-G781W, SM-G7810, SM-G781N, SM-G781V
Price	€ 249.98	$ 137.00 / C$ 531.23 / £ 169.00 / € 199.00
SAR	1.31 W/kg (head)	0.70 W/kg (head) 0.82 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.60 W/kg (head) 1.53 W/kg (body)	0.50 W/kg (head) 1.35 W/kg (body)

Pricing
128GB 6GB RAM	-	$ 361.99
128GB 8GB RAM	-	$ 589.97
256GB 8GB RAM	-	$ 769.99

Tests
Battery life	Endurance rating 114h	Endurance rating 110h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-29.3 LUFS (Average)	-26.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 543986 (v8) GeekBench: 3296 (v5.1) GFXBench: 45fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Samsung Galaxy M53

Exceptional battery life
Large and bright display
Competitive price

Less powerful processor
Slower charging
Plastic build

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G

Powerful Snapdragon 865 chipset
5G connectivity
Wireless charging
Faster charging speeds
Premium feel

Higher price
Battery life slightly less than M53

Display Comparison

Both phones feature large displays with excellent contrast (nominally infinite). The S20 FE 5G edges out the M53 with a slightly higher peak brightness of 822 nits versus 802 nits, though the difference is minimal in real-world usage. Both offer vibrant colors and good viewing angles.

Camera Comparison

While both offer capable camera systems, the S20 FE 5G generally produces more detailed and vibrant photos, especially in good lighting conditions. The M53's camera is still very good, but the S20 FE 5G's image processing tends to be more refined. Video recording capabilities are comparable.

Performance

This is where the S20 FE 5G truly shines. Its Snapdragon 865 chipset provides significantly faster and smoother performance compared to the M53's Dimensity 900. Expect quicker app loading, better multitasking, and a more responsive gaming experience on the S20 FE 5G. The S20 FE 5G's CPU architecture (with a higher-clocked Cortex-A77 core) contributes to this advantage.

Battery Life

The M53 holds a slight advantage in endurance rating (114h vs 110h), suggesting slightly longer battery life in typical usage. However, the S20 FE 5G's 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging offer significantly faster charging speeds and added convenience.

Buying Guide

The Samsung Galaxy M53 is ideal for users prioritizing long battery life and a large, bright display on a budget. The Galaxy S20 FE 5G is better suited for those who value performance, 5G connectivity, wireless charging, and a more premium feel, and are willing to spend a bit more.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Galaxy M53 worth buying if battery life is my top priority?

Yes, the M53 excels in battery life and offers a large display at a competitive price. However, consider the performance trade-offs.

❓ Does the Galaxy S20 FE 5G still hold up in 2024?

Absolutely! The Snapdragon 865 is still a capable processor, and the S20 FE 5G offers a great balance of features and performance, especially at its current price point.