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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize having a high-quality camera and longer battery life, the Samsung Galaxy A53 could be the better choice for you despite being somewhat more expensive. However, the OnePlus 9 offers stronger performance and a high refresh rate display for those who value a smooth user experience. The OnePlus 9 also has more RAM, which can be beneficial for multitasking and keeping more apps open in the background. Both phones have OLED screens with similar sizes and resolutions, but the OnePlus 9's display is slightly brighter. Neither phone offers expandable storage, but they come with ample internal storage for most users. If you are particularly keen on photography, the OnePlus 9 has a higher-quality main camera setup, but the Galaxy A53 has an overall higher camera quality for both photos and videos. Both run on Android and have under-display fingerprint sensors for security. 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 OnePlus 9
- Good performance
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy A53
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
7.0
5.9
The OnePlus 9 has good overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy A53 has poor overall camera quality.
The Samsung Galaxy A53 boasts very good selfie capabilities, significantly outperforming the OnePlus 9 in this domain due to the higher quality of the photos it captures. Moreover, the A53's superior photos software experience, along with better dynamic range and low light performance, leads to better image quality overall compared to the OnePlus 9, which offers fair performance in these areas.
Photo Quality
6.7
6.2
The OnePlus 9 and Samsung Galaxy A53 both have only fair photos, though the OnePlus 9 takes somewhat better photos.
The Samsung Galaxy A53 takes very good photos, largely because it offers a better selfie experience, which is very important, compared to the OnePlus 9. Additionally, the A53 outperforms the OnePlus 9 in terms of software experience, dynamic range, and low light performance, all of which contribute significantly to overall photo quality.
Video Quality
5.9
5.2
The OnePlus 9 and Samsung Galaxy A53 both have poor videos, though the OnePlus 9 takes somewhat better videos.
The OnePlus 9 takes fair videos because even though it offers good stabilization and microphone quality, it falls short in terms of dynamic range and particularly struggles with low light performance. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A53, while sharing similar microphone quality, has a more robust video software experience and better low light performance, contributing to its overall good video capability.
Battery
6.9 Hours
8.0 Hours
The OnePlus 9 has 6.9 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy A53 has 8 hours of battery life.
Cost
$399
$480
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The OnePlus 9 has a price of $399 and the Samsung Galaxy A53 costs $480.
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Key similarities
Screen Size
The OnePlus 9 has a screen size of 6.55 inches and the Samsung Galaxy A53 is 6.5 inches.
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How the OnePlus 9 and the Samsung Galaxy A53 compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| OnePlus 9 | Samsung Galaxy A53 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$399 | $480 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | OnePlus | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 26, 2021 | March 24, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.55" | 6.5" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 402 | 405 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD888 | E1280 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 4 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 6.8/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 5.9/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide, Macro | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 48 megapixels | 64 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.9 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 4500 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 | 6.29" x 2.92" | 6.28" x 2.94" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.77 oz | 6.67 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Plastic | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | No | No | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 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)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)2, 5, 48, 66, 77, 78, 260, 261 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | Yes | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Astral Black, Arctic Sky, Winter Mist | Blue, White, Black | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | No | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | Yes | |
Shopping
OnePlus 9
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
David Lumb | April 2021
"If you’re hunting for the best Android camera phone at this price, and one that doesn’t skimp on specs the OnePlus 9 is worth considering. Courtesy of a partnership with Hasselblad, the cameras offer better color correction, and both regular and ultra-wide photos look great. The OnePlus 9’s battery fully charges in under 30 minutes over a cable, and in 45 minutes using wireless charging. If you hate waiting for hours to charge your phone, you'll love the OnePlus 9."
Samsung Galaxy A53
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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 OnePlus 9 or the Samsung Galaxy A53
About OnePlus
OnePlus, established in 2013, is a smartphone brand that first became known for providing flagship-like devices, at a fraction of the cost compared to more expensive Android competitors. OnePlus focuses on creating smartphones with powerful hardware at reasonable prices. They also bring hardware features normally not seen in other Android phones sold in the US, such as their ultra-fast “Warp Charge” and the beloved “Alert Slider”.
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
68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
8
Proprietary Phones ratings developed
108,600
Recommendations made
61,540
Consumer hours saved
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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