Samsung Galaxy A13 and A23: 6.6″ Full HD display, 5000mAh battery, and 25W fast charging for under RM1,000

Samsung Malaysia recently launched the 2022 Galaxy A series which includes the Galaxy A33, A53 and A73. If you’re looking for more affordable options, the Korean smartphone maker has just introduced the Galaxy A13 and A23 which are both priced under RM1,000.

Samsung Galaxy A13 and Galaxy A23 Malaysian Pricing

Here’s the official pricing for the Samsung Galaxy A13 and A23 in Malaysia:

• Samsung Galaxy A13, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage – RM799
• Samsung Galaxy A23, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage – RM999

In terms of colourways, both models can be had in black, blue and peach. If you’re interested, you can already buy the Galaxy A13 (Lazada, Shopee) and Galaxy A23 (Lazada, Shopee) at authorised resellers and online stores in Malaysia.

Samsung Galaxy A23 Hardware Specs

With the Galaxy A23, you get a full plastic construction, which includes the frame and back. On the front, the device gets a 6.6″ Plane to Line Switching (PLS) LCD display which pushes a Full HD+ resolution of 2408×1080 pixels along with a 90Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, the Galaxy A23 ships with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor which is the same processor that’s powering the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11. It’s mated with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC 5.1 storage that is expandable via a microSD card up to 1TB.

At the back, the Galaxy A23 gets a camera bump, where the lenses sit flush. In the camera department, the A23 gets a 50MP primary camera with phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and optical image stabilisation (OIS). Moreover, it is also capable of shooting 4K at 30fps, so if you take a lot of photos and videos, this could be a deciding factor between the two models.

Additionally, there is a 5MP ultrawide camera, a 2MP macro lens, and also a 2MP depth camera to assist with bokeh shots. As for the all-important selfies, it gets taken care of by an 8MP camera housed in a V-shaped notch.

You won’t find 5G support on the Galaxy A23, but with the current availability of 5G networks in Malaysia, you’re not missing out on much. Likewise, there is only Wi-Fi 802.11 ac on board, but it is plenty fast enough and there is also Bluetooth 5.0. Other notable features include a 3.5mm headphone jack and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that doubles as the power button.

In terms of battery, the Galaxy A23 has a 5,000mAh unit which Samsung claims to last up to 2 days on a single charge. The device supports 25W fast charging, however, the 25W charger is sold separately. Unlike its more expensive models like the A33, A53 and A73, Samsung is still including a 15W charger in the box for the A23.

Samsung Galaxy A13 Hardware Specs

The Galaxy A13 is the cheaper device among the two, and although has a lot in common with the Galaxy A23, it has a couple of compromises for several key features. For starters, it also gets a PLS LCD display measuring 6.6” with the same Full HD+ resolution but gets a 60Hz refresh rate instead.

Powering the Galaxy A13 is an Exynos 850 processor which is the same chip that’s found on the Samsung Galaxy A21s from 2020. It’s paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC 5.1 storage which can be expanded via a microSD card up to 1TB.

To differentiate itself design-wise from the Galaxy A23, the Galaxy A13 gets lens bumps, like that of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, where the cameras protrude out of the back. But the lenses are the same as on the Galaxy A23, so you get a 50MP main camera with PDAF, a 5MP ultrawide camera, and 2MP for the macro lens and depth sensor. However, the Galaxy A13 loses out on OIS for the primary camera and tops out at 1080p for video recording.

Apart from that, it also gets the same 8MP camera for selfies housed in a V-shaped notch as the Galaxy A23.

As for the rest of the specs, the Galaxy A13 is pretty much identical to the Galaxy A23. So, expect Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0, USB type C for charging, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and power button combo. The battery is the same 5,000mAh with support for 25W Super Fast Charging and also includes a 15W power brick in the box. Just like the Galaxy A23, the 25W charger is an optional extra.

Out of the box, the Galaxy A13 and Galaxy A23 will come with One UI 4.1 running on top of Android 12. Samsung has not given any details regarding future software support for these two budget phones. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A33, A53 and A73 will receive four major OS upgrades and five years of security updates.