The A series of Samsung Galaxy smartphones have featured some of the best mid-rangers in the market, and Samsung intends to keep this reputation with the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy A54 alongside the more affordable Samsung Galaxy A34. These mid-rangers have some design upgrades that somewhat resemble the flagship Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus. This quick review lists and describes the pros and cons of this new Samsung mid-range smartphone.
Pros of Samsung Galaxy A54: Reasons Why You Should Buy
The Samsung Galaxy A54 is a refreshing upgrade from the previous Galaxy A53 and the Galaxy A52S. It looks different and its overall design is similar to the Galaxy S23. Samsung has opted to adopt the same design language found on its flagship devices on its mid-range devices.
It also has the usual features and functionalities found in modern smartphones. These include 5G network connectivity via Sub-6 5G for the international version and via Sub-6 5G and mmWave 5G for the United States version. A hybrid dual SIM has also been retained.
This device also comes with a 5000 mAh lithium-polymer battery and an optical fingerprint scanner. It also comes in three configurations. A 128GB storage with 6GB of RAM, a 128HB storage with 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB storage with 8GB of RAM.
Purchasing and owning this mid-ranger gives great value for money nevertheless. It retails for USD 450.00 and Samsung even provides substantial discounts for trade-ins and flexible payment terms such as a zero-percent installment plant.
Below are the specific selling points of this mid-range smartphone:
• Decent Hardware Performance: The new Exynos 1380 system-on-chip is a significant improvement to the previous chipset used in the Galaxy A53. Its performance is similar to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G found in the Galaxy A52S and Galaxy A73. This chip is capable enough to run modern apps and handle mobile gaming. The 5nm process used in the Exynos 1380 also translates to better power efficiency.
• Premium and Fresh Built and Design: A notable selling point of the Galaxy A54 is its new design. It still has a plastic chassis but its back is covered with glass. The camera system on the rear is similar to the camera layout used in the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus. This device even looks similar to the S23. The cleaner camera design marks a departure from the cluttered design of the previous generations of the A series.
• Competent Camera Performance: There are three rear cameras: a main camera with a 50-megapixel sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, as well as a 5MP macro camera. The front camera is a 32MP shooter. The general image quality looks sharper and less saturated. Video quality also has more realistic color and the main and ultrawide rear cameras record up to 4K video at 30 frames per second.
• Gorilla Glass 5 and IP67 Rating: Durability is another selling point. The front and back are covered with a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 which allows the phone to survive drops from up to 1.2 meters onto rough and hard surfaces with 2x scratch resistance improvement. The entire device also has an IP67 rating that confers it with dust resistance and water resistance of up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.
• Big and Bright OLED Screen: The Samsung Galaxy A54 looks even more premium due to its 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen with brightness that peaks to 1000 nits. It supports HDR10+ and has a 1080p resolution. The pixel density is around 403 pixels per inch for a sharper and more comfortable viewing experience. The display also supports a high refresh rate of 120Hz and it can be dialed down to 60Hz.
• Long-Term Upgrade and Support: Another notable advantage of the Galaxy A54 over other mid-range devices from other manufacturers is its long-term software upgrade and security support. Samsung promises to provide this device with 4 years of major operating system updates and 5 years of security patches. This provides additional value for money as it assures device longevity and usability.
• Other Remarkable Features: Storage can be upgraded via a microSD card. This device also has loud dual speakers located on the bottom and in the earpiece that are enriched with Dolby Atmos. The battery life is solid and can last an entire day of above-average usage thanks to its 5000 mAh lithium-polymer battery pack. The haptics is also more responsive and feels more natural.
Cons of Samsung Galaxy A54: Reasons Why You Should Not But
Remember that the Samsung Galaxy A54 remains a mid-range smartphone despite its premium look and feel. One should not expect it to have flagship-grade features or functionalities and performance found in high-tier smartphones such as the S series.
This device is also far from perfect. There are other mid-range devices with unique selling points. The Google Pixel 7A and Vivo V27 are dedicated camera smartphones with a mid-range price tag while the Xiaomi 12T is a high-tier mid-range device.
Upgrading to the A54 from the Galaxy A52S or Galaxy A73 is also not a good idea because these devices remain capable and still enjoy consistent software support. Adding to this is the fact that these smartphones use the more reliable Snapdragon 778G chip.
Below are the issues and limitations of this mid-range smartphone:
• Not Flagship-Level Capabilities: This smartphone is a capable device in terms of hardware performance. It has faster CPU and GPU than its predecessor. It still experiences occasional performance issues when running multiple apps in the background and when put under resource-intense tasks. The Exynos 1380 is a good mid-range chip but struggles with intense and extensive mobile gaming and video editing.
• Average Low-Light Performance: Low-light photography using the main camera is above average compared with most mid-range smartphones but image quality can be inconsistent. The ultrawide camera is not as good. It struggles under poor lighting conditions and this is evident from the lack of sharpness, details, and poor color reproduction. The same is true for video recording under low light.
• Removal of Telephoto Camera: Another notable drawback of the Samsung Galaxy A54 is the absence of a telephoto camera on the rear. This might not sit well with other consumers who want a dedicated camera for optical zooming capable of taking images from a distance. It has been apparent that Samsung has reserved telephoto cameras for its flagship smartphones.
• No Charger and Wireless Charing: This device also ships without a charger, unlike its predecessors. This can be off-putting for most prospective consumers given its price tag. Companies like Samsung have explained that the removal of chargers in new devices is part of their efforts to reduce waste from consumer electronic devices. The A54 also lacks wireless charging. This is understandable for a mid-range device.
• Other Remarkable Issues: Other notable cons or disadvantages of the Samsung Galaxy A54 are the absence of a headphone jack and the use of an outdated USB Type-C. Charging is slow at 25 watts. Take note that a lot of mid-rangers have faster charging speeds. The in-screen fingerprint scanner is still based on optical scanning rather than the better and more responsive ultrasonic scanning technology.
Samsung Galaxy A54 Review Verdict: The Good and The Bad
The Samsung Galaxy A54 is a mid-range smartphone that offers great value for its price. It is a refreshing upgrade from its predecessors. The overhauled look and feel somewhat resemble the more premium Samsung Galaxy S23. It also retains the usual features and functionalities found in modern mid-range Android smartphones.
It has several remarkable features. These include decent hardware performance, premium and fresh build and design, competent camera performance, Gorilla Glass 5 and IP67 rating, big and bright OLED screen, and long-term upgrade and support.
However, it is still a mid-range smartphone and cannot compete with high-tier smartphones in the market. It also has occasional performance issues when running resource-intense tasks. Nevertheless, the Samsung Galaxy A54 offers a great deal and is a good option for those who want a reliable smartphone with decent features at an affordable price.